[Extracts from Bhagavan Baba's Discourses]

Christianity in general is the religion of those who believe in Christ, as a unique revelation of God. It arose nearly 2000 years ago as a section within Judaism in Palestine. It accepted the first Jewish scripture as its own, but instead of the traditional belief of the Jews that the expected Messiah or Christ was yet to appear, it held that he had already appeared on earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. So Christianity centers around the life and message of the Jesus who was called Christ or the Messiah. He was the son of Virgin Mary upon whom the grace of the Lord had fallen.

Jesus tried to teach everyone the Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man. Faced with opposition, he continued to be an example of living Truth and to purify society. Jesus could assert that his life was his message, for he lived among men as he advised them to live. Everyone has to start his spiritual pilgrimage proclaiming he is a servant or messenger of God. This is the stage of duality. Then he progresses to discover the divine within himself and realizes that God is his precious heritage, which he must claim and utilize. That is the stage when one feels he is the son of God. Finally he merges in God consciousness. This is the stage of non-duality.

The 'I' when crossed out becomes the symbol of the cross. So what is really crossed out is 'I' or ego.