~This side of the 'glass'~
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When a society has lost its moral compass
The more we observe societies, the more convincing it is that we have too much of religion but too little of morality and spirituality. That it is considered religiously acceptable by so many to commit public breaches of trust, to steal and to deceive shows that despite the great public display of religion, our society has lost its sense of morality and its bearings about what is
right and ethical behavior. We talk about preparing for the hereafter but so many in our society spend their lives accumulating shamefully excessive material wealth, even if it involves unethical and illegal means.
The robbers, psychopaths and scoundrels in our society have shown how willing they are to use religion as a disguise to hide their wrong doings. They have shown how they can use religion to gain and retain power, subduing the masses by promoting unquestioning obedience to religion and consequently to them as elevated representatives of that religion, even
though their behaviors and actions break every code of morality and spirituality, or what would normally be considered just decent behavior.
The public has been made obedient and subservient with the use of religion. Religion has given small minds great power over the rest of society simply because we allow these small minded, and largely uneducated, individuals to project themselves as enforcers of religion. Those in power have encouraged this religious intimidation because it serves their own selfish interest. However, this religious monstrosity they have created and imposed on society will one day eat them too.
The civil service has become so riddled with corruption that one cannot escape the conclusion that many have come to see rent-seeking as their birthright. How can so much moral degeneration exist amidst so much public display of religion?
When individuals perform all the religious rituals and yet find nothing wrong with engaging in corrupt practices and other criminal acts, there is something fundamentally wrong with the way these individuals were brought up and with the societies in which they were brought up.
If we want to distinguish the angels from the devils, it seems to me that it is not religion that we should look at but rather towards morality and spirituality. If we want to be better human beings and live in more humane societies, we must once again establish the link of religion to morality and spirituality. We need to stop focusing on rituals and superficial external appearances and behaviors, and start looking within ourselves, at what lies within our soul. We need to shift our attention from the behaviors of others and spend more time examining our own behavior. Let us look at the morality of our own actions.
It is clear that the teaching of religion in our schools has failed to produce people with good character and moral values. Perhaps, it is time to focus on morality and spirituality, irrespective of religion. It can only make us more humane and compassionate in our dealings with fellow humans and all living things. It may even give us leaders who actually care about us. What a nice change that would be.
('Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources. Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on ')
('Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
The more we observe societies, the more convincing it is that we have too much of religion but too little of morality and spirituality. That it is considered religiously acceptable by so many to commit public breaches of trust, to steal and to deceive shows that despite the great public display of religion, our society has lost its sense of morality and its bearings about what is
right and ethical behavior. We talk about preparing for the hereafter but so many in our society spend their lives accumulating shamefully excessive material wealth, even if it involves unethical and illegal means.
The robbers, psychopaths and scoundrels in our society have shown how willing they are to use religion as a disguise to hide their wrong doings. They have shown how they can use religion to gain and retain power, subduing the masses by promoting unquestioning obedience to religion and consequently to them as elevated representatives of that religion, even
though their behaviors and actions break every code of morality and spirituality, or what would normally be considered just decent behavior.
The public has been made obedient and subservient with the use of religion. Religion has given small minds great power over the rest of society simply because we allow these small minded, and largely uneducated, individuals to project themselves as enforcers of religion. Those in power have encouraged this religious intimidation because it serves their own selfish interest. However, this religious monstrosity they have created and imposed on society will one day eat them too.
The civil service has become so riddled with corruption that one cannot escape the conclusion that many have come to see rent-seeking as their birthright. How can so much moral degeneration exist amidst so much public display of religion?
When individuals perform all the religious rituals and yet find nothing wrong with engaging in corrupt practices and other criminal acts, there is something fundamentally wrong with the way these individuals were brought up and with the societies in which they were brought up.
If we want to distinguish the angels from the devils, it seems to me that it is not religion that we should look at but rather towards morality and spirituality. If we want to be better human beings and live in more humane societies, we must once again establish the link of religion to morality and spirituality. We need to stop focusing on rituals and superficial external appearances and behaviors, and start looking within ourselves, at what lies within our soul. We need to shift our attention from the behaviors of others and spend more time examining our own behavior. Let us look at the morality of our own actions.
It is clear that the teaching of religion in our schools has failed to produce people with good character and moral values. Perhaps, it is time to focus on morality and spirituality, irrespective of religion. It can only make us more humane and compassionate in our dealings with fellow humans and all living things. It may even give us leaders who actually care about us. What a nice change that would be.
('Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources. Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on ')
('Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
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(Ponder this) ... A parable, or an allegory story
designed to illustrate or teach a moral lesson...to convey a
meaning indirectly by use of comparison.)
"Ponder these words carefully."........The Divine words tell
us precisely...what you see is not what is meant...'They look
and look, but do not see.'
This is a truth that has confused and bewildered the world.
Many comprehend not their understanding, man's imagination
has polluted God's 'inspiration' of...in Spirit and Truth."
"Words of which should be more thoroughly contemplated."
designed to illustrate or teach a moral lesson...to convey a
meaning indirectly by use of comparison.)
"Ponder these words carefully."........The Divine words tell
us precisely...what you see is not what is meant...'They look
and look, but do not see.'
This is a truth that has confused and bewildered the world.
Many comprehend not their understanding, man's imagination
has polluted God's 'inspiration' of...in Spirit and Truth."
"Words of which should be more thoroughly contemplated."
"It is clearly obvious we are witnessing unprecedented disturbing events in the political, economic,
educational, communication and Christian arena that have and are changing the mood of society."
('Indeed, neither the Bible nor any complex document can be taken literally because words by their nature need interpretation, and most words are open to a variety of different interpretations due to their lack of specificity, multiple meanings, the many contexts in which they are used, or the numerous situations to which they are applied. The finite books of the Bible cannot provide us with answers to the almost infinite situations in which we might find ourselves. Accordingly, those who say they take the Bible literally are not making sense. They do not understand what words are and how they work. They must interpret the words and situations in the Bible, just as the rest of us do. The Bible cannot be taken literally because, like every other document, and especially long and complex ones, the Bible’s words, sentences, paragraphs, and books require interpretation due to the nature of words themselves.
It is not surprising that many of those who claim to take the Bible literally do not realize they actually do not do so. Rather, they pick and choose which biblical passages they will follow.
According to a 2011 Gallup Poll, 30% of Americans believe that the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally (Jones, 2011). This is, therefore, the position of tens of millions of Americans. Presumably many, if not most, literalists believe that we merely need to consult the Bible and then the solutions to the moral and other problems we face will be unambiguously revealed. Of concern, the belief in a literal reading leaves no room for competing beliefs or understandings of the Bible. All other views are systematically condemned as wrong. This literalism has thus fostered intolerance towards others who hold different interpretations of the biblical texts.
('Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources.' Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on')
educational, communication and Christian arena that have and are changing the mood of society."
('Indeed, neither the Bible nor any complex document can be taken literally because words by their nature need interpretation, and most words are open to a variety of different interpretations due to their lack of specificity, multiple meanings, the many contexts in which they are used, or the numerous situations to which they are applied. The finite books of the Bible cannot provide us with answers to the almost infinite situations in which we might find ourselves. Accordingly, those who say they take the Bible literally are not making sense. They do not understand what words are and how they work. They must interpret the words and situations in the Bible, just as the rest of us do. The Bible cannot be taken literally because, like every other document, and especially long and complex ones, the Bible’s words, sentences, paragraphs, and books require interpretation due to the nature of words themselves.
It is not surprising that many of those who claim to take the Bible literally do not realize they actually do not do so. Rather, they pick and choose which biblical passages they will follow.
According to a 2011 Gallup Poll, 30% of Americans believe that the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally (Jones, 2011). This is, therefore, the position of tens of millions of Americans. Presumably many, if not most, literalists believe that we merely need to consult the Bible and then the solutions to the moral and other problems we face will be unambiguously revealed. Of concern, the belief in a literal reading leaves no room for competing beliefs or understandings of the Bible. All other views are systematically condemned as wrong. This literalism has thus fostered intolerance towards others who hold different interpretations of the biblical texts.
('Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources.' Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on')
"It would now do us well to look at exactly what allegory is. One good definition from a theological dictionary is the following":
An allegory is a story in which the details correspond to or reveal a ‘hidden,’ ‘higher’ or ‘deeper’ meaning. The allegorical method of biblical interpretation assumes that biblical stories should be interpreted by seeking the ‘spiritual’ meaning to which the literal sense points.
And here’s another good definition from a leading expert on the topic:
Allegorizing is searching for a hidden or a secret meaning underlying but remote from and unrelated in reality to the more obvious meaning of a text. In other words, the literal reading is a sort of code, which needs to be deciphered to determine the more significant and hidden meaning. In this approach the literal is superficial; the allegorical is the true meaning.
Stated in a simple sentence, we allegorize when we interpret the Bible hoping to find hidden meaning behind the text or some deeper truth.
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
An allegory is a story in which the details correspond to or reveal a ‘hidden,’ ‘higher’ or ‘deeper’ meaning. The allegorical method of biblical interpretation assumes that biblical stories should be interpreted by seeking the ‘spiritual’ meaning to which the literal sense points.
And here’s another good definition from a leading expert on the topic:
Allegorizing is searching for a hidden or a secret meaning underlying but remote from and unrelated in reality to the more obvious meaning of a text. In other words, the literal reading is a sort of code, which needs to be deciphered to determine the more significant and hidden meaning. In this approach the literal is superficial; the allegorical is the true meaning.
Stated in a simple sentence, we allegorize when we interpret the Bible hoping to find hidden meaning behind the text or some deeper truth.
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
'According to Jesus Christ, just words alone are not enough. You have to conduct your day-to-day life according to God’s will. And implied in Jesus’ statement is the understanding that salvation is not complete now, but in the future. (He said, “shall enter the kingdom of heaven,” not “has entered the kingdom of heaven.”)
“He who does the will of My Father.” Jesus linked salvation in God’s Kingdom to actions.
It is true that God loves us unconditionally. The Bible tells us that “God so loved the world” (Spiritually Inspired). He loves male and female, wealthy and poor, highly educated and illiterate, people of any and every racial background. His love is without discrimination or prejudice.
But does the fact that God has unconditional love for humankind mean that He gives His blessings unconditionally? That is comparing apples and oranges—two completely different issues. Unconditional love by God does not equate to unconditional blessings from God.
Of course, nothing anyone can do earns salvation. It is a gift given by God’s grace (goodness and favor) to us. No human being can do anything to be worthy of that gift.
But the Bible is clear that there are requirements for salvation.
However, the Bible teaches that the finish line, when salvation is complete, is when God changes a person from physical existence to spirit existence. Then the person is “saved” from perishing. It is no longer possible for one who is completely saved to suffer an injury, to contract a disease, to age or to die.
(Let the reader understand)
We know from the Scriptures that “life” means everlasting life, which is the end of the salvation process. Again, we find there is a requirement of believers in order to receive salvation. Nothing we can do earns salvation, but we are required to keep the 10 Commandments, or we will not be saved!
'A baptism of tears when giving and receiving forgiveness. It may be the most difficult baptism of all. One had to travel this trail of tears after his denial of Jesus. Only then could he grasp the meaning of divine Mercy he would share because he had experienced it.'
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
“He who does the will of My Father.” Jesus linked salvation in God’s Kingdom to actions.
It is true that God loves us unconditionally. The Bible tells us that “God so loved the world” (Spiritually Inspired). He loves male and female, wealthy and poor, highly educated and illiterate, people of any and every racial background. His love is without discrimination or prejudice.
But does the fact that God has unconditional love for humankind mean that He gives His blessings unconditionally? That is comparing apples and oranges—two completely different issues. Unconditional love by God does not equate to unconditional blessings from God.
Of course, nothing anyone can do earns salvation. It is a gift given by God’s grace (goodness and favor) to us. No human being can do anything to be worthy of that gift.
But the Bible is clear that there are requirements for salvation.
However, the Bible teaches that the finish line, when salvation is complete, is when God changes a person from physical existence to spirit existence. Then the person is “saved” from perishing. It is no longer possible for one who is completely saved to suffer an injury, to contract a disease, to age or to die.
(Let the reader understand)
- 2 Pet. 3:16 (speaking of Paul’s letters) “…which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” If you can “distort” it, then you the reader are not the maker of meaning.
We know from the Scriptures that “life” means everlasting life, which is the end of the salvation process. Again, we find there is a requirement of believers in order to receive salvation. Nothing we can do earns salvation, but we are required to keep the 10 Commandments, or we will not be saved!
'A baptism of tears when giving and receiving forgiveness. It may be the most difficult baptism of all. One had to travel this trail of tears after his denial of Jesus. Only then could he grasp the meaning of divine Mercy he would share because he had experienced it.'
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
~Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are changed and become as little children,
you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven~
~Spiritually Inspired~
"Of such profound significance, yet without question these words are ignored, dismissed and more
disturbingly being that they are not taken seriously. The ego of the intellectual community forever
continues to conjure up illusional imaginational worldly thinking to appease their personal agenda,
mostly to impress for self-recognition as a scripture scholar."
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven~
~Spiritually Inspired~
"Of such profound significance, yet without question these words are ignored, dismissed and more
disturbingly being that they are not taken seriously. The ego of the intellectual community forever
continues to conjure up illusional imaginational worldly thinking to appease their personal agenda,
mostly to impress for self-recognition as a scripture scholar."
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
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1
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Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing only the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative, abusive, devious, and deceptive.
And many are not remotely qualified to serve as an ambassador for a community just because they happen to belong to it.
The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
And there being an endless array of debated subjects from flat earth, climate change, racism, OSAS, born again,
political preference and on and on.
Debates don’t need to be suppressed... they’ll just become irrelevant because no one sensible turns up.
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
And many are not remotely qualified to serve as an ambassador for a community just because they happen to belong to it.
The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
And there being an endless array of debated subjects from flat earth, climate change, racism, OSAS, born again,
political preference and on and on.
Debates don’t need to be suppressed... they’ll just become irrelevant because no one sensible turns up.
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
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https://christianchat.com/threads/finding-jesus-in-my-30s.207873/post-4936636
~For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost~
~Spiritually Inspired~
"Let us know not to disconnect a lost soul from the influence of the Holy Spirit,
and this often accomplished through erroneous illusional worldly deception."
~For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost~
~Spiritually Inspired~
"Let us know not to disconnect a lost soul from the influence of the Holy Spirit,
and this often accomplished through erroneous illusional worldly deception."
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" The phenomenon of the wireless technology has launched a society into a mega
of inconceivable megalomania 'free-for-all' personalities under the guise of pretentious motives.
And often this being solely to gain attention as one may characterize themselves on a path of
whatever the mind decides to conjure up. With enough recognition this often turns into an obsession
of disturbing mentally emotional and physical harm.
In addition, boasting is often associated with dishonesty and often develops into megalomania.
The fact is, it may seem that a person is just a boaster but in reality, they are a megalomaniac.
Megalomania most often occurs together with a manic-depressive psychosis, an inferiority complex, and paranoid disorders.
Exaggeration being to magnify beyond the limits of truth, to overstate or represent disproportionately.
And obviously young and old are engaged in this disturbing behavior."
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
of inconceivable megalomania 'free-for-all' personalities under the guise of pretentious motives.
And often this being solely to gain attention as one may characterize themselves on a path of
whatever the mind decides to conjure up. With enough recognition this often turns into an obsession
of disturbing mentally emotional and physical harm.
In addition, boasting is often associated with dishonesty and often develops into megalomania.
The fact is, it may seem that a person is just a boaster but in reality, they are a megalomaniac.
Megalomania most often occurs together with a manic-depressive psychosis, an inferiority complex, and paranoid disorders.
Exaggeration being to magnify beyond the limits of truth, to overstate or represent disproportionately.
And obviously young and old are engaged in this disturbing behavior."
(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
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"Reflections of another time."
https://christianchat.com/threads/this-side-of-the-glass.182929/post-3895879
https://christianchat.com/threads/this-side-of-the-glass.182929/post-3895879
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"To carry forth God's word has far reaching implications, spiritually inspired is to
be led by the Holy Spirit in spiritual discipline of living life in the now. Spiritual
awareness shall be a Christ like 'consciousness' in guiding our lives in a more orderly
and manageable means, and sharing our love of the Divine Spirit. So long as we are
absolutely willing to surrender, and hopefully inspire others to be willing to surrender unto
the Holy Spirit within one's own self...this too may be acquired only by discipline and
self-control of one's attitude and behavior, in all things. And I have learned perseverance being essential!"
'Praise God'
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'Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through
underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing only the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative, abusive, devious, and deceptive. And many are not remotely qualified to serve as an ambassador for a community just because they happen to belong to it.
*The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and
dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
*And there being an endless array of debated subjects from flat earth, climate change, racism, OSAS, born again,
political preference and on and on.
Debates don’t need to be suppressed... they’ll just become irrelevant because no one sensible turns up.
*Psychological manipulation — and the origin of the term ‘gaslighting’, which is when abusers attempt to make their victims doubt
their own experience of being abused.
*It’s a useful name for an all-too-real phenomenon. And yet it can also be misused — weaponized as an accusation to shut down
debate. Argument, by its very nature, is an attempt to get the person you’re arguing with to change their mind, to see things
differently, to question their basic assumptions. Because of these parallels, it’s easy to lob in a charge of gaslighting — and thus
present the accused as an abuser and to characterize debate itself as a form of abuse.
*Obviously there’s a problem if the kids are too young or being propagandized instead of taught by their teachers. That said, there’s no denying that climate change is frightening — but that doesn’t change the facts. Older pupils, who we shouldn’t wrap in cotton wool, need to hear them — and the associated arguments.
*The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and
dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
(* 'Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources. Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on ')
underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing only the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative, abusive, devious, and deceptive. And many are not remotely qualified to serve as an ambassador for a community just because they happen to belong to it.
*The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and
dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
*And there being an endless array of debated subjects from flat earth, climate change, racism, OSAS, born again,
political preference and on and on.
Debates don’t need to be suppressed... they’ll just become irrelevant because no one sensible turns up.
*Psychological manipulation — and the origin of the term ‘gaslighting’, which is when abusers attempt to make their victims doubt
their own experience of being abused.
*It’s a useful name for an all-too-real phenomenon. And yet it can also be misused — weaponized as an accusation to shut down
debate. Argument, by its very nature, is an attempt to get the person you’re arguing with to change their mind, to see things
differently, to question their basic assumptions. Because of these parallels, it’s easy to lob in a charge of gaslighting — and thus
present the accused as an abuser and to characterize debate itself as a form of abuse.
*Obviously there’s a problem if the kids are too young or being propagandized instead of taught by their teachers. That said, there’s no denying that climate change is frightening — but that doesn’t change the facts. Older pupils, who we shouldn’t wrap in cotton wool, need to hear them — and the associated arguments.
*The manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they are openly judging, ridiculing, and
dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and do not offer constructive solutions.
(* 'Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources. Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on ')
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1
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