Religion

This is probably a futile attempt to allow members to post their comments without the need to hi-jack other posts in an attempt to ram their own beliefs down the throats of other members.

Understand where your coming from Lepi but speaking personally it's a subject I won't be posting on. Its like politics, we all have various ideas from left , right and center but no amount of argument or persuasion will alter them .So as it is with religion. I have my beliefs as do others . I respect theirs and I hope they respect mine. It's not debatable and I certainly wouldn't try and impose mine on them but neither would I accept kindly any attempt by them to impose theirs on me .So my last words on the subject .

Exactly my sentiments Trubrit

It does not feel good to start this thread to keep the "junk" off the more serious elements. It does not feel real good because religion / philosophy, it is beyond our usual stress-filled world and has a deep meaning for many people. Not least the end of life we are reminded of our mortality and it may also be good with some reminders far ahead before we leave this life. There is room for many thoughts, ideas and faiths in this thread and I would like to share with you this morning's experience.

A strange morning today - suddenly sits two walk around mountain monks outside my hospital room and one of the monks invite me to talk, along with Victoria and my wife Tam. They usually live in a cave in the mountains along with two other monks, where they devote their days to meditation in stillness. They have shied away from the usual stresses of society in order to devote oneself to the soul essentials. One monk (left in picture) puts a hand on my chest and one hand on my back. He says things about me that nobody else knows, and he "sees" how far I come up with myself. Everything in the stillness, we perform a Buddhist ritual and a moment of meditation (Tam Samathi) and quiet and peace takes my soul .......monks quietly go away!

link to a pic on my facebooksite:http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2494129074749&set=a.1148257388798.2021669.1298471417&type=1&theater

Maybe I never encounter these wise men, but they have left something in me and I will never forget them!



Now, detractors emerge. "They did not come from God" or if you are not in your own words confess Jesus as your savior, you will not go to heaven. I give myself the right not to judge whether Muslims, Christians, Buddhists or faiths. that has survived so much and still alive and can walk. I have broken my neck three times, has been wheelchair bound, had a blood infection throughout the body, nevertheless I live today a good, honorable life. I have been in Baptist churches, protestantic church, and many other communities, both Christian and non-Christian. I am personal friends with a very highly valued Buddhist monk (AJJAN) and I am by all means, friend of many Muslims who are also in our very international family.
Belief in the good resulting from all religions and philosophies and I share this belief. Muchof the Buddhist and Christian teachings are similar, for example: to him who gives shall begranted. coming from the Christian faith and those who do good get good return (tam dee) from Buddhism. So I see no contradictions in daily life between different religions orphilosophies.

But since then, when it's time to die - what faith and what deeds guarantee me a place in heaven? Well, here's detractors up again and says, you have to believe this must do that to get to heaven. To you, I would say the following:

There is a place where the world can not reach, this place is beyond the world and that is where all the good people get a holiday when this earthly life is over. What happens, nobody knows but the person who made good in this life know it when it's time! Do not let detractors think they know what is best for you because if you do good you will get goodreturn. This is the simple answer to the big questions!

Saatoo!

A nice thoughtful post kjellsnell.

John Chapter 3:Verse 16..You will find itin he Bible...

toothpick wrote:John Chapter 3:Verse 16..You will find itin he Bible...

Good afternoon sir. Anyone with any kind of biblical literacy know where this Bible verse is found and the meaning of it but it would be very interesting if you Sir Developed why you posted it and what it means to you in person?

regards Kjell

It is supposedly one of the most quoted pieces from the English bible Kjell.

It is normally quoted as being something like..

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

But, therein also is a twist often found with biblical quotes.
The earliest Gospel of John is written in Koine Greek & modern translators of this language suggest that the wording is not 100% accurate.
Although, of course all languages actually develop over their lifetime &, of course, this particular language also suffers from the fact that it has not actually been spoken for about 1,800 years.
There is also extreme doubt as to whom the 'John' is who supposedly wrote this gospel. There is much speculation in some quarters that it was John the Apostle, one of the 12 apostles. It has pretty accurately been dated as AD 90, so quite a while after the death of Jesus.
One other last thing is that it is also accepted that the words were spoken by Jesus to Nicodemus ( a fairly senior Jewish church official) in private conversations rather than as public pronouncements.

Religion is the opium of the people........Karl Marx

You know, I respect most people here. Like the "Old guy looking at the bottle of Virgin Olive Oil", and the Soldier dude. He looks like a stand up guy. (Sorry to hear about your accident ) I won't try to hi-jack your thread like some of you did to me. I don't hold it against you. I would like to , though, as I always do, challenge your mind. I never liked the "ramming down the throat" thing either. In fact, never did understand this. As myself, I found peace and salvation through "reasoning" of the facts before me. I was probably lucky to be born into a family of "no belief" than some who were born into a catholic or buddhist, ect family and expected to "do as they did", I was born with a desire "for more", more understanding, more truth. I probably tried everything out there and went from the very high to the low, lows. But I did eventually find my peace and salvation. I came out OK and am not angry.
So, many of you really wreaked the conspiracy theory thread...you turned it into a "waste of time". I am going to give you ONE thing to ponder, if you are not at that place of peace and salvation. Don't argue it with me, ask yourself.
#1 - Do you subscribe to a "pay as you go" Religion or belief? And if so, how do you know you will have "paid enough" when your time comes to enter into the Promised Land? I have ticket in hand, paid for and am not afraid of anything. This is where my search has taken me. Hope you all will find your peace and salvation....2012 is going to be a very interesting year. Are you going to waste it argueing with others? Or will you try to get your papers in order?
Old Guy, is that really Olive Oil in your pic? (I am joking) I was in Israel and bought some fresh pressed Olive Oil, soooo nice! Wish you a good recovery, Soldier Guy!

newtovillagelife wrote:Religion is the opium of the people........Karl Marx

So revelation or revolution!

I like the words of Osho...

"No belief is required to travel with Buddha. You can come to him with all your scepticism - he accepts and welcomes you, and he says, 'Come with me'.