Evolution

I was sitting in the car waiting for the children to come out of school when a thought occured to me. I was thinking about evolution. I don't really believe that we came from apes. I recon things may have evolved gradually, but not in the sense that Darwin taught.

But then suddenly I had another thought. According to evolution we should reach perfection eventually, right?This planet seems a little far from perfect. Mentally the planet has not evolved. Wars have come and gone ever since the beginning of time, and continue. In effect mankind is still an infant, somehow trapped in this constant circle.

I suddenly had the notion that evolution, acording to the laws of survival of the fittest etc, could eventualy bring forth the perfect being. right? It would probably be hermaphradite, to assure constant reproduction, it would also be strong and clever, it would have to be to survive.Would it then be correct to assume that God himself was the first ever being to evolve ? Could he have evolved into perfection, and reached the ultimate state. A conscious being who holds all wisdom and and power, who in turn created us?

Then it would seem plausible that we did not evolve, but instead we were created by the first ever being...So maybe we are in Gods lab...

Which is The Real Church of God?

Today there are so many different religions and sects and beliefs, and it is difficult to know just which church is the correct church.Some say Maria was a Virgen, some say there is no resurection and some religions have nothing to do with either Christ or God, like Buddism, which is storming the west.

So what does all this mean?

How do we know which church follows the correct doctrines of Christ?

According to the Catholic church, the Pope is the head of the church. This is actually correct, in the sense that he is the head of 'The Catholic church' and not the Church of God.

Christ is the head of the church of God.

In I Corinthians we have a simple explanation to a great missundaerstanding. Even staight after the ascention of Jesus there were divisions in the church;

I Cor 1:10-17

Paul was unimpressed by the behaviour of the new believers:

"one of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; Another, "I follow Cephs"; still another, "I follow Christ"

He went on to ask; "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul"

These are crucial questions. People like to boast their church. Jahovah's witnesses, state proudly that they follow "jahovah's Witnesses"; Mormons, follow Mormons, latter day saints follow latter day saints. Get the picture?

They seem to forget that Christ is above all.

When I tell people I believe in God, they automatically imagine me with a rosary saying my hail Mary's. After they talk to me they normally have another opinion. One friend even said to me: "you can't believe in God, you are too inteligent" LOL

So resuming. Christ is what we beleive in, the ressurection and salvation, I personnaly think that religion is a narrow road and very personal. God sees into us and he understands us. Salvation is with him, and not with The Mormons, or The latter day Saints, Jahovah's Witnesses or any other sect or Church.

Jesus warned that in the last days. Mat 24:4 - to wherever you want to read really...

24:4. Jesus answered : "Watch out that no-one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming 'I am the Christ', and will deceive many.

24:26"So if someone tells you,' There he is out in the desert,' do not go out; or 'Here he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

The bible is full of surprises. see also Romans chapter 14, the whole chapter, (yes, I am a believer that the Bible is to be read and not just quoted here and there.)

Truth

I was speaking to a friend the other day and we were talking about religion and the Bible. I was telling him that much of what the preists and churches say has very little to do with what the Bible says. I mentioned that the Bible does not say that the soul is imortal.

He was surprised when I said this and raised his eyebrows.

The forbidden fruit is another example, I mean how many people say that it was an apple? Even learned people say such things. It amazes me how even Teologists seem to see "around the truth", they just seem to study other peoples theories and don't tend to study the original font.

The Bible

Then many argue and say that the bible can't be the truth, that there is no way that what was written 2000 or more years ago has any relevance to us.

But it does, and anyone who reads the bible knows that.

People tend to steer away from the Bible like it was some kind of plague. Jesus himself predicted such behaviour nearly 2000 years ago!

Who then has authority to teach?

Jesus studied the Jewish religion and learned a lot about the dominating sects and religions of his time, but thel real knowledge he posessed he did not find in books. Nor was is based on "human theories or Philosophies" but it came directly from God.

Many beleive that the Bible was also written by people who were full of God's Spirit. Inspired to write by the holy spirit.

If you have a bible do yourself a favour...read it!

Is Religion a Philosophy?

I am hoping to start a discussion group about the Religion of Philosophy and the Philosophy of Religion. Some seem to think that there is no relation between the two. I believe there is. Religion is based on faith, or is it? I suppose that depends how we define religion. Imagine somebody told us that religion was a set a rules to live by, a sort of moral and social code for us to be able to live peacefully. Faith has nothing to do with that. Rules are rules, faith aside.

So what about when we start to ask why? and how? Then philosophy tends to take the front seat. Many a philosopher has pondered on the subject. Why do we exist? What is the point? Where are we going? So many questions; and so many answers. Every one has their own. Philosophy, just like religion doesn't seem to be a set of fixed rules, but a set of beliefs. So faith seems to play a part in both religion and philosophy.

How many religions are there? How many philosophers? How many 'Gods'?

Is there an overall truth to our existence?

I believe there is. Next post...

The Shrine of Fátima

The shrine of Fátima is dedicated to the apparition of the Virgin Mary seen by the three little Shepherd Children. Pastorinhos (above)Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta. The incident took place on the 13th May 1917 whilst the children were out in the countryside tending to their flock. They said that they saw the lady, or rather Our Lady. "A lady more brilliant than the sun". 'The Lady' told them that they must pray a lot, she herself held a white rosary in her hands. She told them to return on five consecutive months on the thirteenth of each month. On the last apparition on October 13th there were more than 70,000 people present, the Lady told them that she was the Lady of the Rosary and that a chapel was to be built in her honour. All of the people present witnessed the promissed miracle, the sun shining brightly and rotating in the sky. as if it were to fall to the earth.

There were also a number of masons present and reporters, one reporter said he witnessed nothing.

There are many accounts of the other apparitions and what The Lady said to the children, on one occasion she told them to kiss the stairs where she descended. Basically they were told they had to worship her.

John Paul II believed that it was the "hand of Our Lady" which saved his life on that terrible day of May 13th in 1981. He visited the shrine many times. On one occasion he placed the bullet which hit him in the crown of the "Virgen"


I myself have my doubts, the children may have seen something, but I doubt very much that it was the Virgen Mary. For the following reasons.
The afterdiscussions became very political and especially directed toward the abolishing of communism. Strangely enough, the Russian Revolution came a few days or weeks later.


The third part of the secret refers to Our Lady's words: ‘If not [Russia] will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated' (13-VII-1917).

The third part of the secret is a symbolic revelation, referring to this part of the Message, conditioned by whether we accept or not what the Message itself asks of us: ‘If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, etc.'.

Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled, Russia has invaded the world with her errors. And if we have not yet seen the complete fulfilment of the final part of this prophecy, we are going towards it little by little with great strides. If we do not reject the path of sin, hatred, revenge, injustice, violations of the rights of the human person, immorality and violence, etc.

And let us not say that it is God who is punishing us in this way; on the contrary it is people themselves who are preparing their own punishment. In his kindness God warns us and calls us to the right path, while respecting the freedom he has given us; hence people are responsible”.⁽⁵⁾

It almost sounds like a shrewd political manouvre. Parish councils held a lot of weight in those days.

The other thing that makes me beleive that the origins of the apparition were not entirely holy, is the fact that The Lady, who also claimed the the world would be saved through her immaculate heart, asked to be 'adored'. In the book of revelation it states otherwise after John saw an angel...;

Revelation 19:10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Second commandment
Exodus 20:4-6

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.


Amazingly enough most people don't even know the Ten Commandments. Fátima seems to me to be basic Idol Worshipping. In July/August 2005 there were terrible fires here in Portugal. The fire fighters had a terrible time, there weren't enough helicopters etc. Later on in the same year, VIP helicopters transported the 'statues' of the Pastorinhos and Our Lady, to a football stadium!

A imagem de Nossa Senhora, oferecida pelo Santuário de Fátima, e as dos Pastorinhos, oferecidas pela postulação para a canonização, foram transportadas por um helicóptero da Força Aérea Portuguesa para o estádio do Futebol Clube de Alverca, de onde seguiram em procissão até à nova igreja. Cerca de oito mil pessoas encheram o recinto desportivo.

It is basic Idolatory and Marian Worship, they tell us nothing at all. If I ask you what is gods plan? would you know?
How many of the ten commandments do you know?

Lecture By Tulku Lama Lobsang

On Monday evening I had the privilege of meeting The Tulku Lama Lobsang at a Lecture he held in the Quinta do Pombal, Algarve, Portugal. I was expecting him to be clad in orange and to my surprise he wore black. Everybody stood as he entered, everybody that is except for me, I just didn't seem to have time it was a bit weird actually, I wasn't really sure if I should have or not; the King and I came to mind.

He sat and started to talk about Tibetan Medicine, which is his speciality, along with Lu Jong.

He said that all of us have un-manifested illness within us and at some point of our lives it manifests itself, other times it lays dormant just to manifest at another time. Men (and women) must get ill. Sickness is part of life. If we are not sick now, then don't worry, one day we will be. (So if we are well, we are not complete in a sense without illness?)

Death was another subject, he explained about food and how eating will kill us. He said we eat food, that will kill us and if we don't eat we also die. He then gave this example: When we hunger we are in pain and after we eat we are also with discomfort because we eat too much, then we are full. He explained that some Tibetan Priests, when they die just disappear, this brought to my mind, Enoch. God decided that he was too good, so he took him, he was never found by anybody. The Lama also mentioned Jesus and said that he was taken in a likewise manner, he was a high priest.

He said that death was an illusion. That Love is an illusion, as is hate, and even life. I commented that maybe illusion itself is also an illusion. He said he was sure it was.

I wondered if anyone understood what he was saying, or did we just think we did. Perception was also another theme. (To be discussed later) He said that Buddhism in the west is only different because the cultures are different; people are brought up differently, although the concept is the same.
He mentioned however, that we are not always the same; that many people that morning may have said their mantras and felt full of peace and calmness and then in the afternoon when it rained they were sad and so forth.
We all change during the course of the day and even our lives.

I suppose one cannot change too much because we have to have a base, be it religion or Philosophy about life. It is like the chameleon, although he changes his colour to suit his environment, he still remains a chameleon. (That was my bit there, not the Lama)

He swayed and moved about on his seat as he spoke and told us that neither evil nor good exists, but it is the thought that makes it so (as it is part of our illusion) In Romans, the New Testament it says a very similar thing. Once we are aware that something is harming us, if we continue to do it then it is 'bad'. If we continue to do something without being aware of the danger, then we are not to blame. Even Shakespeare said it.

He has a way of speaking that only the trained listener can really understand, and somebody with a little knowledge of 'profundities'. Otherwise it just sounds like nonsense. Jesus was similar, many people even today don't understand what he said, and they say he is contradictory, but he was just being profound. He said that anybody who loves their family more that they love him could not be his follower. He who saves his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life shall save it.

On the whole I enjoyed the evening. I found many parallels between the Christian faith (or philosophy) and Buddhism. I even surprised a friend of mine; she never expected to see me there. I will post some photos of her later on. If you would like any information of the programme for Quinta do Pombal, visit their website: www.quintadopombal.net

Do we really need a God?

Rui never did get back to me.

I have been tampering with the idea of starting a group, just to discuss these things, called: "Do we really need a God?" I was also thinking of doing it in Portuguese, maybe at the same time. I think people are curious about certain things, they just don't like getting it shoved down their throats.

Through discussions everybody could get across their different ideas of who they think god is etc. It could be interesting...

Isreali-Palestine problem

I was just reading a blog about the Middle East problem called,

gaza-sderot.blogspot.com

However I fear that it if I write my opinions, people will call me anti-Semite, but I am not.

The problems all go back to thousands of years ago, after Moses led the Israelites through the desert, after being freed from a slavery, which lasted 500 years. Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments and found them worshipping an idol and behaving in an immoral way and because of their idolatry and their complaining they were condemned to wondered around the desert for 40 years.

What many people don’t know is that God didn’t have just Ten Commandments for his chosen people; there were loads of them, Laws and ceremonies, which were to be adhered to.

Many of the laws where very useful for resolving disputes which might arise within the community, and many of them were a kind of ‘moral code’. To give examples would be laborious and confusing, however if you go to Exodus 20 you can see for yourself, nearly a hundred pages! Laws and ceremonies, it runs into the next chapter, Leviticus.

Many of these laws had logic, and a lot of psychology behind them, to have a well run community. We must remember that in those days people were extremely ignorant, they never had a ‘conscience’ as such. God through Law told them what was acceptable and what was not. They were further told that if they disobeyed these laws….

Leviticus 26:14-17

‘’’But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no-one is pursuing you.

It goes on further

26:31

will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then the land will enjoy its Sabbaths. At the time it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the Sabbaths you lived in it.

As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of the wind-blow leaf will put them to flight.’’’

Very dramatic: The Old Testament shows that the Jews were fairly disobedient, instead of developing a conscience they adhered to the law in such a way that they could manipulate it to their advantage;

Jesus gave this example of the behaviour:

‘Before you make you peace offering at the alter say sorry to the one you offended!’ He didn’t use exactly those words, but the effect is the same.

There was no mercy in their ruler’s hearts. The common people understood what mercy was but the rulers and the religious men were manipulative and bent the law any way they could, pretty much like many countries today.

When Jesus came he explained things plainly. And through Jesus comes forgiveness for all: The gentiles and the Jews.

Not all the Jews are to blame, that would be like blaming all Germans today because of the Second World War. As the young men who write in the above-mentioned blog it is generally the leaders. The common Palestinians and Israelis want peace and justice, it is the leaders who obstruct the road to peace.

Palestine and Israel are witnesses for the whole world to see.

The resurection of Jesus

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As I was about to leave the house to go to the celebration held by the JWs, my kids got into a bit of a tiff and the younger one, João, got hurt and started to cry, it is normally the thing when I am about to go out. So I made him come with me.

José had arrived and it was raining heavily, we had to run to the car. (I left my umbrella in the hospital the day My eldest came home) We arrived in no time, my son was a little pouty. My eldest, Amando, sent him a text apologising which he eventually accepted.

The celebration was held in a nursing college, apparently that was the only place that they could rent this year, but they were very pleased. Upon our entering the building João remarked that they all looked like FBI agents in their suits. I must admit, the suits I do find a little too much, especially on five year olds. I was glad I had brought João along with me, I thought that monitoring his reactions could be interesting.

As soon as we got to the main hall, I needed to go to the bathroom. I immediately saw a man who used to come round a few years back, Rui, a very nice man who I would have interesting conversations with. He gave me directions to the bathroom. The building was very nice, but to me it looked unfinished...

Back in the hall we sat at the back, João opted for that seat and I didn't want to pressure him. José said that we should really move further forward for the ceremony of the bread and wine. We did eventually. Suddenly João became aware that his hair was long for some reason and started to tell me that he should have brushed it before we came out.

I did a rough head count of approximately 168 people in the auditorium. They started with a hymn, which my son found a little embarrassing for some reason, even though we didn't even have to sing. Then came a slightly lengthy prayer and then the speech. Through the whole process the various verses were quoted. (See below)
Then came the ceremony of the unleavened bread. The bread which Christ regarded as his body when he broke it for the disciples. Obviously he was speaking symbolically, that they had to do that every year in memory of him.

In this ceremony the bread was passed round but no body ate it. They just pass it from hand to hand. The first time I went to one of these meetings I was told not to eat the bread or drink the wine, only the chosen ones do that. I wondered how then the chosen ones got to do that if they weren't supposed to do it. I was told that the spirit tells you. I thought this contradictory because if I would have drank then they probably wouldn't have believed me. This time however I was told that only those who want to govern with Christ should drink the wine and eat the bread.

Then the wine was passed round, and another lengthy prayer. All the way through I was trying to pay attention to what was said, write some things down, for this blog and playing squiggles with my son. Squiggles is a game my sister and I used to play...

Towards the end of the ceremony the speaker remarked that we were celebrating Jesus' death, to which my son remarked sarcastically 'that's nice'. I said to him that is was really a celebration of the Resurrection.

On the last hymn, a young man behind us gave me his song book My son and I shared it and to my amazement every now and then he would actually sing.LOL.

When it was all over I thanked the young man and we had a little chat, he was very pleasant. I think my son also enjoyed the conversation. He even remembered his name. Miguel.

As we were waiting for José, Rui came and spoke with me. He still wants to come to my place and teach me about the book of revelation, which was how we left it nearly 2 years ago. I am curious as to see if this time it will actually happen, he is the 3rd person who has said this.

All in all it was a pleasant evening and it was nice to see Rui again. I don't think even João found it that intolerable.




The quoted chapters were;
Luke 22:18 and 20; Romans 6:23; John 3:16; James 2:24-26; Luke 2:25
Rev 14:1(About the 144,000) Rev 5:10; Romans 8: 16,17; Rev 14:4; John 10:16; Isiah 65:21-23; Then I think it was 1st Corinth 11:23,24; and then 25. This break up and shuffle of verses and chapters I find a little weird. Most churches tend to do this to get their point across. As various subjects would arise then the relevant verses would be quoted.

Revelation

On Sunday I got a visit form some Jahovah's Witnesses. It has been about two years since their last visit. I thought they had given up on me.

They came to invite me to the easter celebration I said I would go. If they pick me up and if all goes well...

They used to visit me quite frequently but a lot of the times they couldn't answer some of my questions. I did the first study book with them years ago and was surprised to find that I had already understood form reading the bible alone. They said that that was impossible, that no body can understand.

I did. I had a Revelation.

It was a pretty dark time I went through. I was feeling pretty depressed, and I found an old Gideons Bible from school. I held it in my had and said (to God) 'If there is anything in here of any value then let me see it'. I did.

When I started to read it I couldn't beleive it! I don't mean I couldn't believe the Bible, I couldn't beleive how it is so misinterpreted. I was hooked. (I love conspiracies and the Bible is part of one ot the biggest ever!) I went through a very difficult time afterwards. It was like I was brainstormed, with all kinds of information, information which although I understood, I couldn't explain to anyone. I thought I was loosing it.

It has taken many years to be able to process the information and to be able to transmit it in a way that people can understand. Well actually I only really have one friend who I can talk about those things to. Because the thing is, nobody really wants to talk about God, they have an inbuilt trigger which makes them switch off somehow, they go into shut down mode. Their mind closes completely, mostly because they have been missinformed at some time in their life and the first impression has stuck, they start to playback the eronious teachings they learnt in their childhood or something. I always say to them.

'Pick up the Bible and read it, actually read it, like you would any other book. I think you will be pleasantly surprised'

I say the same to you.

I will let you know how the Jahovah thing goes.

Maria Magdelen. A prostitute?

The Bible is the most sold book of all time...and ironically, the least read!

Not a great number of people really know (or care) what it says. Many religions take out bits here and there and organise them in such a way, as to say what they want to say. Amazingly enough a good modern translation of the Bible is not difficult to understand. But very easy to misinterpret intentionally

Imagine we all read a Harry Potter book and then discussed it afterwards.

Chances are we would all have a basic knowledge of the characters and what they do.

Some misinterpretations of the Bible are so blatent there is no basis for them.
Take Mary Magdelen for example, often called a 'prostitute'. It does not say in the bible that she was a prostitute. So where did that idea come from?
Possibly the fact that according to John 8:3 the scribes brought forth a woman who was accused of 'adultery'. (They were trying to trap Jesus into telling every one to stone her so that they could accuse him of something). Jesus told those who were without sin to stone her...we all know the story. So she was an adultress. That is how the church could have come to call her a prostitute.

Dan Brown wrote a very controversial novel stating that Jesus actually married her. This would not seem right to me. Jesus was very religious and of course this woman was already married. And it would be very unlikely that he should marry a divorced woman. (Mat. 5:31)
So we have old misinterpretations and new.

There is quite a list of them actually but i dont want to go through them all now.

I would just like to say. After reading a novel or book sometimes we can loose the plot. With the bible this is so true that many just loose the plot, if they didn't, then they could not misinterpret it as they do.

Main Characters

Adam and Eve had two sons. I think that is common knowledge. Also common knowledge is that one slay the other...did Cain slay Abel? or Abel slay Cain. Yes it was Cain.

After he killed his brother God said that Cain would become a fugitive and that anyone who found him could strike him down...

After a while it seemed that nobody had 'struck him down' So Cain went off and got himself a wife!

Most people can't understand this part of the Bible. It is confusing. It also confuses me. The only real logical explanation would be that Cain and Abel had brothers and sisters. They may have left their parents and gone to live soemwhere else. They were most likely dissobedient.

Possibly not worth mentioning. Until these times.

When we watch a film for example with Mel Gibson (when he was cute) and some hot leading lady, little emphasis is placed on background characters. The man sitting behind them in the cafe or the lady passing them on the street, is not important factor to the plot of the story, therefor they don't have a major role to play.

The (his)story of Cain and Abel, I believe is a little like that.

What is your veiw?

Adam and Eve

Were Adam and Eve just a simbolic couple or were they real people?

It is rather like the chicken and the egg dilema.

According to the bible they were both created, first the man and then the woman. Woman was the last thing created. (It does not mean she is inferior!)
They were told to go forth and multiply. To create more perfect beings as themselves. Unfortunately the woman was missled by the serpent. God had instructed both of them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. He said that they could eat all the other fruits but not from the Tree of Knowledge.

This is interesting, many people say that it was an apple tree, and more oftern than not Eve is seen eating an apple in most paintings. Weird.

They were completely innocent. They didn't even know they were naked...until they ate from the tree of knowledge. Then they became 'as a god, knowing good and evil'

God punished them for this grave error. Man was to work hard to produce food and woman to suffer pains in childbirth.

In actual fact man continues to suffer, because he sought knowledge were he was told not to seek it. God would have instructed Adam and Eve, but they decided to go and 'find out for themselves'. This way is often the hard way. Learning by our mistakes.

No wonder the world is in the state it is.

Immediately after they ate from the tree of knowledge God decided to protect the Tree of Life. A tree that actually produced life, or rather, eternal life.

That was very astute of him, imagine this world with immortal men. I shudder to think.

Creation

How many people actually believe that the worls was created in 7 days?
Time is a funny thing. It can depend mearly on our perspective. For example how many times has a day just seemed to never end and to a friend that same day has flown by?
On earth time is split into years, months, weeks, days, hours and minutes. The funny thing is, that is only here on earth. The further we go away from our planet the more time takes on a different dimention. Hence the theory Einstein had about travelling at the speed of light. That an astronaut could leave the planet and return again only to find that he had hardly aged whilst the people he left behind aged or even died!
God travels at the speed of light. In the time it takes us to think of him, he is there. He is omnipresent.

A day to God is as 1000 years and a 1000 years as a day. God is the author of time.