I would like to hear any of any religion just talk about God

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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God made us in his own image to think for ourselves and not become sheep in any organized religion where all they want is your money as payment for your entrance into heaven.

Question here for you Liberalman. Do you think that the average person needs rules and guidance?
 

Curiosity

Senate Member
Jul 30, 2005
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Wow, I will really have to think about this for a bit okay. Do you then view the soul as having a separate awareness?

I agree that learning is the most important part of our journey. So we only get one journey?

Sal

Yes I think all humans of have a distinct soul - whether they know it or are aware of it - or even care if it exists - we are the instrument of its wishes or hopes or desires.

The journey I am not certain ... if there is only one, then a child dying before it is born seems to be a slovely planner at work... I would hope there are more journeys than just one. At least I would hope the soul continues.

Other than what I have written I have absolutely no idea but I wrote what I feel comfortable with.
I dislike thinking we are flotsam and jetsam living and dying without cause or reason. Again that would be slovenly planning. I believe we are more important than that.
 

gerryh

Time Out
Nov 21, 2004
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Once upon a time a farmer was praising the God for his good harvest. A learned philosopher was passing by him. He said to the farmer, "Oh, you simple man. There isn't any god. You worked hard and so your harvest is good." The farmer tried hard with his simplicity to make him believe that there is a God but the learned philosopher all the time said that he would not believe. He every time demanded a proof from the farmer and continued asking him, "Had he seen the God?"
The farmer get tired of his, "no, no." He hit the philosopher with a solid piece of mud on the back. Philosopher was much annoyed at his mishavor and rebucked him a lot. The farmer denied the action and asked him, "Had he seen him? Have you any proof of it? Can I see to believe that you were really hit?"
The philosopher replied as there was none except him so it was he and that he was feeling pain though there isn't any bruise or mark of it to be seen. Philosopher said that he was more then confident that he was hit by the farmer. The farmer acknowledge his action and also appologized. Then he said to the philosopher, "Just like you are sure that there is none except me to hit you so I am about the God. That there is none but the God to be praised, to ask from and to be thankful for his benovelance. That just like he was feeling pain though not to be seen I feel the presence of the God. If your pain is a reality for me the presence of the God is also."
The philosopher fully understood that simple logic of the farmer and was convinced.



VERY well put........and I see the silence is deafening.
 

Sal

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 29, 2007
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Sal

Yes I think all humans of have a distinct soul - whether they know it or are aware of it - or even care if it exists - we are the instrument of its wishes or hopes or desires.
If we are the instrument of the soul's wishes or hopes or desires is the soul separate from us or just another part of us with a different kind of consciousness?
 

akbar

Nominee Member
Mar 31, 2007
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soul and flesh

If we are the instrument of the soul's wishes or hopes or desires is the soul separate from us or just another part of us with a different kind of consciousness?

Being a farmer I am interfering in your scholary discussions but I have to say that the soul is always good. We ignore or do not heed to it's demands which are always of a lasting nature and give pure happiness, and are are indulged in needs of flesh which are temporarily so inspite of having all material requirements which may satisfy flesh plung into despair and depression.
 

Curiosity

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Jul 30, 2005
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Morning Sal

Akbar said it extremely well - we are children of flesh and its demands, the soul remains apart for our guidance. But that is my own personal interpretation. I think the beauty and freedom of this is we can make our own interpretation of what our guiding force is - or ignore it - or let other humans create it for us - or hear it for our ears alone.
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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Being a farmer I am interfering in your scholary discussions but I have to say that the soul is always good. We ignore or do not heed to it's demands which are always of a lasting nature and give pure happiness, and are are indulged in needs of flesh which are temporarily so inspite of having all material requirements which may satisfy flesh plung into despair and depression.
akbar you are not interfering in any scholarly discussion. We are just kicking ideas around just like you and your input is always welcome as is anyone else who would like to join in and offer their views.

Unlike you and curiosity I do not believe that the soul is always good. I believe some people are very undeveloped and as such may hurt others in order to pursue their own desires.
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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Morning Sal

Akbar said it extremely well - we are children of flesh and its demands, the soul remains apart for our guidance. But that is my own personal interpretation. I think the beauty and freedom of this is we can make our own interpretation of what our guiding force is - or ignore it - or let other humans create it for us - or hear it for our ears alone.
Evening Curiosity. So you then believe, as it would appear akbar does, that your soul is on a higher level or plain. If I understand correctly. Thanks for your thought on this. I had never looked at it like that before and will certainly think about it.
 

akbar

Nominee Member
Mar 31, 2007
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discover self

akbar you are not interfering in any scholarly discussion. We are just kicking ideas around just like you and your input is always welcome as is anyone else who would like to join in and offer their views.

Unlike you and curiosity I do not believe that the soul is always good. I believe some people are very undeveloped and as such may hurt others in order to pursue their own desires.

I believe that to discover self is to discover humanity. I believe that human souls are let me say human hearts are alike the world over if not polluted selfish ujustified desires of flesh.
To know self completely is to know whole of universe. I do not claim that I have one but a pure huamn heart is the God's abode so what may not be included in it?

Once in my childhood I was listening a debate (though not a serious one) in my village (Punjab, Pakistan), regarding superiority of castes. One of my uncles said, {the God made two castes (including ours). Then the people said to the God, “where we stand?” “Shall we have no caste?” the God ordered to the angels, “go and give them also some names”. [Our caste is made by the God and yours by the angels, so we stand superior].
The men and the children including myself having this superior caste were very pleased on these remarks. There was clapping and laughing, having won the debate.

The story pleased me and I wished it was true. Now I am ashamed in myself for having developed that wish. Mankind goes on with such wishes. With the passage of time these wishes were/are intermixed with beliefs and gain much solid grounds. When we say, “In those golden times”. It takes us into an imaginary world. In fact there weren’t any golden times and no bad times. There were good and evil in all the times and are in times going on. Excluding such like wishes all traditions and customs are good. All nations, all languages, all castes, and all races are good and there isn’t any harm in maintaining their own identities in the God’s universe.
 

Curiosity

Senate Member
Jul 30, 2005
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To all the writers here....I enjoyed reading this again.... sometimes I find things I miss or misinterpret when I read them the first time - and unfortunately respond immediately rather than being patient and answering after a second or third reading.

Regarding self and discovery of self. I believe we are in constant change unless we refuse to learn any more for various reasons: health issues, mind issues, extreme poverty necessitating staying alive, trauma or imprisonment by some external force - that kind of life event.

What I can say honestly is that I hope self discovery continues until death. If we stop because we feel we arrived at our destination, I wonder if we have done a disservice to ourselves.

The journey is our life - it has the key to being alive. My greatest fear is one day I will be unable to learn any more. My only consolation is in memory of having passed along the learning to others.
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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I believe that to discover self is to discover humanity. I believe that human souls are let me say human hearts are alike the world over if not polluted selfish ujustified desires of flesh.
Agreed.

To know self completely is to know whole of universe. I do not claim that I have one but a pure huamn heart is the God's abode so what may not be included in it?
And that is the challenge. To know ourselves completely and purely.

Once in my childhood I was listening a debate (though not a serious one) in my village (Punjab, Pakistan), regarding superiority of castes. One of my uncles said, {the God made two castes (including ours). Then the people said to the God, “where we stand?” “Shall we have no caste?” the God ordered to the angels, “go and give them also some names”. [Our caste is made by the God and yours by the angels, so we stand superior].
The men and the children including myself having this superior caste were very pleased on these remarks. There was clapping and laughing, having won the debate.

The story pleased me and I wished it was true. Now I am ashamed in myself for having developed that wish.
I think it is the rare person who can actually understand that to think of onesself as better than another in anyway is a waste of time and hurtful to our soul and also to others. Everything is energy...it goes out as positive or negative. We decide what we send out. As a child you could not have been expected to understand that. As an adult you are fortunate that you do.

Mankind goes on with such wishes. With the passage of time these wishes were/are intermixed with beliefs and gain much solid grounds. When we say, “In those golden times”. It takes us into an imaginary world. In fact there weren’t any golden times and no bad times. There were good and evil in all the times and are in times going on. Excluding such like wishes all traditions and customs are good. All nations, all languages, all castes, and all races are good and there isn’t any harm in maintaining their own identities in the God’s universe
Now if you can just get the rest of the universe to understand this truth, things would vastly improve. :D
 

Liberalman

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Mar 18, 2007
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Sal said
HTML:
Question here for you Liberalman. Do you think that the average person needs rules and guidance?

That is interesting when you say rules and regulation.
In the bible it says somewhere that you must follow God’s law not man’s law.

Would you say this is conflicting in having a peaceful society?

All throughout history, organized religion have been the cause of war and this is because the leaders of the different faiths have interpreted God’s message to suite their own agendas.

Just look at the present war in Afghanistan America invaded that country looking for Bin Laden, the Taleban the ruling religious government there said he was not there and America decided to invade that country and put in their Christian based government and proudly boasted that they have given women more rights.

There are all kinds of examples in history like the Spanish inquisition where soldiers of God were on a mission to forcefully convert the masses even if it meant killing them.

Organized religion motto is “If you are not with us, you are against us”

As long as you have organized religion there will never be peace as God intended.


 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
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Yes, you are perfectly right and I am sure that by church you mean any religious place.

By Church, I mean any organization who tells me the thoughts I should have to be a part of their flock. God granted me this ability to think my own thoughts, to have my own mind, to feel my own pain, and to live my own life. Do I honour my God in giving those gifts away so I can suffer shame and guilt not meant to be my own?

Wolf
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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Liberalman said:
God made us in his own image to think for ourselves and not become sheep in any organized religion where all they want is your money as payment for your entrance into heaven.

Sal said
HTML:
Question here for you Liberalman. Do you think that the average person needs rules and guidance?

That is interesting when you say rules and regulation.
What’s interesting is that I did not say rules and regulations. I said rules and guidance.



In the bible it says somewhere that you must follow God’s law not man’s law.

Would you say this is conflicting in having a peaceful society?
I can find no specific quote where it says we must follow God’s law and not man’s law. So no, I would not say the bible specifically conflicts with having a peaceful society due to one faulty quote.
All throughout history, organized religion have been the cause of war and this is because the leaders of the different faiths have interpreted God’s message to suite their own agendas.
Which wars are you referring to?

Just look at the present war in Afghanistan America invaded that country looking for Bin Laden, the Taleban the ruling religious government there said he was not there and America decided to invade that country and put in their Christian based government and proudly boasted that they have given women more rights.
To begin with, Democracy is not a Christian based government especially if you are referring directly to the government of the United States. Their founding fathers were not for the most part Christian. Check the belief systems that many of their first presidents held.

Also they are not fighting in Afghanistan to place a democracy there. That would be Iraq. And due to the waning power of the Taleban in Afghanistan women do have more rights. Female children now have to right to go to school. They have rewritten their constitution. Women are not even close to equal yet but they have moved a tiny bit closer toward it. The Taleban would have a return to the stone age.

There are all kinds of examples in history like the Spanish inquisition where soldiers of God were on a mission to forcefully convert the masses even if it meant killing them.
The Spanish Inquisition was in the 1400’s. The 18th Century wars, Britain/France American Revolution, were not religious. World Wars I and II were not religious, the Cold War wasn't, the Korean War, neither was Vietnam.

Organized religion motto is “If you are not with us, you are against us”
That is NOT a religious motto. It is the motto of those who lust for power and wealth.


As long as you have organized religion there will never be peace as God intended
A matter of opinion based on faulty reasoning.
 

look3467

Council Member
Dec 13, 2006
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Nakedness!
Discovering ones nakedness is discovering who we are compared to God.
Otherwise who would we compare ourselves to, and why would we want to discover ourselves if it were not for God.
One would think that by the many thousands of years of discovery we would have arrived at the Utopian existence of humanity.
But as it is, we are just as naked as Adam.
What then is the difference in this whole scenario of human existence?
I believe it is discovering our nakedness and then allowing to be clothed with the dressings of God Himself.
Our nakedness is then hid in Him.
Whatever this God is to you, by whatever name you call Him, He is God and lover of all of us.

Peace>>>AJ
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
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Well ... you really can't get much more honest than naked....

Wolf
 

akbar

Nominee Member
Mar 31, 2007
64
1
8
To all the writers here....I enjoyed reading this again.... sometimes I find things I miss or misinterpret when I read them the first time - and unfortunately respond immediately rather than being patient and answering after a second or third reading.

Regarding self and discovery of self. I believe we are in constant change unless we refuse to learn any more for various reasons: health issues, mind issues, extreme poverty necessitating staying alive, trauma or imprisonment by some external force - that kind of life event.

What I can say honestly is that I hope self discovery continues until death. If we stop because we feel we arrived at our destination, I wonder if we have done a disservice to ourselves.

The journey is our life - it has the key to being alive. My greatest fear is one day I will be unable to learn any more. My only consolation is in memory of having passed along the learning to others.


BE OPEN AND EVER WILLING TO DISCUSSS YOUR FAITH WITH FULL FLEXIBILITY IF YOU ARE SURE OF IT'S RELIABILITY.

YES, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE SELF DISCOVERY TILL DEATH AND MUST NOT CLAIM THAT IT IS ENOUGH NOW BUT THERE ARE UNIVERSAL TRUTHS WHICH DO NOT CHANGE NOT SPECIAL TRUTHS AS CLAIMED BY SOME GROUPS ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS.
 

akbar

Nominee Member
Mar 31, 2007
64
1
8
Agreed.

And that is the challenge. To know ourselves completely and purely.

I think it is the rare person who can actually understand that to think of onesself as better than another in anyway is a waste of time and hurtful to our soul and also to others. Everything is energy...it goes out as positive or negative. We decide what we send out. As a child you could not have been expected to understand that. As an adult you are fortunate that you do.

Now if you can just get the rest of the universe to understand this truth, things would vastly improve. :D

Let us make efforts.
 

akbar

Nominee Member
Mar 31, 2007
64
1
8
By Church, I mean any organization who tells me the thoughts I should have to be a part of their flock. God granted me this ability to think my own thoughts, to have my own mind, to feel my own pain, and to live my own life. Do I honour my God in giving those gifts away so I can suffer shame and guilt not meant to be my own?

Wolf

Free thoughts take out of any religion and pure meditaion takes into spirtuality.