Editorial: Release

Most of us don't think about it in our day to day, but release is a thing which doesn't come easy.

Try going up to a friend and attempt to grab something they are holding in their hand and watch their reaction. Then be sure to tell them you were just conducting an experiment.

You've heard of groups who have a demonstration of “trust falls”? Well, this is all about release. It reveals our ability to trust another with something of ourselves.

Let's examine this a little closer. I'm sure you heard it said, “Trust isn't given, it's earned.” Certainly, there is something to be said for any of us to become trustworthy as an individual. Yet it should never get to the point where we are jumping through hoops for another to finally open up. When it gets to this point, then there is likely also a problem in the life of the one who is in the position of extending the trust. Damaged life experiences have erroneously taught them to always be looking for the other shoe to drop, a position of predetermined distrust, a very lonely place. This means a person is responding, internally, to old stimuli. They are superimposing their expectations of past occurrences on this new situation or person, sometimes even distrusting themselves in a new experience. They have developed a trigger, a trap. Very scientific, until it's not.

Of course, in it's positive form, this approach brings us to trial and error. This is how we learn to discern and understand the idea of cause and effect. Yet when this is in the area of emotion, of which trust is composed, then it's not as cut and dry. Science, makes the assertion, it is operating on the basis of empirical evidence. This means, on the basis of observable, repeatable conditions, materials, and influences, bringing about consistent results. These results are then excepted as relative truths and then relied upon for use. So you could say, they are then trusted by the experimenters and taught to all of us as truths. This is roughly how the basis of 'knowledge' is built in human experience.

Of course if we are taught enough information from this 'knowledge' base, we then begin to trust it without feeling the need to experiment ourselves. Notice it still requires experience. All the rest is merely conjecture. This is how we form cultural characteristics, political opinions, or blind belief systems. This is not to say, by any means, whoever has a belief system is operating blind, in fact the very opposite may be true. Instead, there may be a large data base, supporting testimony of many others, and a wealth of personal experiences others miss, consequently this could be 'knowledge.'

Statements attempting to diminish the experiences of others are often made by those unwilling to do the experiment in the same ways needed. This leaves no ability to validate truth, having no inclusive experience. Usually this has to do with those pesky triggers again, so there's no release to gain what new thing may be 'known.' This is really a function of fear of the unknown and insecurity. Based on past errors, fearful expectations of change stifle the motivation to 'know' and the genuine release for actual experience. It's very sad. Things like fear of flying, of the water, of even going outside, are built on extreme versions of this same thing.

So what of our perception of what we experience, can it be trusted? Well, on a general basis, only as much as the next person's. Still it's clear we trust the judgment of outside sources for the bigger picture. However, when it comes to personal things, we tend to rely upon our own personal experiences and judgment and are way less trusting of outside sources. The problem is, we and other humans are fallible. Even the collective experience of humanity may be an exercise in misjudgment, if you really want to follow this out to it's ends.

So where do we go, and how do we then release, from here? The various disciplines of science have continually been challenged and corrected by the free thinking, the out of the box non-follower of the crowd. Maybe not directly, as collective pride wouldn't allow it, but over time new lines of progress spring-board forward overcoming attitudes of fearful present expectations.

Then there is the other side of things, where, just because this is the way we've always done it, that doesn't mean it's wrong or even outdated. The idea, “If it ain't broken don't fix it.” Again this requires a genuine look at things, an unreserved look, open to unanticipated input, in order to 'know' if something isn't actually broken in some subtle way.

So, how do we 'know' how far along the drift of the scale of anxiousness and 'knowledge' we really are? As foreign as, to the status-quo kind of thinking, it may seem, this will require trust. (Heb 11:6a paraphrase) Huh, interesting, trust is actually not always a thing to be earned, sometimes it needs to be given, extended, added, almost injected.

You see, without trust, we influence the data, colour it, that's not scientific, is it. Truth, and so consequently honest experience, requires release to whatever is not what we want to assert. In a sense it becomes our choice, to get out of 'It's Way.' Then there is no interference, from our anxious interpretations, messing up what could be revealed when stepping forward into what we don't yet 'know.' This parallels the confusion the world has over the collective historical experience of real Christians and their actual experience of Christ.

A little balance in perspective here: We all, by large majority, Christians and non alike, have gone through the same “education” system and learned what science 'knows.' Still, actually, most of us, who say we trust science, or claim to be scientific, are really not there yet. This would require each of us to do every experiment ourselves, in the same environments, under the same conditions, with the same equipment, the same way as those who claimed these truths originally. Every doctor would have to do all the research over again. That's an amazing burden, and so we all function in real life on the basis of belief. This is defined as opening up to what is being shared with us, allowing ourselves to be influenced by it, and then living in it. In the same way, until an individual releases to the experimental parameters, by asking Jesus to live in their spirit for the rest of their lives, as the Lord of their lives, they have not entered in to the experience of Christ, and so have not come to 'know.' Until this releasing, the experience, happening now, CANNOT happen. (Heb 11:6b paraphrase)

He, biblically, is 'known' to be God who came in the flesh, who died to purge us of our biases and their knee jerk reactions, so you can “know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 paraphrase) This experience has a 'knowledge' base of over 2000 years and millions upon millions of actual, personally tested, transformative, collective experiences. How much science do we usually go on, comparatively, a micro fraction? Yet, in knee jerk reactions scientists attempt to discredit what they cannot 'know,' in fact, the God who came in the flesh. This betrays the very belief foundation science says to function in. It leaves these kind of 'scientists' out of being scientific in their approach at all. So they can never be qualified to validate Truth in regards to Christ. Without the substance there is no experience of actual 'knowledge,' or power to live according to its truth. (2Tim 3:5a &7)

We are all “religious” at heart, the one who says, “I am not” is stating a belief. We all function on a mixture of taught material, common experiences of others, and our own actual experiences to substantiate truth to ourselves. If we are genuine, we will not miss that last step, and so substantiate this truth for ourselves.

So are you functioning freely or will you stay in the trigger trap? What if gathering empirical data involved the unseen? What of a person who's blind, does this mean they can't gather empirical data? Of course not! It simply means empirical data can be gathered through other channels. I.E. hearing, touch, taste and smell. What if the evidence is in another level of empirical flow, such as the spirit or soul, and required release or trust to experience it? This flow is on a different dimensional level, just as science is discovering other dimensions exist. Some function in manners foreign to our present physical ways of detection, requiring different sensors, so to speak.

Like when we were a baby, we had to integrate by experience with our physical senses which we all take for granted now. As in learning to ride a bike, learning about the spiritual world and to navigate in it is a bit precarious. However, as children, we had others to teach and confirm our experiences, in order to come to trust what we 'know,' what we now believe, or release to, as the way things are.

While we never 'knew' of gravity we were still influenced by it every moment in our lives, and we went on blindingly oblivious, functioning anyway. Then, when it's reality was uncovered to us, we accommodated and interacted with it in a more deliberately useful way. Like flying a plane, we are benefited in our 'knowledge' or experience of gravity. What we never 'knew' before did not destroy our lives and has now brought an enhanced experience from it. God has this at heart, but first an obstruction needs to be removed. This is what Easter is all about.

This coming weekend we will experience “Resurrection Weekend,” aka Easter. On Friday morning, at 9:30 a.m., there will be a “Good Friday” walk starting at Palmer Park, Port Perry. It continues up Queen Street, with various stops along the way, commemorating Christ's carrying of His cross, on which He would die to take our punishment of sins upon himself. This, so, when He rose past death, He could extend the opportunity to experience for ourselves His new form of resurrected life.

It's very scientific, if we will individually ask Him in to our hearts, to rule there as Lord, what a Saviour we will find! Let's face it, if things are messed up, or stressed up on the inside, we can't expect to judge and live healthy on the outside.

What a release!

Happy Resurrection, Happy Seasoning!