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The Return of Paganism

I said I no longer attend any specific church.

Did you ever read "Pensees" by Blaise Pascal?

He's my favorite philosopher. I read it 3 times. :)



"For it is not to be doubted that the duration of this life is but a moment; that the state of death is eternal, whatever may be its nature; and that thus all our actions and thoughts must take such different directions according to the state of that eternity, that it is impossible to take one step with sense and judgment, unless we regulate our course by the truth of that point which ought to be our ultimate end."


 
And I dislike John Locke.

Life should be a happy adventure, not one of fear of going to hell, and hellfire and brimstone.

I follow the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha. And I already stated, if you were paying attention that I was a zen Christian.

Since you are so scholarly, are you aware of the missing years, and why so many indigenous people talk about the “bearded teacher”?
 
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That sounds good to me.

Good works include:

  1. To feed the hungry.
  2. To give water to the thirsty.
  3. To clothe the naked.
  4. To shelter the homeless.
  5. To visit the sick.
  6. To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive.
  7. To bury the dead.

Spiritual works of mercy​

Just as the corporal works of mercy are directed towards relieving corporeal suffering, the aim of the spiritual works of mercy is to relieve spiritual suffering.

The works include:

  1. To instruct the ignorant.
  2. To counsel the doubtful.
  3. To admonish the sinners.
  4. To bear patiently those who wrong us.
  5. To forgive offenses.
  6. To comfort the afflicted.
  7. To pray for the living and the dead.
I used to work with a guy who regularly visited the local prison and hospitals to offer comfort to those interned...I only found out about this because he dropped by my room to see me when I was hospitalized after my stroke six years ago.

Richard was non-denominational as far as I know, but it seems that he was certainly (and likely still is) practicing "good works". For people like him, it's not a chore to do so... It's simply part and parcel of being one of Christ's disciples.
 
And I dislike John Locke.

Life should be a happy adventure, not one of fear of going to hell, and hellfire and brimstone.

I follow the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha. And I already stated, if you were paying attention that I was a zen Christian.

Since you are so scholarly, are you aware of the missing years, and why so many indigenous people talk about the “bearded teacher”?

I'm not really scholarly. I consider myself to be an amateur intellectual with a BA from a state school only and self-taught in theology since 2016 when I reverted to the Catholic Church after 10 years as an atheist nihilist.

I have not heard why indigenous people talk about the bearded teacher. What's that about?

How can you follow the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha when Buddhism is atheistic and Jesus said he was God?

Just curious. It seems in conflict.

How old are you? I know it's rude to ask a ladies age so I hope you're not offended.

I'm just curious about when you'll die. Tomorrow is my midway point age 40. :)
 
I used to work with a guy who regularly visited the local prison and hospitals to offer comfort to those interned...I only found out about this because he dropped by my room to see me when I was hospitalized after my stroke six years ago.

Richard was non-denominational as far as I know, but it seems that he was certainly (and likely still is) practicing "good works". For people like him, it's not a chore to do so... It's simply part and parcel of being one of Christ's disciples.

That's great.

How old are you?

I'll pray a rosary for your recovery.
 
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I'm not really scholarly. I consider myself to be an amateur intellectual with a BA from a state school only and self-taught in theology since 2016 when I reverted to the Catholic Church after 10 years as an atheist nihilist.

I have not heard why indigenous people talk about the bearded teacher. What's that about?

How can you follow the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha when Buddhism is atheistic and Jesus said he was God?

Just curious. It seems in conflict.

How old are you? I know it's rude to ask a ladies age so I hope you're not offended.

I'm just curious about when you'll die. Tomorrow is my midway point age 40. :)
In defense of Buddhism, it doesn't require any belief in (a) supreme being(s). At it's core, I find it a quite appealing philosophy and don't see anything in its teachings that detracts from Christian beliefs.
 
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I'm not really scholarly. I consider myself to be an amateur intellectual with a BA from a state school only and self-taught in theology since 2016 when I reverted to the Catholic Church after 10 years as an atheist nihilist.

I have not heard why indigenous people talk about the bearded teacher. What's that about?

How can you follow the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha when Buddhism is atheistic and Jesus said he was God?

Just curious. It seems in conflict.

How old are you? I know it's rude to ask a ladies age so I hope you're not offended.

I'm just curious about when you'll die. Tomorrow is my midway point age 40. :)
It’s not at all in conflict. The teachings of Buddha are very similar to Jesus.

The “bearded man” is Jesus.

I could die tomorrow except that I’m in great shape physically. I am 30 years your senior.

I’ve studied a lot of Gurdieff. One of my current best friends was a philosophy prof. We regularly talk about these things.
 
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It’s not at all in conflict. The teachings of Buddha are very similar to Jesus.

The “bearded man” is Jesus.

I could die tomorrow except that I’m in great shape physically. I am 30 years your senior.

I’ve studied a lot of Gurdieff. One of my current best friends was a philosophy prof. We regularly talk about these things.

> The teachings of Buddha are very similar to Jesus.

How so? Jesus taught that He was God. He also taught about Heaven and Hell. Not reincarnation.

That's part of the reason Christianity and Buddhism are 2 different religions. I took a Buddhist meditation class in 2016 and it was very different than Christianity, IMO.

> The “bearded man” is Jesus.

I figured. What about Him and the indigenous peoples?

> I’ve studied a lot of Gurdieff.

Never heard of him. Reading about him now. Thanks.
 
In defense of Buddhism, it doesn't require any belief in (a) supreme being(s). At it's core, I find it a quite appealing philosophy and don't see anything in its teachings that detracts from Christian beliefs.
You are absolutely correct.

Oh and on a lighter note, I just love this time of year when I see the lizards on my back porch. They are so interesting to watch and I know that I get the Jurassic part scene in a few months of hundreds of miniatures running across the driveway or sidewalk.
 
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You are absolutely correct.

Oh and on a lighter note, I just love this time of year when I see the lizards on my back porch. They are so interesting to watch and I know that I get the Jurassic part scene in a few months of hundreds of miniatures running across the driveway or sidewalk.

I like lizards.

What town do you live in?

Gurdieff is too "out there" for my tastes. For mystics, I prefer Teresa of Avila. :)

 
And, that should explain why I am reluctant to step foot in a church, after having been told a lot of things by so-called Christians. I prefer to hang out with my FSU friends that believe in compassion, consideration and kindness, and are not judgmental.
 
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And, that should explain why I am reluctant to step foot in a church, after having been told a lot of things by so-called Christians. I prefer to hang out with my FSU friends that believe in compassion, consideration and kindness, and are not judgmental.

Don't leave Jesus because of Judas!

Most of my friends are Jewish, not Catholic. It's not a social club. :)
 
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And, that should explain why I am reluctant to step foot in a church, after having been told a lot of things by so-called Christians. I prefer to hang out with my FSU friends that believe in compassion, consideration and kindness, and are not judgmental.


I was an atheist for years. In August of 2016, I had a brutal case of demonic oppression. It was like a bad depression. Something flew into my room and overcame me one night.

The next day, I was going to the pool to read "The Will to Power" by Frederick Nietszche.

I told 2 college professors about it and they believed me. :)

Christianity is true!
 
Tallahassee now, but I have lived many places.

Brian, either you’re late to the party or you weren’t paying attention. I moved back here after my husband passed.
Losing one's loved ones is certainly traumatic, and I offer my sincerest condolences. (Have gone through it myself in multiple occasions.) This is when one's faith in God becomes particularly valuable. (Eastern philosophies that teach that death is merely a natural part of the cycle of existence can offer comfort, as well.)
 
Well, isn't it true?

Buddhism teaches reincarnation and that there is no God.
No, they do not teach that there is no god. That’s your interpretation. We call it the universe.

As for reincarnation, once again, a Western interpretation. It is a rebirth of the spirit.

The idea is that you should be the best person you can be, and ascend. The difference is that there is no defined hell.

In terms that you reference, he’ll is coming back and living another life until you get it right and can ascend.
 
No, they do not teach that there is no god. That’s your interpretation. We call it the universe.

As for reincarnation, once again, a Western interpretation. It is a rebirth of the spirit.

The idea is that you should be the best person you can be, and ascend. The difference is that there is no defined hell.

In terms that you reference, he’ll is coming back and living another life until you get it right and can ascend.

Jesus spoke on Hell 30 times, by my count. Just FYI.

I know this isn't talked about in Churches these days. Here are a few. The parable of the sheep and the goats is also about Hell. As is the parable of the net.



Matthew 10:28:


"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."


Matthew 25:46:

"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”



Matthew 13:50​


"And throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."



Mark 9:43

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out."
 
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No, they do not teach that there is no god. That’s your interpretation. We call it the universe.

As for reincarnation, once again, a Western interpretation. It is a rebirth of the spirit.

The idea is that you should be the best person you can be, and ascend. The difference is that there is no defined hell.

In terms that you reference, he’ll is coming back and living another life until you get it right and can ascend.
Christ's teachings obviously deviated somewhat from the established dogma of His time. I've occasionally wondered if maybe the three wise men from the East had a role in his philosophical development. Scripture offers little documentation of His life experience up until Jesus established His ministry during His final years upon the earth, so is my idea implausible??
 
The Bible as it is read today is not in the language of the age that we currently live in. Unless you read something like Good News for Modern Man”.

Everything is taken out of context, given the time. Humans are very different than they were 2000 years ago.

Would you apply the same garden practices that were employed 2000 years ago?
 
The Bible as it is read today is not in the language of the age that we currently live in. Unless you read something like Good News for Modern Man”.

Everything is taken out of context, given the time. Humans are very different than they were 2000 years ago.

Would you apply the same garden practices that were employed 2000 years ago?

The New Testament was written in Greek. It's not hard to translate.

This is serious business, bcherod. Eternity is at stake.

We'll be dead in a few years time.
 
The Bible as it is read today is not in the language of the age that we currently live in. Unless you read something like Good News for Modern Man”.

Everything is taken out of context, given the time. Humans are very different than they were 2000 years ago.

Would you apply the same garden practices that were employed 2000 years ago?
With all due respect for God's Word, It was documented by man...which invites imperfections by definition. (Ever played the "telephone game"??)

Don't wish to disrespect anyone's beliefs, but much of what was written in Genesis for instance has been disproved with the findings of modern science. If one were to abide by the prohibitions of Leviticus, he'd be relegated to participating in intimate contact with his wife maybe on the second Tuesday of each month. Also, it's been shown over time that having a ham sandwich for lunch isn't going to harm anyone.

The Bible is certainly God's Word, but one must take into account the historically cultural context when delving into the Old Testament.
 
The Bible as it is read today is not in the language of the age that we currently live in. Unless you read something like Good News for Modern Man”.

Everything is taken out of context, given the time. Humans are very different than they were 2000 years ago.

Would you apply the same garden practices that were employed 2000 years ago?
With all due respect for God's Word, It was documented by man...which invites imperfections by definition. (Ever played the "telephone game"??)

Don't wish to disrespect anyone's beliefs, but much of what was written in Genesis for instance has been disproved with the findings of modern science. If one were to abide by the prohibitions of Leviticus, he'd be relegated to participating in intimate contact with his wife maybe on the second Tuesday of each month. Also, it's been shown over time that having a ham sandwich for lunch isn't going to harm anyone.

The Bible is certainly God's Word, but one must take into account the historically cultural context when delving into the Old Testament.
 
With all due respect for God's Word, It was documented by man...which invites imperfections by definition. (Ever played the "telephone game"??)

Don't wish to disrespect anyone's beliefs, but much of what was written in Genesis for instance has been disproved with the findings of modern science. If one were to abide by the prohibitions of Leviticus, he'd be relegated to participating in intimate contact with his wife maybe on the second Tuesday of each month. Also, it's been shown over time that having a ham sandwich for lunch isn't going to harm anyone.

The Bible is certainly God's Word, but one must take into account the historically cultural context when delving into the Old Testament.

Genesis isn't meant to be a science book. The Bible is a library filled with metaphors.
 
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