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You know what?
I've never heard anyone say that. I think of a rock or a planet or a fish as His Creation
that He loves and enjoys.....I mean, sure, possibly like
a little boy enjoys using a magnifying glass to burn an ant...
But that would be another thread in Philosophy, imo.
I think of rocks, planets, the world as Him. He and his creation are the same. There is only One.
Different darshana, viewpoints, Miss H. Advaita and Bhakti. They are harmonious, not contrary.
I think of rocks, planets, the world as Him. He and his creation are the same. There is only One.
Different darshana, viewpoints, Miss H. Advaita and Bhakti. They are harmonious, not contrary.
Ok, I just do not think of a rock creating and maintaining Galaxies or as the Power
that is keeping me alive and breathing.
Now, is the rock part of the Whole, part of the Creator...sleeping, dormant...I see that.
The ray is just not the actual Sun, to me.
The drop is just not the actual Ocean....to me, anyway.
You mean the ones that you so coyly want to keep to yourself and only reveal should someone ask?
Those 10 Truths?
And are they 'Truths' or observations? Observations are valid, imo,
Have you not read them?
I'm not being coy, and I don't know why you should suggest such a thing, unless perhaps you don't know what I'm referring to. I thought everyone who has been following along in these threads together, including you, had read my truths by now. If not, I'll be glad to share the link to that thread for you if you would like to have a look.
What comes to my mind in reading your response is that prayer is woo.
Doesn't mean it's a bad thing to do if it helps someone. But it's impossible to document why some prayers appear to have worked.
Impossible? I'm not sure what you mean...
If my car won't start, and I pray that it will if I try one more time, and sure enough it starts with one more try, is it impossible to document or know why?
Of course I know it's not so easy to always know why good things might happen to us. Whether we pray or not, but is this what you mean?
I would not want to comment on anyone in such a personal way. Each of us have our own stories and not all of us need or want to display all our bruises. We all deal with it in our own ways. I only address the post, not the person. I dont feel any responsibility to remember all posters life history culled from their various postings. I would rather others will do the same with my ramblings and only address my post, not me, or make any improper assumptions about me.
I know you do, and you are a very empathetical and compassionate person and remember all their life stories. I tend to remember that the person behind the post could be a robot. That is why we all have our nom de plume. So, we have our different approaches.
Praying is never hubris. Expressing one’s gratitude is never hubris.
Ha, well in some cases, it does not hurt to keep that in mind, I suppose. But still, it's not even a matter of knowing people's personal stories. There is a too-common practice of boasting that God always answers one's prayers, also too often accompanied by the implication that if YOUR prayers aren't answered it's your own damn fault. Anyone who has been on the planet for more than a minute knows that there are folks out there whose prayers never get answered for reasons we cannot understand. Maybe it's not hubris to do the bragging. Maybe it's just lack of awareness of how one's words can be hurtful to others who are not as fortunate as they have been, sprinkled with a helping of humble gratitude of knowing one has been given gifts that others did not receive.
''When someone dances around saying God singled them out for all of these miracles when others received literally nothing - yeah - it's hubris to think so.''
I have a different angle looking at that. I listen to high, joy-filled spiritual speakers and teachers and:
1. They are thrilled, happy, joyous...why? because they know the times they were very lost and in the dumps...and now they're FREE! Yay for them! I see them reaching a hand out.
Has God given them some special favor? Well, yeah, after working for it.
2. It's like a father can love all of his children - guess what, out of the 7 he has ...the one that jumps with joy into his arms when he comes home each night and actually DOES mow the lawn is the one that gets the cars keys as a teen...simple. A favorite? Yup.
3. it is not that child's fault the others don't ever get the car keys.
4. And it's not his fault he's dancing with joy that the tank is full of gas either.
If a yogi is intoxicated in bliss, he's an example inspiring others that they can have this, too.
(Or a Christian; more relatable to this group.)
There is no rubbing others' noses in anything that they aren't in bliss.
He is like one shouting from the rooftops saying, 'Join me'...and he has gone thru a lot to get where he is.
I don't look up from the garbage on the beach at Jonathon Livingston Seagull soaring in the air as putting ME down.
That's victim, finger pointing thinking, imo.
I get the feeling you have a real love of hearing "thrilled, happy, joyous" and good for you. I know how that sort of thing tends to work for some people. Reminds me of driving from Chicago out into the Illinois country, there along the Illinois River. A beautiful drive. The kind that tends to give me the thrills, happiness and joy that I prefer.
Along the way, it became obvious that just about every radio station was religious. One after the other beamed the words of some "joy-filled spiritual speaker" or teacher, and talk about having a "different angle!" I couldn't listen to more than a few seconds of that stuff. I was hoping for a bit of music, but having some trouble finding any amidst all the holy roller stuff, my wife and I thought better to just turn off the radio.
Earlier in the morning we had continental breakfast in the motel where we were staying. I'll never forget the family that was there having breakfast with us. Mother and father and six children. Three boys and three girls ranging in age from infant to about 12 years old my guess. All of them dressed in what was obviously some sort of religiously inspired clothes. Like amish people. Mother with infant in her hands. The elder girls taking care of the younger boys. Father looking on and basically not involved other than to look on. I could only guess what sort of upbringing those kids were getting...
"Different strokes for different folks." No doubt!
If I may this is my experience.
I grew up in a praying home and we saw Gods intervention all the time, probably more often than most preachers do.
I have been a part of healing events, even my 12 year old son was participating laying on hands seeing many miracles.
Some have the courage to ask and some still hold off supporting their doubt, just as they did in Jesus time.
Fear of failure isn't part of the equation, fear is part of the problem.
Humans are complex both chemically and emotionally, and every one's experiences vary, and God is not manipulated to fit any man's program.
Jesus warned , Not every one that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of the Father. Matthew 7;21,22,23,
Knowing the will of the Father comes from the Holy Spirit Jesus provides those under His Lordship. Even though the power of Jesus name will drive out demons and heal the sick and many other things, almost no matter who wields it, results do not certify relationship.
A repentive sinner asking forgiveness and asking Jesus to be lord in their life has the same opportunity to experience the power of Jesus name. So God does listen to sinners with a distant interest. The honest desperation with which one seeks God is important. God knows the heart of men and so putting up a false front doesn't fly.
Why does God not answer certain prayer?
Often times the problem is the lack of forgiveness, if you don't forgive others God won't forgive. Jesus said so.
Sometimes bitterness is the cause of the illness. There can be issues in our lives we refuse to address that either create our problem or prevent God from endorsing one's behavior.
Jesus finished the prayer He taught the disciples ended with, "Thy" will be done, not "my" will be done. all too often people forget that.
Some problems are not addressed because there is a much larger plan in action, and in the grand scheme of things this bridle keeps us out of trouble or from creating more trouble.
Jesus did not exempt Himself from the pain of the cross, and facing death and the consequences of all man's sin.
His disciples suffered and died as well, our relationship does not necessarily exempt one from the decay of the flesh.
It is the relationship with Him and the condition of our soul that matters most to God.
I have known those that genuinely loved God and were taken Home in the prime of life, I believe simply because they hit their peak. Then there are some of us that haven't hit our peak yet.
That's OK, God has more for me to do apparently.
Have you not read them?
I'm not being coy, and I don't know why you should suggest such a thing, unless perhaps you don't know what I'm referring to ....
I hardly come to CD anymore...when I do it's in spurts for a few days....usually in TV, Movies or Food.
Right, I have no idea what ur talking about.
I think you missed her entire point. While you're enjoying all the benefits of being the favorite who gets the goodies, even if it's not your fault you were chosen, how do you think the child feels who got nothing? It's not her fault, either. Why would you expect her to feel the same way about the parent as you do?
It's a pleasure to see not everyone is so quick to jump on the holy roller bandwagon without at least a little more thought and discernment.
I'm sorry Miss Hepburn, but this pisses me off. I'm really sick and tired of people saying or implying that somehow I DIDN'T WORK HARD ENOUGH or pray enough or my faith wasn't strong enough or some other copout as to why God never once answered a prayer. Not ... one.
You have NO idea just how much I tried. The only thing I could've done more was to become a damn nun. Understand? So please do NOT come in here with that inference that others got a special favor because they "worked for it" - implying pretty strongly that it was all MY fault no prayers were answered because I didn't work for it enough. NONSENSE.
Oh give me a break. Because it's so obvious by looking at the world that God favors those who "jump joyfully into his arms." Why, every last miracle that has ever taken place happened to Christians only. I must be Satan incarnate then. Because whenever I tried jumping into God's arms, he took his arms away and I fell straight to the floor.
Yeah, never mind the Bible - where Apostle Paul in Galatians reminds us that we are all equal in God's eyes - and that equality, among other rights, are NOT EARNED but ordained by God.
Maybe if more people actually READ their Bibles instead of thumping them, you wouldn't be defending a god who plays favorites - namely just because you think you're one of his favorites. It's terrible. And I'm surprised at you, of all people, that you would actually defend this heinous notion. Might as well go join a hate group later.
What IS his fault is when he rubs it in the faces of others. You know damn well it wasn't God who finds car keys or puts gas in the tank. But when people attribute surviving a car crash amidst the mangled bodies of those who perished - and try to paint themselves as somehow "special" or "God has plans for me" but apparently those who died were just extras in a movie all about him - I won't mince words - that's sick behavior. No joke.
What was that? Oh ... right .. *ahem* something about "Pride cometh before the fall" or something like that. Funny how Christians never seem to live up to the morality they claim everyone else should.
If you honestly see nothing wrong with people dancing around telling others "look how special I am that the Creator of the Universe put a check in my mailbox" while others who are no less devout are getting evicted - and you see nothing wrong with that? Then I have no more words. You're not the person I thought you were - or perhaps - used to be.
Because I can guarantee you that there are PLENTY of Christians who throw themselves into the arms of God everyday - who get nothing. If you really don't know that, then I suggest you get out more or read the news or google it or something to pull yourself out of your ignorance.
And there are people shouting back up to him saying, "I DID join you - I DID that - I DID all the things I was supposed to do - and I never received any bliss. Never received any happiness. Never received any strength at all." (Oh right, it's all their fault they didn't get anything. I forgot. It's a lot like how conservatives view the word: If your poor then you're lazy; if your disabled then you're faking it; if your elderly and impoverished, it's because you didn't plan well for your retirement. And there are no other factors involved. At all. So if you aren't getting the blessings to make you "shout from the rooftop" then what, Miss Hepburn? If you're a Christian who turned their lives over to God and all the rest of it and received nothing - what else are you supposed to do? Hmm? You tell me since you seem to be the expert. I'll wait.)
Then you have no morality. You're so blinded by your own religion that you don't even SEE the downtrodden anymore. And that's sad. Truly sad. But a warning to what fanatical religious belief can do to someone.
Certainly more than Miss H bargained for I think. Ouch...
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