Creepy corner

[Freestylers09]

 

like tat got difference being a saint liao?

[Karebu]

Um not really.

 

You need more 'good' than 'bad' to 'pass' (break out of the rebirth cycle) in this game of life. Think of a balance scale.

 

The Egyptians are actually very learned people with respect to the afterlife.

 

This is an actual mural. Basically it depicts a person being judged when he dies. And as you can see the two 'things' (sorry I forgot all their names already) on the scales, namely the 'good' and the 'bad' you've accumulated in your life. And the dog-like entity (has a proper name i can't remb) will be your escort after the verdict.

 

 

You can read more on http://www.gnosticteachings.org/content/category/8/72/66/

[Celicapimp]

they also said one must not hurt other verbally with words..gossip..spread rumours..if not karma

[Karebu]

yep that too.

 

ps: btw just in case you guys are super confused. gnosticism is what I find, personally, a common ground for all religions. i.e all religions (cath, christn, judaism, buddh, etc etc) make sense and complement each other in gnostic context.

[Shorty]

jus to share...we muslim also believe dat we will b judged de same way.our good n bad will be weighed b4 it is determined whether we will go to heaven or hell.if u are adjudged to hv more bad den gd...u will enter hell....but u will b allowed to go to heaven once u hv 'payed ur dues' thru ur sufferings in hell.

[Freestylers09]

yah agree..especially who did that behind the back...its worst or rather gossip too much..in the end had it themselves?this just a cycle i think...

[Karebu]

oh hm. that's pretty similar to the catholics isn't it? sounds like the purgatory.

 

funny why everyone can't see eye to eye. but it(all religions) all comes together and makes sense in gnosticism anyway.

[Shorty]

i believe dat all religions originate from 1 religion hv de same priciples.cos if u see...all religion's beliefs r identical.dunno abt other religions...but i see quite a lot of similarities btwn islam n christianity.so...all religions should work together...n make dis world a better place.afteral...we all believe in de same principles of life.

[Tohdj]

not all religions originate from 1 religion. such as scientology whose followers believe that they are planted here on earth by aliens...and one day the aliens will come back to get them.

 

islam and christianity shares the same roots...but islam believes that Allah has only 1 prophet who is Prophet Muhammad. Some believe that revelations given to the prophets of christianity had been distorted by men...see the following.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Islam

 

Because of the differences in beliefs...they have fought for hundreds of years.

[Shorty]

hmm...agreed.not all la...but at least almost all religions share de same principles.don understand y diff religions must fight when each religion teach us human to b kind to all other living things.

 

anyway...back to creepy stories...anymore ghost stories to share??

[Focusdude]

If you are referring to contributions versus consumption i.e. what we take from the system viz-a-viz what we give back to the system (where system is loosely used to denote everything else other than "us"), then Bro Karebu has raised a very good approach. His focus is on the flaws that we as human beings have. His belief is that as we reduce the influence of our innate ego and its vices (anger, lust, greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy), we improve naturally the ways in which we are interacting with the system and therefore our contributions become "better" as well.

 

This is however just part of the process of self-cultivation. There are also other aspects that we can work on. For example, it is important to recognise that we need to overcome ignorance by acquiring knowledge and seeking alternative viewpoints to our own so that we can learn and grow. As with other things though, it is dangerous to become overly concerned with knowledge-seeking such that it becomes the end rather than just a means to greater understanding of the universal truth.

 

Voluntary work helps but your intentions do matter as well. Do you do it because of compassion or do you do it because you think it will help one to achieve enlightenment or be saved (in christian context)? My personal opinion is that there are four things that must be aligned in our daily living - the mind, the heart, the mouth and the hands.

 

Does your mind think in the same way as what your heart feels?

Does your mouth say things that are in line with what your heart feels?

Do yours hands do things that are in line with what your heart feels?

 

If compassion springs from the heart, then naturally your mind should think compassionate thoughts.

 

If compassion springs from the heart, then naturally your mouth should say compassionate words.

 

If compassion springs from the heart, then naturally your hands should do compassionate things.

 

To do otherwise would be unnatural (artificial) and that results in negative thoughts, negative words, negative actions and negative outcomes, no matter if the thoughts, words, actions and outcomes are perceived "correct" by society.

 

These are just my personal views.

 

Bro,can enlighten me on law of exchange?beside voluntary work,what else can we do?

[Freestylers09]

dont know leh..my thoughts are since weekend abit free...so helped out abit..see what can help just help lor...my thoughts are that i believed that me myself already consider v fortunate compare to alot in the other part of the world...so should be a blessing already...since i have time but no $...why not help other's who lives are not so fortunate..sometimes quite happy about it..but heart will sour if see not so fortunate things... i learn this after my trip to 3rd world country

[Chocobelle]

oei wkend so free boh tai ji cho ah

 

cm my hse be maria leh

 

[Focusdude]

One primary reason why people of different religions do not see eye-to-eye is because of the politics involved. Where there are human beings, it is difficult to not have political agendas arising. After all, one of the functions of religious groups is to propagate their faith and their teachings. It is when that specific function is overemphasised that the corresponding temptations of power, control and status arise. The desensitisation of the world to the "evils" of the vices (greed, pride, etc) contributes to this phenomena.

 

Ego is, as you have mentioned, another culprit. Ego makes a person focus on his own accepted religion and feels that it is "better" than the others. Without reducing or eliminating the delusions that ego generates, it is difficult (for me at least) to see beyond what is taught in his religion.

 

For example, my own set of beliefs may not be correct yet to me, at this point in time, I hold them as true. And ego makes me want to hold them up to others as "the truth". It is only through constant self-reminders and an underlying acceptance of my fallibility that I remember that my own views are contestable, non-permanent and inconsequential. In order to cultivate myself further, I will then need to further open my mind to the inputs from others so that I can learn from them.

 

In theistic religions, God provides the constant reminder that we are fallible. This, in my personal opinion, is one of the key strengths of theistic religions like Islam and Christianity. Buddhism, on the other hand, requires diligence on the part of the individual and accordingly, the willingness to work on changing (cultivating) oneself. By the nature of human beings, it is (in my opinion), easier to have faith, no matter how superficially or if it is mystic-oriented, than be diligent.

[Freestylers09]

 

u say u dont mind tag along rite??ok..next session u come!"Horse" dont want,wan pick up i can take the key...but if i buang,u pay for me

[Focusdude]

Bro, you are fortunate to have experienced that because it will go a long way in your spiritual cultivation.

 

While it is easy to say that one must be compassionate and must do compassionate things (yada, yada), it is not easy for one who has not the karma to develop the seed of compassion in him into something bigger.

 

Try to close your eyes and think back to the time when you first set eyes on the less fortunate in the third world country. What was the feeling that you got? Can you feel that as intensely in you right now? In many cases, it would likely have faded somewhat. The feel that you got was the seed of compassion springing some roots in your heart. If you do not water the seedling, it will wither and in time to come, you will lose it.

 

Compassion is something that needs to be cultivated as well. You will need to discover the seedling that is still in you. One way is through reflection (some quiet time) and a willingness to do it. Only after you have done so can you start to grow it again.

 

This takes time and it is tempting to give this up when you are busy with your voluntary work. However, my personal feel is that it is very important that you do not because it will become the source of the compassionate energy and positive desire that will keep you going in that area for many years to come.

[Freestylers09]

hmmm...very good advice.let me think reflect it back...

 

but sometimes i muz admit i v guai lan person...if only my tail is stepped..but i believed its natural for human...maybe should control my temper sometimes...

 

i just wan get to the direction of the law of exchange...i feel its important somehow

Edited March 28, 2008 by Freestylers09

[Focusdude]

Sorry if I'm long-winded... :)

 

Controlling is one way but it can be negative in the long run.

 

An analogy would be a balloon that is filled with air. Each time you control your temper and suppress any outburst, you pump a bit more air into the balloon. In time to come, the balloon will reach its limits and then burst. When it bursts, the damage may be significant.

 

Understanding the roots of anger is another method of reducing your temper. When you get angry, try to locate its roots in your heart. What gives rise to the anger? Locating the roots is the first step because it then gives you the opportunity to pull out the roots (through understanding for example). When more and more of the anger roots have been pulled out, you are less likely to flare up in the first place. Then maybe there won't even be a need to "control" your temper.

 

In reality however, it is difficult to be able to do this when you are already angry. The second best time therefore is after you are no longer seething with anger and can spend some time to think about it. One obstacle to what was mentioned above is regret and guilt. Don't be too overwhelmed by regret and guilt that you forget to try to find the roots of anger. It is, of course, easier said than done.

 

Give it a try the next time you get angry.