Zig Ziglar explains how come your faith is so important. Listen to one of the best motivational speakers in the world explain his belief in Christianity.
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Helpful Habit Planning TipsOur minds are filled with the good and bad memories that we have experienced in our lives. Some of our memories can make us feel warm and loved, while some can make us feel lonely, unloved and resentful. Nevertheless, we all have to deal with our past. We became the person that we are now because of our past. Some of us cannot let go of past hurts, while others cannot even remember that past hurts occurred. Another interesting thing about our memories is that some things may trigger a flashback to another time in our lives.
I was helping with the coffee and donuts after our morning service at church just a week ago. I passed the classrooms where the children were having Sunday school on my way back to the kitchen area. I observed that one of the teachers had several children sitting in a circle around her and was reading Bible stories. I suddenly recalled the years when I was a little girl when I saw this scene. You see, I used to sit on my grandmothers lap while she was reading Bible stories to me. My grandmother died when I was fourteen years old. The memory and sensations of the time that I spent with her surrounded me that Sunday morning and made me realize that I have not thought about her very often in my adult life.
I have not read Bible stories or listened to them in many years because my husband and I were not blessed with children. I commented on this to our pastor that morning during coffee. I found out that there are many great books out with Bible stories in them that are geared for teens as well as adults through our pastor. He also offered to loan me one of these books. I was glad to accept his offer because I was excited to read those stories again.
The book I borrowed is divided between the old and new testaments. I have found that the words of the Bible have a great deal more meaning to me when I read them in story form. The adult version is similar to childrens stories because the passages that are taken from the Bible are created into a story that is easier to understand. This particular book also connects the Bible stories to the present day and age, so that the reader can apply them to everyday life.
My interest in reading the Bible has increased since I read that book. I always had the intention of spending more time in reading the good book, but I never seem to get around to doing it. Reading that book with adult Bible stories has given me a greater desire to do read the Bible more often. After all, that is the purpose behind having the books on Bible stories in the first place.
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Bible Stories. Visit our site for more helpful information about Children's Bible Stories and other similar topics.
What are your dreams? What makes you feel energized? When are you going to get around to making them come true?
We all have dreams, some big some small, but they remain only wishes or fantasies until we have the courage to take steps toward achieving them. They can come true no matter how wild or outlandish you may think they are, but only if you take that first step to make them a reality. There is energy in everything, and dreams are no exception. To ramp up the energy of your dreams there are six guidelines you can use to REAL-ize those dreams.
1. Set Your Intention. Get clear on what it is you want. Dreams can be vague and general. If this is something you really want to make happen, the possibility increases if you have a very clear vision of as many aspects of the dream as possible. 'I want to travel', is very different than, 'In the next year I want to travel to Italy and see the Vatican City'. And even better yet is to frame it in the present tense with as much feeling attached as possible such as 'I am standing in the centre of Vatican City marvelling at the view, listening to the Pope deliver Easter Sunday Mass. The more detail the better. Use your intentions to set the course of your dreams as well as your life.
2. Know you deserve it. Be compassionate with yourself. Do you feel excited, "jazzed" every time you think about living your dream? Then you deserve it! Don't let that voice of self doubt tell you otherwise. Does your dream align with your life purpose? Your Purpose is nothing more than a joyous expression of who you are. Notice what excites you versus what drains you. If your dreams are in alignment with your purpose, there is nothing left to do but to "go for it!"
3. Keep the Dream in Focus. You are more likely to manifest your dream if you keep it in focus. Have a picture, or some other reminder somewhere you will see it at least daily. It is easier to keep a dream in focus if you pick one dream at a time to put your efforts into. It is hard to keep a clear focus on many dreams at one time. Why not share your dream with someone you trust? Most won't take this shortcut step because if you tell someone your dream, they might expect you to do something about it. If you feel you aren't ready to share your dream, what is holding you back?
4. Visualize. Taking a few moments each day to reinforce your dream helps to make it more real in your mind. While visualizing consider how you will feel when your dream is a reality - Don't spend too much time visualizing a few minutes each day, as too much time devoted to visualization can take away from living in the present moment. What you want to accomplish by visualizing is making the dream as clear and well defined as possible. In your mind you want to be able to feel what you will feel, see what you will see, once your dream is your reality.
5. Take action. What are some of the steps you can take today to make your dream a reality? Prove that your dream is a priority by making time for it and taking powerful steps forward. If it is a trip you want to go on then you can start by researching your dream destination. Instead of just reading about it make some decisions about what you will do when you go, what landmarks will you plan to visit, what will need to happen in your life for this to become a reality? When doubts start to arise, which they almost always do at some point, just consider them, if they seem like barriers take a moment to consider how others might get around those barriers, what would it take for it not to be a barrier? Such as, if finances are the barrier you see, then start to visualize having more than enough money to cover the costs rather than spending a lot of time feeling upset at the lack, spend time feeling grateful for what is coming to you... you don't always need to understand how that will happen. That is not to say that you never have to take actions that will help to solve the barriers but to not spend time worrying about how they will be resolved.
6. Have faith. Faith means believing in something when there is no logical explanation to support the belief. Isn't that what dreaming is all about? It wouldn't be a dream if it was just the usual way life was expected to unfold. It is a dream because it is bold and different and exciting!
Whether your dream is for a new career, a new relationship, a vacation or a whole different lifestyle, set your intention, know you deserve it, focus, visualize, take action and have faith.
"Be more committed to your dreams than you are to your doubts." Marcia Wieder
Barbara Shanahan is a Women's Spiritual Enrichment Coach, Facilitator and Registered Nurse From her extensive background working with families dealing with chronic and terminal illness, growing children, aging parents... the many issues women face, comes a passion for working with women to develop a kind, loving, nurturing relationship with themselves. She is a guide for women, who wish to explore their spiritual life purpose, women who are looking for authenticity and fulfillment in their lives. Discover more about her coaching services at http://www.PeacefulSpirit.ca
This video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Victor DavichThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Don Miguel RuizThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Alan TuringThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Lou TiceThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Robert CollierDovid Krafchow author of Kabbalistic Tarot explains the meaning behind the Mayan calendar according to Jewish knowledge and scientific investigation.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Napoleon HillWeve all heard the saying, You have to forgive, but you dont have to forget. I wont refute that, but you have to agree that a lot of people use that excuse to never really forgive at all. Are you one of those people?
Lets rephrase it a little. You have to forgiveand you have to forget the anger, the pain, the anxiety, and everything else that comes with someone sinning against you. But you dont have to make yourself a target (even though Jesus did). Sound a little more difficult? This is really the Christian way of life, and its going to be difficult. No one promised you would enjoy it.
So well start with the forgiveness. This is where you have the most control, because its an act of will. You have to decide to forgive, and then do it. Heres a short list of what this involves:
No more daydreaming about your perpetrators pain and suffering.
Stop thinking about the what if outcomes, and accept what happened.
Start praying for the person. Not for their punishment, not for them to see the lightpray for their good and their soul. Say a simple Hail Mary, without meditating on the one youre praying for. Meditate on the words, and dedicate it to your perpetrator. Let God decide how to reward or punish them.
If you can do something nice for the person, do it without grumbling and without reminding them of what they did wrong.
Stop gossiping about them.
Every time you find yourself thinking about it, change the subject. Think about the starving kids in China, your financial problems, Baby Jesusanything.
Now that (believe it or not) is the easy part. Now it comes time to deal with the anger and pain. Sometimes its easy. But in cases of serious violation, or when someone hurts a loved one, the very idea sounds idiotic. And no, youll never completely let go, but you can completely try. And you can start by using some of the techniques listed above.
Youll probably have to take it further. Youll have to swallow those emotions. Bury them deep. Yes, Im going against what every therapist out there is preaching, but talking and sulking is no way to get over anything. Youve had your period of pity; its time to move on. When you feel the flame of anger building inside you, force it to the back of your mind, and let it die. Dont waste another second of your life stewing. Itll take practice, but every day is another chance.
Finally, theres that last part. This is where most of us have trouble. This is also where we have to weigh our duties, and choose whats most important. Here are a few questions to help you sort it out:
Does it involve someone under your protection? Im talking mainly to parents. Our children obviously come first, and were never obligated to put them in danger.
Does it involve a sexual violation? I dont have to go into this. If someone isnt treating your body like a Temple of Christ, then stay away from them.
Does it involve injury? The big question here is How much? A school boy shouldnt offer himself out to the wedgie bully, but a pop in the arm is usually more a matter of humiliation than personal injury. If your body is being harmed by someone, you have a right to stop thembut again, Christ didnt. Also, consider how likely the person is to harm you again. If it was a one-time event, you should let go. On a side note: Repeated domestic violence has several victims, especially children. And track records show that very few offenders only strike once. If youre trying to figure out whether or not to leave such a situation, stoop thinking and get out.
Does it involve personal property? Whos property? If youre raising a family, you cant risk everything and ignore their needs. But ask yourself if the amount stolen or damaged property is worth the hassle of never trusting someone again.
Does it involve your good name? Hunker down and forget about it. The truth will set you free. Lies hurt the liar more than anyone else. If its the truth, then just be more careful of what you saybut dont withhold something begrudgingly.
Written by the copywriters at http://copyforsale.com, where you can find free content for your Christian newsletters and websites.
Weve all heard the saying, You have to forgive, but you dont have to forget. I wont refute that, but you have to agree that a lot of people use that excuse to never really forgive at all. Are you one of those people?
Lets rephrase it a little. You have to forgiveand you have to forget the anger, the pain, the anxiety, and everything else that comes with someone sinning against you. But you dont have to make yourself a target (even though Jesus did). Sound a little more difficult? This is really the Christian way of life, and its going to be difficult. No one promised you would enjoy it.
So well start with the forgiveness. This is where you have the most control, because its an act of will. You have to decide to forgive, and then do it. Heres a short list of what this involves:
No more daydreaming about your perpetrators pain and suffering.
Stop thinking about the what if outcomes, and accept what happened.
Start praying for the person. Not for their punishment, not for them to see the lightpray for their good and their soul. Say a simple Hail Mary, without meditating on the one youre praying for. Meditate on the words, and dedicate it to your perpetrator. Let God decide how to reward or punish them.
If you can do something nice for the person, do it without grumbling and without reminding them of what they did wrong.
Stop gossiping about them.
Every time you find yourself thinking about it, change the subject. Think about the starving kids in China, your financial problems, Baby Jesusanything.
Now that (believe it or not) is the easy part. Now it comes time to deal with the anger and pain. Sometimes its easy. But in cases of serious violation, or when someone hurts a loved one, the very idea sounds idiotic. And no, youll never completely let go, but you can completely try. And you can start by using some of the techniques listed above.
Youll probably have to take it further. Youll have to swallow those emotions. Bury them deep. Yes, Im going against what every therapist out there is preaching, but talking and sulking is no way to get over anything. Youve had your period of pity; its time to move on. When you feel the flame of anger building inside you, force it to the back of your mind, and let it die. Dont waste another second of your life stewing. Itll take practice, but every day is another chance.
Finally, theres that last part. This is where most of us have trouble. This is also where we have to weigh our duties, and choose whats most important. Here are a few questions to help you sort it out:
Does it involve someone under your protection? Im talking mainly to parents. Our children obviously come first, and were never obligated to put them in danger.
Does it involve a sexual violation? I dont have to go into this. If someone isnt treating your body like a Temple of Christ, then stay away from them.
Does it involve injury? The big question here is How much? A school boy shouldnt offer himself out to the wedgie bully, but a pop in the arm is usually more a matter of humiliation than personal injury. If your body is being harmed by someone, you have a right to stop thembut again, Christ didnt. Also, consider how likely the person is to harm you again. If it was a one-time event, you should let go. On a side note: Repeated domestic violence has several victims, especially children. And track records show that very few offenders only strike once. If youre trying to figure out whether or not to leave such a situation, stoop thinking and get out.
Does it involve personal property? Whos property? If youre raising a family, you cant risk everything and ignore their needs. But ask yourself if the amount stolen or damaged property is worth the hassle of never trusting someone again.
Does it involve your good name? Hunker down and forget about it. The truth will set you free. Lies hurt the liar more than anyone else. If its the truth, then just be more careful of what you saybut dont withhold something begrudgingly.
Written by the copywriters at http://copyforsale.com, where you can find free content for your Christian newsletters and websites.
I was reading a book on advertising when the author mentioned, "All Advertising Is about Hope."
This got me thinking about other people's dreams and aspirations, most of this is wrapped around them hoping to accomplish something or do something. I never gave it much thought but hope is one of the most important things in our lives. Some people go around hoping that they will keep their job, when the economy is in bad shape. Others go around hoping for forgiveness for their sins or other bad deeds they have done in the past.
What is it you're hoping for? There's got to be something. Are you hoping to become a multimillionaire or even the world's first trillionaire. Are your dreams big or small? Are you the kind of person who is happy living a simple life with very little possessions like a Buddhist monk or are you one who is seeking the lifestyle of the King.
Hope supplies us with the will to continue through hopeless obstacles during our lifetime.
Most people seeking hope are looking for a way out of something or a way toward a better life. These people often fall easy prey to large religious organizations, as they take them under their wing and slowly start to brainwash them. They seek the weak minded, helpless, poor and trusting people and build their organizations using them. I once believed in Christianity, but it no longer offers me true hope, the more I study Christianity and other organized religions, I noticed certain similarities based on inspiration.
I hope I live the good life, so I can go to heaven, the promised land, our ultimate enlightenment.
I hope I am living the true will according to God, Buddha, Krishna or other supreme beings.
I hope that the Bible is wrong about the 144,000 people from the 12 tribes.
I hope I'm living a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
If you're part of an organized religion, ask your religious leaders, any questions that you have about your religion. If they can't answer these questions, try to find them on your own. Books, videos, and the Internet are great sources for information. If you're living your life for the sole purpose of going to heaven one day, you could be disappointed, when that day arrives.
Ask a couple of questions and I hope you will get honest answers to them.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, Read This Book
Greg is currently creating articles on religion filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Most people that I run into on a regular basis while out and about on my journey through life, seem to believe in something. Most of them when asked, fear death and are often looking forward to going to a better place, like heaven when they die. Some of them will start talking about all the good things they've done in their lifetime, while others live in a very humble world.
If you're a strong believer and are told not to read or listen to anything outside of your religious text. This probably comes from fear and will keep you living in your religious illusion of faithfulness. Jesus once said, Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
I'm sure that religious scholars can interpret this in a hundred ways and some of them will even make sense to people like me but the words are simple and straightforward. Seek and you will find is pretty simple to understand. If I'm looking for the answers while seeking the truth, I should be able to find it.
Here's where the problem comes in, why don't more people seek the truth. If you believe that seeking the truth is reading your religious text on a daily basis, read them with an open mind and soon you will find text that some of it is outdated, doesn't make sense, and some of it even contradicts itself. There is some wonderful information in these texts also. I've read some of the Holy Bible and love Proverbs and the Story of Job.
Just because I liked the stories and other parts of the Holy Bible, does it make me a believer in Jesus or the God of the Holy Bible. I can no longer agree with my past beliefs, how I was raised or have the same beliefs as the majority of people in my community. I am still seeking the truth but no longer falling into the trap and believe most religions create an illusion of a better life, but can't seem to deliver the goods, especially here on earth. The promise of something better entices some people to live a godly life but at what expense, sometimes.
There are plenty of religious followers who will tell you that they're happy and they love following their religion. Some of these people are liars, others are honest but most of them aren't very educated about their own religions or others throughout the world. Don't get caught up in the religious trap, that your religion is right and others are wrong. This could become more frustrating once you truly start to seek the truth.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
You might have heard the expression, 2009 is your year to shine. Please, let that be true every year! Yet there is truth in that statement. The Universal energies are revved up at the moment to help bring your evolution to new heights. This is a highly charged time to help you create the life of your dreams, and more importantly, fulfill your higher purpose. As you radiate your inner light, you act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others, and truly make the world a more beautiful place.
2009 is a Universal year of 11. (We derive this by adding the numbers 2+0+0+9=11). 11 an extremely powerful number; in numerology, it is considered a master number. As the name implies, master numbers require skill and dexterity as they present great challenges and subsequently, immense rewards.
It is evident what many of the challenges are at the moment; we are all aware of the crumbling global economy and the energy crisis that threatens our standard of living. And yet, these crises initiate an immense opportunity for us to change our collective future in ways that galvanize our innate healing and creative powers.
Every crisis, whether personal or universal, is a message from our soul to seek a new restorative path. Our current global economic collapse reveals a necessity for us to build healthier more efficient businesses based on the principles of integrity and service. Our pending energy deficit is a directive for us all, at long last, to end the cycle of depleting and polluting our earth's resources in favor of harnessing the unlimited power of nature in a clean and regenerative way. There can never truly be a shortage of energy; it is all around us. As long as the sun is shining, the winds are blowing, and the waters are flowing, we have an unlimited supply of vital life-giving energy. You too have an unlimited supply of infinite creative Source energy that you can tap into at any time to invigorate your life.
We are fortunate now to experience the powerful vibration of 11. The highly charged 11 is considered the number of intuition and illumination. In fact, the word LIGHT reduces to the number 11. The 11 vibration emphasizes the need for you to rely on your inner light, to align yourself with Spirit to find your true calling, and illuminate your path from within. Should you choose to place your faith in the external material world for your security, you might experience confusion or fear. However, if you choose to listen to that voice inside of yourself that believes in the goodness within and around you, and trust your unique calling, you will always find your way.
You might hear people refer to 11 as being a number of the number of wishes. Perhaps you have an awareness that seeing 11:11 signifies something magical. Your thoughts are indeed more potent during this mystical alignment. The shape of the 1 is like an antenna, creating a conduit between you and the Divine. In the Tree of Life, the number 1 is at the top of the tree, at our crown where we receive our inspiration, as well at the bottom of the tree, where the divine becomes manifest into being. 1 is the Alpha and the Omega. The sacred geometry of the number 1 allows you to receive inspiration from Spirit and materialize those visions into reality very quickly. It is electric!
The double 1s in the number 11 create something even more profound. Look closely at the shape of number 11; the double columns of the creative 1 energy represent the pillars of the soul - a portal into a higher realm. Should you have the courage to walk through those pillars into the unknown, amazing opportunities await you!
So how do you do this? How do you face the unknown without fear? One thing to remember is that you came into the world with an intention. Not one person on this planet can offer your unique brand of humor, wisdom, creativity, kindness, healing or love. If you chose to incarnate at this time it is because you had something you wanted to learn and contribute. Any gift inside of you was given to you by the same infinitely powerful Creative forces that will help you bring these gifts into being. If you were given a dream, you were also given the tools, power, strength, and support to fulfill your heart's desire. All of the forces in the Universe will help you manifest your purpose.
The genius of your creation resides inside you like a seed that is planted deep within the earth. A seed innately knows the correctness of its purpose while it unabashedly reaches towards the sun. It needs only careful tending to reveal its true magnificence. Your spirit is like a flower that needs proper nourishment to grow and thrive. Just like a flower, when you express yourself in all of your beauty, all who experience you will bask in the joy of your being.
You might want to reflect on what seeds you are cultivating in your life right now. Are you nourishing seeds of joy, hope, serenity, love, and compassion? Are you honoring your spirit by living passionately and expressing your truth? Or are you focusing on what is not working in your life now and what you are afraid of?
Your passions will inevitably lead you to your purpose, and joy will guide you towards your calling. You know you are on the correct course when you are passionately engaging in your journey, flowing with the natural rhythm of your life. During these moments all of your cells will wake up and say "Yes! This is it! Keep going! It is like being on a highway and seeing signs towards your desired destination. Spiritual energy is light. It actually feels light. When you feel joy within you, you radiate a positive loving energy and those around you cannot help but feel better in your presence. And truly, your ultimate calling is to be joyful and share that joy with others.
Consequently, when you feel heaviness, confusion, or fear, that's your body's way of telling you that you are not in alignment with Spirit. Material concerns, while very real, can often distract you from your soul's truth. Feelings of worry, regret, comparison, can all seem very rational and logical, yet can take you out of your awareness of the now. The energy of the future is being created by the energy that you are cultivating in the moment. So while you are engaging in worry about your future, or regrets of the past, you are merely perpetuating a continuous cycle of worry. Rather, a series of simple and beautiful present moments will create a future of joy and serenity.
Now is a potent time to ask yourself - what do I really want to do with my life? If I wasn't afraid of the consequences, or what people thought of me, or who I would be disappointing, what would I really do? Instead of asking your head for the answers, ask the wisdom of your heart. Take a moment to put your fears aside, relax with a deep breath, sink into the infinite lightness of your being, and ask your heart, what do I really want right now?
The answer could be something very simple. Perhaps you would like to have more time to yourself, garden, dance, or do yoga, or something more pronounced like starting your own business or moving to another part of the world. Anything that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul will lead you towards your destiny. When you nurture your gifts, bringing them life, energy, and power, you are tending the growth of the great miracle of creation that is YOU.
I remind you in these tumultuous times, as the winds of change blow in your direction, that you need not be afraid of the dark. You have all that you need for your spiritual journey within you; your passions to energize you, your imagination to inspire you, and your intuition to guide you towards your destiny. You will inevitably meet other courageous dreamers along the way, who dare not dim their brilliance. Together, you will illuminate the path for many brave souls to shine brightly like stars in the sky, and the whole world will celebrate in a glorious festival of lights.
Kari Samuels is an Intuitive Counselor with an international clientele. She helps guide others towards the realm of inspiration, self-awareness, and divine living. She utilizes a variety of modalities for a holistic vision of our spiritual journey including numerology, tarot, astrology, and transpersonal psychology. It is her joy to help others manifest their greatest potential. Visit her website at http://www.karisamuels.com
I was watching a television show a few weeks ago and I would rather not mention the name of the program or the presenter of it. I can make my point without making anyone angry. The television show was all about proving that Christianity was real and they had evidence to prove it. The program was full of scholars and teachers. Some of these teachers were from unknown universities, as a matter of fact, I hadn't heard of any of them before this program.
Some of these teachers had very interesting ideas and philosophies on Christianity and I could see quite clearly how someone who was looking for facts could very easily get caught up in the hype in the program. When you start off asking a question, you should be able to answer it without beating around the bush and the answers should the comprehendible and easy to understand. Especially if the question was easy to understand.
If I asked you the question, is Jesus God, and your reply is frank and to the point with a simple "Yes He Is". I can accept this as your beliefs and could probably make sense out of your beliefs through your education, what you were taught and who taught it to you. This makes perfect sense to me and is easy to understand.
If I asked the same question, is Jesus God, and you reply with "let me set the record straight here and give you some truthful information about something that you might not know about. Searching for over 40 years and found the answer and now know for a fact and without a doubt that Jesus is God. Reading the Bible and talking to other Christian scholars has presented me with information that points to the truth and can prove the existence of Jesus and therefore, without a doubt in my mind, I can honestly say that Jesus is God and will be god forever and for anyone who doesn't understand that or agree with it, I feel sorry for them, because they will have to burn in purgatory forever. This death will be the most agonizing and painful death you could ever possibly imagine.
The second answer doesn't give me any more information than the first one, and this is what some religious documentary programs do. This program did it so much, that I had to watch it a second time, just to see if I missed what they were saying. I did gain a little more insight, the second time but the point of the program was completely misleading and relatively speaking, very little factual information was obtained from it.
Don't get caught up in the hype, while watching or listening to some of these programs. Try to watch them with an open mind and see for yourself, just how much factual information or scientific proof there actually is in the program. When I say, to watch these programs with an open mind, that doesn't mean to accept their information without proof. Do some research for yourself, to verify their opinions.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.
Would you still be reading this article, if you had no desire, for better life. Find out more by visiting habits changing skills.
Christianity Saved My LifeHere's a verse from Matthew in the New Testament, read this first and then I will explain why the wisemen weren't very wise.
"9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."
The wisemen traveled great distances from around the world to see the new King. The star in the sky obviously pointed the way to his birthplace and when they saw him, they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and incense and myrrh. It doesn't really say how much or what the value of these gifts was, but if I was to guess, it would've been around $1 trillion dollars. Okay that's pure speculation and let me get back to my point.
Here's the part I don't understand, if Jesus was born King of the Jews, how did we get Christianity. How come the Jewish faith didn't become stronger and more powerful with this newborn King. I know, there's probably all sorts of things you could say in Christianity's defense, like the Jews killed him or even the little dying on the cross incident, kind of put a damper on things, but the Jews lost there king and the wisemen disappeared, never to be heard of again.
Now if I was one of the wisemen or the Magi, I would have been smart enough to stay in contact with Jesus. I couldn't have e-mailed him but could have used the stars somehow to find him, like they did originally. If it were smart enough to use the star in the first place, he could have been found using the solar system a second time. Don't you think.
What it all comes down to, is this, if these Magi were so smart, why didn't they seek Jesus's advice or counsel in days to come. Why would they have given him these gifts, only to never be heard from again in the Bible. Another thing to think about on your religious path to spiritual enlightenment.
Oh by the way, what the heck did Jesus's parents do with the gifts.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Inerrancy Of The BibleIf you're part of a religious organization, and were asked this question, "Whose God Is Better" meaning of course, is your God better and stronger or smarter and better looking than the religious competition. Is this something that you believe or were taught while you were young? Obviously you wouldn't think that the Hindu god Brahma is better than Yahweh or Jesus, if you're a Christian. It just wouldn't make any sense to belong to a religion that was weaker than the competition.
It seems like most religions around the world have gods or even one almighty God that is the biggest and baddest god in the neighborhood, maybe even the entire universe.
If we look at the numbers, the Christian God Jesus of Nazareth is the strongest by far. A survey that was done in 2005, showed Christians 2.1 billion strong and growing. With numbers like this, their God must be doing something right. Do you think these numbers are large because of their financial influences in poor countries? Something to think about, how did Christianity become such a large religious institution. They've got plenty of money and pay relatively little taxes. Remember the golden rule, the person with the most gold makes all the rules.
Second on our religious scale are the Muslims, the Islamic religion has over 1.1 billion followers and that puts it at almost half the size of Christianity, but more than doubled the size of the third largest religion by the numbers.
The third largest religion in the world is Hinduism and most of India which is second only to China as the most populated countries in the world are Hindus. Hinduism ranks around 800 million followers.
I'll stop right there. I wanted to give you an idea of religion by the numbers, realistically the Christians and the Muslims believe in the same God but the Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet and the Christians don't recognize Mohammad at all and Mohammad is the number one prophet for the Islamic religion. But if we put the two of them together, it would be the largest religion by far with almost no competition economically or with military strength.
So to answer our question," Whose God Is Actually Better", I would have to say the Christian God is the most popular and powerful God and the universe. The only problem is, there's no actual proof that Jesus, Mohammed, Yahweh, Krishna or any other supreme being is real. People follow these religions and base almost everything on faith with very little facts that can actually be proven.
I'm not talking about small facts, I'm talking about big ones like, how the world was created, you can choose to believe, anything that you want but until we have some facts or at least something that sounds pretty good, you should probably stop thinking, that your religion is the only way and your God the best. Show some compassion for other religions around the world, their beliefs are no better or weaker than yours.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, religious books
Controlling People With FearI was watching a television show a few weeks ago and I would rather not mention the name of the program or the presenter of it. I can make my point without making anyone angry. The television show was all about proving that Christianity was real and they had evidence to prove it. The program was full of scholars and teachers. Some of these teachers were from unknown universities, as a matter of fact, I hadn't heard of any of them before this program.
Some of these teachers had very interesting ideas and philosophies on Christianity and I could see quite clearly how someone who was looking for facts could very easily get caught up in the hype in the program. When you start off asking a question, you should be able to answer it without beating around the bush and the answers should the comprehendible and easy to understand. Especially if the question was easy to understand.
If I asked you the question, is Jesus God, and your reply is frank and to the point with a simple "Yes He Is". I can accept this as your beliefs and could probably make sense out of your beliefs through your education, what you were taught and who taught it to you. This makes perfect sense to me and is easy to understand.
If I asked the same question, is Jesus God, and you reply with "let me set the record straight here and give you some truthful information about something that you might not know about. Searching for over 40 years and found the answer and now know for a fact and without a doubt that Jesus is God. Reading the Bible and talking to other Christian scholars has presented me with information that points to the truth and can prove the existence of Jesus and therefore, without a doubt in my mind, I can honestly say that Jesus is God and will be god forever and for anyone who doesn't understand that or agree with it, I feel sorry for them, because they will have to burn in purgatory forever. This death will be the most agonizing and painful death you could ever possibly imagine.
The second answer doesn't give me any more information than the first one, and this is what some religious documentary programs do. This program did it so much, that I had to watch it a second time, just to see if I missed what they were saying. I did gain a little more insight, the second time but the point of the program was completely misleading and relatively speaking, very little factual information was obtained from it.
Don't get caught up in the hype, while watching or listening to some of these programs. Try to watch them with an open mind and see for yourself, just how much factual information or scientific proof there actually is in the program. When I say, to watch these programs with an open mind, that doesn't mean to accept their information without proof. Do some research for yourself, to verify their opinions.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.
Would you still be reading this article, if you had no desire, for better life. Find out more by visiting habits changing skills.
Is Money A Big Part Of OrganizedStay Happy, never let anyone get your goat.Whether phrased as "push your buttons," "get your goat," "get you riled up," or "annoy you," it's no fun to be on the receiving end. How to cope?
1. Don't take it personally. Even when someone criticizes your actions or demeans your very nature, know that they are merely directing their inner turmoil in your direction. Someone else's opinion of you is mostly irrelevant, and basically none of your business. Don't assume that there is any validity to an accusation. Perhaps there is a valuable lesson buried inside the unkindness that merits objective consideration, but negative emotions are best quickly discarded.
2. Look to the positive people in your life for support. If you balance many positive and supportive friends against one or two negative influences, it is much easier to cope. If you don't currently have enough positive people in your life, begin a focused effort to add positive people to your inner circle. If you don't have personal connections, search for groups of positive people at MeetUp.com.
3. Remove negative people from your life. Yes you can, even if it's your boss. You don't need that job so much that it's worth your health or happiness. Everything in life is a choice. Sometimes making a change is important, while other times just knowing that you hold the power to make a different choice is enough.
4. Forgive the offender, not for their sake, but for your own sake. The act of forgiving releases your anger and provides space for rational thinking and action.
5. Be grateful for the wake-up call. Any time that someone or something grabs your attention is a good time to be grateful - even if the message is unpleasant. Something is happening that requires your conscious awareness. Perhaps you have a lesson to learn or an action to take. Perhaps it is time to remove another negative influence from your life.
6. Release any expectations that the unkind person should have acted differently. Life is not fair, and you only cause yourself unhappiness if you hold an expectation that life or any individual should be fair or kind.
Visit Jonathan's Daily Inspiration - Daily Quote blog at http://www.DreamThisDay.com, and read his article: Stop Anger Before It Stops You - 7 Secrets for more ways to cope with anger.
Jonathan Lockwood Huie is an author of self-awareness books. He has been dubbed "The Philosopher of Happiness" by those closest to him, in recognition of his on-going commitment to seeing Joy in all of life.
Today is your day to dance lightly with life. It really is. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
If you're a religious follower and believe in your religion, I would like to ask you a question. Do you base religious beliefs on facts or faith? Let's start out with this and assume that you answered, that you do base your religious beliefs on faith, with little factual information to back it up.
Basing your religious beliefs on faith alone can lead you to believe, what ever someone else tells you. For example, if you go to your place of worship and the religious leader reads something from your scriptures to the followers, do you assume that this is a fact. Are you going to do a little research if something doesn't sound right. If everyone else shares a common opinion about something in your religion, but it isn't true, wouldn't you like to know about it or are you one of those people who didn't even listen and really doesn't even want to be at your place of worship.
Faith can create a lot of problems all by itself. Whenever you start digging into most religions, like I have, and mind you, I'm no expert and do not claim to be an expert in religious beliefs. I'm trying to get people to learn about their religion. This information can be obtained from your religious scriptures, books on other religions, information on the Internet and last but not least talking to other people, outside and within your religion.
Religious facts are hard to come by, when you're beliefs are unrealistic. I can't explain the creation of the world or what year it will be destroyed, but it does seem a little unrealistic and hard to believe that a superior entity created this world and possibly the universe. At the same time I cannot argue with this or disprove it.
With this in mind, I wouldn't go around telling everyone that God or a God created the universe. I just don't have any proof and it's as simple as that. Why would I want to instill this belief into my children or another person? No one on earth has this information.
Try not to base your life on religious faith alone. Just the simple fact that you are reading this article, tells me that you have an interest in furthering your education about religion, whether it's yours or someone else's. You might not be able to find all of the facts to support your religious beliefs but at least it's a start and you're heading in the right direction.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended sites, Seeking Knowledge
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion
Gay HendricksHere's two verses I found in the Bible that seem to contradict themselves but I'm sure that with a little creativity and manipulation, a good minister or religious scholar, could make some sense out of it.
Exodus 15:3 (New International Version) The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.
Romans 15:33 (New International Version) The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
The Lord is a warrior does not mean that he fights or kills, does it. According to the Old Testament, God killed plenty of people and even took out an entire city one time, flooded the earth to get rid of the evil and of course who could forget, that once we get into the New Testament, God killed his only begotten son Jesus. I don't know if I would really want this guy as my father.
It seems like he has a pretty bad temper on him but is extremely loving, caring and understanding. Are you confused yet, I am. Maybe I shouldn't be throwing the word I am around.
The God of peace states that he is a loving and understanding leader. This makes more sense to me because he did create the earth and everything around it. If I was for example, building a home to create a nice peaceful place to live, I wouldn't be thinking about destroing what I created. I would be thinking more along the lines of how I could take care of this creation.
It makes more sense to me that God would be peaceful but sometimes in order to have peace, we need to be a warrior. If God would have created us to be more compassionate, gave us plenty of food to eat, plenty of homes to live in, removed our sinful nature and of course who could forget, give us a purpose in life that is clearly understandable, I wouldn't see a need for warriors.
Maybe the God of peace is different than the Lord is a warrior. Thinking is a good thing, put your thinking caps on and start reading some of the Bible with an open mind.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a spiritual video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.
ReligionsI have read more information on spirituality, world religions, self-help, motivation and inspirational thinking than you could ever imagine. I probably have about 300 books and about a hundred audios that I could listen to on these subjects. But let's not forget that I have over 200 DVDs and VHS tapes also. Oh I forgot to mention that in October of 2007 my house burned down and along with it was what I would like to refer to it as my lifetime collection on these topics. If I had to value this collection, it would be almost $20,000 in materials.
Now the one thing that the fire provided me with, was a chance to start over and in less than a year of literary accumulation, I'm off to a good start. I have been studying over my lifetime with extreme persistence on how to better my life, which religion to follow and how to make more money.
If someone was to ask me, what I've learned and what books would I recommend, I've got quite a list. I built a website last year to support some of my favorite authors and to help others gather great materials for changing their life. Some of these books have given me what I would like to call a spiritual hernia. So much information and so little time to go through it.
I often ask myself, was this the best use of my time? Could I have done it another way? I really don't know, and I really don't know what will work exactly for you or your friends. I will give you some advice, meditation, contemplation, and meditation, seemed to be the key to a higher spiritual education. Whatever religion you belong to, whether it's Christianity, Hinduism or Islamic thinking, you can spend a little time with your self thinking about your religious choices, on a daily basis.
Simply sit quietly in a comfortable environment for 15 minutes each day. Try to relax, without falling asleep and clear your mind of any thoughts you have during this period. Try to do this every day and soon you will start to see things a little bit clearer. It seems like meditation strips off the layers of crap that are clouding our minds.
Start with 15 minutes and when you feel comfortable, try to extend the time. Some spiritual and inspirational experts, block out at least one hour each day to spend meditating, thinking about the day's events or just trying to get some creative insight for the next day.
I would also like to recommend, one of the best books that I have read on spirituality, laws of attraction and even meditation. The book is by Arnold Patent called "You Can Have It All." This book was also recommended by Oprah Winfrey and other motivational and spiritual authors.
Meditation can provide you with relaxation and creative insight for solving your problems or can be used, just to clear your mind for a while.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All
Greg is currently working on a motivation help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Clarissa Pinkola EstesI consider myself a normal person in the fast-paced world, probably just like you. We have our luxuries that we take for granted and never even notice we have them unless we have a power outage. Through my relationship with the Amish, and my desire to learn more about their customs and work ethic, I recently offered my services to assist one of the families of fourteen (14) on their small family farm. I was soon regretting that decision. I found myself assisting the young Amish children, ages 7 through 13, in throwing wheat sheaves onto a horse drawn hay wagon . Needless to say, the young Amish children put me to shame. I could not keep up!
I have learned that the Amish are very hard working and decent people with an unbelievable work ethic . They are trained from a very young age that if a job is worth doing it is a job worth doing right. That instilled value is what makes their products so special. They live a very simple life with minimal furnishings in their homes. It goes without saying that there are no refrigerators, televisions, computers, radios, electricity, telephones, fans, etc. What took me by surprise was finding there are no pictures, doilies, what-knots, or even couches inside their homes! An Amish home is furnished with wooden beds, handmade quilts, basic dressers, a kitchen table with a few hardwood chairs, and wooden floors without even a throw rug.
The families within this area are carried in a black buggy type carriage, which is pulled by horses. It is not unusual to see a young boy around the age of 9, controlling a team of horses pulling him around a field on a wagon or buckboard. These wagons have wooden wheels with large spokes or thick steel wheels. The wagon wheels have to be sturdy in order to carry logs to the sawmill or hay to the barn. The Old Order Amish do not use rubber on their wheels; even the hub is wood. A metal band (steel tire rim) actually rolls on the roadway. The wheels are a lot like the western wheels shown on the covered wagons except a little bit more narrow.
Amish handmade unique gift ideas for your country western home and garden decor. Rustic horse drawn buggy wagon wheels, cannon wheels, handcrafted baskets, heavy duty barn stars, quilts, fine furniture, birdhouses, and rustic furniture for your log cabin or to decorate your primitive landscape. Proudly made in the USA. Vernon Christian, dba Amish Wares, 877-644-6229. http://www.amishwares.com
James RedfieldMaterials presented below are neither illusions nor assumptions. All are matters of absolute facts to me. But since there is no scientific tools presently available to prove any of the materials presented here, and the transcendence by which I have ascertained the truth about them cannot be explained in this short essay, I have to guide the reader to the references at the end of this essay to find the answer. Therefore, instead of facts I am going to present those as assumptions leaving to the readers knowledge of astronomy, astrophysics, other related fields and properly informed individuals, and their intelligence, reasoning power, logic and rationalization in reaching a reasonable conclusion. I propose that the reader assume each segment of these facts as a hypothesis, as we scientists do in verifying of any issue in our research and study process, then attempt through logic and reasoning to verify its different components and ultimately reach a reasonable conclusion.
Let us assume that there are two universes instead of one. Actually, there are three but we leave the third one out since it is very complex and difficult to understand with the present level of knowledge held by the scientific community. However, we will give a brief explanation of the third universe presenting its form and nature to the readers without bringing it into discussion. The first universe is matterless the second material and the third non-material. The first, being matterless, is not subject to time or space since only the matter can have such dimensions. Therefore, the Matterless Universe, under the standards of measurement used and understood at the present, expands to infinity with no beginning or end. It consists of what we may call "Pure Energy" or super-energy. It is a highly condensed mass of pure energy. The term "mass" used here is not the same as the material mass known to us. There is neither a way nor a proper term for this mass in our present scientific vocabulary. Since energy is the source of life for the body of the universe all the way down to plants, animals, humans and the smallest particles, comprehensively this Pure Energy must be the highest state of being, thus, dynamically alive, with supreme intelligence and enormous creative power. Therefore, as a supreme being it seems the only source capable of creation of the material universe as presented below. It is then proper to be called the Creator. Being matterless, it has no gender, thus, it is neither "He" nor "She" but "It". No light is associated with this Universe since any light is associated with matter and space.
Because the Creator is matterless, It extends to infinity. It is ever present everywhere transcending all matter including human beings. It has extensive sensitivity to the environment at any chosen point. As a matterless being It has no need to see but to sense. Therefore, It exists conveniently in absolute darkness. Our scientific community has already discovered a trace of the Creator. It has named it Dark Energy with a condensed mass and supreme power. All efforts are being made, within the material concept of science, to find more about it. This is nothing else but the Creator. As soon as we move away from our planet, we find ourselves in the same absolute darkness yet at the presence of the Creator. If we consider all these as facts, we may come to the conclusion that the Creator is not a holy dogmatic being as assumed by different religions but totally a secular being with no association with any particular religion. It is like a super scientist, inventor and creator and as such anxious for ultra-scientific designs and experimentations of which the creation of the Material Universe may have been one, and more likely not the only one. The essence of these experimentations may not be all for the same purpose namely to create a material universe.
The second universe is the Material Universe, which, at least so far as we have discovered, is subject to time and space as any matter, and as such it has a beginning, a process of life and development, and an ending. How the material universe started? This is a question not yet fully answered. If we consider that the Creator's experimentation intended to create a material universe, it certainly did not start with the Big Bang but long time before that. We should simply ask ourselves what was that caused the Big Bang. If we think of the Creator's intention for super-scientific experimentation in creating a material universe, we can easily come to a conclusion that it necessarily required a material base which had to come from the Creator's own essence, Pure Energy. There is no other source imaginable. Furthermore, we know that in our material world, the energy, in a variety of ways, is the source of life and base of existence of all matters from the Material Universe itself to planets and all living things in them. Based on all these facts the Creator, or the Matterless Universe, consisting of Pure Energy, would appear the only source of such immense energy required for the creation of the Material Universe and its continuing life, evolution and transformation.
Consequently, it is not unreasonable to assume that the Creator decided to carry out this experimentation and designated an initial point and a space there with specific dimensions fitting the objectives of its experimentation, and capable of absorbing and accumulating of needed energy from the Pure Energy consisting of Its essence. In a matter of maybe a billion or more years, the accumulation of energy in this designated space became crystallized in the form of a condensed huge transparent but solid object we may call it as Pure Matter, the ultimate size of which was determined by the Creator to suit the objectives of Its experimentation. For the first time "space" and "time" were created long before the Big Bang. The Material Universe, therefore, was initiated and its course of creation, evolution, maturity, decay and extinction was figured out by the Creator and now was the time to see to what extent the system would follow the envisioned process by the Creator's design of experimentation.
When the Pure Matter became saturated by the energy absorbed from the Pure Energy, it reached the point of explosion causing the Big Bang, unleashing the enormous energy saturated inside it. Because of the extreme heat, the resulting matters, which were not pure anymore, were mostly in the form of gas including what later on became solid matter or liquid. The explosion created immense light associated with heat, causing an outward push of the resulting matters with a lightening speed, creating a huge black hole in the Center with incredible power of electromagnetic gravity. Some huge parts from the Pure Matter thrown outward by the Big Bang were still in solid transparent form, though likely not so pure as they originally were, but still capable of absorbing more energy, becoming saturated and exploding later on far away from the Center. Therefore, we may properly assume that there was not just one Big Bang but a succession of big bangs maybe not as magnificent as the original one, and they are still continuing to occur in the outer dimensions of the Universe, though not as enormous as the previous ones, creating new galaxies, solar systems and corresponding planets. Therefore, it may be properly assumed that supernovas could be related to the extension of these bangs.
Immediately after the Big Bang, because of extreme heat caused by the explosion, all matters were in gas form. After quite an extended period of time, as temperatures receded, some matters liquefied and then took a solid form, some others took a liquid form yet some others remained in more condensed gas from. Ultimately, the solar systems and planets were crystallized. Evolution of life in each planet depended on the material components of the planet and the environment within which it was situated. Evolution of each planet proceeded to its maturity, aging, decaying and extinction. The nature of matters composing each planet determined the extent of its capability to absorb energy from the sun and other sources.
Considering that energy is the source of life, the nature of accumulation of this energy, within a proper environment created by the solar system's accidental surge of energy from its sun, allowed in some planets for the living organisms to be created. This surge of energy which may happen very rarely during the whole life span of a sun, created an orbit like outward movement. In this outward movement this high energy orbit, known as the intelligence orbit, met certain planets enabling them to absorb extra and unique kind of energy. this higher level of adsorption reached a point known as the intelligence line materialized by the planet's encounter with the core of intelligence orbit expanding outward.
This level of intelligence was also affected, positively or negatively, depending on the nature of the material components of each planet and its environment. As a result of this high energy environment, a variety of intelligent creatures were created including human beings as the environment became favorable. This assumption is in contrast with the Darwinian theory of evolution of humans from other species. The level of intelligence of the coming class of intelligent creatures advanced by the increase in the level of the planet's intelligence level as the planet approached to the inner core of the intelligence orbit emanated from the sun and moving outward.
It is important to notice that the Creator did not create the universe , its components and living creatures in some planets including ours. They were created according to the specific conditions required for their creation as set up in the Creator's design of the experimentation and the level of available energy. For example, human beings were not created by the Creator and they were not created at one time in a specific area of the planet. Different parts of the planet being subject to different environment, some human beings were created tens of thousand years after the others, likely, more intelligent than the previous group because of rising intelligent level of the planet had placed them on a higher level of intelligence. So, the total process of the development of each planet, as that of the Material Universe, involved the creation and the evolution side by side at different levels of development and varying environments. Based on the conditions of the environment and natural climate, some species were created, some evolved into a new ones and some became extinct. The same process is still continuing.
Unavoidably, there arrives a point at which the consumption of energy by the planet reaches the level of its absorption. At this point, the evolution stops. Pursuant to this point the absorption of energy gradually decreases, either as a result of decrease in the emission of the energy from its original source or certain transformations in the components and composition of the planet or other reasons. As a consequence, the planet receives less energy than it needs for its survival and starts an accelerated process of devolution and degeneration. In planets with living creatures, this situation occurs when the planet is near moving out of the influence of the intelligence orbit. When the level of intelligence of the planet is reduced, by the intelligence orbit starting to move away from the planet, it causes decay on the level of intelligence of its intelligent creatures. When the planet is placed in the outer limits of the intelligence orbit, the level of intelligence on the planet reaches the zero point and no intelligent creature survives and the planet with an increasing acceleration loses its gravity power to the point that its components cannot be held together by its weakened gravity and the planet meets its destruction. The majority of planets, in their process of development do not encounter the intelligence orbit or even the level of environment capable of producing any kind of creatures. The span of life of these planets is comparatively quite short.
Apparently, the Material Universe, the whole subject of the experimentation, is set to follow the same course of evolution, decay, devolution and extinction. After its creation and the Big Bang, it started to expand outward with lightening speed by incredible force created through the explosion. From this point of explosion on, the motion of the Material Universe has been under the influence of two immense opposing forces: An outward pushing force created by the Big Bang, and an inward pulling force, located at the point of explosion created by the enormous gravity and electromagnetic forces caused by the Big Bang. The resultant effect has been the slowing down of the expansion speed. This is in contrast with the present concept of accelerating expansion of the universe. In addition, the later big bangs have also affected the resultant effects of expansion course since their expansions were also spherical, part of which expanded toward the Center, opposite to the expansion direction of the Universe. These repeated post-Big-Bang explosions have actually caused a chaotic movements inside the sphere of the Material Universe. Based on these assumptions, at one point in time the Universe would reach the zero point of expansion. Then, under the pulling power of the gravity from the Center, it would start to contract in an accelerating fashion which will cause increasing heat to the extend that as it moves closer to the Center and becoming condensed by bringing together billions of the existing planets with an ever-increasing speed, the level of temperature will cause all matters to be transformed into gases, ultimately being totally extinguished, by transforming into matterless state, leaving nothing behind. Every material thing will disappear by being transformed into matterless form again. It will appear that nothing had ever happened. Considering the infinite dimension of the Matterless Universe, this whole process would look like a mosquito bite in a human body which it swells outward, then swelling stops and then the skin recedes to its normal condition without any trace of the bite left behind.
In conclusion, it is quite important to note that the history of the humanity shows that there have been individuals going back to melania who were aware of the secular, pure and matterless nature of the Creator that even today after thousands of years, our scientific community has difficulty to understand let alone to accept it. There are many evidences for such claim. Zoroaster or Zarathustra, the great Persian prophet, around 1500 B.C. when he introduced his dynamic message of "unique" monotheism, the concept of only one Creator, he called It "Ahura Mazda" meaning a "Super-Intellect Being," as "the creator, sustainor and promoter of the Universe."(1) The old Persian word for the Creator is "Khod'a", meaning created by itself. This meant that there was nothing to look for beyond Pure Energy. With the present paste of scientific progress, discovery of the matterless world or the Creator as exposed here and understanding of it, is a century or more in the future. It is possible only through transcendence achievable by years of meditation aimed at expanding the mind into the non-material and ultimately to matterless world. It is definitely the science of the future though such thou hgts are considered to be nonsense by the scientific community at the present time. However, I know it is a fact since I have been there, and all this knowledge comes from there.[2]
The main purpose of this exposition has been to invite knowledgeable readers particularly those qualified in related fields such as astronomy, astrophysics, and metaphysics, to leave aside their preconceptions and outright rejections and pay serious attention to the facts and reach conclusions based on logic, reasoning and rationalization. The hope is that if this way of thinking is followed, the scientific community may ascertain the nature of the Matterless Universe and the facts of creation and evolution of the Material Universe, not in a century or more as is estimated but much sooner. An enormous and incredible wealth of knowledge is waiting to be discovered. When discovered, it will cause universal peace, prosperity and tranquility. It will bring about true democracy, eliminate excess materialism by accepting the application of the principle of equality of opportunity in every aspect of daily life. [3]
It was mentioned above that there was a third universe called Non-material Universe and we will give a brief description of it. Non-material Universe is a stage between the material and matterless universes. It is transparent, therefore, invisible to our eyes. It engulfs the material universe. For every material planet there is a non-material one several times larger in size. It is subject to time and space by a different standards for which we have no means of measurement. It may shed an idea of time if we consider that a year in that planet may equal to thousands of year in our planet. The same applies to non-material beings living in them. The span of life may extend to thousands of years. The climate and environment follows the same standards with enormous deviations. Temperature may vary from thousand degrees below zero to thousands above it. It is a super advanced civilization where, though there are some bad beings but they cannot do anything bad thus are automatically forced to correct themselves. The life is extremely painful to those who are caught in harsh environments of the planet, and incredibly enjoyable for those located in favorable environments.
Finally, in closing, it may be noteworthy to say a little about the concept of neosecularism, which materializes if one accepts the facts of the two universes as discussed above. Secularism is defined as indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations. Neosecularism is defined as the exclusion of religion or religious considerations. It is fundamentally different from secularism since it rejects the religious dogmatic concepts of God, spirituality and creation of the Material Universe, while in a completely secular, rational and scientific manner accepts the existence of a totally secular Creator and a different course for the process of creation and evolution.
From all the materials presented here, it can be easily concluded that: first, nothing is holy about the Creator as assumed by several religions. It is a totally secular super being with a supreme life, intelligence and creative power. Thus the Creator has no relation to, or interest in nor belong to any religion. Its only interest in human beings, if any, concerns their behavior and development as a component of Its total experimentation in creating the Material Universe.
Second, since the Creator consists of Pure Energy, Which is the highest and purest level of being, Its nature could be nothing but inherently good, pure and positive. More likely, as a super-scientist, It is interested to see to what extent this goodness and purity can be restored when the Pure Matter was degraded by the Big Bang to much lower grade matters including human beings.
Third, among all Its creations at this Material Universe, the Creator has been able to sustain contact with human beings through their high level of intelligence, the human mind or spirit being the locus and medium of such contact. It seems reasonable to assume that the main purpose of this experimentation may have been to examine to see to what extent and level human beings can develop themselves approaching the Creator's pure essence at the matterless level.
Fourth, To guide humans in the process of self-development towards this purity, the Creator often receives help from those who consciously have developed and purified themselves and thus have been able to get direct contact with the Creator through transcendence. These are not actually assigned by the Creator as prophets or agents. The fact is that when a human being becomes conscious of the meaning of life and creation by dedicating himself to physical and spiritual advancement, after years of hard and disciplined labor he finally reaches the level of being able to contact the Creator. At this high level of purity, he finds himself obligated to assume the burdensome and often dangerous task of guiding the others. The number of such individuals is not restricted to Jesus, Moses, Mohammad and others who have been mentioned, but it is in thousands at any given time who remain unknown. Many operate silently carrying out their self-assumed duties. They receive directions from the Creator if they are in such need and ask for. As more knowledge about the Universe and the Creator is discovered, a rational, non-coercive and non-dogmatic way of thought, labeled here as neosecularism, will come to prevail. Religions and other dogmatic thoughts and beliefs will loose their influence in daily lives of the people. Important reasons for conflict and confrontation will disappear and opportunities for peaceful coexistence will materialize.
Reference:
1. www.iranonline.com/magazine/issue25/mehregan-english/ p. 3
2. For details about this concept also the kind of meditation needed to reach the matterless world, see Passage to the Heaven: The Secrets of the Universe, Life and Happiness, by the author, Reza Rezazadeh, Professor Emeritus and Fulbright Scholar, University of Wisconsin. For more information visit www.democracywhere.com
3. For this concept of democracy see Technodemocratic Economic theory: From Capitalism and Socialism to Democracy,1991, by the author. For information about this book and other relevant articles see www.democracywhere.com
Dr. Reza Rezazadeh
1080 Eastman Street, WI 53818
Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin System,and a Fulbright scholar, a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, and multi-lingual scholar with background in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.), Continental and Islamic Law (Licenciate), J.D. in American Jurisprudenxce, LL.M. in International Law and International Economics, Ph.D. in Political Science, Economics and Administration, and Doctor of the Science of Law (S.J.D.) the highest law degree offered in U.S. Fluent in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Persian, Azeri-Turkish. Elementary knowledge of Arabic, Urdu, Russian and Italian. Patented inventions; an artist, a poet (oil and pastel), a musician (violin), with over 35 years of academic background in teaching, research and administration, research and cultural studies in many countries in Europe including USSR, Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa, Central and South America.
Author of 8 books and many scholarly articles listed in his website http://www.democracywhere.com
Gary ZukavThe first Amish settlements were in Berks County Pennsylvania. The land there was highly suited to farming. During the French and Indian wars their homes were disturbed by raiders and many Amish found safe haven in Lancaster County, PA.
Disputes among the people on the interpretation of the Ordnung caused many families to leave the PA communities and settle in places like Iowa and Missouri. The Ordnung is the oral code on how an Amish person was to live and conduct themselves. Further Amish settlements would crop up around the heartland from European immigrants. Today Holmes County Ohio, Lancaster County Pa and Lagrange Indiana host the largest populations of Amish.
Population, land shortage and Ordnung issues have resulted in Amish settlements spreading into 25 states and Canada. The most recognized Amish are the Old Order Amish who have compromised the least with the world at large.
Many people refer to the Amish as Pennsylvania Dutch but they are actually of Swiss-German descent. Dutch came about by the misspelling of Deutsch, which is a word for the German language. This language is still spoken in many Old Order Amish communities. Amish communities in Pennsylvania are largest in Lancaster County with the oldest settlement in the United States being in the southeast. This is a beautiful county filled with covered bridges and old German architecture. The gorgeous Susquehanna River meanders through the landscape and under the many covered bridges. As far as the eye can see there are lush farmlands and quiet back roads beckoning the visitor with promises of peace and tranquility.
Visit the area's many museums and historical sites like the oldest Mennonite meetinghouse in the country, as well as the farm and hardware store in Witness, a Harrison Ford movie. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery and the local lore by traveling by bus, car, horse-drawn buggy or even a hot air balloon. The food is amazing and there are antiques, furniture, quilts and dozens of other Amish made articles to choose from.
Elkhart and Lagrange County are home to the Indiana Amish communities. You can learn a great deal about the Amish and Mennonite religion and culture by visiting the Menno-Hof, an information center.
Better yet, take a trip to Amish Acres Historic Farm and Heritage Resort. When you finally get to town, there are farmers markets and village shops for your shopping pleasure. Flea markets, auctions, theaters and restaurants are all a great part of any trip to Amish country. Here you can also take horse and buggy trips that will take you to Amish style inns and farmstead shops. No matter how you experience this extraordinary life, do not miss a backcountry tour that will absolutely enthrall you.
In central Ohio, you will find several thriving Amish communities around Holmes County. Get off the main interstate and enjoy a trip to the historic towns of Millersburg, Berlin and Walnut Creek. There are shops where you can find all kinds of Amish fare. Things like handmade quilts, cheese, furniture, antiques and the best food on the planet. Get back to the old way of life by touring scenic farms and quaint homes of the Amish people. Three great places to visit are The Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center, Schrock's Amish Farm and Village or Yoder's Amish Home. The last is an Amish farmstead restored by a couple with close Amish ties. The farm was set up as an educational avenue for outsiders. All this can be seen by buggy, balloon or on a horse.
Leon Tuberman is the owner/operator of Barn Furniture Mart a solid wood furniture store that specializes in handmade Amish furniture for your bedroom, dining room and home office. Barn Furniture's handcrafted furniture is offered in oak, cherry, maple and mahogany in several style including Mission, Shaker, Traditional and Contemporary styles.
Louise HayI have read more information on spirituality, world religions, self-help, motivation and inspirational thinking than you could ever imagine. I probably have about 300 books and about a hundred audios that I could listen to on these subjects. But let's not forget that I have over 200 DVDs and VHS tapes also. Oh I forgot to mention that in October of 2007 my house burned down and along with it was what I would like to refer to it as my lifetime collection on these topics. If I had to value this collection, it would be almost $20,000 in materials.
Now the one thing that the fire provided me with, was a chance to start over and in less than a year of literary accumulation, I'm off to a good start. I have been studying over my lifetime with extreme persistence on how to better my life, which religion to follow and how to make more money.
If someone was to ask me, what I've learned and what books would I recommend, I've got quite a list. I built a website last year to support some of my favorite authors and to help others gather great materials for changing their life. Some of these books have given me what I would like to call a spiritual hernia. So much information and so little time to go through it.
I often ask myself, was this the best use of my time? Could I have done it another way? I really don't know, and I really don't know what will work exactly for you or your friends. I will give you some advice, meditation, contemplation, and meditation, seemed to be the key to a higher spiritual education. Whatever religion you belong to, whether it's Christianity, Hinduism or Islamic thinking, you can spend a little time with your self thinking about your religious choices, on a daily basis.
Simply sit quietly in a comfortable environment for 15 minutes each day. Try to relax, without falling asleep and clear your mind of any thoughts you have during this period. Try to do this every day and soon you will start to see things a little bit clearer. It seems like meditation strips off the layers of crap that are clouding our minds.
Start with 15 minutes and when you feel comfortable, try to extend the time. Some spiritual and inspirational experts, block out at least one hour each day to spend meditating, thinking about the day's events or just trying to get some creative insight for the next day.
I would also like to recommend, one of the best books that I have read on spirituality, laws of attraction and even meditation. The book is by Arnold Patent called "You Can Have It All." This book was also recommended by Oprah Winfrey and other motivational and spiritual authors.
Meditation can provide you with relaxation and creative insight for solving your problems or can be used, just to clear your mind for a while.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All
Greg is currently working on a motivation help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Wealth BuildingI found a website that was recommended to me and it had the comment, is Jesus the only way to heaven at, Gotquestions, seems like your typical Christian website that replies with biblical quotes and simple to follow information. If I was lost, they will help me find a way. There's even a button at the bottom that states, I have accepted Christ today. I guess if I was to push that button, I get to go to heaven and be with Jesus. Hard to imagine, avoiding a life of burning in hell could be as simple as pushing a button and uttering a few simple words.
I found this question and began reading their comment. The first comment is from somebody answering as a nonbeliever in Christianity. It states something like, if I'm basically a good person and live a moral life, I get to go to heaven, right, only the bad people like murderers go to hell.
Now the answer that the website gives, seems to create fear if you do not belong to Christianity and provide you with hope if you join the group.
It mentioned Satan as the ruler of the world, and he can plant these thoughts into your head if you're not a Christian. He also controls your mind and let's you believe, that it would only make sense to any rational person, they get to go to heaven if they're good.
Now this is what makes sense to me but according to this information, I am doomed to rot in hell for eternity, even if I am a pretty good person. All I have to do is accept Christ as God and I get to go to heaven. That seems pretty easy and I wonder why more people don't do it. Just push the button.
I wonder if Satan is controlling, non-Christians minds and that's why there's brutality and war throughout the world. If everyone was a Christian, would our world be better.
Here's a quote from Wikipedia The Crusades were a series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes.
These Christian Crusades killed thousands of people. To give you an idea how many people were killed, all I had to do was type the word crusades into a search engine and it took me to the Christian Crusades.
I guess that rules that out, it seems like the Christians a long time ago were pretty aggressive towards their enemies, I wonder if most Christians would refer to these people as enemies today or are they just being controlled by Satan. Do these Christians from the Crusades get to go to heaven? If people like this get to go to heaven, may be hell is a better place anyway.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, Mere Christianity
Here's something to think about, go to heaven
Foundation For Inner Peace
