mtatum4496

Broadening the topic a little that is found in the Bible section of the board, do you have passages from any of the various works considered to be scriptural by one faith or another that resonate with you?

DizzyDee

A couple from the Doctrine & Covenants from the Mormon church come to mind:

D&C 93:29-30;36

29 ... Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
30 All truth is independent in that asphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.
• • •
36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

If there is a God, I do believe that it can defined as universal love and intelligence. Plus the words just inspired still for some reason.

Another one like is D&C 88:40

40 For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; ..."

I know Joseph Smith garnered many of his ideas from a lot of difference sources and the mileau of religious/spiritual thought of the 1830s/40s and I think he put alot of it together in an inspiring way - it certainly inspired many in his day anyway. Although I believe him to be dishonest, he is a fancinating historical/religious figure.

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DizzyDee

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

mtatum4496

I remember those well, Dizzy. Here's one from a different Latter Day Saint tradition:

...Be not harsh in judgment but merciful in this, as in all other things. Be not hypocrites nor of those who make a man an offender for a word.

...All are called according to the gifts of God unto them; and to the intent that all may labor together, let him that laboreth in the ministry and him that toileth in the affairs of the men of business and of work labor together with God for the accomplishment of the work intrusted to all.

(Doctrine & Covenants, RLDS Edition, Section 119, 7d, 8b, April 11, 1887)

Ronin

"Trust in God, but tie your camel first."

From Islam - not directly from the Koran but one of the quotes and stories about Mohamed that were collected later. I also like the Boddhisatva vows from Buddhism:

Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to save them all.
Evil desires are inexhaustible, I vow to extinguish them all.
The teachings are innumerable, I vow to learn them all.
The way of the Bodhisattva is unattainable, I vow to attain it.

The first line, especialy, always gives me a thrill. Sometimes when I'm tired and discouraged, I repeat it to myself, and it always gives me a renewed sense of determination. I guess I'm a little qixotic

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"The world is my country; to do good is my religion." ~ Thomas Paine

Vfr

We should always he interested in finding truth and peace. If our way is not working then some other way may help. It is good to test and see the results. The bible reminds us of this "Test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil," (1 Thess. 5:21) Even if you are an atheist, this concept of testing can be of help to you. For with such tests, 'the proof of the pudding will be in the eating' and decisions on how to live will not be left only to your ego, but will be grounded in peace.