Thank you for taking the time to read this posting. Right now I'm confused - this God-fearing(hopefully) Christian feels like she's meant to be a witch, finds herself at peace with tarot and is speaking her truth. What do you think the most important aim in life is though? Is it to find the truth or to find peace? Is it to have faith expressing itself through love or to be totally pure and holy?
The words of Jesus and the witches rede seem to be speaking in unison, is that possible?
'Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free'
Yet in a word
'Blessed be':eek:
RE: What is the most important question?
(((HUGS)))) to you! I can identify with your confusion - it is something we all go through I feel;)
IMVHO - when you find YOUR truth you find PEACE:D We all walk different paths but I do believe we come to the same place;) We should all be respectful of each others journey but always be true to our own. May you find your own truth, peace and hapiness;)
RE: What is the most important question?
Hi RipleyK,
To be really honest, I think your post might confuse readers too, and we'll have a thread of several tangents. :)Since you seem to be asking more than one question, etc.
Others may have a different opinion to me, but your main question seems to be whether being a Christian and / or a witch is the same thing. Some may say, Yes you can be both. Technically, I think I'm right in saying, No, you can't actually be both in the full sense. Jesus believed in and worshipped one God. His belief was a form of monotheism. I think I'm right in saying that's not true of white witches.
All the same, I wouldn't think it's anything to get too hung up on: both sorts of people believe in being good and in doing good. And it's possible to think that Jesus didn't only believe in the One God, but also in angels, IMHO in nature spirits, etc. But he didn't worship nature spirits, it appears. (And this is my personal belief: it's not really Bible-based.)
The only real problem many would come up against in conjoining the two beliefs would be in expressing either belief to the other people openly: you'd need to keep your 'other beliefs' to yourself if in a church [:-], and some witches might try to persuade you away from Christian feelings you have. But in your own life a compromise could be reached, I'd say.
Apart from that, you ask questions which aren't, it seems to me, mutually exclusive at all. For example:
"Is it to find the truth or to find peace?"
I'd say that if a person finds Truth then they've found Peace with it. A lack of peace comes from not knowing or living Truth IMO. So they come together as one deal. ;)There's no need for an "or".
"Is it to have faith expressing itself through love or to be totally pure and holy?"
Again, I don't see why you ask "or"? This seems to be all the one combined deal again: expressing faith through love, and being pure and holy, all sound good to me, and people tend to (try their best to) do both together. The real opposite would be to be a negative or hateful person, right?
Actually, you've titled the thread, "What is the most important question?" I think the most important thing is to ask that question, each in our own way. The real failing that so many people have in life is to live a robotic, automaton existence from birth to death, never stopping to ask themselves what life is about, or what is important to themselves. But you have. 🙂
Best wishesto you on your journey.
Venetian
RE: What is the most important question?
I went to visit a great saint years ago and as I was approaching him all that was going through my head was 'What can I ask him?'. I was thinking I probably had only one chance to ask a question and that I'd better make it a good one.
As I knelt in front of him I put my hands together and said..."Hello". That was it. I smiled and he smiled and that was all the answer I needed.
This is probably no help to you Ripleycatzzzzz, sorry, but the title of the thread reminded me of that time.
I agree with the gist of what Venetian has said anyway. When you find Truth you find peace. Good luck.
RE: What is the most important question?
Absolutely...
We might also be sure that we have found "truth" when we experience rest/peace within.
For me, the "peace" within my heart is a powerful guide and indication that I am on track.
Love to you!
Trin
RE: What is the most important question?
Just a thank you to everyone who has already replied. Thank you for your understanding. Wondered if Barafundle had read a book called 'The Holy Man', it's by a female author who I can't remeber but this holy man tries to get to the truth of people and help them in a very simple way.[sm=bouncy.gif]
Well these folk go on about a ten mile hike and stand in a massive queue all the way down the steep mountain slope, when they get to the monestary they are greeted by a monk and led through hallway, then out to the back of the door. Most don't realise they've met the holy man and are dealt wrestling with confusion/anger/wonder.
Some of the time it's the very experience of the 'queue' that brings the change they need.
:eek:Discovery or transformation? Or as our elder, venetian[sm=hippy.gif] would say - perhaps a bit of both. I'm glad there's alwaysquestions to askand posting to be made.
RE: What is the most important question?
Ripleykatzzzzz, This is a varible as it is a 2 sided question as you bring about the fight of the rights of passage through the providing of the path that you are ariving at this is the key I think as you are swaying from one side to the other as you go forward creating a space were you find the dividing aspect of the ways that you can find the peace that you are looking for you seem to find the right or wrong aspect of the divinity of religious pursuits this is a time that you must look within to create a place were you can feel comfortable with your views...As Venetian said that Jesus spoke of OneGod but surely touched on theAll knowing as he created All, this is a view that we are shifting to aspace of creative adventure looking for the tools that are availalbe to bring us to our own interests. So I feel that exploring is aspace that wewill venture on finding peace is were we are searching this is to saythat we can surely find things ifwe look for the answers were everwe search but looking to Guidance that is provided will help you to reach a magnitude of truths creating the will to move forward...Gypsee
RE: What is the most important question?
Thank you for taking the time to read this posting. Right now I'm confused - this God-fearing(hopefully) Christian feels like she's meant to be a witch, finds herself at peace with tarot and is speaking her truth. What do you think the most important aim in life is though? Is it to find the truth or to find peace? Is it to have faith expressing itself through love or to be totally pure and holy?
The words of Jesus and the witches rede seem to be speaking in unison, is that possible?
'Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free'
Peace can only arise out of the truth. We can only access the truth by trusting in and implicitly following our intuition, which is the voice of our souls, our Divine sparks. All else is peripheral.
RE: What is the most important question?
I too share your feelings Ripley,
Have you read the da vinci code, fiction some might say, but it made perfect sense to me: it is a joining of christianity and paganism in my eyes
Some believe that jesus was married to a woman named 'Mary', that she was his equal, when jesus was murdered, she was with child and in order to protect the child she fled to europe, where they think she gave birth to a girl calling her sarah
When the apostles wrote 'the bible' they think the church 'buried' Mary and sarah, it may be because they didnt want the same thing to happen to Sarah and subsequent children as happened to Jesus, so they left out that mary was Jesus's wife and equal
thus Paganism was born, tarot was actually a way of spreading the word about 'mary'
For a woman christianity is too male dominated and women are too subservient, in Paganism the female has too much power, in joining the two together we are balancing the female and male; Unity
I think thats why there are so many woman now embracing paganism, and men too, for too many years we have accepted that men are all powerful, people, especially women are not accepting that now, there is an uprising, us women want equality and christianity doesnt give us that.
It may be the feminist in me!
its a theory and I like it
D x
RE: What is the most important question?
so they left out that mary was Jesus's wife and equal
thus Paganism was born, tarot was actually a way of spreading the word about 'mary'
Sorry, Dallas, but I don't think paganism has anything to do with Jesus at all.IMHO the Da Vinci Code is supreme tosh which has made Dan Brown a lot of money. I don't think you should get too carried away by its premise.
Love
Sunanda x
RE: What is the most important question?
Bit harsh, eh Sunanda, although Isee your point? It was a very commercial work which seems to be taken froman earlier, less famousnovel 'The Blood and the Holy Grail'? It may be quite interesting to note that a friend of mind claimed the gospel of Mary (as in Mother of Jesus) had been found recently andstudied by scientists and historians.Obviously without more authentic copies than the original parchment,church council and the bother of new revelation this has been swept conventiently aside with the gnostic gospels.
Scince starting this posting, Gypsee's comments about finding a place of creativity to pursue the Divine seem apt. I am now wary of being too narrow minded when seeking truth, peace or harmony. The Divine can be unfortunately labelled, wrapped and served like a gourmet ready meal! Maybe the question I am looking for depends on knowing myself,my environment and ultimately theDivine!;)
RE: What is the most important question?
ORIGINAL: Ripleykatzzzzz
Bit harsh, eh Sunanda, although Isee your point? It was a very commercial work which seems to be taken froman earlier, less famousnovel 'The Blood and the Holy Grail'?
I found that rather amusing. :DSince the book was written as what was supposed to be a factual, investigative piece of research. But so far off the truth that yes, like Dan Brown, you may as well call it fiction! In fact it's been proven to be factually wrong in many aspects. For example, the "secret society", The Priory of Sion," doesn't actually exist: it was a fabrication by a couple of old French geezers.
IMHO the Magdelene thing has been blown out of proportion, and there's not much credible evidence for a blood line.
V
RE: What is the most important question?
Oh I see, you dont think my points are credible or valid, are you GOD?
Nope didnt think so, I have a right to my opinion as do you
so whats the difference between the bible and dan browns works?
sothousands of years ago someone wrote a really good book about this bloke who did all these miracles and its a really good story, but how do you know its anything more than that?
you dont, nobody does
I believe a theory, who are you to tell me im wrong?
RE: What is the most important question?
To amswer the original question regarding truth and peace:
What absolute truths do you know? and how do you know they are true?
Plato (427-327 BC) used a formula called Justified true belief
which basically means something is true if you believe it to be true:
1. knowing the statement means believing the statement
2. if the person believes that statement, then the statement must be true
3.if the person knows that statement then the persons belief is justified.
it is flawed as you may not have all the information to hand, so you may believe something is true but lack vital information. it can only be true to yourself at that moment with that information
I am careful not use absolute truth or factual as no one can really say. I say possibly or probable and look for further evidence
so is it the quest for truth or peace, i think they go hand in hand you cant have one without the other and i feel it is a very internal process
I think the question you have to ask yourself is how can you keep true to two different faiths
(by the way I dont think your wrong to do this, many people believe some or parts of a religion,for example, some people say they are catholic but use birth control)
RE: What is the most important question?
Was this to me? (It wasn't clear.)On reply to my reply on 'Holy Blood / Holy Grail?' (More than on Dan Brown.)
ORIGINAL: dallas
Oh I see, you dont think my points are credible or valid, are you GOD?
Nope didnt think so, I have a right to my opinion as do you
so whats the difference between the bible and dan browns works?
Nothing at all. They're both equal, both equally credible, and have both been equally regarded for two thousand years. (Not! :D)
Holy Blood / Holy Grail as its very basis has the story that there's a bloodline from Jesus culminating in the present day - or when that book was written - in a great secret society, the Priory of Sion. It's simply proven by now that this doesn't exist, and at at least one of the two old French guys who dreamed it up as a stunt admits to that. Given that the Priory is a fiction, much of the claims of the book - not absolutely all, of course - come tumbling down. Hence I said that it's more fiction than fact - because it is.
V
RE: What is the most important question?
And I said it's tosh, because that's what I think it is.
According to the quote from Plato above (did he really live to be a hundred? Good on him!) because I believe Da Vinci Code to be badly written rubbish, it therefore is. So your problem is?
(Sorry, couldn't resist it!:DOf course you're entitled to your theory, Dallas. Go for it!)
With love
Sunanda xxx
RE: What is the most important question?
ORIGINAL: sunanda
because I believe Da Vinci Code to be badly written rubbish, it therefore is.
You open another subject, S, which I'll comment on but then we may as well close again? It was very well discussed probably under "reviews" quite some time back.
Irrespective of even any 'truth' in Dan Brown's books ... they are incredibly badly written! Bad beyond belief really, as I and others said on that thread. But it's a phenomenon, as with Barbara Cartland, that books don't have to be good literature to make the author money. So, good luck to them - making money is the goal, and they achieve it. All the same, I was maybe 80% through The Da Vinci Code when I realised, "This is such a work of poor literature - just so incredibly badly written - that though I've come 80% of the way through, I simply cannot finish." It's a bit like eating a meal, only to realise late,80% of the way through, that it's very badly "off"! You wouldn't continue, huh? 😉
V
RE: What is the most important question?
sunanda
we already discussed that Plato JTB theory was flawed, so whilst you may think that something is true, doesnt make it so
I thought dan Browns book was good, I may not have the literacy background you guys have, but I do think if I didnt like a meal after 80% of eating it, I would have thrown up if forced to finish, I doubt I would have got to 20% myself
so the bibles been around for 2000 yrs, big deal, there are many many traditions that have been around for centuries, doesnt make them right does it, you know thinks like female circumscion and the like!
IM not dissing the bible, there is good stuff in there too, there are good sound moral and ethical stories and in its time it probably made a fortune, do you think that because it was 2000 yrs ago that people didnt have to make a living? That there wasnt people desperate for fame and fortune!!!
you will never know
RE: What is the most important question?
I don't read a lot of fiction anymore but I did like the Da Vinci Code myself.
On the back of it some interesting theological debate was had so it can't be all bad. I didn't take it too seriously myself, but some interesting historical points were made in an entertaining way. Conspiracy theories have an appeal because so many people have the feeling they're not getting the whole picture.
Just thought I'd add that for what it's worth (I also like the Harry Potter books).:)
RE: What is the most important question?
To me the most important question is "Who am I?", in understanding who I am in essence, I move closer to God/The Great Spirit/Creator. I have found that the more I have asked this question, more is revealed, and the second most important question to me is "What have I come here to do/accomplish/learn/heal?
RE: What is the most important question?
Just to add a bit more to the debate, I recommend to anybody to read The Mists of Avalon. No doubt it will be slated by the literary geniuses out there but the truth of a book is felt by the heart, and whilst nothing can ever be taken as absolute truth, sometimes in our hearts we just KNOW there is something in there and it lights a flame that will not be extinguished. I'll say nothing more about the Mists of Avalon other than to say it gives the best account of how the church disempowered society, and continued to try to do so until the advent of mass politics, and undermined the value of female intuition. It also illustrates quite succintly, how the image of 'witches' is very misconstrued.
RE: What is the most important question?
ORIGINAL: Ripleykatzzzzz
Thank you for taking the time to read this posting. Right now I'm confused - this God-fearing(hopefully) Christian feels like she's meant to be a witch, finds herself at peace with tarot and is speaking her truth. What do you think the most important aim in life is though? Is it to find the truth or to find peace? Is it to have faith expressing itself through love or to be totally pure and holy?
The words of Jesus and the witches rede seem to be speaking in unison, is that possible?
'Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free'
Yet in a word
'Blessed be':eek:
I think William Shakespeare said it best (in Hamlet, i believe) - To Thine Own Self Be True. Of course then be prepared for the deluge "oh, i see you pick and choose your own religion as you go - how convenient...blah blah blah". I follow many aspects of hinduism but i'm definitely not indoctrinated enough to know anything about vedic scriptures. I'm probably a "poor man's Hindu" - i believe in the basic tenets: self realization, reincarnation, dharma, karma and i believe that hinduism speaks loudest to me. Why, i don't know - but that is what resonates most strongly in my heart. I think the most beautiful aspect that I love about Hinduism above all, is generally it believes that all paths are equal, different paths to the same eventual place. I think older schools of Hinduism are more secular and exclusive (i say this from tidbits i've come across in reading, not from personal knowledge) but with the advent of sages such as Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekenanda (sp.?) - they seem to espouse a unilateral open view of all paths to God. But with all of that having been said, again i offer the words of Shakespeare "To Thine Own Self Be True"
Namaste
on a side note - regarding the Da Vinci Code. I'm lucky in that i'm not particular enough to notice good from bad literature (that's not in any way meant to be a slant for those that maybe are). I'm like a dog, if it's good - i eat it, if it's bad - i don't [8D].
That having been said, there were various aspects of the Da Vinci code that were factual though, no? - facts not even pertaining to the conspiracy aspects of the novel. There was some text in the book about the relationship of the human body, gosh - i forget exactly - but some perfect symmetry that existed and also, about the symmetry of the five pointed star - granted my wash of a brain can't remember squat of the actual facts ~but~ i remember being really excited and interested when i read those parts.
Ok, i'm going to play with something shiny now...
Many questions are important in their own way. Different questions are important to different people for different reasons.
For me, the "most important question" is the one not asked.
There are no stupid questions, and it is vital for all people to continue to ask questions. However IMHO, if a person reaches a point when they stop questioning, that becomes of grave importance for us all.
P.S. A good, well thought out question does not produce an answer, but rather more questions. 😎
What do you mean?
Hi Ripleykatzzzzz and all,
Right now I'm confused - this God-fearing(hopefully) Christian feels like she's meant to be a witch,...
This is the first question you ask and I think Venetian makes a very good point (early in this string) about really being sensitive about what you say to who. This is about the meanings people attribute to words; how people define themselves and how they define what they are not.
An analogy: All paths are like spokes on a wheel. The centre of the wheel is the destination. One person following one path might actually be going in an opposite direction relative to another but both could be moving to the centre.
Normally seekers that define themselve on a particular path tend to say that you have to choose a path and follow the path you choose; you can't chop and change else you will end up just going round and round in circles. This is common advice in many traditions because each tradition is a well troden path.
While I have no doubt this is true, all paths for each of us are individual. We all must face many of the same challenges on the paths we take, maybe they are different in character or we encounter them at different stages on our individual paths. Some of us associate together and follow a shared path with some kind of institution or teacher to give us a shared reference of authority. This structure gives support, encouragement and instruction that we can accept as reliable; it gives us faith.
You may be someone who wishes to use more than one path as identified by those who associate with any one path and say it is not compatible with another path. You may need to be true to yourself and break these conventions, for that is all they are but socially and institutionally you need to be a little more careful to make sure you don't cause problems and be circumspect about what you say, as Venetian points out.
I believe that having an undestanding of the social way we define an institution and the way we use words as tools to understand things helps you to gain wisdom.
This helps because it helps to understand that some people can be threatened when you suggest their path is compatible with another path if you say that you adhere to their path and a path they don't accept.
But, you are the final arbiter of the truth you use but you have to be mindful of the danger of contradictions you may set up by combining more than one defined path for yourself. Understanding that words we choose to describe things are, in truth merely signposts to what we cannot really put our finger on helps here to let go of what other say is or isn't. This understanding can also help us to realise that apparent contradictions may be just down the to way we use words... like two people that think they are travelling in opposite directions but are really coming to meet at the centre of the wheel.
Can you make two spokes one spoke? Can you walk in two directions to the centre at the same time? I believe it is possible but it may be inadvisable. If you do break social and institutional moulds you will need to develop a sophisticated understanding of meaning and be wise about what you say to who.
Perhaps this is the answer the the most important question! Maybe you know what most important question is... I think I have forgotten it.
Norbu
"What's for dinner?"