by love2Bworldly 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
but in my experience, not all religion
Yes, dear Paduan. The statement was a general one, and I was looking most at western religions when I said it. Certainly Zen and Taoism tend to place emphasis on the reality of the present. Yet, I don't see these as so much of a religion as a way of being. They offer not much, if any, storyline and beliefs, but rather place appreciation and focus on life now.
j
It Is sad.
I think there's more to it with many than the religion itself though - and I do have faith that it best that the LORD God sent him forth from the garden
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life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.
"Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul
of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will,
assuredly return and be gathered to the glory of
the Beloved," Bahá'u'lláh wrote. "By the
righteousness of God! It shall attain a station
such as no pen can depict, or tongue can describe."
In the final analysis, heaven can be seen
partly as a state of nearness to God; hell is a
state of remoteness from God. Each state follows as
a natural consequence of individual efforts, or the
lack thereof, to develop spiritually. The key to
spiritual progress is to follow the path outlined
by the Manifestations of God.
Beyond this, the exact nature of the
afterlife remains a mystery. "The nature of the
soul after death can never be described,"
Bahá'u'lláh writes.
Not all western Christian religions are doomsday religions either.
Mat 10:29 -31 Darby Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father; but of you even the hairs of the head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; *ye* are better than many sparrows.
Ecc 2:24
Darby There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Does anyone else feel like this, like you really don't give a crap about what's going to happen next year or 5 years from now?
I understand your feelings. I don't think this is necessarily a product of belief, though. For myself, I couldn't care less what's going to happen in the future either. I am confident of my hope so I don't get excited about the particulars of the future. It really doesn't matter. If I become anxious about the next day, I might miss the wonder and delight of today. And today is a wonderful day.
One thing is certain. Change will happen. It always does. It always will. Good has resulted from the worst atrocities, and bad has resulted from some of the most noble attempts at good. The only thing that is certain is that everything I choose to do and choose not to do will change something. And I believe (although I have no way to objectively prove this) that if I try to change things for the better I will succeed in some ways.
Whatever the future holds I will be content if this is the entire testament to my life, "He tried to do good." I will be content if no one knows except me. Death is certainly in my future and there is ample time to discover what else may be in store. I'm in no great hurry to find out, but I won't dread the inevitable—that would be a waste of life. The future is inevitable. Might as well give it a hug. Who knows, maybe it will hug me back?
But, I do get irritable when people who claim to have a glorious hope for the future wax on about the horrors awaiting us all. I certainly don't understand why someone who really believes they are saved would get upset about the future.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul
May I suggest that the two of you spend time alone, just the two of you, reading the Bible. A good research and study Bible. You don't have to believe everything in it, but if you two can open up a healthy dialog and discussion it will bring you closer together. Maybe change him a little, and change you a little, and hopfully unite you both on common ground doctrinaly. Just try the book of John in perhaps the New King James. This will help get him focused on today, and he will no doubt appreciate your interest!
Good Luck~Kate
We move from the past, live in the now and look to the future...whatever will be will be...As for an afterlife we'll know or we won't, why agonize over it...got enough to deal with in every day life...live, that's the best thing you can do...
Take heart, there are many different positions on this (eschatology) within the orthodox and evangelical churches. One could just as effectively argue that the millenium is not literal and the book of Revelation was mostly fulfilled in Roman times. Tell him to quit worrying about tomorrow. Dying is a real possibility and the best thing to do is to live the last day to the fullest. This means entirely different things to those who are Christian and those who are not!
Rex
To nonChristians, living life to the fullest and appreciating todays joys means whoring, drinking and robbing of course, right Rex?
Hi Pete,
I would have gone in for the 'drinking and whoring' but not robbery. I do have some scruples, ya know?
Rex
