Hyper Real

Just my opinion here but I believe that nobody knows what exactly came from Jesus' mouth. Most source materials are not even in Aramaic, the language likely be spoken by Jesus. To me it actually does not make much of a difference whether Jesus said XYZ of did not say XYZ. If Jesus had a message of love and peace, similar to Buddha's message then I am all for it, however if it is a message of you must join the body and obey God or else you will be severely punished then I want absolutely nothing to do with it. And I bear the consequences with pride!

With respect to Romans 5:12-21 two comments: 1. It is my opinion that death has always been an aspect of life, all living things die. My opinion is that the idea that Adam would become mortal due to sin is simply a lie. 2. It is my opinion that the idea that the children (or other relatives) should be held responsible for a person's sin is not justice.

You mean a psalm right? I suppose that makes you merciful, upright and pure and me perverse in the eyes of God. So be it.

Not I. I believe in God but I question his actions and I do not believe he is all good.

Below my advice and opinion, others may have different experiences and advice, you mileage may vary. Meditation is a way of leaving this world and focusing on another world, I believe it is hard to start and hard to maintain unless you are a 24/7 monk, but if you keep on going it it becomes more effective and you can also do it while doing light activities. To start you could set an alarm clock, or what I use, an egg boiler timer, to say half an hour. Beginners typically start meditating and then after five minutes or so they are 'done'. You will find that in the beginning it takes at least half the time to even get relaxed, which is a prerequisite for meditation. Try NOT to focus your mind but instead let it flow. The human brain is like a computer but the difference is that computers perhaps have 2 or 4 cores while the human brain has millions of cores. All these cores do things and you cannot stop them and have them focus on only one thing. Thoughts and ideas constantly bubble up and disappear in our brain. In Daoist meditation that realization of change become the modus operandi while the Buddhist mediation is a little bit more focused on the equanimity of mind. Anther thing that works is to go to a meditation 'bootcamp', for instance take a 10 day Vipassana class.

Indeed, there are many writings abut equal treatment. However many of those writings are not in the Jewish canon. It appears that many do not want to discuss this topic. Perhaps they feel the topic is designed to antagonize. This is not the case. I believe that those who have religious convictions should not feel threatened by questions about their religion, unless, perhaps, they fear the answers.

Thank you for your comments Dan54.

In Judaism we can read certain laws apply only to Jews or only to gentiles while certain acts can only be validly committed between Jews or only validly between a Jew and a gentile. How, if at all, does this rhyme with the 'Do onto others' credo? Would we conclude correctly that the 'Do onto others' simply does not apply to Judaism?

I think that if you believe in Jesus it is Christmas everyday:

So if it does not work it must be either the healer not being chase or devout or the receiver not feeling sorry for all sin? So if it does not work we don't have no true Scotsman but a no true healer. And yes, I do not believe in divine healing. Wondering who is going to be the next Benny Hinn millionaire......

We can argue about the romanization of the name Yahweh but it is mentioned in the OT, so I fail to see how using the name Yahweh could be offensive to anyone. I am not a Jew so I certainly do not feel obliged to refrain from speaking his name or even spell God as G-d. Why some Christians would think it would be offensive to a Jew when a gentile speaks the name Yahweh or even spels God as G-d is completely beyond me. I tell you I think most would not care for a bit what gentiles think of the bible or Yahweh. In Judaism, and let me keep it nice here, a gentile has simply nothing to do with Yahweh as the covenant between Yahweh is only between him and the Jews. Judaism, unlike Christianity, is not out to find new people to become Jews and I think many Jews find all this Christian mimicking simply irritating. Frankly I never understood it, this 'wannabee Jew' behavior. What on earth has a gentile to do with the Torah? It records the history of the Jewish people! Almosts all peoples in the world have their own chronicles, why not stick to one's own? The Greek had them, the Romans, admittedly strongly influenced by the Greek, had them, the northern people had them. But no they want to take the Jewish chronicles and read it in such a twisted way to make it theirs as well. What gives?

Indeed not all people, perhaps to the chagrin of some on this forum, believe that the God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is all good.

Indeed, Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have the same God. However you seemed to have trouble with that statement about two weeks ago, I wonder why as it appears to me you are saying exactly the same? http://forum.ulc.net...post__p__684271

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PI06HMf2H8&NR=1

Of course Messianic Jews actually believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah so you got a point there, but they are a very small minority of Jews. Jews for Jesus is interesting because I believe we cannot deny that Jesus' Kingdom of God/Heaven is not very compatible with the Jewish Kingdom of God. Even when we strip the divine aspects of Jesus and we leave the raw 'lifestyle' philosophy it still, at least in my opinion, has incompatibilities with Judaism. But needless to say whatever floats ones boat. As I am giving by beliefs and perspectives there will be many who disagree and have other beliefs.

I pretty much agree that most Jews are not out to convert anyone else and they do not want non-Jews to imitate Jewish things like doing a sabbath, circumcise their children, go up to Masada and shout it shall never fall again or spells God as G-d. Could anyone not imagine that this copying can actually be felt as pretty irritating? I also agree that Christianity sprung from Paul, not from Jesus. However I disagree that the Jesus movement was Jewish, I believe that as soon as someone joined the Jesus movement he stops being a Jew. I believe that Jesus was a big pain in the butt for Jews at the time he preached, as he was rocking the boat to say the least, I also believe it immensely annoyed Yahweh. I believe that Yahweh inspired Paul to effectively neutralize Jesus by using the" if you can't beat them, join them strategy". Jesus at that point was simply used for Christianity similar to many pagan symbols later on during Catholicism.

I believe that rather than uniting people Yahweh divides people. The first division was Jews and gentiles, then the gentiles are split between Christians and pagans. Then yet another division between Muslims and infidels. Then the endless denominations. And it does not stop there, just look at Churches, there you find the most racially and culturally divided blocks in society: black churches, Latin churches, white churches, Korean churches etc. But in many (but certainly not all) religious minds there is this idea of uniting people, I find it very nice, but I believe it is not compatible with Yahweh's wishes, since the beginning he divided instead of united people.

Yes, I can relate to that.

I see where you are coming from. To me it is not about opening doors and windows but about removing the stumbling blocks, what or who prevents us from seeing the spiritual, what or who gives us the delusion the material is key? Who made the material?

Do your spirits really need a house?

I agreed with that statement but now I will readjust my position. If I understand correctly member Hexalpa pointed out he associates with a Christian group that does not subscribe to this, they do not even use the OT.

Could you specify, I see not contention with Daoism here. Myself I frequently walk in circles.

~ An inmate of an asylum, locked and imprisoned between walls. No privacy, instead constant supervision, any wrong act will be punished, constraints, drugs. Speak up, be nailed down Submit, be left alone. Behave, we might release you, or else, more constraints and drugs. Horror, fear, no future, abomination. ~

Some old Daoist wisdom states: "A person's heart and mind are in chaos. Concentration on one thing makes the mind pure. If one aspires to reach the Tao, one should practice walking in a circle." Who likes to walk the circle?