God – Page 12 – One Lifetime Blog

April 28, 2011May 14, 2011

So a fool I may be

I am just a fool seeking the path to wisdom, I am just an average Joe trying to become a sage. I had walked many paths and have taken many turns on my quest for wisdom only to come full circle to back where I had started. I am yet a fool, but some wisdom I have gained along the way. I am still an average Joe walking on the many roads of life. I keep moving forward in hope of finding wisdom and becoming wise before my time here is over.

I may be a fool but I have learned that no man or woman is greater than another. No ones life is less important than another’s because we all contribute to the world around us. I have found that being happy is just as much as a choice as being sad. We choose for the most part how we relate to this world. I also learned it isn’t how much you have but how much you love and enjoy the things your are blessed with that makes life good.

So a fool I may be, but a fool that has found wisdom through his mistakes as well as from his few good choices. I will keep learning and seeking out wisdom for that is my path to follow.

For what a man will be remembered for is not how rich, powerful or famous he may have been, he will be remembered for how he treated others along with his actions good or bad. For every one of our words and all of actions are a reflection of who we truly are within. They also affect everyone and thing around us in one way or another. Good works may not get one into heaven but they can create a better world to live in.

“Forgiving yourself is just as important as forgiving others”

Raymond Barbier

Of Fools and Foolishness (bethusminded.wordpress.com)
People in the Major Arcana (cybeeonline.wordpress.com)
Ingredient Number 2: WISDOM (livewithdignity.wordpress.com)
The Pillars of Wisdom (1smallseed.wordpress.com)
Experience is not equals to wisdom (makchingyuen.wordpress.com)
Lessons From the Old Testament: Seeking Wisdom (thimblefulloftheology.wordpress.com)
The day of death is better than the day of one’s birth (dawnmarie4.wordpress.com)
To Avoid Folly, Study Wisdom! (psychologytoday.com)
Proverbs 1 (kishasblog.wordpress.com)
I accept the things that I cannot change (livinglifewithraandfms.wordpress.com)

November 20, 2010

Freewill, Evil and Human Nature

I have often pondered on if there is a God and he loves us then why does evil exist and suffering? The answer to each of those questions vary with whom you ask them. My thoughts are as follows, God allows evil to exist in order to allow us to enjoy the gift of freewill that he gave us. Thus the majority of the evil in this world if not all of it is solely our responsibility. Human beings are the source of evil here on earth as well as the source of goodness. If Evil exists here on earth it is due to our free choice to allow it to be a part of our lives. Unfortunately being such a large population it would be next to impossible to stamp out all evil in our society. The only way would to try and enlighten everyone and promote love, peace and understanding on a global scale. This is something I fear could never happen due to the people in power would reject and obstruct such a global movement. War one of the greater evils of mankind is the most profitable and is the thing most governments support as long as its not on their soil.

Far as suffering, it is no more than a side effect of the evil man creates. Greed and the lust for power fuels the leaders of our world either consciously or subconsciously. There may be many politicians and political leaders that are not evil by nature but fall to the wayside as a necessity to gain position or favor. So why does god allow all of this? Well its all the freewill thing, He gave us the reigns and only intercedes if asked or if necessary. Man must learn on his own that Sin, wickedness and evil are the enemy of life. Being a human myself, I face many faults within myself and fall to sin. The nature to be selfish and to be self satisfying seems to be a embedded part of human nature. To resist and to control it is a choice that one must make.

Well that’s my thoughts on the issue, right or wrong its here for all to see.

Peace and happiness to all
Raymond Barbier

The Problem of Suffering (smoodock45.wordpress.com)
Suffering, Time and God’s Omniscience (smoodock45.wordpress.com)
Philosophy Weekend: Does Evil Walk Among Us? (litkicks.com)
Morality: ‘We can send religion to the scrap heap’ (newscientist.com)
On evil (via countpierre) (hindiakoto.wordpress.com)
Is the Irish Ruling Class Evil? (politics.ie)
Walking by faith in Jesus Christ and under authority (fgbmfpenampangbaru.wordpress.com)
The Myth of Good and Evil (socyberty.com)
To Be or To Know (catholicanalysis.blogspot.com)

November 2, 2010November 2, 2010

Faith, Science and the Modern world.

In this modern world mankind is heading away from faith and belief in a creator and or god. Seems to be two forces at work and in battle for the hearts and minds of mankind.Which side will be the victor, the side of logic and science or the side of miracles and faith? Depends on the individual you ask, Faith is a very strong teacher and healer but so is science. Though many think science and religion are incompatible with each other they compliment each other quite well at times. Religion is pretty much a constant, the basic belief system and the scriptures remain pretty much the same through time. Science on the other hand is ever changing and evolving as we learn more and dismiss scientific theories of the past. So what science sees as truth one day could be dismissed as false on the next.

Science has been doing this for as long as it existed, from the belief the earth was the center of our solar system and universe to the world being flat. This is not to discredit science in any way, one must learn to crawl before one can learn to run. Science must change and adapt as our species increases its knowledge and understanding. Religion on the other hand teaches principles and morals that never go out of date. What is wrong or right never changes, just the public opinion of what is right or wrong does. Thing is mankind has the inclination to lust for and do what is wrong while we desire to do what is right. Sometimes I wonder which is harder for us, To do what is right or to abstain from what is wrong.

Familiarity breeds acceptance and indulgence, To be surrounded by immoral acts and mentality will eventually lead to the declination of the moral fiber in almost any person. The more we are exposed to something the more we become numb and accepting of it. Very few strong willed individuals may be able to resist the effects of being in a pool of immorality. Those will be very few and far in-between. Being social creatures by nature we tend to follow the crowd and strive to indulge ourselves in what the crowd sees as right and or popular. This is also true in the opposite, what the crowd views as wrong or inappropriate one will adopt as their own belief.

Seems humans are very susceptible to the mob mentality and easily get enthralled by any group mentality. I guess this is a leftover from our primal and survival instincts that linger in our subconscious. It is very similar to stampedes in cattle where danger incites fear then a mass fleeing reaction. Fight or flight instinct is the main cuprite behind this kind of behavior in humans and animals alike. The main difference between a human and an animals is that usually a human can override and or ignore their instincts. We have the mental capacity to be an individual and choose to or not to follow the group and or mob.

Freewill is one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed upon man, It is also one of the gifts that can bring the greatest rewards and or penalties. Having freewill is to also have the responsibility for your actions and the effects they have upon others. Follow the golden rule and use common sense to avoid the pitfalls of having freewill. Walk with compassion and understanding towards and for all others to be a person of peace and integrity. Keep faith in your heart so that the trials of life do not wear you down and forgive both yourself and others for the mistakes or misjudgments that happen in life.

May Peace and Love be your guide
Raymond Barbier

Morality: ‘We can send religion to the scrap heap’ (newscientist.com)
Jerry Coyne Speaks out! (anatheist.net)
The human mind – a history (openparachute.wordpress.com)
Postmodernism (socyberty.com)
Truth and consolation | Andrew Holding (guardian.co.uk)
The End of God? (guardian.co.uk)
Introducing Science Versus Faith (mojoey.blogspot.com)
Science and Morality (sciencebasedmedicine.org)

October 26, 2010

Right and Wrong, The Conflict within us all.

The conflicts we suffer within us are there to serve us by giving us eventual direction in life. Morality versus Self Gratification is usually the main conflict that stirs within our inner selves. To know what is right and wrong comes with penalties, Every selfish and inhumane action we have tends to carry a heavy cost with it. But in turn the selfless and compassionate actions too carry a reward if not sometimes a price. Though I would rather pay the price for doing what is right than for what is wrong, usually my selfishness gets in the way at times. The internal conflicts within us are basically the battle between right and wrong.

Being human sometimes it is very hard to decipher what is right or wrong because there are so many fine lines between the two. Usually as a rule is if it causes harm to another person then it is considered wrong, If it benefits the other person or everyone then it is considered good and or right. Though there are some situations that these rules would not and could not be applied and that is when I myself just try to find the least hurtful and or damaging choice. I try to live by the ideal that if you make others happy along with helping them to the best of your ability while avoiding doing any kind of harm then you have chosen the right path. This includes ones own self, Respect is not to be a one way street and neither is compassion.

I guess the inner conflicts within us all will continue as long as we struggle to balance the needs and wants of the self with the needs and wants of others. Right and wrong, Good and evil are concepts mankind embraced in order to find a means in which to better society and help the progression of civilization.

The creator (GOD) gave us the code of conduct known as the ten commandments to help guide mankind to a better way of life and he also sent Jesus Christ as a teacher and savior. Jesus came to not only fulfill the law but to teach mankind forgiveness, compassion and the true spirit of love. He showed all of us by example his compassion towards the sick and the sinners he came across in his time here on earth, He taught us to forgive and to turn the other cheek along with to love one another.

To be selfish and without compassion is to allow yourself to be surrounded by those whom have little regard for you or your survival. As the old saying goes “Birds of the same feather flock together”. So you will become surrounded by others who are much like yourself and you will be treated like that which you treat others. I also belive that if you do someone harm eventualy through a chain reaction the harm will come full circle back to you. This of course works with compassion and selfless acts,they also will come around in full circle eventually. This is the concept of karma and the only problem with Karma is sometimes its instant and sometimes it takes a lifetime, but eventually what comes around does go around. So I guess there is wisdom in the old saying " Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’".

Well enough of my Ramblings for today
May peace fill your heart and compassion be your guide.
Raymond Barbier