Why interfaith?

wil

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@Nick the Pilot said

I have heard that all such issues must be resolved before a person can achieve ___________________ and then go onto ___________________. Another reason why placing outselves on the path of___________________ can make more life more difficult.

To me this says a lot, most religions can fill in a version of this.
 

Thomas

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I think that's because basically, we're all the same.

Towards the exterior/horizon/periphery; the further away from the self/heart/mind (delete as applicable), things become granular, particular and have near-unique or perhaps perceived-unique characteristics shaped by the person, nature, nurture, culture, zeitgeist, fads, fashions, fancies ... all the more 'individual' and all the more illusory and ephemeral.

Towards the interior/centre/etc, the more the essential and the generic ... this is the person and the world that religions address, and this is where they are misunderstood, because they talk about the universal in the language of the particular.
 

RJM

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I wonder is there anyone who would like to be able to go back and remove all the adversity from their life? Is there anyone who would deny adversity has made them stronger, better and more considerate of the suffering of others? Often there was no other way.

When Mother Theresa said: "Suffering can be holy," Christopher Hitchens called her evil for saying it. He said it meant that she wanted people to suffer.
 

wil

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Yeah RJ I get suffering breeds character, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, some of us, obviously not all

As a non believer of G!d As We Know It. Or a G!d as I see religionists purport it to be.

I see a possibility in all religions having a modicum of Truth in them. I like to entertain God talking to humans, and humans so intent on truth and justice and knowledge that they were able to hear God. I imagine that teaching that conversation being so incredible so beyond our Ken oh, that when we tried to write it down or tell others, our words, our language was insufficient to explain it. The Bible, the Koran, upanishads, Gita, whatever was the best people could do, and really still is.

I do wonder if this is true when G!d quit talking to us, or when we need two sided people who talk to G!d are not prophets but crazy. I mean if you look at the number of prophets 3000 years ago, we should have a few hundred thousand of them running around now. Unless God just threw up her hands cuz we weren't listening.
 
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RJM

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I do wonder if this is true when G!d quit talking to us, or when we need two sided people who talk to G!d are not prophets but crazy. I mean if you look at the number of prophets 3000 years ago, we should have a few hundred thousand of them running around now. Unless God just threw up her hands cuz we weren't listening.
Those prophets usually suffered a bit, and spent time fasting and praying. I don't know the answers. The broad and easy way has never been the road suggested by most religions. Sacrifice and renunciation of the world has always been suggested as the way of soul to God?
 

RJM

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I believe that it may be only in extremity a person really turns to God, and then perhaps God needs to help that sincere seeker to lighten his load of material attachments by starting to strip away those attachments -- material and emotional.

As I've said before I believe that our free will means angels may not help us unless we invite them to. At first the help we get may seem the opposite of what we want as we are forced to let go of the material/emotional stuff we think is so important.

Kinda, like that?
 

muhammad_isa

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I mean if you look at the number of prophets 3000 years ago, we should have a few hundred thousand of them running around now. Unless God just threw up her hands cuz we weren't listening.

Well, I would say that the world is very different today than it was then.
It never used to be of a global nature.
..particularly in the last few decades, with jumbo jets and mass communications.

In the time when prophets came every few generations, there were no books. There were few scribes etc.
These days we have millions of Bibles and Qur'ans, including in electronic form.

There are billions of Muslims & Christians all over the world. The problem isn't really that the guidance is not available..
..it's more a case that we are corrupted by wealth and power, submitting to the devil's agenda.

There is another prophet to come soon .. he is called Jesus, son of Mary :)
Almighty God is the best of planners. He is aware of what is in our hearts.

We shouldn't seek to hasten armageddon [i.e. bring it on ] .. it is no joke.
Human beings can be righteous, obedient .. but unfortunately they can also be 'horrid'
 

RJM

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Solomon chose (spiritual) wisdom over (material) wealth, and so he was given wealth as well as wisdom, because Solomon was not going to be distracted by the material as an attachment or obstruction. Wealth (mammon) mattered less than wisdom (spirit).
 
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wil

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Solomon's kingdom is but the gatehouse to Micheal Jackson's estate.

Ya think the 5.billionaires birthed by Sam Waltons.wife suffered? I laugh Everytime someone says their proof in G!d is how X benefitted from the money bestowed on them...
 

wil

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Telling folks to keep their noses to the grindstone or suffering breeds character are remnants of ways to keep slaves happy with their lot...hope, keep working whoever picks the most olives gets two rations tomorrow
 

wil

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Why interfaith?

Because none of us have it right....

I take what makes sense from everything I know and I assemble it in my head, and dispense it to.my friends, thru words and deed.

Being a parent makes me. A question the accounts of the purported actions of G!d even more! I would never put my creations (children) thru any of the plagues,.floods, trials, he put humans thru...according to religionists.
 

RabbiO

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There are billions of Muslims & Christians all over the world. The problem isn't really that the guidance is not available..
..it's more a case that we are corrupted by wealth and power, submitting to the devil's agenda.

There is another prophet to come soon .. he is called Jesus, son of Mary :)
Almighty God is the best of planners. He is aware of what is in our hearts.

We shouldn't seek to hasten armageddon [i.e. bring it on ] .. it is no joke.
Human beings can be righteous, obedient .. but unfortunately they can also be 'horrid'
Of course, as a Jew, I do not hold Jesus to be a prophet or anything more. And, as a Jew, I do not believe in an entity who could be described as “the devil”.
 

muhammad_isa

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Solomon chose (spiritual) wisdom over (material) wealth, and so he was given wealth as well as wisdom..

Indeed .. a nation that has a care for righteousness is rewarded in this life as
well as in the hereafter.
The problem is that we want it straight away, disregarding spiritual guidance.
The devil makes it all look very attractive and 'promises' success.
When it all goes wrong, he's gone, and leaves us in the lurch ..
 

muhammad_isa

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..I would never put my creations (children) thru any of the plagues,.floods, trials, he put humans thru...

..back to the free-will conundrum.
Overall, we reap what we sow. We wrong ourselves.

I don't want MY children to "go to hell" in this life or the next.
..but when they reach adulthood, they are fee to "make mistakes" or disrepect authority etc.
 

RJM

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Solomon chose spirit over mammon, and so was given mammon and spirit both, in highest order. Solomon is the Magus. Most have to choose ...
 

muhammad_isa

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Of course, as a Jew, I do not hold Jesus to be a prophet or anything more. And, as a Jew, I do not believe in an entity who could be described as “the devil”.

Fair enough .. but you DO recognise evil, as opposed to righteousness.
You are expecting a Messiah .. what is his name? :)
 

RJM

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There may be people here who have the gift of Solomon. It is not me. I have to choose
 

RJM

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What mammon I am granted is given me by God. It is allowed me. It disturbs me when it starts to get too heavy. I only want to give it away. Clearly if it is taken that is alright. It would not be the first time.
 

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I wonder is there anyone who would like to be able to go back and remove all the adversity from their life? Is there anyone who would deny adversity has made them stronger, better and more considerate of the suffering of others? Often there was no other way.

When Mother Theresa said: "Suffering can be holy," Christopher Hitchens called her evil for saying it. He said it meant that she wanted people to suffer.

I would not remove the adversity of my life - as messed up as so much of it has been - 99% caused by me.

And in my personal, meanlingless opinion - Chistopher Hitchens is a dumb ass for saying that !

Can I say "dumb ass" here ???
 
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