I do not recall ever having debated with you, and it makes a difference in how I interpret and respond to your posts.
Well what question are you asking me? Do I consider myself a Christian? Yes I do. Will you consider me a Christian? That you would even presume the authority to make such an evaluation should astonish me, but it is all too common.
I am not interested in your judgement of my Chrisitanity - nor anyone's for that matter. And personally, I don't believe Jesus is pleased with everyone running around judging each other, either, But that's just me. I understand that for many people, there's not much point in being a Christian if you can't judge other people.
But I will tell you that what you call yourself makes no difference to how I interpret and respond to your posts, and I think that's a pretty major difference between us right there - I don't presume any judgement authority over your spiritual path.
As for Quix, he obviously does not believe in the validity of the Marian phenomenon, while I do. So what? We agree on some things, disagree on others. Oh BTW, I'm not a Catholic, either.
So what am I? How do I answer religious "experts"? Jesus said this:
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
- Matthew 22:35-40
That's what I am. is it good enough for you? What chrch does it belong to? Catholic? Christian? Pentecostalist? Which one - tell me, because I don't want to screw up and go to hell and burn forever. So which church does this passage belong to?
Oh, and is it NOT a part of Hinduism? Or Buddhism? Or Taoism? Tell me how these religions don't include these MOST IMPORTANT commandments.
I know, simplistic. But I guess I am too - and I'm glad Jesus had mercy upon people as simple as me, by giving us a teaching we can comprehend and live. I know ya'll think I'm deficient, but over the years, I've learned to live with your disapointment in me.
grey_whiskers wrote: Swami Muktananda's teaching can be summarized in two quotations:
* Honor your Self, Worship your Self, Meditate on your Self, God dwells within you as you.
* See God in Each Other.
Called third strike. This is NOT what the Holy Spirit calls Christians to.
"Called third strike?" Maybe the strike is in the mind of the caller. Because when I read these teaching from Muktananda, I hear:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." - John 15: 9-12
Like I said, I don't measure up to the kinds of logic chopping which you all are worried is going to land me in hell. So I'm glad Jesus - and Muktananda - put it in simple enough words so that even I can understand.
Oh, and grey_whiskers? I disagree with the Hindus on a lot of things too, so if you and G.K. want to continue to hold court over the validity of that five thousand year old franchise, that's okay by me. But a word of advice - take it easy on mixing the first and third chakra stuff with your sixth chakra. If you get too hooked on the rush, when the Kundalini hits them you're going to find it hard going. For myself, I'll just own my own opinions about things. Unlike you, who speak for the Church - right? I mean, it's not like you're just speaking your opinion. You're authorized to teach - right? And because of that, you're not personally responsible for your positions, because you're... well, you're... absolved... of things like that. Right?
And here's a final thought: I and people like me, sit back and watch millions of Catholics and Protestants going at it, all certain each other is going to hell, and that's when you already acknowledge that the other is a Christian. Yet none of you - none of you - see your bickering as any reason why someone else should perhaps not be so worried about getting your religious approval. At the very least, one would think a tad bit of humility would work it's way in. But I have yet to see any over many years, and so I have no belief it will occur here now. Nevertheless, I thought you might be interested in how an "ousider" sees your "authority."
Well, that's all for me tonight. May the Holy Spirit watch over all of you and keep you safe from both demons and non-religion-affiliated spiritual people with personal opinions.
Faith has an object. If the object of faith is not through Christ, it is separate from the Plan of God, i.e. misses the mark, i.e. the very meaning of ‘sin’.
Loving another as loving ourselves, through faith in Christ implies sharing the Gospel, especially to those who may not be aware.
LOL.
Masterfully done.
* Honor your Self, Worship your Self, Meditate on your Self, God dwells within you as you.
* See God in Each Other.
Called third strike. This is NOT what the Holy Spirit calls Christians to.
"Called third strike?" Maybe the strike is in the mind of the caller. Because when I read these teaching from Muktananda, I hear: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." - John 15: 9-12
That's great. Now tell me why you skipped the first sentence of the Hindu teachings "Worship Yourself Meditate on Yourself."
In taking the teachings of Jesus out of context, and ignoring those Hindu teachings which CLEARLY contradict Christian teachings (compare the Worship Yourself to Matthew 4:8 "And Jesus answered and said to him, Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve") you fulfill the Chestertonian description to a T.
As far as the Chakras -- I wouldn't know a Chakra from a Sherman tank; all I know of them I learned from reading about the ole' crazed sex poodle AlGore. His reported behaviour is reminiscent of that of Muktananda as described by little jeremiah in Post # 118.
And here's a final thought: I and people like me, sit back and watch millions of Catholics and Protestants going at it, all certain each other is going to hell, and that's when you already acknowledge that the other is a Christian. Yet none of you - none of you - see your bickering as any reason why someone else should perhaps not be so worried about getting your religious approval.
Hmmm, you ought to re-read my posts #94 and #105
You aren't the first one to have voiced that thought.
Incidentally, though, it is interesting that you refer to "watching Catholics and Protestants" -- grammatically implying you identify with neither group.
Greek Orthodox? Eastern Orthodox?
(Yes, I read your post #78 in which you wrote:
"In my view, if it isn't founded upon the Holy Spirit, it isn't a real religion. I don't believe there is more than one Holy Spirit. But I also think that God is infinitely creative, and never leaves a culture abandoned."
That may be true: but it does not necessarily follow that the Kundalini is the Holy Spirit. (You appear to be suggesting that Kundalini is the Holy Spirit working--so to speak--"incognito", at least to Western eyes -- purifying the lives of those open to it, insofar as their cultural constraints allow such). But I see no indication that Kundalini directs people to Jesus; nor any indication of a need for salvation through the Cross and the Resurrection. ("...who proceeds from the Father and the Son", also see 1 John 4:1-6, and John 14:6).
Cheers!