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Originally posted by windword
reply to post by shaluach
Although the New Testament of the Bible contains some inspirational stories and some of Jesus' teaching, the Bible is not the word of God. I don't go around quoting scriptures, that are penned by questionable authority, to prove my point.
The truth is NOT in the Bible. The truth is found within.
Originally posted by JesuitGarlic
reply to post by windword
Incorrect, the OP has found GOD (perhaps the Father perhaps Jesus) but is seeking to know Him as Jesus specifically, trying develop more of a personal relationship with Him. With the book I suggested for Him which helped me form a personal relationship with Jesus, the OP will be able to as well.
basically I'm a Catholic and all through my life I've always felt really close to God but I've never really felt close to Jesus.. I just want to know if you'd have any idea why this is? Is it normal? I'm a really spiritual guy and meditate a lot and stuff.
What I am warning about is the dangerous slippery slope of deceptions he will go down seeking to find Jesus outside of sources that are not in-line with the Word. I am not going to let someone seeking sincere advice be lead down that slippery slope. I am going to warn the OP how the slippery slope is constructed, what it kinda looks like when you get there and traveling along it(eg. words like gnostic, Kabala, secret teachings revealed to a few only, Jesus not come in the fresh nor died for you) and then the alternative proven path that I have personal experience with. The OP can then decide for himself if he wants to search for 'truth' inside a mystery of an enigma or something that is right in your face rock solid Word.
I just want to know if you'd have any idea why this is? Is it normal?
Luke 13:25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
Look into Buddhism a bit for more -- Jesus studied with the Buddhists, and was a member of the gnostic Essenes. It's all about rising above the shallow materialism of wealth and realizing we are all One. Good for you. I suspect this ain't your first time around the block...you are a more evolved soul than some.
But seeing all the time and research you've put into compiling your posts, I'd say that you are very attracted to this knowledge.
Considering that Jesus says, 'Nobody comes to the Father expect through me' I would say it is NOT a success story to seem to find God yet not know Him as Jesus or have an established personal connection with Jesus.
Historical evidence indicates that Jesus knew about Buddhism, simply because both he and it were in Judea during the same time. Other evidence, while perhaps apocryphal, indicates that he spent most of his so-called lost years outside Judea, possibly in Kashmir to study Buddhism exclusively.
JESUS: "A foolish man, which built his house on sand."
BUDDHA: "Perishable is a city built on sand." (30)
JESUS: "Therefore confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed."
BUDDHA: "Confess before the world the sins you have committed." (31)
JESUS: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the foregiveness of sins."
BUDDHA: "Let all sins that were committed in this world fall on me, that the world may be delivered." (32)
JESUS: "Do to others as you would have them do to you."
BUDDHA: "Consider others as yourself." (33)
JESUS: "If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also."
BUDDHA: "If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon all desires and utter no evil words." (34)
JESUS: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."
BUDDHA: "Hatreds do not cease in this world by hating, but by love: this is an eternal truth. Overcome anger by love, overcome evil by good." (35)
JESUS: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
BUDDHA: "Let your thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world." (36)
JESUS: "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at her."
BUDDHA: "Do not look at the faults of others or what others have done or not done; observe what you yourself have done and have not done." (37)
JESUS: "You father in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."
BUDDHA: "The light of the sun and the moon illuminates the whole world, both him who does well and him who does ill, both him who stands high and him who stands low." (38)
JESUS: "If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven."
BUDDHA: "The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish do not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (39)
www.thezensite.com...
Chapter 9
10 The Israelites came in crowds at the word of Issa, asking him where they should praise the Heavenly Father, seeing that the enemy had razed their temples to the ground and laid low their sacred vessels.
11 And Issa made answer to them that God had not in view temples erected by the hands of man, but he meant that the human heart was the true temple of God.
John
12 "Enter into your temple, into your heart. Illumine it with good thoughts and the patience and immovable confidence which you should have in your Father.
Matthew
13 "And your sacred vessels, they are your hands and your eyes. See and do that which is agreeable to God, for in doing good to your neighbor you accomplish a rite which embellishes the temple wherein dwells he who gave you life.
Matthew
14 "For God has created you in his own likeness-innocent, with pure souls and hearts filled with goodness, destined not for the conception of evil schemes but made to be sanctuaries of love and justice.
Matthew
15 "Wherefore I say unto you, sully not your hearts, for the Supreme Being dwells therein eternally.
Luke
16 "If you wish to accomplish works marked with love or piety, do them with an open heart and let not your actions be governed by calculations or the hope of gain.
Matthew
17 "For such actions would not help to your salvation, and you would fall into that state of moral degradation where theft, lying, and murder pass for generous deeds."
Originally posted by EricD
reply to post by windword
Is there any supporting evidence for Christ's being in India aside from Notovitch's work?
I'm not saying he wasn't there, as I don't know. I just think it's highly unlikely and it's been demonstrated that Notovitch is most likely a fraud.
Eric
Originally posted by windword
The Tibetan monk that denied Notovitch's claim to have seen and handled the text, that now are mysteriously absent, had an ulterior agenda and probably a personal vendetta with him.
There is historic evidence of St Issa. Whether is was actually Jesus or someone else is up for debate. The teachings of St Issa and of Buddha are so similar to those of Jesus, that one has to think that they were somehow connected.
edit on 1-7-2012 by windword because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by windword
As for the monk, Notovitch claimed that he had given said monk gifts, an alarm clock and a thermometer, among others, and was given access to the scrolls, which he then translated, from sanskrit. Later the monk recanted meeting him, receiving the gifts and the existence of the scrolls.
I have a hard believing that Notovitch would lie about something as mundane as an alarm clock and a thermometer, or that he would venture on such a trip to view the rumored scroll without offering gifts. I think the monk recanted his meeting and the scrolls existence because of politics and felt blindsided by Notovitch's notoriety regarding his translation of the scrolls. It puts a lot of attention on the would be quite isolation of their temples, and having anything related to Jesus would cause hoards of pilgrims to come where are not wanted.
Originally posted by Tingle
I wasn't sure what to put as the title there really so sorry if it's misleading, basically I'm a Catholic and all through my life I've always felt really close to God but I've never really felt close to Jesus.. I just want to know if you'd have any idea why this is? Is it normal? I'm a really spiritual guy and meditate a lot and stuff.
Please don't hate on me or tell me I'm going to hell or something.. Just looking for opinions/help
Thanks
John 14:1
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
John 14:10
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 14:23
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
John 14:25
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.