Religion Articles

Working towards a big vision is a powerful experience. As a compass, a vision can be a decision-making tool for all of your day-to-day actions. If the action will take you towards your vision, you do it. If it won't, you don't. Simple? Yes. Easy? No. Vision work can be daunting as well, and I see that all the time. A vision can be so large and overwhelming that people have a hard time getting started.

What does it mean to be what easterners describe as awakened, enlightened, transformed, or as the Evangelical Christians say, "born again, saved, and converted?" Who knows? This much I do know. Virtually every religious tradition has coined words and concepts to tell the story of their experience of transcendence. But, no one word or concept could ever fully capture whatever it is that happens in the human experience, the consequence of which leaves one radically and forever different.

Shiva is a period of despair in the Jews because it is associated with mourning. Whenever there is a fatality, the near and dear ones of the deceased suffer a shock and go into awful distress. The individual particularly sentimentally bonded to the departed soul like brother, son, daughter, mother, etc is mentally unstable and is in critical necessity of help. In such a scenario, if the distress is spoken of with a lot of individuals, it is surely weakened. Jew society is bas

It is natural for someone who has musical talent to aspire to become a musician. And it is not out of place for someone who is brilliant to say, “My ambition is to become a medical doctor”. It is generally acknowledged that our area of interest and what we aspire to become are determined by the abilities and talents we are born with.

The rough, russet carpet of the front room of our tiny apartment was threadbare. My brother John, age 7, and I, age 9, scooted and ran around this space, unaware that we lived below the poverty line. Our father had recently deceased and my mother was desperately trying to support the two of ...

I published this article first with the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-mcswain/christianity-is-dying-spirituality-is-thriving_b_1950804.htmlrnr

It is a famous saying of Ashfaq Ahmad that if a person kills his ego in front of one person then he has metaphorical love for that person but if he kills his ego in front of everyone, then it is a true state of love for God. Here the metaphorical love is defined as the worldly love that a person holds for his blood relations and for those people who are close to his heart. This kind of love stays in the world and does not create any spiritual bonding with the Lord. This kind

Thomas Merton’s thoughts on the impact of technology on western society are so well documented; even the casual Merton reader is likely to be familiar with them. In various letters, books, and essays, Merton stated that the reliance on technology in the west was interfering with the ability of the believer to enter a state of contemplative thought. Merton felt so strongly about this, in fact, that it was one of the driving forces that led the mystic to further investigate t

TruthrnAll truth passes through three stages. rnFirst, it is ridiculed. rnSecond, it is violently opposed. rnThird, it is accepted as being self-evident. rn-- Arthur Schopenhauer Truth is a funny thing. It is like an onion. The onion has a harder outside skin and a soft inside kernel, with one layer superimposed upon another layer, hiding the inside kernel. Not until we can peel back the layers of the onion can we get to the heart of the onion, or the first kernel of truth. N

Wouldn’t you love to know exactly how to pray so that all your needs are met? So often we pray, hoping that God will hear us on time and come through with the miracle we need so desperately. Everyone has been given the measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3), and all you need is faith the size of a mustard seed! (Mat. 17: 20) Nevertheless, prayers often don’t seem to get answered.

According to Islamic History, the famous stone Hajar al-Aswad came from Jannat and it was given to Prophet Ibrahim (may peace and blessings be upon him). He was given the command to place it at the corner of Holy Kaaba. According to the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), when the stone first came to Earth it was completely white like milk but then it started absorbing the sins of human beings and became black. Each year, it is expected that a large number of pilgrims will vi

Allah has provided mankind with two divine sources of guidance and direction. Through the revelation of holy books and the Prophets, Allah has provided mankind with an authentic and reliable source to understand the message of Allah. The books provided textual guidance whereas the Prophets provided an example of how to follow their teachings. Both these things go hand in hand. However, followers of other religions neglected their Prophets or they neglected the books and their

Are you walking around with a frown on your face, tired and feeling sorry for yourself for the many disappointments in your life? Why would you do that if you know that you've already won the battles in your life? Maybe you don't yet realize it, but you are a winner. You are programmed for ...

A simple scan of current events, a gander at the online or TV news will leave you reeling in disbelief. Never before have newsmen and reporters been so highly lauded for the work they do. Yet in the end it is like the adage; water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. The nature of news reporting has significantly changed in the last decade. Now news people are laden with opinions and are undertaking causes. The old Cronkite “And that’s the way it is” has become “that’s

This most important act in a Muslim’s life, and one of the Five Pillars of Islam, does not have to be an adults-only pilgrimage. Although it is recommended that very young children and infants do not go on the Hajj, because of vulnerability to infection and sunburn, older kids can accompany a Mahram or male relative in just the same way as any woman under 45 years of age must be accompanied to the Hajj. Although Muslims who are not yet adults are not obliged to perform Hajj

The concept of TV is changing with innovations in technology; there is no longer any need of a separate television set in your home in order to watch television. Now online televisions can provide you more channels than any cable network on your computer in a lesser price. One such Internet TV system is ‘I software TV’ which is claimed by its owners to be the future of television, which works online and you don’t need anything other than a personal computer and an internet connection to run this system.

Seek Happiness And Peace In Islam Happiness means to seek pleasure. it is the flora of every person to seek happiness. Some people attempt to seek substantial happiness in this world away from belief, thinking that this is the true contentment. But this kind of happiness will be throve by pain and sorrow at the Day of Judgment, and its people will know that their determined led them only to misery and not happiness. Happiness is a perceptual state of well-being categorized by

The Bible says we have a divine soul: “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” (1) Has science detected it or measured it?

At every church, there is usually a Board of Directors or some other governing body that hires the pastor, creates a job description and a set of expectations for that pastor, and evaluates how the pastor is doing in their role. These expectations are laid out to the pastor, of course, but unfortunately that's usually where the conversation stops – and that's a huge problem. These roles and expectations are often never discussed with the congregation at large. They either don't know or they have no say.

When problems arise in your organization they need to be dealt with immediately and with a collectively developed problem solving process. Those affected by both the problem and its solution need to be a part of the team that goes through the process and develops solutions to resolve the ...When problems arise in your organization they need to be dealt with immediately and with a collectively developed problem solving process.

RAIN IN MEASURED AMOUNTS Another item of information provided in the Qur'an about rain is that it is sent down to Earth in "due measure." This is mentioned in Surat az-Zukhruf as follows: It is He Who sends down water in measured amounts from the sky by which We bring a dead land back to life. ...

Electrons are particles spinning and revolving around the nucleus of the atom similar to the earth rotating on its own axis as it also revolves around the sun. This rotation, like that of the planets, is realised ceaselessly and in perfect order on paths we call orbits. Yet, the proportion of ...

In the Judaism, the mezuzah is a ubiquitous symbol. Even in secular households, it's common to see the decorative case affixed upon doorways. Inside the case is a piece of parchment paper with a sacred Jewish prayer. "And thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house and upon thy gates," the Bible commands. "The mezuzah is a small, decorated case containing the Shema, the scriptural passage you are undoubtedly familiar with from Deuteronomy 6 that begins, ‘Hear, O I

What does the Bible and science say about our unique human capabilities? The Bible says we have a divine soul: “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” (1)

Bread is considered to be one the staples of life, but it is also a deeply symbolic food for both Christians and Jews. The Bible is replete with references to bread, showing its deep significance as a means of sustenance and also a conduit with which to praise God. It is first mentioned in Genesis 3, after the incident of both Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Of the many punishments that befell them because of their recklessness was that God specifica

"Umrah Experts", is another name to trust. Besides, many travel companies; it has made its enormous place in the UK, and Saudi Arabia. Now, you want to know about Umrah Experts, its services, and how it is distinct from any other travel agency. Umrah Experts is a travel company in the UK, which provides many travel trips and Hajj & Umrah packages , along with the tour operator, or travel guide. Its services and packages are not only best provided to the customers, but also ar

Psychic is a term used in the field of parapsychology which refer to the ability to perceive the things that is hidden to ordinary senses through means of extra-sensory perception, or though the use of other techniques such as cold reading,prestidigitation and a lot more. While the term astrology is define as the study of the relationships between people and events on earth, and the cycles, movement of the planets and how they influence the live of peoples. This parapsycholog

The Puranas or Indain Mythology while describing the process of world creation says that a lotus emerged from Lord Vishnu’s navel. Brahma the creator sat on this lotus. God told Brahma in a celestial voice: I have created you for world creation. In order to become capable of doing, so perform Tapas or austerities. Tapas generate energy which in turn helps execute very important gigantic feats. Brahma asked as to what was the basis and nature of austerities so the celestial

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Urdu poetry is written in a rich language which has a great treasure of literature. Urdu language is basically the language of poets. This language has depth in it words and uses beautiful phrases to form the poetry. Urdu poetry was the origin to the poetry world in modern literature. There has been so much contribution to the poetry from Urdu poets in the past. Even though Urdu poetry is very complicated subject which exhibit itself in many different forms it yet attract man

Not many people recognise the degree of the sad extent of depression in young people. Juvenile depression is largely assumed to be a relatively atypical thing. In reality though, childhood anxiety and depression is one of the most persistent problems in our community today. When full-blown ...

Ramadan or Ramazan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is an important third pillar of Islamic foundation. In the Holy month of Ramadan, it is an obligation for the Muslim to fast from dawn to the sunset except those who are exempted. During fast, Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink or to talk or to think about wrong things or deeds. The word ‘Ramadan’ is derived from the Arabic language which means ‘intense heat’. It is the month in which the Holy book â

At Christmas time all my friends seemed happy, friendly and excited for the big day when Santa Claus would deliver presents to their house. My father was Jewish and my mother gentile which was why when I was growing up Christmas was more of a celebration of family getting together, eating, ...

I am an athiest, why? for a simple reason- " I fail to understand the concept of god". The misleading definitions, the confusing attributes, the impractical examples and the analogy. The concept of god is very different to me as the limits of my belief are exactly coincident with the limits of my understanding. In this article I'll refer to the term 'god' in a different manner. I would try to state what my confusions are and why? I was never able to explain certain happenings

Pujas and rituals are an integral part of every Hindu family. It's almost every week that a deity is prayed in the religion. Also, the Hindus follow their religion like all other communities, very strictly and with great pomp and purity. Hinduism, which is considered as the oldest of all religions have always been well accepted and practiced in India. rnOver the years, the Hindus of the society have been able to keep on with the beliefs and the rituals that have been followed

Throughout Buddhist history, the role of women has been far from fair. As Donald S. Lopez Jr. says in The Story of Buddhism, “Those who seek a refuge from at it from Misogyny in Buddhism must always pick their texts carefully and ignore the fact that, regardless of the textual resources that may be available, the presence of Buddhism in a given society has not materially improved the status of women, although nunneries have often provided a welcome refuge for women.” Ind

Islam is one of the most spreading religions in the world and contrary to public opinion Islam is one of the most peaceful religious beliefs in the world. It may be very troubling for a Muslim to see how people disgrace Islam when they are not even aware about the concept of Islam. There were number of occasions when people from other faiths have made and attempt make an unpleasant image of Islam in the eyes of the world. Islamic Text Messages have now become very popular. Pe

Every devoted Muslim knows that Umrah is obligatory for every capable Muslim once in his lifetime. Umrah achieved every year in any month. The reservations of Umrah are made well in advance because of the very large number of persons going to Umrah every year and each year the number of travelers increases. There are large numbers of Muslims who lived in UK. We will guide you how to book your Umrah packages when Hihghi season and rush of Umrah booking in Uk. Umrah and Hajj sh

The already devastated legal heirs of deceased victim of the vehicle accident involving government vehicle now, no longer have to run from pillar to post to get compensation which is denied to them on the ground of government vehicle engaged in so called sovereign duty and thus claim sovereign immunity which is an archaic concept. No civilized country in this world which claims itself to be founded on the notions of the welfare state, shun its liability towards accident victi

Are There Two A.A.’s? Dick B. © 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved Present-day AAs—members of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous—certainly can’t be divided into two A.A.’s or ten A.A.’s. At least not the AAs that I met in April of 1986 when I entered the rooms. Nor the AAs I have fellowshipped with over the past 23 years. Nor the AAs I have met at International Conventions, regional conventions, gatherings like the “Spring Fling,” Big Book Seminars, Dr. Bob’s Home in A

After reading “A Divine Revelation of Hell” by Mary K. Baxter, I have not been the same! It is truly life infusing! Even though I have been a Christian for thirty years I have never been so conscious of the consequences of sin. The church in general has been much too complacent about the judgment of God. We want all of His blessings; yet we don’t want to follow all of His Commandments. In Deuteronomy 28 God clearly lays out his criteria for being blessed.

"When you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of wisdom are not enough. When you have realized understanding, even one word is too much."nAncient Teacher nnnnnn"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."nAncient proverb nnnnnContentsn1)Introductionn2)How to read This bookn3)The Virtuesn4)Examples of virtuous oppositesn5)*Exercise one: Overviewn6)Summary of Exercise one: Overviewn7)Beliefsn8)Two attitudes towards Truthn9)*Exercise two: Letting go

Having spent his spiritual life in search of a mystic union with God, Thomas Merton's teachings of contemplative thought and meditation remain relevant more than forty years after his death. Among the many subjects this prolific author tackled during his lifetime, Merton dedicated a special focus to the crisis of faith which he felt had befallen the generation in which he was living. Having written candidly about the period of his life in which he experienced a distance from

How To Lead Praise and Worship in a Traditional Church I sit here thinking about how to lead praise and worship in a standard church I'm getting back from a ministry journey to Sri Lanka. Lots of the churches we ministered to there have been conventional church buildings struggling to attempt to find a blend between the older people within the church who love custom and the youthful ones who want to sing modern praise and worship music. If you're within the church that's stru

Read the Bible. That’s it? That’s it! Read the Bible. . . But reading the Bible is hard! And I don’t know where to start! Sometimes I just don’t get what it’s saying! I don’t have the time! I’m afraid! What if I do it wrong! Ugh! Have no fear. Today, right now, you can join the thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of people who have learned how to use technology to help them fit Bible reading into their busy day. Finally, a wholly positive use of modern technology! Some join one of the many services that will read the Bible to you.

What does the Bible and science say about our unique human capabilities? The Bible says we have a divine soul: “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” (1)

The reality of Christian Rehab rnThe very idea that someone would want to chose rehab is important to their future and shows that they are ready to admit that there is a problem and possibly be committed to making that change to their lives for the better. Christians are not exempt from drug abuse and when they do, they are completely misled and are not clear on the path of their lives. A faith based treatment program reveals how the recovering addict can make a connection wi