To Love the Lord thy GOD....

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

It has been said, that to feel this Love within ones heart, shall purify the mind and the body.

So the question to discuss is, what more is needed?

And, how might one actually set about with this practice?

And, has anyone actually put this into practice already, and if so, what were the results?

Everyone is welcome to discuss this idea.

[Timothy 6,481]

What are we meant to be loving? That is unclear to me, being atheist.

[third_eye 52,108]

Who wanna dance naked under the next full moon with me? 

Social distancing rules applies... 

~

[Timothy 6,481]

1 minute ago, third_eye said:

Who wanna dance naked under the next full moon with me? 

Social distancing rules applies... 

~

No sword fights allowed!

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

3 minutes ago, Timothy said:

What are we meant to be loving? That is unclear to me, being atheist.

That's a great question, and I guess it is down to ones own personal Ideal?

I see, (and feel) GOD in nature.

I see GOD within the most wickedest attitude.

I actually see GOD in everything.

But, for you...?

I guess, if you can just feel this Love for someone you know already, this would be a good start, but nothing more.

[Timothy 6,481]

@Crazy Horse, as an atheist, if I love nature, the universe, the way everything in it works etc.; is that good enough for you?

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

3 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Who wanna dance naked under the next full moon with me? 

Social distancing rules applies... 

~

Why not?

If it is done with a real and genuine intent..

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

1 minute ago, Timothy said:

@Crazy Horse, as an atheist, if I love nature, the universe, the way everything in it works etc.; is that good enough for you?

Hahaha..

This isn't about me, or being good enough for me.

It is about you.

How you feel from day to day and from moment to moment.

If you have a lasting peace, and a perfect happiness, then I guess you made it already!

[Kismit 13,083]

47 minutes ago, Crazy Horse said:

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

It has been said, that to feel this Love within ones heart, shall purify the mind and the body.

So the question to discuss is, what more is needed?

And, how might one actually set about with this practice?

And, has anyone actually put this into practice already, and if so, what were the results?

Everyone is welcome to discuss this idea.

The question is also who is thine God,?  Different faiths and beliefs have different views on what there God is. What one person may view as an omniscient God another may view as the spark of life or the beauty of nature and to reflect on the later is also an act of mindfulness.  Couldn't it possibly be that Jesus was just preaching a form of introspective meditation?

[ouija ouija 36,625]

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

It has been said, that to feel this Love within ones heart, shall purify the mind and the body.

So the question to discuss is, what more is needed?

And, how might one actually set about with this practice?

And, has anyone actually put this into practice already, and if so, what were the results?

Everyone is welcome to discuss this idea.

Sometimes I wish you would just chill . . .

[Sir Wearer of Hats 36,034]

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

he also said for believers to go and pray in closets, seems to me he wss fond of folks keeping their opinions to themselves.

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

Well, he did say that to love God and to live one another were the greatest commandments.

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

It has been said, that to feel this Love within ones heart, shall purify the mind and the body.

So the question to discuss is, what more is needed?

a packet of tim-tams that never runs out,

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

And, how might one actually set about with this practice?

it’s very simple - don’t be a d*******.

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

And, has anyone actually put this into practice already, and if so, what were the results?

Everyone is welcome to discuss this idea.

 

[Xeno-Fish 109,575]

God's too needy.

The devil told me too listen to heavy metal and just enjoy life. 

[Xeno-Fish 109,575]

You know crazy horse. If you truly believe "god is love", why don't you imitate this god. Be a loving, thoughtful, humble, compassionate, considerate, decent person. Rather than a passive-aggressive hypocrite. 

You've mentioned all these religious/spiritual models, start practicing. Our thoughts on this are not that important, it is what you do that is.

It's your reality tunnel, figure out how you want to travel down it.

[LightAngel 9,599]

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

 

 

Yes, we can achieve everything through laughter. 

 

 

 

Edit:  I can feel your humor, and I know what you are doing to entertain. 

You make me and some others laugh with you - and that's love. 

 

Edited February 27 by LightAngel

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

1 hour ago, Kismit said:

The question is also who is thine God,?  Different faiths and beliefs have different views on what there God is. What one person may view as an omniscient God another may view as the spark of life or the beauty of nature and to reflect on the later is also an act of mindfulness.  Couldn't it possibly be that Jesus was just preaching a form of introspective meditation?

Yes!!

The Christ did say as much. "The Kingdom of GOD is within". And, "Know thy first the Kingdom of GOD, and HIS Righteousness, and all these things (the Attributes of GOD) shall be added unto you."

People have different faiths, different ideas, different names, rituals and cosmologies etc, but only one GOD within.

[Crazy Horse 2,602]

1 hour ago, ouija ouija said:

Sometimes I wish you would just chill . . .

Why?

What does it matter to you?

Do I really affect you in such a negative way?

[Timothy 6,481]

2 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

Hahaha..

This isn't about me, or being good enough for me.

It is about you.

How you feel from day to day and from moment to moment.

If you have a lasting peace, and a perfect happiness, then I guess you made it already!

I live life trying to have a more positive effect than negative, that’s all.

I wouldn’t call it a perfect happiness at all, but it works for me!

Edit: Not to say that I don’t have other perfect moments, life is beautiful in general.

Edited February 27 by Timothy
Edit.

[ouija ouija 36,625]

41 minutes ago, Crazy Horse said:

Why?

What does it matter to you?

Do I really affect you in such a negative way?

'Why?' because you would probably feel better and more importantly, you would perhaps hear that 'still small voice' within you. Have you heard of 'the voice of the silence'?

'What does it matter to you?' it doesn't matter to me, but this is a forum where people respond and my response is that I think you would more easily achieve your aim if you would just chill sometimes.

'Do I really affect you in such a negative way?' No, of course not . . . . well, other than making me feel tired! 

 

See, even your response has the air of headless chicken about it.

 

[third_eye 52,108]

2 hours ago, Timothy said:

No sword fights allowed!

I challenge thee, good Sir, to a joust! 

~

[Guyver 5,137]

6 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

Christ famously said, "To Love the Lord thy GOD, with all thy Heart, all thy Soul, and all thy Mind."

This is the greatest, and most important commandment.

How beautiful, how simple is THAT?

I don’t think it’s actually beautiful or simple.  It’s not beautiful because Jesus was actually quoting from the law of Moses, which is completely savage. 

It’s not simple because no one even knows what that means.  If you love something with all your heart, mind, and soul, then you have no room for anything else.  All does mean all.  

To further complicate things, God is not able to be understood or known by people since he is invisible like the Bible says,   He is silent.  If we look at what is made as a reflection of him, then we see a beautiful but also harsh, uncaring, and deadly universe,  whereby everything struggles for survival and suffering is continuous.  Lastly, for me anyway, accepting this affirmation by Jesus regarding the Law of Moses is to acquiesce to the validity of the Old Testament record.  That record shows that God loves some, but hates others.  Allows for rape, slavery, and genocide, plus the subjugation of women and treating them as property that can be bought or sold like goods.  This God can become angry, jealous, filled with wrath and indignation and wish to kill people if they don’t please him.  Yet, the New Testament claims God is love.  In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the Bible says what love is.  1John chapter 4 says God is love.  But, if God is love, then he is patient and kind, always seeking the good of another and keeping no record of wrongs done like the Bible says in 1 Cor 13.  This is in direct contrast to the angry God of the Old Testament, so it brings confusion to the mind of a thinking person about just what kind of God a person is required to love more than anything else.
 

 

[Xeno-Fish 109,575]

3 hours ago, third_eye said:

I challenge thee, good Sir, to a joust! 

~

Is pole vaulting next? 

[zep73 8,296]

6 hours ago, Timothy said:

What are we meant to be loving?

Yeah, let's analyze God, shall we?

He's claimed to be omniscient. That is false.
From the very beginning he has acted quite ignorant. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, he had no clue about it, until he discovered their embarrassment. And when Cain killed Abel, he was also clueless until he spotted Abel's blood on the ground. Moving forward to Egypt, he had no clue who his own people were, so he asked them to mark their doors, so he wouldn't kill the wrong babies. God is just as clueless as the next guy. So we can strike out omniscient.

And then there's omnipotence. Also false.
He showed his cluelessness in Egypt, but he also showed his impotence. He was unable to pose a direct threat to the Egyptians. Instead he sent pests and diseases, polluted the water and blocked the sun. It seems more like harassment than war. Like if you have a neighbor you hate, and you want to mess with him. Why were his tools so limited? Because he is limited. There goes omnipotence.

A loving god? Hell no!
He almost made Abraham kill his own son, just to make a point. That's sick! Sac'ing his own son, even more sick (Jesus only had to die to satisfy God!)! Condemning billions to hell, the ultimate evil! God is not a loving god, he is one sick, twisted, evil son of a B. (Besides being clueless and impotent.)

 

Note: I do not believe that any of the above events ever took place. They are only used as examples to describe the nature of the god, who is the subject of this thread.

[Dreamer screamer 553]

8 hours ago, Timothy said:

What are we meant to be loving? That is unclear to me, being atheist.

Atheism is in the broadest sense an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities.

A deity is a supernatural being, like a god or goddess, that is worshipped by people who believe it controls or exerts force over some aspect of the world. The word deity means "divine nature." It was coined by Saint Augustine, a theologian whose writings were very influential in the shaping of Western Christianity.

So the question is, what force exerts ( 1. verb

If someone or something exerts influence, authority, or pressure, they use it in a strong or determined way, especially in order to produce a particular effect.

 

So you may think you are atheist, but you worship authority!!

 

authority

(ɔːθɒrɪti , US -θɔːr- )

Word forms: plural authorities

1. plural noun

The authorities are the people who have the power to make decisions and to make sure that laws are obeyed.

If you break the rules then your deity will make sure you are punished.  You can try to say you are an atheist and try and get out of it, but like most GODS they never listen.

[quiXilver 7,051]

Love that is commanded to exist... is not love, but coercion.

[Wistman 16,976]

Why is love of God required at all?  Is God external to us, to direct something like love at it?  If we are a part of God, like the yew trees or the caterpillars or the mountain, like the galaxy and the universe, what is the point of directing love at God as everything and one's self if there is, quite literally, nothing else.  Why not just love everything and leave the notion of God out of it?

Edited February 27 by The Wistman