Favorite Spiritual Quote
Hi everyone. I hope this is a thread that everyone from any religious background can relate to and participate in by posting a quotation from your spiritual tradition that people from any religious background could relate to. For example:
- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Here's one from the faith I grew up in, & sometimes a necessary corrective to those of a kindly disposition:
"He who is merciful unto the cruel is
destined to be cruel unto the merciful."
- Shimon ben Lakish, rabbi
@slowdecline48 that is kind of harsh. My interpretation of the meaning of that quote is show no mercy to the cruel.
How do you read it.?
I read it straightforwardly: that if you show mercy to those who don't deserve it, you will eventually cause maltreatment to those who also don't deserve it. A moral error that one refuses to correct will eventually affect one's judgment & then one's behavior toward others, with the result that innocent people will suffer because of one's moral blindness.
You can read an exegesis of it here if you like...the examples it uses are a bit dated but the argument & principles are timeless, though the original phrasing may be rather unclear.
So you found this quote worrisome while all the others met with your enthusiastic approval...interesting.
@slowdecline48 thank you for your explanation. I am trying to understand what the benefits of that saying is. I will meditate on it.
@slowdecline48
Friend slowdecline. I greet you with the peace of another Jew, Jesus Christ the son of God. Since Shimon ben Lakish is a rabbi I guess you're a wonderful Jew. As you understand I'm a proud Christian, so happy to know the one (Jesus Christ) who was crusified for our sins, conquered evil, rose from the dead and walk among us today. Thank you for giving us the Old Testament.
Shimon ben Lakish must have changed his life to become a rabbi - in his bio it is written that he also was a gladiator and a bandit in a life of crime.
This is all for now.
@Helgafy I appreciate the kind comments. Obviously as a Jew--&, let's say, a "faith-challenged" one at that--I don't see Jesus the way you do...but. After quite a few convos with Christians (many Evangelicals, with a couple Catholics for variety) & a lot of poking around in Roman & Near Eastern history, I've come to respect him. I actually like him as a person, though I still find Jesus hard to relate to in certain instances. I do like his use of parables in teaching his disciples...it's a time-honored method for giving knowledge to people who are on a different level than oneself. I can't knock his strength of conviction, either. Jesus followed his beliefs wherever they led, regardless of the risks he surely knew he was taking....am not sure if I could do that.
About ben Lakish - yeah, he turned his life around. He was kinda like Malcolm X in that way. Before Malcolm joined the NoI cult & then found Islam he was a petty drug dealer, among other things, & served time in prison.
@slowdecline48
Friend.
Your skull at your pfp must have impressed me. This night I dreamt of a dog that had the same name/pfp - skull. I'll probably write more later.
@slowdecline48
Interesting...but where'd you get the idea that I'm 55? I never said that...I'm 48 years old. You don't need to hurry me along! 😝
@slowdecline48
Sorry - I guess i saw you writing in 50+ thread.
You have a fine day friend!
@slowdecline48
Hi.
I just want to say that I find it very nice that you talk so well about Jesus Christ, my friend, savior and God.
I wish you the best.
From Helga.
@slowdecline48
Hi.
There was a prisoner, Barrabas at Jesu time. The crowd were asked if they wanted him or the merciful - Jesus Christ - to go free. The people shouted they wanted Barabbas to go free - so the merciful Jesus Christ was crucified. But this paradox was Gods will.
So according to the quote you gave - God can even be greater than what men think the outcome will be.
John 11.49-51: "Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest hat year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
So friends of @soulsing at this thread:
At each service here in Norway the Blessing from Numbers 6:24-27 in the Old Testament of the Bible is read: 24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
fine Sunday. From Helga.
😳
...thanks, @Helgafy. You kinda put me on the spot, dear. 😕
I could read it but I'm using a Tanakh (the Hebrew text that the "Old Testament" is based on), which might as well be ancient Greek or Mandarin Chinese for everyone else here. If you're curious, here it is with verses 6:24-26 bracketed in blue:
(You read it from right to left, not left to right as Western languages go. Sasher knows already, because Arabic works the same way)
@slowdecline48
Thank you. Funny. Yes - I know Hebrew was the language of the Torah. I have a Swedish friend (I met her in my 20th. when I was travelling in Europe). Her daughter met a Christian Jew in Israel (I think maybe she was working at an kibbutz). They married in Israel 2 years ago. He is now (poor guy) doing militaryservice at Gaza (sorry - I'm talking of conflicts in the Middle-East now - I always pray for peace though). She is working at a Christian book-store in Jerusalem. Well - she is studying Hebrew now. (You wrote a message about your age at your thread another place yesterday - I'll check it out later today). Can you really understand Hebrew? I bless you wonderful person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (To the Muslims "Father" is not a fine thing to call God - and the Jews don't call the Son God, but maybe all can accept the Holy Spirit).
@soulsings
Thank you so much soul for having this thread and that you're so open spiritually that you let us quote.
@Helgafy I try to keep an open mind to all religions because every religion that has an element of ethical conduct is a step in the right direction.
We do not have to agree on everything but I think we can all agree that everyone wants to be happy and to be free of suffering.
Since we just have celebrated Christmas (some of us) I'll like very much to quote a bit from the Old Testament, a few thousands years before Christ came to the world, how it was prophesied about his coming:
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
And we know Christ first and foremost came to rule over our hearts, to give us love and peace.
Friends.
Some have been talking of love here. So here comes a quote from the Bible about love:
1 John 4:10 "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins."
@Helgafy here is another one about love
Love one another as I have loved you.
@soulsings
Yes soul - It is Jesus Christ saying this in John 13.34 in the Bible. Thank you.
@Soulsings sorry, this is not a quote but it's a video (that I think I've shared with you personally before. Hopefully others can benifit from it too.) based on the favourite quote you posted "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - Karen Armstrong - Charter for Compassion
I remember a time in my life when I'd try to apply this quote to manipulative and abusive people. I'd treat them as kindly as I could, even when they were doing really bad things to me and my son. Thankfully I learnt about boundaries and realised, that actually, if it was me doing those bad things, i'd want someone to help me set it right. I completely left them in the end as no matter what I tried they wouldn't be kind or reasonable people. (hopefully the later half of this post can protect anyone that might be going through abuse without protection or support) 🙏
Hope you're okay, Souls! 🤍
@Sasher I ihave read many of Karen Armstrong's books. A very profound author.
@Soulsings I have "12 Steps to a Compassionate Life", and "Muhammad Biography of the Prophet". I did start reading them some time ago but never finished them. 1 day!
I've finally got back into reading recently after not reading for the last couple of years, and am currently reading "See Yourself as God sees you, by Josh McDowell - talking of which, now would be a perfect time to read a few pages.
@Sasher
Sasher. I'm so glad you learned to set boundaries. The quote is from the Bible, Luke 6.31. We always need wisdom in our life. I bless you (even if you're a Muslim and have another view of God) in the name of the Father (the Christians are allowed to call God that - he wants to take care of all our needs), the Son (well - we both know that Jesus Christ lived - and we believe lives - you call him a prophet, we call him God) and the Holy Spirit - (who is the spirit of God).
@Helgafy thank you for sharing. I'm familiar with Christian teachings. One of my sisters is Christian and I'm doing Christianity with my son at the moment, for religious education.
@Sasher I find there are basic ethical beliefs in most religions and I am happy to value any that are like that. We are all different and need different religions at this time but that may change in the future.
@Soulsings yes I agree. Compassion is good regardless of which religion is being followed, as with honesty, kindness etc, I agree. I guess it's about each individuals path of discovery 🤷🏼♀️
@Helgafy thanks by the way. Me too!
Hi.
Since we (some of us) just celebrated Christmas, I will give you this Bibleverse about Jesus Christ: John 1:9-10: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
So - I'll quote from the highest law today, written in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
@Helgafy very moving verses. For me the word love also implies compassion for others.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
@Soulsings love has always been a complicated word for me because when I think of love I think of deep connection and warm feelings. So how does one 'love' thy enemy I asked myself. I think the English language is the limiting factor in this and love can mean compassion and lots of other things. In Arabic there are over 50 words for love all meaning slightly different things.
Sorry by the way if my post is incoherent with the rest of the conversation. I didnt read the rest of the post and picked up on the word 'love' and wanted to share my own experience.
@Sasher I feel that way too about love. Compassion and empathy seem closer to me what is intended by loving my enemy. I guess if I saw with the eyes of compassion and understanding then I might feel the love of a mother for her child with an enemy, because we all are suffering. The people who harm others are suffering like we are but they believe their suffering is due to people out there when in reality they create the causes of suffering inside.
May we find a way to get along somehow.
@Soulsings the love I mentioned - the deep feeling of connection and warmth - I guess would be akin to attachment or at least lead to wanting to attach.
I'm not sure anyone is supposed to attach to an enemy, but yes having compassion and empathy and the other things you mentioned and not having contempt in one's heart for them, would be good.
I'm not sure about the mother with a child part, because then there's a responsibility to care for and guide them, which I guess can be dangerous for an under-resourced, unattached and unprotected individual.
@Helgafy I particular liked this bit "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."
The heart is absent of love if envy is in the heart. It is absent of love if sadism is in the heart. I like the part 'it keeps no records of wrongs'. I'm curious to know what is meant by "it is not self-seeking," this is the part I don't understand.
@Sasher
"self-seeking" - maybe self-importance, proud, arrogance. A bit difficult to translate because remember also to love yourself - as you have told you have been working on by setting boundaries.
@Helgafy maybe it mean not always seeking love for one's self but rather giving and receiving love.
@Sasher to me self seeking is a self-centered attitude. This could be taking things that belong to someone else without asking permission because I need them or trying to win the boss's favor even if it takes lying about coworkers to tarnish their reputation. Self seeking can often lead to breaking the code of ethical behavior and justified by an exaggerated sense of the importance of our wants with total disregard for other's needs.
The opposite of self seeking is seeing that others are suffering just like me and being moved to help them to the degree I am able right now. This is also called altruism.
@Soulsings yes, completely makes sense I can see and recognise this.
I do hopw you're okay. Big hugs 🤍
@Sasher glad it helped to clarify things.
I am well. Hope you are too. Big hugs back.