During the debate in the Episcopal Church over whether or not to allow a homosexual bishop, a woman was presenting the argument against allowing a homosexual bishop. She stated that the Bible declares homosexuality to be wrong, which it does. If she really believed what the Bible said than she would have been quiet about church matters. In the New Testament the books of I Corinthians, I Timothy, and Ephesians women are told to just plain submit and do it quietly. In addition to dressing modestly they are to submit to their husbands and God. They are also to remain quiet regarding church matters. How can individuals say this is a book containing God’s divinely inspired word and then only follow sections that are convenient at the moment? Doesn’t that seem slightly off? A tad hypocritical?
In fact women are blamed for the original sin. It was all Eve’s fault that Adam deceived in the first place. Women can redeem themselves by having many children and submitting. Women are evil, shameful, weak and unclean…better to be seen and not heard.
June Cleaver was commiting a sin by wearing pearls. Women are directed not to wear pearls in the book of I Timothy in the Bible. Ellie Mae from “The Beverly Hillbillies” was also committing a sin by braiding her hair.
The New Testament has a quotation that is commonly heard at weddings. It is in the book of I Corinthians and goes like this…”Love is patient, love is kind”… and ends with… “Love never fails”. Most people have heard it, I’m sure. The book of I Corinthians goes on to say that if a woman wants to inquire about something, she should ask her husband at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
Does not sound like women are in good standing with in the religion of Christianity, does it? The Old Testament declares a woman unclean for a week after giving birth to a son and two weeks after giving birth to a daughter. Women are “impure” for 33 days after giving birth to a son and for 66 days after having a baby girl. What’s up with that? I guess boys are preferred over girls. Women are really filthy if they deliver a daughter into the world. Granted this is the Old Testament and certain forms of Christianity decided to only follow the New Testament. How can you say that only half of the Bible is worthy of following? A form of pick and choose christianity?
Just the idea that women were created as an afterthought from a small piece of God’s “special creation,” makes it seem that man is superior to women. How can any woman with any self-esteem believe any of this?
Jackie Wellman, author of Spiritual Clarity, http://www.hoppy.bravehost.com, http://spiritualclarity.blogspot.com
Posted by admin as Religion Tips + More at 7:22 PM CDT
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There is an interesting incident in the life of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba
Once Sai Baba had heart disease. He used to cure all the diseases of the devotees. But now he himself was suffering. Who could cure him?
Sai Baba himself narrated as to how his heart disease was cured.
Baba: I had heart disease. I kept Vishnu Sahasranama close to my chest. Hari (meaning Lord Vishnu) descended from it. I was cured.
(Incident no 198: Sri Sai Baba’s Charters and Sayings by Sri B V Narasimhaswami)
Such is the power of Vishnu Sahasranama. It can cure all the diseases.
It has miraculous powers. One can get wealth, health according to his/her wish and needs.
Though the Lord has innumerable names, the Vishnu Sahasranama which contains a thousand selected names of the Supreme Being, is in the nature of a hymn which can be chanted by all.
There is a great secret in it. The sequence of the names of the Vishnu in the verses, in Anushtubh metre has a rationale.
Twenty-four names of Lord Vishnu had been incorporated in the three opening verses of the Vishnu Sahasranama. These twenty-four names denote the 24 syllabled Gayatri mantra, each syllable corresponding to a particular name. The name Gayatri connotes that it protects those who chant it properly and regularly. Recitation of Gayatri mantra according to the prescribed method confers all-round prosperity not only on the individual but also on the entire world.
(It is recommended here to the readers to read the articles The power of Gayatri Mantra Part I and The Power of Gayatri Mantra - Part II - Power of each syllable written by this author published in ezinearticles.com earlier in order to learn the secret power of Gayatri mantra)
The names Sridah (name 605), Srisah (name 606), Srinivasah (name 607), Srinidhi (name 608) Srivibhavanah (name 609) Sridhara (name 610) Srikarah (name 611) confer abundant wealth to the chanter.
Sri Adi Sankaracharya, in his commentary has given the meanings of these names as
Follows:
Sridah: The Bestower of wealth on His devotees
Srisah: The Lord of wealth
Srinivasah: Abiding always in the well - endowed; He resides where Sri (Lakshmi meaning the Goddess of wealth) resides.
Srinidhi: The Treasure - house of Sri. In Him, who is all powerful, all the energies abide.
Sri is protected like a treasure.
Srivibhavanah: The Distributor of wealth to all beings, variously, according to their deserts.
Sridhara: he bears on His chest Lakshmi, the mother of all He supports the prosperity of devotees.
Srikarah: The Conferrer of Sri on devotees who remember, praise, and worship Him.
The following results are promised to one who is chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama:
Success in acquiring great fame, a position of eminence, enduring prosperity, salvation.
The great seers and sages have strongly recommended reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama daily.
S. Nagarajan is a vehicle body engineer by profession. He has written more than 1300 articles in 16 magazines and published 18 books. He is revealing Eastern Secret Wisdom through T.V. Programmes, magazine articles, seminars, courses. His email address is: snagarajans@gmail.com. His articles on Yoga, laughter, efficacy of mantras and sound, Hypnotism, Tele Kinesis, Power of Prayer, Vastu and Feng Shui, Auto suggestion, Success Formula, Out of Body Experience etc are regularly appearing in ezinearticles.com. So far more than forty articles have been published in ezinearticles.com.
Posted by admin as Religion Tips + More at 9:29 PM CDT
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Lord Krishna, to the common man has been a flamboyant lord who had only been romancing with Radha and her friends. But many forget that he was a king, politician, husband, father and friend to Pandavas of the Mahabharta fame, wherein he passed the supreme knowledge of Karma through Arjuna. Rarely he has been portrayed as a king of political mastery and an ace diplomat who knew the nuances of the art too well. In fact, he has been described by the poets mostly as a young man who had been either making her mother Yashoda ( who brought him up, not the biological mother Devki) enchant with his childish and naughty behaviour or found romancing with Radha and her friends, with one flute in his hands.
The poets are not to blame as any one would like to enthrall the readers with the lord’s behaviour as a common man who had the similar vices by portraying him in mystically romantic man rather than showcasing him as a hardcore politician or some such sort.
Factually he was much more than what he has been painted for through the ages. Look at the messages which he has given to the humanity by acting on those lines. What he preached, he practiced to well. He was not only a learned man but a true politician, ace diplomat and above all a true human being besides he being the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.
First message was that you have to have total faith in his lordship, be it as Krishna or prophet or Jejus. You have to have not just faith but absolute faith. This has been illustrated by the example of Draupadi’s (wife of Pandavas, Five Brothers) unceremonius, bizzare public display of outraging the modesty of a queen, when Pandavas lost her in gamble treachrously manipulated by Shakuni and Duryodhan. She kept on praying to lord to save her from the ordeal by raising one hand and trying to save herself with another. Lord never came to her rescue till she was overpowered comprehensively by Dushshayan and she was left with no choice but to leave every thing to god. when she shouted, ‘hey Krishna, save me’ by raising both the hands up in total surrender and posing total faith in him, Lord began his supply of clothes which never finished till the tyrant got exhausted and left in a huff.
Second message was total self sacrifice and yet be with the Dharma, the religion. When Duryodhan and Arjuna reached him to seek help prior to Mahabharta war, he was lying in the couch in Yoga-nidra, a yogic posture for sleep. Knowing fully well, being the lord himself, he kept on sleeping till Arjuna came and sat alongside his feats and Duryodhana on the head of the bed. Then he got up and asked the reason for both brothers coming together. When they mentioned the reason, which he knew and decided the side he will be in, he said ‘Arjun has come first as I saw him first and as such being younger in age he had the right to ask first’, which Arjuna did and sought help. He divided himself on one side and his army known as Satyaki Sena, to be fighting against each other. Arjuna got the lordship in his favour without the fighting rights and confirmed the victory before the battle could join. Here lord Krishna sacrificed himself as a king, without his army what he was worth of. But he held on to side of Dharma.
Third message was the righteous duty. The Gita is the supreme treaise on the Karma, man has ever produced. The Gita is not a religious book limited to the Hindu devotees but it is the essence of human values and the life thriugh Karma for the entire humanity to practice. Though it was delivered just prior to the Mahabharta war, notwithstanding the mesage remains to be followed ever after its delivery. The message of leading a meaningful life of a human being has been articulated in such a finery yet to be found in any scriptures. The essence of the Gita is to perform the duties to the best of one’s capability and yet do not get attached to the outcome, lest you will be sorry if the result is not as per your expectations. Thus, do your duties dutifully and leave it to THEE! Lord will take care of everything. But one should not derive the message that since you have no justified rights over the results of your deeds or hard work, inaction on on your part is justified. No, you have to continue with your mission no matter what the outcome is going to be, as such that is not in your hand.
Thus, lord Krishna left an indelible mark on the humanity through his life, which he practiced and then preached. May lord bless us the strength and wisdom to perform the righteous duties and yet be free from the expectations of its friuts.
for authors Bio log on to: http://www.perfomance.dgstonline.com/cv.htm
Posted by admin as Religion Tips + More at 11:53 AM CDT
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