Isidore, do you have a cite for which sutta or sutra that came from, or is that merely apocrypha? I have to note that all forms of Buddhism have always completely rejected any belief in sin, and belief in an external creator god with the power to save even himself, let alone humanity.
Liberty93
JoinedPosts by Liberty93
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Liberty93
Of course there are. The four seals that mark all phenomena.
All compounded things are impermeant. Nothing that exists lasts forever.
All emotions involve pain. At least relatively speaking.
All phenomena are without any fixed, inherent nature.
Nirvana is beyond extremes. There is no "heaven" to go to. The final accomplishment consists only in removing what obscured our original nature.
Buddhism is the only religion that can pass the "Paine test." As Thomas Paine said, all religions, and particularly those based on the Bible, contain things that offend our sense of reason, that impinge upon our inherent dignity by trying to get us to believe wild fairy tales about virgins getting knocked up, and recommendations to practice cannibalism. These are things that make so little sense to the mind of one who truly examines them that it is possible to have no belief of them but in words.
At least that's my opinion. You may differ, and unlike some, I don't think an all-loving god is going to spend the rest of eternity torturing you for it. :-p
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Liberty93
While y'all go back and forth arguing about the truth of things which you have never experienced, I'll post some words from a certain sage who realized how pointless such disputes are:
`Just, Vàseññha, as if a man should say, "How I long for, how I love the most beautiful woman in this land!"'
`And people should ask him, "Well! good friend! this most beautiful woman in the land, whom you thus love and long for, do you know whether that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brahman woman, or of the trader class, or a Sådra?"'
`But when so asked, he should answer: "No."
`And when people should ask him, "Well! good friend! this most beautiful woman in all the land, whom you so love and long for, do you know what the name of that most beautiful woman is, or what is her family name, whether she be tall or short or of medium height, dark or brunette or golden in colour, or in what village or town or city she dwells?"'
`But when so asked, he should answer: "No".'
`And then people should say to him, So then, good friend, whom you know not, neither have seen, her do you love and long for?
`And then when so asked, he should answer: "Yes."
`Now what think you, Vàseññha? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk?'
`In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk!'
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`Very good, Vàseññha. Verily then, Vàseññha, that Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen,such a condition of things can in no wise be.'
`Just, Vàseññha, as if a man should make a staircase in the place where four roads cross, to mount up into a mansion. And people should say to him, "Well, good friend, this mansion, to mount up into which you are making this staircase, do you know whether it is in the east, or in the south, or in the west, or in the north? whether it is high or low or of medium size?"'
`And when so asked, he should answer: "No".'
`And people should say to him, "But then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something,taking it for a mansion,which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen!"'
`And when so asked, he should answer: "Yes".'
`Now what think you, Vàseññha? Would it not turn out. that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk?'
`In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk!'
`And just even so, Vàseññha, though you say that the Brahmans are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen, and you further say that neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahmà. And you further say that even the Rishis of old, whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither Brahmà is. Yet these Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen! Now what think you, Vàseññha? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk?'
`In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk!'
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Liberty93
You people chopping scriptural logic are why I became a Buddhist. I prefer realizing, for myself and in this very life, the things that are promised, rather than hoping, praying, and chopping bible-logic like a sushi chef.
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What's The Longest You've Been In A Relationship?
by minimus inand if you were dating someone "seriously", how long did that last?.
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Liberty93
Six months
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The Evilness that is Lady Gaga
by LouBelle intoday i got three seperate emails stating that lady gaga has sold her soul to the devil and is using her music and videos to further satan's goals.
they then go take the various symbology and wording in her music and videos and explain what they mean/represent.
she is rather wild and out there, and yes i'll admit she does use a lot of symbolism in her music videos.
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Liberty93
Ridiculously overdone?
Oh yes.
Evil?
Only if you dislike calling thump-thump-thump with a half-naked chick prancing around "music" as much as I do.
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Undercover Brother Campaign- have you received your invite?
by stuckinamovement inwithout specifics being mentioned as to what it is......(to avoid tipping off certain lurkers).. how many people know about the upcoming summer long campaign?
please use this thread to confirm receipt of your campaign invitation.
take care.
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Liberty93
I'd loooove to know what this's all about!
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I love gays :)
by freeflyingfaerie insome of my favorite people are~.
after leaving the religion, my lesbian couple friends were the most compassionate people, and i will always love them!.
i am heterosexual, but find gays to be absolutely fabulous!!.
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Liberty93
I might have asked this before, but what mandala is that?
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I love gays :)
by freeflyingfaerie insome of my favorite people are~.
after leaving the religion, my lesbian couple friends were the most compassionate people, and i will always love them!.
i am heterosexual, but find gays to be absolutely fabulous!!.
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Liberty93
Maybe it's just where I live, but a lot of them seem to have this whole. "I'm perfect and you're not, so I wouldn't even piss on you to put you out if you were on fire" thing going on.
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A "Chartered Bethel" is a Masonic Term Relating to Their Many Organizations
by cameo-d inthis organization is truly international in scope.
at present there are bethels in the united states, canada, australia, the philippines and brazil with other countries expressing interest.. the international order of job's daughters is operated in a democratic manner, similar to masonic lodges as well as other masonic family organizations.
in bethels, adult co-workers known as the bethel guardian council (consisting of a bethel guardian, associate bethel guardian, and others) supervise each bethel and are appointed yearly - with special consideration given to recommendations from the members of the bethel.. .
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Liberty93
To be ANYTHING like the Masons would be a major step up for the WTBTS. Granted, the Masons in America aren't really a mystery cult anymore, but just a social club. However, to get in, you still have to be an honorable, free, well-attested person.