Because man is so tied up in their fight to be top dog, they rarely hear the Divine...

((((((HUGZ))))))

Yet God still made man..and not all man want to be top dog, i know i don't..

But those in the position of power do and are quiet vocal about it.

,

Dont worry AF, you'll be hearing from him soon enough.

Preacher, trying to respond to your thread is almost impossible. So to respond, it's going to take longer and have to be done manually...

Unfortunately, how you post within the quotes turns my response to the same color you use if I try to respond.

So, as to your claim there are no other scriptures that speak of Jesus? Yes there are...The Koran has extensive inclusions within their text about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the Virgin Mary in fact. The prophet Mohhamad was a supporter and believer of Jesus' teachings. In fact, it's said that his goal was a reflection of Jesus teachings during those times, that inspired him to redirect the Islamic traditions of a 'vengeful and angry Allah'.

Hence the reason for the similarities of the OT and Koran's own early books, then later (through the teachings of Mohhamad) a 'NT' added to the Koran.

I'm surprised you'd be unaware of this?

Then add into it the studies done, the archeology done to prove whether or not Jesus lived...There's alot of information out there if one is inclined not only to look, but to consider.

Thing is, interpretation has everything to do with how one interprets the bible. If interpretation of the bible was all the same, then there wouldn't be the division and many denominations within Christianity today. But because it is about how one interprets the bible, we have over 100 different denominations of Christianity, all claiming that the other denominations are interpreting the bible wrong.

Your interpretation is just but one among many within your own faith and teachings.

Wow...I can really feel your 'respect' in that sentence. You do realize that you just told me that since my views don't mind you, that I'm informed? My having differing views in no way means I'm less informed then you. That's an assumption and judgement of your own showing just how little you respect another's beliefs.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's been my life's goal to learn and understand all religion. Especially Christianity as it's one of the major religions of the world. Just because my own personal studies, teachings, and approaches differ from your own, doesn't disqualify my own perspectives solely on it differring from yours.

My studies and my beliefs have given me a different perspective then your own. Niether of us are wrong, nor are either of ours wrong...Just a different approach and conclusion. Yet...you use my difference to wiegh me as 'wrong' and as 'uninformed' when the opposite is true? I'm not trying to convert you, so why the need to judge me in an effort to convert by your own words here? Where's the respect you claim to have of differing beliefs?

Your words though contridict your claims. You are using key words that mean 'to correct'...You're useage of "there is only one way" and "uninformed, but interesting'" are terms of correction and condensension of my own beliefs. By trying to make it a 'right or wrong' belief with you choice of wording, you are knowledgeably juding me and doing so without respecting my own personal beliefs. You may not have intended to do so, but you are regardlessly placing judgement and disrespect by those actions.

You just don't get it....I'm not being sensitive. I'm explaining to you that you are answering in a manner to convert.

Yes, all you did was ask a question. But rather then open your mind to my responses, you immediately responded in a manner of 'you are wrong and I am right'...Or in this latest one 'you are misinformed'...

As to your opinion being based on fact? Sorry, but it's based of of OPINION. Opionion not based on any fact that actually can be proven, but by the contents of a book you have faith in. In otherwords, it's not fact...But FAITH that determines your particular view point. A viewpoint that I particularly do not embrace nor apply to my own self.

Facts are theories based off of scientifical studies...So far science can't, nor will ever try to prove/disprove the Divine. The Divine is a matter of the heart, that is felt and expressed. BUT, it doesn't make it fact still as it takes someone to have faith those feelings and expressions truely are the Divine.

I'm sorry you find this hard to grasp. That you feel the need to put my own spiritual feelings down to raise yours up. Or the overwhelming need to convert me and view my own conclusions as 'wrong and misinformed'.

Just for you Preacher. Perhaps with this story, you'll see where I'm coming from. Of how the Divine makes it's presence known in the diversity of spirituality.

Pathways

Well, it had been yet another bad day in the office, and once again it was
the fault of that new girl, MaryAnne. She is one of those Wiccans, a so
called witch. How can anyone in their right mind make this claim,
knowing that it goes against God and all of the teachings of the bible?

She doesn't even have the common decency to keep her satanic symbol,
her pentagram necklace hidden from the view of the decent, God fearing
people in the office. She has some nerve.

I find that I cannot hate her for this though, for I know that she has been deceived. Satan works his evil in ways that she cannot see. I've seen that so called Wiccan Rede that she has tacked to the wall above her computer.

On the surface, it looks like a decent loving belief, but all one must do is
look, look closely and see that by practicing this way, and not embracing
Jesus Christ as savior she is on the pathway to hell. As I've said, it was a
bad day in the office.

Three times in the past few weeks I have been called in to see my supervisor, and he has told me that I am not allowed to preach to
MaryAnne the word of God, to show her the error of her ways. Today, my
supervisor told me that if I continue to "harass" MaryAnne, he will be forced to terminate me. How can he say this? He himself is a God fearing man.
And, how can he be so tolerant of the evil that he sees insinuating itself
into our workplace?

As I lay down to sleep last night, I asked the Lord for guidance. "God, grant me a true vision of you, so that I may better lead the faithless onto the righteous path."

From nowhere, I heard, "Oh, a true vision of Me is it? Are you sure that
you're ready, truly ready to see, my son?"

I sat bolt upright in bed, and there, at the foot of my bed, white of hair
and beard, in a long, flowing white robe, stood the Lord my God. I made to
leap from the bed and fall to my knees in front of Him, but he stopped me
with a gesture. "Kneel not before me at this time my son. Instead, rise and
walk with Me, so that you may get a glimpse of what I truly am, as you asked
of me in your prayer."

He took my hand, and as I looked, my bedroom was no longer there, but a
pathway thru the woods. We started to walk, and I was too awestruck for
words. We took the path to the left, and we were then inside St. Catherine's
Church, in the middle of a service. While still standing beside me, God
seemed to expand and fill the whole of the church. I could see smiles of
contentment forming on some of the parishioners faces. I felt blessed.

God smiled upon me."The Catholics hold such pretty masses, don't they? I
like to stop here in this church, because not only do they speak the words,
but they live the life, thru teaching, helping the sick and poor, not only
with handouts, but helping them learn to help themselves. Now let us walk
on," And we were back on the pathway.

We traveled a bit further along, and then were in the parlor of a funeral
home. A young woman was kneeling before the casket, resting her head
on it and crying. I could see by the similarity, that this dead man must be
her father. God knelt beside her, and drew His arms about her.

"Miss him, that is all right, but weep not for him, for now he is with Me".
She wiped her eyes, and stood with a sad smile upon her face, and said
"Good-bye Daddy. I'll miss you," and turned and left the room.

And we were back on the pathway. We walked a little ways, and we were
in front of a large lodge of some kind. I could hear music and laughter
spilling out of the windows. I turned to look at God, and was shocked
to see, not the flowing white robe, but Him wearing leather and animal
furs, his hair and beard now the color of wheat, and a sword strapped
across His back.

He strode forth, and I saw him approach a figure I had not seen
before. As I looked close, I was shocked to see that it was the same face that I had just seen dead, but looking young and strong, and dressed in ancient looking garb, an ax strapped to his waist.

God strode up to him and grabbed him in a great bear hug. "Welcome my
son. We've been waiting for you. Now, go inside and raise a cup or two,
and meet with your brother." And, with a hearty slap on the back, he sent the man inside. And then we were back on the pathway.

We walked a bit further, and then we were in a mosque. At least I believed
so, as I had never been in one before, but had seen pictures of them. The
group of worshippers was not large, but I could see their rapt faces
as they listened to the mullah speak. He was speaking to them of purity, both
of the mind and the body, bringing them closer to Allah.

And as he spoke, God, dressed now in the robes of the desert, walked among them and briefly laid his hands upon each set of shoulders. And, from their
faces, I could see that these men knew that the words of the mullah were
true, and that their spirits felt touched by God. And then we were back on
the pathway.

After we had walked a bit, we found ourselves in an African village. People
with skin as black as night, the women with their breasts shamefully
bared, were dancing in a circle, to the rhythm of the drums being played by
a group of men.

Somehow though, I was not offended by the bared breasts, and the music
seemed to seep into my soul. God was then a mighty lion, and He let
forth a mighty roar. The villagers did not seem to hear, but the drums
increased their pounding, and the dancers danced with a frenzy. And then we
were back on the pathway.

We walked a bit more, and were on the top of a cliff. There sat, painted and
covered with feathers, an old Navajo man. As I watched, he seemed to
change into the form of an eagle and take flight, and we were flying with
him, soaring high into the air, seeing the vista spread out below us.

And God, in the form of an eagle Himself, seemed to guide this other eagle
thru the air, over mountains and thru valleys, until he came upon a group of
men. As I watched, the old Navajo man was no longer an eagle, but a young
boy instead, and he sat at the feet of these men, to listen to the
words of his elders. And then we were back on the pathway.

We traveled a bit, and then we were in a forest clearing. I knew this place.
It was known as a place of devil worship and evil. In the center of the
clearing roared a great bonfire, and tiki torches outlined a circle of sorts. Inside this circle, in a circle themselves, stood 7 men and 6 women,
dressed in robes of varying colors, their arms raised to the moon. Was that
one woman MaryAnne?

I really couldn't be sure. And God walked among them in the circle, touching
each one. He seemed not to be an older man now, but as he made each
of three turns around the circle, he was first a young girl, bouncing with
energy, then a woman of middle years, with a tender smile for all Her
children, and finally, an old woman, body bent, but holding Her head up with pride.

And a woman stepped forward, and yes, it was MaryAnne, and lifted her head
to the sky. "Great Goddess, Mother of us all, thank you for joining us
tonight. Stay if You will, go if You must. Know in our hearts You will
always be welcome. Blessed be!!" And we were back on the pathway.

As we walked along, ahead in the distance I saw the most beautiful man. Yes, beautiful, though I would never normally think of a man this way. With
blonde hair, and a golden robe, he seemed to radiate sunshine. God and this
golden man nodded to each other as they passed, sharing a smile together.

"My Lord" I asked, "was that an angel?" "Well, yes, he is known as that to
some. He is also known to some as a god himself. That was Lucifer" And His
words caused me to stumble. I couldn't believe that we had just passed the
ultimate evil. God looked at me, and He knew my mind.

And he chuckled a bit. "Think about it logically My son. The Lucifer that you know is a fallen angel, cast out of heaven for challenging Me. If I am the all powerful being, above all others, how could he do this? How could I allow it?" "But, in the bible...." I stammered.

"The Bible is a wonderful book, as are the Koran and the Torah and
many others, but they are just books, written by the hand of man, not
written by Me. And, it's a bit confusing as well if the truth be known, but
that's not up to Me to fix. These books are wonderful, but only as guidance, for each man and woman must think for themselves."

And, I believed He was right in this. "Now, come forth, we must journey a
little more before you go back" and He took my hand once again.

As we followed the pathway, we soared thru the stars, listening to the music
of the heavens, we became a little flower and a mighty oak, we became a
babbling brook, and a mighty ocean. We flitted from flower to flower as a
little honey bee, and ran across the plains as a mighty stallion.

And, all too soon the pathway returned us to my home. God held my hand a
moment longer, and smiled into my face. "My son, you prayed tonight for a
true vision of Me. For vision, you must only open your eyes and see what
there is to see. Good night to you". And then He was gone, and I was back in
my bed.

A dream I thought, only a dream, that couldn't have been real. At that time,
a bolt of lightning lit up my room thru the window, and thunder crashed thru
the sky, and I thought I heard, from seemingly far away, "Remember, the Lord
works in mysterious ways My son".

This morning as I entered the office, I went to the machine for a cup of
coffee, and standing there, I spied MaryAnne. As I approached her, I could
see her barely cringe, and I could see in her face that she was expecting
yet another onslaught from me and my book. She seemed to cast her eyes about for a way to escape, but there was none.

I walked up to her and smiled. "I think I owe you a bit of an apology" I said. "I've been a bit narrow minded of late, and I really had no right to
subject you to what I did. It's not up to me to say how you find your path
to your spirit, and I was wrong to think that was so,"

MaryAnne just stood there, not knowing what to say. "So, I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry, and I hope you will forgive my trespass. God bless you MaryAnne, and...uh.... Blessed Be?"

May those with whom we share ourselves be open and understanding, that they may be shown what spirituality is to them......and how it may not be
as different as they think......

Credited Author: Galadryael StarFyre

May those with whom we share ourselves be open and understanding, that they may be shown what spirituality is to them......and how it may not be as different as they think......

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Interesting words from someone who chooses to ignore what others post!!

I hope so..but not too soon...i still have 5 sons to rear.