Just watch..... keep watch.
When I discover a secret in mindful reflection, with which eye do you speak of?
Regards Tony
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Just watch..... keep watch.
I won't answer for anyone else, so I'll be replacing "we" with "I."
I lift my voice when I'm asked.
When listening, when learning, when meditating, and when contemplating.
The holy writings that I've revere speak nothing about raising voices. I've read nothing such as, "Here is this revelation. Now run out and tell everyone."
Such revelations, in my experience, come when one is ready for them, not when they are dumped upon them.
As I've said previously, my voice is raised when solicited. Otherwise, I'm silent.
Proverbs 17:28 speaks to that:
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
I have been reading posts and I have even said it may be best to be silent when it comes to matters of faith.
Silence has its place, but in the end the silence will always need to be broken, as little progress can be found in silence.
I thought about God's Messengers and wondered about what God asked them to do and the result of them lifting up their voices to give that Message, we all know what happened to Jesus,.................
IMHO:That has always been an Interesting thought for me, as there are many shows available now where people sit and meditate for very long times, and that is seen as very spiritual. I see a personal benefit in silence, to take stock of one's own self to grow spiritually.
Sai Baba explained it perfectly; I think these 2 examples clarify best what I meant (real challenges, not easy):Then the part that I see needs clarification, if I am growing spiritually, but spend all my time in silence, what about doing the good required.
Only "Real Silence" can bring about unity; Silence as I described above of course.So in real silence, is there action? Can silence bring about our unity?
I don't see the tides fight and quarrel, so I guess that is an example of "Real Silence" when being in motion/actionThen nature also shows us that silence is the shortest time. Look at the tides, the water is moving always, except at the top and bottom of the flow. Where the is an hour of still water.
To think in terms of better and/or best (judgment is a big obstacle of Silence) is impossible when talking about "Real Silence"It could be our best silence is found deeds.
Exactly. But at least you are honest about it. That is the most needed first step. Being with Sai Baba was amazing. The closer I was near Him, the more terrible thoughts resurfaced. Once sitting next to Him (1 cm distance), I thought "how would He look without clothes". Oh my God, I never felt so ashamed in my life I think, because I know that He knows all my thoughts (He proved that enough to me). But at least it humbled me, and showed me that I have lots of work to that in that area of "monkey mind control"I have never found it easy to be silent, even in prayer, which is also speaking, my mind wanders to other things.
Love, Peace (in mind) and Blessings to you TonyI am yet to find true silence, except when I sleep and do not dream
Not for nothing that the Bible tells us "the path is small, only very few will find it, and even fewer will reach the end"
Regards Tony
Not only do we know what happened to Jesus, but we can also read what will happen to those who follow Jesus.
At Matthew 24:9 we are told they would be hated - hated by all nations.....
This is because of the message of Matthew 24:14 about God's kingdom ( Daniel 2:44) .
' Thy kingdom come....' is about a real government in the hands of Christ Jesus.
Jesus, as king of God's kingdom, will take control over earthly enemies.
I know, Tony.When I discover a secret in mindful reflection, with which eye do you speak of?
Regards Tony
Exactly. But at least you are honest about it. That is the most needed first step. Being with Sai Baba was amazing. The closer I was near Him, the more terrible thoughts resurfaced. Once sitting next to Him (1 cm distance), I thought "how would He look without clothes". Oh my God, I never felt so ashamed in my life I think, because I know that He knows all my thoughts (He proved that enough to me). But at least it humbled me, and showed me that I have lots of work to that in that area of "monkey mind control"
Love, Peace (in mind) and Blessings to you Tony
I know, Tony.
Some folks are so wrapped up in complicated stuff that they don't know what ’Keep watching' simply means.
Watch what they do. Not how they spout their ideas of truth.
That is one of the results of not being silent, many people of many faiths have suffered the same result.
I applaud the all personally, as I see God chooses them as they will not be silent.
But even Jesus said if you offer the Faith given by Jesus the Christ it must be done with wisdom and not given to those that do not want to hear.
I personally think spreading of Messages has not been done in the way it should have, we are yet to learn as to how to offer good to each other, in a way that truly reflects what was offered.
Regards Tony
You have raised many good points about when silence is good, I think, well know I need to learn to listen, that has always been an issue I have had.
Your last comment is what I would like to discuss, as I see many offer that path.
How do we find unity as a human race if the good we practice is not shared with others who are yet to consider that good?
What good was that teaching, if it was not to be shared?
So to take an extreme example, if in our silence we are still full of predudices, should not that silence be shattered?
It could very well be that our inner selves are proven in our deeds.
What I am finding in reply to you, is that each comment has many tangents of discussion. So if we are silent, how do we discuss these issues and find common ground?
Regards Tony
Them.Who do you feel should decide if they're ready? Them? You? Baha'u'llah? God?
Yes.Thus I should weigh my actions against what God has asked of me.
Who are you to assume for whom a teaching was intended?
In my experience, people reject ideas they're not ready to accept, especially ideas that aren't objectively evident.
Who do you feel should decide if they're ready? Them? You? Baha'u'llah? God?
Should it be an option to wait until they are ready? Or do you think they should made to accept said ideas by shoving it down their throats? Which do you think might be the path of least resistance?
Yes.
I think another saying of Sai Baba you might like is this: In Kali Yuga it is almost impossible for people to control their mind and to meditate; hence in Kali Yuga all that is needed is 'Love All, Serve All' and/or 'Hurt Never, Help Ever'.". Once in an interview I was thinking "Hurt never" is easy for me, but "Help Ever" is more difficult, because how do I know what is best for the other. Within a second Sai Baba turned over to me, and said "Help Ever".
So, we need not worry about our monkey mind, that is part of Kali Yuga. Remember/repeat the Name of God is also sufficient. For me it's easy, your Master's Name is much more difficult than mine, esp. how to exactly write it correctly
I am curious, did Bahaullah said similar things like this? I think He did, because a few years ago I read quite a bit from Him, and I remember that all felt very familiar, but I am not sure IF He also emphasized the importance of the Name of God/Guru/Master/Prophet?
Thank you.Yes that were indeed wise words.
We are asked to bring God to mind as much as we can, as this then enables us to reflect on the virtue and morals we are asked live by.
The Glory of God, or Glory of the Lord. is the translation of Baha'u'llah, so in saying that name we are giving all Glory to God.
Two other we use is Ya Baha'ul Abha "O Thou the Glory of the Most Glorious!"
and as a greeting Allah'u'abha, "God is the Most Glorious"
Modern day song in Australia. You're the voice try to understand it. We will no longer sit in silence looking down the barrel of a gun. We are all someone's Daughter we are all someone's son. Sung by John Farnham.I have been reading posts and I have even said it may be best to be silent when it comes to matters of faith.
Silence has its place, but in the end the silence will always need to be broken, as little progress can be found in silence.
I thought about God's Messengers and wondered about what God asked them to do and the result of them lifting up their voices to give that Message, we all know what happened to Jesus, a lot know what happened to Muhammad, fewer know what happened to the Bab and Baha'u'llah. There are records we can read as to what sufferings man brought upon the Prophets and Messengers in the age they gave their Messages and in many ways those unjust actions continue.
In the 1800's Baha'u'llah offered this to all humanity,
"I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow."
(Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
In turn the Prophets or Messengers ask us, if we accept them, to lift up our voices to others.
Thus the questions raised by this OP.
When do we lift our voices?
When is silence of any use?
The 3rd and most important question is,
What are the passages from your holy writings that give guidance to raised voices and in choosing silence?
Regards Tony
VIETNAM WAR ERA:
Link is about: Simon and Garfunkle's Sound of Silence. In 1981, a half million people attended this concert in Central Park, New York. It is about Vietnam War protestors being beaten into silence
"songs that voices never shared, no one dared, disturb the sound of silence"
"silence like a cancer grows"
"words like silent raindrops fell"
"words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements, and whispered in the sounds of silence."
Governor Ronald Reagan of California (later president of the United States, and the choice of the Religious Right) ordered the the state police to beat the heads of protestors with billy clubs, which was supposed to have been illegal, but resulted in many permanent brain injuries of the brightest students in the world.
The media treated protestors as rabble-rousers without a cause and refused to report on their purpose. Actually, they objected that the young were drafted without having the benefit of electing those who had ordered them to war. Many didn't believe in violence, and had no beef with the Vietnamese. America ended up losing that war (and other wars).
MODERN ERA:
Facebook, Google, and a host of blogs and forums react to the COVID pandemic with the thought that false info could harm people and spread the disease. So they banned many people, including posts by President Donald Trump.
So they ban free press/speech on the internet. The internet had not yet been invented when the First Amendment was written, so press is not free. Rather, websites are paid, and various factions can decide to ban discussions.
The banning of free press/speech/assembly, puts us one step closer to a Communist dictatorship.
Tony Bristow-Stagg said "little progress can be made in silence." That is worthy of mass quotation....worthy of a song, and I praise his sentiment.
Words can cause wars and fights. I've often said that "there is no weapon stronger than shooting off one's mouth."
Yet, free discourse allows others to moderate harmful words.
Hitler murdered 6 million Jews and made unprovoked wars against many peaceful nations, and dragged allies into the war to help him (initially Russia, then Japan, then Italy). All that was from speech. The listeners have a duty to listen to God, instead. We must eternally be vigilant of Satan's deceptions which lead us into sin and harm.
God said "thou shalt not kill." The US attacked Afghanistan and Iraq. Can we hear the voice of God through the cacophony of fear?