15 Questions for all

[rahul_sharma]

1- What happens to you after you die?
2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
3- Describe God.
4- How does one obtain true peace?
5- When is war justifiable?
6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.
7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?
8- Why are so many people depressed?
9- What is the meaning of life?
10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
11- What are we all so afraid of?
12- What is your one wish for the world?
13- What is our greatest distraction?
14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?
15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?

 

[New_Found_Faith]

1- What happens to you after you die?
2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
3- Describe God.
4- How does one obtain true peace?
5- When is war justifiable?
6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.
7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?
8- Why are so many people depressed?
9- What is the meaning of life?
10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
11- What are we all so afraid of?
12- What is your one wish for the world?
13- What is our greatest distraction?
14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?
15- One way mentality of some religions. Do you think it is illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan?

1- Judgement, hopefully for me it will be purgatory then heaven.
2- Suffering is a product of sin. In some cases suffering is allowed to test the faithful.
3- God is love. (1 John 4:8)
4- Dying to one's self and living for Christ.
5- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15546c.htm
6- Heaven is living in full communion with God. See #4
7- Faith, Hope and Love.
8- Chemical Imbalance
9- To Know, Love and Serve the Lord
10- Prayer
11- Good Question... Losing our pride?
12- Everyone becomes Catholic
13- Money
14- I'd need to see the rest of that quote, and in what context the speaker intended it to be taken as.
15- Yes, it is completely logical considering the one Book was divinely inspired and is his word. The bible, naturally.

 

[PaulGi]

2- Suffering is a product of sin. In some cases suffering is allowed to test the faithful.

New_Found_Faith, Not trying to pick on you or something but could you please explain what is the sin of a child born without the use of his hands and legs. Why one child is a born healthy normal baby while another is sitting like a pretzel in a wheelchair drooling without being able to say even a single word.

How does the scripture explain these two situations? or does it?

Paul G.

 

[PaulGi]

1- What happens to you after you die?
2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
3- Describe God.
4- How does one obtain true peace?
5- When is war justifiable?
6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.
7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?
8- Why are so many people depressed?
9- What is the meaning of life?
10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
11- What are we all so afraid of?
12- What is your one wish for the world?
13- What is our greatest distraction?
14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?
15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?

If you ask the questions, is it not customary that you also provide the answers according to your beliefs?

Paul G.

 

[AudioArtist]

New_Found_Faith, I have noticed that you are very wise for your age (and I don't mean to sound patronizing!)

I wish I was so grounded three years ago!

 

[rahul_sharma]

If you ask the questions, is it not customary that you also provide the answers according to your beliefs?

Paul G.

i know my answers , i want to know what others believe
still, if u say i will share but tomarrow..i have to go right now.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

New_Found_Faith, Not trying to pick on you or something but could you please explain what is the sin of a child born without the use of his hands and legs. Why one child is a born healthy normal baby while another is sitting like a pretzel in a wheelchair drooling without being able to say even a single word.

How does the scripture explain these two situations? or does it?

Paul G.

Sorry I only skimmed your post, I assumed it was about orginal sin. Don't I feel ditzy. I adressed this with Rahul later on this thread.

Sorry again.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

New_Found_Faith, I have noticed that you are very wise for your age (and I don't mean to sound patronizing!)

I wish I was so grounded three years ago!

lol thanks.

 

[arunma]

New_Found_Faith, I have noticed that you are very wise for your age (and I don't mean to sound patronizing!)

I wish I was so grounded three years ago!

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I wasn't even a Christian back when I was 17.

Anyway, to answer those questions...

1. After a person dies, he will await the resurrection, either in heaven (if he trusted in Christ and did his will through obedience to the Gospel), or in Hades (if he trusted in his own righteousness). All of God's people will first be resurrected and given a reward according to the works that they've done, and all of the world's people will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

2. Suffering exists so that God's will might be glorified in it. It's the job of Christians to glorify God by eliminating suffering, because we are created to do good works.

3. What we do know is that God reveals himself in the person of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the exact imprint and image of God.

4. True peace is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ.

5. War is rarely justifiable. I tend to agree with Saint Augustine, who said that it is only justifiable for self-defense, or the reclaiming of land that was wrongly taken.

6. Actually, the Bible says that heaven will be like the current earth, except that it will be "better" in some sense. People get to heaven by faith in Jesus Christ.

7. Just my opinion on this one, but the greatest of human qualities is the ability to worship God.

8. People are depressed for a lot of reasons. Many because their lives aren't as they think it should be. Others are depressed for biological reasons.

9. The meaning of life is to fellowship with God through faith in Christ.

10. I think he would want us to respond to agression with mercy, by following Jesus' dictum to turn the other cheek. As for terrorism, we should pray, on an individual level, that terrorists will repent. On a national level, God says that police powers exist to carry out God's wrath on lawless men. So it's acceptable for any nation to use the police to bring terrorists to justice.

11. I can't give a specific answer. People are afraid of many different things.

12. I wish the entire world would know God and obey the Gospel.

13. Again, many people have different distractions. I suppose Satan serves as an allegory for all of these various distractions.

14. I don't have any thoughts on it, because I'd need to see it in context. The first thought that comes to mind is that it's a quote from Transformers: The Movie.

15. I think that the idea of one faith, and one baptism is perfectly logical. Furthermore, one book doesn't show us the entire divine plan. The Holy Spirit does.

 

[Garnet2727]

1- What happens to you after you die?

2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?

3- Describe God.

4- How does one obtain true peace?

5- When is war justifiable?

6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.

7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?

8- Why are so many people depressed?

9- What is the meaning of life?

10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?

11- What are we all so afraid of?

12- What is your one wish for the world?

13- What is our greatest distraction?

14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?

15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?

Good questions. Here is my take:

1. Nothing. It is the end of my existence.

2. Because we humans have not learned how to take care of others and share resources.

3. A mythological concept to explain supernaturally what humans could not explain naturally.

4. I don’t know. I don’t know what true peace is.

5. I have a simplistic notion that is probably naïve. I think that war is only justified in self defence.

6. Heaven is a mythological concept and how you get there depends upon which religion you believe in.

7. Altruism.

8. I don’t know. I suppose that some of it is due to chemical imbalance and some is due to circumstances and some is due to environment.

9. I don’t believe that there is an ultimate meaning to life.



10. I don’t know. I don’t believe in a god.

11. Well, I don’t know about you, but my biggest fears are dying by fire or suffocation. I’m not afraid of death, just how it happens.

12. I really don’t have a wish for the whole world. I’m not smart enough to figure out what is best for the world.

13. Well again, I don’t know about you but my greatest distraction right now is trying to find a job.

14. I think it’s naïve. We are all individuals.

15. I’m really struggling with answering this one because I don’t understand what you mean about a one-way mentality or an infinite God. So, I think I’ll just hush.

 

[rahul_sharma]

2- Suffering is a product of sin. In some cases suffering is allowed to test the faithful.

What is the fault of that Child who is born with AIDS and what is the greatness of that Child who is born healthy? Is God partial?

12- Everyone becomes Catholic

ok

15- Yes, it is completely logical considering the one Book was divinely inspired and is his word. The bible, naturally.

Is there any Muslim around?

 

[InnerPhyre]

1- What happens to you after you die?
2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
3- Describe God.
4- How does one obtain true peace?
5- When is war justifiable?
6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.
7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?
8- Why are so many people depressed?
9- What is the meaning of life?
10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
11- What are we all so afraid of?
12- What is your one wish for the world?
13- What is our greatest distraction?
14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?
15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?

1. We will be judged by God

2. Several reasons. The overriding factor is sin, which has deformed creation and caused greed, famine, lust for power.

3. God is the Almighty Creator. He is love. He is merciful. He is just. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...of one essence and undivided.

4. By striving for purity and holiness through the example of Jesus Christ.

5. Same answer as was given in the new advent link.

6. Heaven is total communion with God. We will abide with Him forever. He will be our God and we will be His people. You get there by having faith in Jesus and picking up your cross, denying yourself, and following Him until the end.

7. Mercy

8. Many have chemical imbalances that cause depression. Others are depressed because they search for happiness in the wrong places.

9. To worship and imitate God.

10. By softening the hearts of the the transgressors and bringing them to repentance and salvation.

11. Humanity in general seems to be afraid of death, lonliness, abandonment.

12. "'Were I worthy of such a favour from my God, I would ask that He would grant to me this one miracle, that by His grace He would make of me a good man" -- St. Anskar

That answer works for me

13. Our greatest distraction is the pursuit of material wealth and prosperity.

14. I suppose we are all one in that we are made in the likeness of God, but I disagree with the Hindu concept of oneness. I do believe that those who are part of the Body of Christ are one through the communion that we share.

15. I do not believe that there is any book that tells the entire mind of God, nor the entirety of His divine plan. I do believe that there is only one true path, however, and that is the path set forth by Jesus Christ for us to follow.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

What is the fault of that Child who is born with AIDS and what is the greatness of that Child who is born healthy? Is God partial?

I think this suffering is less spiritual and more chemical/bilogical. I had a cold last week and spent most of my time in bed, while my friends went to the movies. Was God favoring my friends over me? I don't think so.

 

[Gardenia]

1- What happens to you after you die?
Im not sure, Heaven and reincarnation, depending I guess. I wont know til I get there.

2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
Wrong/selfish actions of humans. May also be a test of spirit. I dont really know..

3- Describe God.
I believe in one supreme Divine, Netjer. Netjer is too big and complex for humans to fully understand. However, Netjer wants to have personal relationships with its creation, and so created many names (or forms) that we may come to know more personally. Each seperate beings in themselves, but yet still part of the one Divine.

4- How does one obtain true peace?
Through good actions, knowing ourselves, knowing our world, and knowing Netjer.

5- When is war justifiable?
This is hard to answer.. id say.. as self defense, or helping to defend other innocent people. There may be other just causes as well, but I think war should always be a last resort.

6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.
Heaven is like this world, but better, or maybe easier? It is being close to Netjer. You get there through good actions, and relationship with Netjer. However, I dont think if you're bad in this life you'll never get a shot at Heaven.. I think you reincarnate for another chance. I dont believe any soul is ever perminantely lost from Netjer.

7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?
Ability to love. Ability to know right from wrong.

8- Why are so many people depressed?
Maybe because of selfish/wrong actions of others, themselves, and I wouldnt rule out medical problem either.. Truthfully, I dont fully know.

9- What is the meaning of life?
I dont know this, either.

10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
To defend ourselves, in different ways depending on the circumstances.

11- What are we all so afraid of?
What we dont know.

12- What is your one wish for the world?
Peace and understanding.

13- What is our greatest distraction?
Money.

14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?
Also, depends on the context..

15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?
I do not believe that my religion is the only one way, I believe that all religions lead back to the same place.. God. Though, this is only my feelings, I respect others who think differently.

 

[Amandine]

What is the fault of that Child who is born with AIDS and what is the greatness of that Child who is born healthy? Is God partial?

It's not that exact. From the Orthodox point of view (who don't believe in Original Sin) disobedience to God goes against the right order of the universe and it became corrupted. That is how badness enters creation.

 

[vajradhara]

Namaste Rahul,

i hope you are well.

1- What happens to you after you die?

there is no "i" that dies. after this group of skandhas dissolves, accumulated karma will determine rebirth in either lower or higher realms.. unless one can put an end to the cycle.

2- Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?

a variety of reasons for these... primarily, they can be summed by the term "Mara".

3- Describe God.

what some beings believe in.

4- How does one obtain true peace?

basically, meditation. in particular, removing the veils of ignorance that obscure our perceptions of reality allowing the mind to enter the Jhanas.

5- When is war justifiable?

never. it is an outmoded concept in a world of interconnectedness.

6- Describe Heaven; and how do you get there.

one of thirty three realms wherein beings can take rebirth. generally considered a favorable rebirth destination, however, beings here are still subject to karma and rebirth. unfortunately, they lack the motivation to practice the Dharma, though they have plenty of time to do so.

7- What is the greatest quality humans possess?

compassion.

8- Why are so many people depressed?

dissonance caused by an internal reality that does not match external reality.

9- What is the meaning of life?

no meaning other than what we give it. thus, the meaning of my life has changed as i've grown... at some point it was patriotic duty to my country... at some point is was the "next" material thing. for now, the meaning of my life is to awaken Bodhicitta.

10- How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?

who can say? deliberate killing of sentient beings can make for a difficult rebirth, without doubt. Ahisma should be paramount.

11- What are we all so afraid of?

that ultimately, in our innermost being, that we do not exist and that our relative existence is soon to be spent.

12- What is your one wish for the world?

for all sentient beings to awaken their own spiritual Jewel and secure their liberation from birth, old age, sickness and death.

13- What is our greatest distraction?

ignorance of reality, as it is, without conception.

14- "We are all one." What are your thoughts on this?

monsitic teaching which finds no consonance in Buddha Dharma.

15- "One way mentality of some religions". Don't you think it is Illogical w.r.t to God ? If God is infinite, do you think one book with some verses can disclose his divine plan ?

most beings develop their mental projections in this same fashion, operating in a bi-valent world view, their view on issues is either/or. reality, of course, is no bi-valent, it is multivalent and thus the "my way or the highway" type of being finds that their veiws do not actually correspond to reality in any meaningful sense.

at least.. these are my answers right now... give me a month and they may change

metta,

~v

 

[rahul_sharma]

I think this suffering is less spiritual and more chemical/bilogical.

Sorry to say, it looks like Extremely Spiritualess answer. But ok , its your belief.
What is the fault of that child who is born in jungles of Africa and what is greatness of those who are born with all comforts around? Is God partial?

Christianity can never answer this logically. Either God is partial or everyone should be born with same standards if life is one. Why so much of diversity.
One path is true acc. to you. Is God so cruel that he allowed present 5 billion new born souls to take birth in false religions? What is the greatness of that soul which has taken birth in so called One true religion?
(don't say we can choose, we all know more than 90% people die with same religion which they got according to birth).

 

[rahul_sharma]

Namaste Rahul,

i hope you are well.


there is no "i" that dies. after this group of skandhas dissolves, accumulated karma will determine rebirth in either lower or higher realms.. unless one can put an end to the cycle.


a variety of reasons for these... primarily, they can be summed by the term "Mara".



what some beings believe in.



basically, meditation. in particular, removing the veils of ignorance that obscure our perceptions of reality allowing the mind to enter the Jhanas.



never. it is an outmoded concept in a world of interconnectedness.



one of thirty three realms wherein beings can take rebirth. generally considered a favorable rebirth destination, however, beings here are still subject to karma and rebirth. unfortunately, they lack the motivation to practice the Dharma, though they have plenty of time to do so.



compassion.



dissonance caused by an internal reality that does not match external reality.



no meaning other than what we give it. thus, the meaning of my life has changed as i've grown... at some point it was patriotic duty to my country... at some point is was the "next" material thing. for now, the meaning of my life is to awaken Bodhicitta.



who can say? deliberate killing of sentient beings can make for a difficult rebirth, without doubt. Ahisma should be paramount.



that ultimately, in our innermost being, that we do not exist and that our relative existence is soon to be spent.



for all sentient beings to awaken their own spiritual Jewel and secure their liberation from birth, old age, sickness and death.



ignorance of reality, as it is, without conception.



monsitic teaching which finds no consonance in Buddha Dharma.



most beings develop their mental projections in this same fashion, operating in a bi-valent world view, their view on issues is either/or. reality, of course, is no bi-valent, it is multivalent and thus the "my way or the highway" type of being finds that their veiws do not actually correspond to reality in any meaningful sense.

at least.. these are my answers right now... give me a month and they may change

metta,

~v

Namasty vajradhara

beautiful reply

 

[rahul_sharma]

Gardenia , i agree with you (almost) completely.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

Sorry to say, it looks like Extremely Spiritualess answer.

What else needs to be provided? Does God have to assign medical conditions according to hindu theology? A Mother with AIDS will give birth to a child with AIDS, it's a scientific fact.

What is the fault of that child who is born in jungles of Africa and what is greatness of those who are born with all comforts around? Is God partial?

Some would consider such a situation to be a blessing. Luke 6:19-26

Christianity can never answer this logically. Either God is partial or everyone should be born with same standards if life is one. Why so much of diversity.

Why not? Perhaps the experience of such hardship would draw the person closer to God than had that person not not had that expereince? I leave it up to God's wisdom to decide, while you attempt to create a theory of reincarnation and karma which is without evidence.

One path is true acc. to you. Is God so cruel that he allowed present 5 billion new born souls to take birth in false religions? What is the greatness of that soul which has taken birth in so called One true religion? (don't say we can choose, we all know more than 90% people die with same religion which they got according to birth).

The fact is that you can chose, so what is the problem? If one dies in invincible ignorance they can still be saved, theoretically. It is up to God.