Avi's Spiritual and Religious Journey - Part 2

[Avi1001]

Yes, old hatreds do keep resurfacing. I can see that plainly with Islamists, but I admit to also seeing it with Christians to a lesser extent. For Christians that is very tragic, and it would be better to start from scratch than for such things to recur. Fortunately, starting from scratch seems to be something that cannot be avoided and something that happens a lot for Christians. We've got many upstarts (like the LDS, the JW, the Liberal Christians, the reformers in the RC, others) - lots of opportunities for change. There are also some very patient and peace loving standby(s).

Also I know of several religious groups who have shown that patience is better than conquering. So there is hope in patience! Slow and steady wins the race, just as the turtle wins in Aesop's fable. Will patience prevail? Oh yes. The patient and kind will thrive and the angry and forceful will destroy themselves in the long run. They will get other people killed, too, but they will eventually be gone. Those who survive will not miss them.

Very cool post, Brickj.

We all have deeply rooted prejudices which are often developed early in life, and hence we are unable to see in ourselves.

For example, in my case, I am very suspicious of Europeans in how they behave toward minorities. This, of course, is because of the example of Nazism. That is why the current events in France, with neo-Nazism again on the rise, are so alarming and distasteful to me.

However, I realize this is a bias that I have. Not all Europeans or even all French are anti-Semites. We must deal with the moral Europeans to make sure that history does not repeat itself. Isn't that what progress is about ?

 

[paarsurrey]

Originally Posted by paarsurrey
I have supported the prime and core teachings of Moses and Jesus; why do you ignore that? Please

No you haven't. Not that I have noticed.

There is a search button of the site ; please use it to locate that.

Regards

 

[metis]

Yes, old hatreds do keep resurfacing. I can see that plainly with Islamists, but I admit to also seeing it with Christians to a lesser extent. For Christians that is very tragic, and it would be better to start from scratch than for such things to recur. Fortunately, starting from scratch seems to be something that cannot be avoided and something that happens a lot for Christians. We've got many upstarts (like the LDS, the JW, the Liberal Christians, the reformers in the RC, others) - lots of opportunities for change. There are also some very patient and peace loving standby(s).

Also I know of several religious groups who have shown that patience is better than conquering. So there is hope in patience! Slow and steady wins the race, just as the turtle wins in Aesop's fable. Will patience prevail? Oh yes. The patient and kind will thrive and the angry and forceful will destroy themselves in the long run. They will get other people killed, too, but they will eventually be gone. Those who survive will not miss them.

I agree with most of the above, however the one problem I do have with it is that people tend to forget over time the hurt that discrimination and hostility causes, and studies have confirmed this as I mjentioned earlier when I said "pendulum effect". However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to improve things, so I don't want to give both you and Avi a false concept that I'm implying we should just throw up our hands and give up.

For example, who would have thougth that yesterday's Vikings are today's mild-mannered Scandinavians? There is hope, and I do believe we all should work for that hope, but those who live there have plenty of very heavy obstacles to overcome.

 

[metis]

It seems that in the Middle East, rather than a pendulum we have what is more like a "random walk".

I also believe that accepting fault is secondary to envisioning a better world. How can we get from this world to that one ?

As I started alluding, I believe it can only be accomplished by building a better educational system than we have now. It would have to be cross-cutting, in the sense of having students of different national origins, religions, economic status, and other diversity.

I believe this is more important that flying man to Mars.

I agree with the above, although I'm not sure what "random walk" in this context means. Is that like I do all the time, namely go for a "randon walk" and not remember how to get back?

 

[Brickjectivity]

What?! Mars is very important Avi! Its the only planet a man can truly understand.

 

[Avi1001]

Note that the Humanist DIR is voting to change from blue to green. I encouraged the Jewish DIR to be the first to do this, but they stubbornly disagreed. Now, the Humanist DIR is the most progressive DIR in the forum.

Stay tuned as other DIRs go from blue to green.....GO GREEN

 

[Avi1001]

What?! Mars is very important Avi! Its the only planet a man can truly understand.

Brickj, I think SpaceX is selling tickets to Mars....let us know if you buy one

 

[Avi1001]

I agree with the above, although I'm not sure what "random walk" in this context means. Is that like I do all the time, namely go for a "randon walk" and not remember how to get back?

A "random walk" is the path Metis takes if he drinks 4 beers. A pendulum trajectory is much less fun

 

[Brickjectivity]

Brickj, I think SpaceX is selling tickets to Mars....let us know if you buy one

I would go, but I just got back from there. Its a little too soon to go again.

 

[Desert Snake]

Note that the Humanist DIR is voting to change from blue to green. I encouraged the Jewish DIR to be the first to do this, but they stubbornly disagreed. Now, the Humanist DIR is the most progressive DIR in the forum.

Stay tuned as other DIRs go from blue to green.....GO GREEN

Green means go for know-it-alls.

 

[paarsurrey]

Note that the Humanist DIR is voting to change from blue to green. I encouraged the Jewish DIR to be the first to do this, but they stubbornly disagreed. Now, the Humanist DIR is the most progressive DIR in the forum.

Stay tuned as other DIRs go from blue to green.....GO GREEN

What is its significance? Please

Regards

 

[Akivah]

Note that the Humanist DIR is voting to change from blue to green. I encouraged the Jewish DIR to be the first to do this, but they stubbornly disagreed.

What's with the pejorative adjective? We disagreed with your opinion. Perhaps you are the one that stubbornly disagreed with the majority.

 

[Avi1001]

What's with the pejorative adjective? We disagreed with your opinion. Perhaps you are the one that stubbornly disagreed with the majority.

Who does G-d call the "stiff-necked people", and why? Are you rather stiff-necked ?

 

[paarsurrey]

Who does G-d call the "stiff-necked people", and why? Are you rather stiff-necked ?

It is none else than Jews whom G-d called "stiff-necked people":

Exodus 32:7-10.
7. And the Lord said to Moses: "Go, descend, for your people that you have brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.
8. They have quickly turned away from the path that I have commanded them; they have made themselves a molten calf! And they have prostrated themselves before it, slaughtered sacrifices to it, and said: 'These are your gods, O Israel, who have brought you up from the land of Egypt.' "
9. And the Lord said to Moses: "I have seen this people and behold! they are a stiff necked people.
10. Now leave Me alone, and My anger will be kindled against them so that I will annihilate them, and I will make you into a great nation."

Exodus - Chapter 32 (Parshah Ki Tisa) - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible

Regards

 

[Brickjectivity]

Exodus 23:1 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness."

 

[Desert Snake]

What is its significance? Please

Regards

Green= less strict.

Blue= more strict.

I prefer Blue

 

[paarsurrey]

Green= less strict.

Blue= more strict.

I prefer Blue

Thanks and regards

 

[Akivah]

Who does G-d call the "stiff-necked people", and why? Are you rather stiff-necked ?

Having an opinion and sticking to it, makes one stiff-necked? How are you avoiding these terms applying to yourself?

 

[paarsurrey]

No you haven't. Not that I have noticed.

I mention it again:

The prime teaching of Moses.

4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one.
5. And you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means.
6. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart.
7. And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes.
9. And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.


Deuteronomy - Chapter 6 (Parshah Va'etchanan) - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible

This is the essence of all commandments and the Law of Moses.


Jesus mentions his core teachings:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22:36-40

Regards

 

[Desert Snake]

I mention it again:

The prime teaching of Moses.

4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one.
5. And you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means.
6. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart.
7. And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes.
9. And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.


Deuteronomy - Chapter 6 (Parshah Va'etchanan) - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible

This is the essence of all commandments and the Law of Moses.


Jesus mentions his core teachings:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22:36-40

Regards

Nope, you can't have your cake and eat it too, you are selecting passages according to your own bias and presenting them in accordance to a pre-fabricated set of beliefs.
I suppose you know of the Hillel episode, recite the Torah standing on one foot, oh yes, that has been presented to me on the forums, the problem is that the "refinement" of the Scripture was being presented, the 'most important part' (according to that analogy), it is not an instruction to parse Scripture willy-nilly or according to ones fancy.