Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

Feb 03

Prayers that Curse

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I firmly believe that we all are free to practice religion — or not — in whatever manner we choose.

See this tiny photo of a horse?

Jesus?

Someone believes that this is an image of Jesus… on the hind quarter of a horse, and they are free to believe that. Their belief does no harm to anyone. Personally, I’m having trouble seeing Jesus there, just as I have trouble seeing Jesus in the actions of some of those who claim to follow His teachings.

I particularly take issue with those who come up with deceptive yet beautifully worded prayers that curse those who do not believe as they do, and do so as if they are righteous believers busy doing God’s will.

I found myself associated with a group on Facebook that supposedly was started as a support group for people in specific situations.

Sounds great in theory, but looks quite different in practice.

I had only been a member for a week or so when I happened to see a daily prayer that included the following words – after ordering the “devil” out of their home:

so pick a home who do not believe in God. Or who do not believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. 

Apparently this group leader is unaware of the following scripture:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).

and the words of Jesus as written in Matthew 5:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (KJV)

It seems to me that when one is praying against an unseen enemy, it is certainly fine to rebuke, cast out and render them incapable of harm, but it is NOT okay to send them to another’s home.

Once one has done that, they are no longer crying out to God, but speaking to the negative energy – feeding it by sending it to harm another, which has nothing at all to do with love.

God deliver us from such “praying” fools, I mean people.

So what did I do?

At first, I posted a reply, but then I deleted it. The verse about “casting pearls before swine” came to mind.

After some prayerful thought, I simply removed myself from the sadly misguided group.

 

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Oct 24

Inconsequential

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"The Blue Marble" is a famous photog...

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As I listen and view a reiki video with its melancholy music, I view beautiful scenes on planet earth, scenes that I can only visit via video. Yet they exist. They are somewhere on the planet right now, just out of my reach.

I suddenly feel inconsequential.

Immediately after that thought, I also realize that if the universe is sending energy and beauty to a remote site on earth, then it is also capable of sending me that same healing, rejuvenating energy.

So now the music seems more nourishing and peaceful. I seek to blend in with the sun’s rays and the waterfalls.

A heavenly melodic chorus begs me to be still, to know that just as a flower opened and bloomed this morning, so did my life.

The sun peeks through the trees to find an isolated spot on the earth.
This tiny little spot is the place where I occupy life.

The ray of light cast upon the water is my guiding light. Follow the light, for the light dispels the darkness and leads us to heavenly realms of bliss and contentment.

Cotton candy clouds with droplets of sunshine, rainbows with millions of pots of gold just waiting to be discovered, illumination of all that is, these are the forces that should guide me daily.

In the darkest night, I can rest assured the sun will shine again. The flower will bloom, fade and return again.

The sun, like the future, seems so far away, and yet we can feel its power – it warms the skin, it causes the eyes to squint, and delivers beauty as it sets to give us time to rest in the moonlit night. The reaches of its rays are unmeasurable and can only be perceived in an abstract concept.

Does it reach to the ocean’s floor?
Does our life matter?
Can we leave a mark as superb as the north star?

Perhaps it is the combination of our marks that makes an eternal legacy.

May 29

Great Spirit Prayer

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Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind, Whose breath gives life to all the world,

Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.

Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.

Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy – Myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

Wisdom, mural by Robert Lewis Reid. Second Flo...
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