Simone Well:
"Every time we say 'Thy will be done,' we should have in mind all possible misfortunes and all possible blessings, because a blessing may be more difficult to accept than a misfortune. Better yet, we should have in mind nothing at all." I think this quote is really interesting. Gods will was to give us free will. So if we have free will then will God intervene when we say "Thy will be done"? If he does would that or wouldn't that be denying us of free will...

Franz Kafka:
"Between being lost and being found, there is the consciousness of being lost: the only true agony, as when a foot that was asleep begins to wake up." All I have to say is this is hilarious. I hate it when I wake up in the morning and I am actually really scared and freaked out because I can't find my arm. I'm like where is it. Where is it! Then I quickly realize its asleep next to me and I have to physically pick it up. LOL

Henry David Thoreau:
"When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of reality." I really like this quote because its so true of the world today. We are constantly worried or consumed by stupid temporary pleasures. Whats the latest movie, video game, or whatever. If we would all just spend more time on our relationships we would be a lot happier as a whole.

Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"The true doctrine of omnipresences is that God reappears with all his parts in every moss and cobweb." Have you ever looked at a cobweb for a long time. I have stared for what seems to be forever. It amazes me that such a little animal can create something so intricate and sturdy. I look at the creativity put into such a small animal and I can't help but stand in awe. I see his fingerprints on everything.

Novalis:
"Marriage is the highest mystery." When I look at people like my parents I feel like I understand this quote. Their love, compassion, and connection are indescribable. Honestly its a complete mystery that two people could be so perfectly made for each other. My mom grew up in Pennsylvania and my dad in Washington state. They both ended up going to a religious school in LA where they met. I don't believe in coincidence.

"The scientist's religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, in comparison with it, the highest intelligence of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection." I like this quote because I would think being a scientist would strengthen someones faith in a higher intelligence. After seeing up close the intricate details and harmony in natural law it seems impossible to deny that there is a higher power.

"The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead." I love this quote. Honestly I love not knowing how things work. I am not 100% sure on a lot of my beliefs and the fact that I can wonder and constantly try to gain knowledge is fascinating. When I stand outside on our property I am constantly amazed at how detailed our world is. I don't know how it all works and I love that no matter how hard I strive to learn all the answers I will never know them all in this life. With an open mind life is so much more inspiring.

Maximus of Thre

At first while I read through this I really liked the idea that we should all worship God in the way that helps us remember him. It gives each individual an individual relationship with God. A relationship all of their own. A relationship that unites them together. I also really like the metaphor that when a lover dies anything that allows them to be remembered is greatly valued and cherished. The Mahayana sect of Buddhism has a similar belief called Syncretism which says that people should be able to incorporate what ever practices they desire in their worship of God if it will help them reach Nirvana.

After thinking about this more and more I found that I have some moral problems with this belief. In some tribes human sacrifice is necessary in their practice of worshiping God...well I'm not really thrilled with the idea that its "ok" for humans to kill other humans to "remember God." I also don't think wars should be fought over "holy lands" because people believe that they need that land to worship God or remember him.

I realize that there will always be extremists in this world who take things to far. And that people will always try to justify horrific things by using God as there means. And that most practices are pretty harmless overall and I think people should have religious freedom to worship God the way they want. But there needs to be a line drawn somewhere because some practices are extreme.

Philo

I love this selection. I really like the idea that God is the root of all love, joy and happiness. When i look at two people who are truly in love, like my parents i see something that is indescribable. The love that they share can't be put in words but it can be seen by everyone. They are the kind of people you look at and everyone knows they belong together. Complete one another. To see that love, the most powerful force in the universe, and to realize that it is just a small fraction of the love God has is unfathomable. The creator of that kind of love and happiness is one that I am happy to spend my life loving and worshiping.

I find the idea that a wise man is a playful man full of laughter very intriguing. Most of the time when I think of a wise man I think of someone meditating, deep in thought, almost still. This idea that the "goal of wisdom is laughter and play-not the kind that one sees in little children who do not yet have the faculty of reason, but the kind that is developed in those who have grown mature through both time and understanding" is very different than what I have traditionally pictured. I like this new though because a wise man should realize that God has given us our sense of humor, joy, laughter, and happiness. A true wise man should be able to look at the world around him and rejoice in life itself. Life is a joyous experience and a day with out a smile is a wasted day.

Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali

I love this reading because it gives so much glory to God. It talks about how he created all things that we love and enjoy in this world, including our own lives. He gave us all abilitys or talents that we have. We are so quick to praise ourselfs when we accomplish something when it is he who gave us the ability to accomplish anything. It amazes me the love he has for each of us. unconditional love. I always think of a small child and how they love unconditionally. They make friends with anyone they meet and they hold no records of wrong. We all need to strive to be like little children. It also talks about the passion that we each hold. How much passion, love, and time do we put into our daily wants. How many hours do we watch tv, play a sport, or go out with friends? If each of us would just take a fraction of that passion and give thanks to God our world would not be such a bad place. Our country would not be so material based and we would all be a lot less selfish. I love the way he ends this passage. Even thought he is an incredible man with so much knowledge he apologizes if he is unclear in anyway. He says that it is "no easy task to discover the unclouded glory that lies behind the veil." He may not be able to define Gods love and comapssion 100% acurately but he did a pretty good job. And I am so impressed that he is humble enough to ask for forgiveness just in case he didn't get it all right.

Muhammad

I think that this excerpt really shows the jewish roots of islam. Especially when he refers to God creating the earth in 6 days and resting on the seventh. He also talks about God creating night and say when he says, "he makes the night to give way to the day." He also describes God in many of the same ways that the Hebrew bible does. He is called the first and last, knowledge of all things, ruler of heaven and earth.

I also think that certain parts of this seem to share an understanding with hinduism. For example, it says, "Do not despise the world, for the world too is God" or "whoever knows himself knows God." This seems to point to the idea that we all are conected or one. Also when it says, "when we surrender ourselves fully, there is nothing but God: not even a "there"; not even an "is"; not even a "God". This seems to point to the fact that once you reach the point that we are all one the term God becomes irrelevant. The word God is just a restraint that are limited minds create. A box that we wall our ideas in. Once we are free of that then we are God.

I was curious about the first paragraph though when it says, "We created man." I thought that Muhammad was a monotheist since Jews are...this seems to indicated that he is a polytheist.

Jesus Of Nazareth

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you." This is one of the most difficult teachings to follow, but its one of the morst important. Jesus himself lived the perfect example of this. When they are crucifying him he prays, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). I have wrote about his many times because its one of my favorite stories because its mind blowing. How could someone be so selfless to be praying for other people when they are killing you. Steven then does the same thing later on in the new testament. This is such an important lesson and it is an essential teaching in most religions including Buddhism and Hinduism (nonviolence).

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, recieves." I love this idea that if you seek for Gods way you will find it. In proverbs it says seek for truth as if it were silver and gold. This idea does pose a difficult question though. Thousands and thousands of people, chiristans and other religions alike, say that "God" led them to the truth. Well how can opposing ideas all be the truth? I mean how can one person say this is the truth because God "showed them it" and someone else say no that is the truth and I know because God "showed" me. Well who is right? Can it be that God brings us all to different truths at different times, and no one has the entire truth.

Thomas Traherne

I love this section. I wish more sermons were on the subject of joy. Thomas says, "Till you can sing and rejoice and delight in God, as misers do in gold, and kings in scepters, you never enjoy the world." This is how I look at the world. You can find joy and delight in everything on this earth because our heavenly father made it. What a gift he has given us just to see each season in all its changes. I just don't understand how you can see the sierra college trees in fall, with all the beauty and intracate detail in each leaf and not rejoice. I could sit under those trees smiling for hours. No matter where you live or how bad your life may seem there is always something to be joyful about. always.

I love the way he ends this passage with how we enter the world with such innocence and joy. But as we grow we can become tainted but the goal is to become like children. Children are such a great example of pure joy. I am a teacher for autistic children, which is not an easy job. These kids have so many social and mental setbacks its devistating. But these kids can sit in a corn of a room doing absolutly nothing, and have a huge smile on their face completly content with the world. Honestly I have so much to learn from them. Everyday I am constantly running around trying to get things done, when they are content to just be. These kids can be an example for everyone of what true joy is. True joy is to just sit, look around, and be joyful for the gift of life.

Dogen

After reading all 5 of the reading selections (for bogs), the lectures, and Molloy its incredible how much of it I truely don't understand. But I have been thinking about it a lot this week.

I am currently celebrating the 10 days of Aih between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippor. Yom Kippor is a day of repentence and the days inbetween are days to examine yourself. Conincidentally this week we have been studying Buddhisim which has a huge emphasis on "the self."

During this time I have been thinking a lot about the idea of suffereing, and how we create it. According to Buddhists we have the choice of how to look at a situation. We frequently choose to look at it negatively and in return we suffer. For example, a women was put in prison in China and tortured and when she was released she thanked the men who held her in prison. She thanked them because she said they gave her an opertunity to practice compassion. I also think of Steven (Acts 7) who prays, "forgive them they know not what they do" in regards to the peole stoneing him. Or even Jason's example of standing in the grocery line and being pissed because its taking so long. We create our own suffering. I am guilty of this just like everyone else. I was thinking of my own parents and how they are such a good example for me on this subject. My parents are in jeopardy of loosing their dream house that they worked so hard for. As devistating as it is I was talking to my mom and she said, "we are so blessed, how many people get to live in their dream house for two years." I was shocked. I have decided this is something that I am going to strive for this year. (Yom Teruah is the new year for Jews)

Yom Teruah pictures the seven trupets blowing and Christs return bringing peace after the war. Therefore, I have also been thinking a lot about the idea of what most peole call "heaven." Most people think about this cloud covered place, or others view it as a compassionate perfect earth where socitey as a hole still exists but perfectly. The Buddhists view it as a state of mind, Nirvana. A perfect release or freedom from our limited mind and the suffering it creates. I tend to agree with the Buddhists on this one. I am a type A personality I am constantly worrying, creating my own suffering, and overthinking situations. Sometimes my inner dialogue becomes so loud its hard to have peace. But I get just a small glimpse of that peace when I practice yoga/meditation like it talks about in the Dogen. I look forward to the time when my mind will be completely released from its bondage and I can obtain that peace of mind effortlessly. That effortless state of mind is the "heaven" or "Nirvana" that I look forward to.

Huang-Po

This section on the mind was a little confusing for me but it becaome a little more clear when it said, "suppose a warrior forgot he was already wearing his pearl on his forehead, he sought for it comewhere else: he might search through the hole world without finding it. But if someone simply pointed it out to him, the warrior would immediatly realize that the pearl that been there all the time." I think this concept is refering to how we all go through life searching for our purpose, or our gift. Searching for the reason why we are here at all. Some people search their entire life and never realize that our purpose is within. We all come from the same source we are made from the earth and we return when we die. But we all are originally made from the same creator and we should look to him for our purpose and sense he is in us all we should look deep within ourselves.

Tzu-Ssu

I love this idea of the "mature person." When something goes wrong it is your own fault and you must look inside yourself for the answer. This is as simple as taking responcibility for your own actions. Like the archer "when he misses the bull's-eye, he turns and seeks the reason for his failure in himself."
Also a matture person "accepts his situation and doesn't desire anything outside it." I love the fact that we should be thankful for what we are given and not be lusting for what we don't have. But I do have a question about this part. It also says "if he is among barbarians, he acts as a barbarian should act." This kind of seems like an excuse to do anything. I mean if your with hitler, does that mean that its ok for the mature person to join in and kill people too? But then it says that " he makes sure that his own conduct is correct and seeks nothing from others." Does that mean that being a barbarian is a correct conduct?
I love the idea that you should not "do to others what you wouldn't want done to you." I believe that this is truely part of the essential teaching that will lead you to obtain this "mature person." This classic rule can be applied to all living things and it truely leads to a person becoming "mature spiritually, emotionally, and ethically."

Pai-Chang

This is mind boggling to me. "After enlightenment you are still the same as you were before. There is no mind and there is no truth." I don't really understand how this works because the definition of enlightenment is "pure and unqualified knowledge." So if you recieve pure and unqualified knowledge then your state of mind changed. So how are you the same? I mean even if there is no mind or truth something changed to give you the enlightenment. Or maybe it just means that before and after your enlightnement you still don't have a mind or truth so the enlightenment was pointless becuase it changed nothing...

Shemelke of Nikolsburg

This is a passage from the Hebrew Bible. How do you put this passage and Shemelke of Nikolsburg's together?

Leviticus 24:19-21 (New International Version)
19 If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured. 21 Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a man must be put to death.

Yehiel Mikhal of Zlotchov

If people looked at the world like this it would be a better place. I am nothing without God. All talents or abilities that i pocess he first had and gave to me. Because he loved us he gave us this place and created us. We would not exists without him. The sad thing is everyone is so wrapped up in their own lives ( which ironically are not theirs at all) that they forget to take even a moment to ponder why they are here. I think how my parents would feel if i just abandoned them without any warning. They would be so crushed and hurt. I just don't know how you can look at the beauty of this world and not be thankful for it.

Bakhya Ibn Pakuda

"Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him."-Job
There are so many examples of this throughout the bible. The idea that God gives and takes away. In the end his plan is so much bigger than ours and we don't know why things happen but he does, so we trust in him. Some of my favorite lyrics from Relient K, "you say i know that this will hurt, but if I don't break your heart than things will just get worse. If the burrden seems to much to bear remember the end will justify the pain it took to get us there." Sometimes things happen that are unexplainable, people die, relationships end, and familys breakup, but the lord gives and takes away. This is so much harder said than done. As soon as something bad happens we think why me, and we are so quick to blame it on someone else or God. Its encredibly difficult to be able to come to a peace with it and just say the lord gives and takes away.

Ramana Maharshi

My two favorite quotes from this passage are the, "affection toward the good, compassion toward the helpless, happiness is doing good deeds, forgiveness toward the wicked, all such things are natural characteristics of the master." I just can't help but think this is without a doubt the God that i want to serve. These things above all are what the world needs more than anything. And so often these things are what religious practices lack the most.

My very favorite quote is, "Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the whole world with leather to avoid pain of walking on stones and thorns." I feel like this is one of the biggest problems in todays society. People all over the world are pondering, "whats my purpose? why am i hear?" People spend their entire lives wondering what they are hear for, and what their talents and gifts are. I think people wonder their entire lives and most never find the answer. I find myself constantly questioning what my gifts are and what God wants me to do with them. As I meditate and pray on this matter, there is one thing that i have no doubt in my mind about. One of my purposes is to help others and as long as I am doing that every day, than i have a good start on my journey.

Shankara

This idea of everything being Brahman, and being one Atman or soul is beautiful. I have been taking Yoga for the past year 3 days a week, and i practice at home. After the stretching there is a period of mediation. You have no idea how incredibly hard it is to free your mind of "sacred places, moral disciplines, set hours, postures, directions, or objects for meditation." The idea of letting thoughts flow in and out of your mind like clouds is very difficult. Your constantly pondering what your doing later that day, the things you need to do and other useless obsessions. But when you can finally clam the mind and the "soul finds perfect tranquility" a peace comes over you that is indescribable. Honestly once you feel that peace, even if its just for a moment or a min you will realize that there is nothing better in the entire world. This peace is in a sense a feeling of love for all because everything becomes one.

Upanishads

This concept of "the self" is incredibly inciteful. I love the fact that everything is inner connected. Having this view on life would make living selfishly almost impossible. If you believe that everything is made of the same fundamental force than we are all equal and one. If all living things are fundamentally the same then you would have the same respect for the earth and all nature as well as for all animals and mankind. There would be no competitiveness or proundness becuase we are all one trying to reach the same goal of total freedom. Helping one another in a sense would be helping yourself. I view the self like oxygen, everything needs it to servive, but you can't see and you can feel it.

My favorite line in this reading is, "that which makes the mind think but which cannot be thought by the mind--that alone is God, not what people worship. The concept of God is one that is so beyond our minds that we cant fully grasp it, but when i meditate on God my mind is in a state that is untouchable by anyone or anything. Its incredible to think that God is a presence that is always with you where ever you are. The way you choose to worship is irrelevant as long as your worship brings you closer to God and that everlasting freedom.

This concept requires a great deal of faith. Its always hard to believe whole heartedly in something you can't see. But its not about what you see. Its about what you feel.

Chief Seattle

First off, from a literary perspective this speech is such a work of art. He uses such beautiful similies throughtout the speech to depict his message like, "His people are many, like the grass that covers the plains. My people are few, like the trees scattered from the storms on the grasslands." The medaphors and imagery in this speech are very unique. The analogy of the darkness consuming them and leading to their fate is a sad reality that they were forced to face. Also the alliteration and repitition is very evident in this speech, for example, "We may be brothers after all. We shall see. We will consider your offer. When we have decided, we will let you know." The emphasis on the "we" not only showes that the indians work as one, unlike the white men, but it also shows that the indians were going to make this decision even if it meant death.

Second, I want to point out that throughtout this speach he never calls them "white men" he always refers to them as "white brothers." This is a great example of the respect that the indians had for mankind. Its tragic that in return they recieved no respect. Also, the indians barried their families and "their graves are holy ground," but the white men just barried their dead and left them. The indians had such a respect for all life, even if their lives were simple they had a greater respect for it than we ever will.

Some of the similarities among the indians teachings and the bible are quite similar. Its sad that the white men were so arogant and selfish. If they would have listened to the indians they would have noticed that there beliefs weren't that different. For example, the indian said in responce to the ten commandments being written in stone, that his peoples belifs are "written in the hearts of our people." When in Hebrews 8:10 The Christian God says, "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts."

Reading this makes me realize how incredibly selfish our forefathers were. But it also faces christians with some hard questions to answer. Like the indian said, "your God is prejudice. He came to the white man. We never saw him, never even heard his voice. He gave the white man laws, but he had no word for his red children," and "God cannot love his red children or he would protect them." Is God prejudice? Why do some people recieve his word while others live an entire life never hearing from him?

Also while researching this speech i found this:

There is a great deal of controversy surrounding Chief Seattle's speech of 1854. There are many sources of information, various versions of the speech, and debates over its very existence.

SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA

Red Jacket

First off i must say this speech is incredibly moving and inspiring.

The christian missionary missed Jesus message entirely. SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA brought the message that" what pleases him [God/Great Spirit] is the offering of a sincere heart" and this sums up the Christianity that Jesus taught and that i know and cherish deeply. Jesus himself said, "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God," (mathew 5:8) and "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Mathew 22:37). The Indian had a closer relationship with God in the sense that he understood that its all about your heart. God dosen't necisarly want to be worshiped in a certain way but he wants your worship to be sincere and from your heart.

Indian also showed compassion toward the missionary and the white people in gerneal, when he showed arogancy and greed in return. Jesus said, "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:33) and the Indians understood this concept much better than the missionary.

The indian also states, "if there is only one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it?" This statement is sadly encredibly true. Christianity has so many sects and church splits over rediculous things. No one is perfect, therefore no church is perfect. We all have some beliefs and teachings that are wrong. (I know big shocker, right.)

The missionary was so arogant to say, "there is only one way to serve God." Each and every person has their own realtionship with God, and each is unique and special to them. There are so many different sects of Christianity and there are tons of differents religions throughout the world. Each practice has its stregths and weaknesses, and each one has something to contribute. And we all have something to learn from oneanother.

This isn't to bash on missionaries, with out them some of our hospitals whould never have been founded, people in third world countires would not have the little support that they have now, and much more. But, sometimes they go about teaching in the wrong way and they turn people away instead of showing compassion and mercy.

Red Shirt (SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA) was an incredible speeker, but incidently he had some drinking problems. Also he fought long and hard to insure his people did not convert to Christianity, but three years after he died his family converted.
http://www.answers.com/topic/red-jacket

A Memorable Fancy pg170

Page 170-171

A Memorable Fancy is mocking Jesus for not keeping the ten commandments, when in reality he honored the ten commandments. In regard to the 4th commandment, "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day" (Duet 5:12-15). Jesus did not "mock at the sabbath, and so mock the sabbath's God (Mitchell). Jesus was a Jew who kept the sabbath religiousely throughout his lifetime. He even fought with the pharisees on this issue saying, " it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (Mathew 12:12). The Pharisees had missed the point, yes you shoud not do work (Duet 5:14) but that the sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27) and you should do good on it (Isaiah 56:2) not evil. Jesus firmly believed and taught the keeping of the sabbath, and the "Memorable Fancy" is pulling this out of context.

In regard to the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder" (Duet 5:17), "A Memorable Fancy" states that Jesus "murdered those who were murder'd because of him." The definition of murder is "to kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously" (dictionary.com). Jesus did not "kill or slaughter" anyone in any records that human beings contain. Many people however, were killed because they stoodup for him and his teachings. Jesus did not force these people to believe what they did, nor did he brain wash them. Its not his fault that people arn't tolerant of others and their beliefs. Jesus did teach, "whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Mathew 10:39) but those people chose to Preach and standup for his teachings they weren't forced.

"A Memorable Fancy" also ridicules Jesus for the incident in John8 where a women had commited adultury and the punishment in Torah (Duet 5:18) would be to stone her. Jesus responce instead is, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7) and everyone in return put down their stones. Jesus is not doing away with the law (Mathew 5:17) but he is showing that everyone sins and because he is giving up his life we can be forgiven for those sins instead of recieving death. So you can choose to live by the law and then die by it (Galatians 2:19) because no one can live perfectly, or you can choose to be forgive for your sins. This is the message Jesus was teaching, which still inforces that the seventh commandment should be kept. Infact an old testament prophesy about Jesus states that he came to magnify the law and make it honorable, meaning that he is coming to make it so we can escape death from the law if we repent. (Isaiah 42:21)

These are only three of the ten commandments addressed in this passage and i wish i had more time to hit each of them in greater depth. The point is that i personaly think that these points are taken out of context and that Jesus did personally keep and teach the ten commandments.