posted June 08, 2008 11:52 AM         

I would ask how the penalty is defined...

Is it physcial death or Spiritual death?

As it is found in both the Old and New Testament, discern what is being said in the overall sense rather than the one liner.

Too many times it is read literal when the Mystical intent/approach is what is intended.

juni

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What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is immortal"~

posted June 08, 2008 12:53 PM         

There is no spiritual death either - we are immortal and belong to the whole. We can never be separate from it.

Personally I have stopped reading the bible. Monotheism is worser than polytheism. Monotheism is more egoistic. Christians says their is only God. Mohammedans says theirs is the only religion. No more additions.

Polytheism practiced lets say by hindu is still stupid and dogmatic. But the good thing about them is that they personalize God Which any pscychologist will tell you that God is a figment of minds imagination

Atheists are right , just like Nietzsche was when they declare "God" dead. Its the most corrupt word on earth today. However atheists like Dawkins is half wrong also. I hope he is not late like Nietzsche and go insane. He must meet a Buddha in body and who can guide him. And the only reason I insist it be a buddha or a Master is because they have known the mind and transcended it. Theres no way mind can trap them again.

India too had in its history a famous atheist - I can't remember his name - Charuwar or something.

And traditionally Witch was supposed to be a very conscious /evolved woman with esoteric knowledge. No wonder the ignorant catholics killed the Witches. What a shame.

I personally made wrong choices by being baptised and following all that crap. Some day will announce to my church that I am renouncing church member ship. Back then I went thru a lot and I had no body to guide me - i thought the west must be superior in their spirituality but I realize now that it is not true. I even accepted that idea of "heaven" and "hell" is in the mind. I sensed an anxiety over the people as I spoke those words ... I wish they stopped me from getting baptised then and there. But they are sheeps themselves. How can they be courageous?

I also bought a piece of burial space when I depart to save burden to the family/friends - but I am going to write in my will notes not to call any priest while burying me. I don't believe in all that nonsense. I will have already passed perhaps far away and these people will be just droolling over my dead body.

posted June 08, 2008 01:37 PM         

quote:

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There is no spiritual death either - we are immortal and belong to the whole. We can never be separate from it.

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Spiritual death is separation from God.

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What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is immortal"~

posted June 08, 2008 01:44 PM         

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

posted June 09, 2008 10:37 AM         

quote:

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Too many times it is read literal when the Mystical intent/approach is what is intended.

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Ironically, reading spiritual works with a materialistic/literal eye is a mistake made by both the orthodox type Christians and very often those who attack them.

Master Eckhart is sublime. A true Christian.

posted June 09, 2008 12:08 PM         

And here a joke that hits to close to reality:

Dear President Bush, Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said, "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman. I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination...End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them. 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Canadians, but not Mexicans. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Mexicans? 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination? 7. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- room here? 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die? 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev. 24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.

posted June 09, 2008 03:12 PM         

From our modern perspective, the Lord Yahweh's 613 pesky Laws are difficult to understand. For the Jews, they were back-breakingly difficult to obey. Nevertheless, I think that yoke which, as Peter said, "neither we nor our fathers were able to bear" had a purpose. The Lord Yahweh was given a task. The stern, saturnine guide of the Chosen Ones fufilled that task in the birth of Christ. Easy? No. Effective? Yes. So who am I to judge?

The Oneness of God is essential to the Abrahamic faiths, but emanations of the One/Allah are also understood. That member of the Elohim known as Yahweh to the Jews, could be thought as this.

"Before the world was created, the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Name alone existed." Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer