Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 THere are several editions of The Second Coming of the Christ... the SRF one (from a bibliophile and footnot fetishist POV) is the best, but the others are well worth a look... I also like Yogananda's commentary on the first Fitzgerald Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam I can also recommend Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore ( his own translation and Deepak Chopra's modern translation 'The Shores of eternity') (Farewell) I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers! I bow to you all and take my departure. Here I give back the keys of my door ---and I give up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind words from you. We were neighbors for long, but I received more than I could give. Now the day has dawned and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out. A summons has come and I am ready for my journey. (Threshold) I was not aware of the moment when I first crossed the threshold of this life. What was the power that made me open out into this vast mystery like a bud in the forest at midnight! When in the morning I looked upon the light I felt in a moment that I was no stranger in this world, that the inscrutable without name and form had taken me in its arms in the form of my own mother. Even so, in death the same unknown will appear as ever known to me. And because I love this life, I know I shall love death as well. The child cries out when from the right breast the mother takes it away, in the very next moment to find in the left one its consolation. (Parting Words) When I go from hence let this be my parting word, that what I have seen is unsurpassable. I have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus that expands on the ocean of light, and thus am I blessed ---let this be my parting word. In this playhouse of infinite forms I have had my play and here have I caught sight of him that is formless. My whole body and my limbs have thrilled with his touch who is beyond touch; and if the end comes here, let it come ---let this be my parting word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GH, I will look around on line and see if I can find some of the books you mentioned. I don't really know how to read except on line anymore and all of the best thinkers make their material available in this way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sojourner Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I love Gitanjali, esp the little flute. Also love Meister Eckhart, own a couple of his books and some others you mentioned. We have similar taste in some authors. I have 4 of DeMello's books. But this was the first of Yogananda's books that Ive read and I have enjoyed it very much. sojourner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Rumi is pretty good too "Out beyond good and evil there is a field... I shall meet you there." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I have an obscene number of books... mostly read and re-read... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sojourner Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Oh me too, its embarrassing all the books I own! Rumi is another I love. And I cant stop buying them. I buy them before clothes, shoes or anything lol Im an addict. For fun I love to read Terry Pratchett and Stephen Donaldson. They are my favorite for good entertainment...what about you? sojourner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Neon, You are equally guilty of not listening as I have said repeatedly that I do not have all of the answers and am a work in progress, but these are what I believe today. I, also, stated that I think it is time to get off this merry-go-round, but you ignore me and keep on with the same questions just worded different ways. I am all for dialogue when it is accomplishing something, but it seems more like dead horse beating to me. John How have I not been listening? I've been responding to your answers consistently. I keep on repeating myself because you have yet to give any sort of proof that there is a correct way to read the bible when you claim there is and that's it just all so easy and clear to understand. You'll start off saying you don't know all the answers yes, but then one sentence afterwards, you'll turn around and pass the blame on God, and isn't that disrespectful to your God for you to blame God for your inability to answer people's questions when you claim to have the "truth"? You try to act all respectful and show off your faux humility, but then in the same post you'll turn around and bash other Christians for not reading the bible the way you do. You claim to have given answers to our questions, but so far all you've been doing is praising God's greatness and telling us the same old cliches we already followed for years when we were Christians. Your approach might be slightly different but your ultimate message, "God loves you and wants you to believe, so shut up and stop asking so many damn questions because we don't want you to figure out that our religion has big enough holes in it to drive a bus through" is the same at its core. You claim to not be here to convert others and wanting to "get to know us" but you have yet to show that you have learned anything about us at all. This is what pisses me off, that you pretend to be respectful but you completely contradict yourself with your actions and you claim to not be here to evangelize, yet your actions again contradict what you say, then you turn around and demand respect from others when you're completely inconsistent with who you choose to give respect to (never mind that Jesus taught to respect everyone regardless of how they treat you and to love your enemies and to turn the other cheek and all that stuff). Like the saying goes, "actions speak louder than words." And I'm all for agreeing to disagree as well. But despite your claims to want to do so, you still felt the need to continue responding to my post to apparently add some "final last words", so I felt if you got to do that, I should be able to leave some "final last words" of my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Neon, Fair enough. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Captain Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Kratos, off topic but I was wondering if your blocking PMs. I had one for you but it says you're either blocking them or you arent allowed PMs. If its the former I'd appreciate it if you would turn your PMs back on as I had something to say to you (not offensive of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Kratos, off topic but I was wondering if your blocking PMs. I had one for you but it says you're either blocking them or you arent allowed PMs. If its the former I'd appreciate it if you would turn your PMs back on as I had something to say to you (not offensive of course). Doc, I have not purposely blocked anything, but I know I am a little scary to some as a believer. My board use is probably greatly limited so I would guess that the Mods do not allow me PMs. Of course, I could be wrong and just board challenged. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Kratos, off topic but I was wondering if your blocking PMs. I had one for you but it says you're either blocking them or you arent allowed PMs. If its the former I'd appreciate it if you would turn your PMs back on as I had something to say to you (not offensive of course). Doc, I have not purposely blocked anything, but I know I am a little scary to some as a believer. My board use is probably greatly limited so I would guess that the Mods do not allow me PMs. Of course, I could be wrong and just board challenged. John Just checked. Not blocked for PM's. Boss, Reach or I would do so and that function is not shut off. Look at top of the ExC browser board window. It will say "You have *X* messages" is there are any in the Inbox. If so, pop that link, head into the PM section, read whats up there with folks sendin' messages. kFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Skip, Thanks for the info. I don't see that I have any messages. I know that it used to work as I did have some PM activity at one time. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John So effectively if you have to spend money on it (like, oooh, the Bible... or any of the other wasters you quote) then it's not worth the paper? And I've yet to see any minister who didn't expect paying for his cant either in cold hard cash, or admiration... Anyway. I've given you a list to read, and in typical fashion you've shown the intellectual mountebank you are... So explain what the above means exactly before I declare you an ingrate who has no more intent of understanding us than a rock does aerodynamics... God's teeth you need your stupid, empty, head panning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 and I think the Red Squiddie doesn't have PM function... It's not a bad idea if they don't since it's bad enough Chrisitians sneaking round PMing crap without evangelists spreading their poison world view underground... it's just like shitting in a water hole... and I'm not afraid of your sort, they just sicken me with their lies... Mr I only read it if it's free... that explains a LOT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skankboy Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 LOL... too funny. There's about 2000 listings for the Bible on Amazon... not ONE of them for free... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAH Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John Yes John, I have personally found that there is no life for me within those books which are sold without free access made available. I think you are doing a commendable job sharing Christ here. What you have shared will certainly all be brought to remembrance. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kratos Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GH, You are once again twisting what I said. I acknowledged that I have been reading only books by ministers so long that I carry that over to all books. This doesn't mean that I never buy a book, I just use the "freely received so freely give" as a measuring stick to determine if I want to hear what a minister has to say. I have little respects for hirelings in the ministry. I have no problem with someone making a living as an author, but not when what they are selling is the gospel that they received freely. Weren't you the one who accused me of being a harlot when I used to get paid for ministering? Double standard? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John Yes John, I have personally found that there is no life for me within those books which are sold without free access made available. I think you are doing a commendable job sharing Christ here. What you have shared will certainly all be brought to remembrance. Jack If you think we will recall christ sometime it will only be with distaste. How can we like some bloody gory criminal on a stick? After all, if a guy rampaged through your bakesale this spring and upset all the ladies' money boxes, you'd be the first to call 911 on your cell phone, I'm sure. You might even restrain him physically. Don't tell me the romans executed him for raising Lazarus from the dead. It was for stealing livestock and vandalizing the temple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John John, I think you understand too little about the value of information. Normally you get what you pay for. What you demand here is socialized information. Not going to happen. You firmly believe in spiritual mind but you have proven that spiritual mind is not a legitimate substitute for natural mind. When it comes to survival in this world, the spiritual mind sadly lacks the necessary instruction. Were it not for highly educated people, there would be no internet to carry free information for lazy bums like you. I call you lazy with righteous indignation. You haven't studied enough to know the value of information but you criticize those who have given their life energy to make the bible available to you at an affordable price, and much other literature for free on the internet. You lazy s.o.b! How do you think the internet got into place? How do you think the technology got invented on which the internet was built? How about the step preceding that? And before that? We haven't backed up to 1900 yet as regards the history of technology. And we have to back all the way back to log cabin days at the very least. But even they had iron axes to cut down trees, and fire to cook their meals. You gotta back up several thousand or millions of years. Now you're back in the caves using stone tools. Okay, now maybe you're where God wants you. There is no such thing as book, let alone free. John, your time should be taken up sharpening your stone knife for the next hunt, and digging roots for your next meal. And here you are carping over whether or not people should be paid for spending their life energy explaining to you why the Bible means what it means--and that in English? You're not only lazy but also crazy. Huh? Just use your natural mind once in a while and you might actually make some sense to your fellow humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GH, You are once again twisting what I said. I acknowledged that I have been reading only books by ministers so long that I carry that over to all books. This doesn't mean that I never buy a book, I just use the "freely received so freely give" as a measuring stick to determine if I want to hear what a minister has to say. I have little respects for hirelings in the ministry. I have no problem with someone making a living as an author, but not when what they are selling is the gospel that they received freely. Weren't you the one who accused me of being a harlot when I used to get paid for ministering? Double standard? John No, price of glue and paper... although I'm sure there's plenty of glue and parchement in you to pay it back... although the skinning and redering process would sting a little... It's about the only use I can think to put you to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John Yes John, I have personally found that there is no life for me within those books which are sold without free access made available. I think you are doing a commendable job sharing Christ here. What you have shared will certainly all be brought to remembrance. Jack And who the HELL are you? Another pedlar of gibberish? Great... another damned evangelist here to lower the average intelligence level of the place and stink it up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAH Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd beg to differ in that appraisal... any fool can stick their opinions on the internet... it's how we got to here in the first place... I guess I have been reading mostly Christian ministers and teachers so long, I carry my standard over to all books in general. There are so many hucksters out there trying to get rich off of the gift they received from God that my first reaction when an author is mentioned to me is "can you read them online". I have a pretty good library, too, but it is the whole "freely you have received so freely give" thing. It reveals the heart of a man or woman if they are spiritual or carnal to me if they do not think it is worth saying if they cannot make a buck in the process. John Yes John, I have personally found that there is no life for me within those books which are sold without free access made available. I think you are doing a commendable job sharing Christ here. What you have shared will certainly all be brought to remembrance. Jack And who the HELL are you? Another pedlar of gibberish? Great... another damned evangelist here to lower the average intelligence level of the place and stink it up... lol No, I just came to see how the anguished peeps attached to the long strings are doing and what they are railing on now ........... saw Kratos here and thought to throw an attaboy at him. God bless ya, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 More gibberish... great... like the world needs more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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