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We use our imagination to create our lives. It is your choice whether this creative inner life manifests itself spontaneously and chaotically, or constructively and directed. Constructive, directed imagination creates harmony out of chaos.
"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."
God is everywhere present.
God is everlasting.
God has given us eternal life.
Creatorship is the aggregate of God's acting nature.
God is all and in all.
God dwells in us.
Halloween is coming up soon, should we be scared?
Watch Bishop Carlton Pearson in an NBC Interview entitled "The Preacher's New Idea"
Be touched and inspired - I can't explain it - you'll just have to watch.
Links:
Segment 1- The Preacher's New Idea
Segment 2- The Preacher's New Idea
Watch this video to hear a very Interesting concept of Prayer:
According to Gard Jameson in the above video, Prayer is a four level dimensional experience:
Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty of 272 to 231 BC - #12 from the 14 Rock Edicts - Edicts of Ashoka
Podcast: Download isq_honoring_diverse_religions_becoming_one_religion.wma
Interfaith Spirit Quest is about coming together to share the best of our religions, making spiritual progress toward the goal of becoming majestic, well-balanced personalities, thereby becoming one religion.
Podcast: Download isq_what_we_need_is_a_purpose.wma
We live in a very busy and material world – television, internet, newspapers and magazines, radios and MP3 players, advertising signs, and other distractions are everywhere. Conversations are happening but nothing is being said. Solutions and ideas are offered, but nothing is being done. Thoughtful daydreaming and contemplation is diminishing. Nobody has any time. It seems as though we're trying to divert our mind away from anything that's too personal. We don't touch anymore. Our lives are full, but there's no meaning in anything for many people. Nobody cares, routine has taken over. We're busy just being. We're human 'beings' after all, isn't that what we're supposed to do?
What we need is a purpose. If you're lucky enough to have figured out yours, well please share your comments below. If you haven't figured out your purpose yet, might I suggest that it is simply to develop yourselves into majestic, well-balanced personalities - and once you've achieved that, then help others to do the same.
Most effective areas to concentrate on in order to develop majestic, well-balanced personalities:
Interfaith Spirit Quest is about coming together to share the best of our religions, making spiritual progress toward the goal of becoming majestic, well-balanced personalities, thereby becoming one religion. Thank you for stopping by and have a joyful day.
Please visit our Book Shop: Interfaith Spirit Quest Book Shop - suggested reading.
How to forgive
Podcast: Download isq_forgiveness_how_to_forgive.wma
Forgiveness is an act of the heart. Let go and forgive – easier said than done? Mindful action is the tool you can use to break through tightly-held patterns of thought and behavior.
Why should you forgive? To quiet angry feelings and improve relationships. Forgiveness changes destructive thinking into constructive thinking. If your unforgiving attitude has caused you to mistreat other uninvolved individuals, forgiveness may be a gift to them as well as yourself. God asks us to forgive others; forgiveness is an act of Love toward God and kindness toward the one who hurt you.
Take a deep breath......
Think of one event, belief, hurt or behavior pattern that you would like to let go. What are you letting go of?
Forgiveness is not always easy; forgiving may feel more painful than the hurt we originally suffered. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
Do you replay the event over and over again in your mind?
When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. ThichNhat Hanh
Can you put your feelings into words? Describe the hurt you want to release and using a pencil, write it out in one complete sentence. Now, release it. Erase it – literally. Let it go.
To receive forgiveness from God there are three requirements:
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
Lewis B Smedes
"Your inability or unwillingness to forgive your fellows is the measure of your immaturity, your failure to attain adult sympathy, understanding, and love. You hold grudges and nurse vengefulness in direct proportion to your ignorance of the inner nature and true longings of your children and your fellow beings. Love is the outworking of the divine and inner urge of life. It is founded on understanding, nurtured by unselfish service, and perfected in wisdom." Urantia Paper 174:1.5
We were inspired to write this post by the good work being done at the Campaign for Love and Forgiveness, for more information on Love and Forgiveness - see Love and Forgive
Interfaith Spirit Quest is about coming together to share the best of our religions, making spiritual progress toward the goal of becoming majestic, well-balanced personalities, thereby becoming one religion. Thank you for stopping by and have a joyful day.
Please visit our Book Shop: Interfaith Spirit Quest Book Shop - suggested reading.
Podcast: Download isq_liberalconservative_stabilitychange_moralitydiversity.wma
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the five moral values that form the basis of our political choices, whether we're Liberal, Conservative or Independent, whether we're for Stability or Change, Morality or Diversity. In this expansive panoramic Ted.com video, Haidt explores the moral values liberals, independents and conservatives tend to agree on, as well as our differences; while at the same time attempting to convince us how much we need each other, and how we balance each other - you know... Ying and Yang. Haidt does not appear to be one-sided, although the audience does appear to be a bit biased - you will see how they tend to giggle a lot when their viewpoints are validated.
Jonathan Haidt: The real difference between liberals and conservatives
From the Ted.com Bio Page: Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies morality and emotion in the context of culture. He asks: Why did humans evolve to have morals -- and why did we all evolve to have such different morals, to the point that our moral differences may make us deadly enemies? It's a question with deep repercussions in war and peace -- and in modern politics, where reasoned discourse has been replaced by partisan anger and cries of "You just don't get it!" Haidt asks, "Can't we all disagree more constructively?" He suggests we might build a more civil and productive discourse by understanding the moral psychology of those we disagree with, and committing to a more civil political process. He's also active in the study of positive psychology and human flourishing.
Haidt quotes a poem from the 8th century Zen master Sent-Ts’an: in the video - here it is in its entirety:
The Perfect Way is only difficult
for those who pick and choose;
Do not like, do not dislike;
all will then be clear.
Make a hairbreadth difference,
and Heaven and Earth are set apart;
If you want the truth to stand clear before you,
never be for or against.
The struggle between "for" and "against"
is the mind's worst disease.
Haidt conducted a workshop in 2007 entitled "Moralistic Politics - politics in which power and ideas are hotly contested but opponents are respected as fellow citizens who are assumed to be sincere in their beliefs." In the interest of promoting civil political discourse and interfaith dialogue - you can view the summary of the workshop here:
Moralistic Politics: FREE PDF Document Download jonathan_haidt_workshop.pdf
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt also wrote a book entitled: The Happiness Hypothesis - from one reviewer: "Using delightful sparkling prose, Jonathan Haidt has written a meaty and worthwhile book about happiness, emotion and the creation of personal meaning. It is so rare nowadays to find people who can place their work in a broad historical and cultural context. Yet Haidt does just that. Here we have a book in which discussions of the brain rub shoulders with the sayings of the Buddha."
Podcast: Download isq_faith_vs_atheism_young_spiritual_artist_paints_visions.wma
12 year old child prodigy, Akiane Kramarik, was born to an atheist mother, Akiane claims to have visions of God and heaven and paints them. The inspiration for her paintings come from her visions, dreams, observations of people, nature and God.
Is it possible that religion may actually steer some people away from God? This child, the daughter of an atheist mother (who it appears is no longer an atheist), may have been given the freedom to develop her faith on her own - resulting in direct contact with God, as opposed to being force fed a particular way of viewing God by those around her.
Please watch this video and then see the commentary below, just by using the simple powers of observation, one can come to the conclusion that God does indeed still speak to us.
Akiane Kramarik - Young Spiritual Artist
After you have watched this video, please consider the following questions and thoughts.
How did I get here? Many years ago, on the coast of California, I personally had what some people would call a born-again experience, others might call it a mountain-top experience, still others would call it a mystical experience. The sheer beauty of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the California coastline, my emotional state leading up to this spiritually transforming moment, and something extra special, all played a part in my spiritual/religious experience that day.
Through the years, my views about God have been discounted and/or explained away by regular 'religious' people and religious leaders. I can't help but wonder what my spiritual life would be like today were it not for the consistent efforts of those people to convince me that my experiences, beliefs and feelings should be kept to myself. This is why I asked earlier (see above) if it was possible that religion actually steers some people away from God. I remember the first time I read the Bible, I actually read the New Testament first, I was just in awe of what it said and I wondered why the church didn't practice what the Bible preaches. Those around me believed the church knew what they were doing and I must be misinterpreting the Bible. How do you misinterpret "Love your neighbor as yourself"...... or "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind"....? It's difficult to remember now exactly what is was that they were not doing, but I do remember that the excuses really turned me off. I stopped going to church, and I stopped reading the Bible for a while, but eventually resumed, this time reading the Old Testament. Again, I was smitten, I was in Love with God all over again. I was reawakened by God.
One of the first things I did was to seek out a Bible believing church, I ended up at a non-denominational church and then a more mainstream church. I began to discover discrepancies in those churches too, and when I questioned my last church about these discrepancies, they actually told me that I was forbidden to discuss these issues with other members of the church! These issues related to the second coming. the Book of Revelation, and the idea of hell. I've also spent time in universalism type churches/fellowships, but they're no different, "Love your neighbor as yourself"...... or "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind".... didn't seem to ring any more true with them than it did with the mainstream churches. Neither one was willing to accept me and my views. All these churches/fellowships seem to have their own agenda, which seem to me to be contrary to what God teaches, so I have pretty much stopped going to church now. Interfaith Spirit Quest is about connecting all of us through the study and discussion of the best of our religious and spiritual philosophies.
There is a new group of spiritual seekers, those who have had these mountain-top, born-again, mystical spiritual/religious experiences that cannot be denied(!), or maybe even not explained, who fit somewhere in the middle. We're not the extreme fundamental religious person, nor are we the extreme new age, way out there fundamentalist. Those of us who sit in the middle of this spiritual spectrum are looking for a way to develop our spirituality to its maximum potential. Akiane Kramarik, the young spiritual artist in the above video, demonstrates this desire by the sheer fact that she has been allowed to explore her spirituality.
If there is something good to be said about the atheist, it is this: Some atheists allow their children, and even themselves, to live to their full potential, they do not forbid them from experiencing awesome wonder (who I believe is God). We might go and do likewise.
And if there is something to be said about God, it is this: There is nothing that can separate you from the Love of God. Nothing.
Interfaith Spirit Quest is about coming together to share the best of our religions, making spiritual progress toward the goal of becoming majestic, well-balanced personalities, thereby becoming one religion. Thank you for stopping by.
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