Random Religious Thoughts

@QuickTwist

I’m not Muslim, but I’m cautious of memes that reduce entire traditions to propaganda contrasts. Islam has nourished the inner lives of countless sincere, compassionate, spiritually devoted people for centuries.

That may be true that there are many good people who are Muslim...

But the image I posted isn't a meme... It's a testimony of a real person.
 
That may be true that there are many good people who are Muslim...

But the image I posted isn't a meme... It's a testimony of a real person.

I’m cautious of images containing content that reduce entire religious traditions to propaganda contrasts.

@QuickTwist

I’m not Muslim, but I’m cautious of memes that reduce entire traditions to propaganda contrasts. Islam has nourished the inner lives of countless sincere, compassionate, spiritually devoted people for centuries.
 
I’m cautious of images containing content that reduce entire religious traditions to propaganda contrasts.

So, what are we doing here? Are we saying people's experience doesn't matter?

I know this may be offensive to you because you want to be kind to all people... But Muhammad was a war lord. Islam spread by the sword. This shouldn't be offensive because it's true.
 
So, what are we doing here? Are we saying people's experience doesn't matter?

I know this may be offensive to you because you want to be kind to all people... But Muhammad was a war lord. Islam spread by the sword. This shouldn't be offensive because it's true.
Of course the experience matters. I just get cautious when one person’s experience starts turning into a statement about an entire tradition and its people.

And honestly, I imagine a Muslim person reading that image would probably not feel very seen, understood, or respected by it — nor come away with a better impression of Christianity or Christians.
 
That's fine. What do you think about what I said about Muhammad?
That’s honestly not something I really want to engage with publicly.
Topics like this are extremely sensitive. It’s probably more the kind of thing I’d only feel comfortable discussing one-on-one with someone and with a lot more nuance.
 
Jesus was a "carpenter"
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There this truth I discovered. It came from both looking within myself (at my own sin) and looking at other people who I feel are exemplary in character. That is the idea that there does not exist a holy person who actually believes they are a holy person.
 
This offers another way of looking at it.

Reason might not govern one's desire to share. I think love moves through the forest nurturing with compassion. Empathy may come from understanding and wisdom, based on love.

Laws and institutions usually prevail over a struggle, or jihad.

One's body is subject to many things, both loving and hateful. One cannot always raise one's own will as a fortress. One's body should be unmolested by others against one's own will.

When someone commits a heinous crime against another, one is giving up many sacred freedoms someone has taken away from others. Offensive behavior can get carried away easily by some, causing distress and destruction upon others. It is difficult to sit under a shade tree and watch as someone uses their own rights to take away the rights of others. Sometimes we are impelled to paddle out to help another who is sinking because of yet another's thoughtless actions. We do not forego our own freedoms while watching and helping stop an injustice
being committed by unruly people. Correction and enforcement may be dealt as a good hand.

Scientific understanding may not always harbor a heart.
The written and/or spoken word can be as powerful as most anything, because it embellishes compassion, wisdom, justice, and forgiving.
Scientific knowledge changes over time as a whole. There used not to be some theories. Theories are not scientific knowledge, and desire to help others may be the driver that strikes the golf ball.

This was written to reflect on what was first stated, and to add to it. Sometimes what one sees as a reality is merely a theory. We must be open-minded and use what we have at arm's length as tools to explore even our own thinking. The revelations of the mind may contradict something we see written in a text, and the heart may change. Distorted reasoning can exist in the minds of humanity. We should get on the ship along with wisdom and understanding, so as to keep good company. The reflections of a good cruise will travel abroad with us, even back home.
 
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I think the only way the West can make a turn around is through Revival of the Spirit of Christ. I don't think anything else is going to help us...

The West is on a downward trajectory. This seems obvious to me. Neither the left nor the right are actually fighting for "We the People." It's all for self interest and greed.

In short, the only way the West makes a turn around is through a grass roots Spirit filled society. I have some hope that this can happen, but not a lot.


We are custodians of God.
You, you are the people!
I, I am the people!
We, we are the people!
We the people... we are to blame,
It is our choice and our shame,
When we sell our rights for bread and games.
Like Edom, for a bowl of stew.
Wanton and lewd.
We trade our freedom for false security.
We the People should consider the next trade we make.

We the people, unto us a voice is given.
We the people, unto us a choice is given,
To tear down, to rebuild.

Like sheep to the slaughter,
Like rats to the piper,
Like clouds adrift the wind.

Here and now, to the price of forever.
A penny for your sanity,
Shackles for your liberty,
A pile of waste for your soul.

Come rise!
Sic semper tyrannis
Thus always to tyrants
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

We the people...

We the people,
We the flock.
We few,
We happy few.
 
I cleaned away and removed that which is not fruitful at the edge of the woods yesterday and the day before. The Common Greenbriar that had never been cleared before we moved here carried sharp thorns and will grow vertically into trees and bushes. This can cause tripping and painful entanglement. "Malevolent" drifts into my thoughts. The root structures are yet other problems to deal with using Roundup.
Planted a beautiful six-foot-tall Carolina Sapphire Cypress carefully guarding entrance to my garden. All that is not good shall be removed as I care for my garden. Much room was given so the tree can obtain its true potential. The imagery will speak for itself. Please allow it to speak to others with their own understanding.
 
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I cleaned away and removed that which is not fruitful at the edge of the woods yesterday and the day before. The Common Greenbriar that had never been cleared before we moved here carried sharp thorns and will grow vertically into trees and bushes. This can cause tripping and painful entanglement. "Malevolent" drifts into my thoughts. The root structures are yet other problems to deal with using Roundup.
Planted a beautiful six-foot-tall Carolina Sapphire Cypress carefully guarding entrance to my garden. All that is not good shall be removed as I care for my garden. Much room was given so the tree can obtain its true potential. The imagery will speak for itself. Please allow it to speak to others with their own understanding.

I have a proposition for you, but I would like to be able to PM you about it and I can't currently.
 
I cleaned away and removed that which is not fruitful at the edge of the woods yesterday and the day before. The Common Greenbriar that had never been cleared before we moved here carried sharp thorns and will grow vertically into trees and bushes. This can cause tripping and painful entanglement. "Malevolent" drifts into my thoughts. The root structures are yet other problems to deal with using Roundup.
Planted a beautiful six-foot-tall Carolina Sapphire Cypress carefully guarding entrance to my garden. All that is not good shall be removed as I care for my garden. Much room was given so the tree can obtain its true potential. The imagery will speak for itself. Please allow it to speak to others with their own understanding.
Beautiful, @just me. I’ve got some cleaning away and removal work I need to do internally myself. How quickly the garden grows unruly.
 
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