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18 Oct 14
Originally posted by moonbus"The situation is desperate, but not serious." ("old Viennese Saying' -Wikipedia)
"Narada seeks enlightenment.
Vishnu steps in.
They travel.
Vishnu asks Narada to do something simple.
Narada gets distracted by complications.
His happiness is transient.
Then he is enlightened. "
Yes, the process matters.
"Nothing you do will be of any importance, but it is very important that you do it." --Gandhi
18 Oct 14
Originally posted by moonbusThanks, moonbus - good post.
For me the first crucial insight was that people are different and have different spiritual needs.
The logical conclusion of Absolute Truth is that saving peoples' eternal souls at the cost of their temporal bodies is not only acceptable, it is an Imperative.
One fallacy of the Eternal Punishment group (of any persuasion) is that if there is ANY possibility that your child will not be "saved" one should kill it before the age of responsibility. Or not have children at all, lest they just become fuel for hellfire.
The Christian precept of "Do unto others..." is actually another way of saying "live and let live". Would that we all followed it!
- Joined
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18 Oct 14
Originally posted by moonbusAlso,
"Narada seeks enlightenment.
Vishnu steps in.
They travel.
Vishnu asks Narada to do something simple.
Narada gets distracted by complications.
His happiness is transient.
Then he is enlightened. "
Yes, the process matters.
"Nothing you do will be of any importance, but it is very important that you do it." --Gandhi
The story as I found it does not say whether Narada is enlightened or whether the encounter has that intention. I like the uncertainty.
23 Oct 14
Originally posted by wolfgang59Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities that are not seen."
I have no "faith" so I cannot answer.
My wife says it's just a gut-feeling she cannot explain.
Some say it's the Bible/Koran/LordoftheRings
What is your personal basis for your faith?
NOTE: Please NO DISCUSSION or PUT DOWNS or ARGUING.
All honest answers are correct.
Abraham was known for his faith in God and came to be called God's friend.
He obeyed God.
James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder."
They shudder because they are doing wrong and they have faith it is evident that they will be destroyed.
23 Oct 14
Originally posted by roigamSo what is your basis for your own faith?
Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities that are not seen."
Abraham was known for his faith in God and came to be called God's friend.
He obeyed God.
James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder."
They shudder because they are doing wrong and they have faith it is evident that they will be destroyed.
Those bits from the bible or something else?
25 Oct 14
"I just can't accept that the universe did not have a designer ..."
And I can't see why it matters. Maybe there was a Clockmaker. That does not mean he's still around. Even if there WAS a Grand Designer, he might have gotten bored and gone away to design some other universe, having abandoned this one.
Under every leaf in the garden, some creature is dismembering and devouring its prey alive; that does not look like a Grand Design to me, not one created by a benevolent Clockmaker anyway.
26 Oct 14
Originally posted by wolfgang59I base my faith on what I believe is the truth.
I have no "faith" so I cannot answer.
My wife says it's just a gut-feeling she cannot explain.
Some say it's the Bible/Koran/LordoftheRings
What is your personal basis for your faith?
NOTE: Please NO DISCUSSION or PUT DOWNS or ARGUING.
All honest answers are correct.
27 Oct 14
Originally posted by RJHindsAllow me to recommend a book to you: Faith & Belief, by Wilfred Cantwell Smith.
I base my faith on what I believe is the truth.
http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Belief-Difference-Between-Them/dp/1851681655/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414382768&sr=1-4&keywords=wilfred+cantwell+smith
I promise, it's nothing to do with evolution or old Earth or any other premise which you would consider contrary to Scripture. It really is just what it says on the tin.
27 Oct 14
Originally posted by moonbusAnd as I said others will see it different no argument there
"I just can't accept that the universe did not have a designer ..."
And I can't see why it matters. Maybe there was a Clockmaker. That does not mean he's still around. Even if there WAS a Grand Designer, he might have gotten bored and gone away to design some other universe, having abandoned this one.
Under every leaf in the garden, some creature is di ...[text shortened]... that does not look like a Grand Design to me, not one created by a benevolent Clockmaker anyway.
Manny
27 Oct 14
Originally posted by wolfgang59I would say that my own faith is based on the evidence or facts even as Abraham's faith and the demons faith was. It starts with a study of the Bible and it builds as the facts are proven out. The result is not only personal faith but faith that God cares and intends to do something about the miserable state mankind is in. The problem is that we have free will and many do not want to accept God's rightful rulership over us as His creation. They do not study and see how loving and kind He is and how many the lies told about Him by Satan the Devil. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, "..among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of unbelievers..".
So what is your basis for your own faith?
Those bits from the bible or something else?
To study and build faith is an option but difficult.
It's like swimming upstream.