Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post

Clarity · 10-05-2007, 03:13 PM

[I]Lies generate the opposite of freedom - one becomes a slave to keeping the secrets.
There could be truths that help us grow up. Like when someone stops beliving they don't have the right to speak up, or that they aren't beautiful, or any other limiting behaviourial belief is not producing freedom. Once the truth is experienced (that you can speak up or that you are beautiful) you become more whole and grow up some because of the truth.[/I]

I agree with you. When a person is shown their "mistaken thinking" and chooses to believe the truth (cognitive therapy), they are free and there is joy.

When I coach a client I ask them to seek "God's truth" which would be as you have said, that they are "not slaves", that they are "beautiful", etc. as opposed to lies they have believed from ingrained environmental influences, their own voices or lies from Satan.

[I]It may help some to read the bible or practice rituals, but it is not really necessary.[/I]

In defence of the necessity of Bible reading. Some people believe the Bible is just a book and reading it a ritual. Those that have the Holy Spirit consult him and he speaks to them as they read and the words become not only alive, but pertinent to the situation they are in. This is why you see Christians re-reading this book over and over. One can read a passage and with the Holy Spirit's guidance get fresh insight each time. Those that don't have the Holy Spirit may not find this to be true. Mystics consult their mediums in a similar manner which I feel is a counterfeit of the real thing - stemming from a syncretic system of beliefs having its source in Babylon, a combination of human reason aided by demonic spirits and astrological prognostication.

[I]The powers that be in Christianity and the other world faith religions know this, but only impart a fragment of this truth to their followers. They basically want to keep others in control through fear and the threat of eternal punishment.[/I]

The key work here is "they". Of course there is spiritual abuse prevalent. This is why we are not to follow a leader or a religion, but our faith and as Christians Christ. We are always to check out for ourselves the truth. Why would we become dependent on "the powers that be"? Perhaps that is the blockage.

As for the [I]threat of eternal punishment [I] they are merely quoting Jesus Matthew 23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" God created hell, not Christians. They feel it is their duty to tell others or as Wolfgang has put it 90% of the population won't know.

[I]
No one can reveal the truth to us.[/I] I'm not sure about this. Counsellors do it all the time. As for ultimate truth many of us believe God is Omniscience: This term means God knows all things, past, present, future and possible Some of us believe God reveals truth to us through our mind focused on him, through prayer, through others he brings in our path, through is word as it is written in the Holy Bible.

How do other religions motivate through fear but you say Christianity doesn't? Isn't Christianity based on saying we are born sinners and must be saved or be damned to hell? Is that not a fear based motivation?

Yes it is fearful - Godly fear, but some would also say it is truth, it is warning. It is like your counsellor saying "there is a reality in life in the kitchen, stoves are hot, that's the way they were created, I want to warn you out of love, that if you choose to put your hand on the burner, you will burn. I know this frustrates you and you don't want to believe this, but this is the way it is. The safest and best thing for you is to accept my gift of an insulated oven mit that I'm offering you for free, that is for your own good an protection. Not only will you then be able to survive in the kitchen, you will bake some wonderful brownies and pies. I'm telling you the truth."

10-05-2007, 03:13 PM	#37 (permalink)
Clarity Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 45	[I]Lies generate the opposite of freedom - one becomes a slave to keeping the secrets. There could be truths that help us grow up. Like when someone stops beliving they don't have the right to speak up, or that they aren't beautiful, or any other limiting behaviourial belief is not producing freedom. Once the truth is experienced (that you can speak up or that you are beautiful) you become more whole and grow up some because of the truth.[/I] I agree with you. When a person is shown their "mistaken thinking" and chooses to believe the truth (cognitive therapy), they are free and there is joy. When I coach a client I ask them to seek "God's truth" which would be as you have said, that they are "not slaves", that they are "beautiful", etc. as opposed to lies they have believed from ingrained environmental influences, their own voices or lies from Satan. [I]It may help some to read the bible or practice rituals, but it is not really necessary.[/I] In defence of the necessity of Bible reading. Some people believe the Bible is just a book and reading it a ritual. Those that have the Holy Spirit consult him and he speaks to them as they read and the words become not only alive, but pertinent to the situation they are in. This is why you see Christians re-reading this book over and over. One can read a passage and with the Holy Spirit's guidance get fresh insight each time. Those that don't have the Holy Spirit may not find this to be true. Mystics consult their mediums in a similar manner which I feel is a counterfeit of the real thing - stemming from a syncretic system of beliefs having its source in Babylon, a combination of human reason aided by demonic spirits and astrological prognostication. [I]The powers that be in Christianity and the other world faith religions know this, but only impart a fragment of this truth to their followers. They basically want to keep others in control through fear and the threat of eternal punishment.[/I] The key work here is "they". Of course there is spiritual abuse prevalent. This is why we are not to follow a leader or a religion, but our faith and as Christians Christ. We are always to check out for ourselves the truth. Why would we become dependent on "the powers that be"? Perhaps that is the blockage. As for the [I]threat of eternal punishment [I] they are merely quoting Jesus Matthew 23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" God created hell, not Christians. They feel it is their duty to tell others or as Wolfgang has put it 90% of the population won't know. [I] No one can reveal the truth to us.[/I] I'm not sure about this. Counsellors do it all the time. As for ultimate truth many of us believe God is Omniscience: This term means God knows all things, past, present, future and possible Some of us believe God reveals truth to us through our mind focused on him, through prayer, through others he brings in our path, through is word as it is written in the Holy Bible. How do other religions motivate through fear but you say Christianity doesn't? Isn't Christianity based on saying we are born sinners and must be saved or be damned to hell? Is that not a fear based motivation? Yes it is fearful - Godly fear, but some would also say it is truth, it is warning. It is like your counsellor saying "there is a reality in life in the kitchen, stoves are hot, that's the way they were created, I want to warn you out of love, that if you choose to put your hand on the burner, you will burn. I know this frustrates you and you don't want to believe this, but this is the way it is. The safest and best thing for you is to accept my gift of an insulated oven mit that I'm offering you for free, that is for your own good an protection. Not only will you then be able to survive in the kitchen, you will bake some wonderful brownies and pies. I'm telling you the truth." Last edited by Clarity; 10-05-2007 at 03:15 PM.