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Post by samsara15 on Aug 15, 2014 4:58:56 GMT -6
One of many found on the web
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Post by samsara15 on Aug 15, 2014 14:21:05 GMT -6
I have a particular interest in Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, and the Arian heresy.
The Arian heresy apparently strongly influenced Mohammed. The Huns were Arians.
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Post by rdlb on Aug 15, 2014 18:43:55 GMT -6
A disclaimer note at the bottom of the chart.
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Post by samsara15 on Aug 16, 2014 4:11:40 GMT -6
There are more than one versions of this chart out there which I have seen. All such charts are approximations; even grouping and naming religions is also an approximation, but they make an interesting visual statement.
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Post by samsara15 on Aug 16, 2014 8:41:30 GMT -6
Eastern religions were very different. Chinese Daoism and Confucianism were much more secular. Scientology is very different, too.
It may be built into our DNA, but that doesn't mean that a spirit, apart from the body, exists. Albeit many beliefs, some materialistic, some purely idealistic, can incorporate an afterlife without separating body from spirit. Exactly what matter/energy is composed of has not yet been fully explained, and may never be.
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Post by tindalus on Aug 16, 2014 14:02:17 GMT -6
More knowledge that man has, the more the curtain is drawn and we realize that it isn't god behind the volcano. A sacrifice will not appease the volcano gods.
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Post by rdlb on Aug 17, 2014 8:43:12 GMT -6
Eastern religions were very different. Chinese Daoism and Confucianism were much more secular. Scientology is very different, too. It may be built into our DNA, but that doesn't mean that a spirit, apart from the body, exists. Albeit many beliefs, some materialistic, some purely idealistic, can incorporate an afterlife without separating body from spirit. Exactly what matter/energy is composed of has not yet been fully explained, and may never be. During my OBE I was standing up while my physical body was laying down. I heard a very audible voice tell me to do something. I do not know how long I was there but initially I did not want to leave. In her book Embraced By The Light, Betty J. Eadie describes an experience she had that most resembles mine.
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Post by rdlb on Aug 23, 2014 8:36:56 GMT -6
During my OBE I was standing up while my physical body was laying down. I heard a very audible voice tell me to do something. I do not know how long I was there but initially I did not want to leave. In her book Embraced By The Light, Betty J. Eadie describes an experience she had that most resembles mine. I would like to hear about your OBE. They are not all that uncommon, I've had one myself and it happened so long ago it's worn on my memory. I was in bed and it was maybe 8pm, I was sick, very sick. My mom kept putting a cold wash cloth on my head because of the fever. I suddenly sat up and began to walk around, I walked through the wall and went outside. I saw a light in our neighbors rear window and I walked over and they were in their family room watching tv. I walked around for a few minutes and started to walk back towards home. I again walked through the wall and came into my room. I saw my body laying on the bed and a overwhelming feeling of tiredness came over me.....I felt so tired. I walked over to the bed and lay back down in my body. Later I awoke and I had greatly improved. I realize it sounds crazy but that's what a OBE is. Some people say it could have been the fever, you were out of your head. Maybe, I don't know. It was not a religious experience.
I assume that you may have meant that it was your OBE experience and not the definition of all OBEs? Yet with that said, I am glad for your experience. Mine is still as fresh in my memory after some four decades. I had been praying and fasting for several things, wisdom, knowledge and understanding of His Word. Also to be able to speak in tongues, (my early Pentecostal belief). During the last day that evening we had gone to bed. My wife was 8 months pregnant with our second child and pretty much asleep. I was laying there with my hands over my face praying, glad to have endured the fast and looking forward to eating the next day. When I found myself standing up in some place very dark. I kept trying to look around to see where I was at. I did not want to leave it felt indescribable the peace and the shedding of the flesh body. Then I heard the most audible voice tell me, "You may quit fasting now." What seemed like a few minutes the voice spoke again, "Keep My Word." Now I really did not want to leave where I was at. I began to entertain thoughts of I was needed back there and as I thought more about that, I found myself laying back in the bed with my hands over my face. I rolled over to wake my wife only to discover her sitting bolt upright in bed rubbing her arms. She said the hair was standing up all over her from the presence of someone in the room. She was wide awake. I then told her what had just happened. We did not sleep at all that night but stayed up and prayed and read our Bibles and sang worship songs. I went to work the very next day not tired at all, my wife had a similar experience of not being tired. At the time being new Christians and actually too embarrassed to tell anyone of the OBE, we kept it to ourselves. We began going to a small conservative Pentecostal church group. After about seven months the church decided to have a revival with a man from Portland, Oregon. He had what was called a, "signs gifts ministry". Our church was located in Modesto, California. I had never met the man before and He was new to our pastor as well. For the next week, we attended the weekday evening services and Sunday morning and evening services. Still the skeptic within me watched as this man called people out and told them of their illnesses, doctor visits and other things that only they knew. He laid hands on them and prayed for them, sometimes with tongues and sometimes not. There was in all of the meetings a very strong spiritual presence within the building. The first day, Monday evening that I had met him for the first time, I had left my glasses at work. After some time in the service, he called me to come up front and said that I had a problem with my eyes and would like to pray for me. I agreed and did not feel anything special about the prayer, nor did he speak in tongues over me. I watched the rest of the service with interest and still some skepticism. I went to work the next day, put on my glasses and could not see out of them. My eyes had been healed at that time and was confirmed in my bi-annual physical I had to take. I became less skeptical as the revival continued through the week and on into the last service that Sunday night. Just as the service was beginning to wind down, this man (Brother Bradley by now to me), asked again if he could pray for me, up front and lay hands on me. I agreed and went up to the front of the church. He laid hands on both of my shoulders and began to pray for my body, soul and spirit. He prayed for my family that the Lord would bless us spiritually, materially and financially. I then felt such an overwhelming strong presence all over my body, I shook like jello form my head down to my feet. He began to speak in tongues and then in english. "My son, truly thou hast a desire to know the truth and thou shalt know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Even in that state my skeptic mind said, "well that is a Scripture. He began to speak in tongues again then in English, "And as I told you before, Keep My Word." No one, not even this man knew of my OBE other than my wife. It has been four decades now, I have not forgotten the experience, I have not forgotten what I was to keep. Since then and it continues even through to the present we both serve the truth from the Spirit of Truth. Our ministry has been led by the Spirit to another state where in Him we live and move and have our being. We teach at homes what has been quickened to us in the Word. At the present, we have met many who have left the LDS belief system and struggle with the leaving as they are excommunicated from the LDS system.We have been able to show them a loving and caring God within us and His desire to dwell in them also. I could spend hours and days telling of all of the things the Spirit of God has done in our lives and our children's lives. Not much of a skeptic anymore, not an Atheistic thought crosses my mind anymore. I have kept His Word for it is within that letter that kills we find the spirit that gives life and understanding wherein we cry, Abba, Father. In His service and yours, D
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2014 12:22:08 GMT -6
Interesting Sam, ty. Christianity is complex and of course a off shoot of the Jewish religion which is complex. Most Jews and Christians don't know up until the time of Isaiah it was a polytheistic religion. At that time the Jewish scribes started to write about a monotheistic God. They began leaving out Asherah, Yahweh's wife and the other gods they believed in. Christians believe in the trinity, the Father, son and holy Spirit Three individual Gods, not three personalities which would make it a polytheistic religion again but the jews would for the time being remain a monotheistic religion....go figure. The things of God are a passion with me. I own the Jewish bible Tanakh and of all things I own a Qur'an. I believe in the Trinity, however I do not consider the Trinity to be three separate Gods. I believe all three are composites of one God. Multiple personalities, or functions of the one and only God if you will. All equal in their own right, three parts combined to make a whole.
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Post by rdlb on Aug 24, 2014 8:14:24 GMT -6
I think that is wonderful. God has really used you and blessed you. I had something else happen one time while I was married. We had just gone to bed and about the time we were about to doze off a light went through that room, it was so bright we could see it with our eyes closed , It happened again a week later. I have wondered if it could have been the same light Paul saw on the Damacus road. The Spirit of God has appeared in many ways to His children, a cloud, fire, a bush, dove and of course a very bright light. Each time a representation of some spiritual aspect He was and is trying to communicate. There shall be no night there, and they need no lamp, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light (Rev. 22:5).
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Post by rdlb on Aug 24, 2014 8:17:39 GMT -6
There are more than one versions of this chart out there which I have seen. All such charts are approximations; even grouping and naming religions is also an approximation, but they make an interesting visual statement. It was an interesting chart as I have seen several and this one I would put on my office wall.
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Post by rdlb on Aug 24, 2014 8:54:52 GMT -6
Interesting Sam, ty. Christianity is complex and of course a off shoot of the Jewish religion which is complex. Most Jews and Christians don't know up until the time of Isaiah it was a polytheistic religion. At that time the Jewish scribes started to write about a monotheistic God. They began leaving out Asherah, Yahweh's wife and the other gods they believed in. Christians believe in the trinity, the Father, son and holy Spirit Three individual Gods, not three personalities which would make it a polytheistic religion again but the jews would for the time being remain a monotheistic religion....go figure. The things of God are a passion with me. I own the Jewish bible Tanakh and of all things I own a Qur'an. I too have and read a number of religious books from the Jewish, Muslim, LDS, JWs, Apocrypha and the gnostics. Mainly to understand the various belief systems and have intelligent conversations. Some of the older religions I have perused online, the American Indigenous religious practices for example. Some Christians do believe in three Gods and yet are only allowed to say there is one God. Search online through the various church creeds and the symbols of the representations of the three. In studying the above symbol one can only come to the conclusion of a contradiction of ideas and be led to confusion. For myself however a thorough Biblical scriptural search reveals only the one God. A few scripture examples: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:8, 11). When John saw the Son of man in the midst of the seven lampstands, he fell at His feet as dead; but He laid His right hand upon him, saying, I am the first and the last (Rev. 1:13, 17; 2:8; 21:6). Behold, I come quickly, to give everyone according to his work: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 22:12, 13). Thus saith Jehovah the King of Israel, and his Redeemer Jehovah of Armies, I am the first and the last (Isa. 44:6; 48:12).
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Post by samsara15 on Aug 25, 2014 6:17:57 GMT -6
Hinduism seems like polytheism at first glance, but the more urbane versions of it, its theology, is more akin to monotheism. All the other Gods, in those versions, become merely aspects of the one God, Brahman. Brahman cannot even be imagined, in their POV.
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