Topic: The path we walk
MindOfChrist's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:18 PM
Too often it feels that religion becomes a matter of who is right and who is wrong in what they believe. Yet the truth is unaffected by whether we beleive that something is true or not. We must each search for the truth within ourselves and live according to it as our reality.

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding. If we have religion and do not love others, we do neither ourselves or others anygood in such things.

Religion is not just what we do, but the intentions behind what we do. It is about seeker to live a higher life, but to stay on the same level as all others.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.

MirrorMirror's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:20 PM
drinker

scttrbrain's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:21 PM

Too often it feels that religion becomes a matter of who is right and who is wrong in what they believe. Yet the truth is unaffected by whether we beleive that something is true or not. We must each search for the truth within ourselves and live according to it as our reality.

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding. If we have religion and do not love others, we do neither ourselves or others anygood in such things.

Religion is not just what we do, but the intentions behind what we do. It is about seeker to live a higher life, but to stay on the same level as all others.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


Actually: that is exactly what many do in here. Whether they believe in a God or not.
Thank you for the kind words.
Kat

Dragoness's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:25 PM

Too often it feels that religion becomes a matter of who is right and who is wrong in what they believe. Yet the truth is unaffected by whether we beleive that something is true or not. We must each search for the truth within ourselves and live according to it as our reality.

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding. If we have religion and do not love others, we do neither ourselves or others anygood in such things.

Religion is not just what we do, but the intentions behind what we do. It is about seeker to live a higher life, but to stay on the same level as all others.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


As long as all this love covers ALL, regardless to sexual orientation, religion or lack of, background, lifestyle, etc...... I have no problems with that kind of love. It just never seems to be unconditional love whereever I go to church or the religious people I am around.

Abracadabra's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:57 PM
Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding.


I couldn’t agree with you more.

However, the truth of the situation on the ground is quite different. In our modern world religion plays into politics. It’s an unavoidable fact of reality. So quite often religion is used as skirt to hide behind when slinging politics, and God is often referred to as the ultimate authority and used as a club to club other people over the head with.

When practical issues come up that are ultimately political in nature and someone tries to use their religious doctrine as the “word of God” to support their political views, then it’s really no longer about religion, it’s already in the political arena.

When people use the phrase “You think you’re smarter than God”, because your ideas differ from their doctrine, then it’s no longer about religion. It’s about using religion as a weapon to gain clout. It’s about claiming that “God is on my side and not yours!”.

In this day an age it’s just not possible to separate religious views from political views. I wish it was! It’s just not a practical ideal. It’s not going to happen. People are always going to use their religions and their religious doctrines as a political club. Nothing is more powerful than to claim that it’s God wishes to implement your view! And nothing is more demeaning to your opponent than to suggest that they are turning their back on God if they don’t agree with you.

It’s dirty pool, but unfortunately that’s what modern day life has become. It’s unavoidable.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


That would be great if that could happen. But like someone else asked, does this cover everyone?

And like Kat pointed out, we do support each other on here quite positively in between our heated debates. :wink:

scttrbrain's photo
Thu 01/10/08 09:58 PM

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding.


I couldn’t agree with you more.

However, the truth of the situation on the ground is quite different. In our modern world religion plays into politics. It’s an unavoidable fact of reality. So quite often religion is used as skirt to hide behind when slinging politics, and God is often referred to as the ultimate authority and used as a club to club other people over the head with.

When practical issues come up that are ultimately political in nature and someone tries to use their religious doctrine as the “word of God” to support their political views, then it’s really no longer about religion, it’s already in the political arena.

When people use the phrase “You think you’re smarter than God”, because your ideas differ from their doctrine, then it’s no longer about religion. It’s about using religion as a weapon to gain clout. It’s about claiming that “God is on my side and not yours!”.

In this day an age it’s just not possible to separate religious views from political views. I wish it was! It’s just not a practical ideal. It’s not going to happen. People are always going to use their religions and their religious doctrines as a political club. Nothing is more powerful than to claim that it’s God wishes to implement your view! And nothing is more demeaning to your opponent than to suggest that they are turning their back on God if they don’t agree with you.

It’s dirty pool, but unfortunately that’s what modern day life has become. It’s unavoidable.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


That would be great if that could happen. But like someone else asked, does this cover everyone?

And like Kat pointed out, we do support each other on here quite positively in between our heated debates. :wink:



Aint it sweet though?

Kat

MindOfChrist's photo
Fri 01/11/08 04:23 AM
It is odd how Christ never bashed the Roman governemnt, in fact the Roman ogvernment He did not see as a threat or did not make any issues of all its wrong doings. He said to give to Caesar what was caesar and to God the things that belong to God. Throughout the NT, Christian are taught to honor the king, to be compliant with government. He said that His kingdom is not of this world, that we are aliens and pilgrims.

His word were not about government reform, but about life transformation. Again, maybe others wish to be political, and wish to impose their views on others, political or religious, but I and you do not have to engage in that if we see the uselessness and unprofitability in such things, for them and for us. It is good not to be quarrelsome. It is better to reason, it is better to focus on the things that in us that cause us to war, to fight and to hate each other. Maybe we can not change the world but we can be one less engaged in its conflict. Not that we are against those in conflict, but we are for them to and wish peace and good will for all. We are no better than they, we just wish to pursue what is good for all rather than what is good for a few or for ourselves.

There is something within us all that wishes to be right. This will usually be in our way of understanding. Because we beleive something we determine that the rest of the world is wrong, accept for those who agree with us, because we are right they too are right. People use religion to hate others, to condemn others, they use it for their ego, for power, as a weapon. This is their purpose, which is so easy to do, yet it is not so important what they do but that if I can love them anyway and encourage them in their life, if I can be kind to them, respect them, then I do well for myself and for them.

We can look around us and say what others do, yet what is it that we will do. I like to think we are only in conflict because we see the world as them and as us, so what if there were no them? These are the things we see according to our mind and heart.

MindOfChrist's photo
Fri 01/11/08 04:54 AM


As long as all this love covers ALL, regardless to sexual orientation, religion or lack of, background, lifestyle, etc...... I have no problems with that kind of love. It just never seems to be unconditional love whereever I go to church or the religious people I am around.



That is the nature of those things. I think there is a lack of teaching and understanding there. Unfortunately, in many of those institutes the main focus is on going to church, religious doctrine, and feeling good. I am sure this does many of those there some sort of good and fulfills soemthing with in them. Yet religion again can be different from that, by nature and approach. We do others little good by noticing what they do wrong. It is better to encourage them in the best that we can. Yet what is better than seeing their conditional love is that we ouselves find how to love others unconditionally. That we have little reason to fight with them. Many of their views may not be so different from our own, even if they are they are lie me trying to do the best they can.

We must diffuse anything within us that would bring judgement and condmenation against them. Even as a Christian, I am not here to judge anyone, I should not even judge another Christian for I am not their Master but am only a fellow servant. Certainly we can watch over one another, take care of each other, warn and guard one another against the decietfulness of wrong doing and darkness. We can watch against pride, lust, grumbling and complaining as we walk together, doing so gently and looking to ourselves that we are no better than others.

Yet if you are not a Christian, I have nothing against you and still wish to encourage you. I see futility in debate, I see the message of God is not truly one of hell but of life instead. Surely He saved us but His message is about Life and love. Not that we beeive in those thing but that we live according to them. And is this not so different from any other religion of life and love. So if others do not beleive as I do yet wish to walk in love and seek a higher understanding of what life is, I find maybe I have more in common with them then I do with many who beleive in the things that I beleive yet are within a system that often produces little life and little transformation.

MindOfChrist's photo
Fri 01/11/08 05:11 AM
Edited by MindOfChrist on Fri 01/11/08 05:15 AM

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding.


I couldn’t agree with you more.

However, the truth of the situation on the ground is quite different. In our modern world religion plays into politics. It’s an unavoidable fact of reality. So quite often religion is used as skirt to hide behind when slinging politics, and God is often referred to as the ultimate authority and used as a club to club other people over the head with.

When practical issues come up that are ultimately political in nature and someone tries to use their religious doctrine as the “word of God” to support their political views, then it’s really no longer about religion, it’s already in the political arena.

When people use the phrase “You think you’re smarter than God”, because your ideas differ from their doctrine, then it’s no longer about religion. It’s about using religion as a weapon to gain clout. It’s about claiming that “God is on my side and not yours!”.

In this day an age it’s just not possible to separate religious views from political views. I wish it was! It’s just not a practical ideal. It’s not going to happen. People are always going to use their religions and their religious doctrines as a political club. Nothing is more powerful than to claim that it’s God wishes to implement your view! And nothing is more demeaning to your opponent than to suggest that they are turning their back on God if they don’t agree with you.

It’s dirty pool, but unfortunately that’s what modern day life has become. It’s unavoidable.



Abracabra, I have read some of your stuff here on other topics, I think you have an extraordinary mind and insight. Yet I would say do not let these others bait you by saying such things as "you think your're smarter than God" probably every human has thought so many times any way. lol Such things are in some ways silly, and are said to provoke you and aggravate you.

I may myself not always agree with you yet I would hope I would respect you and know that your motives are sincere and you have spent years of study and thought to be where you are today. I would even say if you have already thought all the thoughts of Christ and that you possible even live in a similar manner, I would wish to know of these things and that you and I are not so far from each other. Yet I would say that it is not according to common sense, but a spiritual sense. I it not common sense to sell what we have and to give to the poor. It is contraury to human response to bless those who curse us, to turn our other cheek to the one who strikes us, to not worry about food and clothes but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The same that if you wish to be great (true greatness) you must be the least and the servant of all, and many Christian still do not see that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

I know many other religions have the same sort of theme, that we are to deny ourselves, that is our own selfishness, ambition, lust, and to no longer pursue weal and posessions. Not so much that there are evil but that the distract us and claim our hearts. Maybe the life you and I seek are not so different. I am not opposed to you, rather maybe some day you would see me as your freind and some sort of spiritual brother, mybe not in belief but in pursuit. :)

MindOfChrist's photo
Fri 01/11/08 05:42 AM
Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


That would be great if that could happen. But like someone else asked, does this cover everyone?

And like Kat pointed out, we do support each other on here quite positively in between our heated debates.


I think it covers everyone. Perhaps those who wish to stir up hate and hostility would not be welcome, yet hopefully no ill will would be communicated against them. Hate can only produse hate. We rise up against hate with hate and ager, even for the sake of peace we are often very unpeaceful. The way of peace is through peace, not through war. Others may hate us alot and may have reason to do so but that is no reason to hate them back.

I hope that in my topics all would feel welcomed and encouraged. I will try to keep away from debate and rather hope we all can find a place to grow together.

no photo
Fri 01/11/08 05:52 AM
Religion is evil created by man to make u feel quilty, to control the masses it is true. The word has been changed by replacement theologies and BS doctorine. The Barbarien way to the G-d King Yeshua is not thur the Vatican or any other false religion. Yeshua is closer then a friend without are rewritten words. Put Ireal and the Jew back in Scripture where they belong and then and only then will your churches work again.
Sukura7

Justin_Ryan's photo
Fri 01/11/08 01:37 PM

Too often it feels that religion becomes a matter of who is right and who is wrong in what they believe. Yet the truth is unaffected by whether we beleive that something is true or not. We must each search for the truth within ourselves and live according to it as our reality.

Religion ought to be about our way of life, of what we are inside, how we treat others, how we work within ourselves and seek transformation through understanding. If we have religion and do not love others, we do neither ourselves or others anygood in such things.

Religion is not just what we do, but the intentions behind what we do. It is about seeker to live a higher life, but to stay on the same level as all others.

Even here and now can't we encourage one another to love and good deeds, to a purer love, and unconditional love, and help each other to put away, anger, selfishness, and ego for these thing not only harm others but job ourselves of the life we each could live, and what mankind could live.


:heart: I share the same thoughts

Milesoftheusa's photo
Fri 01/11/08 02:04 PM
Sukura7
Shalom. I see you use the Jewish tradition is rendeing the Messiah's name. i realize why you do it. On for this topic what has been said is very much the fruit of the spirit. herod i know was part jewish. But the man who Yahshua said no greater man untill this time has been born of women than John The baptizer. John had a very strong word for authority that was doing wrong mainly Herod for having Phillip his brothers wife. He stood his ground and never let up on him and eventually had his head chopped off even though it does not appear herod knew what his niece and mother were up to. The Govt. of rome did carry out the execution with the govenor not wanting anything to do with it. The Roman soldiers though were having a very good time whipping and mocking our messiah. And yes he did not speak about the Govt. but the religious leaders of the day. Getting along together is great and i hope that happens. But for anyone who knows better to let a lie be spread among the people as truth if he does not speak out he is as guilty as they are. This also goes for our govt. The Romans we do not see anywhere where they gave the people problems. Not after the death of the ruthless one. ramma i believe it is called. Getting along i agree but getting along to the point you do not speak of wrongs is a grave sin. Yahshua remember did not come to bring peace but a sword. To see who would really follow him....


May Yahweh's Blessings Abound...Shalom...Miles