Tag Archives: God

creative commons, Random Thoughts, Thought of the day

Random Thoughts 3-19-2015

Leave a comment

In a great portion of religions in our world there is a universal belief in forgiveness. Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed showed mercy and forgiveness to both their friends and enemies.

A few scriptures/quotes:

Luke 6:37 (NIV) Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

 John 20:23 (NIV)23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

 

“Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.” (Quran 7:199)”

“Good and evil are not alike.  Repel evil with what is better.  Then he, between whom and you there was hatred, will become as though he was a bosom friend.” (Quran 41:34)”

“These two are fools. Which two? The one who doesn’t see his/her transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn’t rightfully pardon another who has confessed his/her transgression. These two are fools. ~Buddha

When you forgive me for harming you, you decide not to retaliate, to seek no revenge. You don’t have to like me. You simply unburden yourself of the weight of resentment and cut the cycle of retribution that would otherwise keep us ensnarled in an ugly samsaric wrestling match. This is a gift you can give us both, totally on your own, without my having to know or understand what you’ve done. ~ Buddha

Now looking at those scriptures/quotes we can see forgiveness is something that is considered important to so many belief systems and/or religions.

Then why is it such a rarity in modern times? Why is their hatred, distrust and so much resentment in our world? Many read and hear the words , but few ever listen or want to embrace them. It is far easier to hate, resent and/or fear than to forgive and accept one another it seems. To hate someone because they are of a different race, religion or sex is not the right path to follow, we all are human, we all have problems, have emotions and most of us prefer to live in peace and harmony with each other.  Instead of hatred of what is different we should embrace our differences, this is what makes the human race a unique and marvelous species. Our diverse selection or religions and belief systems shouldn’t be what divides us, it should be what binds us through mutual understanding. There are similarities between most religions and we should focus on those things. Such things as forgiveness, compassion and love.

My wish is that every child of today and the future will be able to grow up happily, without war, prejudice and hatred. They deserve the freedom and happiness we have denied ourselves. It should be all about the children and the future generations not about our generations and our failings.

Freedom of Speech, Religion and Expression without the threat of oppression or consequence is the cornerstone of a utopian society. Prejudice, fear and the lack of compassion are the stumbling blocks of humanity.

Which path in life shall you choose?

IMG_1077_thumb.jpgI Wish Peace and Happiness To be in each one of your lives.
Ray Barbier

creative commons, Random Thoughts, Thought of the day

Random Thoughts 3-19-2015

Leave a comment

In a great portion of religions in our world there is a universal belief in forgiveness. Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed showed mercy and forgiveness to both their friends and enemies.

A few scriptures/quotes:

Luke 6:37 (NIV) Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

 John 20:23 (NIV)23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

 

“Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.” (Quran 7:199)”

“Good and evil are not alike.  Repel evil with what is better.  Then he, between whom and you there was hatred, will become as though he was a bosom friend.” (Quran 41:34)”

“These two are fools. Which two? The one who doesn’t see his/her transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn’t rightfully pardon another who has confessed his/her transgression. These two are fools. ~Buddha

When you forgive me for harming you, you decide not to retaliate, to seek no revenge. You don’t have to like me. You simply unburden yourself of the weight of resentment and cut the cycle of retribution that would otherwise keep us ensnarled in an ugly samsaric wrestling match. This is a gift you can give us both, totally on your own, without my having to know or understand what you’ve done. ~ Buddha

Now looking at those scriptures/quotes we can see forgiveness is something that is considered important to so many belief systems and/or religions.

Then why is it such a rarity in modern times? Why is their hatred, distrust and so much resentment in our world? Many read and hear the words , but few ever listen or want to embrace them. It is far easier to hate, resent and/or fear than to forgive and accept one another it seems. To hate someone because they are of a different race, religion or sex is not the right path to follow, we all are human, we all have problems, have emotions and most of us prefer to live in peace and harmony with each other.  Instead of hatred of what is different we should embrace our differences, this is what makes the human race a unique and marvelous species. Our diverse selection or religions and belief systems shouldn’t be what divides us, it should be what binds us through mutual understanding. There are similarities between most religions and we should focus on those things. Such things as forgiveness, compassion and love.

My wish is that every child of today and the future will be able to grow up happily, without war, prejudice and hatred. They deserve the freedom and happiness we have denied ourselves. It should be all about the children and the future generations not about our generations and our failings.

Freedom of Speech, Religion and Expression without the threat of oppression or consequence is the cornerstone of a utopian society. Prejudice, fear and the lack of compassion are the stumbling blocks of humanity.

Which path in life shall you choose?

IMG_1077_thumb.jpgI Wish Peace and Happiness To be in each one of your lives.
Ray Barbier

Random Thoughts 3-19-2015 was originally published on Mind Exposure

creative commons, Personal, Random Thoughts, Religious, Thought of the day

When I Was Young–Random Thoughts 9-17-14

1 Comment

rayraydWhen I was young I thought life was beautiful, that I was indestructible and had little to no fear of death. The faith I had in God was unshakable and my heart was always loving and forgiving as well. I recall a memory of when I had wrecked my bike into the back of a pickup truck, I split my nose in half from the impact and lip. My face was quite horrifying to see all sewn up. My brother being the little brat he was, he thought he would get me by making me look at my face in the mirror for the first time.  my mother walked in as it was happening and thought I was going to freak, she was trying to say words to calm me etc. I glanced at my face in the mirror and with not even a thought I just shrugged it off saying to my mother “I am not worried about it mom, God will take care of me. I was so unafraid of the possibilities, I knew id be ok deep within myself. That is the kind of faith we as adults should have as well. Unfortunately as we grow older having such faith becomes harder to have.

Faith is a key component to our relationship with God, we must have trust in his promises and his love.

Just some random thoughts Smile

Raymond Barbier

Related articles
creative commons, Poems and Writings, Random Thoughts, Thought of the day

Random Thoughts–9/2/2014

2 Comments

IMG_1371-editedIn modern society we seem to focus way to much on physical appearances and the social status of others. We compare the lives of those we consider celebrities to our own and many desire to be like them. What is wrong with being who you are? God made you as you are and thus you are wonderful. To be honest thee is no difference between any of us and those who have achieved fame, power or wealth. They either lucked out or found a path to their personal dreams. Many of them worked very hard to get where they are, but they are no better or worse than any other human.

Celebrities are wonderful and all, but what we lack are true heroes. We hear about an occasional few when the news media needs a human interest story, but so many are unknown and rarely noticed.  What makes one a hero is the courage and determination to do what is right, the ability to transform their love and dedication something that affects the world we live in. No matter how small of an effect or how large, they make a difference.

Some Heroes are just people who chose professions where they can help change the world one mind at a time, like teachers, preachers,social workers, humanitarians and so on. Even policemen, Firemen and some politicians became what they are to help change the world they live in to a better place.  There is so many professions one could choose to make a difference and be heroic in life, but it its ones heart that makes them a hero.

So if you are to celebrate a person, to see them as a mentor or role model, chose them by them not by their popularity or by their looks, power or wealth. Select those that stand for a good cause and those whom make a positive impact on the world we live in. Physical Beauty, strength fades in time, riches, social status and power in this world is temporary and tend to be short-lived. Love, act of kindness and a heroic heart not only lasts one a lifetime but it tends to become a part of all those who are  influenced and/or affected by one.

 

One Voice, One person can change the world, for it only takes one spark to start the fire of change.

Ray Barbier

Related articles
Random Thoughts

Like seeds, like a virus- Random Thoughts – 8/31/2014

Leave a comment

The Virgin River Narrows

It seems even though humanity has advanced tremendously in the areas of science and technologies, we still seem as children when it comes to mental , spiritual and emotional growth. We still place blame and fault on external forces for the turmoil and destruction that we created ourselves. Blaming and pointing fingers never solves any issue, only enacting change in oneself and inspiring change in those around us is the only way to change the world we live in. Love, peace, understanding and compassion are like seeds, plant them they grow and then they bear fruit and seeds to spread themselves further. But things such as lust , greed and hate are similar they are like a virus, the quickly spread from person to person. The main difference is fruit nourishes the body, mind and soul when a virus corrupts and eats away at the body, mind and soul.  We can choose to embrace which ever one we desire, but we must know the cost, consequence and reward of each. Good works will not get us to heaven alone, but they are a part of the journey. They are the path towards being the people who God created us to be. But just as the Bible tells us even the wicked do good things for their loved ones and family, so we must take it further. We must be compassionate, loving and kind people towards all things that live and breathe. Be they friend, family, enemy or undesirables. No man or woman is greater or lesser than another and therefore we should love one another unconditionally and without any hesitation.

The things most seek such as wealth, social status, physical beauty are all fleeting and in time shall be as the dust we came from. So what worth should we put upon such temporary things?  On this earth there are many religions and many whom believe not in a God, the gift of freewill made this possible and it is the will of God that we have the choices to believe as we wish. So Spread the Gospel but respect the right of others not to believe or to believe different.  Be at peace with everyone , even those you see as enemies. The compassion you show others will not be forgotten.

It is time for humanity to wake up from its spiritual sleep and become the great family that God intended it to be.

Ray Barbier

Related articles
Poems and Writings, Random Thoughts, Religious, Thought of the day

Fear, faith and hope–random thoughts 8-30-2014

5 Comments

african-sunset_w725_h483There are those that seek to control others with fear, they for some reason believe that instilling fear in others gives them power. The thing with fear is one can overcome it, learn to channel it and also learn to let it pass through them. The bible teaches us the only one and or thing we must fear is God. No man nor woman can destroy that which god has given you unless it be his will. So learn to replace the fear that other humans try to  instill within you with faith in God and his promises. Whom shall you believe and whom shall you fear is solely your decision, God gave us that power when he gave all of us freewill.

Only God can take away your immortal soul, he is the only one that can give you access to heaven or deny you entrance as well. No man can take away the treasures you stow away in heaven, all a man or woman can do is take away the things of this earth. All things on and in this earth are temporary and no one or thing that is of this earth shall remain past their time allotted by God. So worry little over matters of the world and be as God desires, loving , forgiving and good examples of the children of God we have been created to be.

Fear has no power when confronted with Faith and Hope.

Ray Barbier

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution By license.
Related articles
Poems and Writings, Random Thoughts, Religious, Thought of the day

Find contentment in what you have been blessed to have

Leave a comment

A Blessed Abbes Receiving the Host from the Ha...

Be humble,gentle and kind. Be at peace with yourself and with all things in your life. Stop wasting time on what ifs and  self-doubt. Life is a gift , but it is one that is short.  put more effort in to loving and enjoying the company of those you have been blessed to have as friends on your life’s path. All the riches and possessions in the world can not replace the love of a family member or good friend.

 

Find contentment in what you have been blessed to have and fall not to envy or greed. Be content and thankful for what you have , for you could have far less. Always strive to better your life , but do so humbly and not for self-satisfaction.  To see yourself superior or more important than another is also saying you are above that which god has made you. For god made all of us equal, Christ through his sacrifice made us all equal in grace. Christ taught that you can only serve one master at a time, so by serving yourself you do not serve God. Reason one should be humble and  be content so not to serve yourself in order to serve God wholeheartedly.

 

Be peaceful, humble, compassionate and full of love.  Sow that which you desire to reap.

Ray Barbier

Related articles
Random Thoughts, Religion, Religious, Thought of the day

Friday Morning Thoughts

Leave a comment

016When we are young we are invincible, unstoppable and foolishly ignorant of our mortality. But we also were full of undying faith and knew the joy of being children of god. As we grew older we had to face our mortality and the fact we are not the unstoppable or unmovable force we once believed. We begin to lose faith in this world and in our selves, and many lose their faith in God as well.

We can reestablish our faith in God and we can also leave the fear of our mortality behind us with such faith. We must constantly remind ourselves where our strength, blessings and wisdom comes from, not from ourselves but from God. We must learn to let go and let God take control, the Ego or Self tends to be resistant to letting God be the one to be in control.

Fear is the enemy, it causes doubt and drains the power of faith, love and it keeps us from happiness.  Selfishness is an enemy as well, one can not serve ones self before serving God nor can they truly help others is they seek to satisfy themselves first. We can only serve one master at a time, and if that master is our own self we tend to neglect not only God but all the people who need us and love us as well.

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

James 1:3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Random Thoughts, Religious, Thought of the day

Thursday’s Random Thoughts

Leave a comment

011The fight between the selfish and selfless within is a battle that seems to be an everlasting one. One side looking out for its own self and its desires, wants and foolish idea of self-centered happiness and the other side seeing and embracing the connections between every living thing and beyond. The fact I am not the center of any universe, I am but a single strand of thread in the infinite tapestry of the universe and of life. I am no more important than any other strand nor am I any less important. I am a part of it all and the all is a part of me, thus there is no room for illusions that support selfishness or self centeredness.. Though the soul understands such things but the mind continues to separate itself from the whole by believing in such illusions such as the different classes of life and social differences which we invented to support both our superiority and inferiority complexes.

Even though we all are the same, this world is full of things that can lead one to believe otherwise. Such things as social status, wealth and power to name a few. Those things are just illusions created by our desire to be better or our fears of being less than other people. Failure and success is real but the illusion is that one is more or less capable or deserving of one or the other. To look down on a person is wrong and it is a sign of your own failure. to look up to someone is almost as bad because it belittles yourself, but it can also be positive in the sense you see that you need to improve yourself and grow spiritually.

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Personal, Poems and Writings, Random Thoughts, Religious, Thought of the day

Time to step away from the character I have played

2 Comments

rayrayd_edited-1To much self, not enough of everybody else. Too much of ego for most of us to let go. Me, myself and I are in the way and it makes me blind. Blind of the truth around me and the connection we all have to everything. Too much worry, anger and paranoia within the self-centered man I seem to be and its time to put him aside for the  person who I truly am.

Time to return to who I was as a child, to the person I am hidden beneath the conditioning of society and the scars of life. Remember the lessons learned and let go of the pain and confusion we accumulated through the years. Too much mental and emotional garbage we have collected through life experiences.  Time to empty my inner recycle bin and go about my way free of such useless and painful thoughts and/or emotions. Free of such things.

Each morning I awake is but a new blank page for me to fill with my life’s journey, yet another day to grow and change. The pages written on the days prior are but the history of which choices I made and directions I have taken. Though I can not change where I have been or what I have done I still can change direction and my destination.

Time to return to who I was meant to be and let go of the egotistical side of me. Time to become who I was meant to be and not what this world has tried to make me into. Time to change my direction and my desired destination. Time to set Goals that are true to who I am and not those that society dictates is normal and desirable. Time to let go of what I am expected to be by others and be who I truly am.

Time to be who God created me to be and time to step away from the character I have played in this worlds masquerade. Time to be set free, time to accept what has been given to me.

 We spend so much time trying to be what others expect us to be we lose the person we truly are. Sometimes we seek out the treasures of this world forgetting where or true treasures lay.

Ray Barbier