Oh Partha, those who are foolish reject the real meanings of the Vedas out of attachment to those ornamental statements which glorify the pursuits of celestial pleasures, but which yield only poisonous effects. They say there is no higher truth than these.
Srimad-Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Sloka 42
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I am bemused as much as bedeviled by people who "believe" that by virtue of their religion that their truth is the only truth and that their interpretation of that truth nullifies the validity of any other scripture or perspective.
Let's face it. Most people become Christian, Vedantic, Muslim, or virtually any other faith simply because of the Geo-Social nature of their place of birth. They are raised to believe that their truth is the only truth, by and large. And when they find their voice, identity, self, the bickering begins. And anything that remotely suggests that they might be wrong is, in a word, "manure".
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All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Timothy 3:16
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I tend to believe that there is truth and instruction in all holy scripture. And that those who dismiss such instruction are exactly who prophets and saviors were warning against. "...they bicker among one another..."
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Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mathew 5:9
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Mark 9:50
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Who is the most dangerous man on earth? It's the man who thinks that God is on his side.
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"I BELIEVE that God wants me to be president." George W. Bush
"I would like to thank Providence and the Almighty for choosing me of all people to be allowed to wage this battle for Germany," Hitler - Berlin March, 1936
God is not on the side of any nation, yet we know He is on the side of justice. Our finest moments [as a nation] have come when we faithfully served the cause of justice for our own citizens, and for the people of other lands. George W. Bush
If we pursue this way, if we are decent, industrious, and honest, if we so loyally and truly fulfill our duty, then it is my conviction that in the future as in the past the Lord God will always help us. Adolf Hitler, at the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival on the Buckeburg held on 3 Oct. 1937
"freedom and fear, justice and cruelty have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them." George W. Bush
"Never in these long years have we offered any other prayer but this: Lord, grant to our people peace at home, and grant and preserve to them peace from the foreign foe!" Hitler - Nuremberg Sept. 13, 1936.
Nourish continually the tree of your union with love and affection so that it may remain ever green throughout all seasons, and when God gives you sweet and lovely children consecrate yourselves to their instruction and guidance so that they may become the servants of the world of humanity.' [Bahá'í Prayers, London, 1951, pp 47-49 (paraphrase).] (William Sears, Thief in the Night)
Even if the thoughtless can recite many of the scriptures, if they do not act accordingly, they are not living the holy life, but are like a cowherd counting the cows of others. (Buddhist, Dhammapada - Sayings of the Buddha 2 (tr. J. Richards))
Even if the faithful can recite only a few of the scriptures, if they act accordingly,
having given up passion, hate, and folly, being possessed of true knowledge and serenity of mind, craving nothing in this world or the next, they are living the holy life. (Buddhist, Dhammapada - Sayings of the Buddha 2 (tr. J. Richards))
35,13 'Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go, and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to My words? saith the LORD. (Nev'im (Prophets), Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah))
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Manure? I think not. The stuff self-righteous wars are made of? Likely.
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