Assembly of the Religious Wits
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What is the Assembly of the Religious Wits about?
This is a thread Ill host where Ill post stories, small articles or quotes mainly from the various Islamic, Christian & Buddhist traditions together, as an interfaith thing and to share gems of wisdom/joy from our respective religions. But only I, Me, Gauze can post them here.
I want to maintain a nice format. Of course still, this thread is not immune to being moderated.
Where do you get your sources?
Islam - Books and online. Christian & Buddhist - solely online. Ill post links to where I get them so you can refer to the source if you'd like to.
Can I contribute to this thread?
PLEASE DO even if stuffs/you are from other religions. PM me to send it. You'll be credited for it and please include your sources too. I won't accept chain letter sounding things though, such as one that ends like, "See, this proves Allah/Jesus saves and loves you."
Update frequency?
I don't know as of now.
Can we discuss and comment the posts posted here?
Yeah, just talk.
The topic title doesnt make sense.
As long as it attracts attention. -
Ill begin with one of the famous quote in religion.....
From Buddhism:
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
- Buddha -
From Christianity
A brother in Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to him, saying, "Come, for everyone is waiting for you". So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug and filled it with water and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said, " what is this, father?" The old man said to them, "My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another." When they heard that, they said no more to the brother but forgave him.
A brother sinned and the priest ordered him to go out of the church; abba Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, "I, too, am a sinner."
- The Paradise of the Desert Fathers, OrthodoxWiki
Who are the Desert Fathers?
The phrase "desert fathers" encompasses an influential fourth century group of hermits and cenobites who settled in the Egyptian desert. The origins of Western monasticism lie in these primitive hermitages and religious communities. Paul of Thebes is the first hermit recorded to...
From Buddhism:
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no relaization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
- Zen Wisdom archives of ThePlumButtChronicles
From Islam:
God has declared: “I am close to the thought that My servant has of Me, and I am with him whenever he recollects Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself, and if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him better than those in the gathering do, and if he approaches Me by as much as one hand’s length, I approach him by a cubit, and if he approaches Me by a cubit, I approach him by two hands’ length. If he takes a step towards Me, I run towards him.”
- Hadith Qudsi -
Originally posted by Gauze:
[/b]
[b]From Christianity
A brother in Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to him, saying, "Come, for everyone is waiting for you". So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug and filled it with water and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said, " what is this, father?" The old man said to them, "My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another." When they heard that, they said no more to the brother but forgave him.
A brother sinned and the priest ordered him to go out of the church; abba Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, "I, too, am a sinner."
- The Paradise of the Desert Fathers, OrthodoxWiki
Who are the Desert Fathers?
The phrase "desert fathers" encompasses an influential fourth century group of hermits and cenobites who settled in the Egyptian desert. The origins of Western monasticism lie in these primitive hermitages and religious communities. Paul of Thebes is the first hermit recorded to...
From Buddhism:
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no relaization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
- Zen Wisdom archives of ThePlumButtChronicles
[b]From Islam:
God has declared: “I am close to the thought that My servant has of Me, and I am with him whenever he recollects Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself, and if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him better than those in the gathering do, and if he approaches Me by as much as one hand’s length, I approach him by a cubit, and if he approaches Me by a cubit, I approach him by two hands’ length. If he takes a step towards Me, I run towards him.”
- Hadith Qudsi[/b]
it enlightened me alot. hah -
Of course still, this thread is not immune to being moderated.
how do you propose to moderate this thread? -
YOU'VE BEEN TOUCHED BY GOD!Originally posted by felirox:it enlightened me alot. hah I felt my overlord's almighty noodly appendages the same.
Oh. *Slaps forehead* I wasn't making sense again. What I meant was while only I can post the stories/articles/quotes here, if anybody feels disagreeable with it for good reason, I'm sure the mods here or me will gladly edit it out. So, help contribute nice ones you have! Thanks.Originally posted by Ito_^:how do you propose to moderate this thread?
I've also pmed the mods of E.H and B.W.B. Their replies were kind and supportive for this topic. Thats great.
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I think Ill suspend updates for this topic for some time. I didnt realize sgforums is saturated with religious topics up till now. Its too much of a collective indulgence.
From Christianity:
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless now.
- St Teresa
From Islam:
Inside the Kaaba, which direction should you face your prayers to?
- Some forum I forgot
From Buddhism
Just as a mother would protect with her life her own son, her only son, so one should cultivate an unbounded mind towards all beings, and loving-kindness towards all the world. One should cultivate an unbounded mind, above and below and across, without obstruction, without enmity, without rivalry.
Standing, or going, or seated, or lying down, as long as one is free from drowsiness, one should practice this mindfulness. This, they say, is the holy state here.
- Sutta Nipata (contributed by An Eternal Now. Many thanks! -
I am in awe with that poem from St Teresa. A pair of eyes will soon fix upon you. Do you see Christ?