Author
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Topic: To religion or Not to religion, that is the question...
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Nebel Knowflake Posts: 218 From: Australia Registered: Aug 2002
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posted November 18, 2003 05:36 PM
Another question for you all  I read a book the other day called "The Essene Gospel of Peace" - i read books 1 and 2. Now i don't know if it is just me or not - but i am getting awfully confused with the many different 'brands' of religious belief... i mean how many ARE there? Now don't get me wrong - i am in no way knocking religion or God - merely seeking some answers of a kind. I have always believed that it is "better" from a personal viewpoint not to 'follow' someone elses spiritual path, or even a certain religious belief - such as Christianity and the Bible for example. But after reading "The Essene Gospel of Peace" i am starting to doubt the validity of these thoughts... Now after all that rambling... here's the question: What are your thoughts on your spiritual development? (If indeed you actually BELIEVE you are here on earth to learn). Is it 'better' to follow a well beaten spiritual path - such as the Bible, or a well known religion to seek your enlightenment? Or, as i have previously believed, is it more fruitful to battle your own way independantly to your enlightenment? Any or all thoughts on this would be very appreciated!! LOL Nebel ------------------ If you want to view paradise - simply look around and view it! IP: Logged |
CancerianMoon Knowflake Posts: 205 From: penrith,australia Registered: Aug 2003
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posted November 18, 2003 06:42 PM
hello nebel... well i am sure this will be a hot topic..religion usually is.. myself....i have looked into religion for many years ...i was not brought up in any way religious..though i always had some voice inside me that said if i did bad..i would pay for it..and if i did good...i would reap benefits...i used to argue alot with those from many religions telling them as long as i was a good person...that was all that mattered..but something kept driving me...first i found astrology....and this confirmed my belief in a higher power..i studied many a religion...and found my peace and my truth in the quran...i am muslim though many would say i am not(i dont follow the hadiths)...muslim in arabic means submit...and i have submitted myself to god...this has brought me more peace than i ever have known... i do not believe everyone should or needs to follow the same path...i do believe however that as long as we believe in a higher being...a day of recompense...and we r good human beings...this is what is important...i know others views differ on this..but i also believe there should be no compulsion in religion.. i think that ppl need a base to live thier life by...and for many this is religion... only problem when ppl want to make THEIR religion THE ONLY RIGHT WAY...this causes the problems we see in the world... i guess i am rambling a bit..but all in all..follow ur heart always.. and trust there is purpose for us...and the life we r living now is not all there is...  peace to all  ------------------ ************************* The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. Carl Jung IP: Logged |
mooey Knowflake Posts: 49 From: mission viejo, ca., usa Registered: Oct 2003
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posted November 18, 2003 08:10 PM
Well, first of all, to put it out there, I am agnostic(which is not Atheist)..... I think anything that anyone believes could be truth..... my view on things is basically that religion is just different labels for the same things...which we are all (part of). nobody is wrong!!!!! just keep it floating on love!!!!!!IP: Logged |
silverbells Knowflake Posts: 977 From: maryland Registered: Apr 2003
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posted November 18, 2003 09:05 PM
I think that most religions are one part of a whole religion and that with the exceptions of some "periphery" details, or even including the "periphery" details; they are all a part of a whole truth, Maybe. *walks away to float on love*
------------------ "Get some Love in your groove, just get hip to Forgive"-Michael Franks IP: Logged |
Nebel Knowflake Posts: 218 From: Australia Registered: Aug 2002
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posted November 18, 2003 09:45 PM
Heya Guys  Yeah, my be-LIE-fs run along the same lines, Love all, believe in a higher power etc... And i was happy with that untill i read 'The Essene Gospel of Peace' (You can find this book on the internet - its only a few pages long, and can be read without spending any money).. Basically it claims to be the ONLY word of Jesus (Now i am paraphrasing here - so bear that in mind) - and that in order to 'go to heaven and be reunited with God' you must follow Jesus's 'rules'. These include being a strict vegetarian, eating raw food only, praying every day etc, etc. Now this same book talks about 'Satan' and about 'hell'. Not in the same sense as the bible - but the references are there all the same. It also claims that the bible as we know it was developed by a person called 'Paul', and that it is, basically, a load of you-know-what. This is where i get confused about 'what is right' - if indeed there is such a thing. Do you believe that an all powerful and loving God would send us to hell becasue we ate some meat? I feel a little angry that religion has us believe such things - and keeps us in an atmosphere of fear - in order to have us reach a goal they believe only they can help us reach... Arrrggghhhh!! Venting my spleen once again! LOL Nebel ------------------ If you want to view paradise - simply look around and view it! IP: Logged |
dafremen Knowflake Posts: 538 From: Registered: Nov 2002
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posted November 19, 2003 07:25 AM
Hey there!Someone directed me to this discussion. Guess I was attracted to the light..  Something came from the fingers awhile back that might be of interest to you in your quest for understanding: The Path That Defines The Way In it, the notion that seems to have been repeated here is explored. That we are all seeking after the same thing, in different ways. There is more, however. A pretty incredible something has come to light, actually quite a few incredible somethings. Here: The world's greatest fraud Then finally, hopefully helpfully (damn poets and their word gymnastics), there is this: You are light. Nothing else exists but light. Matter cannot do anything. Stay on the Path, Seeker. The Way is real, and it's trials are not in vain. One heart's embrace one drop in a mighty ocean. Love from your brother, IP: Logged |
trillian Moderator Posts: 1317 From: The Boundless Registered: Mar 2003
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posted November 19, 2003 01:40 PM
Anything that tells you it is the one and only way...isn't.Anything that does your thinking for you...shouldn't. As you began to hit upon, contained in BELIEF is I LIE. Belief can be seen as suspended truth. That being said...all of life has validity. Want proof? Take a look around. What do you see? If everything is God/dess, and God/dess is everything, then that means...everything. Whether we like it or not. Now...follow the yellow brick road and be happy. Or not. Pick up a copy of "Illusions" by Richard Bach. Do it today. You'll read it in an hour.  IP: Logged |
CancerianMoon Knowflake Posts: 205 From: penrith,australia Registered: Aug 2003
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posted November 19, 2003 03:24 PM
trillian------------------ ************************* The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. Carl Jung IP: Logged |
dafremen Knowflake Posts: 538 From: Registered: Nov 2002
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posted November 19, 2003 05:00 PM
When trying to locate the Path you will choose, or forge, remember THIS anagram above all others:BELIEF = BI FEEL And that's how you'll find it...by feel. (It's the ONLY way!!!!! trillian!) IP: Logged |
Nebel Knowflake Posts: 218 From: Australia Registered: Aug 2002
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posted November 19, 2003 06:09 PM
Thanx truely everyone  ...I'm now going away to do some reading  LOL Nebel IP: Logged |
neptunz Knowflake Posts: 16 From: Registered: Nov 2003
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posted November 19, 2003 06:26 PM
Astrology is my religious.IP: Logged |
sesame Knowflake Posts: 63 From: Brisbane, QLD, Oz Registered: Nov 2003
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posted November 20, 2003 06:36 PM
Same here! Note Religious = is lies, but religions = no lies?I'm very religious but I don't follow any "religion" except all religions. I honestly think Astrology and it's associated "karma" are the parents of all religions. God came from the stars. I like the lexi for Neutrinos = true trine (or no true trines), as in they are the smallest particles and many billions fly through us each second - all apparantly too small to affect anything. BUT, what if they DO affect us? What if they are mini packets from the stars that are like messages or "influences" on who we are? If all matter is energy, then neutrinos could be considered as metaphysically communicative (I don't know where I'm going with this...) I think you get what I'm saying. They are above (or beyond)us. If they don't affect us physically, then they must metaphysically! But back to religions, my GF says shes very spiritual but no religious, but I feel I'm the opposite. I don't necessarily feel everything - I have to think or intuit stuff as well. I "philosophy" and must have sound reasoning. I think there is a world of difference between these two. Love to you ALL  Dean. ------------------ Live Life and Love Like Doves! My numerology program based on "Star Signs" by Linda Goodman Logically Magical Logic is Magically Logical Magic! (and vice versa!) IP: Logged |
dafremen Knowflake Posts: 538 From: Registered: Nov 2002
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posted November 21, 2003 08:38 AM
But do they fly through US dean? Or do they fly through an illusion? Even more, to the point..are they us? http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000182.html Oh..and WELCOME! IP: Logged |
Randall Webmaster Posts: 16464 From: Columbus, GA USA Registered: Nov 2000
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posted November 22, 2003 10:05 AM
Cool string.  ------------------ "Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
WychOfAvalon Knowflake Posts: 547 From: Los Angeles Registered: Feb 2003
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posted November 23, 2003 04:04 PM
well I am a pagan. I pretty much follow my own path but that's not to say I don't think there's a lot to be learned from established religions. I tend to shy away from formal religion because it tends to be corrupt... NOT because religion is bad but because some people are. Add lots of people to the mix and then come the power struggles, egos, heirarchy, manipulation, etc. To me, it doesn't matter what religion you are as long as you're not harming anyone. If you find what you're looking for in it then that's great! People can find spiritual enlightenment no matter what faith they claim.. and if they don't claim a faith and just follow their own spirituality it is the same.
------------------ she's closing her eyes, she starting to dream, she's pulling the strings... she's dreaming a strange dream where nothing is grey... then she takes me away and she's pulling the strings when she's playing with love
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Randall Webmaster Posts: 16464 From: Columbus, GA USA Registered: Nov 2000
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posted November 24, 2003 01:45 PM
I'm Spiritual but not religious. ------------------ "Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
CancerianMoon Knowflake Posts: 205 From: penrith,australia Registered: Aug 2003
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posted November 24, 2003 03:32 PM
Randall and WychOfAvalon do u believe there is a creator?------------------ ************************* GINGER ROGERS DID EVERYTHING FRED ASTAIRE DID, BUT SHE DID IT BACKWARDS AND IN HIGH HEELS  IP: Logged |
Randall Webmaster Posts: 16464 From: Columbus, GA USA Registered: Nov 2000
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posted November 24, 2003 04:08 PM
A creative intelligence permeates all creation.  I believe that this Uni-verse had a beginning, but that there was no "first" beginning for a first Uni-verse. A paradox? Perhaps.  ------------------ "Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
WychOfAvalon Knowflake Posts: 547 From: Los Angeles Registered: Feb 2003
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posted November 30, 2003 12:04 AM
difficult question... There is a creative force that I don't think humans could possibly understand.IP: Logged |