The buddhist and the priest
The buddhist and the priest
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Last edited by Amonynous on Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hi Vegard & e^` ~ 
Bravo!
I always loved what Maya Anjelou said she thought when people called themselves 'Christians', "What!...already?!"
I endorse Abraham Lincoln:
"When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership, the Saviour's condensed statement of the substance of both law and Gospel, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and thy neighbor as thyself', that church will I join with all my heart and all my soul."
"The heart has got to open in a fundamental way" ~ L. Cohen
Love & Light,
~ Makera
Bravo!
I always loved what Maya Anjelou said she thought when people called themselves 'Christians', "What!...already?!"
I endorse Abraham Lincoln:
"When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership, the Saviour's condensed statement of the substance of both law and Gospel, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and thy neighbor as thyself', that church will I join with all my heart and all my soul."
"The heart has got to open in a fundamental way" ~ L. Cohen
Love & Light,
~ Makera
Hi Vegard ~
The things your neighbour said, and those you've said in your poem, say much. What I've always found 'offensive' in their way are the 'slogans,' threats, and statements on the marquees of churches. They mostly all tend toward being guilt- and fear-inducing. What a way to try to get people to a place of worship. I always go off on a path of thought, imagining walking by synagogues, mosques, monasteries, and temples seeing similar verbiage
, as people are being 'encouraged' 
to come inside. A surreal image at best. I feel about it the same as I do [though didn't always, I must admit] about the yelling that goes on in many services [a joyful noise unto the Lord, yes, but.......]. My feeling is that if it's the 'truth,' you should be able to whisper it, and it will still be heard, felt, and listened to. The shouting seems geared to get people into a heightened, emotional state....and for what array of purposes is what I question.
I've used to go to one 'Born Again' church where the services were spoken in normal tones and volumes, and they were profoundly impacting. I appreciated being 'treated' as an adult, who could glean from a message, without having to be hyped up into a frenzy to 'receive.' I went to a Bible study for awhile, and really liked the pastor's teaching...very down to earth, calm, logical, reasoned, etc. When I went to church on Sunday morning, it seemed he'd undergone some kind of personality change. He was yelling, red-faced, and sweating. He then encouraged me to bring friends to church with me, but I truly thought, there's no way I'll be doing that, as I'd feel embarrassed to bring them to such a display. [This was the same pastor who in the grocery store was only interested in why hadn't I been to church. However, the behaviour described above is not exclusive to him.]
Okay. I've had my say. [Am I quoting LaurieAK with that?
]
~ Lizzy
The things your neighbour said, and those you've said in your poem, say much. What I've always found 'offensive' in their way are the 'slogans,' threats, and statements on the marquees of churches. They mostly all tend toward being guilt- and fear-inducing. What a way to try to get people to a place of worship. I always go off on a path of thought, imagining walking by synagogues, mosques, monasteries, and temples seeing similar verbiage
, as people are being 'encouraged' to come inside. A surreal image at best. I feel about it the same as I do [though didn't always, I must admit] about the yelling that goes on in many services [a joyful noise unto the Lord, yes, but.......]. My feeling is that if it's the 'truth,' you should be able to whisper it, and it will still be heard, felt, and listened to. The shouting seems geared to get people into a heightened, emotional state....and for what array of purposes is what I question. I've used to go to one 'Born Again' church where the services were spoken in normal tones and volumes, and they were profoundly impacting. I appreciated being 'treated' as an adult, who could glean from a message, without having to be hyped up into a frenzy to 'receive.' I went to a Bible study for awhile, and really liked the pastor's teaching...very down to earth, calm, logical, reasoned, etc. When I went to church on Sunday morning, it seemed he'd undergone some kind of personality change. He was yelling, red-faced, and sweating. He then encouraged me to bring friends to church with me, but I truly thought, there's no way I'll be doing that, as I'd feel embarrassed to bring them to such a display. [This was the same pastor who in the grocery store was only interested in why hadn't I been to church. However, the behaviour described above is not exclusive to him.]
Okay. I've had my say. [Am I quoting LaurieAK with that?
]~ Lizzy
Hi Liz ~
That sounds nauseatingly familiar. Yep, the pseudo-Christians have a lot to answer for.
Anyone with the need to wear a label of belonging to some implicitly or explicitly exclusive group have, ipso facto, lost credibility. Talk it but don't walk it.
Did you read my poem on the subject? I posted the link to it under Taigaku's poem, 'Apropos of Christ'.
http://allpoetry.com/Poem/585954
Love & Light,
~ Makera
(aka Maatkara)
That sounds nauseatingly familiar. Yep, the pseudo-Christians have a lot to answer for.
Anyone with the need to wear a label of belonging to some implicitly or explicitly exclusive group have, ipso facto, lost credibility. Talk it but don't walk it.
Did you read my poem on the subject? I posted the link to it under Taigaku's poem, 'Apropos of Christ'.
http://allpoetry.com/Poem/585954
Love & Light,
~ Makera
(aka Maatkara)
-
Byron
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
- Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert
We have a TV station broadcasting on the satellite channels called TBN. I shudder each time I flick to it to see what is on. The presenters appear in multi-coloured make-up, with 'big' hair on the women and a couple of strands of straggling hair spread wishfully across the bald pates of the men. They are all earnest followers of the creed of "send your donation to the address given below and you will be saved." Yuk!!!!!!!!!
I am a believer. I am not a target for their bank accounts. OK, rant over..........peace be with you. I think I may have just lost an 'indulgence' or two?
Ooooops.......
I am a believer. I am not a target for their bank accounts. OK, rant over..........peace be with you. I think I may have just lost an 'indulgence' or two?
Ooooops.......
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
