Tag: Joseph J. Dewey

As The Seeker Moves Forward

As the seeker moves forward on the path of liberation the light ahead becomes brighter and his power to move stronger as he assists those behind him. But if he fails to assist, then the path ahead is darkened and his strength evaporates. He becomes lost while another dedicated to serve takes his place. -Joseph J. Dewey, Facebook, March 2, 2017

Closed Canon or Closed to God?

Both Judaism and Christianity consider their canons to be closed.

A biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list of texts (or “books”) which a particular religious community regards as authoritative scripture.
…
Most … canons … are considered “closed” (i.e., books cannot be added or removed), reflecting a belief that public revelation has ended and thus some person or persons can gather approved inspired texts into a complete and authoritative canon …
-Biblical canaon, Wikipedia

Judaism and Christianity both have closed canons, bearing in mind that both may have sects that differ in some details of what they include their canon (contrast Catholicism vs. Protestantism). Both however believe that revelation of new ideas, principles, or even commandments are ended which is just another way of saying that they would have a difficult time listening to God if it chose to do “a new thing.”

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. -Isaiah 43:19

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. -Revelation 21:5

Believers in these traditional religions often scorn any sort of ideas they consider “New Age” as being an affront to God and based on individuals who are not humble enough to accept what has already been given by God (and if the real truth be known, often distorted and twisted by men).

New revelations add to the old and change the perspective of the past works, but they are not tossed aside. -Joseph J. Dewey, The Sign of Initiation, January 23, 2000

Those on the cutting edge of the age past are often left behind as the new age begins to dawn.
-Joseph J. Dewey, Answers Through Principles Part II, February 20, 1999

It seems to me that declaring communication (revelation) from God as being “closed” speaks more to the act of men closing their minds, than of God choosing to only do “old things.” If it is an affront to God to look for new things isn’t it just as much an affront to presume to tell God to, “Just shut up for now, you’ve already told us enough!”