Our true nature is....Spirit

[Rizzo]

When our physical body dies....our Spirit continues to exist.
Isn't that amazing?

Here we go through life with it's ups and downs and get so involved in our "material" lives that we forget our true nature.
God made us in His image.
"....don't you know that ye are gods?..."

That doesn't mean that we are God but it does suggest that we have the same "abilities" as God does.
So why are we here in this material world with all of it's misery, pain, sorrow, etc.?

The way I see it is that we were once "residing" in the Spiritual world and wanted to experience God's beautiful creations in the material world, like God wanted us to do, so we indulged in it.
Unfortunately we got caught up in all of the material pleasures available (money, power, sex, etc.) and over time those desires for more money, power, etc. totally occupied our "conciousness" and thus we forgot our true nature.
Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."
It is these desires, that act like a ball and chain, that keep us here and keep our mind away from God.

We need to realize that these material desires only end in a short lived satisfaction and then we desire more and more.
This further widens the gap between us and getting back "home".

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"

I take that quote as meaning to overcome our material desires and lose the ball and chain so that we can go back home to God, from which we have "fallen".

Living in the blissful Spiritual realm will be a real contrast to what we do now in our everyday lives.
I am looking forward to it.

[mossy]

Ironic that you are using Buddhism to prove the existence of a God, something Buddhism rejects, on bodhi day.

[Rizzo]

Ironic that you are using Buddhism to prove the existence of a God, something Buddhism rejects, on bodhi day.

And you equate this quote to proving the existence of God?:

"Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."

Nope.
You are missing the point.

[billvau]

When our physical body dies....our Spirit continues to exist.
Isn't that amazing?

Here we go through life with it's ups and downs and get so involved in our "material" lives that we forget our true nature.
God made us in His image.
"....don't you know that ye are gods?..."

That doesn't mean that we are God but it does suggest that we have the same "abilities" as God does.
So why are we here in this material world with all of it's misery, pain, sorrow, etc.?

The way I see it is that we were once "residing" in the Spiritual world and wanted to experience God's beautiful creations in the material world, like God wanted us to do, so we indulged in it.
Unfortunately we got caught up in all of the material pleasures available (money, power, sex, etc.) and over time those desires for more money, power, etc. totally occupied our "conciousness" and thus we forgot our true nature.
Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."
It is these desires, that act like a ball and chain, that keep us here and keep our mind away from God.

We need to realize that these material desires only end in a short lived satisfaction and then we desire more and more.
This further widens the gap between us and getting back "home".

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"

I take that quote as meaning to overcome our material desires and lose the ball and chain so that we can go back home to God, from which we have "fallen".

Living in the blissful Spiritual realm will be a real contrast to what we do now in our everyday lives.
I am looking forward to it.

Interesting that use the title "God" and quote the Bible, but espouse eastern religion philosophy. This is not at all a biblical perspective.

[mossy]

And you equate this quote to proving the existence of God?:

"Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."

Nope.
You are missing the point.

By using the words of the Buddha to make an argument for the existence of a God and eternal soul made in his image it is you who are missing the point.

You can't mix buddhism in with your belief in God because buddhism rejects the belief in God.

That quote you keep throwing around is a poor translation of the second noble truth. You are ignoring the other three, that in no way support whatever point you are trying to make and using the word desire instead of the correct word attachment.

[TrailerparkTrash]

And you equate this quote to proving the existence of God?:

"Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."

Nope.
You are missing the point.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV). 3-For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4-They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

[Wordupmybrotha]

Conflating inconsistent philosophies into a jumbled concept.

[wpage]

The truth shall set you free...

[RAMCLAP]

When our physical body dies....our Spirit continues to exist.
Isn't that amazing?

Here we go through life with it's ups and downs and get so involved in our "material" lives that we forget our true nature.
God made us in His image.
"....don't you know that ye are gods?..."

That doesn't mean that we are God but it does suggest that we have the same "abilities" as God does.
So why are we here in this material world with all of it's misery, pain, sorrow, etc.?

The way I see it is that we were once "residing" in the Spiritual world and wanted to experience God's beautiful creations in the material world, like God wanted us to do, so we indulged in it.
Unfortunately we got caught up in all of the material pleasures available (money, power, sex, etc.) and over time those desires for more money, power, etc. totally occupied our "conciousness" and thus we forgot our true nature.
Buddha said "the root of all suffering is desire."
It is these desires, that act like a ball and chain, that keep us here and keep our mind away from God.

We need to realize that these material desires only end in a short lived satisfaction and then we desire more and more.
This further widens the gap between us and getting back "home".

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"

I take that quote as meaning to overcome our material desires and lose the ball and chain so that we can go back home to God, from which we have "fallen".

Living in the blissful Spiritual realm will be a real contrast to what we do now in our everyday lives.
I am looking forward to it.

What is the name of this religion? I'd like to look it up.

[Rizzo]

Interesting that use the title "God" and quote the Bible, but espouse eastern religion philosophy. This is not at all a biblical perspective.

It doesn't have to be strictly Bible related in order to realize that our true nature is Spirit, Bill.

Other belief systems recognize that our true nature is Spirit. No?

By using quotes from the Bible and Buddha emphasize that point.

[Rizzo]

By using the words of the Buddha to make an argument for the existence of a God and eternal soul made in his image it is you who are missing the point.

You can't mix buddhism in with your belief in God because buddhism rejects the belief in God.

That quote you keep throwing around is a poor translation of the second noble truth. You are ignoring the other three, that in no way support whatever point you are trying to make and using the word desire instead of the correct word attachment.

1.Nope. You are missing the point.
Again, how is my quote from Buddha an argument for the existence of God?
It wasn't. That is the answer. It relates to what causes suffering in man, which is desire.
Get it now?

2. Sure I can. We are Spirit in nature and that quote relates to what keeps us from Spiritually advancing.

3. Your last paragraph makes no sense to me.

BTW, I am not Buddhist but have read about his life story.

[Rizzo]

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV). 3-For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4-They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Wow, what a can of worms I opened with a simple quote from Buddha to emphasize a point I was making.

I can see now that if conversations or points made are not strictly Bible related that people here get their feathers ruffled.

Sorry about that but there are other points of view relating to Spirituality that are from other sources than the Bible.

The yogis in India for example are deeply spiritual and believe in spiritual advancement to ultimately know our true oneness with God.
Hardly flawed in my opinion.

[Rizzo]

Conflating inconsistent philosophies into a jumbled concept.

Closed minded with no intellectual reply.
Try again.

[Rizzo]

What is the name of this religion? I'd like to look it up.

It's called Spirituality and the true nature of man.
Look it up.

[sMp]

Stop trying to put OP in a box with labels. Even Jesus despised religion
Inspiring post OP.. Keep on keeping on.
Look and you will find