As for the Poll question, I'm likely less 'religious' than 10 years ago. But I most certainly spend more time reading and hearing the words of Master Teachers, including but not limited to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Dahli Lama, Wayne Dyer, Peter McWilliams, Deepak Chopra, Charles Fillmore and John Lennon.
At least Barman is honest about his cult membership.
A simple reading of the wiki page on Charles Fillmore shows that
Fillmore believed that he was immortal, and was the reincarnation of
the Apostle Paul. Strangely, Fillmore died in 1948 - guess he wasn't
immortal after all?
A simple google search of "cult charles fillmore" shows that this
group is on every cult-watch list.
Again, their favorite doctrine is to deny the existence of things
they don't like:
1) Similar to other New Age groups, Unity denies the reality of evil, pain, sickness, poverty, old age and death, by explaining that they "are not real" (Ibid., pp. 36-37).
2) Unity was one of the first groups to openly promote reincarnation in America. "We believe that the dissolution of spirit, soul and body caused by death, is annulled by rebirth of the same spirit and soul in another body here on earth. We believe the repeated incarnations of man to be a merciful provision of our loving Father to the end that all may have opportunity to attain immortality through regeneration, as did Jesus" (Unity's Statement of Faith, Article 22).
Fletch,
I'm not saying that the Bible makes those claims in and of itself is
a proof that it is true, of course not. But, given the fact that almost
all credible historians affirm that Jesus was crucified, a reasonable
person should research why his followers went from being a dejected,
dispersed, rejected motley bunch - to a group of passioned zealots
who over-turned the world. And, were willing to (and many did)
die for their cause.
No one is willing to die for something they know to be a lie. Jesus
stated over and over that he was going to die, and would rise again
in 3 days. The reason why his followers went from being a dejected
and rejected bunch, is because Jesus appeared to them, as it
states in more than one place in the historical Gospels.
it's wierd. I just dig going to my church cause it feels good to be there and after I leave. On top of that the choir kicks ass. Now as far as following the rules? ehh........20% maybe? Prior to football season I was there weekly. Since football season? Let's just say I'm always apologizing on behalf of the NFL after missing for a few weeks.
I agree with you as a personal philosophy Buddhism is very good.
My interpretation of Karma is...The negative act will weigh on your soul or mind or subconscious (whichever works for you) until you have fully learned what you needed to learn from it.
It's not do something bad outwardly and some bad will happen to you from outside forces...it's an inner struggle to achieve balance.
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How many people saw him rise from the dead? How many people actually had seen him rise from a state of death into a spirit? None. All they seen were a tomb was empty… thus it was said… he must have risen from the dead: because there was a big rock in front of the place. This to me is the ultimate act of jumping the shark. I mean a human being not being in his grave, doesn't mean he should be automatically in heaven, after all isn't your spirit and electrical charge or a state of mind...since when is it physical? If you dig up mother Theresa, if she is still there, bones and all, does this mean she didnt ascend...or is God the only one that can do so? Self preservation non-sense if you ask me. Its just another wild ride on the circular logic roller coaster. I admire spirituality, but what i don’t admire is faith. Faith taking value over logic is self defeating and foolish. Shit in one hand, put faith in the other…what do you have?
Thats a weak generalization Punter, considering i have and will always say Regan is an overrated prick. Im not about government mandating social situations, the other two are all about it. Ever since my arrival on this site i have pointed out Regans stupefying supply side economics and the debt that accumulates with it, try to pay attention old man.
:cripwalk:
You're missing the point. The reason that this motley bunch of
disciples of a crucified Jew turned the world upside-down, is
because Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them:
Resurrection appearances of Jesus
In the Supper at Emmaus, Caravaggio depicted the moment the disciples recognise their risen lord
<dl><dd> Main article: Resurrection appearances of Jesus
</dd></dl> After the discovery of the empty tomb, the Gospels indicate that Jesus made a series of appearances to the disciples, with the most notable being to the disciples in the upper room, where Thomas did not believe until he was invited to put his finger into the holes in Jesus' hands and side (20:24–29); along the road to Emmaus, where people talked about their failed hopes that Jesus would be the messiah before recognising Jesus (24:13–32); and beside the Sea of Galilee to encourage Peter to serve his followers (21:1–23). His final appearance is reported as being forty days after the resurrection when he ascended into heaven,<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference">[52]</sup> where he remains with God.
Next, there are a few resurrection appearances of Jesus. One of the most widely recalled pre-ascension visions of Jesus is the doubting Thomas conversation (John 20:24-29) between Jesus and Thomas the Apostle. After Jesus' death, the apostle stated that he would not believe that Jesus was resurrected until he stuck his fingers in the nail holes in Jesus' hands and spear-hole in his side. Thomas was ordered to do so when he met Jesus, but the Gospel of John does not specify if physical contact actually took place.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference">[53]</sup>
Six months later, on the road to Damascus, a one time rabbi and persecutor of the early church named Paul of Tarsus converted to Christianity. A few years later, Paul became Christianity's foremost missionary, converting hundreds of people, planting dozens of churches throughout Greece and the Near East, and writing letters that would become part of Christian scripture. On one missionary journey, Paul travels to Athens and speaks at the Areopagus, where he claims that over 500 people were witnesses of the resurrected Jesus, many still alive at the time.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference">[54]</sup>
You're missing the point. The reason that this motley bunch of
disciples of a crucified Jew turned the world upside-down, is
because Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them:
Resurrection appearances of Jesus
But not one person seen him rise from the dead. Not one. It all comes down to faith. Do you put faith over your logic that you have obtained? Do you put faith over scientific laws of nature? Obviously you do. I, for one cannot nor will not allow myself to voluntary become ignorant in the pursuit of the notion of life after death. As much as that is a comforting thought, to accept it in this case would be blockade to an evolving mind. if faith over logic isnt paramount consider Pauls own words...
No doubt, Reagan was the best President of my lifetime.
If it wasnt for a blowjob, i would assume many Americans would say Clinton is just that. Reagan was in favor of a gold standard before he got elected into office, but soon after he was basically told to stop talking about it. Its in his book. I would agree with you Zit, but the AIDS debacle and the massive debt deter me.
I took the time to read a large part of it, as I was curious, but I must say I'm afraid I have wasted my time. I guess I should have stopped early on when Greenleaf says the existence of God and the fact that He had revealed himself to mankind has already been proven. Zit, what is the point in posting a whole book when the very thing this thread is about is not even discussed in it?
And the only thing Greenleaf does is showing that, assuming he got his facts right (which I cannot judge as I'm no biblical scholar), the gospels could be used as evidence in an American court as the documents cannot be proven to be forged and it also cannot be proven that the apostles lied.
I'm sorry, but deciding serious religious questions by legal rules of evidence is, in my opinion, a very strange thing.
No, you missed the plain and clear point I made.
No one is going to become a martyr for a known lie.
Jesus while he was alive stated many times that he was going to be
killed, and would rise again on the 3rd day.
The fact that Jesus rose again and appeared to his disciples is what
caused these few people to overturn the existing religion
of the time, and caused them to give up their lives for this cause.
