Is Christianity a mix of Judaism and Hinduism?

Discussion in 'Religion and Spirituality' started by nitro, Aug 1, 2010.

  1. prabuinet

    prabuinet

    #31     Aug 9, 2010
  2. Here's a blurb from the product description:

    I would add this caveat. Not all the desciples learned what Jesus had to teach. This accounts for the confused message handed down in their names. Consider this, it would not have been any easier for a Jew to learn his yoga than it is for a Catholic like Jem to learn anything remotely 'Eastern' in flavor. And yet, the student (desciple) has a way of assuming he understands what he does not. And some students are audacious enough to begin teaching (in the name of their master)- as if they knew - before they are ripe (ready). This is not to say that Jesus was not a good teacher. It's just that he taught in a extremely dark theological location (mind-space). His students consternation is a matter of record, should we believe what certain gospels (ie. John) has to say about their level of (mis)understanding, right up to the very end of their sojourn (with him). Not only that. Among his students there is evidence of different levels of understanding, leading to a virtual schism at the most seminal level of Jesus-lore. Should we believe what Thomas has to say, certain of his students were so Jewish in their bent-of-mind that they would stone other students for certain things he had to teach...and so those things were taught privately. This hostility persists to this day between the *gnashtics* (Orthodox, mainstream) against the *gnostics* (radical contrarians).
     
    #32     Aug 15, 2010
  3. And yet, you've got textual indicators suggesting that your goal is or ought to be perfection.

    "Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect".

    Stated another way,

    Be what you are, according to your Spiritual (heavenly, divine) genesis (origin).

    Manhood is fundamentally a denial of divine origin. It is an end result of a morphing that takes place when a divine mind denies its origin. It is no coincidence that you claim to be not perfect. It is the most ancient of wishes, leading to the appearance of the world and your place in it.

    Bottom line: Arrogance is claiming to be what you are not, especially in regards the immutable nature of Go(o)d and Go(o)d's divine offspring. Humility is acknowledging what you are, according to a pre-world equality with Go(o)d. It's humble to be equal. It's arrogant to be different, and therefor special. Heirarchy is the breeding ground of arrogance, which is why it (inequality) is not ordained by Our Father.
     
    #33     Aug 15, 2010
  4. nitro

    nitro

    This is interesting. I have been reading on the Donatism, and they held a similar view I think.

    It is amazing to me how much religion has influenced the daily life of modern people, and I mean from the boardroom to the bedroom to political life to...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donatism
     
    #34     Aug 15, 2010
  5. what?

    what?

    What people believe will influence their performance as employees and citizens. So it's not surprising that employers, businessmen and statesmen will pay attention to the demographics of believers of all kinds, even alleged non-believers. I heard recently that in Germany, tithes are taken directly out of an employees paycheck and given to the denomination (whether Lutheran or Catholic) into which s/he was inducted as a child (ie. infant baptism).

    As for the Donatists, i can't endorse everything they believed. They appear to have been just as confused as the hierarchy they were protesting against. Almost any confused mind can accidentally stumble upon a truism, which is then emphasized beyond reasonable consideration, couched within the context of ignorance. What I'm talking about is that out of the concept of inequality (differences, separation, specialness) springs this entire phenomenon which we fondly call "the world". Notice, the whole world is set up as some kind of hierarchy. We then complain about the hierarchy. No amount of complaining will rectify the fundamental problem: Hierarchy (inequality) is inherently dysfunctional, and is therefore not a *Son* (creation) of Our Father. The remedy, then, is the utter eradication of the notion of hierarchy (inequality) from our minds. In this way, what the world seems to be (real, ordained) is transcended in favor of Reality (ie. the World of Go(o)d) where inequality is an alien concept, utterly laughable and damnable should it be taken seriously. A world in which hierarchy seems to be the status quo is a world in which each participant has a wish to be special, and therefore different. Hierarchy is the inevitable result. Arrogance manifests hierarchy, while the machinery of hierarchy perpetuates the manifestation of arrogance. Somewhere within hierarchy, someone will always appear to be obviously arrogant. But what is not so obvious is that the allegedly "humble", who appear to accept their "place" within a hierarchy...are also arrogant!.
     
    #35     Aug 15, 2010
  6. 2 thoughts.

    First, "Heirarchy is the breeding ground of arrogance, which is why it (inequality) is not ordained by Our Father."

    You realize that is anathema to those who would preach "The Prosperity Bible" - that God wants you to be materially wealthy.

    Second, "Arrogance is claiming to be what you are not, especially in regards the immutable nature of Go(o)d and Go(o)d's divine offspring."

    I agree with this. But it leaves a basic question:

    "Do all fire-brand-type preachers (regardless of religion) start as blasphemers?"

    To claim to know the mind - even the intent - of what they themselves would admit to being "all-powerful" and "all-knowing" is a significant claim, placing them on equal footing.

    BUT - if all people are in their understanding like the cats in this video (compared to the makers of the treadmill)...

    http://comedy.video.yahoo.com/?v=8062274

    ...BUT some cats claim to understand the purpose and source of the treadmill, wouldn't those cats have earned scorn rather than a following?

    Yet there are some cats who would stand on their hindquarters and proclaim they know the mind that created the treadmill, and understand its purpose and design, and bid other cats do things in the name of that special knowledge.

    Should not the other cats, rather than praise and follow, instead point at him and yell

    "BLASPHEMER!!"
    ?
     
    #36     Aug 15, 2010
  7. Yes because it postulates (insists) that Our Father has anything to do with a material existence (limitation) in the first place...not to mention everything that striving for anything (anything at all) implies (negatively) about the complete and loving nature of Go(o)d. There isn't any greater wealth than being the Son of Go(o)d, having and being everything Go(o)d is. So, everything that can possibly be given or obtained is already a natural aspect of our divine inheritance. Striving for anything else denies this and is just another iteration of the overall denial that morphes a confused mind into *man*.

    Pretty much. But then, blasphemy is more broadly practiced than is obvious. Merely to look at a material world can be considered a kind of blasphemy inasmuch as we have a choice about it (we do). We see the world we see (a world of inequality, heirarchy, levels, differences, separation) because there is an ancient wish (hidden) that supports it. Everything that can be seen with human eyeballs is blasphemous. In other words, this entire phenomenon we fondly call "the world" functionally *mocks* Go(o)d.
     
    #37     Aug 15, 2010
  8. There's a lot of this going on. For one thing, the maker of this world is psychotic. Second, not only do these types claim to know what the psycho thinks, they represent the psycho as Our Father (Go(o)d).
     
    #38     Aug 15, 2010
  9. #39     Aug 15, 2010
  10. Christianity (from the Greek word Xριστός, Khristos, "Christ", literally "anointed one") is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy (which parted ways with Catholicism in 1054 A.D.) and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century). Protestantism is further divided into smaller groups called denominations.

    Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, God having become human and the savior of humanity. Christians, therefore, commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah.

    Adherents of the Christian faith, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (the part of scripture common to Christianity and Judaism, and referred to as the "Old Testament" in Christianity). The foundation of Christian theology is expressed in the early Christian ecumenical creeds, which contain claims predominantly accepted by followers of the Christian faith. These professions state that Jesus suffered, died from crucifixion, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead to open heaven to those who believe in him and trust him for the remission of their sins (salvation). They further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven where he rules and reigns with God the Father. Most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge all humans, living and dead, and grant eternal life to his followers. He is considered the model of a virtuous life, and both the revealer and physical incarnation of God. Christians call the message of Jesus Christ the Gospel ("good news") and hence refer to the earliest written accounts of his ministry as gospels.

    Christianity began as a Jewish sect and is classified as an Abrahamic religion. Originating in the eastern Mediterranean, it quickly grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the 4th century had become the dominant religion within the Roman Empire.

    During the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was Christianized, with Christians also being a (sometimes large) religious minority in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of India. Following the Age of Discovery, through missionary work and colonization, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, and the rest of the world. Christianity, therefore, is a major influence in the shaping of Western civilization.

    As of the early 21st century, Christianity has around 2.2 billion adherents. Christianity represents about a quarter to a third of the world's population and is the world's largest religion. In addition, Christianity is the state religion of several countries.
     
    #40     Aug 16, 2010