Going on an Adventure (of the mind)!

Going on an adventure of the Mind

I’m a podcast lover and I’ve come to follow a lot of authors and speakers as a result of hearing them on some of my favourite podcasts.  One of my favourites has the premise of what if church was different than we think we know it to be and another is based around the questions and comments you’re not supposed to make at church.

While I love these conversations, sometimes my mind goes completely off the deep end and takes this “What If” message even further. 

I will preface this by saying I have no evidence or backup for this thought process and to be honest, I don’t know that I believe it.  I am however enjoying the mental gymnastics that are resulting.

What if we’re not God’s ultimate creation?

What if we’re the Beta test?  What if we’re actually the test that got thrown out?

I like to spend my time often thinking of what could have happened or what might be happening outside of our understanding.

The universe is so big and so rich that, to me at least, the idea that we’re completely alone is silly and borderline arrogant. 

What if there are other intelligent beings on other planets?  Were they made in the image and likeness?  Did they need Jesus to come fix everything they messed up?

Are there other planets we haven’t discovered, still living in Eden?

Another thing I toy around with is the idea that Jesus has appeared in many forms on our planet.  From what we know, Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew.  That doesn’t seem to stop some of North America from turning him into the Scandinavian poster child with a blond haired blue-eyed Jesus. 

What if Jesus the son actually came in forms that we would recognize in Islam or Judaism or any other faith?  Christ was not Jesus’ last name and yet we call ourselves Christians.  Were there tribes who have had a “great spirit” that was actually Jesus?

The other thing that trips me up from time to time as I’ve moved through life is gender.  We know Jesus was a 30ish year old man; that’s in the book.  But what if he came in the form of women or children in other situations. 

In the trinity as I understand it, God took on flesh as Jesus.  However, before taking on flesh, wasn’t Jesus the same omnipresent being that God and the Spirit are?  Why do we limit him only to the book we understand? 

Again with no real basis for saying so, I feel like Jesus can be found in most of the world faith’s and I think he’s been working through those faiths to bring people to God.  God may not be the warrior that they intended but he will be there to work with them throughout their journey.

What do you think?  Am I nuts?  Does it hurt your faith in any way to engage in these questions?  Let me know.