Tag: Christianity

Three Fruits of the Spirit

May. 28 Religion 1 comment

Gentleness, goodness and kindness are three concepts that will help us bring out the best in others through action.

In the following article, Kaylene Maize shares with us specific examples and guidelines that we can use to share these fruits with those around us.

The more I reflect on the fruits of the Spirit the more I begin to realize they all go hand in hand! You can’t have one without another! You can’t be kind unless you’re gentle and you cannot be joyful without love, and peace comes from being patient…. I think you get my point! I don’t think God gave us these fruits as virtues to be practiced individually; rather He gave us these fruits so that we can be highly effective Christians who practice all of the fruits of the spirit in our lives.

As Christians we are called to go out into the world and spread His love and life everywhere that we go, just like St. Francis of Assisi once said: “Proclaim the Gospel always, use words if necessary.” We are called to serve God through not only our words but also through our actions. That’s where gentleness, kindness and goodness come in.  These three fruits of the spirit are important to practice in today’s society especially. We live in a world that is lacking in these areas, there are people who yearn to be loved and accepted in this world and it is our duty as Christians to make sure each and every individual knows that they are loved and they have value and worth in this world! We need to bring out the best in people in instead of bringing out the worst. We need to build up strong men and women of God, not tear them down.  As brothers and sisters in Christ and sons and daughters of God we can be the change our world so desperately needs!

Gentleness

  • The Greek word translated as “gentleness” is also sometimes translated as “meekness” or “mildness.”
  • Thomas Aquinas, for example, teaches that meekness “moderates anger according to right reason” (Summa Theologica II:II:157).
  • Von Hildebrand captures the true power of gentleness: “For the meek is reserved true victory over the world, because it is not they themselves who conquer, but Christ in them and through them” (Transformation in Christ, 421).
  • Mass: For our God is full of gentleness and compassion
  • Gentleness comes from growing in union with the Heart of Jesus, as we love, trust, and imitate him more
  • Two qualities belong to the meaning of gentleness and they are strength and love
  • Only strong people can be gentle, because gentleness restrains strength by love.
  • Gentleness is impossible in the absence of humility
    • If we wish to be in imitation of Jesus, to be gentle we must become humble.
    • The best indicator of how humble we are is how gentle we are
    • Have we ever asked ourselves why do we get irritated with people? Why do they bother us?
    • Speck in our brother’s eye, and we don’t see the beam in our own. And do you know why? Because maybe the beam is so big in our own eyes we can’t even recognize the fact that the person does have virtue, does have fine qualities.
    • We always see others through our own eyes. And our eyes are sinful eyes
      • Decenter your selves! Too often we think we’re the center of the world! The moment we realize we’re not the center we become more at peace and can more fully meet people where they are.
  • The virtue of gentleness is built right in to the middle of the Lord’s Prayer. Forgive us, we plead, with God.
  • Nothing under heaven except the grace of God can make us, as we should be, gentle. We need that grace. Jesus will give it to us if only we earnestly ask Him. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine. Amen.

Goodness

  • A few simple guidelines for feeling good everyday
    • Be honorable in all your dealing
      • May your yes mean yes and your no mean no!!
      • Fully and faithfully commit yourself to the activities you are involved in
      • Don’t be a minimalist- we are called to not just survive but to thrive
      • “It is He who provokes you with that thrust for fullness that won’t let you settle for compromise” –JPII
      • Use your influence to help someone else
        • We have influence! Like salt, we flavor life by what we say and do
        • Let time be a tool, not a tyrant
          • Relationships thrive under one condition: Carefree timelessness
          • Don’t be too busy trying to be happy, simplify your lives so that you can see the good in the world! In very ordinary times God’s love shows through in extra ordinary ways!
        • Build and maintain a support network
          • God puts people in our lives for a reason
        • Practice forgiveness daily
          • Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
        • Strive to be a true friend
          • “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter” -Sirach 6:13
          • The foundation of relationship is acceptance
          • Three As of friendship: Affirmation, acceptance and assurance

Kindness

  • Ways to bring back kindness
    • Remind yourself that kindness is in short supply
      • National problem: we do not get enough positive human contact in our daily life
      • Make kindness your daily priority
        • No matter what you do or where you live, commit to making kindness a priority in daily life
        • Make it a daily goal to speak and act kindly
        • Random acts of kindness
          • Holding the door open for someone
          • Offering to help someone with their groceries
          • Praying for the person who cut you off on the freeway instead of getting angry
        • Offer the kindness of gratitude
          • Your kind expression may be a rare word of appreciation heard by a person
          • There are 6 billion people on the planet, and 5.9 billion of them go to bed every night starving for one honest word of appreciation.
          • Smile it is contagious and opens people’s hearts
          • People will forget the things you’ve said, People will forget the things you’ve done, but they will never forget… the way you made them feel.
        • Practice kindness in your neighborhood
          • Kindness should come from our hearts, should start at home with our families, our neighbors across the street, those right next door and this kindness should then reach everyone
          • People are meant to be loved and things are meant to be used, but too often we love things and use people.
          • Make it a point to remember people’s names, it is music to their ears

The fruits of the spirit are virtues that are given to us from God not just to have as more rules or things to think about, He gave them to us so that we can become more gentle, kind and good people who care about one another and respect each other. More often than not our actions speak louder than our words! What is keeping us from being the kind, loving gentle people God created us to be? Do not be afraid my friends, we’re all in this together!!

If you want to change the world, start with those around you! Your family and friends, neighbors and coworkers!

 

This article was written by Kaylene Maize.  To contact the author please e-mail Soulgineering’s Editor.

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Are You Prepared for the Rapture on 5/21/11?

May. 19 News no comments

Harold Camping, president of Family Radio, is using numerology to predict that the Rapture will happen on May 21, 2011.

Camping asserts that a calendar is hidden in the Bible which, if read correctly, pinpoints when Christ will come to earth and take believers into heaven.  This second coming will begin Judgment Day and will culminate five months later with the end of the world.  His Christian followers believe that roughly 200 million people will be saved during the Rapture.  Those who are not saved will simply cease to be conscious rather than descend into hell.  Those who have died before the Rapture will not be affected either way.

In an interview with Reuters, camping states that he believes “an earthquake will shake the Earth on May 21, sweeping true believers to heaven and leaving others behind to be engulfed in the world’s destruction over a few months… As to what he plans on doing on that Saturday, Camping states that he will spend the time with his wife in northern California: “I’ll probably try to be very near a TV or a radio or something,” he said. “I’ll be interested in what’s happening on the other side of the world as this begins.”

In a SFGate.com interview, Camping detailed how he arrived at his current prediction:

“The number 5 equals “atonement.” Ten is “completeness.” Seventeen means “heaven. Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.,” he began. “Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that’s 1,978 years.” Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days – the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year. Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500. Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500. Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared. “Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story,” Camping said. “It’s the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you’re completely saved.

Camping’s statements have prompted his followers to spread the message across the United States.  They’ve put up more than 2000 billboards, have covered their vehicles with warnings of the event, and have spread the news across the blogosphere.  Some have left their jobs and have sold their belongings.

For anyone worried about what ill happen to their pets after the Rapture, After the Rapture Pet Care found an answer: The Rapture will be a joyous time for Christians.  But when we’re gone, what will happen to our pets?  We are building a network of non-Christians who have agreed to rescue and care for our members’ pets if we all disappear.

Non-believers are participating in their own way.  For example, take Post Rapture Looting which states: When everyone is gone and god’s not looking, we need to pick up some sweet stereo equipment and maybe some new furniture for the mansion we’re going to squat in. There are also numerous parties and events going on worldwide, some of which you can find on the Godless Liberals website.  For a little Rapture comedy you can watch this video posted by VoodooSixxx.


Update #1: May 21st came and went.  While most of the world went on with their busy lives, Camping’s followers went through a lot of mixed feelings.  Compassion for their cause was hard to find and ridicule was rampant.  However, compassion is what these followers and their families have the most need of.  Timothy Dalrymple, contributing writer for Patheos, let Camping’s followers know that their heart was in the right place.

How many of us have not believed something, at some point, that we later came to view as silly?  How many of us have not felt the tug upon our belief systems that can come from a charismatic leader, or a community of mutually-reinforced belief, or a well-told story that’s filled with “too many coincidences to be chance,” or just the strong desire to believe that our lives are about to become much better?

Update #2: Harold Camping believes he was not wrong in his mathematical calculations.  He believes that we underwent an invisible judgment and the end of the world will still happen on October 21st.  Huffington Post was live blogging his response on Family Radio on Monday, May 23rd and recording Camping saying:  “If people want me to apologize, I will apologize…I did not have all that worked out as accurately as I should have had it. That doesn’t bother me at all.”

A reporter asks if he feels any responsibility for a woman who tried to take her life and her daughters:

Reporter: “Do you take any responsibility for that?”  Camping says he does “not take responsibility. I don’t have spiritual rule of anybody, except my wife,” he chuckles. “Because as head of the household I have spiritual rule over my wife.”

To watch Harold Camping on 5/21/11 go here.

To read Dalrymple’s article go here.

To learn more about Harold Camping go here.

To read the Huffington Post article go here.

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The Year of Living Biblically

May. 17 Books no comments

The Year of Living BiblicallyOne Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible

By A.J. Jacobs

There are some people who believe that the bible should be followed to the letter.  People should follow every law and rule.  A.J. Jacobs decided to do just that.  For an entire year he will follow the bible as literally as possible without picking and choosing.  The resulting narrative is comedic, insightful and has just a touch of irreverence.

Although A.J. grew up following the Jewish faith and customs, he quickly became an agnostic.   In college he studied how the bible had been behind some of the world’s greatest achievements but also how it has been used to justify humanity’s worst.  He felt that with the ever increasing scientific achievements, that the bible would slowly fade away.  He was happy to live that way until he had a son and then he started to question whether his lack of religion was a flaw that he’d inevitably pass onto his son:

As you might have noticed, I was spectacularly mistaken.  The influence of the Bible -and religion as a whole- remains a mighty force, perhaps even stronger than it was when I was a kid.  So in the last few years, religion has become my fixation.  Is half of the world suffering from a massive delusion? Or is my blindness to spirituality a huge defect in my personality?  What if I’m missing out on part of being human?

So in September, 2005 he began his journey.  Some rules were easy to follow, others uncomfortable and even dangerous.   Here’s a small sampling of some of the rules the book describes:

  • Don’t wear women’s clothing (not even your wife’s comfortable college sweatshirt)
  • Don’t lie, even a white lie (just don’t answer when your wife asks you if those pants make her look fat)
  • You can’t touch a woman for seven days after she has started her period (even if it’s your wife)
  • You can’t sit anywhere that a woman on her period has sat before (he carried around a foldable chair even in the subway)
  • You can’t wear clothes of mixed fibers (started wearing a robe)
  • You can’t cut the edges of your beard (let his beard grow out for the first time ever)
  • You can’t mention other gods (you can’t say “Thursday” because it is derived from the god Thor)
  • Once a year you need to build a hut and dwell in it for a week so that you get an idea of the Hebrew life style when they wandered through the desert (try doing that while living in an apartment in New York)

To find out more about this book or its author click here.

 

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Sara Vitale: Christianity, Tarot Cards, Wicca and So Much More

May. 15 Audio 1 comment

Click on this link to listen to the interview: Sara Vitale’s Spiritual Perspectives

Have you ever wondered how one person can have such eclectic beliefs and spiritual views?  Sara Vitale is an example of such a person.  Not only is she a multi-denominational reverend, she is also a Wiccan priestess, a Christian, a tarot card reader, and a strong believer in Quantum Physics.  She is currently pursuing her Masters in Divinity and has just recently founded Vitale Ministries.

On her weekly blogtalkradio talkshow, Sara interviews people who have diverse views on spirituality.  However, on May 13, 2011, the tables turned and she was interviewed by Dawn Katzin.  The resulting show sheds great light into what makes Sara be able to believe in different schools of thought and us that knowledge to help people reach their higher potential.

Sara strongly believes that there is one God/Source/Divine Entity and different belief systems represent the same god/goddess.  It doesn’t matter whether you are Muslim, Christian, or Buddhist.  Ultimately we are all led to the same creator.

Some of her beliefs include:

  • Live each day as it were your last for one day you will be right. (Wiccan)
  • Love yourself before all others for then loving others is as easy as breathing. (Wiccan)
  • Learn each of your lessons as they come for that is why you are here. (Wiccan)
  • Enjoy your life lest it be wasted. (Wiccan)
  • Do as you please as long as you harm no one including yourself. (Wiccan)
  • The law of attraction will bring to you what you think about whether you believe it or not.
  • We are all in control of creating our own reality.

To listen to Sara’s Spiritual Perspectives show go here.

To check out Sara Vitale on Facebook go here.

 

 

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Who Wrote The Bible and Why It Matters

May. 04 Spirituality 4 comments

We live in a day where people are sued for libel, students are expelled for plagiarism, and copyright laws reign supreme; however, this was apparently not as important when it came to putting together the Bible.

Many of the books of the New Testament were written by people who lied about their identity, claiming to be a famous apostle — Peter, Paul or James — knowing full well they were someone else. In modern parlance, that is a lie, and a book written by someone who lies about his identity is a forgery.

Most modern scholars of the Bible shy away from these terms, and for understandable reasons, some having to do with their clientele. Teaching in Christian seminaries, or to largely Christian undergraduate populations, who wants to denigrate the cherished texts of Scripture by calling them forgeries built on lies? And so scholars use a different term for this phenomenon and call such books “pseudepigrapha.”

Why does it matter who wrote the Bible?  Simply because there are various religious organizations and individuals that claim that everything that is said in the Bible is truth and they pass  edicts, laws, and resolutions based on these truths.  But what happens when the person who is telling us that what they are saying is true is lying about who they are themselves?  Does that make what they are saying credible?  In modern days the answer would be no, but should we give a pass to people writing 2000 years ago?

Whoever wrote the book of 1 Timothy claimed to be Paul. But he was lying about that — he was someone else living after Paul had died. In his book, the author of 1 Timothy used Paul’s name and authority to address a problem that he saw in the church. Women were speaking out, exercising authority and teaching men. That had to stop. The author told women to be silent and submissive, and reminded his readers about what happened the first time a woman was allowed to exercise authority over a man, in that little incident in the garden of Eden. No, the author argued, if women wanted to be saved, they were to have babies (1 Tim. 2:11-15).

Largely on the basis of this passage, the apostle Paul has been branded, by more liberation minded people of recent generations, as one of history’s great misogynists. The problem, of course, is that Paul never said any such thing. And why does it matter? Because the passage is still used by church leaders today to oppress and silence women. Why are there no women priests in the Catholic Church? Why are women not allowed to preach in conservative evangelical churches? Why are there churches today that do not allow women even to speak? In no small measure it is because Paul allegedly taught that women had to be silent, submissive and pregnant. Except that the person who taught this was not Paul, but someone lying about his identity so that his readers would think he was Paul.

Read the original Huffington Post article here.

Photo courtesy of NYC Wanderer.

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