And thank you! I always enjoy knowing I may have helped someone.

But a couple of concerns:

The issue of translation is really not related at all to the issue of document preservation. I have earlier blog entries from last year that give more detail of my thoughts about that. I think you might especially be interested in the ones on Bible Scholars, since they go into the manuscript debate somewhat. There is also much more material on my website.

While the Qumran find did include many Essene documents, their proximity to the Isaiah scrolls only proves that they were valued by those who hid them, not that they were necessarily considered Holy Scripture. I've spent quite a lot of time debating the Bible canon and Gnostic works and really don't want to get into that here, as I'm sure you don't either, but I would encourage you to check out my other writings on that.

As for reincarnation, I can't find any support for it in the Bible. I wrote a short piece here but haven't really done an in-depth treatment.

The "Christ Consciousness" view is also one which I find not compatible with Scripture in any way. Yes, his followers are to develop the relationship, to know Him as more than a distant deity but as the One who loves us more than we can imagine. This relationship comes in time, as we study his Word and keep deciding to give up more of self to gain more of God. Yet this does not involve any particular meditation techniques or postures or chants, but only an act of will in response to what he has told us.

The bottom line is this: we can never know Him or have his Spirit until we hear the gospel and accept it: