Matthew Shepard Update Discussion List Newly formed on 10/16/98 on onelist.com. Subscribe today and view the archives also!! Need an HTML fragment to get others to subscribe, email me:Rodney Allen Bell, II
From: lambdamidwest@juno.com (Lambda Midwest)
AN OPINIATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON MATTHEW SHEPARD
(C)1998 Rodney Allen Bell, II, B.A.
Matthew Shepard as many of us know came into this world prematurely
and out prematurely. Why? Is it possible that God wanted him sent here
in that fashion so that we could learn and grow from the experience.
Why was he special? We've had violent crime against the gay/les
community before. We didn't do as much as we're doing now. He was
special. The way he was killed was special. It was ordained. It was
is spiritual destiny. He was an angel sent from God to serve in the way
that he did, by example. He was crucified and died. He was. Think of
the analogy to the Christ' story. He was beaten. Jesus was beaten to a
pulp. People have been downplaying how Jesus was basically mutilated
before he was even put on the cross. Matthew was scarred so bad and
then tied to the cross. He was also dragged there. Christ was also
forced to go to the cross. The story has been distorted so much by
modern religion. Suffering for hours. Both Jesus and Matthew suffered
for hours. Hours of pure agony. "Father, forgive them for they know not
what they do" A powerful statement.
I personally don't believe that Matthew struggled at all. I believe
that he looked at them as evil as they were and looked into them as an
angel would with the eyes of love. Now, try this visual imagery that
I'm developing here. It's powerful. As Matthew is dying, he is aided
by "Andrew, the Angel of Death" from Touched by an Angel" to make the
walk towards God and the light. The two men who put him on the cross
were pure evil. There is no doubt. Anyone who does heinous crime is
evil. Matthew represented love. Love vs. evil. Who won? In reality,
love did. It always has, but we as human beings have missed it for
centuries.
He had to die. If he had lived, then the course of events that is
going on at this time in history would not have occurred. When Jesus
died, the changes that occurred would not have happened as they played
out. There is even more that Matthew's little child body has given us.
This child and was a child, 21 is not that adult and also his size and
weight. He was murdered out of hate, there is no doubt. Robbers don't
torture and beat someone to death, set them on fire and tie them to a
crossed fence.
Also, examine his name. Matthew. A name from the Bible.
Shepard......a keeper of the flock. A watcher of the flock.
There are even more unexplainable and eerie details about his death.
The Denver Post on Oct. 15 reported that a young man riding a bicycle
was riding by on the road far away from the "cross" that Matthew was
tied to;. He glanced back, but didn't stop. He hit a rut in the road
and was thrown off balance. He suddenly looked over and saw what he
thought was a scarecrow but felt led to check it out. He did report it,
but did not talk about it except to two or three friends, because
remember the two hoods were not caught yet, so he was afraid they would
find him and kill him also. This young man dreamed that Matthew talked
to him after he died. It's very powerful and touching and I believe it.
I believe it for many reasons. I know that I may sound gullible. I
don't believe everything I read or hear, but this young man (if he did
indeed find Matthew) would be on the police report. I will bet you that
he is. He finally did come forward an was interviewed for the story in
the Denver Post. He was also from my town of origin, Grand Island,
Nebraska.
The message of Jesus and the message of Matthew are ones of love. Not
hate. Hate is on the dark side. Love is on the light side.
I really have had doubts about God in my life often. But some things
just touch you in ways that are only to be described as spiritual. I
consider myself a Universalist, but I really need spirituality
When you examine all of the hate crimes in America, you will find that
Matthew's was only one of many that was brutal. I have an opinion that
this one struck a nerve and a big ole nerve in the human subconscious,
if you will an archetype. The archetype is one we've had since the
beginning of time. The stories of the persecution of a prophet and his
death. Jesus wasn't the only great prophet to die and come back. The
Bahai Faith also believes that their leader Bahaullah did the same
thing. They consider Bahaullah, the second coming of Christ. I don't
believe in a second coming of Christ, because it has already happened
and continues tohappen. Our world has a very narrow view of religion.
They don't believe in modern day miracles, prophets, or mysticism. Only
the stone granite Bible is the answer. Not true. If people studied,
they would find that there are many faiths that parallel the Christian
faith and it i snot the first faith. Possibly Judaism, more than likely
it was Confucianism or Taoism though. Even Native American religion is
ancient. They have parallels with Christianity.
I believe that we are all one great big people and that we do go to
the same place, but the way we were taught our faith was cultural, not
wrong, just different. In Betty J. Eadie's book, "The Awakening
Journey", she talks about how she was shown by God that each people have
their own pathway to heaven. Some of us see Jesus. some Mohammed, some
Bahaullah, some the Great Spirit.
Amazing.
I hope I haven't offended anyone with this post, but we as spiritual
people have denied our spirituality for a long time. We were considered
very special and perveyers or the mystical world in Native
American tribes before the Protestants forced the "savages" to change
their ways. Read "Another Mother Tongue" by Judy Grahn for a really nice
treatment to this story.
Matthew Shepard was an angel. Plain and simple. Who else but a child
could get us to do something? Children are very special in God's eyes.
I have been attempting to put together Matthew Shepard's horoscope,
because I'm intrigued with tools that lend insight. I don't worship or
use them in a profane way, just as tools.
A prediction here if Matthew follows Jesus trend: he will be
blasphemed and trashed to the max. Wrung through the mud. Wait and
see.
Love to everyone,
Rodney A. Bell, II
lovespirit@earthlink.net
Matthew Shepard Update List and Website
http://geocities.datacellar.net/WestHollywood/Stonewall/2178/shepard1.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted to MatthewShepardUpdate@onelist.com A discussion list devoted to Matthew, his life, his death, the aftermath, the incidence of hate crime in America and the Midwest.
Web Page Content ©1998-2004Rodney Allen Bell, II, M.A. This Page Last Updated 11/10/98,10/16/04
Lambda Midwest Main Page
Get your own Free Home Page