Guest guest Posted November 7, 2001 Report Share Posted November 7, 2001 Hi Mike, It may help to remind your friends of the last words of Jesus "Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing." Love, James , MikeSuesserott@t... wrote: > Dear all, > > last weekend I visited with some friends - a very sweet Korean couple who > are what I call "Jesus people", meaning they believe in mankind being > destined for hellfire and brimstone unless "Jesus saves them". > > Well, of course the topic of religion came up as it always does when we > meet, and they made some renewed attempts at "saving" me... In the course of > our discussions they maintained that Jesus was the only Son of God, all the > other saints and enlightened beings were little prophets at best, etc. - the > usual 19th-century missionary stuff. > > They also said, and this is why I am bringing this up, that the Lord Buddha > supposedly uttered these last words before his death: "Though I tried very > hard, I have not succeeded in finding the truth." > > Of course this assertion of theirs can only be utter nonsense, but my > question is, does any of the wise ones here have information as to the real > last words of the Buddha? > > Thanks and love to all, > > Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2001 Report Share Posted November 7, 2001 Hi James, it's not easy discussing with people who are so deeply convinced they know it all. You know, these friends of mine had studied the Bible for many years, and had come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do for others is to save them from eternal damnation... Can be a little exasperating at times, but it's also quite touching in a way because they mean so well. And they are not going to burn you at the stake if you are not a believer. They will just look at you with an expression of genuine pity in their eyes and give you up for lost - until the next time you meet them. But then, as you say, they don't know what they do. Take care, Michael > -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- > Von: james [nisarga] > Gesendet: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 18:16 > An: > Betreff: Re: Last words of the Buddha > > > > Hi Mike, > > It may help to remind your friends of the last words of Jesus > "Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing." > > Love, > James > > > > > , MikeSuesserott@t... wrote: > > Dear all, > > > > last weekend I visited with some friends - a very sweet Korean > couple who > > are what I call "Jesus people", meaning they believe in mankind > being > > destined for hellfire and brimstone unless "Jesus saves them". > > > > Well, of course the topic of religion came up as it always does when > we > > meet, and they made some renewed attempts at "saving" me... In the > course of > > our discussions they maintained that Jesus was the only Son of God, > all the > > other saints and enlightened beings were little prophets at best, > etc. - the > > usual 19th-century missionary stuff. > > > > They also said, and this is why I am bringing this up, that the Lord > Buddha > > supposedly uttered these last words before his death: "Though I > tried very > > hard, I have not succeeded in finding the truth." > > > > Of course this assertion of theirs can only be utter nonsense, but > my > > question is, does any of the wise ones here have information as to > the real > > last words of the Buddha? > > > > Thanks and love to all, > > > > Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2001 Report Share Posted November 7, 2001 Hi James and Michael, I actually was an orthodox Christian in the mid-1980's. I like talking to them, and can still say that I have Christ in my heart. We can speak of doctrine and spiritual matters quite well. It's where it gets into concrete behaviors that their suspicions creep in. They'll become suspicious if they pursue things and ask me which church I'm going to and how often. If I don't go to church every week, then according to their beliefs, I will have lost the salvation that I once had, I'll have "backslidden." Sliding down to the cafeteria for a latte, --Greg At 10:09 PM 11/7/01 +0100, MikeSuesserott wrote: >Hi James, > >it's not easy discussing with people who are so deeply convinced they know >it all. You know, these friends of mine had studied the Bible for many >years, and had come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do for >others is to save them from eternal damnation... Can be a little >exasperating at times, but it's also quite touching in a way because they >mean so well. > >And they are not going to burn you at the stake if you are not a believer. >They will just look at you with an expression of genuine pity in their eyes >and give you up for lost - until the next time you meet them. > >But then, as you say, they don't know what they do. > >Take care, > >Michael > > > > -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- > > Von: james [nisarga] > > Gesendet: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 18:16 > > An: > > Betreff: Re: Last words of the Buddha > > > > > > > > Hi Mike, > > > > It may help to remind your friends of the last words of Jesus > > "Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing." > > > > Love, > > James > > > > > > > > > > , MikeSuesserott@t... wrote: > > > Dear all, > > > > > > last weekend I visited with some friends - a very sweet Korean > > couple who > > > are what I call "Jesus people", meaning they believe in mankind > > being > > > destined for hellfire and brimstone unless "Jesus saves them". > > > > > > Well, of course the topic of religion came up as it always does when > > we > > > meet, and they made some renewed attempts at "saving" me... In the > > course of > > > our discussions they maintained that Jesus was the only Son of God, > > all the > > > other saints and enlightened beings were little prophets at best, > > etc. - the > > > usual 19th-century missionary stuff. > > > > > > They also said, and this is why I am bringing this up, that the Lord > > Buddha > > > supposedly uttered these last words before his death: "Though I > > tried very > > > hard, I have not succeeded in finding the truth." > > > > > > Of course this assertion of theirs can only be utter nonsense, but > > my > > > question is, does any of the wise ones here have information as to > > the real > > > last words of the Buddha? > > > > > > Thanks and love to all, > > > > > > Michael > > > >/join > > > > > >All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, >perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and >subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not >different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the >nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. >It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the >Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of >Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome >all to a. > > > >Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2001 Report Share Posted November 8, 2001 Greetings all. It is interesting that Christianity is one of the greatest mystery religions. It teaches that the only salvation is to be one with Christ. In oneness there is not "me" and "another." There is not me and Christ, but One: the realisation of my total and absolute divinity. Love and grace, ~ Janak. , Gregory Goode <goode@D...> wrote: > Hi James and Michael, > > I actually was an orthodox Christian in the mid-1980's. I like talking to > them, and can still say that I have Christ in my heart. We can speak of > doctrine and spiritual matters quite well. It's where it gets > into concrete behaviors that their suspicions creep in. They'll become > suspicious if they pursue things and ask me which church I'm going to and > how often. If I don't go to church every week, then according to their > beliefs, I will have lost the salvation that I once had, I'll have > "backslidden." > > Sliding down to the cafeteria for a latte, > > --Greg > > At 10:09 PM 11/7/01 +0100, MikeSuesserott@t... wrote: > >Hi James, > > > >it's not easy discussing with people who are so deeply convinced they know > >it all. You know, these friends of mine had studied the Bible for many > >years, and had come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do for > >others is to save them from eternal damnation... Can be a little > >exasperating at times, but it's also quite touching in a way because they > >mean so well. > > > >And they are not going to burn you at the stake if you are not a believer. > >They will just look at you with an expression of genuine pity in their eyes > >and give you up for lost - until the next time you meet them. > > > >But then, as you say, they don't know what they do. > > > >Take care, > > > >Michael > > > > > > > -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- > > > Von: james [nisarga@c...] > > > Gesendet: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 18:16 > > > An: > > > Betreff: Re: Last words of the Buddha > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Mike, > > > > > > It may help to remind your friends of the last words of Jesus > > > "Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing." > > > > > > Love, > > > James > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , MikeSuesserott@t... wrote: > > > > Dear all, > > > > > > > > last weekend I visited with some friends - a very sweet Korean > > > couple who > > > > are what I call "Jesus people", meaning they believe in mankind > > > being > > > > destined for hellfire and brimstone unless "Jesus saves them". > > > > > > > > Well, of course the topic of religion came up as it always does when > > > we > > > > meet, and they made some renewed attempts at "saving" me... In the > > > course of > > > > our discussions they maintained that Jesus was the only Son of God, > > > all the > > > > other saints and enlightened beings were little prophets at best, > > > etc. - the > > > > usual 19th-century missionary stuff. > > > > > > > > They also said, and this is why I am bringing this up, that the Lord > > > Buddha > > > > supposedly uttered these last words before his death: "Though I > > > tried very > > > > hard, I have not succeeded in finding the truth." > > > > > > > > Of course this assertion of theirs can only be utter nonsense, but > > > my > > > > question is, does any of the wise ones here have information as to > > > the real > > > > last words of the Buddha? > > > > > > > > Thanks and love to all, > > > > > > > > Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2001 Report Share Posted November 8, 2001 In the > > course of > > > our discussions they maintained that Jesus was the only Son of God, Adam was also the son of God. "Though I > > tried very > > > hard, I have not succeeded in finding the truth." Buddha taught the Way of release from suffering, not the way of finding the "truth". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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