Carlsbad's Chopra provides different take on Jesus in new book
By TANIA FUENTEZ - Associated Press | ∞
Deepak Chopra, the New Age writer and entrepreneur, poses for a photograph at the Chopra Center & Spa, Monday, March 17, 2008, in New York. Chopra's latest book is titled, "The Third Jesus." (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff) Before he became known for promoting holistic health and spirituality, Deepak Chopra adhered to traditional Western medicine as an endocrinologist in Boston. He eventually questioned this approach, returning to the centuries-old Indian system of Ayurveda to find a balance between faith and science.
"I wanted to extend my idea of healing," Chopra said in a recent interview. "If you don't understand spiritual experience, you'll never understand healing."
Now, at 61, the physician and best-selling author hopes to extend conventional thought again ---- even more controversially ---- in "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" (Harmony Books). Chopra challenges Christian doctrine while presenting an alternative: Jesus as a state of mind, rather than the historical rabbi of Nazareth or son of God.
The third perspective ---- which Chopra calls "a cosmic Christ" ---- looks at Jesus as a spiritual guide whose teaching embraces all humanity, not just the church built in his name. Chopra argues that Christ speaks to the individual who wants to find God as a personal experience.
"I said to myself, 'Why not write a book that takes Jesus' teachings ---- and it doesn't matter if you're Christian or not ---- and learn from this and improve your life?'" he told The Associated Press at the Chopra Center and Spa in midtown Manhattan.
Considered a pioneer of mind-body alternative medicine, Chopra is president of the Alliance for a New Humanity and he has been listed among Time magazine's top 100 heroes and icons of the 20th century. His books have been translated into dozens of languages, with topics that range from aging and sexuality to golf and Buddha's path to enlightenment. In 1995, he co-founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad with Dr. David Simon, which officially opened the following year.
Fascination with Jesus' life began during his lessons while attending a Roman Catholic school in India, Chopra said. Though his parents were from Hindu and Sikh families, "if you were relatively affluent, education was always in the Christian school because of the missionaries."
He moved to the United States in 1970 after graduating from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Chopra did his internship in New Jersey, and residency and fellowship at various institutions including Boston, Tufts and Harvard universities. He also was chief of staff at Boston Regional Medical Center for two years.
His interest in Hinduism and medicine evolved while observing a mind-body connection in his research, and a chance encounter in 1985 with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at a conference in Washington, D.C.
"I first leaned toward Ayurveda medicine and then actually went on to study other wisdom traditions of the world ... this happened during my training in neuro endocrinology where I saw what happened in consciousness in biology," Chopra explained.
"I was just extending my understanding of healing from physical to mental to social to environmental," he said. "That's what the 'Alliance' is all about ... healing the body politic, healing the world."
Chopra devotes substantial time to his own spiritual development. He meditates and exercises daily, though he occasionally enjoys a triple hazelnut latte.
During the interview, Chopra switches his Blackberry, covered in an orange case, to vibrate as he speaks on faith, politics and a list of projects like a new comic book launched with his son and Sir Richard Branson. The in-demand speaker is at ease quoting Scripture or talking quantum physics. He has studied the Bible closely, reading it hundreds of times.
Though "The Third Jesus" was on his mind for 25 years, it took him six months to complete once he began writing. The next book will be a fictional account of Jesus' missing years.
"Where else do you read a story of the Son of God being executed by their own?" he said. "It is dramatic. It's three years of his teaching, and it has shaped the world for 2,000 years."
In a review, Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of divinity at Harvard, said "The Third Christ" is "bound to provoke both admiration and condemnation." Chopra references the New Testament and Gnostic Gospels to deconstruct church doctrine and conservative Christianity on issues such as war, abortion, women's rights and homosexuality.
"I see blogs every day that are negative and very nasty, because this is not a literalist interpretation of Jesus," Chopra said. "My book is about Jesus as a state of consciousness. If I can aspire ---- maybe not achieve ---- but aspire to be in that state of mind and if a lot of people were aspiring to be in that state of mind this would be a better world."
"I emphasize this over and over again that whatever we do is about improving ourselves and improving the world."
On the Net:
Deepak Chopra: http://www.deepakchopra.com
The Chopra Center for Wellbeing: http://www.chopra.com
Alliance for a New Humanity: http://www.anhglobal.org
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VidyaSagar wrote on Apr 4, 2008 1:43 AM:Really Eye opening information, Thanks alot..
John wrote on Apr 5, 2008 7:35 AM:In writing about Christ as a state of mind, Chopra is espousing a Gnostic outlook similar to contemporary authors such as Timothy Freke (better known in the UK) who wrote The Jesus Mysteries and Tom Harpur (better known in Canada)who wrote The Pagan Christ. It doesn't sound like there is much new here.
Sammy wrote on Apr 5, 2008 10:35 AM:2,000 years later, indeed, this is nothing new. It is, what it is. Make of it what you please.
Vista Resident wrote on Apr 5, 2008 2:49 PM:This book that seeks to understand Jesus will hopefully inspire us to read the Gospels with a fresh perspective. The agnostic Christian message was overlooked when the Bible was compiled by well-meaning men. Maybe they did not include it because they did not understand it. Even Jesus' disciples continually questioned him about his sayings because they did not understand him. The agnostic message was spread by some followers of Jesus, including one of his closest disciples, Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is "at hand" -- what is he meaning? The traditional interpretation is that the kingdom of heaven is far off -- after death. But, if the "good news" Jesus spread is that the kingdom of God is "at hand" -- then was he telling us that it is right here, right now? Jesus may have been trying to tell us that heaven is a state of consciousness. Jesus certainly had a state of consciousness that was heavenly -- a consciousness full of love, harmony, spirit, wisdom, truth, charity, power, faith, and goodness.
Andy wrote on Apr 7, 2008 3:42 PM:Jesus is his name.The Christ is THE messiah, that is who he is. Period. If you want fiction writing surely you can find a more entertaining book than this.
AA
Edward wrote on Apr 9, 2008 6:17 PM:There is no "third Christ". There is no "second Christ". There is only one true Christ; Son of God. Chopra intends to demean this by diminishing Christs real identity and character.
Rico wrote on Apr 10, 2008 9:55 AM:Anyone can take snipets of Jesus' message and manipulate them to fit their own worldview or promote their own message, which is what Mr. Chopra is doing. The sad part is, he's well intentioned in doing so. In effect, Chopra's putting Christ under his own microscope, instead of putting his presuppositions aside and putting himself under Christ's microscope by studying the totality of His message, and going from there. Vista Resident wrote we need to read the Gospels with a "fresh perspective", however, that's the problem with people like Chopra who keep trying to add to the Grace of God found in Christ. The Gospels are first-century documents and need to be read through first-century eyes if a person's going to understand it, otherwise that person's reading 21st century presuppositions into the message; their "fresh perspective" drowns out message of reconciliation between God and man, and takes off in a completely different direction.
sd wrote on Apr 10, 2008 4:34 PM:I guess Chopra's tapped out on the sale of his old books and stupid ideals, now he is trying to convince the same idiots who bought his books to get this new one. He is an empty shell of a person who has made way too much money out of people who have not found God.
Papi wrote on Apr 10, 2008 11:20 PM:What exactly is Vista Resident talking about? Mary Magdalene, an "agnostic"? Agnostic refers to a person who doesn't believe in anything that cannot be experienced by the senses. I believe you're referring to "Gnosticism", and that you've been watching too much of the DaVinci Code. Gnosticism is a Greek religion that flourished in late 3rd, early 4th century, with some followers blending it with Christianity at that time - case in point the "gospel of Thomas", dates to that time. Mary Magdalene was a 1st 1st century Jewish woman who lived in Palestine and followed Christ. And since when has "at hand" meant "far off"? Perhaps you should read up on orthodox Christian theology before you start commenting on said theology; it makes you sound ignorant and confuses people who don't know any better.
Marx wrote on Apr 12, 2008 6:40 PM:"Anyone can take snipets of Jesus' message and manipulate them to fit their own worldview or promote their own message"
This is what almost every church, faith, or whatever that teaches the christian mythology does. Well stated. It's opium for the massess.
Rico wrote on Apr 24, 2008 3:21 PM:Marx, thank you for proving my point by taking a snipet of my post to bolster your worldview and deliver a backhanded compliment. Again, read the totality of the post, and go from there.
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