All of which reminds us - its not just the witnesses that are a pain in the nether regions, but it is Christianity as a whole that offends.
fulltimestudent
JoinedPosts by fulltimestudent
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Early Christianity and the Punishment of Back-sliders
by fulltimestudent infrom the writings of tertullian comes this picture of repentant sinners around the year 200 ce in north africa.. locate yourselves in the stream of time.
accepting for the moment the conventional dating for christianity, this is a little more than 150 years after christian communities were first established.
no one from the first century is still alive, but possibly there were grandsons and daughters of some of the original christians.. .
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Early Christianity and the Punishment of Back-sliders
by fulltimestudent infrom the writings of tertullian comes this picture of repentant sinners around the year 200 ce in north africa.. locate yourselves in the stream of time.
accepting for the moment the conventional dating for christianity, this is a little more than 150 years after christian communities were first established.
no one from the first century is still alive, but possibly there were grandsons and daughters of some of the original christians.. .
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fulltimestudent
From the writings of Tertullian comes this picture of repentant sinners around the year 200 CE in North Africa.
Locate yourselves in the stream of time. Accepting for the moment the conventional dating for Christianity, this is a little more than 150 years after Christian communities were first established. No one from the first century is still alive, but possibly there were grandsons and daughters of some of the original Christians.
Tertullian
Tertullian writes (and allow for a dash of hyperbole-smile):
“Christian sinners spend the day sorrowing, and the night in vigils and tears, lying on the ground among clinging ashes, tossing in rough sackcloth and dirt, fasting and praying’
The access of sinners to church meetings was controlled. Sometimes a penitent adulterer would be led,
“into the midst of the brethren and prostrated, all in sackcloth and ashes … a compound of disgrace and horror, before the widows, the elders,suing for everyone’s tears, licking their footprints, clasping their knees … “
The above quotations from Tertullian's De puditicia
So if you ever thought of seeking reinstatement to the Christian congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you may have thought you had it hard as the elders exercised their prerogatives over you … but think of being a second/third century Christian and licking their bloody feet. Haha !!!
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What's the future of Buddhism in China-2?
by fulltimestudent inhow involved in chinese community life is contemporary buddhism?
that's a question i've set out to explore as part of my participation in a study unit at sydney university, named india, china, tibet: cultural relations.. in the september 10 issue of the chinese people's daily (english web edition) there's a photo story entitled:.
chinese buddhist canon blesses hong kong.it follows the efforts of h undreds of sanghas and buddhism believers carrying 103 files of the chinese buddhist canon walking along victoria harbor, kowloon, hong kong on sept. 8, 2014. they hope to spread love, intelligence and mercy to every corner in hong kong to solve disputes and promote stability.
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fulltimestudent
Buddhist monks particpating in the project.
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What's the future of Buddhism in China-2?
by fulltimestudent inhow involved in chinese community life is contemporary buddhism?
that's a question i've set out to explore as part of my participation in a study unit at sydney university, named india, china, tibet: cultural relations.. in the september 10 issue of the chinese people's daily (english web edition) there's a photo story entitled:.
chinese buddhist canon blesses hong kong.it follows the efforts of h undreds of sanghas and buddhism believers carrying 103 files of the chinese buddhist canon walking along victoria harbor, kowloon, hong kong on sept. 8, 2014. they hope to spread love, intelligence and mercy to every corner in hong kong to solve disputes and promote stability.
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fulltimestudent
How involved in Chinese community life is contemporary Buddhism? That's a question I've set out to explore as part of my participation in a study unit at Sydney University, named India, China, Tibet: Cultural Relations.
In the September 10 issue of the Chinese People's Daily (English web edition) there's a photo story entitled:
Chinese Buddhist Canon blesses Hong Kong.
It follows the efforts of h undreds of Sanghas and Buddhism believers carrying 103 files of the Chinese Buddhist Canon walking along Victoria Harbor, Kowloon, Hong Kong on Sept. 8, 2014. They hope to spread love, intelligence and mercy to every corner in Hong Kong to solve disputes and promote stability. They will go through Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories in the following three days.
web-reference: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/n/2014/0910/c98649-8780482.html
The first images shows stacked copies of the scripture canon, ready for believers to carry in the procession.
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Russia and China to Build a Huge New Port south of Vladivostock
by fulltimestudent infrom: business insider, australia.
beijing (afp) china and russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast asia on russias sea of japan coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses growing alliance.. the seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, chinas state-run peoples daily online reported late wednesday comparable to britains busiest port immingham or le havre in france, according to european commission statistics.. the new facility will be located in far eastern russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the chinese border.
the region is also close to north korea.. chinese and russian leaders inked a deal on the port at mays conference on interaction and confidence building measures in asia (cica) in shanghai, the report said.. the move represents the latest step by beijing and moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties.. resource-hungry china is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while russia at odds with the west over its annexation of ukraines crimea peninsula is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards asia.. the same report spoke of the commencement of construction of the gas pipeline from yakutsk to china.
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fulltimestudent
Some of the new ports that China is building are nominated as 'land ports.' These are built where China borders another country. As an example, along the southern border regions.
Lhasa was connected into the Chinese rail network some years ago. That rail link is being extended to the second most important town in Tibet, Shigatse.
Construction work on the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway.
I understand there are 13 stations along the 250 km rail link, enabling faster access to Lhasa for the Tibetans living along the rail link. There are also plans for branch links to Gyirong a border town with Nepal (and, perhaps Yatung). A land port has already been built in Gyirong, and the Nepal government has expressed willingness to buy their energy requirements from China, if the rail link is completed. In any case trade between China's western provinces, and Nepal and India will be enhanced by these links for local Tibetans and for Chinese companies.
Gyirong Port across the border between China and Nepal. A town likely to grow quickly
as local business people take advantage of new opportunities.
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What's the future of Buddhism in China ?
by fulltimestudent into make a start to discussing that question, which i suggest reflects on the future of china itself, i'd like to post two videos (i think i may have posted one of theese videos before).
they both originate from the same night, but there are subtle differences (which i'm not criticising).. the occasion was the buddha's finger bone relic ceremony at the famen temple, in shaanxi province, china on 09/05/2009.
the singer is faye wong and she sings the buddhist heart sutra.
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fulltimestudent
This image illustrates the extent of the damage:
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Russia and China to Build a Huge New Port south of Vladivostock
by fulltimestudent infrom: business insider, australia.
beijing (afp) china and russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast asia on russias sea of japan coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses growing alliance.. the seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, chinas state-run peoples daily online reported late wednesday comparable to britains busiest port immingham or le havre in france, according to european commission statistics.. the new facility will be located in far eastern russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the chinese border.
the region is also close to north korea.. chinese and russian leaders inked a deal on the port at mays conference on interaction and confidence building measures in asia (cica) in shanghai, the report said.. the move represents the latest step by beijing and moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties.. resource-hungry china is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while russia at odds with the west over its annexation of ukraines crimea peninsula is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards asia.. the same report spoke of the commencement of construction of the gas pipeline from yakutsk to china.
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fulltimestudent
Chinese interests now extend further away from China.
Chinese carrier Cosco is transforming Piraeus – and has eyes on Thessaloniki
- Helena Smith in Athens - theguardian.com , Friday 20 June 2014
Chinese management skills and business activity also builds increased activity in other ports. For example, activity in the Greek port of Piraeus has tripled since Chinese giant Cosco bought half the management rights.
Seated in his pristine office overlooking the port of Piraeus, Captain Fu Cheng Qiu sums up the magnitude of China's interest in Greece.
"No other country in Europe offers such potential," he says as cranes in constant motion move containers from ship to dock outside. "We believe that Piraeus can be the biggest port in the Mediterranean and one of the most important distribution centres because it is the gateway to the Balkans and southern Europe."
Five years ago, Fu's employer, the global shipping carrier Cosco, acquired the management rights of half of the port in a €500m (£400m) deal that has seen business activity triple. Under the Chinese company's watch, about 6,000 containers a day are transferred through the terminal with breathtaking efficiency. "It's a huge investment that is teaching us a lot about management skills in a foreign country," says Fu, who has overseen the remodelling and expansion of the piers now controlled by Cosco under the 35-year concession.
As the Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, arrives to conduct an official three-day visit to Greece, it will be the success of China's state-run shipping group at the forefront of talks. With Beijing hoping to further cement its foothold in a country viewed as offering the easiest entrance to Europe commercially, Chinese officials are eager to replicate Cosco's business model elsewhere. "The Chinese and Greek economies are mutually complementary," Li wrote on Wednesday in the conservative daily Kathimerini. "Greece is accelerating privatisation and infrastructure construction. China will encourage its well-established enterprises to play an active part in this process."
Already China has expressed interest in purchasing the port of Thessaloniki, Greece's state-run railway network and a majority stake in the other half of the port of Piraeus still under government control. All three are expected to be put to international tender as part of an asset-stripping drive aimed at trimming the twice-bailout country's monumental debt load. Rumours are swirling that Athens' international airport – and new international airport on Crete – will be added to the list.
"China wants more cooperation with Greece in airport, rail, road and other infrastructure development," added Li, insisting that tourism would also become an important growth area. "In this fast-changing world, China and the EU, as the biggest developing country and the biggest bloc of developed countries in the world, share common interests and have a greater need for each other."
The enthusiasm is echoed by Greek officials. Nearly five years into its worst economic crisis in living memory, Greece is thirsty for investment seeing it as the easiest way to offset an unemployment rate that at 26.7% remains the highest in the EU.
"Cosco's presence in the port of Pireaus … has brought great benefits to the Greek public sector," the merchant marine minister Miltiades Varvitsiotis said last week as he dismissed suggestions that Beijing was exploiting Greece because of the bargain prices at which much of its infrastructure was being sold. "It has proved to be one of the most important and profitable investments to have to happened in a global harbour … and because of this we are trying every day to reinforce this relationship."
For Spyros Mercouris, who is seen as the arbiter of improved cultural ties with China – the basis for the economic cooperation now taking root – that relationship is as much about the two nations shared sense of history as the very modern demands of globalisation.
"There's a shared sense of belonging to ancient civilisations that has helped lay the foundations for what we are seeing now," says Mercouris who has organised several groundbreaking shows in China as Greece's pre-eminent curator of exhibitions. "It has helped cut the vast distance between the two countries."
Cosco's presence has fast turned Greece into a portal through which Chinese products are daily passed into the European Union – a strategic plan that Beijing intends to take further with the expansion of processing rights enabling it to ship goods under EU label.
With investors also poring in, the surge of interest has reanimated Athens' resident Chinese community. "Our phones are ringing off the hook," says Li Ang, who heads the capital's Greek-Chinese Commercial and Cultural Association. "Investors want to buy five-star hotels, wineries and olive oil companies … people who left with economic crisis are flooding back. Greece is a great place to do business in and the prices are very good."
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Russia and China to Build a Huge New Port south of Vladivostock
by fulltimestudent infrom: business insider, australia.
beijing (afp) china and russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast asia on russias sea of japan coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses growing alliance.. the seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, chinas state-run peoples daily online reported late wednesday comparable to britains busiest port immingham or le havre in france, according to european commission statistics.. the new facility will be located in far eastern russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the chinese border.
the region is also close to north korea.. chinese and russian leaders inked a deal on the port at mays conference on interaction and confidence building measures in asia (cica) in shanghai, the report said.. the move represents the latest step by beijing and moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties.. resource-hungry china is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while russia at odds with the west over its annexation of ukraines crimea peninsula is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards asia.. the same report spoke of the commencement of construction of the gas pipeline from yakutsk to china.
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fulltimestudent
To see how much the world has changed, consider this list of the world's largest ports in 2012.
In the top 20 sea ports, nine are in China. Only one is in the USA, and its arguable that LA Port owes its inclusion to the China trade
Reference: World Shipping Council: http://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports
TOP 50 WORLD CONTAINER PORTS IN 2011, 2012
Rank Port, Country Volume 2012 (Million TEUs) Volume 2011 (Million TEUS) Website 1
Shanghai, China 32.53 31.74 www.portshanghai.com.cn 2 SIngapore,Singapore 31.65 29.94 www.singaporepsa.com 3 Hong Kong, China 23.10 24.38 www.mardep.gov.hk 4 Shenzhen, China 22.94 22.57 www.szport.net 5 Busan, South Korea 17.04 16.18 www.busanpa.com 6 Ningbo-Zhoushan, China 16.83 14.72 www.zhoushan.cn/english 7 Guangzhou Harbor, China 14.74 14.42 www.gzport.com 8 Qingdao, China 14.50 13.02 www.qdport.com 9 Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 13.30 13.00 www.dpworld.ae 10 Tianjin, China 12.30 11.59 www.ptacn.com 11 Rotterdam, Netherlands 11.87 11.88 www.portofrotterdam.com 12 Port Kelang, Malaysia 10.00 9.60 www.pka.gov.my 13 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China 9.78 9.64 www.khb.gov.tw 14 Hamburg, Germany 8.86 9.01 www.hafen-hamburg.de 15 Antwerp, Belguim 8.64 8.66 www.portofantwerp.com 16 Los Angeles, U.S.A. 8.08 7.94 www.portoflosangeles.org 17 Dalian, China 8.06 6.40 www.dlport.cn 18 Keihin ports*, Japan 7.85 7.64 www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/en/ 19 Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia 7.70 7.50 www.ptp.com.my 20 Xiamen, China -
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Russia and China to Build a Huge New Port south of Vladivostock
by fulltimestudent infrom: business insider, australia.
beijing (afp) china and russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast asia on russias sea of japan coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses growing alliance.. the seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, chinas state-run peoples daily online reported late wednesday comparable to britains busiest port immingham or le havre in france, according to european commission statistics.. the new facility will be located in far eastern russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the chinese border.
the region is also close to north korea.. chinese and russian leaders inked a deal on the port at mays conference on interaction and confidence building measures in asia (cica) in shanghai, the report said.. the move represents the latest step by beijing and moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties.. resource-hungry china is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while russia at odds with the west over its annexation of ukraines crimea peninsula is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards asia.. the same report spoke of the commencement of construction of the gas pipeline from yakutsk to china.
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fulltimestudent
FROM: BUSINESS INSIDER, AUSTRALIA
Beijing (AFP) – China and Russia will build one of the largest ports in northeast Asia on Russia’s Sea of Japan coast, reports said, in a further sign of the powerhouses’ growing alliance.
The seaport is expected to be able to handle some 60 million tonnes of cargo a year, China’s state-run People’s Daily Online reported late Wednesday — comparable to Britain’s busiest port Immingham or Le Havre in France, according to European Commission statistics.
The new facility will be located in far eastern Russia, just 18 kilometres (11 miles) away from the Chinese border. The region is also close to North Korea.
Chinese and Russian leaders inked a deal on the port at May’s Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai, the report said.
The move represents the latest step by Beijing and Moscow to boost their energy and infrastructure ties.
Resource-hungry China is seeking to diversify its sources of energy amid booming domestic consumption, while Russia — at odds with the West over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula — is seeking to refocus its gas and oil exports towards Asia.
THE SAME REPORT SPOKE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE GAS PIPELINE FROM YAKUTSK TO CHINA
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the groundbreaking of a gas pipeline that will help Russia supply China under a huge energy deal.
After a decade of tough negotiations Chinese and Russian leaders inked a 30-year deal, $US400-billion agreement in May that will eventually involve 38 billion cubic metres of gas annually.
“We are today starting the biggest construction project in the world,” Putin said at the ceremony outside the Siberian city of Yakutsk.
Zhang said that he hoped the pipeline would be completed within four years.
“China is to devote consistent and unswerving effort to establishing a strategic partnership of energy cooperation with Russia as agreed upon by the heads of state of the two countries,” he said, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency.
Reference: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/afp-china-russia-to-build-seaport-report-2014-9
Map showing location of Zarubino
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What's the future of Buddhism in China ?
by fulltimestudent into make a start to discussing that question, which i suggest reflects on the future of china itself, i'd like to post two videos (i think i may have posted one of theese videos before).
they both originate from the same night, but there are subtle differences (which i'm not criticising).. the occasion was the buddha's finger bone relic ceremony at the famen temple, in shaanxi province, china on 09/05/2009.
the singer is faye wong and she sings the buddhist heart sutra.
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fulltimestudent
I'm going to use a description from http://www.china.org.cn/english/TR-e/43270.htm to tell the next bit of the story (don't worry I'll get to the point soon.)
The temple was built because the pagoda was there, and the temple became famous because of the pagoda. According to historical records, Famen Temple Pagoda used to be wooden, but it collapsed between 1567 and 1572 in the Ming Dynasty.
When it was rebuilt in 1579, the pagoda became a thirteen-storey brick building and was called the Pagoda for Sakyamuni's Body. The existing pagoda is the rebuilt one. The octagonal pagoda is more than sixty meters high. Horizontal boards on four sides of the first storey are inscribed respectively with "Pagoda for Sakyamuni's Body," "The Beauty of the Town," "The Buddhist Relic Glows" and "The Pagoda Shines." Under the eaves of the pagoda's first storey are carved brick pillars in the shape of claws, curtains, brackets and rafters. Carved under the eaves from the second to the eighth storey are brackets and supports for brackets; the eaves are built of bricks piled together. The other storeys' piled brick eaves have no brackets or other component parts. They may have been rebuilt later. The thirteenth storey has destroyed and made into an octagonal cover. The steeple has a copper body in the shape of an inverted bowl and a bead.
and then, in 1982, after heavy rains and flooding in Shaanxi, the pagoda's foundation subsided, cracked, and more than half the pagoda collapsed.
Now I'm getting to the point, the government and the Temple authorities agreed the Temple should be repaired (the Government paying much of the cost).
During the preparatory work was carried out in 1986, including cleaning up the damaged pagoda and excavation of its attached underground palace, a large quantity of valuable relics were discovered in the underground palace.
The underground palace consists of seven parts: steps, corridors, balconies, passageway, front chamber, central chamber and rear chamber. Totaling 21.12 meters long and covering an area of 31.84 square meters, it is the largest of all underground palaces of pagodas already known today. Discovered from the underground palace are relics of Sakyamuni’s finger bone, a four-doored pure gold pagoda with single eave and a precious bead on top, double-side pure gold staff with twelve rings, a silver staff with gold flower design, two discs and twelve rings, a gilded silver Buddhist ablutionary basin with mandarin duck and posy designs and a silver bodhisattva statue. These important discoveries have made Famen Temple famous all over the world.
