The word and the voice of God

[john.m.lake]

Hello all... I picked up my first Leonard Cohen - "The Essential Leonard Cohen" about three weeks ago. I wish I would have discovered his music sooner - Beautiful, Biblical - Brilliant!

- John
johnlakeart.com

[Gerrida]

Hello, John, nice to have you here. You have a whole world to explore ... enjoy! Try to get Field Commander Cohen, Tour of 1979. I love his voice on that album and the songs are great as well.

[jimbo]

yes John essential is essential

[john.m.lake]

Thank ya Kindly Gerrida and Jimbo...

- simply amazing musical compositions. I have a new favorite artist now... I'll be picking up everything I can find.

[kokenpere]

John -

Welcome! Check Marie Mazur's Speaking Cohen site also. Between the Files and 'Speaking', you should have plenty of information for your quest.

michael

[john.m.lake]

Thank you Michael - I'll check out the site.

[john.m.lake]

Just checking in... Still listening to 'The Essential Leonard Cohen'. I've lost track - BUT - I believe I have listened around 10 times now. The latest yesterday wile taking a little trip - Timeless! Light of The Father.... not of any one religion or non-religion But.. the one and only God.

[st theresa]

Hi John
And welcome to the club! Trying to imagine what it would be like to have just discovered Leonard cohen. I guess I would wonder how I could have missed him all these years. A little like a spiritual awakening I should imagine. I do remember the first time--my brother returned with a little casette tape entitled Songs from a Room. First he played the tape, and then he played some songs on his guitar, sounding a lot like leonard. My siblings and I literally fell on the floor laughing at Bird on a wire. Laughing and loving it.
I still feel like that when I hear a new cd by him. Maybe not as wild--after all its been 40 years or so. But some things just reach you on a certain level. The voice of God? amen.

[john.m.lake]

Hi St Theresa... thank you for the welcome and the story. The music is the most beautiful, the most soothing I have ever heard - I can't imagine ever being tired of it - and - I can't wait to pick up his other albums. I'm not a strongly religious person - I have no true affiliation... but - I am a spiritual person and when I hear the words and music I feel a very strong connection to the spiritual... not that I believe Leonard Cohen to be thee 'God' of Course... And I'm sure that Leonard would scoff at such an idea - BUT I do believe God is 'Everything' - there is nothing outside - so - in my belief system Leonard is definitely 'part' of God and maybe a little closer to the Understanding/ Knowledge than most - a true prophet - whether he realizes this or not. If I'm lucky enough for his 2008 tour to stop near New Jersey.. I'll be one of the first in line.

[Casey Butler]

Not that I believe Leonard Cohen to be thee 'God' of Course... And I'm sure that Leonard would scoff at such an idea - BUT I do believe God is 'Everything' - there is nothing outside - so - in my belief system Leonard is definitely 'part' of God...

Hi John... You can say it. I can say it too.

If Leonard Cohen is a part of God then really Leonard Cohen is God. And so are you... So is everbody else, from the least of us to the greatest of us, from the first to the last.

Now if we treated one another as though each of us is God... well, there you have the "secret" of the Sermon on the Mount, the "secret" of Muhammad, and the "secret" of Buddha, etc. The "secret" protected by all religion. The Wisdom Embracing All Species.

It's so easy: Nobody eats better than the hungriest child on earth can eat, and all would eat enough very soon.

It's the WAIT that is the killer. It's over. Sacrificing 30,000 people a year in the US alone so we can drive cars doesn't work, you know? Killing 200,000 by accident in our "health care" system makes health care an oxymoron... Making war to bring "peace" doesn't work either, does it?

It's been over since Jesus understood that God is within each of us, and treated us, and taught us, accordingly. It's all been a game of "catch-up" since that time. "The time is at hand", He said.

When you get here pretty soon, you'll be waiting, waiting, waiting, here on the other side too.

Argh. Isn't it a miracle that we can't discuss what Leonard Cohen sings about, we can only discuss Leonard Cohen? Kind of like how they teach us that "Jesus taught in mysteries".

I have a live version of Halalujah, and I smile every time I hear Leonard Cohen sing "I'll stand - right here - before the Lord of Song".

If it be Our Will.

Casey

[john.m.lake]

Hi Casey....I agree - Leonard Cohen is God... just saying 'he alone' is not the 'total' Manifestation of God - But 'Part' just like you or me.

I believe.... God is bigger than most religions realize & there is only one true God. God is every Atom & Molecule & Quark, God is your PC and the desk it sits on, God is Me & You, God is all of our thoughts, God is every Heaven & Hell... every religion, God is the Trees & Rocks & Oceans, God is the Earth & Solar System, God is the Galaxy & Universe - every Universe and every dream, God is - All That Is.

I am not speaking of the Christian God - although this God is 'part' of the God I speak of - for, I fear no devil or pits of fire - BUT - Amen to Jesus! Peace, Forgiveness, Kindness and Love - may they guide us in all we do...

And.... Amen to Leonard Cohen - the poet, the musician the Teacher!

[Casey Butler]

I believe.... God is bigger than most religions realize & there is only one true God. God is every Atom & Molecule & Quark, God is your PC and the desk it sits on, God is Me & You, God is all of our thoughts, God is every Heaven & Hell... every religion, God is the Trees & Rocks & Oceans, God is the Earth & Solar System, God is the Galaxy & Universe - every Universe and every dream, God is - All That Is.

John, cool!

But isn't God in the poorest child now suffering right now from starvation or disease, as well as in you and me? Isn't God in Bush, Olmert, and Osama bin Laden? So what are We going to DO about it...

What does the Sermon on the Mount say we should do about it? It's like a fine gold Swiss watch, every concept there! The Man DID it! He DID it!

We can all SEE how it's gonna work, we can all FEEL how right it is, we've heard it through masters of Words from Leonard Cohen to Mick Jagger to John Lennon to George Frederick Handel.

What are we going to DO... what are we going to DO?

God is starving to death in Africa, Asia, and all around the world war is being waged against Him - by God.

Welcome to Hellfire, BTW... Shalom..

[jimbo]

Leonard is not God. but a messenger
A prophet................

If it be your will.................THEN LET YOUR mercies Spill

[Casey Butler]

Leonard is not God. but a messenger
A prophet................

If it be your will.................THEN LET YOUR mercies Spill

You know, it's okay. I understand.

Mercy being what it is, however, it seems to me the starving and oppressed created by our gluttony and greed are more deserving of Mercy than we. I wonder when we will read the papers and actually care - when we will show the Mercy we talk and sing about. A messenger's message must be heard to be effective, it says a prophet's words must prove true for a prophet to be a prophet. Is Leonard Cohen a prophet, do we dare hear him? Is the Future here, is it time to care...

Again, "Love, aren't you tired yet?"

I'm sorry. My name is Azazel. Before Abraham was, I AM. I am a Jewish virgin of women, a bird of prey wrapped in a white robe, standing on Mount Zion, mourning for our iniquities, sighing and crying over the violence we propagate in the name of what we call good. And God dries my tears.

I've been in the wilderness a long time, now I've finally come to join the party, only to find that it's Closing Time.

And I can't be heard over that damn plywood violin! Go in peace, jimbo. It's all going to be okay, something wonderful will be along soon. It will be better than they've always said even.

Have you ever heard Amazing Grace sung in Cherokee? It was sung at funerals along the Trail of Tears, and became part of the culture. It's very moving.

Casey

[mat james]

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