When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.
Mahatma Gandhi
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My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
Dalai Lama
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GETTING YOU of OUTLANDER THROUGH DROUGHTLANDER
Do you recognize Sam (in above picture)—no ginger, just his dirty blonde hair and he’s only 24 years old when he did this is a British TV series where he’s battling the Nazis instead of the British…check it and other stars (including Tobias) that can be streamed at THIS WALL STREET JOURNAL (OMG the Journal…we’re big money then?): http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/07/15/battling-droughtlander-5-streaming-choices-featuring-the-stars-of-outlander/
and while we’re on the subject of Tobias check out his TV main roles and guest roles…I just saw him on Bone Kickers—he plays a villain in Episode 6-(-the last one–It only did 6 episodes I liked it but oh well-)-what else–in this old–he’s a bit younger here himself–in this one…(I bought it on Daedalus but I can’t find it there anymore): http://sharetv.com/person/tobias_menzies/shows
Oh and SAM again: He’s been rightly selected by Barbour — the jacket maker of choice for southern fraternities and British hunters — to be their first Global Brand Ambassador. It’s a good fit for all of the obvious reasons: Heughan’s personal style seems to align perfectly with the heritage brand, and he grew up in Galloway, not far from where the founder John Barbour lived in the south of Scotland. And, of course, because of those eyes. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/07/14/outlander-sam-heughan-new-face-barbour/87090046/
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Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.
Buddha
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Today I’m talking of religion—I am not judging or picking a belief over another…but as is my usual stance: that I ask that you look before you leap to conclusions—or political candidate’s judgement calls that may well be self serving ( a self serving politician, naw never happen) rather than realistic……
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You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.
Swami Vivekananda
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I got started on this topic today because of two things: First a friend of mine questioned how the Muslim’s religion could be so violent. I assured her this was not the case, but that there are always those that bend things to their own belief and needs and that she could find similar incidents within her own Christian faith.
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Prophet Muhammad – “Feed the hungry and visit a sick person, and free the captive, if he be unjustly confined. Assist any person oppressed, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.”
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the second was today when I was reviewing a site I put on my facebook–Fort Caroline: A site of French interloping on Spanish territory and of a massacre:
“With a captured Frenchman as translator, Menéndez described how Fort Caroline had been captured and urged the French to surrender. Rumors to the contrary, he made no promises as to sparing them. Having lost most of their food and weapons in the shipwreck, they did surrender. However, when Menéndez then demanded that they give up their Protestant faith and accept Catholicism, they refused. 111 Frenchmen were killed. Only sixteen were spared – a few who professed being Catholic, some impressed Breton sailors, and four artisans needed at St. Augustine.”
https://www.nps.gov/foma/learn/historyculture/the_massacre.htm
I, as a history buff, was well aware of this but it had slipped my mind until the new review of facts….and I wandered if this had happened in the now of today, when all manner of massacres met the national news if a Buddhist or Muslim or others might not have questioned the tenants of Christianity and it’s beliefs, not to mention it’s death to non-believers (and I won’t even get into the fact that both sides were Christian which would appear to be equally confusing to a non-participant).
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To gather with God’s people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.
Martin Luther
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I am not judging, but I am saying that there is good and bad in most religions: i.e. we have more recently had “Christian” Sects that take cool aide and ambush congressmen….or at least that’s in my memory—the only sect that I don’t usually associate with anything violent to others are the Buddhists who I remember during the Viet Nam War (Monks) protesting by setting themselves afire….I actually have a lovely Turkish friend who is Buddhist….She is not the rule—which goes to show that at first glance (which is often what too many of us base our judgments on) you would never have associated her with such.
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Prophet Muhammad – “Men will be liars towards the end of the world and will relate such stories as neither you nor your fathers ever heard. Then avoid them, that they may not lead you astray and throw you into contention and strife.”
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Again I take no sides, I have been raised Christian, and a strict sect at that…I accept, as I have told you all before, your (or anyone’s belief) as long as your beliefs do not infringe on the rights of others, do no harm to others (any harm to yourself is frowned on but if you are in your own right mind that’s your choice) and as long as you don’t try to convert me…I have no objections to you telling me your beliefs, I tend to take the best points (in my judgement which is mine and mine alone) of different sects and dogma but letting me be the judge on what I embrace is important to me–then I have no problems.
I fully realize that this is not necessarily easy for many true believers to accept, their belief in the importance and life saving value of their faith some times makes them, in their love for others, become a bit more zelous in their ways….that again is understandable…..but as sojourners in this world tolerance of those that are less informed becomes a necessity…… in order to survive with equally zealous true believers of other equally important and true (to the particular believer) faiths.
In no way am I saying that either is right or wrong….that either has the right to impose or punish or look down upon the other-faith believers—or for that matter those that have failed to find a belief that works for them.
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When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
Desmond Tutu
It is also important that the few do not forever taint our views of the whole. Christianity can’t be thought of as suicidal just because of a few people who had a need for Jones’ belief….neither should we think of Muslim (or any other religion or belief for that matter) as such because of a disgruntled fringe who are now making headlines (or may in the future).
For a break down on these into numbers and the discussion of the non-believers now being the 3rd largest categories check out:
http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-exec/
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I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.
Francis of Assisi
All religions must be tolerated… for every man must get to heaven in his own way.
Epictetus
True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.
Albert Einstein
There is nothing evil save that which perverts the mind and shackles the conscience.
Saint Ambrose
