On 6 May, 15:54, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm beginning to think that a vow of poverty does not actually > necessitate relinquishing every thing we own, but rather, letting go > of the notion that I possess any thing (or any one). The current > economic crisis has many of my friends wondering what it is we truly > own, as they watch their illusory home value diminish and their > retirement funds disappear.. What I know is, that the less I can feel > that I possess anything, and the more I am able to give and receive > freely, the more my needs are met in the moment in a big and beautiful > way - like a flow with a form of experience that is constantly > changing - and that change is no longer tied to economy or "work" or > cause and effect. >
Plus, a TRUE vow of poverty would include giving up even vows of poverty, as one couldn't 'have' one. Nice little paradox there, eh? And, of course, a Sufi viewpoint. > On May 6, 8:43 am, vamadevananda <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > " Of course, the problem is convincing the rich to give up their > > goods, property and money to those less fortunate, And that is a huge > > problem, as greed tends to grow when wealth is amassed." > > > The real problem is the greed, the one that makes us apathetic and > > unmindful. But for that, no one needs give up anything, except what > > he / she believes is excessive or burdensome and hence wishes to part. > > > On May 6, 2:00 pm, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On 5 May, 12:10, hassan yacoub <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > really if we look to the humanity we find that all people all over the > > > > globe > > > > are brothers from the same parents(adam and eve) and they must share > > > > what > > > > had God gave them to the best extent of right and good limit and must > > > > assist > > > > each other not kill each others for the sake of money and controling the > > > > weak ones knowing that nothing we will take to our grave exept our > > > > deeds so > > > > those who do good will meet their god last day gladly if they had done > > > > good > > > > while those did nothing good will be unhappy > > > > so you the rich people try to be good especially with the poor and > > > > needed one belive me you will never take your property now your money > > > > and > > > > even any thing with you > > > > are you satisfied of what i said if so congratulation > > > > hassan yacoub katy texas usa > > > > I'm happy with what you've said, Hassan. Essentially, if I may > > > paraphrase you, you've said that what unites us is the fact that we > > > are one big family. The problem is that we are not one big HAPPY > > > family. And, as you've rightly pointed out, this is largely due to > > > the disproportionate allocation of resources and money. A fair > > > statement. Also, you've pointed out that, irrespective of how much > > > 'wealth' we gather during our lives, we take none of THAT with us; > > > rather, what we take with us is the weight of our deeds. Another fair > > > statement. What we ought to do, and I'm pretty sure you'd agree with > > > me, is to recognise our filial duty to one another and act with > > > respect and fairness towards each other; for, if we did so, then we > > > might even out the economic disparity amongst us and the population, > > > as a whole, would benefit. Of course, the problem is convincing the > > > rich to give up their goods, property and money to those less > > > fortunate, And that is a huge problem, as greed tends to grow when > > > wealth is amassed. And, whilst it may be more obvious to some than > > > others, 'great material wealth' is not always a blessing and is, in > > > fact, a great responsibility often not dealt with in the best of > > > fashions. (and now, to paraphrase/quote 'Fiddler on the Roof') On the > > > other hand, there's no shame in being poor; but, it's no great honour > > > either. Allah hafiz, Hassan!! > > > > > On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 1:30 PM, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > There is a phrase that I think is important, but is overused and well > > > > > on its way to becoming a cliché and that is: “What unites us is > > > > > greater than what divides us!” President John F. Kennedy used it in > > > > > his 1961 address to Canadian Parliament: “Geography has made us > > > > > neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us > > > > > partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath > > > > > so joined together, let no man put asunder. What unites us is far > > > > > greater than what divides us. > > > > > > The current US President, Barack Obama also used the idea in his > > > > > speech this past Martin Luther King Junior Day: “through times of > > > > > great challenge and great change, we have remembered that fundamental > > > > > American truth - that what unites us is always more powerful than what > > > > > divides us.” > > > > > > But the idea is not strictly American, as the Secretary-General of the > > > > > United Nations, Ban Ki-moon has recently used it in two different > > > > > speeches. First, in April of 2009, in his address to the Alliance of > > > > > Civilizations forum in Istanbul, “What unites is so powerful it could > > > > > easily overcome what divides us.” Next, in November of 2009 in his > > > > > speech to the Summit of Religious and Secular Leaders on Climate > > > > > Change in London, “We are united by the belief that what unites us as > > > > > human beings is stronger than what divides us.” > > > > > > What is it that unites us all? Is it greater than what divides us? > > > > > What do YOU think? > > > > > > -- > > > > > 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]<minds-eye%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups > > > > > .com> > > > > > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. > > > > > -- > > > > hi to all- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
