How do you syncretize religions?

[Jainarayan]

I look forward to talking with you after you've read it.

Enjoy.

:namaste
SageTree


Edit: The Apocrypha suggestion of Sirach/Ecclesiasticus is a most excellent suggestion. Wisdom is excellent as well, as is Tobit.

I'll make it a priority.

I looked for the Book of Wisdom, but couldn't find it online. There is a religious book store near me where I got Proverbs and Psalms. They may have Wisdom. Ecclesiastes, Psalms and Proverbs are part of a series of single books.

 

[Jainarayan]

I think Ecclesiastes calls on us to find our own meaning to life. It calls all this pointless, but also affirms it all has its purpose and place

Yes, that is the Taoism in it...

We put thirty spokes together and call it a wheel; but it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the wheel depends.

We turn clay to make a vessel; but it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the vessel depends.

We pierce doors and windows to make a house; and it is on these spaces where there is nothing that the usefulness of the house depends.

Therefore just as we take advantage of what is, we should recognize the usefulness of what is not. – Tao Te Ching

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Kinda off topic, but how do you like my new look? (my avatar)

 

[SageTree]

I think Ecclesiastes calls on us to find our own meaning to life. It calls all this pointless, but also affirms it all has its purpose and place

Mmmm,

I think it's a little more emphatic on the meaning and all that, or at least who the focus is, as it states that having all these things means nothing w/out God.

It doesn't deny the physical existence though, and that rings of purpose and place that you mentioned.

I think it speaks highly to emptying out of the false ideas about Self to find our Iya-man.

I looked for the Book of Wisdom, but couldn't find it online. There is a religious book store near me where I got Proverbs and Psalms. They may have Wisdom. Ecclesiastes, Psalms and Proverbs are part of a series of single books.

You might have to find a full collection of the Apocrypha to read it, which standard in Catholic, Anglican/Episcopal and Orthodox Canons.

I'm not sure what the religious book store is affiliated with, but they might be able to help you provided they aren't a Protestant-only store, which would drastically decrease the chances of finding it there.

Generally when Proverbs and Psalms come together I think it's a Bible society of some sort, but I could be wrong in this case, of course.

I thought once, 'Here I have the whole New Testament in my front pocket, but I have to take my whole (smaller) Bible in my bag if I want to read any of the Hebrew Scriptures.'

So I thought I'd go check at the local Bible society store.....

Man.... the lady thought I was nuts! Like why would I want just the Old Testament?!

I didn't think it would be a problem asking, but she was really put off.
It never dawned on my that this would be crass or out of line...

I guess it'd be like just asking for the Pentateuch in a Islamic book store,
or a copy of the Vedas in a Buddhist book store.


Point being, consider that, but you know the place better than I obviously.


EDIT: BOOK OF WISDOM.pdf (less lines per page)
Or Wisdom of Solomon.pdf (more dense per page)

 

[Jainarayan]

You might have to find a full collection of the Apocrypha to read it, which standard in Catholic, Anglican/Episcopal and Orthodox Canons.

That's possible, if not even probable. I really don't have a problem with that, as I cherry-pick anyway.

I'm not sure what the religious book store is affiliated with, but they might be able to help you provided they aren't a Protestant-only store, which would drastically decrease the chances of finding it there.

Generally when Proverbs and Psalms come together I think it's a Bible society of some sort, but I could be wrong in this case, of course.

They're fairly non-denominational, or rather, pan-denominational. They have several of the books individually. I specifically asked if there was the possibility of individually published Psalms and Proverbs. She said "Follow me!" and pulled them off the shelf. The only reason I didn't ask for Ecclesiastes or Wisdom is because... well, I forgot.

I thought once, 'Here I have the whole New Testament in my front pocket, but I have to take my whole (smaller) Bible in my bag if I want to read any of the Hebrew Scriptures.'

I got the Gospel of Thomas and the Jefferson Bible specifically because I don't want the writings of the NT except for the "red letter" portions, i.e. only what Jesus said.

EDIT: BOOK OF WISDOM.pdf (less lines per page)
Or Wisdom of Solomon.pdf (more dense per page)

Thanks for the links. Sometimes a .pdf can be printed and bound in booklet format. I'll see if that works on my printer. Then I can take it to Staples or FedEx/Kinko's to have it coil bound.

 

[SageTree]

That's possible, if not even probable. I really don't have a problem with that, as I cherry-pick anyway.

Right on.

They're fairly non-denominational, or rather, pan-denominational. They have several of the books individually. I specifically asked if there was the possibility of individually published Psalms and Proverbs. She said "Follow me!" and pulled them off the shelf. The only reason I didn't ask for Ecclesiastes or Wisdom is because... well, I forgot.

That's handy for sure.

I got the Gospel of Thomas and the Jefferson Bible specifically because I don't want the writings of the NT except for the "red letter" portions, i.e. only what Jesus said.

I have a copy of the JB as well, and GoT in a bound version w/ other Nag Hammadi documents.

I hear you about 'what Jesus said'.

However, there are some other writings I do enjoy.
The Gospel is like the Theravada Canon,
and the Epistles and such are like the expounding found in the Mahayana tradition.

Although, in a way, Jesus is doing his own expounding of the Hebrew scriptures.

Paul gets to me sometimes, but as the years progress I've learned to take it easier on the old boy,
especially after learning that there are psuedagraphia attributed to him.

Thanks for the links. Sometimes a .pdf can be printed and bound in booklet format. I'll see if that works on my printer. Then I can take it to Staples or FedEx/Kinko's to have it coil bound.

Cheers.

:namaste

Peace be with you,
SageTree

 

[Jainarayan]

Paul gets to me sometimes, but as the years progress I've learned to take it easier on the old boy,
especially after learning that there are psuedagraphia attributed to him.



Cheers.

:namaste

Peace be with you,
SageTree

The biggest problem I have with Christianity and the NT is that it is Paulism, not Christism or Jesuism. Bible bangers are always quoting what they want from Paul, but they never quote Jesus. If Christianity were Christism or Jesuism, whatever name we give it, I might still be that today, with the incorporation of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, because they're not incompatible.

Shubhamastu. :namaste

 

[SageTree]

I hear you, Brother.

That is something I've enjoyed about joining in on Anglo-Catholic and Orthodox worship.

There is..... something.... more.... higher focused... IDK, just a different heart in the matter it seems, ya know?

Sola Scriptura seems to breed this kind of people you are talking about.
We know them well, IRL and here on RF

It's hard for me to say "I am Christian" because of all that baggage.....
But I pray to not be scared, and to be a Christ-like face in the world.


Shalom Aleichem

 

[Breathe]

The biggest problem I have with Christianity and the NT is that it is Paulism, not Christism or Jesuism. Bible bangers are always quoting what they want from Paul, but they never quote Jesus. If Christianity were Christism or Jesuism, whatever name we give it, I might still be that today, with the incorporation of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, because they're not incompatible.

Is there a difference between Jesuism and Christism?

 

[Jainarayan]

I hear you, Brother.

That is something I've enjoyed about joining in on Anglo-Catholic and Orthodox worship.

There is..... something.... more.... higher focused... IDK, just a different heart in the matter it seems, ya know?

Sola Scriptura seems to breed this kind of people you are talking about.
We know them well, IRL and here on RF

It's hard for me to say "I am Christian" because of all that baggage.....
But I pray to not be scared, and to be a Christ-like face in the world.


Shalom Aleichem

I know exactly what you mean, on all those counts.

 

[Jainarayan]

Is there a difference between Jesuism and Christism?

I think complementary is the word. I thought I just made up Christism but apparently I didn't. Jesuism is a also a real word.

 

[Almustafa]

Instead of seeking new religions and prophets all the time why not go back to Polytheism, the oldest of religions?

Polytheistic religions claim no set in stone truth for all time and can always continue progressing as humanity does.

Hinduism, arguably Polytheistic, is the perfect example for what I mean here. Hinduism has kept progressing even until now, yet it isn't new.

Maybe new isn't what we need?

Hinduism isn't polytheistic though.

They believe in a non dual supreme existence which reveals itself differently to each individual mind, creating infinite deities, but they are all one God

There are many different philosophies though most line up closely with this

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Hinduism isn't polytheistic though.

They believe in a non dual supreme existence which reveals itself differently to each individual mind, creating infinite deities, but they are all one God

There are many different philosophies though most line up closely with this

Hinduism isn't Polytheistic? I think that's debatable, especially in India

 

[Almustafa]

Look up the word Brahman and you will find the answer (in Hinduism)

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Look up the word Brahman and you will find the answer (in Hinduism)

Yeah I'm familiar. Most Hindus believe the devas are actually real too. That makes it soft Polytheism at the very least

You didn't really address my point though. Why do we need new religions and prophets when the ancient religions are fine?

All these later religions claiming to be based on revelation and prophecy have been a constant source of violence and misery to humanity

The only revelation we need is nature and experience

 

[Almustafa]

These are words, polytheistic monotheistic whatever when it comes to named catagories

From what this mind understands one could say Hinduism is both monistic monotheism (all is one, all is God) & polytheistic pantheism(nature is divine, each aspect of nature is a god)

The reason for making a new religion is because after time all religion degenerates into dogmatic principles that help no one
First a prophet/saint/or shaman medicine man who sees the Divine were others don't, teaches many people and liberate their minds, but what normally happens is that their spiritual successor doesn't live up to the previous prophet and the faith degenerates into dogma and attachment to outdated traditions and books(which are only meant to the prescription never the medicine)

 

[Vinayaka]

Hinduism isn't polytheistic though.

They believe in a non dual supreme existence which reveals itself differently to each individual mind, creating infinite deities, but they are all one God

There are many different philosophies though most line up closely with this

This is only one school (Aligns with Smarta and Advaita Vedanta) of Hinduism. We're vast. Vaishnavism, a dualistic philosophy has the most adherents of any sect.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

These are words, polytheistic monotheistic whatever when it comes to named catagories

From what this mind understands one could say Hinduism is both monistic monotheism (all is one, all is God) & polytheistic pantheism(nature is divine, each aspect of nature is a god)

The reason for making a new religion is because after time all religion degenerates into dogmatic principles that help no one
First a prophet/saint/or shaman medicine man who sees the Divine were others don't, teaches many people and liberate their minds, but what normally happens is that their spiritual successor doesn't live up to the previous prophet and the faith degenerates into dogma and attachment to outdated traditions and books(which are only meant to the prescription never the medicine)

Not all religions stagnate with time and become ultra dogmatic. Scriptural religions do that because they're starting with a dogmatic foundation

 

[Almustafa]

Its all about perspective...
Advaita tells us to identify with Krishna, while vishtadvaita like in vaishnavism tells us to identify with the particle of Krishna our minds activate, aka the body.
Both describe the Cosmic Man Krishna...

I suppose dvaita started after the influence of Christianity in the thirteen or fourteen hundreds, but this is a newer philosophy

 

[Almustafa]

Instead of seeking new religions and prophets all the time why not go back to Polytheism, the oldest of religions?

Polytheistic religions claim no set in stone truth for all time and can always continue progressing as humanity does.

Hinduism, arguably Polytheistic, is the perfect example for what I mean here. Hinduism has kept progressing even until now, yet it isn't new.

Maybe new isn't what we need?

Not all religions stagnate with time and become ultra dogmatic. Scriptural religions do that because they're starting with a dogmatic foundation

We can still use the same old deities, but people are different in every age, they need new medicine to be happy