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I agree with Jazzy on this one. For a while, I pondered Buddhism precisely because of it's valid attempt at developing a mutual respect and sense of group destiny with all the other exquisite life forms we share this earth with. Especially when you consider we evolved from, and are thus intimately related to, them.
Religious Man's orchestrated and excessively arrogant dominance of the planet (Immortalized in the "...and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." scripture*) is truly harmful.
The problem with Buddhism is that, like all orchestrated paradigms, it has also developed a lot of formalized strictures over time. But in the main, I think it's a very useful approach if one is of the sort that would like to have, or is lost without, formal spiritual guidance.
Every wack-job preacher worth his personal illicitly-acquired fortune has been pushing this one for every single generation as far back as there have been frightened, gullible people. That of course, would be forever.
And yet, despite the gloatingly wishful promise that God and Jesus will be coming, brothers and sisters, neither the father nor the son have ever shown up, or even sent a note that they'd be a bit late, EVER!
Hey' when it's all you've got left, yah gotta flog it, huh? Too bad for the horse though..... it's about had enough.
Christ could only return after the Jewish people had returned to both Israel, and Jerusalem. And only after Israel once again became a nation. This occured in the year 1948, and the city of Jerusalem was retaken back by the Jewish people in the year 1967. Only (NOW,) will it be possible for the return of Christ. And there is but one more prophecy to be fulfilled. And that will require the Jewish people to rebuild their third Temple on Mt. Moriah. Jesus will not be Late, you just don't know the prophecies rifleman.
I'm with Rafius here. I live completely (perhaps I should capitalize that word... COMPLETELY!) without religion. No dogma, no Karma, no bowing and scrapping to false idolatry, no memorized rote-chants that mislead and distract one from direct, personal consideration of the situation, no feeling indebted to an imaginary person, and finally, no total, mindless rejection of new ideas, new discoveries and the accumulated knowledge of this world.
Works for me and countless millions like me. Those with a dedicated religion feel guilty (part of the design, I"m sure...) when they don't complete the mandatory steps outlined in their various "tomes", but I just happily move on, and have made it quite successfully to my 60s totally without a daily or even weekly injection of some fake paradigm. You could too, if you chose.
In short, it's more than possible to have a happy and completely fulfilled life without "finding" a religion. Maybe even better than one hung with cultural and behavioral anchors!
BTW, what is your career, or your intended career?
I'm not exactly sure what my career has to do with anything.
But, I am in the social-service field. This might seem odd but here's the situation.
I have taken many career-assessment quizzes and many results stated that I would be a good pastor/preacher/clergyman etc. I guess I have that type of personality.
Most places that hire social service workers are ran by various religious organizations. While their requirement on what you must believe in order to be employed by them varies, they do have the right to deny employment to anyone who is not of their faith.
I can't seem to "get ahead" in my life and sometimes, the way things happen makes it seem like there is some "supreme being" holding me back.
I can give many examples but won't waste your time unless you really want me to.
When people ask me what my religion is I will usually tell them that I am an atheist. That's because I don't believe that there is a literal supreme being ("god") watching over us and determining if we will go to Heaven or Hell.
Actually, I don't even believe in a literal Heaven or Hell.
I DO believe that there was someone named Jesus (or the equivalent translation of it) that was a great moral teacher and that he taught the morals of his time. Some of which are relevant today.
I believe this "Jesus" guy also used Heaven and Hell as a parable to what might happen to you if you do something good or something bad. (For example; murder. If you murder someone you would most likely go to prison. Prison=Hell. Yes, yes, yes I also know about the burning garbage dump outside of Jeruselum that the bodies of criminals where thrown so, that could also have been a parable that Jesus used as "Hell")
I guess what I'm saying is that I feel Jesus taught about "Karma" like Buddha but I don't truly believe in "Karma" as I think of "Karma" in a more spiritual sense then man-made.
Is this making any sense? Is there a "religion" that I would identify with.
Greetings Westcoastcountryboy:
I am not going tpo say I can help you find a church that you could relate to, but I will try and give some information that may help in understanding God and how he thinks. First let me say that the Bible is a complete 180 % from what people believe. There will not be an ever burning Hell. Heaven will be here on this arth as The Kingdom of God and will last 1000 years. After that time period the complete Universe which God has Created will be part of His plan and your future. That is why they are created.
Every one, if they have not been called in the past or our time, they will have the opperitunity in the future. Moderator cut: advertising
freeman4:
Last edited by Miss Blue; 03-31-2010 at 11:51 AM..
Reason: no advertising please
I am not going tpo say I can help you find a church that you could relate to, but I will try and give some information that may help in understanding God and how he thinks.
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Is there a "religion" that I would identify with.
