Originally posted by karoly aczelI hear many people say the same thing in different words. Those of western background say something like "my truth is different from your truth". My source of truth or dharma is Christ Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me."
I follow my dharma, no other path makes any sense.
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Originally posted by karoly aczel
Hey man "God" moves me too but I don't take sides. Isn't God like One?
I always see fractured versions of "god" as presented by Christians whereas I see all as God - including that which I dont. i attribute the same spiritual value to everything, and can never say one aspect of creation is better than another.
Taking sides is what I do when I follow ...[text shortened]... e of dust is special, including every sinner as well as demons/devils,etc.
God loves all
Hey man "God" moves me too but I don't take sides. Isn't God like One?
I always see fractured versions of "god" as presented by Christians whereas I see all as God - including that which I dont. i attribute the same spiritual value to everything, and can never say one aspect of creation is better than another.
Taking sides is what I do when I follow sport, when it comes to Spirituality every piece of dust is special, including every sinner as well as demons/devils,etc.
God loves all
The very first man created was presented a choice to take sides. Here is where we see the very first man having to decide on a side -
"And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Gen. 2:9)
"And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (v.16,17)
Man here has his choice between two sources of existence.
And it read like a legend to me until I realized that the account does accomplish a few things for all future generations of human beings.
1.) It shows that our initial beginning is rooted in the supernatural.
2.) It shows that a choice of something that probably all people in every age can grasp - two trees with fruit.
3.) It shows that something contrary to God can at first have a noble, good sounding, desireable appearance.
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make oneself wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate." (vs. 6,7)
4.) It shows that man can take something of God, withdraw trying to be independent of God, to the result of total disaster.
"And Jehovah Gpd said, Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life an deat and live forever." (v.22)
This is very profound. The simplicity of the account should not be mistaken for naivete. And this is a problem with much of the Bible. People mistake the simplicity for naivete.
I have no problem with God starting human history in this way. It communicates some principles that every age of humanity well need to know. It communicates something that men and women, boys and girls of all ages can essentially grasp.
1.) Our beginnings on this earth are rooted in the supernatural first before the natural.
2.) God gives up some of His authority to administrate all things by giving His creatures a choice to be with Him or not.
3.) There is "God's way" and there is "the Other way." And the "Other way" usually at first looks very promising and attractive.
Contemplate. It was not the tree of GOOD verses the tree of EVIL. The knowledge of good and evil were both on the same tree.
No doubt our evil is contrary to God.
It is not impossible that our good could also be contrary to God.
4.) No being can really come up with anything totally original. We derive all from the unique Creator. We can only abuse what He has to our own detriment.
Whether this choice will remain forever. I don't know that much.
Perhaps it is a choice in time that must take place such that in eternity there is no longer possibility of revolt against God.
Perhaps it is a choice in time of two great wills the Divine and the Satanic, so that in eternity only one will will remain - God's will.
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Satan's role from Satan's perspective is simple.
To get humans to believe that God is the Devil and that the Devil is God.
To deceive man in believing an exact reversal of roles between God and God's enemy.
The rest is just intermediate steps towards that end.
All the other steps of skepticism, agnosticism, atheism, idolatry, etc. are just temporary stations along the way.
Originally posted by sonshipCheese and pickle. He's in a pickle mood today.
Satan's role from Satan's perspective is simple.
To get humans to believe that God is the Devil and that the Devil is God.
To deceive man in believing an exact [b] reversal of roles between God and God's enemy.
The rest is just intermediate steps towards that end.
All the other steps of skepticism, agnosticism, atheism, idolatry, etc. are just temporary stations along the way.[/b]
Originally posted by sonshipYes, I agree...God says love, satan says hate, God says a man and a woman, satan says man and man or woman and woman, God says on the day...you will surely die, satan says you will not, God produces order and harmony, satan produces confusion and disorder, God says Life!, Satan says Death.
Satan's role from Satan's perspective is simple.
To get humans to believe that God is the Devil and that the Devil is God.
To deceive man in believing an exact [b] reversal of roles between God and God's enemy.
The rest is just intermediate steps towards that end.
All the other steps of skepticism, agnosticism, atheism, idolatry, etc. are just temporary stations along the way.[/b]
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Yes, I agree...God says love, satan says hate, God says a man and a woman, satan says man and man or woman and woman, God says on the day...you will surely die, satan says you will not, God produces order and harmony, satan produces confusion and disorder, God says Life!, Satan says Death.
It is not always that simple.
For years I could not understand why God interrputed the building of the Tower of Babel. It seemed that man had it all together there - harmony, coordination, unity ... right ?
There was a grand unity there to build a tower to the sky with all the world speaking one language.
So this Satanic opposition is not always that easy for us to detect without God's bird's eye view of the real nature and outcome.
Think of Peter's suggesting that Jesus avoid the cross and not allow Himself to be executed. Wasn't that out of his love for Jesus? His advice got him a strong rebuke from Christ.
Originally posted by sonshipYes, I agree, but my point was that satan always stands against God's perfect Will. I think the tower of babel was built with the intent to leave God out. In other words, Man's will. It was a satanic influence for sure.Yes, I agree...God says love, satan says hate, God says a man and a woman, satan says man and man or woman and woman, God says on the day...you will surely die, satan says you will not, God produces order and harmony, satan produces confusion and disorder, God says Life!, Satan says Death.
It is not always that simple.
For years I co ...[text shortened]... uted. Wasn't that out of his love for Jesus? His advice got him a strong rebuke from Christ.
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Originally posted by checkbaiterThat's right.
Yes, I agree, but my point was that satan always stands against God's perfect Will. I think the tower of babel was built with the intent to leave God out. In other words, Man's will. It was a satanic influence for sure.
We have been deceived to the point that the very phrase "The will of God" may alarm us.
When you consider that the new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem and all that that situation infers in Revelation 21 and 22, this is the final perfect expression of the will of God.
We will probably wonder "How could we have been so deceived? How could we have ever doubted that God's will was the best possible world, the best possible life to live ?"
To this day I realize that I am still a deceived man, if ever I shrink at the phrase "the will of God."
Originally posted by sonshipWe will all be deceived to a certain extent, but God usually points these out to us too in a personal way. When that which is perfect is come, then we will be in the dark no longer...🙂
That's right.
We have been deceived to the point that the very phrase "The will of God" may alarm us.
When you consider that the new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem and all that that situation infers in Revelation 21 and 22, this is the final perfect expression of the will of God.
We will probably wonder "How could we have b ...[text shortened]... ealize that I am still a deceived man, if ever I shrink at the phrase "the will of God."