Yadda wrote on Feb 16^th, 2009 at 1:07pm:


*****Inappropriate Mirth deleted********

I can see a lot of irony in that. You want religion to be less organised, so you read the Bible. You want to find God personally, so you read the Bible.

To define the problem, it seems to me that you see the Bible as the product of God, through some circular process of reasoning initiated by the Mantra of "God Exists because it says so in the Bible" and  "The Bible is the inspired word of God, because God tells me that through his word in the Bible".

To me, the Bible is just a Christian Handbook - a way in which religion can be organised and depersonalised, generally through some historical process of skullduggery.

Yadda wrote on Feb 16^th, 2009 at 2:57pm:


It's all relative. Saul of Tarsus had some major blindspots (they can be caused by bright lights/ epilepsy etc I guess), and yet a lot of Christianity is defined by his personal Mountaintop view.

You claim that our Muslim friends have quite a few blind spots too. Maybe they should spend some time on your mountain, or mine. Maybe we should visit their mountain occasionally. You may not like the view, but you just might get some understanding.

I guess if you can't take Mohammed to the mountain, take the mountain to Mohammed.  Maybe that's what you've been doing all along.

What the hell happened to my topic?!

mozzaok wrote on Feb 16^th, 2009 at 8:34pm:



I like Thor too,I reckon he will beat Mohammed in the battle of Ragnorock.

NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 16^th, 2009 at 4:22pm:




I accept God's purpose for man, as revealed in the OT & NT, including God's plan to redeem mankind.

I seek him, and wait upon my creator to reveal himself [as he will].

I acknowledge my sins, that have been revealed before God, and ask God for his forgiveness, for all my foolish mistakes in this life.

I accept Jesus Christ as the atonement sacrifice for my sins.






Quote:



I don't see any inconsistency in my belief, about our collective circumstance, and the path of our 'karma' [as is revealed within the Bible, OT & NT].


Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.


But even if Buddhism comes to these same basic conclusions [about our 'karma'], Buddhism is a Godless philosophy.

Buddhism denies the creator [if i am not mistaken???].



Buddhism comes to its own conclusions about 'life', without 'discovering' a creation God, and without revealing how we are redeemed - spiritually.

Why is that?




Maybe God has a method of redeeming Buddhists too?

I don't know.

But i know that God is just, in all his dealings with us.



I believe Paul explored this problem, of the fate of righteous 'unbelievers', in the NT....


Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
12  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)






But if Buddhism 'spins your wheel', OK.      

That is your choice.

But I point to the Bible, to our righteous God, and to Jesus Christ.


Isaiah 53:1
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.


Proverbs 8:35
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Supposedly those last verses from Proverbs refer to 'wisdom'.




Hosea 14:9
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.


The wisdom in the Bible is way too deep for me.

I'm just scratching the surface of many of its hidden spiritual secrets.

But the spirit of God guides me where it will.


1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

muso wrote on Feb 17^th, 2009 at 11:51am:




muso,

Thank you.



God in Buddhism
"Since the time of the Buddha, the refutation of the existence of a creator has been seen as a key point in distinguishing Buddhist from non-Buddhist views.[1] Buddhism is usually considered a religion, but is also commonly described as a "spiritual philosophy", because it generally lacks an Absolute creator god......"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism



and.....

Buddhism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

mozzaok wrote on Feb 16^th, 2009 at 8:34pm:


Now mozza, I understand the attraction to Thor being one of the heavy-hitters for both Marvel and DC, but comeon ya can't go past the Silver Surfer.

NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 17^th, 2009 at 12:50pm:


What I meant was the fact that Buddhist monks in countries like Burma and Thailand are not permitted to have personal means of support. They are mendicants, which basically means that they rely on begging for their basic needs. They also abstain from sexual behaviour (supposedly) and are prohibited from being alone with a woman.

Maybe it's a fine line, but to me, that's getting pretty close to the definition of asceticism that you see in Christianity.

Matthew 19:23-24 (I'm doing a Yadda)

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."