Posts
Transferring Discussion Topics from Facebook as they claimed they would be deleting them
1. Philosophical Religiosity; Killing Me Softly
a. Before reading this, if you believe God Loves you and everbody else too - and that your mission, should you choose to accept it is to Seek Peace and Pursue it for a unified body of creation, you need read no further. However, if you wish to Philosophize with me, take two asprin and by all means, read on... (btw, there is a nice video at the bottom displaying God's passion for faith, regardless of our flaws)
I had the following conversation with United Progressives this morning:
Friend; "
"We have a few people here who like to share their religious wisdom, so I feel obliged to say: There is only one truth. Some people call it One Truth. I call it one truth. If you say that there is One Truth, then should we assume that your truth is also One Truth, or that there is an objective Truth disassociated from your perception of it? What is to give us assurance that One Truth is inherent in your wisdom and understand...ing of One Truth? Can you call upon your one truth to testify as to its Oneness with the Truth? By what standard should anyone judge who is the holder of the One Truth? Does concensus establish the Truth of your truth? Advise me of your wisdom, holy man, and I will advise you of your Truth."
Response:
This is a Universal community to which this ONE Truth speaks. If your truth compels you to enmity and strife with that of this Universal community, then it is not your responsibility to bully up and pretend you are better than any other man; Rather, it is your responsibility to Man up and take the responsibility to reflect upon the apparent Universal truth which must force you to adjust your crown as you plant your face in the sands of time!
It is Truthfully absurd to accept the (cult)ural instincts of our warring natures and thus to become intollerant as we pretend to know God. To believe otherwise is but this Spirit of continued Confusion within the Babelling nature of faiths! This Statement of Unity, therefore, must not be partialized by faith, but instead, it must be unified by it without utterance. Such are the politics of Peace.
The most prominent faith today is that of Christianity! However, that faith has become one of favoritism and partiality - directly maligning the Truth revealed within that book through which they claim to see God! Their mainstream image of "Right Jesus" now commends the dividing wall of hostility separating Jerusalem in full reflection of the cult of Yahweh of the Israeli Kings! Again, fully maligning their supposed truths of Ephesians 2:14. Their very attack on the universal nature of this Truth completely maligns their supposed truths of Romans 5:18 and I Corinthians 15 - the creed of one of their most idolized Gentile pastors. As a Christian, I must therefore confer with this Progressive Community of believers.
Unfortunately, I am ashamed of the mainstream Right wing cult of Americanized Christianity as they have become the backers of the most destructive militaries within the history of the earth - therefore, I must question their ideology of that which is "Truth" and begin my search through His Words in an act of confession under the shelter of grace.
Given that I have shared this peace of philosophical flare; Allow me to share this sage reflection of my "United Progressive Friend" in response to another entry in the thread of Wisdom. His religious understanding humbles me - and there is no hint of intollerance in his approach!
Paul writes:
"Dear Mohammad. I'm humbled by your willingness to converse. We can call truth God, and in that sense I call it Truth. But a consensus of wise men makes no difference to me. There are two fundamental belief systems. The Abrahamic is considered 'western', and separates God and the rest of the universe in an object/subject relationship. The 'eastern' sees the unity of god and the unverse as a single entity, whole and undivided. I'm not sure what point of reference your system of thought is derived that the whole world is illusion and the truth is God, because I've seen that talk on both sides of the fence. Ive seen that argument put that Being is not God. It's another dualistic approach, in fact, that is not much different from the Abrahamic one. The eastern view which I find more acceptable and which we do not have to mystify or poetize is that God is not Being, i.e. the manifestation of all things, because being oversimplifies what God is, but God is Being because that is the state through which God manifests. How else is the notion of God derived? Being is illusory because it does not represent anything real but is only a product of one's desire to Be, just as light desires to be, but is only superficially not that which desires to be. One's desire to be is the universal desire to be. Is that God? It is sufficient for me to equate desire to the thing in itself, because the origin philosophically is an undifferentiated whole. Being is Being. Being as God is Being. There is nothing but God. All experience therefore is divine experience. Isn't it said, we are not humans trying to be spritual. We are spiritual beings trying to be human?"
I have shared this conversation under the picture of a Palestinian Girl with a painted heart of black, white, red, and green, resembling her flag upon her cheek - with the statement; "Jesus Loves Me, This I know. Let me thus summarize with these words:
And thus, with Paul's intonation, we come back to this picture of the Palestinian seeking life - and knowing the answer of Her God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtW29oTp5cE
To be born again, something within us must die - and more often than not, this means we must lay to rest our pride and arrogance within the face of God's Love for all mankind.
b. This final entry was contrived based on a friend's desire to hold on to the theology of the devil: Enjoy (if you dare).
"If Truth holds, The inspirations of Moses were reared upon the annals of His Story up to and including His age, in full prophetic voice of the ages to come. According to all such characters which sprang forth from within that sea of knowledge, the fatal flaw which supposedly depraved all of mankind came from within this soul such desire to separate good from evil within the heretofore mythologies of man's kind - regardless of the poison cautioned and condemed which would indeed come within the grasping of all such inherited feed!
Such deceipt even materialized within the very name of Jacob and in the embodiment of Israel who has spent generations of lifetimes warring against this ideology of Love thy Neighbor as thyself! The very names of those Kings reflected the warring nature of an Almighty God, bent upon the destruction of all who would seek His bondage in destroying the life of their fellowman - and their long necks of pride!
And yet, this so-called people group, representatative of this wrestling of bi-natural faith has rematerialized in these most recent of days, fully developed within the religious aspects of their Heights of exaltation over all other lands and peoples as they continue to reflect the bigotted error filled ways of their "Jeroboam, son of Nebat!" Not surprisingly, their most prominent friends and enemies of Western theology (yes, Islam included) carry within them the correlating recognition of some sort of divine Love for their chosen faith, be it prophet, priest, or king! Perhaps the prophesied maturity of such leaps of faith as reflected within Revelations 16:13!
My own fascination with both the Bible and the Qur'an is the accurate text in displaying the confluence of all such prides and arrogances, fully reflective in the warring nature of this Almighty God! Devotions become more lively than the current day's news as it portrays the insignificant particulars of His Story unfolding.
Given all such symbolism of the Poet, I must reflect back upon Paul's revelations of the East/West rift and contemplate upon who's books they are! The Dark fog of confusion inherent in all such dogma's mystifies the soul - and this flow of knowledge must be as coveted inwardly in some sort of cleansing revision - as is the certain excretion of any excess arrogant filth as one speaks forth or attempts to hold on to the knowledge of evil - and calls thus his precious.
Of course, given the "Western" nature of all things wicked, the basis of our entertainment would not so amuse both the heavens and the earth."
c. As a blogger exposing the God of War in Jehovah yesterday - I am certain it appeared I was rude and crude to Western Faith (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). However, that is because so many within those faiths miss the point that to "destroy" means to destroy this warring mentality against flesh and blood and to destroy such Spiritual Warring natures!
Each possesses and strengthens the Eastern tact of Life through which Paul gave his expose!
I realized this morning that focussing on Peace or Justice or Hope still confuses the human soul! The choice of the dualistic approach is quite simply "Life and Death"! So, if this Yahweh cult about Jehovah exposes this God of War, Angel of Death mentality - what indeed is the Truth within these faiths - by their Prophets, Priests, or Kings?
Moses appears to be the toughest as He set out the original law and in so doing seems to have given the image of this invisible angel; However, with deeper reflection into the story, it is witnessed He told the People to Love God and Love one another - as themselves! He said; "I lay before you Life and Death - Choose Life." Although the people of the book would like to assume this gave them the green light for war, wrath, and judgment - and that any who fought against them would face death - by being a warring culture, they were death through that very belief!
Jesus Christ spoke to 12 disciples who - at their greatest moments were sleeping in the dark, or had their heads stuck in the clouds! Jesus was taken from them (hidden by the cloud) and he will return in the same way - some mystifying cloud - not at all what they expect. Why was it his 12 disciples could not cast out the demon, but the 70 disciples of Samaria could? My answer would be way too long. Suffice it to say, Jesus came to challenge the God of War - Angel of Death to which the Most High God had abandoned the Children of Israel to in the Desert when they kep't complaining! He was going to destroy them, Moses said please don't - so God said, Ok - but I'm sending an angel of death before them to destroy the enmity and strife in the land. So, Here comes Jesus speaking the Words of the Most High God - not of the Levitical Priesthood, but of the line of Melchizedek - a Priest before Abraham that spoke into the Abrahamic Faiths! Jesus said worship the Lord Your God and Serve Him only - when offered the Kingoms of the World by Satan, who appears to be nearly an identical personage of this angel of death of which I speak! Jesus retorted "I have come that (((they))) may have life and have it more abundantly - just as Moses had stated through the law of Love that between giving Life or Death, we must choose life - not so much inwardly, but through our outward nature - no more sanitation department sending others to hell, but in a life giving flow of our inner Spirit of Love, Joy, and Peace!
So, what shall I say of Muhammad (PBUH)? Did he understand this Most High God, or was He only bent on this Almighty character whom Islam chooses to adhere to as Allah? Sura 64 of the Qur'an speaks of the Mutual Neglect of Western faith which we face today! Therein we find these same words of wisdom and knowledge displayed in verses 11-14; "Misfortunes can only happen with God's permission (otherwise reflected as tests to see if we Love the Lord our God with all our heart - and if we can see through the clouds and Love our neighbor as ourselves) - He will guide the heart of anyone who believes in him: God knows all things - so obey God and the Messenger. If you turn away remember that Our Messenger's duty is only to make plain his message. God! There is no god but Him, so let the faithful put their trust in Him. Believers, even among your spouses (consistently reflective of a humans individual or house of faith in all three Western cultures) and your children you have some enemies - beware of them - but if you overlook their offences, forgive them, pardon them, then God is all forgiving, all merciful.
In faith bashing, it is not my intent to turn believers away from their houses of worship - it is a challenge to believers and their houses of faith to adhere to the greater message from the One True God! These books expose death and Jehovah the Almighty God of War and Angel of death for who He is - and to train his children up in the knowledge of righteousness and peace! This is Truth - This is the wisdom of God - even the writer's did not fully acknowledge all that they were portraying of God. Therein lies the mystery, the hope, the Love, the Joy, and the Peace which awaits all of us if we will enact the realities of Eastern Religion and allow our lives to flow into the life and livelihood of our neighbors and vice verses.
2. HER LAST WORDS, MY TESTIMONY
Last words; I am a landscaper, fixing water systems, mending fences, cultivating plants. The roses are my garden, my picture! I visited a relative who lay in a coma; while singing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to her the day before she died, she sat up in bed and said;
"You can tell them Rick, you can tell them!" I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but God was doing a lot of amazing things in my life, and I knew I was being prepared - still am. Any wisdom or knowlege I may or may not possess is not my own; I hope you witnessed how torn up I have been as we've walked through the ideologies of II Kings!
My friend is a respected Seminary Professor, my Pastor well respected within the American Christian Community of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church! In the midst of today's Freedom Flotilla Crisis, my Seminarian friend posted that because of the American Congress, South Viet Nam lost the war - and if Our President gets another term, we're going to lose our war in Afghanistan too! My Pastor of the Evangelical Church proclaims weekly that Jesus Christ was sent to divide the world - and that all scholars agree! After reaching out to my church with my concerns, all Pastors who take the Pulpit asked that I stop communicating with them, and so, I am content to be a Bible Blogger within the Christian Community and ask for an army of non-violent Peace activism.
I was forced to leave my church when my good friend in the choir told me if he had met my communist North VietNamese friend, he would have killed him in 10 seconds, just before singing praises in our church! I have witnessed believer after believer proclaim to me that Peace is not possible as they proclaim America must finish the job we started, and I can only assume they envision the murder of over a billion Muslims worldwide whom they apparently assume are going to a hell of their own ideological creation - especially in light of this Yahweh cult fully reflected in II Kings reflective of all the idolotry and synchro-schisms of contemporary religiosity!
I attempt to keep my temper in light of this travesty, and realize God is in control and that this is indeed a mysterious Story in which we live which devides body and soul - creating life through death - and yet, the tragedy of our lives as we remain so disciplined rips at every fiber of my being and leaves me with a simple message in this year of Christian evangelism
God Loves You and asks that you Love one another.
Thank you for being my friend, and a friend to one another.
Sincerely;
Rick Sjaardema, One Year Bible Blogging
3. BIBLE BELIEVER
A. A question from a follower;
Hi One Year Bible Blogging,
Once again I return to ask you about your stance on certain facets of the Christian faith. I simply wish to know if you are a "Bible believing" evangelist, or are you something else?
Regards.
B. My response;
Deeply Bible Believing! More so every day. Believing the One True God was involved in the original writing - and remains involved in the interpretations and all facets of His Story! I do not distance myself or my belief from the continuous reflections within the scriptures between Jacob and the deciever - Israel and the wrestler - Jesus and Salvation. The correlation between the Pharisee and Religious interpretation of today I feel has everthing to do with Judgment Day!
Although I do not discount that our belief in Jesus Christ is good enough for Salvation, I will challenge the Christian and the non-Christian to serve Christ every day of their life! I will challenge all people not to take what they hear on the pulpit for granted, nor even what I write on this blogsite - I challenge every person who visits this site to questioin what they read and study the Word of God for themselves.
I do not consider anything to be a mistake. Although I reject all idealisms which would claim there is more than one god, and this assumption by so many even within the Christian faith that some devil (with so many revealed mistaken historical references within the scripture itself I will not address them here) I believe God uses all such ideologies within His glorious plan of salvation!
I find no basis to believe that God has already revealed all of the meaning of scripture to present day mankind. I believe there is much still to be learned - and that if one wants to explore an adventure in spirituality, they are sure to find buried treasures with the scriptures today! We have all history at our fingertips and the knowledge of the some of the greatest minds through present day technology! Devotions have never offered such pleasure and such reward - and yet, many within faith today would like to assume the role of Reuben as he slept with Bilhah and be anchored to the understandings of theologies which have divided man for centuries.
I believe the Bible is more than a children's story book! I believe it addresses all maturations of faith! I believe through the mysteries of parables by the Son and the etymologies of the Father, this treasure hunt for the truth has just begun! Ex-communication therefore enthralls me like no other as I see the bonds of faith entrapping new understandings - and stripping the new believer as well as the old of the absolute thrill of Matthew 13:52. "every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Therefore, in this personal relationship we are invited to share with our Creator, we can pick up the best seller of all time and explore undiscovered country! There is therefore now no condemnation - for Jesus Himself said everything has been given to him and he shall lose none of it! I believe him, but that's just me.
Thanks for asking
Your Brother, saved by grace - (and I assure you I couldn't say that if I were possessed by some demon)
Rick Sjaardema
4. ONLINE BOOK; TALK ABOUT LOVE
This online book is entitled "Talk About Love" It has not been professionally edited, no copyright infringement intended. Please do not sell this information, however I would be honored if you wish to share it. Merry Christmas from our hous...e to yours!
Section I "Why Bother Talking"
First Chapter; "What is Man"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_07_21_archive.html
...Second Chapter; "Thou Art Holy"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_09_05_archive.html
...
Third chapter "Invitations For Celebration"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_04_archive.html
Section II "Knowing Your Belief"
Fourth chapter "Placed in His Story"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_17_archive.html
Fifth chapter: "Word of God" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_24_archive.html
Sixth chapter "What is Truth" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/10/talk-about-love-sixth-chapter-what-is.html
Section III "Understanding God's Love"
Seventh chapter "God's Spiritual Gifts" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/11/talk-about-love-seventh-chapter-gods.html
Eighth chapter "God's Greatest Gift"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_11_14_archive.html
Ninth chapter "Beginning The Transformation"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/11/talk-about-love-ninth-chapter-beginning.html
5. Evangelizing Within Contemporary Religiosity
I Mission Statement: Providing environments in the framework fo love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self control wherein people of faith can share the love of God with their fellowman
A Encourage, organize, and advertise safe opportunities where people of faith can grow in their beliefs, understand other cultures and beliefs, and discuss them openly with one another through the use of:
1. coffee houses & deli's
2. partnership with theaters for satellite simulcasts
3. social gatherings in parks & recreation
4. social communicative networking & discipleship, both by physical activities & through the internet!
5. such other venues as persons are led by the Spirit
B To equip the Missions to affect our world with the Love of God by:
1. Promoting family agendas which include worship and spiritual growth
2. Scholarship provisions to promote persons in fields of education, leadership, politics, and ministry
3. Working alongside and in conjunction with parachurch ministries and stress membership and involvement!
4. Promoting the knowledge of our Creator and creation through the challenge of personal daily devotion, prayer, and social intercultural or community interactions
5. promoting and developing world view understandings of contemporary faith within our schools and promoting a lifestyle of sharing our faith as an integral part of the graduation requirements in Religious and Public shcools.
6. To provide workshops and network sites for the understanding of contemporary spiritual world views.
7. Consistent meetings for revival, the anointing of Spiritual power, and the understanding and implementation of healing and transforming power of God awareness throughout our world
C To loosen the bounds on faith which exist in modern societies.
1. To promote, develop, and challenge modern curriculums to address world views!
2. To promote seminars, concerts, and sidewalk ministry
3. To author, publish, and promote faith based books, articles (internet and print), entertainment, and radio
4. To promote active membership and lobbying in worldwide political systems to promote both freedom of religion and morality in both our leaders and our agendas.
5. To pray for, prepare, support, offer, and provide spiritual and moral advisors and/or friendships for our leaders, the rich, and the famous
D To promote the financing for; and increased, invigorated and involved membership of; this ministry and that of other religious organizations.
1. With partnerships with like minded individuals in the entertainment industries of those faith based communities
2. Through partnership with like minded parachurch ministries.
3. Through the ongoing request of donations.
4. Through the promotion and organization for fund raising events for specific and general causes and awards.
5. Through admission costs of promoted and organized entertainment or discussion / debate events
6. Connecting the rich and poor worldwide to enable involvement in international missions (with local leaders).
7. Promote a global economy, Kingdom work, and the idea of "One people under God"
E To promote social justice and equality by:
1. Providing employment opportunities to the least of these, our brothers, to allow individuals to grow from the need to receive to the joy of giving
2. Providing the opportunity to individuals for the success of rehabilitation services as they have need.
3. Promoting social change enabling a motivation for our working class to work, and reducing the need for governing bodies to continue to enable social wounds, thereby also enhancing the strength of governing bodies to provide the work required of them.
Notes: I am interested in finding individuals that are interested in branstorming about these ideas. Please call Rick @ 720-312-1581. You can also e0mail Rick at sjaardemazoo@msn.com Thank You!
PS: The following was shared earlier as a simple Weekend gathering for any community:
FITp (Fellowship in the Schools might also be considered 'FITs)
The following is a suggested guide for a weekly community outreach event that can be sponsored by any local congregation as they set up sporting events, a potluck, and fellowship with an invitation to all.
Perhaps signs could be made up claiming: "Tax collectors and Sinners are welcome here"
Speakers or entertainers might be used and rotated between various fellowships and locations from week to week - and a study and fellowship could be held within a central location such as the pavillion throughout the afternoon (if such an event were held on Sundays)
To keep the peace and focus the group, participants might be asked to sign a form similar to the following.
Sample form:
I. I believe in God, who created the earth and loved all He had made.
II. I believe He promised if we sought Him, we would find Him.
III. I believe He loved us enough that He took care of our salvation.
IV. I believe He wants us to love one another - and that He gave us a plan:
As part of this fellowship, I will adhere by the following rules:
1. I will honor God and my fellowman in my words and actions.
2. I will remove all negative images I hold regarding my fellowman or their belief.
3. I will honor the authority of this fellowship and our greater communities
4. I will avoid fighting and treat this fellowship with love and respect as I participate.
5. I will intentionally work to remove all hatred within my mind against my fellowman.
6. I will intentionally work towards the respect of others property and privacy.
7. I will seek to understand the pain and frustration that motivates negative actions.
8. I readily confess that I am a sinner in need of grace and will be open to allowing others to do the same without interuption or interferance. I am prepared to offer forgiveness for the failures or weakness of those who may break these rules and am willing to continue to pursue fellowship with them.
9. I will commit to prayer and care both for and with my fellowman.
10. I am here to have a good time and allow others to do the same!
______________________________________________________________________
Sign and date
Such would do wonders within the inner city or wherever the Spirit leads: A freedom for Interpersonal prayer and sharing could certainly be coordinated, but would also happen as the Spirit leads.
1. Philosophical Religiosity; Killing Me Softly
a. Before reading this, if you believe God Loves you and everbody else too - and that your mission, should you choose to accept it is to Seek Peace and Pursue it for a unified body of creation, you need read no further. However, if you wish to Philosophize with me, take two asprin and by all means, read on... (btw, there is a nice video at the bottom displaying God's passion for faith, regardless of our flaws)
I had the following conversation with United Progressives this morning:
Friend; "
"We have a few people here who like to share their religious wisdom, so I feel obliged to say: There is only one truth. Some people call it One Truth. I call it one truth. If you say that there is One Truth, then should we assume that your truth is also One Truth, or that there is an objective Truth disassociated from your perception of it? What is to give us assurance that One Truth is inherent in your wisdom and understand...ing of One Truth? Can you call upon your one truth to testify as to its Oneness with the Truth? By what standard should anyone judge who is the holder of the One Truth? Does concensus establish the Truth of your truth? Advise me of your wisdom, holy man, and I will advise you of your Truth."
Response:
This is a Universal community to which this ONE Truth speaks. If your truth compels you to enmity and strife with that of this Universal community, then it is not your responsibility to bully up and pretend you are better than any other man; Rather, it is your responsibility to Man up and take the responsibility to reflect upon the apparent Universal truth which must force you to adjust your crown as you plant your face in the sands of time!
It is Truthfully absurd to accept the (cult)ural instincts of our warring natures and thus to become intollerant as we pretend to know God. To believe otherwise is but this Spirit of continued Confusion within the Babelling nature of faiths! This Statement of Unity, therefore, must not be partialized by faith, but instead, it must be unified by it without utterance. Such are the politics of Peace.
The most prominent faith today is that of Christianity! However, that faith has become one of favoritism and partiality - directly maligning the Truth revealed within that book through which they claim to see God! Their mainstream image of "Right Jesus" now commends the dividing wall of hostility separating Jerusalem in full reflection of the cult of Yahweh of the Israeli Kings! Again, fully maligning their supposed truths of Ephesians 2:14. Their very attack on the universal nature of this Truth completely maligns their supposed truths of Romans 5:18 and I Corinthians 15 - the creed of one of their most idolized Gentile pastors. As a Christian, I must therefore confer with this Progressive Community of believers.
Unfortunately, I am ashamed of the mainstream Right wing cult of Americanized Christianity as they have become the backers of the most destructive militaries within the history of the earth - therefore, I must question their ideology of that which is "Truth" and begin my search through His Words in an act of confession under the shelter of grace.
Given that I have shared this peace of philosophical flare; Allow me to share this sage reflection of my "United Progressive Friend" in response to another entry in the thread of Wisdom. His religious understanding humbles me - and there is no hint of intollerance in his approach!
Paul writes:
"Dear Mohammad. I'm humbled by your willingness to converse. We can call truth God, and in that sense I call it Truth. But a consensus of wise men makes no difference to me. There are two fundamental belief systems. The Abrahamic is considered 'western', and separates God and the rest of the universe in an object/subject relationship. The 'eastern' sees the unity of god and the unverse as a single entity, whole and undivided. I'm not sure what point of reference your system of thought is derived that the whole world is illusion and the truth is God, because I've seen that talk on both sides of the fence. Ive seen that argument put that Being is not God. It's another dualistic approach, in fact, that is not much different from the Abrahamic one. The eastern view which I find more acceptable and which we do not have to mystify or poetize is that God is not Being, i.e. the manifestation of all things, because being oversimplifies what God is, but God is Being because that is the state through which God manifests. How else is the notion of God derived? Being is illusory because it does not represent anything real but is only a product of one's desire to Be, just as light desires to be, but is only superficially not that which desires to be. One's desire to be is the universal desire to be. Is that God? It is sufficient for me to equate desire to the thing in itself, because the origin philosophically is an undifferentiated whole. Being is Being. Being as God is Being. There is nothing but God. All experience therefore is divine experience. Isn't it said, we are not humans trying to be spritual. We are spiritual beings trying to be human?"
I have shared this conversation under the picture of a Palestinian Girl with a painted heart of black, white, red, and green, resembling her flag upon her cheek - with the statement; "Jesus Loves Me, This I know. Let me thus summarize with these words:
And thus, with Paul's intonation, we come back to this picture of the Palestinian seeking life - and knowing the answer of Her God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtW29oTp5cE
To be born again, something within us must die - and more often than not, this means we must lay to rest our pride and arrogance within the face of God's Love for all mankind.
b. This final entry was contrived based on a friend's desire to hold on to the theology of the devil: Enjoy (if you dare).
"If Truth holds, The inspirations of Moses were reared upon the annals of His Story up to and including His age, in full prophetic voice of the ages to come. According to all such characters which sprang forth from within that sea of knowledge, the fatal flaw which supposedly depraved all of mankind came from within this soul such desire to separate good from evil within the heretofore mythologies of man's kind - regardless of the poison cautioned and condemed which would indeed come within the grasping of all such inherited feed!
Such deceipt even materialized within the very name of Jacob and in the embodiment of Israel who has spent generations of lifetimes warring against this ideology of Love thy Neighbor as thyself! The very names of those Kings reflected the warring nature of an Almighty God, bent upon the destruction of all who would seek His bondage in destroying the life of their fellowman - and their long necks of pride!
And yet, this so-called people group, representatative of this wrestling of bi-natural faith has rematerialized in these most recent of days, fully developed within the religious aspects of their Heights of exaltation over all other lands and peoples as they continue to reflect the bigotted error filled ways of their "Jeroboam, son of Nebat!" Not surprisingly, their most prominent friends and enemies of Western theology (yes, Islam included) carry within them the correlating recognition of some sort of divine Love for their chosen faith, be it prophet, priest, or king! Perhaps the prophesied maturity of such leaps of faith as reflected within Revelations 16:13!
My own fascination with both the Bible and the Qur'an is the accurate text in displaying the confluence of all such prides and arrogances, fully reflective in the warring nature of this Almighty God! Devotions become more lively than the current day's news as it portrays the insignificant particulars of His Story unfolding.
Given all such symbolism of the Poet, I must reflect back upon Paul's revelations of the East/West rift and contemplate upon who's books they are! The Dark fog of confusion inherent in all such dogma's mystifies the soul - and this flow of knowledge must be as coveted inwardly in some sort of cleansing revision - as is the certain excretion of any excess arrogant filth as one speaks forth or attempts to hold on to the knowledge of evil - and calls thus his precious.
Of course, given the "Western" nature of all things wicked, the basis of our entertainment would not so amuse both the heavens and the earth."
c. As a blogger exposing the God of War in Jehovah yesterday - I am certain it appeared I was rude and crude to Western Faith (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). However, that is because so many within those faiths miss the point that to "destroy" means to destroy this warring mentality against flesh and blood and to destroy such Spiritual Warring natures!
Each possesses and strengthens the Eastern tact of Life through which Paul gave his expose!
I realized this morning that focussing on Peace or Justice or Hope still confuses the human soul! The choice of the dualistic approach is quite simply "Life and Death"! So, if this Yahweh cult about Jehovah exposes this God of War, Angel of Death mentality - what indeed is the Truth within these faiths - by their Prophets, Priests, or Kings?
Moses appears to be the toughest as He set out the original law and in so doing seems to have given the image of this invisible angel; However, with deeper reflection into the story, it is witnessed He told the People to Love God and Love one another - as themselves! He said; "I lay before you Life and Death - Choose Life." Although the people of the book would like to assume this gave them the green light for war, wrath, and judgment - and that any who fought against them would face death - by being a warring culture, they were death through that very belief!
Jesus Christ spoke to 12 disciples who - at their greatest moments were sleeping in the dark, or had their heads stuck in the clouds! Jesus was taken from them (hidden by the cloud) and he will return in the same way - some mystifying cloud - not at all what they expect. Why was it his 12 disciples could not cast out the demon, but the 70 disciples of Samaria could? My answer would be way too long. Suffice it to say, Jesus came to challenge the God of War - Angel of Death to which the Most High God had abandoned the Children of Israel to in the Desert when they kep't complaining! He was going to destroy them, Moses said please don't - so God said, Ok - but I'm sending an angel of death before them to destroy the enmity and strife in the land. So, Here comes Jesus speaking the Words of the Most High God - not of the Levitical Priesthood, but of the line of Melchizedek - a Priest before Abraham that spoke into the Abrahamic Faiths! Jesus said worship the Lord Your God and Serve Him only - when offered the Kingoms of the World by Satan, who appears to be nearly an identical personage of this angel of death of which I speak! Jesus retorted "I have come that (((they))) may have life and have it more abundantly - just as Moses had stated through the law of Love that between giving Life or Death, we must choose life - not so much inwardly, but through our outward nature - no more sanitation department sending others to hell, but in a life giving flow of our inner Spirit of Love, Joy, and Peace!
So, what shall I say of Muhammad (PBUH)? Did he understand this Most High God, or was He only bent on this Almighty character whom Islam chooses to adhere to as Allah? Sura 64 of the Qur'an speaks of the Mutual Neglect of Western faith which we face today! Therein we find these same words of wisdom and knowledge displayed in verses 11-14; "Misfortunes can only happen with God's permission (otherwise reflected as tests to see if we Love the Lord our God with all our heart - and if we can see through the clouds and Love our neighbor as ourselves) - He will guide the heart of anyone who believes in him: God knows all things - so obey God and the Messenger. If you turn away remember that Our Messenger's duty is only to make plain his message. God! There is no god but Him, so let the faithful put their trust in Him. Believers, even among your spouses (consistently reflective of a humans individual or house of faith in all three Western cultures) and your children you have some enemies - beware of them - but if you overlook their offences, forgive them, pardon them, then God is all forgiving, all merciful.
In faith bashing, it is not my intent to turn believers away from their houses of worship - it is a challenge to believers and their houses of faith to adhere to the greater message from the One True God! These books expose death and Jehovah the Almighty God of War and Angel of death for who He is - and to train his children up in the knowledge of righteousness and peace! This is Truth - This is the wisdom of God - even the writer's did not fully acknowledge all that they were portraying of God. Therein lies the mystery, the hope, the Love, the Joy, and the Peace which awaits all of us if we will enact the realities of Eastern Religion and allow our lives to flow into the life and livelihood of our neighbors and vice verses.
2. HER LAST WORDS, MY TESTIMONY
Last words; I am a landscaper, fixing water systems, mending fences, cultivating plants. The roses are my garden, my picture! I visited a relative who lay in a coma; while singing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to her the day before she died, she sat up in bed and said;
"You can tell them Rick, you can tell them!" I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but God was doing a lot of amazing things in my life, and I knew I was being prepared - still am. Any wisdom or knowlege I may or may not possess is not my own; I hope you witnessed how torn up I have been as we've walked through the ideologies of II Kings!
My friend is a respected Seminary Professor, my Pastor well respected within the American Christian Community of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church! In the midst of today's Freedom Flotilla Crisis, my Seminarian friend posted that because of the American Congress, South Viet Nam lost the war - and if Our President gets another term, we're going to lose our war in Afghanistan too! My Pastor of the Evangelical Church proclaims weekly that Jesus Christ was sent to divide the world - and that all scholars agree! After reaching out to my church with my concerns, all Pastors who take the Pulpit asked that I stop communicating with them, and so, I am content to be a Bible Blogger within the Christian Community and ask for an army of non-violent Peace activism.
I was forced to leave my church when my good friend in the choir told me if he had met my communist North VietNamese friend, he would have killed him in 10 seconds, just before singing praises in our church! I have witnessed believer after believer proclaim to me that Peace is not possible as they proclaim America must finish the job we started, and I can only assume they envision the murder of over a billion Muslims worldwide whom they apparently assume are going to a hell of their own ideological creation - especially in light of this Yahweh cult fully reflected in II Kings reflective of all the idolotry and synchro-schisms of contemporary religiosity!
I attempt to keep my temper in light of this travesty, and realize God is in control and that this is indeed a mysterious Story in which we live which devides body and soul - creating life through death - and yet, the tragedy of our lives as we remain so disciplined rips at every fiber of my being and leaves me with a simple message in this year of Christian evangelism
God Loves You and asks that you Love one another.
Thank you for being my friend, and a friend to one another.
Sincerely;
Rick Sjaardema, One Year Bible Blogging
3. BIBLE BELIEVER
A. A question from a follower;
Hi One Year Bible Blogging,
Once again I return to ask you about your stance on certain facets of the Christian faith. I simply wish to know if you are a "Bible believing" evangelist, or are you something else?
Regards.
B. My response;
Deeply Bible Believing! More so every day. Believing the One True God was involved in the original writing - and remains involved in the interpretations and all facets of His Story! I do not distance myself or my belief from the continuous reflections within the scriptures between Jacob and the deciever - Israel and the wrestler - Jesus and Salvation. The correlation between the Pharisee and Religious interpretation of today I feel has everthing to do with Judgment Day!
Although I do not discount that our belief in Jesus Christ is good enough for Salvation, I will challenge the Christian and the non-Christian to serve Christ every day of their life! I will challenge all people not to take what they hear on the pulpit for granted, nor even what I write on this blogsite - I challenge every person who visits this site to questioin what they read and study the Word of God for themselves.
I do not consider anything to be a mistake. Although I reject all idealisms which would claim there is more than one god, and this assumption by so many even within the Christian faith that some devil (with so many revealed mistaken historical references within the scripture itself I will not address them here) I believe God uses all such ideologies within His glorious plan of salvation!
I find no basis to believe that God has already revealed all of the meaning of scripture to present day mankind. I believe there is much still to be learned - and that if one wants to explore an adventure in spirituality, they are sure to find buried treasures with the scriptures today! We have all history at our fingertips and the knowledge of the some of the greatest minds through present day technology! Devotions have never offered such pleasure and such reward - and yet, many within faith today would like to assume the role of Reuben as he slept with Bilhah and be anchored to the understandings of theologies which have divided man for centuries.
I believe the Bible is more than a children's story book! I believe it addresses all maturations of faith! I believe through the mysteries of parables by the Son and the etymologies of the Father, this treasure hunt for the truth has just begun! Ex-communication therefore enthralls me like no other as I see the bonds of faith entrapping new understandings - and stripping the new believer as well as the old of the absolute thrill of Matthew 13:52. "every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Therefore, in this personal relationship we are invited to share with our Creator, we can pick up the best seller of all time and explore undiscovered country! There is therefore now no condemnation - for Jesus Himself said everything has been given to him and he shall lose none of it! I believe him, but that's just me.
Thanks for asking
Your Brother, saved by grace - (and I assure you I couldn't say that if I were possessed by some demon)
Rick Sjaardema
4. ONLINE BOOK; TALK ABOUT LOVE
This online book is entitled "Talk About Love" It has not been professionally edited, no copyright infringement intended. Please do not sell this information, however I would be honored if you wish to share it. Merry Christmas from our hous...e to yours!
Section I "Why Bother Talking"
First Chapter; "What is Man"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_07_21_archive.html
...Second Chapter; "Thou Art Holy"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_09_05_archive.html
...
Third chapter "Invitations For Celebration"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_04_archive.html
Section II "Knowing Your Belief"
Fourth chapter "Placed in His Story"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_17_archive.html
Fifth chapter: "Word of God" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_10_24_archive.html
Sixth chapter "What is Truth" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/10/talk-about-love-sixth-chapter-what-is.html
Section III "Understanding God's Love"
Seventh chapter "God's Spiritual Gifts" http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/11/talk-about-love-seventh-chapter-gods.html
Eighth chapter "God's Greatest Gift"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010_11_14_archive.html
Ninth chapter "Beginning The Transformation"
http://oneyearbibleblogging.blogspot.com/2010/11/talk-about-love-ninth-chapter-beginning.html
5. Evangelizing Within Contemporary Religiosity
I Mission Statement: Providing environments in the framework fo love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self control wherein people of faith can share the love of God with their fellowman
A Encourage, organize, and advertise safe opportunities where people of faith can grow in their beliefs, understand other cultures and beliefs, and discuss them openly with one another through the use of:
1. coffee houses & deli's
2. partnership with theaters for satellite simulcasts
3. social gatherings in parks & recreation
4. social communicative networking & discipleship, both by physical activities & through the internet!
5. such other venues as persons are led by the Spirit
B To equip the Missions to affect our world with the Love of God by:
1. Promoting family agendas which include worship and spiritual growth
2. Scholarship provisions to promote persons in fields of education, leadership, politics, and ministry
3. Working alongside and in conjunction with parachurch ministries and stress membership and involvement!
4. Promoting the knowledge of our Creator and creation through the challenge of personal daily devotion, prayer, and social intercultural or community interactions
5. promoting and developing world view understandings of contemporary faith within our schools and promoting a lifestyle of sharing our faith as an integral part of the graduation requirements in Religious and Public shcools.
6. To provide workshops and network sites for the understanding of contemporary spiritual world views.
7. Consistent meetings for revival, the anointing of Spiritual power, and the understanding and implementation of healing and transforming power of God awareness throughout our world
C To loosen the bounds on faith which exist in modern societies.
1. To promote, develop, and challenge modern curriculums to address world views!
2. To promote seminars, concerts, and sidewalk ministry
3. To author, publish, and promote faith based books, articles (internet and print), entertainment, and radio
4. To promote active membership and lobbying in worldwide political systems to promote both freedom of religion and morality in both our leaders and our agendas.
5. To pray for, prepare, support, offer, and provide spiritual and moral advisors and/or friendships for our leaders, the rich, and the famous
D To promote the financing for; and increased, invigorated and involved membership of; this ministry and that of other religious organizations.
1. With partnerships with like minded individuals in the entertainment industries of those faith based communities
2. Through partnership with like minded parachurch ministries.
3. Through the ongoing request of donations.
4. Through the promotion and organization for fund raising events for specific and general causes and awards.
5. Through admission costs of promoted and organized entertainment or discussion / debate events
6. Connecting the rich and poor worldwide to enable involvement in international missions (with local leaders).
7. Promote a global economy, Kingdom work, and the idea of "One people under God"
E To promote social justice and equality by:
1. Providing employment opportunities to the least of these, our brothers, to allow individuals to grow from the need to receive to the joy of giving
2. Providing the opportunity to individuals for the success of rehabilitation services as they have need.
3. Promoting social change enabling a motivation for our working class to work, and reducing the need for governing bodies to continue to enable social wounds, thereby also enhancing the strength of governing bodies to provide the work required of them.
Notes: I am interested in finding individuals that are interested in branstorming about these ideas. Please call Rick @ 720-312-1581. You can also e0mail Rick at sjaardemazoo@msn.com Thank You!
PS: The following was shared earlier as a simple Weekend gathering for any community:
FITp (Fellowship in the Schools might also be considered 'FITs)
The following is a suggested guide for a weekly community outreach event that can be sponsored by any local congregation as they set up sporting events, a potluck, and fellowship with an invitation to all.
Perhaps signs could be made up claiming: "Tax collectors and Sinners are welcome here"
Speakers or entertainers might be used and rotated between various fellowships and locations from week to week - and a study and fellowship could be held within a central location such as the pavillion throughout the afternoon (if such an event were held on Sundays)
To keep the peace and focus the group, participants might be asked to sign a form similar to the following.
Sample form:
I. I believe in God, who created the earth and loved all He had made.
II. I believe He promised if we sought Him, we would find Him.
III. I believe He loved us enough that He took care of our salvation.
IV. I believe He wants us to love one another - and that He gave us a plan:
As part of this fellowship, I will adhere by the following rules:
1. I will honor God and my fellowman in my words and actions.
2. I will remove all negative images I hold regarding my fellowman or their belief.
3. I will honor the authority of this fellowship and our greater communities
4. I will avoid fighting and treat this fellowship with love and respect as I participate.
5. I will intentionally work to remove all hatred within my mind against my fellowman.
6. I will intentionally work towards the respect of others property and privacy.
7. I will seek to understand the pain and frustration that motivates negative actions.
8. I readily confess that I am a sinner in need of grace and will be open to allowing others to do the same without interuption or interferance. I am prepared to offer forgiveness for the failures or weakness of those who may break these rules and am willing to continue to pursue fellowship with them.
9. I will commit to prayer and care both for and with my fellowman.
10. I am here to have a good time and allow others to do the same!
______________________________________________________________________
Sign and date
Such would do wonders within the inner city or wherever the Spirit leads: A freedom for Interpersonal prayer and sharing could certainly be coordinated, but would also happen as the Spirit leads.
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