On the synthesis between revealed Judeo-Christian tradition & the way of the Tao.

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
a reply to: Deetermined

"Naming is the origin
of all particular things."

Were you born with words and language? Notice that in the bible it says that you have to become like a little child to enter the kingdom. When you were born you had no thoughts..............prior to words............the kingdom is.

You're taking that Bible verse out of context...

Mark 10:15

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

First of all, notice that it says that not everyone will enter into the kingdom of God.

Secondly, "receiving the kingdom of God" takes some effort on our part. To receive it "as a little child" only means to recognize the fact that we will never enter the kingdom of God by our own efforts, but those of our heavenly Father. Babies don't survive without nurturing and it isn't something that's automatic for everyone by simply existing in this world.

Believe what you want, but what you say is precisely why the Bible warns us against trying to mix worldly words and thoughts with those that our spiritually from God. It just doesn't work.

a reply to: Deetermined

Matthew 18:3 King James Version (KJV)
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

originally posted by: Deetermined
Believe what you want, but what you say is precisely why the Bible warns us against trying to mix worldly words and thoughts with those that our spiritually from God. It just doesn't work.

Worldly words are words, labels, naming of particular things.
This that IS here that little children see and hear without words getting in the way is the kingdom...............it is the presence of the lord.

Didn't 'Jesus' try to teach the blind to see and the deaf to hear?

originally posted by: Deetermined


Mark 10:15

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Which version is this ^? Where it says 'as a little child' it means 'like' a little child.
I have found many versions here: biblehub.com...
Here is just one of them:

Christian Standard Bible
Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

a reply to: Itisnowagain

The fact that two of those verses tell us clearly that an action must be taken in order to enter the kingdom is still totally lost on you. That alone should tell you that this world is not the kingdom.

You have to read all of Matthew 18 in context for it to reveal who the greatest of the kingdom will be, but I can explain this in a thousand different ways and you still won't understand it if you choose not to.

Here's a hint...

Matthew 18:20

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

This does not mean that the kingdom of God is limited to this earth. It only means that the Holy Spirit has the ability to live within and among us until we are all gathered together in the physical, eternal, and heavenly kingdom of God.

originally posted by: Deetermined

This does not mean that the kingdom of God is limited to this earth. It only means that the Holy Spirit has the ability to live within and among us until we are all gathered together in the physical, eternal, and heavenly kingdom of God.

'We' are all gathered together...........................no thing can live outside of what is actual.........now is where everything is.

This that IS is the Kingdom..............................but time is believed and in time you will die so you use time to secure yourself.
Nothing is 'in time'.

The concept of time happens now........no concept can appear outside of now.

a reply to: FlyInTheOintment

I don't care to comment on the entire thread, only to the relationship of I Ching to the Bible. I probably know way less than you about Taoism or Confucianism or religions of India but I am familiar with the I Ching. I think it's a form of what Wikipedia calls Cleromancy or casting of lots. Maybe Urim and Thummim served this purpose but casting of lots also appears quite often in the Old Testament. It appears to be different to Urim and Thummim. When that is mentioned, it is specified as such. The general idea seems to be similar, though. The fact is that as often as it comes up, we really have no idea exactly how they did it so I will avoid speculation.

Perhaps Deetermined is correct that Christianity discourages divination. It seems much less prevalent in the New Testament. From the aforementioned Wikipedia, "A notable example in the New Testament occurs in the Acts of the Apostles 1:23–26 where the eleven remaining apostles cast lots to determine whether to select Matthias or Barsabbas (surnamed Justus) to replace Judas." So perhaps there are some permissible applications after all. I would not, however, ask of it a question that would result in an answer that would go contrary to established scripture.

originally posted by: Deetermined
That alone should tell you that his world is not the kingdom.

What 'world'?
'World' is a concept....an idea about something that is not appearing in plain sight.

Can you see or heard 'the world'?

What is here and now always?

a reply to: Itisnowagain

'We' are all gathered together...........................no thing can live outside of what is actual.........now is where everything is.

This is where you lack knowledge and understanding of God. God has the ability to live outside of time and space.

This that IS is the Kingdom..............................but time is believed and in time you will die so you use time to secure yourself.
Nothing is 'in time'.

I hate to break it to you, but everything in this world is currently living in time until such time that we are taken out of this world. In this worldly time, we will die. When we're taken out of this world, time and death will no longer exist. All human existence as we know it will be done away with. Once you accept that we're not God, nor do we have the power to overcome death of our own accord, will you start to understand what the Bible is talking about.

I'll point out for the third time, this is why Christianity and Tao don't really mix. It only opens a door to use spiritual words and meaning and convert them into limited world philosophy and understanding. The Bible tells us that there is a God and he has a name. God's kingdom is available to those who understand what it is through the instruments (scriptures and Jesus) that God gave us to understand it with. Maybe you should be calling your kingdom, the Kingdom of Tao. The Bible has nothing to do with it and it shouldn't be quoted to support something that is totally contradictory to what the Bible says and teaches.

originally posted by: Deetermined
a reply to: Itisnowagain

'We' are all gathered together...........................no thing can live outside of what is actual.........now is where everything is.

This is where you lack knowledge and understanding of God. God has the ability to live outside of time and space.

Is what is actually happening in time?
Where is time experienced? When is the concept of time experienced?
It is only thought, words, language that speaks of time....................but where is it?

I want you to really really look now to see if you can see time?
Time is a word that says..................the present always looks different.

If you eat from the tree of 'Knowledge'.............it means you believe what thought says.....and you will believe in things that are not.

originally posted by: Deetermined
I hate to break it to you, but everything in this world is currently living in time until such time that we are taken out of this world.

The world and time does not exist without the belief in thought.

What actually exists..............when there are no thoughts telling you what there is?

a reply to: Itisnowagain

If you eat from the tree of 'Knowledge'.............it means you believe what thought says.

The correct full name is, "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil". It only means that we are given the knowledge to understand the difference between the two and the free will to choose how we're going to use it.

The "Tree of Life" is separate from the other tree for a reason. One doesn't always lead to the other.

a reply to: Deetermined

Words like 'good' and 'evil' make believe there are two things.
There isn't two things......................there is just this that IS.

There is no one separate to what is happening so how can anyone have freewill?

Now is what appears to be happening...............there isn't anything which stands apart from this that is happening..............it is the cosmic joke.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

Words like 'good' and 'evil' make believe there is two things.
There isn't two things......................there is just this that IS.

Good and evil are different from each other and convincing yourself otherwise is foolishness.

There is no one separate to what is happening so how can anyone have freewill.

Once again, the Bible tells us that we were given free will, just like the angels. We have the free will to decide whether to accept or reject God for who He says He is. We also have been given free will to choose good over evil and to act accordingly.

a reply to: Deetermined

a reply to: Itisnowagain

Life is only a joke to you because you refuse to understand it. That's all a part of free will too.

originally posted by: Deetermined
a reply to: Itisnowagain

Life is only a joke to you because you refuse to understand it. That's all a part of free will too.

Life cannot be understood..........nothing stands under or over life!
If you stand apart from life then you will suffer from separation anxiety...............which is fear...........that fear will not lift away until the ONE life reveals itself.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

God stands over all life.

I'm not falling for your "Ignorance is bliss" way of life that you have chosen based on foolish philosophy.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

If you stand apart from life then you will suffer from separation anxiety...............which is fear...........that fear will not lift away until the ONE life reveals itself.

What peace does thinking that good and evil are one and the same bring you?

originally posted by: Deetermined


I'm not falling for your "Ignorance is bliss" way of life that you have chosen based on foolish philosophy.

Ignoring the true nature of what is..................is not blissful.