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Beth
Beth Schmillen

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Re: On Buddhism and Christianity
10/24/2007 11:57:00 PM
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Pauline
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Re: On Buddhism and Christianity
10/25/2007 1:15:26 AM
Hi Beth,

Interesting topic,

I luv what our brother Nehemiah posted earlier at his forum, Im reposting it here again, as I couldnt agree more!

    The very first proof that any human has, by way of communication are “words (and the ability to perceive and understand those ‘words’)”. Without words none of us would be able to effectively communicate with each other. Even the Scripture (THE WRITTEN WORD of GOD) states that, “Faith comes by hearing (perceiving and comprehending words, sounds, etc.). . .”. Ergo, without “words” communication between humans would be next to impossible.
    GOD IS no different. The main reason that Atheists and Agnostics are Atheists and Agnostics, is not because GOD isn't, but rather because GOD knows that if you can't hear, comprehend, and adhere to HIS WORD, then you wouldn't stand the minutest of a chance seeing and touching HIM Physically, with such an inability.
    If anyone is going to disprove and not believe GOD and HIS WORD (“The Bible”), that person should really start at the very “beginning”; because to do it the way that you have been attempting until now, has proven to be a dismal failure.

    So then we all should start at the very beginning of “The Bible”. . .now there a very novel idea, huh? Start at the very first verse, of the very first Book of “The Bible” and see GOD’S WRITTEN WORD proven by the very Science that Atheism and Agnosticism has been [mis]using in an attempt to “disprove” GOD. Science says that, ‘for anything in the Physical World to come into being and/or exist, there must be “Time”, “Force”, “Action”, “Space”, and “Matter”’:
And BTW, this is about the only thing that all of Science can agree on. So then, we have:


TIME---“In the beginning...”

FORCE---“. . .GOD...”

ACTION---“. . .Created...”

SPACE---“. . .the Heavens...”

MATTER---“. . .and the Earth.


Beth recently on my 3 week vacation  I got to read a very interesting book by Indian evangelist Ravi Zacharias, get hold of that book its really a booklet and can be read in one sitting, if one has time on hand. He has compared Christianity to Buddhism so uniquely in the form of a dialogue between Jesus and Buddha, Trust me after reading the book you will think differently. The name of the book is 'The Lotus and The Cross' the publishers  www.multomahbooks.com


To all my friends who do not believe that Jesus Christ is our  personal savior and creator of all,  I would like to say...Please dont judge God by mans actions!! God is still God, no matter what we do or say, if man has failed to be what God designed him to be only goes to prove how Fair God is, that he made us with a FREE WILL to choose our own destiny. Lets not blame HIM for our failings.

Blessings to all

Pauline R
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Beth
Beth Schmillen

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Re: Einstein Quote of that day...Now Buddhism Christianity and Philosopy in General.... (smiles)
10/25/2007 3:00:20 AM
Dear Pauline,

thanks for coming by and sharing your insights. I don't think I know the adland member Nehemiah but I'll see if I can find him on your friends page in a bit....

Nehemiah has written to the core of what many would say is what is called god ... Space Time The Universe ... I'm not personally saying these are or aren't my views.

I post an Einstein quote every day or two or three.... and with this...
 the page that came up when I searched for a new Einstein Quote... was this page .... some interesting synchronicity or just a coincidence?

But here's the Einstein quote again:
The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description...
If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.

Albert Einstein

http://www.sapphyr.net/buddhist/



But the book you mention that is The Lotus and The Cross'     publishers  www.multomahbooks.com   by Indian evangelist Ravi Zacharias,  sounds like a very good read. I'll see if I can get a copy to read.

There is different views about this and I hope this forum thread doesn't turn into a need for some to persuade others that their views are meant to be the truth... for everyone.

That will only cause self-disclosures to be disconcerting!

There are unique and amazing philosophies in this world of ours and to put a stop to having these open and available to everyone is akin to book burning... or .... banning books.

But I hope I can get a look at the book you mentioned, Pauline... it does sound like one I would enjoy reading. It is uncanny how all origin of the universe myths have so much science and understanding to them...some say that's because there was an advanced civilization here on Earth before our Time... I don't know about that either... it's a mystery of the Universe to think that we could truly know anything but Love...

...and how many of us can say we truly know Love?

Beth
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Beth
Beth Schmillen

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Re: Einstein Quote of that day...Now Buddhism Christianity and Philosopy in General.... (smiles)
10/25/2007 3:35:57 AM

http://www.al-islam.org/love_in_islam/3.htm

I don't think that any discussionof world belief systems should exclude any religion and so I am including this excerpt that I came across with a quick search of the internet...

http://www.al-islam.org/love_in_islam/3.htm

An overall study of the Qur'an and narrations (hadiths) shows that in the Islamic view love either in its Divine form or in Human form, belongs only to the precious and valuable things as far as they are so. The result is firstly that the degrees of the love that different things deserve or receive differ according to their merits, and secondly that anything which is in conflict with those precious and valuable things or prevents their realisation should be hated. For example, if justice is to be loved injustice should be hated. Or if a person who tells the truth is to be loved a person who lies should be hated. Of course, in respect to their other characters and deeds, the situation might be different. A single person might be loved or praised for something and at the same time he might be hated or blamed for the other.

 

In comparison with some other faiths, one aspect of love in Islam is that it is usually considered along with `hate (of the evil) for the sake of God'. One has to love for the sake of God and hate for the sake of God. There is a tendency among some people to think that there should be no hate at all. These people assume that excellence and nobility of character and "being sociable" consist of having all men one's friends. Certainly Islam recommends Muslims to love people and optimise compassionate and sincere relationship with them, even if they do not believe in Islam or in God. However, it is not feasible for a person who has principles in his life and has devoted his life to realise sacred values to be indifferent to evil and oppressive deeds of wrongdoers and make friendship with everybody. Such a person certainly will have some enemies, whether we wish or not. There are always good people in the society and bad people. There are fair people and despotic people. Good and bad are two opposite poles. Attraction towards the good is not possible without repulsion from the bad.

 

When two human beings attract each other and their hearts wish for them to be friends and companions one with the other we should look for a reason for that. The reason is nothing other than similarity and resemblance. Unless there is a similarity between these two persons, they cannot attract one another and move towards friendship with each other. Rumi in his Mathnavi mentions two fine stories that illustrate this fact. One story is that once a very wise and well‑known Greek physician asked his disciples for some medicine for himself. His disciples were shocked. They said: "O, Master! This medicine is for the treatment of madness, but you are the wisest person that we know." The master replied: " On my way to here, I met a mad person. When he saw me he stopped and smiled. Now, I am afraid that he must have found some similarity between me and himself; otherwise he would not have enjoyed looking at me." The other story relates to another wise man that saw a raven who had formed an affection for a stork. They perched together and flew together! The wise man could not understand how two birds of two different species that had no similarity either in shape or in colour with each other could be friends. He went close and discovered that both of them had only one leg.

 

That wise man said: "I saw companionship

Between a raven and a stock

Amazed 1 was, and examined their condition

To see what sign of commonality 1 could find.

So up I crept, and, to and behold!

I saw that both of them were lame. "

 

In Islam, there has been much emphasis on the necessity of promoting brotherhood and friendship with the people of faith and the people of good will and at the same time combating against the evil, corruption and the oppressors. Of course, in Islam love is universal and the Prophet of Islam was not sent, "save as a mercy unto all beings" (The Qur'an 21: 107). Therefore, even fighting against those who do wrongs and injustice should be out of love. It is an act of genuine love for mankind as a whole and even, say, for a murderer such as Hitler to fight against him, to punish him and, if needed, to destroy him. Otherwise, he would do more crimes and would degrade himself more and more and would suffer much more sever punishments in this world and hereafter. There is a beautiful story that once an oppressing ruler asked a pious person to pray for him. In response, that pious person asked God not to let him live anymore. That oppressor was shocked and said: " I asked you to pray for me and not against me!" He replied: " This is exactly what I did. It is much better for you and, of course, for the people as well that your life becomes shorter. You will then have less chance to add to your crimes and people will have more chance to rest."

 

A rational and intelligent love is the one that involves the good and interest of the mankind and not a limited number of people. One can do many things to bring good to individuals or groups which bring evil to society or mankind as a whole. For example, if a judge releases a guilty criminal he might have done something good to that person, but a great harm has been inflicted upon the society and the ideal of justice. One should not let his affections hide the truth. If our beloved child needs injection or operation we should not let our love and passions for him to prevent us from doing so.

 

 

According to Islam, love has to be enlightened. A sacred love is the love which is realistic and insightful. It has been a common theme in moral advises by great Muslim preachers and Sufi masters that one should not let one's love for something or some person make him negligent of the whole truth. The reason for this emphasise is that love naturally tends to make the lover "blind and deaf'. If you love some one it is very unlikely  to have an impartial view of it, unless the love is directed by the reason. This is why even Sufi Muslims try not to be overwhelmed by love. Siraj ed‑Din writes:

 

The Sufi has no choice but to be vigilant, observant, and discerning, to put everything in its rightful place, and to give everything its due . ... It is in virtue of this perspective that Sufism is a way of knowledge rather than a way of love. As such it tends to repudiate partialities which the perspective of love necessarily condones and even encourages. [9]

 

 

According to Islam, the minimum expectation from believers is that God should have the first place in their heart, in the sense that no other love may override one's love for God; God should be the highest and foremost object of love. The Qur'an says:

 

Say: If your father or your sons or your brethren or your wives or your kinsfolk or the property you have acquired or the commerce you fear may slacken or the dwellings which you love­ if these are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till God brings about His command; God does not guide the transgressing people. (9:24)

 

This verse clearly indicates that one's love for God has to be superior to one's love for whatever else that one may come to love in one's life. This superiority shows itself when the love for God and for His religion comes in conflict with one's love for one's personal belongings. In this case, a believer should be able to sacrifice his personal favourite things for the sake of God. For example, if God asks us to give our lives to protect innocent lives or our territorial integrity or the like, we should not let our love for the easy life or being with the family and so on prevent us from striving in His way.

 

Therefore, a believer is not the person who just loves God. A believer is the person whose love for God is the highest and strongest love he has. Elsewhere, the Qur'an says:

 

Yet there are some people who adopt rivals instead of God, whom they love just as they (should) love God. Those who believe are firmer in their love of God ... (2:165)

 

Why should one love God? According to Islam, one reason for loving God lies in the fact that God is the most precious, the most perfect and the most beautiful being, that a man can ever conceive and therefore, man out of his nature that aspires to values, beauty and perfection loves God.

 

Many Islamic scholars, especially mystics have asserted that everybody feels in his heart a great love for God the Almighty without necessarily being aware of it. They argue that even unbelievers who are just after secular aims or ideals love and worship what they take to be the ultimate good. For example, those who want to possess power want to have the ultimate power. They will never be satisfied by becoming a mayor or even president. Even if they could control the whole globe they would think about controlling other planets. Nothing in the world can set their hearts at rest. As soon as people reach what they had set up as their ideals, they realise that it is not sufficient and they will seek for more. Islamic mystics, such as Ibn Arabi inspired by the Qur'an believe that the reason behind this phenomenon is that everybody in fact is seeking towards the ultimate good, that is, God. The Qur'an says: "O man! Surely you strive (to attain) to your Lord, a hard striving until you meet Him." (84:6). However, the fact is that many people make a mistake in recognising what is the highest good. Some might take money as the highest good or, in other words, as their god.

 

Others might take political power as their god, and so on. The Qur'an says: "Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god?" (25:43; 45:23)

 

If it happens that they reach what they have set up as their ideal their innate love for God, the highest good will remain unresponsive and so they will feel unhappy and frustrated. Ibn Arabi says:

 

"Nothing other than God has been ever loved. It is God who has manifested Himself in whatever is beloved for the eyes of those who love. There is no being except that it loves. Thus, the whole universe loves and is loved and all these go back to Him just as nothing has ever been worshipped other than Him, since whatever a servant (of God) has ever worshipped has been because of wrong imagination of deity in it; otherwise it would have never been worshipped. God, the most High, says (in the Qur'an): `and your Lord has commanded not to worship but Him.'(17:23) This is the case with love as well. No one has ever loved anything other than his Creator. However, He, the most High has hidden Himself from them under the love for Zaynab, Su'ad, Hind. Layla, dunya (this world), money, social position and all other beloved subjects in the universe. [10]

 

Ibn Arabi adds that: "mystics have never heard any poem or praise or the like but about Him (and they saw Him) beyond veils." [11]

 

The other reason for loving God is to reciprocate His love and blessings. There is a rich literature in Islamic sources on different aspects and manifestations of God's love and favour for all human beings, including, in a sense, wrongdoers arid those who disbelieve in Him. Human beings love whoever does good to them, and they appreciate such favour and benevolence and feel obliged to be thankful. The Prophet said:

 

Love God because He has done good to you and He has bestowed favours upon you. [12]

http://www.al-islam.org/love_in_islam/3.htm

http://www.discoverislam.com/

 
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Beth
Beth Schmillen

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Re: On Buddhism and Christianity
10/25/2007 3:49:31 AM
   
Kingdom of Jerusalem
Gold, Diam. 23 mm Acre, 1253-1258 AD
Collection of the American Numismatic Society, 1917.215.627          W: 2.876
Kingdom of Jerusalem: Acre The Crusader Christians who invaded the Holy Land in the late eleventh century necessarily sought to issue these gold coins for their own use. Thus Crusader mints regularly issued more-or-less skillful imitations of Fatimid and, later, Ayyubid silver and gold coins. These Crusader issues generally bore the names of the Muslim rulers of neighboring lands, as well as the name of Mohammed, the Muslim profession of faith, and the Muslim date. As the political and military demise of this state came closer, this pattern of imitation was altered; and, as the result of the decision of papal authorities in (1250), later coinage was based on an uneasy epigraphic compromise. The coins continued to be written in Arabic, but they now recorded a Christian date and Christian religious content, as well as displaying a cross.

Written in the fluid cursive script characteristic of contemporary Ayyubid coinage, the legend on this coin's reverse circles a cross and affirms belief in Jesus Christ and hope for the resurrection. In the center of the obverse the Muslim statement "Allah is One" has been replaced by an epigraphically similar but more suitably Christian assertion of "One deity." Circling around it are the date and place of issue and the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

http://islamicart.com/main/coins/g_jerusalem.html
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