Is God to be feared?

Discuss philosophical questions regarding theism (and atheism), and discuss religion as it relates to philosophy. This includes any philosophical discussions that happen to be about god, gods, or a 'higher power' or the belief of them. This also generally includes philosophical topics about organized or ritualistic mysticism or about organized, common or ritualistic beliefs in the existence of supernatural phenomenon.
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Juice
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Joined: May 8th, 2009, 10:24 pm

Post by Juice »

boagie-I can tell by your responses that there is not a inclining nor an inclination to examine or accept history as a dictum to providing concise insight to this debate.

Woman have traditionally held a lower status to men throughout history. Even as we debate the status of women in many parts of the world are subservient to that of men. While granting that many of these beliefs are supported by religion Christianity as a religion has changed its dictum's as a result of a furthering and better understanding of the Gospels.

As such Christians of any sex have equal roles in both church, civil and family affairs.
John 1:12: All people, men and women, have the opportunity to become children of God - presumably without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.
As admitted comments are not made from any basis of fact or knowledge whether historical or Biblical nor as admitted will there be an attempt made. Only by derision, sarcasm and vitriol is one expected to respond which makes the argument made ungrounded.

We understand that some do not ascribe to religious doctrine or knowledge and any lack there of to the existence of God. I know that God exists by the manner that I know that I exist and that reality is a part of my existence. To know from where consciousness is gifted as from God is as innate as knowing that self actualization is real.
When everyone looks to better their own future then the future will be better for everyone.

An explanation of cause is not a justification by reason.
C. S. Lewis

Fight the illusion!
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

boagie wrote:Ape,

Well, you certainly have it down to a masterful system, and I take it your in the business.
ape: Well, thank you, senor!:) As a Love-master of the system of Love, I am THE first Love-slave of the System of Love!:)1 Corinthians 7: 22For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant/SLAVE, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant/SLAVE.
Boagie: It seems you would silence the unbeliever but not the believer,
ape: No way! Au contraire! Never go by how it SEEMS or SOUNDS or LOOKS! The unbeliever is God is disguise: we want to hear from God as Boagie!!!!!!:)
Unbelievers are more fun to those who love believers and unbelievers! Believers are fun too but too easy!:)
Matthew 25:
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren[: the stranger, the naked, the hungry, the thirsty, those in prison, the stranger, the sick, Boagie,] ye have done it unto Me.
Boagie and Me even rhymes!:)
Hebrews 13
1Let brotherly Love continue.
2Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
3Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

BOAGIE:.. though this is very impressive in its verbose workings I think it unfair and unrealistic.
ape: But do you love yourself as fair and unfair, as realistic and as unrealistic?
To hate myself as unfair is the first self-injustice, which is why you must then misread and misunderstand.
Boagie: To say the I am hateful and disrespectful when I see no reason on the face of the earth to believe in the supernatural and with no evidence at their side believers think their proclamations about the supernatural should be respected, it is laughable.
ape: First of all, you yourself said so!
boagie wrote:kk23wong,
As I stated previously I have no repect for these beliefs, that includes what you consider the foundations of those beliefs. Believers are dangerous people, they always have been I suppose, but never so obvious to us than in todays world. The day of tribal thinking has long past. We are today one people on this small planet, it is time there was a mythology to express that reality.
color added by ape
Anyway, let me ask you:
Do you love and respect or hate and disrespect yourself as an unbeliever, as a believer, as a hater, as a disrespector, as dangerous, as ridiculed, as ridiculous, as laughable, as unreasonable, as unfair, as absurd, as insane, as a moron, as a fool, as weak, as ugly, as dumb?
Boagie:
I understand such beliefs for those who can manage them are comforting but that does not make them true.
ape: So do you love or hate yourself as a liar, as false, as dishonest, as a fake?
Boagie:I find it amusing as well in most situtations with friends who cannot explain the why of their belief, they have great resistence and fear to it's examination.
ape: So please examine yourself: Do you love yourself as examined and as ignored?
Boagie: I guess they do not have many moderators at this forum. I personally think you did lose it making personal attacks, but appearantly there is no one in the forest to hear the tree fall or perhaps its just delay because they are busy.
ape: So Boagie, you are once again condemning yourself since I used mostly your own words to correct you! Please go back and reread your post to which I first replied! I did not object to your attack BUT to the EXPRESSED DISRESPECT [and HATRED] in it! So it is either you are right for attacking others and me first and I am right, or you are wrong for attacking others and me and I am wrong for attacking you--in your eyes! Which one do you choose?:) I wd apologize to you, for you, with Love and Respect for me being the ocCASion, but NOT the CAUSE, of you hating and disrespecting yourself, by me, WITH ALL LOVE & RESPECT FOR ALL THOSE NAMES YOU USED, calling you all the names you called others and me by association with HATE & DISRESPECT to show you how to apologize to yourself FIRST AND THEN TO ME AND ALL OTHERS for your Hatred and Disrespect! ;)
"Nobody can make you feel inferior [or disrespect you] without your [prior] permission."[/b]Eleanor Roosevelt
Wd you like me to apologize to you?:)
Just say the word!
I wd in a heartbeat with all Love and R!
BOAGIE:You are very good at what you do, but if like you that was my only focus I probably would be your match.[
ape: WHOA! I wish you were my match and MORE than my match---for then you wd be a Man of 100% Love and Respect for yourself as all words and their opposites and so wd love all others as yourself with 100% Love and Respect!:)

And Boagie, that Unconditional Love and R makes you a match in every other dept of life!!!!
So why not try it?
And don't forget the apology thing: Just ask me and you've got it!
Or maybe I shd do it any way to show you how to apologise too when you teach yourself to love and respect yourself as all words and their enemy-opposites?:)
"If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for Hatred." Gita.
"Our first duty is not to hate ourselves." Vivekananda
"Meet Hatred with Hatred and you degrade yourself. Meet Hatred with Love and you not only elevate yourself but [also] the one who bears you Hatred."
Ralph W. Trine
QED.
Faith
Posts: 25
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 6:32 pm

Post by Faith »

Jesus saved a women whowas about to be stoned for adultery (as was custom) and said you ho are without sin, caast the first stone. I'd say that was supporting womens right, considering the men had virtually no punishment.

Boagie- Correct me if I'm wrong, but the World and society as a whole, believer or none-believer, created slavery. Christians aren't responsible for slavery.

In the terms of the Bible, in most cases slavery was a way of paying off your debt to someone whom you borrowed from or stle from. It was also just a plain "occupation" like workintg at McDonalds, except they got hoursing, food, and healthcare lol
\
We are all slaves to "the man"
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

[quote="boagie"]Actually if you know your bible so well you should know that it does support slavery.
ape: Just like we do in the capitalist system: employees are slaves to employers---which is why black slaves freed IN HATE OF THEMSELVES AS SLAVES wd NOT work up North in harlem since they saw clearly that an employee is a slave and employers are slavemasters.
Actually, I let my wife as my master/mistress rule me in Love as her slave so I can teach how to let me as her master rule her in Love as my slave!:)
Please do not try this at home unless you first love yourself as a master and as a slave, and as a man and as a woman, and as first and last, under and over as in 'You wanna get on top?!'!:)
Boagie:
It just tells you not to beat your slaves so badly that you might blind or cripple them, were there ever kinder Christians.
ape: But first they had to learn to love themselves as slaves and as masters, as beaters and as beaten so that they wd take and give beatings in Love and so hardly beat! As all secretaries as slaves know, they rule their bosses as masters!
Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Ephesians 6:9
And, ye masters[employers/husbands], do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there Respect [or Love] of persons with him.
Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
1 Timothy 6:1
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all Honour[Respect], that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
1 Timothy 6:2
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Boagie: Historically slavery in the white world was Christian slavery----
ape: All blacks sold in slavery by blacks were also already slaves to black masters.
So blacks were not so dumb and whites were not so smart that blacks did not know how to enslave blacks before whites came along.
Slavery was of all colors and races and religions, including atheism, the religion of no religion.
Boagie:
the good book was there all the way, assuring Christians of there natural superority.
ape: The Good Book assuring Xtians of their natural inferiority and superiority and equality as per the US Constitution: All men are created for equal Love and Respect whether less equal, equal and more than equal!:)
Philippians 2
2Fulfil ye my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same Love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Boagie:SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
ape: Selfrightousness is being right out of Hate for self as wrong!
Shd be really called self-Hateousness or Self-wrongeousness!:idea: If self-righteousness were wrong, and you repented of it, you wd have made yourSELF RIGHT again! So as per usual, the problem is self-Hate and Hate of self as wrong!
Solution: Love self as right and wrong: then we have Self-Hateousness as the problem and the wrong.
Last edited by ape on August 18th, 2009, 2:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

boagie wrote: The bible is also for the subjugation of women, another inconvenience for the modern Christians. Only a believer cannot see the problem here, its an operating manual for a two thousand year old society/system.
Boagie, read it in Love of both opposites, ie read spiritually or metaphorically, for yourself with your own eyes:
Ephesians 5:
21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22Wives, submit [and rule] yourselves [in Love] unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24Therefore as the church is subject [and *master] unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies [ie as themselves]. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29For no man [of God] ever yet hated his own flesh[himself]; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

*FYI:
Here is JC making the Church master/mistress/employer in Love of slave/wife/employeee which is when JC is slave or ruled or wife in Love:
In Love, husband and wife play all roles in One Love:
Matthew 16:
18And I say also unto thee,
That thou art Peter, [but] upon this Rock [of Love for opposites or enemies] I will build my church; and the gates of hell[Hate] shall not prevail against it.

19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

boagie wrote:f you want a real wisdom text I suggest Hindu scriptures and/or Budhhist writings they far surpass the wisdom of the bible.
Great! They say the same thing as the Bible in other words!
No matter where you go, there Love is!
Deuteronomy 30:
11For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
16In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your Love and affection."
Buddha, The Dhammapada

"Hatedoes not conquer Hate.
Only Love can conquer Hate, that is a universal law.
"
Buddha, The Dhammapada

John 15: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Matthew 22:
36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
[The Law & the Prophets are summed up in the Golden Rule--which all religions have--even Satanism!]

"It is in Love that religion exists and not in ceremony, in the pure and sincere Love in the heart.
Unless a man is pure in body and mind, his coming into a temple and worshipping Shiva is useless.
The prayers of those that are pure in the mind and body will be answered by Shiva, and those that are impure and yet try to teach religion to others will fail in the end.
External worship is only a symbol of internal worship; but internal worship and purity are the real things. Without them, external worship would be of no avail. Therefore you must all try to remember this."
Swami Vivekananda in Address at the Rameshwaram Temple on Real Worship.

"This supreme Goddess, [The] Word [Love], inspired by Brahman, [John 1:1. 1 John 4:8] by which the awe-inspiring is created, [Genesis 1:1] through her to us be peace!"
Atharva Veda.
From Teachings of the Hindu Mystics

Where else would you like to go:
Bahá'í, Brahmanism, Confucianism, Ancient Egyptian, Humanism, Islam, Jainism, Native American Spirituality, Roman Pagan Religion, Scientology, Shinto, Sikhism, Sufism, Taoism, Unitarian, Wicca, Yoruba(Nigeria), Zoroastrianism?
God as Love and Love as God's got you covered in every religion and in all religions!:)

"Every religion emphasizes human improvement, Love, Respect for others, sharing other people's suffering. On these lines every religion had more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal."
The Dalai Lama
Faith
Posts: 25
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 6:32 pm

Post by Faith »

Ape-

ok... no offense, but this whole "love" thing is getting a little overdone, circular, and annoying. Let me guess! You love me for saying that lol

Ok ok ok, your "philosophy" of life is love. I respect that, I love that, I must repsect or love it cause I also feels the same way hehhe Its just.. ya know!
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

[quote="Faith"]Ape-

ok... no offense,
Ape: No offence taken, Faith, simply because when we love all words, nothing can offend us since we love ourselves as 'nothing' and as all words!:)
Example: Because I love myself as a fool, if anyone were to call me a fool, there is no problem since I am fool because I am wise or I am wise because I am a fool. Plus, it takes one to know one!: Our brains work by words and like Spell Check.
Psalms 119:165: Great peace have all they who love your Law of Love and nothing shall offend them.
1 Corinthians 3:18: if there is anyone among you who seems wise, let him become a fool that he may be wise.
Faith:
but this whole "love" thing is getting a little overdone, circular, and annoying.
Ape: I understand!:) You are not accustomed to seeing the Circle of Love applied in all cases in all places at all times like this:
Philippians 4:11-13: I have been initiated into the secret of being full of the Content of Love everywhere in all things. All premises are circular: and Love is POPs: the Premise of Premises.:)
In actual fact, Love can't be overdone, we can't love too much because we need 100% of Love at all times: Romans 13:8. Love is the EIOU: The Eternal IOU.Love is like the air we breathe! All I(we) need is the air that I(we) breathe and to love you(all)!:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7duPNQCp ... re=related
And I love me as annoying and so love you for calling me annoying and so it does not annoy me for you to call me annoying!:)
Faith:Let me guess! You love me for saying that lol
Ape: Yes!:)
See how it makes you think about what you are thinking!!:) So Love makes us self-aware, self-actualised and self-realised, self-conscious in a good way! Sigh
Faith: Ok ok ok, your "philosophy" of life is love. I respect that, I love that, I must repsect or love it cause I also feels the same way hehhe Its just.. ya know!
Ape: Xlnt! And in this world where there is so much Hate and Disrespect, when any Hate and Disrespect is too much, we have a lot of work to do, ya know!:)
Please ask any questions!
What did you think of Faith works by Love and Love makes Faith work?
Rasheed Babatunde
Posts: 60
Joined: May 26th, 2009, 12:19 pm

Post by Rasheed Babatunde »

The fear we owe God is the kind of fear we have for people we deeply love and respect.
The fear is not the commonplace fear we have of most things, it is a peculiar fear, peculiar to things or people we do not want to offend and that we love.
As fear is abhoring, and to love God, we cannot abhor Him as we should love Him.
It is from this love of God that our fear of Him emanates.
When you have deep love and affection for somebody, you refrain from doing anything that would hurt that person. You avoid anything that would displease your love and you do things that would make your love happy - you fear to anger your love!

This is the fear of God, A FEAR AKIN TO LOVE!

Your love (God) hates a rival, do not give Him one.
Your love (God) wants you to be good to His other creatures, you should obey Him.
Your love (God) gives certain rules (laws or commandments), you should obey them.

"Fear of Allah leads to everything that is good"
Sheikh Fudhail
.
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

Rasheed Babatunde wrote:The fear we owe God is the kind of fear we have for people we deeply love and respect.
The fear is not the commonplace fear we have of most things, it is a peculiar fear, peculiar to things or people we do not want to offend and that we love.
As fear is abhoring, and to love God, we cannot abhor Him as we should love Him.
It is from this love of God that our fear of Him emanates.
When you have deep love and affection for somebody, you refrain from doing anything that would hurt that person. You avoid anything that would displease your love and you do things that would make your love happy - you fear to anger your love!
This is the fear of God, A FEAR AKIN TO LOVE![/quote]
Excellent!:)
That fear that comes out of Love or is akin to love we also call Reverence or Respect.
Proverbs 1: 7The fear [in] of [Love] the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Rasheed Babatunde wrote: Your love (God) hates a rival, do not give Him one.
Hmmmm But Love, and God who is Love, loves opposites and rivals and enemies and adversaries and foes, right?;)
So Allah's only real rival is any HATE for rivals!
Hmmmmm That's Hate for any rivals is Allah's only Rival which Allah hates only! Right?
'Muhammed (saws) did not [only] kill his enemies! After invading Mecca, years after his exile, nearly absent of bloodshed, he told the Meccans
"You're free to leave or stay, there is no blame on you today." His sword had an imprint that said, "be good to those who harm you," and this was how he was known. When the people of Ta'if pelted stones at him, he smiled in their faces and treated them with kindness. Muhammed (saws) did NOT teach to kill any non-combatant men, women, children, elderly, or religious figures.’
Musa
http://www.usislam.org/IslamicYouth/Muh ... d_pbuh.htm
Rasheed Babatunde wrote: Your love (God) wants you to be good to His other creatures, you should obey Him.
Yes! And the first good is to love all my neighbors who live near to me and to love all strangers who live far from me, so we then do good in good Love! Right?:)
Rasheed Babatunde wrote: Your love (God) gives certain rules (laws or commandments), you should obey them.
Yes! And to rightly obey all laws we first have to obey God and LOVE those who are DISobedient and obedient, so we obey all laws in Love and Respect. Right?:)
Rasheed Babatunde wrote: "Fear of Allah leads to everything that is good"
Sheikh Fudhail
.
Excellent!
Faith
Posts: 25
Joined: August 15th, 2009, 6:32 pm

Post by Faith »

Your love (God) hates a rival, do not give Him one.


APE: Hmmmm But Love, and God who is Love, loves opposites and rivals and enemies and adversaries and foes, right?
So Allah's only real rival is any HATE for rivals!"

Me:Gods only rival is hate for rivals...... hmmm then how come i can't feel all warm and toasty about loving "Allah" (whom I consider a rival of God). The Holy Spirit/concious inside me cringes at the thought of those words escaping my lips. To me it would feel like a complete heresy.
Is it because of hate? Hate for something I think God hates, something that displeases or upsets my God. If my hate for something stems from my love of something else is that a problem? (yes becase the thing I love IS love because God is love.

I've been taught that God is a jealous God, and have seen how men seving balaam or other Gods (like in the old testament) have displeased him. But was it because the other gods promoted a life of hate. Could my hate stem from a misunderstanding of what really despleases my God.
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

Faith wrote: Me:Gods only rival is hate for rivals......
APE: Excellent!:)
Faith wrote: hmmm then how come i can't feel all warm and toasty about loving "Allah" (whom I consider a rival of God).
APE: Only because you don't yet love God as Allah!:) But suppose Allah were another name for God just as God tells me that Faith is another name for Him and that YOU are another image of Him and if I hate you or Allah, I hate him?
Hmmm Please see Genesis 1:26, 1 John 4:20 and Matthew 25:35-40.
FAITH: The Holy Spirit/concious inside me cringes at the thought of those words escaping my lips. To me it would feel like a complete heresy.
APE: That is, the old man of the Unholy Spirit of Old Hate in me makes me cringe at those words of Love for Allah and Faith escaping the lips of the New Woman of Love I am since to the Spirit of Hate for any words, this NEW Love of all words is THE complete heresy!
See? Galatians 5:14-25. Ephesians 4:22-24.
FAITH: Is it because of hate?
APE: Yes! The Old Hate! Ezekiel 25:15. 35:5.
FAITH: Hate for something I think God hates, something that displeases or upsets my God.
APE: Yes! So altho you are wrong, you are sincere and did not know any better that God loves who you think/thought he hates! See? So God forgives you any way and shows you the right way! Please see Psalms 50:16-23.
FAITH: If my hate for something stems from my love of something else is that a problem? (yes becase the thing I love IS love because God is love.
APE: I love how you do that! Awesome! You answered your own q correctly!:)
Hate for anything stemming from Love IS the sinful combo, the sinful commingling of Love and Hate when God wants PURE Love for both opposite things or persons or names! See Matthew 6:24.
FAITH: I've been taught that God is a jealous God, and have seen how men seving balaam or other Gods (like in the old testament) have displeased him. But was it because the other gods promoted a life of hate.
APE: YES! NOT because of the names Balaam or any other name, all of whom God loved! Please see Numbers 22:9-12-13-35.
FAITH: Could my hate stem from a misunderstanding of what really despleases my God.
APE: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please see Psalms 50:17-21 and Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25.
You remind me of these people in Acts 17:10-12.:)
Last edited by ape on August 31st, 2009, 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Rasheed Babatunde
Posts: 60
Joined: May 26th, 2009, 12:19 pm

Post by Rasheed Babatunde »

I wrote - Your love (God) hates a rival, dont give Him one.

My choice of word is wrong, I think it should be - It is wrong to give your love (God) a rival, avoid it.

Faith,
Allah is the Arabic word for God, just as Yahweh in Jewish language means God.
ape
Posts: 3314
Joined: April 6th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Post by ape »

Rasheed Babatunde wrote:I wrote - Your love (God) hates a rival, dont give Him one.

My choice of word is wrong, I think it should be - It is wrong to give your love (God) a rival, avoid it.
Hi RB!
Just an encouragement:
But since all arrivals have rivals, and all opposites have composites, and each word has an opposite, it is impossible for God to not have a rival or for Allah to essentially avoid rivals or for God to not give himself rivals---which is why He says to love enemies and friends, love versaries and adversaries, love profiles and adfiles, love synonyms and antonyms, love rivals and arrivals, love allies and foes.
See?
So we still have to love them.
Then in that Love, Allah or God or Yahweh can and so can we can avoid them in Love and void them in Love.
And so the only rival we still should not give to God nor to ourselves nor to each other is the Rival of Love for all friends and enemies: the Rival of Hatred for any rival, the Enemy of Hatred for any enemy.

"Whoever is sitting [in Love of enemies & friends] with friends is in the midst of a flower garden, though he may be in the fire.
Whoever sits [in Hate of enemies] with an enemy is in the fire, even though he is in the midst of a garden."
Rumi, "Mathnawi"

"My only Love sprung from my only Hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious Birth of Love it is to me,
That I must love a Loathed enemy."
ROMEO AND JULIET, Act 1, Scene 5
Rasheed Babatunde
Posts: 60
Joined: May 26th, 2009, 12:19 pm

Post by Rasheed Babatunde »

Ape,

A rival does not necessarily means an enemy. A rival can be a friend, a competitor, a colleague or even an admirer.
That God or Allah or Yahweh does not want a rival do not mean He would take as enemy His creatures that rivals Him.
That God does not want a rival means He does not want us to equate, worship or love anything as god other than Him.
He is the one and the only God, unequalled in any area or form.

"Say: He is Allah, the One and Only, Allah the Eternal, Absolute. He begetteth not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him." Qur'an 112:1-4.

"The first is, Hear O Isreal; The Lord our God, the Lord is one,..." Mark 12:29.
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Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
by Alan Watts
May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
by Michael Tieman
June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely
September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
by Dr. Randy Ross
December 2023

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes
by Ali Master
February 2024

2022 Philosophy Books of the Month

Emotional Intelligence At Work

Emotional Intelligence At Work
by Richard M Contino & Penelope J Holt
January 2022

Free Will, Do You Have It?

Free Will, Do You Have It?
by Albertus Kral
February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
by Rob White
May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
by Bob Dowell
June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
by Jerry Durr
July 2022

Living in Color

Living in Color
by Mike Murphy
August 2022 (tentative)

The Not So Great American Novel

The Not So Great American Novel
by James E Doucette
September 2022

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches
by John N. (Jake) Ferris
October 2022

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
November 2022

The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity

The Smartest Person in the Room
by Christian Espinosa
December 2022

2021 Philosophy Books of the Month

The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God's Plan

The Biblical Clock
by Daniel Friedmann
March 2021

Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

Wilderness Cry
by Dr. Hilary L Hunt M.D.
April 2021

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute
by Jeff Meyer
May 2021

Surviving the Business of Healthcare: Knowledge is Power

Surviving the Business of Healthcare
by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
June 2021

Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

Winning the War on Cancer
by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
by Dr Frank L Douglas
August 2021

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
by Mark L. Wdowiak
September 2021

The Preppers Medical Handbook

The Preppers Medical Handbook
by Dr. William W Forgey M.D.
October 2021

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress
by Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, MD
November 2021

Dream For Peace: An Ambassador Memoir

Dream For Peace
by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
December 2021