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"A man was driving a bus down a steep hill. There was a cliff on one
side, a ravine on the other.
"Suddenly, a child ran out into the middle of the road. In the split second
that followed, he had to make an appalling choice.
"To kill the child, or all his passengers."
The man paused for a moment. His audience froze.
I felt angry. Why was he telling this story in front of children?
"He drove straight into the child," the man continued.
"There was blood all over the windscreen. The passengers ran forward,
remonstrating with him.
"'You should have killed us instead,' they shouted. 'How could you kill
an innocent child?'
"Then there was a deep silence.
" On the bus and in the room.
"Then the driver spoke. 'That child was my own son,' he said, 'and his
name was Jesus.'"
"those of you who may have
suffered from Christianization in past centuries may prefer a more moderate
approach to God outside a church or religion, which is certainly fine and
perfect. God never has been attached to any church or religion…." and rather
meanly adds "Some yoga gurus do quite well financially." Yep, well so do
some US evangelists.
Catholics around the world
When is a Buddha not a Buddha? Are church authorities being racist here?
The Catholic News
in Australia says that the Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby is
considering whether the controversial St Mary's parish at South Brisbane "is
in communion with the Catholic Church" after a parishioner protested to the
Vatican over a "Buddha-like statue" of a monk. "A very right wing
parishioner came and was offended by some of the artwork in the church,
including some indigenous art, and an image of a praying monk which they
mistook as a Buddha,"
However, the statue - which was about 1 metre tall - had since been taken
out of the church by a disgruntled person and smashed. But how can you
know what is a Buddha and what is simply a praying figure with oriental
features?
Zarathustra (627-585 BC) promulgated the Dualism
of Good and Evil,
Lao-Tzu (604-531 BC) wrote the Tao de Ching
Confucius (580?-479 BC) “flaunted his agnosticism”,
Buddha (565-483 BC) taught a “godless wisdom”,
Xenophanes (550 BC) criticized Greek polytheism,
Pythagoras (550 BC) taught sacred geometry and mathematically based
science,
Isaiah (550 BC) taught “the first true monotheism in history”,
outside Biblical references, “there is no documented reference to the ‘one’
Jehovah god, as such, before” 600 BC “Onwards from c.586 BC, when the
Israelites were captive in Babylonia, they began to compile the Old Testament.
"All who are led by the Spirit of
God are Sons of God." Paul said.
Wanting to maintain an understanding of Jesus as being
fully human, while also proclaiming his divinity, church fathers came up
with a short phrase that captures it all. As approved in a doctrinal
statement adopted at the Council Chalcedon in 491, Jesus was said to be
"fully human and fully divine." .
Jesus Christ was ordained, and sent of God to do the
work and office of a Prophet: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the
Father which sent me,” John 12:49. “Who was faithful to him that appointed
him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house,” Hebrews 3:2.
Jesus Christ is anointed to be a Prophet, and to
perform the work proper to his place; as it is said, “Thou hast loved
righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath
anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows,” Hebrews 1:9. “The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor,” Luke 4:18.
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