₦airaland Forum

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Isaiah 29:13

Kobojunkie:
Well, if we are to agree that that which is written is truth, then 99.9999% of Christians out there believe in lies, right? This since they believe instead in the doctrines and traditions of men, ideas born of the special interpretations/delusions of men.

With due respect sir, what you're saying is very incorrect. You said "we're sure it was a literal snake that spoke to Eve" then went on to say Adam and Eve was deceived by this talking snake and I asked you who's this "we" who are sure that it was a snake? Simply because what you say contradict what's obtainable in the scriptures.

If this we is just you and your friends or your religious group then be bold enough to say it. I for a person do not subscribe to this ideology that there was a talking snake in Garden of Eden at least not by reading the bible. Maybe you found this myth in other books or from your religion but it's certainly not from the bible. And I have taken time to write this on here and even on many platforms like Quora and Twitter.

I'll glad if you can check them out or at least take some time to study the bible so you don't generalize your assumptions on everyone. God bless you.

MaobiCarl:
The genesis account entirely proved and made sure of it was a mere snake.
Please defend that it wasn't a snake with genesis account or the old testament (torah).
Ballam donkey talked, the pre Christian Jews believed in a many fairly tales where animals talked and a talking snake is one of them

...

This is absolutely correct.

MaxInDHouse:
Of course material wealth will debar many {Luke 12:15-21} but note that many are poor materially but inwardly they're lovers of money {2Timothy 3:2} their being poor doesn't guarantee their salvation rather it's where their heart is that will determine {Matthew 6:19-21} and there are many wealthy ones like Job whose heart is with God, they're ready to let go of anything as long as they're keeping their integrity to God. From God's standpoint the material possessions of such ones means nothing to them because they're ever ready to let go of it for the love of Christ! Luke 19:8-9

So while man sees what is obvious to all God searches the heart! 1Samuel 16:7

May you have PEACE!

Who's this we who're sure that it was a literal snake that deceived Eve? Also, do you understand that the bible makes it clear that Adam was not deceived? Or what kind of bible are you reading? The bible says Adam refused to obey the authority of God (which means to disobey), so what are you talking about? Take some time to study pls

MaobiCarl:
Most importantly in genesis account during the fall we also read that it was a literal snake that made Adam and eve to sin, we're sure of this because the snake had legs before but God removed it and cursed it to crawl all the days of it's miserable life for deceiving Adam and Eve, the bible passages also contained stories where we find talking animals. So it's not strange that a snake talked in genesis.

Isaiah 47 vs 7.

That's quite reasonable Sir. What we can deduce then is that material wealth will be the major reason why many shall not enter the kingdom of God.

MaxInDHouse:
They became poor materially when they began following Jesus as they left all their businesses behind {Matthew 19:27} that's what the man noticed before he declined the offer to be one of them.

It wasn't just about being materially poor, the man wasn't ready to change. Jesus had reach disciples so it wasn't about being wealthy, this particular man didn't want to change.

MaxInDHouse:
He only wants blessings from Jesus he's not ready to humble himself and join Jesus' group of materially poor followers!

L

Dear Father of our faith, we thank you for the opportunity to learn your truth and the hidden mystery in your Word. We ask for mercy to follow you wholeheartedly, and help us not to be like the rich man. Amen!

There’s a pattern to all things, even as there’s a particular mindset that works well for each pattern of life. The pattern of life leads to different lifestyles and whatever lifestyle a person chooses determines their reality here and after.

The lifestyle we live is a reflection of our choices and decisions, and our decisions create our behaviors, and this in turn makes us suitable for certain patterns of life. Every pattern of life leads to either of two directions; life or death hereafter.

The Bible makes it very clear that all sinners shall die, irrespective of the kind of wrongdoing. A fornicator or an adulterer cannot say to a thief “you shall die but I’ll live” simply because society approves of sexual immorality and disapproves of stealing. For both are dead in sin; they are of the same pattern of life.

Sin is not an act, but a pattern. People become unrighteous by their thoughts (Isaiah 55:7, Colossians 1:21), and their actions are only a confirmation of their death within (in unrighteousness). Sin is in the thoughts and a sinner is a person who thinks this way, and this is reflected in his pattern.

No one can escape this even though we might argue that all humans are not the same and everyone can’t make the same decision. However, decisions are born out of thoughts, similar thoughts lead to a pattern, and every pattern leads to either of two places; a place of life or death.
Our focus will be on the pattern of the rich, and our excerpt will be taken from the biblical account of the encounter between Jesus and the rich man:

¹⁶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
¹⁷ And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
¹⁸ He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
¹⁹ Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
²⁰ The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
²¹ Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions (Mathew 19:16-30).

This encounter between the rich man and Jesus reflects the pattern, decision, and end of the rich. For this rich man is not just a particular person, it’s the disposition of the rich. It’s the pattern of the rich and the way the rich behave towards the program of salvation and their thoughts for attaining eternal life.

Explanation:
The rich man was enthusiastic at first, he wanted eternal life so he enquired about it. However, he didn’t understand the basics of the message of Christ. He didn’t understand the concept of salvation and what he needed to be saved from, he just wanted eternal life, and that was all. It was this lack of understanding that made him assume there has to be something he could offer to qualify for eternal life.

So, Jesus replied him sarcastically by telling him to keep the commandments, because the rich are usually shallow-minded (Proverbs 28:11). Jesus knew the rich man didn’t understand the commandments and didn’t know he was guilty of all (if a person breaks one commandment, he would have broken all because they’re connected). Yet, the rich man claimed to have observed all the commandments (which is quite awkward because no one can truly obey a law they do not understand).

The rich man thought he had a good standing with God for obeying the law (by his own standards), and wanted to know what he lacked, so Jesus told him to give off all his possession and follow him. The rich man lost his enthusiasm at this junction and chose his possession over the same eternal life he so wanted. This shows the man wanted eternal life as a plus to his wealth; as something acquired as extra possession, and not his main possession in life.

Was the rich man guilty of the law?
The law in the rich man’s perspective was physical, he didn’t know God’s perspective of the law yet salvation is only found through God’s perspective of the law. To the rich man, he was not a murderer because he hadn’t killed anyone, however, God’s perspective of murder is an intense dislike for someone (1 John 3:15, Mathew 5:21-26). His definition was different from God’s definition of murder. He was just and hadn’t killed anyone in his own eyes, but he had killed someone in God’s eye.

Similarly, the rich man thought he was not an idolater because he hadn’t bowed to any graven image nor served them, however, God’s definition of idolatry is too much desire for wealth or possession, which is called covetousness (Colossians 3:5, Luke 12:15-21), and his reaction to Jesus’s response showed he lives by this.

What did he lack?
The concept of salvation is a process and it basically entails overcoming human desires and pride, for all problems of life are tied to these two things: a strong desire for wealth and pride (1 John 2:16, 1 timothy 6:10). Usually, when a person achieves what he desires, pride and judgment set in, and if he doesn’t achieve it, shame and resentment arise within, and this is usually expressed in anger and violence.

Salvation in Christ provides freedom for a person such that they can live above desires and become humble. For this reason, Christ gives us a list of commandments called the gospel which if followed obediently, a person will walk in righteousness and overcome the common disease of all humans.

Salvation from the common madness of all flesh takes time. It requires a series of practices and tests as instructed through education in the Holy Spirit. A person needs full focus and time to study the word of God in other to be transformed by the Word into a new person created in the image and likeness of God (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24), after which they shall be rigorously tried (1 Peter 1:7, James 1:2-4). The rich man lacked this focus and he did not have the time to be saved.

The end of the rich man
After the rich man heard what Jesus said, he went away sorrowful because the requirement for eternal life was not what he hoped for. He didn’t want to follow Jesus, in fact, he didn’t want anything to disrupt his plan for his time and possessions.
He loved his life the way it was, he just wanted eternal life as an addition to it. He wanted to continue his life and business as usual and at the same time have a place in eternity. So, he wanted to gain a spot in the kingdom of God by supporting the ministry of Jesus with something other than his time and focus in life.

However, nothing can be given for salvation. For the work of salvation is within, that which we need to be saved from is happening within us. Therefore, God requires us to create time to study his word and know his righteousness, and get saved as we live by his righteousness.
Eternal life cannot be given to the unsaved, it’s the profit we get for allowing God to do his salvation work in us. It’s the aim of the work of salvation. God is able to save the rich man and give him eternal life, but in the end, he walked away from eternal life because he did not have the time to allow God to work in him. He did not want the work of salvation to be done in him, he just wanted eternal life, and his end is the same for the rich; they die when they have amassed so much (Luke 12:20), and will find themselves in the same place hereafter (Luke 16:1-31).

The implication of the pattern of the rich
The behavior of this rich man in the bible is the pattern of the rich towards salvation and eternal life, they get so preoccupied with acquiring possession with little or no time left for anything else. The rich do not have time for the transformational work that happens in Christ, because they do not have time to study the scriptures and commune with the Holy Spirit as is required to know the truth, yet freedom only comes as a result of knowing the truth (John 8:32).

This is the predisposition of the rich: They do not give their time to anything other than acquiring possessions. They’d rather give large sum donations to religious establishments or clerics, and pay full equivalence as tithing on their increase but would never give their time and focus to following Jesus. This leaves them with wealth yet still captives to their old self.

Sadly enough, the rich man is the reality of every human in the present world. We live in a harsh world and are faced with an unprecedented level of hardship almost every day, and this has turned us into very covetous entities as the only means to overcoming the hurdles of life.
From the least to the greatest of us is an idolater through covetousness, and when we get what we desire, we cling to it like the rich man and would not give it up to follow Jesus. The average human is not driven through life by the desire for the kingdom of God, instead, he’s driven by the ardent desires for wealth, power, and fame which is called ambition, and this is reflected in his choices and decisions.

The pattern of the rich is inherent to all humans, in fact, the world encourages us to live this way. Many of us may not be rich yet, but our trajectory is the same as the rich. We are on the same pattern, and our wants are the same; to acquire and possess. This is our focus in life, and the implication is that we become poor in the things of God and in no time fall into the rudiments, thinking that we stand a chance in eternity when we have all the boxes checked for the Ten Commandments like the rich man. We even go as far as justifying our busyness with our need for a comfortable life forgetting that comfort is only found in the Lord.

This pattern of life has only one end. As Christians, we must not be carried away by our ambitions, we must not be too busy serving money that we forget to serve God. We must distinguish ourselves as a kind that has nailed our desires and passions to the cross and has crucified them there. So then, let’s look at the law elaborately so we don’t get trapped in its physical interpretation, for the law is spiritual but we shall die as sinners if we think of it physically (Romans 7:14).

Let’s make eternal life our main desire in life and not an addition to our immediate desires. For this, let’s give ourselves to the salvation work of God so that we might fulfill our destiny as sons of God. Let him who’s overtaken by desires let the word of God help him overcome them, and he who is proud should let the word make him humble, for without this work happening in us, we cannot be fruitful or multiply nor will we replenish the earth and subdue it as commanded.

Dear Father of our faith, we thank you for the opportunity to learn your truth and the hidden mystery in your Word. We ask for mercy to follow you wholeheartedly, and help us not to be like the rich man. Amen!

There’s a pattern to all things, even as there’s a particular mindset that works well for each pattern of life. The pattern of life leads to different lifestyles and whatever lifestyle a person chooses determines their reality here and after.

The lifestyle we live is a reflection of our choices and decisions, and our decisions create our behaviors, and this in turn makes us suitable for certain patterns of life. Every pattern of life leads to either of two directions; life or death hereafter.

The Bible makes it very clear that all sinners shall die, irrespective of the kind of wrongdoing. A fornicator or an adulterer cannot say to a thief “you shall die but I’ll live” simply because society approves of sexual immorality and disapproves of stealing. For both are dead in sin; they are of the same pattern of life.

Sin is not an act, but a pattern. People become unrighteous by their thoughts (Isaiah 55:7, Colossians 1:21), and their actions are only a confirmation of their death within (in unrighteousness). Sin is in the thoughts and a sinner is a person who thinks this way, and this is reflected in his pattern.

No one can escape this even though we might argue that all humans are not the same and everyone can’t make the same decision. However, decisions are born out of thoughts, similar thoughts lead to a pattern, and every pattern leads to either of two places; a place of life or death.
Our focus will be on the pattern of the rich, and our excerpt will be taken from the biblical account of the encounter between Jesus and the rich man:

¹⁶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
¹⁷ And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
¹⁸ He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
¹⁹ Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
²⁰ The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
²¹ Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions (Mathew 19:16-30).

This encounter between the rich man and Jesus reflects the pattern, decision, and end of the rich. For this rich man is not just a particular person, it’s the disposition of the rich. It’s the pattern of the rich and the way the rich behave towards the program of salvation and their thoughts for attaining eternal life.

Explanation:
The rich man was enthusiastic at first, he wanted eternal life so he enquired about it. However, he didn’t understand the basics of the message of Christ. He didn’t understand the concept of salvation and what he needed to be saved from, he just wanted eternal life, and that was all. It was this lack of understanding that made him assume there has to be something he could offer to qualify for eternal life.

So, Jesus replied him sarcastically by telling him to keep the commandments, because the rich are usually shallow-minded (Proverbs 28:11). Jesus knew the rich man didn’t understand the commandments and didn’t know he was guilty of all (if a person breaks one commandment, he would have broken all because they’re connected). Yet, the rich man claimed to have observed all the commandments (which is quite awkward because no one can truly obey a law they do not understand).

The rich man thought he had a good standing with God for obeying the law (by his own standards), and wanted to know what he lacked, so Jesus told him to give off all his possession and follow him. The rich man lost his enthusiasm at this junction and chose his possession over the same eternal life he so wanted. This shows the man wanted eternal life as a plus to his wealth; as something acquired as extra possession, and not his main possession in life.

Was the rich man guilty of the law?
The law in the rich man’s perspective was physical, he didn’t know God’s perspective of the law yet salvation is only found through God’s perspective of the law. To the rich man, he was not a murderer because he hadn’t killed anyone, however, God’s perspective of murder is an intense dislike for someone (1 John 3:15, Mathew 5:21-26). His definition was different from God’s definition of murder. He was just and hadn’t killed anyone in his own eyes, but he had killed someone in God’s eye.

Similarly, the rich man thought he was not an idolater because he hadn’t bowed to any graven image nor served them, however, God’s definition of idolatry is too much desire for wealth or possession, which is called covetousness (Colossians 3:5, Luke 12:15-21), and his reaction to Jesus’s response showed he lives by this.

What did he lack?
The concept of salvation is a process and it basically entails overcoming human desires and pride, for all problems of life are tied to these two things: a strong desire for wealth and pride (1 John 2:16, 1 timothy 6:10). Usually, when a person achieves what he desires, pride and judgment set in, and if he doesn’t achieve it, shame and resentment arise within, and this is usually expressed in anger and violence.

Salvation in Christ provides freedom for a person such that they can live above desires and become humble. For this reason, Christ gives us a list of commandments called the gospel which if followed obediently, a person will walk in righteousness and overcome the common disease of all humans.

Salvation from the common madness of all flesh takes time. It requires a series of practices and tests as instructed through education in the Holy Spirit. A person needs full focus and time to study the word of God in other to be transformed by the Word into a new person created in the image and likeness of God (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24), after which they shall be rigorously tried (1 Peter 1:7, James 1:2-4). The rich man lacked this focus and he did not have the time to be saved.

The end of the rich man
After the rich man heard what Jesus said, he went away sorrowful because the requirement for eternal life was not what he hoped for. He didn’t want to follow Jesus, in fact, he didn’t want anything to disrupt his plan for his time and possessions.
He loved his life the way it was, he just wanted eternal life as an addition to it. He wanted to continue his life and business as usual and at the same time have a place in eternity. So, he wanted to gain a spot in the kingdom of God by supporting the ministry of Jesus with something other than his time and focus in life.

However, nothing can be given for salvation. For the work of salvation is within, that which we need to be saved from is happening within us. Therefore, God requires us to create time to study his word and know his righteousness, and get saved as we live by his righteousness.
Eternal life cannot be given to the unsaved, it’s the profit we get for allowing God to do his salvation work in us. It’s the aim of the work of salvation. God is able to save the rich man and give him eternal life, but in the end, he walked away from eternal life because he did not have the time to allow God to work in him. He did not want the work of salvation to be done in him, he just wanted eternal life, and his end is the same for the rich; they die when they have amassed so much (Luke 12:20), and will find themselves in the same place hereafter (Luke 16:1-31).

The implication of the pattern of the rich
The behavior of this rich man in the bible is the pattern of the rich towards salvation and eternal life, they get so preoccupied with acquiring possession with little or no time left for anything else. The rich do not have time for the transformational work that happens in Christ, because they do not have time to study the scriptures and commune with the Holy Spirit as is required to know the truth, yet freedom only comes as a result of knowing the truth (John 8:32).

This is the predisposition of the rich: They do not give their time to anything other than acquiring possessions. They’d rather give large sum donations to religious establishments or clerics, and pay full equivalence as tithing on their increase but would never give their time and focus to following Jesus. This leaves them with wealth yet still captives to their old self.

Sadly enough, the rich man is the reality of every human in the present world. We live in a harsh world and are faced with an unprecedented level of hardship almost every day, and this has turned us into very covetous entities as the only means to overcoming the hurdles of life.

From the least to the greatest of us is an idolater through covetousness, and when we get what we desire, we cling to it like the rich man and would not give it up to follow Jesus. The average human is not driven through life by the desire for the kingdom of God, instead, he’s driven by the ardent desires for wealth, power, and fame which is called ambition, and this is reflected in his choices and decisions.

The pattern of the rich is inherent to all humans, in fact, the world encourages us to live this way. Many of us may not be rich yet, but our trajectory is the same as the rich. We are on the same pattern, and our wants are the same; to acquire and possess. This is our focus in life, and the implication is that we become poor in the things of God and in no time fall into the rudiments, thinking that we stand a chance in eternity when we have all the boxes checked for the Ten Commandments like the rich man. We even go as far as justifying our busyness with our need for a comfortable life forgetting that comfort is only found in the Lord.

This pattern of life has only one end. As Christians, we must not be carried away by our ambitions, we must not be too busy serving money that we forget to serve God. We must distinguish ourselves as a kind that has nailed our desires and passions to the cross and has crucified them there. So then, let’s look at the law elaborately so we don’t get trapped in its physical interpretation, for the law is spiritual but we shall die as sinners if we think of it physically (Romans 7:14).

Let’s make eternal life our main desire in life and not an addition to our immediate desires. For this, let’s give ourselves to the salvation work of God so that we might fulfill our destiny as sons of God. Let him who’s overtaken by desires let the word of God help him overcome them, and he who is proud should let the word make him humble, for without this work happening in us, we cannot be fruitful or multiply nor will we replenish the earth and subdue it as commanded.

I do not really know why you think I twisted the verse. My study showed I didn't just take the scriptures out of context. God hates divorce and that's the only message reiterated in the scripture. If you have a different opinion you, you can state it then. I do not shut anyone up

[quote author=RagaRaga post=116996679][/quote]

.

With due respect sir, divorce is punishable for adultery. The commentary were not written by Jesus, they were probably written by men who have already divorced their wives and cannot speak the truth anymore.

In the western society, divorce is the other of the day so what do you expect from such a Culture? However, God does not allow for divorce. The bible makes it clear that God hates divorce Malachi 2:14-16

Marriage is not even a commandment so why marry if you won't be in it for better for worse? Why go through the troubles of marriage just to run out when you do not get what you want?

Would Jesus divorce you at the end? For bible says you should love the woman as Christ loves you. Therefore, if you go around divorcing, then you have said the way you want Jesus to treat you at the end.

RagaRaga:
Yesterday I did an extensive research about this topic with thousands commentary and situation analysis. Now is not the time of ignorance, Divorce is permitted in the Bible.

Noted sir, but I believe the people who translated the KJV saw both the words adultery and fornication yet they used fornication. I'm poised to think they were led to use the word fornication.

Also, we're only betrothed to Jesus now and when he comes will be the marriage ceremony. Inasmuch as a person cannot be divorced after then, I believe a man cannot divorce his wife but a man can divorce his betrothed wife for fornication just as you and I can be divorced for fornication before that celebration should our heart be given unto another.

RagaRaga:
The word Fornication an adultery is used interchangeably in the Bible. Don't confuse your will with Gods Law. the New Testament, "fornication" comes
from the Greek word porneia , which includes
adultery and incest. Porneia comes from
another Greek word that also includes
indulging in any kind of unlawful lust, which
would include homosexuality.

There's no correlation between the text and your reply.

Marriage is not a commandment of God. It's a choice anyone can decide to make or not make. Also, children are not the ultimate goal of marriage between a man and a woman. Keeping to one's vow is the ultimate goal, whether there's children or not.

dattaswami1:
When marriage-ritual takes place between a male and female, both promise before God that both will confine to each other only without any deviation. Such promise is done on God, who is omniscient, omnipotent and most holy personality. There is no second equal personality to God and not to speak of higher personality than God as said by the Veda (Na tat samaschaabhyadhikashcha...).

For any believer in God, there is nothing and none higher than God. Even an ordinary promise without the name of God should not be broken and what about the promise made on God! 99% of humanity has such ultimate and extreme faith in God and we are not concerned with the minority which does not believe in God and live as they like in the name of full freedom.

The promise made by both is regarding strict discipline of mind confining to each other in doing justified deeds, financial matters, sexual life and spiritual life (Dharme Arthe Kaame mokshe naaticharaami). This means that in doing justified actions, in spending finance, in having sexual life and in spiritual life both will confine to each other only and will not deviate this promise by selecting some other person (male or female) in these four issues in the latter life after marriage. Hence, all the other parameters have to be overlooked before the holy promise made before the most holy God. There is no higher sin than deviating the promise made in the name of God. All other issues rising in this subject are secondary only and must be adjusted with full discipline to the promise made in the name of God.

The judges giving this judgement need not be blamed since they have to confine to the fundamentals of the human constitution only in any case. We should take the holy-scriptures written by ancient sages through whom God spoke the divine constitution. One may escape the punishment here from the Government in any case based on the judgement given by the human constitution. Today, we are seeing several such cases in which the injustice is benefited and the justice is harmed. The interpretations made by the lawyers are tremendously unimaginable by which in several cases justice is harmed. In olden days, advocate studies the case thoroughly to find justice in the case and then only accept the case for argument. But, today any advocate takes any case for the sake of fees only! In such case, even though the advocate knows that justice is on the other side, he/she argues for the victory of injustice of their side only by twisting the constitution itself. But, ultimately, the divine constitution prevails over our human constitutions and intelligence of the advocates supporting injustice for the sake of money.

The divine administration is the ultimate authority. Even if you win a case with the help of a clever advocate and grab others’ property in the dispute and if it is injustice, you will lose your property ten times more than you have won in the case. The same will happen even in the case of advocate, who earned the fees by arguing for the victory of injustice because the doer and promoter of injustice equally share the punishment. The intensive sins are punished here itself. Our human constitutions are written by human beings and we find several times the amendments of the human constitution done through parliament. This means that the human constitution is not the ultimate word of God. Hence, the free personal relationship as per the emotion of mind can’t be justified in the name of fundamental right of human constitution. Already, God introduced the punishment for free illegal sex in the form of most horrible disease called AIDS. This disease was not heard in ancient days when such free sex did not exist due to perfect ethical discipline. The medical care to prevent this disease fails when God wants to punish the sin of illegal sex and the disease will attack the sinner through some unimaginable way.

The ethical scripture says that the ultimate aim of sex is to generate issues for the extension of human race and not mainly for the emotional enjoyment of sex as said by the Veda (Prajaatantum maa vyavatchetsiih). When the issues are generated in the family life having full discipline based on the promise done on God in the marriage, the issues born are legal heirs of the property of the father. If free illegal sex is allowed, a day will come when the father writes the will about his property to issues only on conducting DNA test of his issues. A rule may also come that any will becomes valid only on enclosing the DNA certificate of issues!

The ancient scripture recommends the re-marriage of a female in the case of five possibilities, which are:- 1) if the husband dies before the old age, 2) if the husband takes spiritual renunciation (Samnyasa), 3) if the husband is impotent, 4) if the husband is lost for a long time and 5) if the husband is fascinated towards prostitutes (mrute pravrajite kliibe nashte cha patite patau, panchatsvaapatsu naariinaam patiramyo vidhiiyate). Of course, the re-marriage in all these cases is not compulsory, but, is justified if the female has a will for re-marriage in such cases. In all these five cases, re-marriage is only recommended and not free illegal personal sexual relationship. Thus, no injustice is allowed by the ancient ethical scripture to a soul, be it male or female.

Regarding getting the issues(children), which is the ultimate aim of marriage for the extension of human race through future generations, freedom is given in getting issues. It is not compulsory to get issues after marriage. The Veda says that there is no use of issues for getting the grace of God through spiritual path (Kim prajayaa karishyaamo yeshaam naaya maatmaa). In this way, getting issues is not compulsory even though the aim of the marriage is to get issues and not simply to pacify the emotional feelings. Re-marriage and artificial insemination were accepted provided the couple is very particular of issues. The artificial insemination was called as Niyoga, in which injection of sperm took place between a male and female after oiling the bodies (so that no skin-contact takes place). Of course, the present injection of sperms is a better process in which the issue of feelings and emotions for illegal sex are absent.

In any case, the consent of both parents was essential. Another foolish point is that one should get male issue only. This is the climax of injustice done. This is not original concept of our ancient scripture. If mother is absent, how the humanity is extended? The word Putra means both son and daughter as per the grammar (putra bhraatru pitrushveka sheshah). This is the unjust domination of males, who wanted to grab the entire property of parents without giving equal share to sisters. Since the word putra means both sons and daughters, when the Veda says that property should be given to putras equally, it means that should be given to both sons and daughters (Manuh putrebhyo daayamadaat— Veda). (Of course, unequal distribution of properties can be done in the issues based on their economic strengths.)

For this cruel plot, the females were denied right to do the end rituals for the parents, which were linked to the property. For this purpose, females were denied the sacred thread marriage through which the Veda is recited in rituals. Like this, a chain of unjust traditions were set up to do climax injustice to the females. In fact, the sacred thread of the daughter is given to son-in-law in the marriage by the father-in-law so that half of the merit (Punyam) of the husband earned using her sacred thread also goes to the wife. In the time of the performance of ritual by the husband, the female cooks the food and half of it is eaten by the husband. In this way, a convenient adjustment is done for the sake of smooth practical life.

Unable to understand this background, females were denied the equal economic right and every wise person shall accept this exploitation in our religion. For this crooked plot, these middle aged male scholars denied even the holy thread marriage in which initiation to Gayatri is done. In fact, Gayatri means only the way of singing prayers on God, which has nothing to do with the gender or the thread. In fact, the real Gayatri is with females only and thus, the females have every right to perform the every Vedic ritual without any reference to the holy thread. Any injustice must be condemned, but, in such action, over injustice shall not also be done.

In this way, the freedom of the will is protected whenever the situation is justified, be it the case of male or female. When the situation is not justified, the free will must be controlled in view of the promise made on God in the ritual of marriage. Amendments are always provided whenever there is justified necessity. Even if the husband is potent, if his wife says that she is willing to enjoy a new person for the change of variety, such case can’t be justified through the free will that can be applied to any situation. Similarly, even if the wife is very co-operative and equally beautiful matching the husband, the husband should not go outside for the sake of other ladies in the name of free will and change of variety.

The point like matching physical beauty is taken care of before the marriage itself by the elders. The elders have the experience of marriage and post-married life to take care of the significance of all the required points for a happy married life till the end of life. If the parents go wrong, children can rectify them because true conclusion depends on the wisdom and not on mere age. Matching beauty is very essential for happy married life, but, it is not going to be eternal because it changes with the growing age. Hence, a balance must be arrived between parents and children in doing the marriage of the children so that the love between the couple stands eternally throughout their life without such deviations exploiting the real sense of the free will in the sense that the mind desires something new always though the desired person is devoid of all merits and possessing all defects.

Ordinary human beings shall not imitate divine personalities without understanding the divine background. Sage Paraashara met with Satyavati to generate a wonderful spiritual preacher called as sage Vyaasa, who was immediately born as a boy without the requirements of pregnancy. If one imitates Paraashara in this aspect, it is foolishness since such imitating person can’t generate a miraculous boy in such a miraculously way without the usual appearance of pregnancy! The scripture says that the divine personality should not be imitated by an ordinary person since such imitation will lead to the destruction of the imitating person (Avaradaurbalyaat, Teshaam tejyovisheshena pratyavaayo na vidyate, tadanviikshya prayunjaanah siidatyavarako janah).

If you want to imitate God Krishna to dance with other ladies, first, you must prove that you are God by lifting a hill on your finger. Gopikaas were sages doing penance for the sake of God, who were liberated from all worldly bonds. The three strong worldly bonds are with issues, money and life-partner. The strength of these three strong bonds was tested by God before giving the certificate of salvation from worldly bonds. Stealing their butter-wealth reserved for their issues (testing bond with issues and wealth) and dancing with them in Brundaavanam (testing bond with their life partners) are such divine tests done by God, which were never repeated in any other case in the future life of God Krishna.

Please propagate this spiritual knowledge in your circle of friends, relatives etc., in the service of God Dattatreya by which God is very much pleased to bless you.

www.universal-spirituality.org

Universal Spirituality for World Peace

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I think you're right

MaxInDHouse:
You didn't get the sense of that Bible passage, calm down and read it again but this time with meditation because both Moses and Jesus are saying the same thing!

Jesus corrected this. He says Moses gave them law bc of the hardness of their heart. He says a man cannot put away his wife for any reason safe for fornication. So you either follow Moses or Jesus.

MaxInDHouse:
Deuteronomy 24:1-4

If it was this easy, there would have been peace in the world.

dattaswami1:
HOW TO AVOID FAMILY FIGHTS

In a question answer form I am presenting the answer

Shri Balaji asked: One of my friends told me that he does not have mental peace due to quarrels between his parents and in-laws. Can You kindly give some advice regarding maintaining peace in family affairs and broadly in the society?

Swami replied:
O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! If you follow the following simple rules, your family life and your life in society can be very smooth. It will help you focus your attention on the spiritual path, which provides eternal fruit.

Be silent and avoid a quarrel

Whenever there is an issue in the family, do not scold anybody. Even if someone scolds you, do not scold them back. Speaking harshly with others will only worsen the quarrel. Shri Shirdi Sai Baba said “The one who gets scolded must thank the person scolding him because the scolder is clearing the sins of the scolded.” Pointing to a pig, Baba said, “The scolder is comparable to this pig, which cleans the surroundings by eating excrement.”

Shri Satya Sai Baba has said “If you keep silent in response to the scoldings of the scolder, the scoldings return to the scolder like unaccepted registered letters that get sent back to the sender”. This step of silence is very important. It is the primary step in bringing peace. By your silence, you are leaving the law in the hands of the omniscient God. He alone can know the truth behind the case. He will certainly punish the sinner at the appropriate time and place.

Avoid biased judgments of people

Everyone must understand that every human being has both merits and defects. Only angels have all merits and only demons have all faults. Human beings are in between angels and demons, having both merits and faults as said in the Gita (Aniṣṭamiṣṭaṁ miśram ca...). A human being may exhibit a merit in one context and a fault in another context. Taking just one particular context, you cannot decide that a person is totally meritorious or totally faulty. Our observation about any person is only partial because we are unable to study the person throughout his or her life.

Moreover, the person might appear to be of a certain nature externally, but internally he or she might be something else. We are unable to know any person in and out. Based on a situation or incident, whenever we say that a certain person is either good or bad, we have made an error of judgement. You should never conclude that any person is 100% good or 100% bad. The inquiry into the incident must be impartial; without the influence of caste, gender, blood relationships and so on. Such an impartial inquiry can only be done by the omniscient God.

Impartially listen to both sides in a quarrel

In any quarrel, there is invariably the contribution from both parties. It takes two hands to produce a clap. You must be extremely careful and avoid forming your impression about a person based on someone else’s report. You should never be influenced by the report of only one party without hearing the other party’s report. You should always keep your mind neutral till you hear the counter-argument from the other side. Then, you should use your sharp intelligence to analyze and find out the truth. But to arrive at the truth, you must pray to God for His help.

The Veda says that one should be impartial till both sides are heard (Alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ...). Keeping yourself neutral and impartial till you hear the other side, is called balance of mind. A person who has it is called a sthitaprajña (Sthirabuddhirasammuḍho...—Gita).

Reverse the quarrel-causing attitude

The basic cause for a quarrel is the attitude inherent to every human being that “I am 100% correct and the other person is 100% bad.” Bhartṛhari has said that if we want to avoid quarrels, we must reverse this attitude (Paraguṇa paramāṇūn parvatīkṛtya...). According to him, quarrels take place when you see a trace of your own merit as a hill and a hill of your faults as a trace; similarly, when you see the hill of others’ merit as trace and a trace of others’ faults as a hill.

Quarrels will not occur when you reverse this attitude and start seeing a hill of your own merit as a trace and a trace of your fault as a hill; similarly, when you see the trace of others’ merit as a hill and a hill of others’ faults as a trace. Unless we change our attitude in this way and fix this new attitude in our mind constantly, peace is not possible.

Avoid ego, provoking words, threats and revenge

Showing your ego, using provoking words and threatening the other person must be totally avoided. If you use any of these in a quarrel, even a beggar will not bend before you. Finally, you alone will end up in a total loss. You must know that even a beggar is protected by God. You should always express peace, kindness and love for everybody. If you do this, even a demon will eventually change and in the end, you will get total benefit.

You must know that even in a demon, there is the possibility of change. Whether it is a total loss or a total benefit, the other side will also equally share it with you. Can the loss to others provide even a trace of benefit to you? Never! But if you provide even a trace of benefit to others, it will yield a hill of benefit to you, in due course of time.

In the Mahābhārata, Dharmarāja, the eldest of the five Paṇḍava brothers, was terribly cheated and insulted by their evil cousin, Duryodhana. In spite of that, Dharmarāja wanted to avoid a war against Duryodhana. He was prepared to accept just five villages in the place of his due share of half the kingdom. Eventually, due to the ego of Duryodhana, the war did take place and it caused a hill of loss to Duryodhana and his brothers, the Kauravas. Unfortunately, an equal hill of loss was also suffered by Dharmarāja and his brothers. All the sons of the five Pāṇḍavās, were killed.

Knowing this possibility of unacceptable damage to both sides, Dharmarāja had wanted to avoid the war at any cost. But his wife, Draupadī wanted revenge and was rigidly bent on having a war. Revenge should never be taken by our hand; it should always be left to God. When a person slaps you once, you slap him back once in revenge. But if you leave the revenge to God instead, God might slap him a hundred times!

Jesus said “The revenge is Mine”. One human being cannot punish another human being for his or her faults since only a faultless person can punish the other. But it is impossible for a faultless human being to exist. The omniscient God knows every human being fully. He knows everyone; not only in this life but also in all their past lives. He knows each one both externally as well as internally. He also knows each and every deed done by all. Hence, God alone can judge any human being perfectly.

He alone is eligible to decide the most appropriate punishment for each person and give that punishment to the person. When a prostitute was about to be punished by the public, Jesus told the people that the first person punishing her should be the one who has not committed a single sin! We do not know any person fully because we are not with the person all the time, throughout the person’s life. Besides, we can only know the person externally. Whatever goes on inside the person is unknown to us. Our knowledge is neither full nor deep.

On the other hand, the administration of God is always perfect and no injustice can ever happen in it. There may be some delay in punishing the sinner because God gives some time to the sinner for rectification. If you keep silent during that period, God will compensate your loss. If you are determined to have your revenge, you will also be punished by God without any compensation to you! Had Draupadī kept silent and given up the idea of revenge, God would not only have destroyed evil Kauravas, who refused to change, but He would have also saved the children of Draupadī from their deaths.

But Draupadī could not give up her continuous burning attitude of revenge and as a result, she was left childless. Besides, Draupadī was not a hundred percent free of blame. Duryodhana had not cheated the Pāṇḍavās and abused her for no reason. Draupadī had laughed at Duryodhana when he fell in the Mayasabhā, the wonderous court of the Pāṇḍavās. She had spoken hurtful words to him. If she had not done that, Duryodhana might not have got the idea of revenge towards Draupadī.

Of course, Duryodhana was highly sinful since the magnitude of his revenge was extreme, even for the small sin of Draupadī. Hence, Duryodhana was punished by God severely. Even Dharmarāja was punished by God in that he was forced to leave the kingdom and live in the forest for twelve years. Dharmarāja’s sin was that he should not have accepted the invitation for gambling. Gambling is a sin that is prohibited by the ethical scripture.

Focus on the spiritual path

The analysis and method of arriving at correct conclusions is similar in both pravṛtti (worldly life) and nivṛtti (spiritual life). Rigid fools who are full of ego are like demons who neither know what is correct in pravṛtti nor what is correct in nivṛtti (Pravṛttiñca nivṛttiñca, janā na vidurāsurāḥ—Gita). Such people are always dominated by rajas (ego) and tamas (ignorance).

Due to ego, they do not listen to others and due to ignorance, they do not know what is right by themselves. Even God cannot convince such people. Still more dangerous are those who are not actually asleep but are pretending to be asleep. Among the two paths, pravṛtti (worldly life) and nivṛtti (spiritual life); one should concentrate on nivṛtti. The fruit of nivṛtti follows the soul forever in all the future births and it leads the soul to the eternal goal. The soul travelling in the main line of nivṛtti, should not get disturbed by issues related to pravṛtti or worldly life. (Vimūḍho Brahmaṇaḥ pathi—Gita).

A student pursuing the main line of studies in an educational institute should not get disturbed by issues related to the hostel-administration. If you have the talent and capacity to simultaneously do well in both, it is good.

But if your capacity is limited, then you must confine yourself only to the main line of nivṛtti. Even if it initially appears that your pravṛtti is not going very well, the divine administration of God will ensure that everything will get rectified in due course of time. All you need is a little patience and the understanding that your knowledge is limited and superficial.




- By Shri Datta Swami


www.universal-spirituality.org

Universal Spirituality for World Peace

Understanding

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Like I said, I can deduce that you're not widely read. Buddha is believed to have achieved nirvana and he said if we become enlightened, we'll achieve nirvana too. Isn't that the same concept that Jesus taught that we'll achieve eternal life and be as the angel of God if we become saved?

Pls kindly read wide with an open mind and a humble heart to learn. Learn to choose your words widely so as not to be controlled by emotions. I pray you find the light but seriously bye forever now

budaatum:
With one important difference, I dare add.

Buddha did not come to save you or promise you some imaginary eternal life like many Christians believe Jesus did. He came to teach you to get off your ass and bear your own cross and save yourself as Christ also taught, though that is not what you are taught in Christianity.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml

With due respect sir, you really need to be saved and I wish you'll let me show you the path of Christ, I do not say this to demean you, I say this with utmost respect and love wishing that you'd accept to let me lead you to the light.

Your concept of death is different from what God called death bc man's way is different from God's. God's idea of death is for someone to gets trapped in unrighteousnes but yours is something I do not know. Bible says we were dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1, Colosians 2:13), and went ahead to advice us who are saved to live like those alive from dead bc we've been resurrected (Romans 6:13).

If you still reject the truth then I do not judge you. I hope you're brave enough to accept the truth someday.

budaatum:
If we were talking 2 + 2, you'd very likely use the same wuruwuru above to claim it's equal to 10, but I assure you that I would not accept that if you were buying something from me worth 10 Naira.

The people you claim died, went on to have children, we read, and they populated the earth. So let me say this:

O Lord God, please. You know I am going to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if you place me in the Garden of Eden, though be assured that that is after I challenge you for demoting me from God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” and “given me every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food" . Still, when I eat and die according to you, please reduce the 800 years I live after that to just another 100 years. Thank you Lord God in advance. And Amen.

I don't want to be too greedy and live as long as Adam and Eve, you see, because that will be a very very long time and I just might get too bored.

You are not following any "God's definition of death". You are not even following the definition of death as written in the Bible. What you are following is the definition of death that someone has told you to believe, and Jesus would very likely say "Woe" to those who gave you that definition, because they are hiding something from you. He would also likely ask why you refuse to become as a child and abandon the childish things you have been taught, because you ought to know that those who refuse to eat the fruits of the trees of knowledge of good and evil will lack knowledge and will die earlier than those who have knowledge.

From your narration, assumption, and choices of words, it's easy to deduce that you're not widely read but I do not blame you still, I can only hope that you come to light someday.

It's a awkward that you assumed again that I haven't studied other religions. When you assume like this, you'll turn the facts against yourself. Anyways I have studied many other religions, some you might not even know, but I found not truth in them. I studied the scriptures and found the life.

I do not think you know much about Buddha other than what the mischeiveous lying Buddhist of the 19th century want you to believe. Go study history properly and you see that Buddha was believed to be like Jesus. In fact he was believed to have some supernatural power as opposed to this 19th century nonsense about enlightenment being propelled by westernized Buddhism.

Also, I'm aware of the Vatican falsification which is attesting to what you rubbished me for earlier when I mentioned a false Christianity. However, the truth lies just ahead of the Lie. Seek him and you'll see.

I'll advice you to study pls and I pray you receive the light of Christ. It was nice engaging you btw. Thank you and goodbye.

Beretta03:
according to muller if you know only one religion then you know none
Christianity is a pagan concept it was invented by the vatican's in rome which is italy.
Have you asked yourself why the Jews don't subscribe to christianity?
Your holy book is confusion itself by the vatican to attach the Jewish traditions to it to make their second edition of christ coming sync with the same jewish pagan god.
They know if they don't include the Jewish pagan torah to it christianity won't have much membership!!

Of course the present worldly christianity was false that is why they have brainwashed the masses including you into believing in their false doctrine.

Jesus christ was a prophet just like moses and abraham and the diviners you have in your village.
He was not a god incarnate as must stupid Christians presume him to be he was aan of morals and ethics with didactic teachings.
Go and read about the story of mithra, hermes, invictus, zeus, Asclepius and Serapis all derived from old mediterranean deities that were long in existence before the birth of christianity.
So it is christianity that copied other pagan gods
If you think that jesus is god then you are worshipping human. Because jesus never said he was a god

It seems your brain is warped...jesus was a concept copied from pagan cultures so christianity is a false religion.
Buddhism is more of a philosophy and all about enlightenment
It is obvious that you are ignorant go and read about buddhism maybe it will help correct your distorted ideology.

Well, if you wanted to see the truth, you'll look into the bible and see that the Christianity described in the bible is not what you see outside.

But it's ok anyways. I said the present worldly Christianity is false, and if you don't think so then it's fine. We'll all see the truth someday.

I understand that there are doctrine that seemed like that of Christ bc the message of salvation has been even before the world began, So it's reasonable for anyone thief to want to claim to be the savior so this is why you'll have every pagan God claim to be Jesus.

I hope you know that all those pagan gods were human who had studied about the concept of salvation and claimed to be the one. Everyone wants to be the savior but not every has the power to save. Even your politicians always want to be the savior. In fact there are many people roaming around the world claiming to be Jesus. This should tell you something. People always imitate the truth, no one ever imitates the fake or lie. Have you seen anyone imitate Buddha or other false saviors?

Beretta03:
it seems that you are unaware that every religion thing about christianity was borrowed should I say stolen from pagan cultures
Your unaware that your jesus is a pagan architype, from more Ancient cultures

You talked about false christianity when you are a Christian simply means your religion is false and you as a deluded preacher has been brainwashed with false beliefs and doctrine and you have painstakingly used your own convoluted logic to dismantle your own.

Yeah, to you they remained alive but to God they died. You're carnal and God is spiritual so different dimension of vision.

They actually died bc they died in unrighteousnes and this is why Adam wanted to steal eternal and still steals today. I'll rather follow God's definition of death bc what's the reason to be living when a person can't do what's right?

budaatum:
That's the thing, I guess. Despite reading with you very own eyes that they ate the fruit and continued to live, you choose to believe they surely died when they ate the fruit.

Thankfully. Jesus is written to have come to spit on mud and rub it in your eyes, but I guess you have not yet bathed in the Pool of Siloam so that you may see instead of believe.

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I believe the person deceived knew she was deceived and the person who acted treacherously defended his actions but it's ok. You can put it to me, but that doesn't make it a sound argument. If Adam was deceived, he would have said so but the dog had plans to steal the eternal life. it's ok if you defend the dog, at least that's what today's Christianity does, and that's what they've fed your mind.

budaatum:
I put it to you that according to the story in the Bible it was Adam who was deceived by being told he would die if he ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Eve on the other hand refused to be deceived and checked for herself only to find she did not die and that the fruit was good for food and for gaining wisdom, which enabled her to free her self and her deceived Adam from naked slavery in the Garden of Eden, from where the story goes on to tell us they went on to populate the earth and died 800 years after eating the fruit they'd been lied to would kill them.

May the grace to know the truth find you? amen!

Beretta03:
you are a zombie and if you are not carefully you will fall inside the well