Don?T Get Lost In Christianity And Religion, Your Purpose And Knowledge Is Much Greater

I have come to a conclusion; there is a difference between religion and spirituality. People that are religious say that they are spiritual. Many times the words are thrown about interchangeably.  However, there is a difference. Religion is an idealized set of beliefs. With religion everyone has to ascribe to those beliefs or they are not a part of that religion. Spirituality is personal with universal concepts, Universal in that all can ascribe to those beliefs and they work without impartiality to race or condition. Religion is objective, meaning others agree to dogma and rules. Spirituality is subjective; it is subject to the internal beliefs, moods and emotions of the individual.

Jesus was teaching spiritual principles, but man for its own reasons made Christianity about Jesus rather than what he was attempting to teach. Jesus was attempting to teach us to connect to a universal consciousness not some all powerful being that watched over us like a guard dog ready to bite us and punish us when we did some wrong determined by man. Jesus teachings were to lead man into discovering his greater existence in the universe. Man unfortunately for centuries have believed that the world we live in is the entire universe. Man has believed what we experience with our five senses is all there is to the universe. Even though there is much evidence to the contrary, man persists in his limited view of his existence. Religion is an aid in the persistence of limiting thought.

 In the NIV bible, John 4:24 Jesus states, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

 This is one of the scriptures that Jesus makes a statement that is meant to be universal in nature. Man has now defined what a worshiper is and the consequences when he does not fit the definition. Did Jesus intend his teaching to separate man or to unite? Religion says we all have to fit a definition of worshiper. Jesus had principles that taught us HOW to worship.

 John 7:16 Jesus answered, “my teaching in not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” 

This scripture is spoken figuratively by Jesus. He says …HIM who sent me. Can God be a person, or did Jesus mean a universal force? What is God’s will and how do you choose it? Who decides your choice? Who decides where his teachings come from? Religion believes they have answered those questions and they have answered them for anyone that believes in the ascribed dogma. Jesus was giving us formulas to find out for ourselves. How does one know that the teachings of Jesus come from God? When they search for the meaning for themselves. When that person goes inside and starts to ask the hard questions.

 John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 Religion made this scripture and statement about the man. Figuratively Jesus was saying that he can teach us how to recognize our eternal selves. If we follow his TEACHINGS he can give us the knowledge.

 One of the most destructive verses to mankind and his universality is John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This one verse man has taken literally from Jesus. He meant that through his teachings man would be enlightened. Religion made it about THE MAN Jesus rather than about the universal enlightenment of man. Religion has separated mankind from its understanding of his place in the universe for thousands of years. We have within us a vast reservoir of knowledge. We have to be brave enough to step outside the accepted NORMS of religion to discover that knowledge. That is what the teachings of Jesus was about. Not the dogmatic rants of self proclaimed disciples. Does a teacher TELL you how to think? Or is a teacher to give you a foundation on which to build? 

It is time for us to wake up. We have gotten lost in religion. Our purpose is much greater and our knowledge more vast than any religious thought will allow us to perceive. Religion controls through fear and misinformation, giving us concepts of a vengeful God and hell. We should open our minds to the eternal wisdom of our souls. Not to the finite rants of preachers. We all have infinite abilities that Jesus alluded to in the scripture. You have to be brave enough to investigate for yourself and strong enough to stand up to thousands of years of ignorance. Spirituality is personal and liberating. Religion is bastion of fearful and confining thought.

 Are you a brave soul? 

reginaldc is me @ http://reginaldc.me

I am a teacher by trade. I am developing spiritually and enjoy writing and putting my thoughts down in my blog. My gift is to take difficult concepts and make them understandable. come by my blog and see. I also podcast my articles and use video and images to illustrate and give deeper insight on the subject. Reginalc is me @ http://reginaldc.me

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THE BREWING POT (Rebuild Egypt): www.facebook.com WE ARE ALL KHALED SAID: www.facebook.com HELP HERE: www.freeegyptnow.org LIVE FEED english.aljazeera.net Producer/Director/Writer: Tamer Shaaban The world has heard Egypt’s call for help, and now we are responding. We need our nations to respond equally. Today, it doesn’t matter what race, ethnicity, gender, or religion you are. Today we are all Egyptian, today we are all human beings. The Egyptian people have fought for their freedom but their government won’t set them free. This video is a testament that we are all people fighting for a free Egypt and a free world. Today we make our voice heard. Individually we’re a whisper, Together we’re deafening. We call for peace and ask our leaders to do the same. A very special thanks to the 50+ people who contributed and helped make this video possible. Sources Song: “London” — by James Newton Howard FPShorts www.filmparlor.net www.facebook.com Reuters www.youtube.com CNN www.cnn.com Aljazeera http The Atlantic theatlantic.tumblr.com National Press news.nationalpost.com Boston.com www.boston.com Reddit User: Latenightcabdriving www.reddit.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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The Northern Cape – so Much to Offer Travellers

The Northern Cape is a land with a long history stretching back thousands of years. It offers vast wildlife, picturesque scenery and assorted cultures.
If you are traveling in the Northern Cape these 10 places is worth a visit:

1. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

This mysterious desert wilderness situated on the edge of the Kalahari covers some 102 000 ha of land. Tswalu committed to “restoring the Kalahari to itself” is the largest privately owned game reserve in South African and a conservation vision in progress. Some of the highlights include true Kalahari Lions, majestic Cheetah and Desert Black Rhino. Tswalu is home to over 70 species of mammal, including Sable and Roan Antelope and more than 250 species of bird. Tswalu provides unparalleled safari experiences including guided walks, horseback safaris and hot air ballooning over the desert landscape.Being a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux you can be sure that guests are offered luxurious accommodation and splendid cuisine.

2. The Orange River

The River stretching 2340 km is ideal for canoeing and rafting with long stretches of open flat water punctuated by rapids and weather that is warm all year round. For wine lovers the Orange River Wine Route makes up 10% of South Africa’s vineyards. The Cellars are made up of five wineries and the wine grapes of the Oranjerivier Wine Cellars originate from 794 producers along the Orange River.

3. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

This Park is a result of the unification of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park and a truly unspoiled ecosystem. The park, at 3.7 million hectares, is one of the largest conservation areas in the world.

4. The Kimberley Big Hole

In 1871, diamonds found on a once flat-topped hill resulted in a mad scramble for fame and fortune. The largest hand-dug excavation in the world is now known as the awesome Kimberley Big Hole. Dug by picks, shovels and sheer determination, measuring 215 metres deep with a surface area of 17 hectares – the mine yielded 2 722 kilograms of diamonds.

5. Augrabies Falls National Park

The world’s sixth largest waterfall is where the mighty Orange River is at its most impressive. Thundering its way through a ravine and into a pool walled by sheer granite, creating the Augrabies Falls. The name of the falls originated from the Khoi word meaning ‘place of great noise’ which describes the roar as the falls plummet 56m into the ravine.

6. Sutherland

Sutherland is known for its brilliant night skies and the world-renowned Southern African Astronomical Observatory, a site that houses 10 telescopes, one being ‘SALT’ (Southern African Largest Telescope). Distant stars and galaxies a billion times too faint to be seen with the unaided eye can be recorded.

7. Kuruman

This little town is blessed with a permanent and abundant source of water. More densely vegetated than most oases, its water flows from Gasegonyana, commonly known as the Kuruman Eye. The Eye is a natural fountain delivering approximately 20-30 million litres of crystal clear water daily, which supplies water for the town, feeds the Kuruman River and spills yet more water into two 7km irrigation canal. It was this fresh source of water that led to the establishment of the Moffat Mission Station here in the early 1900th, naming the eye the ‘fountain of Christianity’.

8. Richterveld National Park

The Richtersveld is hauntingly beautiful, with mountains and sandy plains forming Southern Africa’s largest mountain desert park, an area covering 160 000 ha. Although harsh and dry, the Richtersveld is a botanist’s living laboratory, home to around 30% of all South Africa’s succulent plant species. The Richtersveld is an extremely fragile ecosystem, with less than 50 mm of annual rainfall. Suprisingly breathtaking, it offers rarely seen purity of an unspoilt country.

9. Kathu, “the town under the trees”

The name came into being because of Kumba’s iron ore mining activities, one of the world’s largest open-cast iron mines. The mine is also home to one of South Africa’s greatest golfing gems, Sishen Golf Course, a truly unique setting to play a round of golf winding its way through a 500 hectare Camelthorn forest on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. This par 72, 18-hole course is the last masterpiece of Robert Grimsdell and is currently rated in the top 30 best golf courses in South Africa. Being situated off the beaten track, the course is blissfully un-congested and visitors are always assured of getting a game here.

10. The Namaqua National Park

Between July and September Namakwa sheds its drab facade and showers the world with a riot of flowers of every hue, offering rich and splendid brilliance. It contains more than 6 000 plant species, 250 species of birds, 78 species of mammals, 132 species of reptiles and amphibians and an unknown number of insects, making it the world’s most diverse, arid environment. 40% or more of these species are found nowhere else on Earth.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is the ultimate luxury game reserve. This award winning reserve is owned by the well known Oppenheimer family.

What are some of the scientific ideas contained in the Bible that were not known to science until much later?

It’s interesting to me that the Bible contains much scientific knowledge and facts that were not known or understood until recent times, yet how did the people that wrote the Bible know of them unless it was inspired by God. The universe is expanding, the fountains of the deep, the hydrological system of evaporation and rain, that air has weight, the atomic makeup of the universe (Hebrews 11:3), the earth is round and hangs on nothing in space, that light travels in waves and much more. Seems that someone very intelligent wrote the Bible but the authors were not science leaders of their day…any explanations? Does anyone have more science related facts in the Bible to add.
Link to a site with Bible science facts:http://www.newtestamentchurch.org/html/Christian_Evidence/Science_in_the_Bible.htm
The wrong value for “pi”? This argument has been laid to rest many times–see link for explanation—god’s Word is true.

Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Is that a pretty fair description of atomic level of the makeup of the universe? You can’t see atoms yet they are the fundamental building blocks of everything. How would a person in biblical times know to write that?