I personally do think that that is happening with modern near death experience accounts but they are pretty shocking. My belief is that this is happening now due to so many people being brought back from actual death by medical science. ... "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father." (John 16:25) https://www.near-death.com/experiences/exceptional/mellen-thomas-benedict.html#a09 https://www.near-death.com/experiences/gay/christian-andreason.html#a04h https://www.near-death.com/experiences/gay/christian-andreason.html#a14
I think a key difference between Buddhism and Abrahamic religions is that Buddhism does not believe there is a God. It is all potential within yourself and every one else. My interest is in spirituality rather than religion - the area where we can transform ourselves to be compasionate beings and develop our higher awareness and potentially the reason why we are here - which at the moment we are making one hell of a mess of. I can see a corellation between Christians surrendering to God and Buddhists or others letting go of their ego. I suspect that although they may sound different that in practise if done well, they are the same. In that way I had some identification with what CKW said in post 13. However I also think that Transpersonal Psychology is working for the same thing and I believe it is the potential of us as humans. Transpersonal Psychology suggests that at some point we human's stopped developing and that to continue developing which is potential with all human beings would have us accessing the states of consciousness which we currently see as spirituality - I think that is right I have only heard a little of Transpersonal Psychology but again my interest is spirituality which I do believe is about us being who we trully are which is compassionate beings and working together for the good of all. Now going back to Buddhism, the buddha said that being born a human is a special privalege because it gives up the opportunity to reach this potential. Whether we take it or not is another thing. However it is not exclusive to Budddhism. It is potential in us all. In one form of Buddhism there are also people who have reached enlightenment but who rather than going off and enjoying it choose instead to come back into this world to help others to reach it. They do this with the full knowledge that coming back into this world and what they experience may result in them losing their enlightenment and having to go through the whole process again but they do this through their compassion and their desire to bring all humanity through. In Buddhism no one is left behind. No one is so bad that they do not have the opportunity to eventually make it. They just continue on the wheel of suffering until they see the way out. Compassion is fundamental to enlightenment.
Brilliantly stated! I also believe that the hidden teachings of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus are also Universalist. The idea of nobody being left behind spiritually is one of the most important ideas that I have ever ran into in my searchings. One near death experiencer was shown that there are fourteen Elohim, but they are twins, seven male and seven female, and every human spirit at its core is a spark from one of these Elohim. I think that this is what near death experiencer Christian Andreason was shown here: http://www.allaboutchristian.com/spirituality/
"In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ ” Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered. 2 Kings chapter 20 ______________ God interacts with His creatures who love Him and have a desire to obey Him and to follow His teachings and He will be with them in their hour of need. JAG ``
Both yes and no. There are two separate view points. {1} Look at it from the viewpoint of God's Sovereignty. No. Here on {2} God does not ever change His mind because He knows the future and sees the beginning and the end. Some theologians have said that God sees all things in the Eternal Now -- that means there is no past and future in God's knowledge but that He sees all things in the NOW, that is, in the PRESENT. {2} Look at it from the viewpoint of a mere human being. YES. Looking at it from our very limited human point of view God does appear to change His mind when we pray to Him. This is seen in the case of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings chapter 20. Of course we know that God did not actually change His mind in the area of His Sovereign knowledge -- but rather God interacts with His creatures and works in all things for our best interest if we love Him and desire to do His will. There is no contradiction in any of this. We do not challenge God or question His ways because He has our best interest as His motive for the way He chooses to interact with us. Here Is Why We Do NOT Question The Lord: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.__God {Isaiah 55:8-9} ______________ Thought For Today: "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16 ______________ God will interact with any man who sincerely seeks to find Him -- in Revelation 3:20 the Lord Jesus says He stands at the door knocking and any man can choose to open the door. Open that door and all will be well with the soul. JAG ``
It's a belief in magic. It's also a lack of critical thinking applied to what mommy and daddy, in their ignorance, said was good and true. Did you ever think about all the times, as an atheist, you see coincidences that seem impossible and immediately think of an invisible, guiding force causing it? THAT is also the source of religion. And it's stupid in 2020!!!
Someone else is responsible for us being on the earth today. Moms, dads... And, they are responsible for our lives until we are old enough the law lets us be solely responsible. Well, Our Heavenly Parents gave us our spiritual bodies that are clothed with our physical bodies. They still have some responsibilities to help us in faith long the way throughout earthly life. We ask our Father in Heaven in the name of His Son to assist us in our decisions. What's wrong with that? Don't you ever ask others their opinions and sometime help? Like, do you ask for help when you have to move? Don't you ask a doctor for help and information so you can make informed correct decisions? What's wrong then asking for help or information from the ones that organized this entire universe?
I didn't say it was wrong. I wrote...It's easier to believe that someone else is responsible for our lives. It's basically a way to not take personal responsibility.
People pray because they think that their favorite imaginary deity's plans for them suck and they want a better deal.
Prove away. Faith, belief and opinion are not a proof of anything. They are simply faith, beliefs and opinions.
