Air signs and Water signs are more spiritual -as noted in a previous post.
Earth sings and Fire signs have a more- by the book spirituality a.k.a more founded in a specific religion.
Neither is right or wrong, but both need to strive for a balance between the two extremes. I'm somewhere more towards spirituality, but am also grounded and realistic enough to understand certain rules and laws that religions I take into deep consideration abide by.
I know people who are all faith, and not much knowledge. They're hard to talk to. "Why do you believe in this?" -"I just do." "How did you come to that conclusion?" -"I just believe I am right."
Great... So you just feel like believing things. I don't think humans were intended to just believe things for the sake of believing in them. They can get easily led astray that way. We were meant to use skepticism and reasoning in our judgements -especially the spiritual ones.
But then I know people one the other end of the spectrum. "Why do you believe that?" -"Because the Bible says so". "Why does it say so?" -"Because it just does". "Why do you believe in your religion?" -"Because I was taught to believe in it. If you don't believe in it, there is something wrong with you, not me".
Humans were not intended to follow rules and laws blindly either. Making your own decisions and holding yourself accountable are important factors life. You need to use skepticism and reasoning in following beliefs others have established to make sure you understand why they believed what they did, and why you believe the same. Otherwise, how can you make others understand what you know to be true?
It also occurs to me that maybe God did this for a reason. God knew we needed a balance so he made half the people "Religious" and half the people "Spiritual" so they can come together and learn from each other since each has what the other lacks. Without religion, your spirituality will only lead you to whims and dreams that don't mean anything. Without Spirituality, your religion will take you nowhere and you will repeat empty words that have no meaning in your life.
I also think this is why God gave man Buddhism and Christianity. Some people don't even consider Buddhism to be a religion -more like a spiritual philosophy. Most people think Christianity is too much of a religion -too many divisions and rules dividing people. Each has what the other needs. I feel a blending of these two faiths leads a person to discover a deeper connection to God and humanity.
This is why I don't get offended when other people's views differ from my own. I don't care about the fact they they believe differently, I just want to understand WHY they believe differently, because maybe I should be believing what they do. I can't know until I understand.
No one can Know, until they Understand.
Well, the Bible is absolutely true. Problem is, most people can't explain why it is. Here's just a bit why:
ReplyDelete1. No book has as many historical manuscripts supporting its authenticity...not even close.
2. The book is written by over 70 different authors, spanning over several cultures and countries, over at least 2 millenia. No other holy book can make this claim, as they are all written by one man in one locked time/culture.
3. Every single country that has adopted the Bible as the core for their legal system has been successful and prosperous.
4. Archeology regularly and consistently proves the stories in the Bible to be true.
5. It's the only book that gives details about the only man who literally split time in half ---- from him onward we divide time between B.C and A.D
6. It represents the oldest religion that is still practiced today. What is true never fades/dies.
7. There is no moral virtue or good teaching in Buddhism that is not somewhere in the Christian Bible. Buddhism truly only differentiates itself in terms of teachings such as reincarnation/nirvana/etc.
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There is no moral virtue or good teaching in Buddhism that is not somewhere in the Christian Bible. Buddhism truly only differentiates itself in terms of teachings such as reincarnation/nirvana/etc.
ReplyDeleteI assume by listing all those factoids about the Bible, most of which I was already aware of, you were trying to show in some way that Chrisitanity is better than other religions -specifically Buddhism. Or were you trying to suggest that Buddhism essentially is just a copy of the main messages in the Bible in a less formal way, with the only real difference being Nirvana/ Reincarnation?
Either way, I'm not hear to argue the validity of The Bible. There are powerful truths within it that have been varified numerous times by unbias sources- no need to question it's importance. But I feel as though what Buddhism brings to the table, besides notions of reincarnation, is a greater sense and emphasis on Compassion, Connectivity to the Planet and everything on it, and a greater sens of Peace and Letting Go -things the Bible speaks to, but I honestly see more prominantly emphasized in Buddhism. Spiritual Unity.
I brought up these points as an answer to your claims that there are people who believe in the Bible and don't know why. There are extremely good reasons to believe in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is the best religion --- no contest, really, based on the things I listed off the top of my head (and there are many more).
You are extremely accurate that Buddhism emphasizes certain things that the Bible mentions as being part of a process.
You see, for Buddhism, these attributes are the final step. In Christianity, these attributes are a result of the final step.
HUGE, profound viewpoint change.
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"as an answer to your claims that there are people who believe in the Bible and don't know why. There are extremely good reasons to believe in the Bible."
ReplyDeleteI still can't tell if we're agreeing or not. It just bugs me when people blindly site The Bible, but they don't know why it says what it says. They're representing The Bible in an ignorant way.