Religious education needed, please.

[Tolworth John]

One of the things I have the hardest time understanding is if a person is unable to see God's Kingdom everywhere they look, how are they able to see God's Kingdom in their midst. The spiritual question to ask in ones journey is how does one see God's Kingdom "in their midst". What are those spiritual eyes needed for such vision?

John the baptist preached that the kingdom of God was near and he pointed out Jesus as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World'.
Jesus taught about the kingdom of God so unless we are talking about different kingdoms, you and I have to follow the rules of admitance to that Kingdom.

 

[dlamberth]

John the baptist preached that the kingdom of God was near and he pointed out Jesus as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World'.
Jesus taught about the kingdom of God so unless we are talking about different kingdoms, you and I have to follow the rules of admitance to that Kingdom.

Where we differ is that I'm unable to bound the Christ essence of God that you find only in the person named Jesus to that single point of entry. That's because I experience that Divine Spark everywhere I look, in the trees, in the animals, in atoms, minerals, the dirt, other planets, the stars, in humanity...everything! So perhaps your right in that we are talking about different kingdoms. I feel pretty good where I'm at with my Beloved God as my reality in life.

 

[juvenissun]

I only know what I see and experience of my Beloved God. Where I see my Beloved God is in the Divine Spark that I see running within and throughout all of Life. Which from my experience makes God the essence of Life itSelf that reaches through the whole of the cosmos.

How much of that is love?

 

[juvenissun]

The Buddha taught many truths to His followers that the ordinary human cannot perceive, but He also provided the Path - if we practice it - to perceive and know those things for ourselves.

So, no action, no gain.
If so, what are those Buddhism scriptures used for? Do they tell you something you can know BEFORE you were there?
If so, what news do those scriptures tell you?
One thing hit me before is that time is counted in a different way in Buddhism. But it seems it only used a different unit. The nature of time is still the same as we know it.
What else?

 

[juvenissun]

So if I understand you correctly you are looking for a doctrine that is good or true but is very unlikely to have been invented by human creativity or cleverness? The problem I see with that strategy is that the measurement of a good or true doctrine is its ability to satisfy some human need. That need that is satisfied must be a need that is unknown until it is satisfied. I suppose the need to be born-again might be unknown until the Christian is already born-again and realizes how much better he/she feels.

No. I measure it by logic and reason, not by need. I am looking for theological idea.

 

[juvenissun]

Bingo. Master yourself first, and God will be easier to see. Most people try and find God in external things like church, holy books, etc and by doing that, they break the first commandment.

Once we do see god, would my god be the same as your god?
If not, how many gods are there?
If yes, I and you are different, how could the god we see be the same?

 

[juvenissun]

In getting right with God with the need to get right with ones self to do so, no one here is talking about invented rules.

I am looking for invented rules.

 

[juvenissun]

One of the things I have the hardest time understanding is if a person is unable to see God's Kingdom everywhere they look, how are they able to see God's Kingdom in their midst. The spiritual question to ask in ones journey is how does one see God's Kingdom "in their midst". What are those spiritual eyes needed for such vision?

Where is that?

 

[cloudyday2]

No. I measure it by logic and reason, not by need. I am looking for theological idea.

I'm not an expert on logic, but it seems that it starts with assumed truths and derives implied truths.

Are you looking for assumed truths in the religion that are not likely to result from human creativity but still imply good answers to questions like "what is the meaning of life?", "how should I live?", and so on?

 

[dlamberth]

How much of that is love?

I've noticed that when I was blessed with that Divine sparkle in my grand-daughters eyes that all of it is Love. I'd describe is as soul to soul Love.

 

[Rajni]

And what is the diverence between belief and faith?

The discussion isn't about the difference between the two, but whether or not Christianity, just like any other religion, has requirements (see post #33). The answer there is still "yes".

 

[dlamberth]

Where is that?

I think the understanding of "midst" as used in the Bible would depend upon how wide a person's awareness of God is within this Creation. For myself God surrounds us, is within and without. All that is, is Divine. Being in the midst of God, the way I experience God at least, is being in a Divine presence that is overflowing everywhere in all directions. The whole magic of life is God. That also is my image of what Jesus experienced.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

No all I've done is given you the chance to prove what I've posted is wrong.

I find it interesting that you don't try to contradict my statement about islam.

Why would I have to contradict your posts on Islam?

 

[ananda]

So, no action, no gain.
If so, what are those Buddhism scriptures used for? Do they tell you something you can know BEFORE you were there?
If so, what news do those scriptures tell you?
One thing hit me before is that time is counted in a different way in Buddhism. But it seems it only used a different unit. The nature of time is still the same as we know it.
What else?

The purpose of the Buddhist scriptures are to point us to various elements of observable Reality, like a map points to what's in the world.

 

[juvenissun]

Are you looking for assumed truths in the religion that are not likely to result from human creativity but still imply good answers to questions like "what is the meaning of life?", "how should I live?", and so on?

Yes. But not an assumed truth, but the truth given in a religion.
Do you have one?

 

[juvenissun]

I've noticed that when I was blessed with that Divine sparkle in my grand-daughters eyes that all of it is Love. I'd describe is as soul to soul Love.

You just said it is MORE then just love.

 

[juvenissun]

I think the understanding of "midst" as used in the Bible would depend upon how wide a person's awareness of God is within this Creation. For myself God surrounds us, is within and without. All that is, is Divine. Being in the midst of God, the way I experience God at least, is being in a Divine presence that is overflowing everywhere in all directions. The whole magic of life is God. That also is my image of what Jesus experienced.

In talking to me, you have to be logic.
"All" and "overflow" contradict to each other.
And if there is an "all" then there is no "midst".

 

[juvenissun]

The purpose of the Buddhist scriptures are to point us to various elements of observable Reality, like a map points to what's in the world.

So, Buddhism is like (someone?) gives you a road map, and tells you: go there to find your (god?). Right?

Buddhism is confusing. Someone said it has gods, others said it has no god. Fine, I am not going to be bothered by that. God, gods or no god, Are all Buddhism teachings absolutely reasonable and no surprise to human? In other words, if the ancient prince of Indian were not there to start all the doctrine, there WILL BE another such person who figured out everything in a similar way?

If everything in Buddhism is figured out by human, then I would say that there might be no god in Buddhism.

 

[cloudyday2]

Yes. But not an assumed truth, but the truth given in a religion.
Do you have one?

The Hindu religions are the most interesting that I know, but I attribute the ideas to people.

My question would be: what great truths do you see in Christianity that are unlikely to have human origin?

 

[ananda]

So, Buddhism is like (someone?) gives you a road map, and tells you: go there to find your (god?). Right?

No. The Buddhist roadmap is for the purpose of finding my perceived ultimate goal (which is not god).

Buddhism is confusing. Someone said it has gods, others said it has no god. Fine, I am not going to be bothered by that. God, gods or no god,

There are gods mentioned in the texts of early Buddhism, in the sense that they are supposedly incredibly powerful beings that are god-like relative to us, but are not infinite nor almighty beings.

Are all Buddhism teachings absolutely reasonable and no surprise to human? In other words, if the ancient prince of Indian were not there to start all the doctrine, there WILL BE another such person who figured out everything in a similar way?

Eventually, yes, because the truths can be found in the Laws of Reality itself.