The importance in defining a difference lies in the effect caused by the weight of the error and by benefits of getting it right. Example: the struggles and divisions cause due to a lack of knowledge of the two principles male and female. "Which is actually better to rule over the other?" Why is there a need for one to rule over the other in the first place? Perhaps some leader have mis-interpreted the scripture where the woman was told to subject her desire toward her husband. Let's look behind that veil again. The principles of male- female are knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge -inactive - Wisdom - active. Now for Wisdom to act without knowledge is chaos. Yet, when they remain in perfect union their offspring, their child is born - Understanding. Those in this life that understands and lives this will constitute the Bride. Once complete you have the 4 letter Name of God.
On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 1:58 PM, Molly <[email protected]>" wrote: > I don't see the importance in defining the difference there. > > On Jan 14, 11:34 am, edward mason <[email protected]> wrote: >> To have a religion (a product of culture) is to have a leader to lead >> to God. Unnatural in a relationship. For those of you who are married >> imagine needing a leader there. How will you define a difference >> there? >> >> >> >> On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 12:20 PM, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > On 14 Jan, 16:58, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Makes a lot of sense Pat. ;-] >> >> > Cheers, mate! I do try. But it's my "life's work", as it were; so I >> > want it to be as sound as possible. Although, I know that, even >> > though I speak the truth, many people will be VERY upset by that. >> > But, that, I'm afraid, goes with the role. ;-) >> >> >> On Jan 14, 7:21 am, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > On 14 Jan, 08:42, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > > The world seems more religious than ever these days. >> >> >> > > Across the Middle East, fervent forms of Islam are growing more >> >> > > popular and more politically active. Muslim nations that were somewhat >> >> > > secularized 40 years ago - like Lebanon and Iran - are now teeming >> >> > > with fundamentalism. In Turkey and Egypt, increasing numbers of women >> >> > > are turning to the veil as an overt manifestation of reinvigorated >> >> > > religious commitment. But it isn't just in the Muslim world that >> >> > > religion is thriving. From Brazil to El Salvador, Protestant >> >> > > evangelicalism is spreading with great success, instilling a spirited, >> >> > > holy zeal throughout Latin America. Pentecostalism is proliferating, >> >> > > too - vigorously - and not only throughout Latin America, but in >> >> > > Africa and even, to a lesser extent, China. And many nations of the >> >> > > former Soviet Union, which had atheism imposed upon them for decades, >> >> > > have emerged from the communist era with their faith not only intact, >> >> > > but strong and vibrant. Here in the United States, religion is >> >> > > definitely alive and well. In terms of church attendance and belief in >> >> > > God, Jesus, and the Bible, religion in the United States is stronger >> >> > > and more robust than in most other developed democracies. >> >> >> > > In sum, from Nebraska to Nepal, from Georgia to Guatemala, and from >> >> > > Utah to Uganda, humans all over the globe are vigorously praising >> >> > > various deities; regularly attending services at churches, temples, >> >> > > and mosques; persistently studying sacred texts; dutifully performing >> >> > > holy rites; energetically carrying out spiritual rituals; soberly >> >> > > defending the world from sin; piously fasting; and enthusiastically >> >> > > praying and then praying some more, singing, praising, and loving this >> >> > > or that savior, prophet, or God. >> >> >> > > But that is not occurring everywhere. I am referring to two nations in >> >> > > particular, Denmark and Sweden, which are probably the least religious >> >> > > countries in the world, and possibly in the history of the world. >> >> > > Amidst all this vibrant global piety - atop the vast swelling sea of >> >> > > sacredness - Denmark and Sweden float along like small, content, >> >> > > durable dinghies of secular life, where most people are nonreligious >> >> > > and don't worship Jesus or Vishnu, don't revere sacred texts, don't >> >> > > pray, and don't give much credence to the essential dogmas of the >> >> > > world's great faiths. >> >> >> > > In clean and green Scandinavia, few people speak of God, few people >> >> > > spend much time thinking about theological matters, and although their >> >> > > media in recent years has done an unusually large amount of reporting >> >> > > on religion, even that is offered as an attempt to grapple with and >> >> > > make sense of a strange foreign phenomenon out there in the wider >> >> > > world that refuses to disappear, a phenomenon that takes on such dire >> >> > > significance for everyone - except, well, for Danes and Swedes. >> >> >> > > What are societies like when faith in God is minimal, church >> >> > > attendance is drastically low, and religion is a distinctly muted and >> >> > > marginal aspect of everyday life? >> >> >> > > Many people assume that religion is what keeps people moral, that a >> >> > > society without God would be hell on earth: rampant with immorality, >> >> > > full of evil, and teeming with depravity. But that doesn't seem to be >> >> > > the case for Scandinavians in those two countries. Although they may >> >> > > have relatively high rates of petty crime and burglary, and although >> >> > > these crime rates have been on the rise in recent decades, their >> >> > > overall rates of violent crime - including murder, aggravated assault, >> >> > > and rape - are among the lowest on earth. Yet the majority of Danes >> >> > > and Swedes do not believe that God is "up there," keeping diligent >> >> > > tabs on their behavior, slating the good for heaven and the wicked for >> >> > > hell. Most Danes and Swedes don't believe that sin permeates the >> >> > > world, and that only Jesus, the Son of God, who died for their sins, >> >> > > can serve as a remedy. In fact, most Danes and Swedes don't even >> >> > > believe in the notion of "sin." >> >> >> > > So the typical Dane or Swede doesn't believe all that much in God. And >> >> > > simultaneously, they don't commit much murder. But aren't they a dour, >> >> > > depressed lot, all the same? Not according to Ruut Veenhoven, >> >> > > professor emeritus of social conditions for human happiness at Erasmus >> >> > > University Rotterdam. Veenhoven is a leading authority on worldwide >> >> > > levels of happiness from country to country. He recently ranked 91 >> >> > > nations on an international happiness scale, basing his research on >> >> > > cumulative scores from numerous worldwide surveys. According to his >> >> > > calculations, the country that leads the globe - ranking No. 1 in >> >> > > terms of its residents' overall level of happiness - is little, >> >> > > peaceful, and relatively godless Denmark. >> >> >> > > The connection between religion - or the lack thereof - and societal >> >> > > health is admittedly complex. It is difficult to definitively >> >> > > establish that secularism is always good for society and religion >> >> > > always bad. However, the often posited opposite claim is equally >> >> > > difficult to substantiate: that secularism is always bad for a society >> >> > > and religion always good. To be sure, in some instances, religion can >> >> > > be a strong and positive ingredient in establishing societal health, >> >> > > prosperity, and well-being. And when considering what factors >> >> > > contribute to the making of a good society, religion can be a positive >> >> > > force. >> >> >> > > Here in the United States, for example, religious ideals often serve >> >> > > as a beneficial counterbalance against the cutthroat brand of >> >> > > individualism that can be so rampant and dominating. Religious >> >> > > congregations in America serve as community centers, counseling >> >> > > providers, and day-care sites. And a significant amount of research >> >> > > has shown that moderately religious Americans report greater >> >> > > subjective well-being and life satisfaction, greater marital >> >> > > satisfaction, better family cohesion, and fewer symptoms of depression >> >> > > than the nonreligious. Historically, a proliferation of religious >> >> > > devotion, faith in God, and reliance on the Bible has sometimes been a >> >> > > determining factor in establishing schools for children, creating >> >> > > universities, building hospitals for the sick and homes for the >> >> > > homeless, taking care of orphans and the elderly, resisting >> >> > > oppression, establishing law and order, and developing democracy. >> >> >> > > In other instances, however, religion may not have such positive >> >> > > societal effects. It can often be one of the main sources of tension, >> >> > > violence, poverty, oppression, inequality, and disorder in a given >> >> > > society. A quick perusal of the state of the world will reveal that >> >> > > widespread faith in God or strong religious sentiment in a given >> >> > > country does not necessarily ensure societal health. After all, many >> >> > > of the most religious and faithful nations on earth are simultaneously >> >> > > among the most dangerous and destitute. Conversely, a widespread lack >> >> > > of faith in God or very low levels of religiosity in a given country >> >> > > does not necessarily spell societal ruin. The fact is, the majority of >> >> > > the most irreligious democracies are among the most prosperous and >> >> > > successful nations on earth. >> >> >> > > Just to be perfectly clear here: I am not arguing that the admirably >> >> > > high level of societal health in Scandinavia is directly caused by the >> >> > > low levels of religiosity. Although one could certainly make such a >> >> > > case - arguing that a minimal focus on God and the afterlife, and a >> >> > > stronger focus on solving problems of daily life in a rational, >> >> > > secular manner have led to positive, successful societal outcomes in >> >> > > Scandinavia - that is not the argument I wish to develop here. Rather, >> >> > > I simply wish to soberly counter the widely touted assertion that >> >> > > without religion, society is doomed. >> >> >> > > If you can smell my ax starting to grind here, your nostrils are in >> >> > > good working order. The claim that without religion, society is doomed >> >> > > deserves to be challenged because, aside from being poor social >> >> > > science, it is a highly political claim that is regularly promulgated >> >> > > by some of America's most popular and most influential Christian >> >> > > conservatives. Those individuals do not represent or speak for the >> >> > > majority of believers in America, but together they do constitute a >> >> > > formidable and uniquely zealous chorus that reaches the hearts and >> >> > > minds of millions of people on a regular basis. >> >> >> > > I am referring, for instance, to Pat Robertson, the successful >> >> > > televangelist and founder of the Christian Coalition, who regularly >> >> > > condemns secularism. And Ann Coulter, the Christian conservative media >> >> > > pundit, who has written in one of her >> >> ... >> >> read more » > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > ""Minds Eye"" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. > > > >
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