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How does your religion teach people to be wise

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn't difficult

All humans want Love + Keeping His Commandments isn't difficult [verse says] ==> Why not all humans keep His Commandments???

Those who hate God's commands would find them burdensome, and difficult, because they want to go against them. John 3:19
Thanks for explaining. So it is "simple" but not "easy" because we "hate God's commandments", so actually we "don't love God".
For myself: I "love God's Commandments", but break some because I "desire to break them". Aha: nice proof of using "Love" the wrong way.
If I truly "Love God's Commandments" I would not break them. So I "don't Love the Commandments", so "don't Love God", so "don't Love Myself"

If God were to kill all who violated His Commandments none would be alive: knowing stats: 50% divorce [99% desire other (wo)men once in their life] + "do not judge" + ...

Good first step to acknowledge "We do NOT Love God, NOT ourselves"; so seems correct "we do hate God's Commandments/God/ourselves". That's why "no peace on earth"
 
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Gallowglass

Member
1. Be cautious and aware that others may attempt to deceive or harm you.
2. Be kind and hospitable. Turn away no one in need.Feed, clothe, offer them shelter, and listen to them.
3. Learn everything you can, but don't lord it over others or act superior because you learned it. Listen more than talk and you'll learn even more. Never think there is nothing other's can't teach you. Still, don't do something just because others tell you. Use your own head and discretion.
4. Don't focus on other people's approval, focus on what you know to be right and be comfortable as who you are.
5. Take care of your body and your mind.
6. Know your limits when you drink and don't let liquor make you an idiot. The more you drink the less you know so moderation is best.
7. Don't back down from a fight and don't be a coward.
8. Travel and explore, see the world and learn from it all.
9. Accept the hospitality of others, but be careful not to strain what they have.
10. Don't eat too much. Moderation is best.
11. Don't worry at night, worry about things in the morning. You'll be worse off if you don't get rest.
12. Not everyone who laughs and jokes with you is a friend. Not everyone who laughs and jokes can be counted on. Sometimes they are laughing at you.
13. You can't fix everything. Sometimes things just go wrong. It's good to plan ahead, but be prepared for things to go wrong.
14. Don't gossip or mock others.
15. Focus on your friends, rather than people who don't and won't care about you.
16. Never overstay your welcome.
17. Any place of your own is better than no-place. Even a hovel can be great if it's yours.
18. Be vigilant and ready to defend yourself.
19. Find ways to pay back people who let you stay, even if they won't take money. Be generous to those who have been hospitable.
20. Save, but don't be a miser. It might go to someone you hate when you die.
21. When giving gifts, give substantial things that people will value.
22. Be kind to people, but don't be a doormat. Repay all things in kind.
23. Be careful who you make friends with. Don't make friends with your friends' enemies.
24.Visit friends and talk with them often. Share your life with them and let them share with you.
25. Just because you don't trust someone, don't be an ***. Treat him as a friend but watch your back.
26. Kindness doesn't require dollar signs, give only what you can spare.
27. When you see evil, confront it head on, and give it no truce or place to rest.
28 A person's honour and deeds outlive them, so act in the fashion in which you would like to be remembered.
29. Nothing lasts forever. Do not fear endings.
30. What came before you matter, and what will come after matters do. Do right so that the people who came before and the people who come after you are proud of you.
 

GoodbyeDave

Well-Known Member
Quintessence and Gallowglas have given two good examples of a pagan approach. All of us are born with the capacity for morality and it's the task of our families and society to develop it. I'm not sure that you can teach wisdom, however. We can all think of cases where people "only trying to help" with the best of intentions made things far worse!

But note that all this is not about "religion". The gods are not in the business of acting as moral teachers. For their point of view, they are gods and we are humans. We each have appropriate forms of behaviour which are conducive to well-being, but as humans it's our business to sort it out for ourselves.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Quintessence and Gallowglas have given two good examples of a pagan approach. All of us are born with the capacity for morality and it's the task of our families and society to develop it. I'm not sure that you can teach wisdom, however. We can all think of cases where people "only trying to help" with the best of intentions made things far worse!

But note that all this is not about "religion". The gods are not in the business of acting as moral teachers. For their point of view, they are gods and we are humans. We each have appropriate forms of behaviour which are conducive to well-being, but as humans it's our business to sort it out for ourselves.

I agree that we as humans need to sort stuff out ourselves.

My "God" does act as a moral teacher to me though.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Thanks for explaining. So it is "simple" but not "easy" because we "hate God's commandments", so actually we "don't love God".
For myself: I "love God's Commandments", but break some because I "desire to break them". Aha: nice proof of using "Love" the wrong way.
If I truly "Love God's Commandments" I would not break them. So I "don't Love the Commandments", so "don't Love God", so "don't Love Myself"

If God were to kill all who violated His Commandments none would be alive: knowing stats: 50% divorce [99% desire other (wo)men once in their life] + "do not judge" + ...

Good first step to acknowledge "We do NOT Love God, NOT ourselves"; so seems correct "we do hate God's Commandments/God/ourselves". That's why "no peace on earth"
A good example, I find, is the Israelites.
They left Egypt, by the thousands, yet...
(Numbers 14:22-24, 27-32) 22 However, not one of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness and yet have kept testing me these ten times and have not listened to my voice 23 will ever see the land about which I swore to their fathers. No, not one of those treating me without respect will see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb had a different spirit and kept following after me wholeheartedly, I will certainly bring him into the land where he went, and his offspring will take possession of it.
27 . . .I have heard what the Israelites are murmuring against me. 28 Say to them, ‘“As surely as I live,” declares Jehovah, “I will do to you just what I have heard you speak! 29 In this wilderness your corpses will fall, yes, the whole number of you from 20 years old and up who were registered, all of you who have murmured against me. 30 None of you will enter into the land that I swore to have you reside in except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 “‘“And I will bring in your children, who you said would become plunder, and they will get to know the land that you have rejected. 32 But your own corpses will fall in this wilderness.

Only two out of over a million were approved.

There is nothing new under the sun.
What happened back then is evidently repeating.
Apparently, the majority of those who claim to love God, don't obey his commitments - notice it is not a case of making mistakes, as we all do, but showing lack of appreciation and respect for God's word.

According to scripture, all of us have a fair chance of being like Caleb and Joshua. It's up to us to choose what we will do.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
A good example, I find, is the Israelites.
They left Egypt, by the thousands, yet...
(Numbers 14:22-24, 27-32) 22 However, not one of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness and yet have kept testing me these ten times and have not listened to my voice 23 will ever see the land about which I swore to their fathers. No, not one of those treating me without respect will see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb had a different spirit and kept following after me wholeheartedly, I will certainly bring him into the land where he went, and his offspring will take possession of it.
27 . . .I have heard what the Israelites are murmuring against me. 28 Say to them, ‘“As surely as I live,” declares Jehovah, “I will do to you just what I have heard you speak! 29 In this wilderness your corpses will fall, yes, the whole number of you from 20 years old and up who were registered, all of you who have murmured against me. 30 None of you will enter into the land that I swore to have you reside in except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 “‘“And I will bring in your children, who you said would become plunder, and they will get to know the land that you have rejected. 32 But your own corpses will fall in this wilderness.

Only two out of over a million were approved.

There is nothing new under the sun.
What happened back then is evidently repeating.
Apparently, the majority of those who claim to love God, don't obey his commitments - notice it is not a case of making mistakes, as we all do, but showing lack of appreciation and respect for God's word.

According to scripture, all of us have a fair chance of being like Caleb and Joshua. It's up to us to choose what we will do.
Yes I totally agree. Every morning I wake up and start with a clean slate and do my utmost best to keep it as clean as possible. Praying God to help me
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Yes I totally agree. Every morning I wake up and start with a clean slate and do my utmost best to keep it as clean as possible. Praying God to help me
What is your idea of a clean slate, and how do you determine it's clean?
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
What is your idea of a clean slate, and how do you determine it's clean?
I "knew" this question was coming:D
Don't worry about my belief. You have Jesus. You just follow His rules and be safe.
No need for you to question me if my belief is working for me. It's my belief.
I have my Master, and follow His rules. So I know if my slate is clean.
 
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nPeace

Veteran Member
I "knew" this question was coming:D
Don't worry about my belief. You have Jesus. You just follow His rules and be safe.
No need for you to question me if my belief is working for me. It's my belief.
I have my Master, and follow His rules. So I know if my slate is clean.
Okay... Mind reader. ;)
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
I think wisdom depends on one's ultimate goals in life. I dont think everyone lives the same realities. Religion has eternal motives, and the secular has only this life and only the cares of this life. Two divergent paths, two separate wisdoms. Although i dont think religious people are losing out on this life, rather, it means more.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Okay... Mind reader. ;)

I have been thinking about this word "Mind Reader". This implies that "I" do something = "reading Mind".
But that's not it. God is doing everything. He puts thoughts in my "Mind-stream". I do nothing.
And I am glad it works this way. How about privacy, if I could read minds?
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
I have been thinking about this word "Mind Reader". This implies that "I" do something = "reading Mind".
But that's not it. God is doing everything. He puts thoughts in my "Mind-stream". I do nothing.
And I am glad it works this way. How about privacy, if I could read minds?
Did you know I was going to ask, 'How do you know it's God put the thoughts in your mind?'
Just kidding. :D
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Did you know I was going to ask, 'How do you know it's God put the thoughts in your mind?'
Just kidding. :D
I almost blamed God forgetting to tell me this:D. Good you were kidding.

But "How do you know it's God put the thoughts in your mind?"
That's simple for me. I eat food and drink water. I can't digest myself, it just happens. And knowing the complexity of it, I call it God, and am grateful it works so well. Without digestion, no body, no mind, no thoughts possible. Hence God is the cause of everything related to my body. That is my belief.
 

ChanaR

Member
In the Tanakh (the Old Testament) "wise" was a euphemism for being a righteous person aka obedient to God, and "fool" was a euphemism for being wicked.

Personally I think wisdom is a little more than just being a good person. There's understanding how to be good in complicated situations where different moral laws conflict. And there are situations in life that have little to do with morality, such as trying to decide on a career or whether to marry this or that person, which take wisdom.
 
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