THE GREAT LIBRARY OF (COMPARITIVE) RELIGIOUS SCRIPTURES! 1 verse at a time!

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

Omg. I wrote so much funny stuff, it all got deleted because I pressed back! THAT IS IS ANNOYING! WHAT A WAY TO START THIS THREAD! ARGH!

Anyway, just imagine that I made a lot of great jokes and entertaining statements. This thread is going to try to write one verse per a lot of scriptures each, and you all can read them, comment, criticize, interpret, whatever, and you can even debate about what you end up thinking or feeling is really the best, most inspiring, most useful of all.

0. Hesiod followed by Orphic writings (H) (Kronus Sun Space):
Hesiod.
ttps://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/hesiod/index.htm#:~:text=Works%20and%20Days%20and%20the%20Theogony%20are%20the,of%20a%20poem%20called%20the%20Shield%20of%20Heracles.

1. The Bible including the New Testament, followed by Apocrypha and Gnostic works (B) (Zeus Jupiter Air):
Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages
ttps://biblehub.com/

2. The Qur'an followed by the Hadith collections like Bukhari and Muslim (Q) (Poseidon Moon Water):
IslamAwakened
ttps://www.islamawakened.com/

3. The Analects of Confucius (C) (Hades Saturn Earth):
The Internet Classics Archive | The Analects by Confucius
ttp://classics.mit.edu/Confucius/analects.html

4. The Avesta followed by later writings of the Zend or Zand (A) (Hermes Mercury Fire):
AVESTA: YASNA: Table of Contents
ttp://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/lib/avesta-org/yasna/yasna.htm

5. The Vedas and Upanishads (V) (Aphrodite Venus Growth):
http://cakravartin.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/vedas.pdf
ttp://cakravartin.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/vedas.pdf

6. The Sutta Pitaka of the Tipitaka and Jain works (S) (Apollo Mars Medicine/Elimination/Deconstruction):
Sutta Pitaka: The Basket of Suttas
ttps://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sutta.html

1.2. The Kojiki and Nihonshoki or Nihongi (N) (Air):
Shinto Documents
ttps://sacred-texts.com/shi/index.htm

2.2. The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Library (I for Ionian) (Water):
Homer (c.750 BC) - The Iliad: In translation
ttps://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Ilhome.php

3.2. The Poetic Edda and Prose Edda (E) (Earth):
The Poetic Edda Index
ttps://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/index.htm

4.2. The Dhammapada (D) (Mercury):
http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Dhammapada.html
ttp://www.fullbooks.com/The-Dhammapada.html

5.2. The Mahayana Sutras (M) (Venus):
A Complete Buddhist Sutra Collection
ttp://buddhasutra.com/

6.2. The Bhagavad Gita (K) (Mars):
The BHAGAVAD-GITA in English
ttp://www.bhagavad-gita.org/index-english.html

0.7. Dao De Jing and Zhuang Zi (T) (Kronus, Sun, Space):
Taoist Scriptures - Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing), Chuang Tzu, Wen Tzu
ttp://www.edepot.com/taotext.html


14 groups of writings, from the following religions:
0.H Hesiodic and Orphic Hellenic Beliefs (Written before the Septuagint Bible but after the Iliad supposedly)
1.B Judeo-Christianity from The Biblical Works (Greek language focused)
2.Q Islam from the Qur'an and later writings (written before the Masoretic Bible)
3.C Confucian and Chinese beliefs that are not Taoist
4.A Zoroastrianism which may have influenced the "Abrahamic" religions
5.V Vedic Religion which would later influence the "Dharmic" religions after it
6.S Buddhism and Jainism (Jainism appears to have been before Buddhism but is less influential currently)
1.2.N Japanese Religion and Shintoism
2.2.I Greek Religions and Cults separate from Hesiodic beliefs and Orphic religion
3.2.E Germanic Religions, in particular the Norse Religion or Religion of Vikings possibly
4.2.D General Popular Buddhism
5.2.M Mahayana Buddhism
6.2.K Popular Hinduism
0.7.T Taoism
AI1.J The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints or Mormonism
AI2.B Bahai
AI3.G Sikhism
AI4.P Popular Catholicism
AI5.R Popular English Christianity and Protestantism
AI6.U Masonic Religions, Thelema, and "New Religions"
AI0.7.ASL Satanism (Astaroth, Satan, Lucifer)

21 ideologies and belief systems roughly! Maybe less, maybe more included!

Some of the religions are given extra separate sections so that we can get to the content faster and compare multiple scriptures simultaneously.

Which do you subscribe to so far? Should I include (or might you include) some others you would like to put the matching "first, second, third" verses in for as I begin and continue?

I tried to cover the well known religions, and did not include some for this overwhelming list, which I thought I should possibly.

So lets add 3 more as Post-Islamic, Islam influenced scriptures, even the Joseph Smith one seemed to have an awareness of Muhammed and makes mention of him in some writings or comments mentioning Muhammed by some of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints people:

AI1. Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon and other writings (J):
The Book of Mormon, by The Hand of Mormon
ttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/17/17-h/17-h.htm

AI2. Bahai's Kitab-i-Aqdas of Baha'u'llah and other works (B):
https://www.bahai.org/library/autho...ah/kitab-i-aqdas/kitab-i-aqdas.xhtml?634a96fd
ttps://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-aqdas/kitab-i-aqdas.xhtml?634a96fd

AI3. Sikhism's Guru Granth Sahib (G):
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Online : (In Hindi, English & Spanish)
ttp://igurudwara.com/guru-granth-sahib/?pid=359

"One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear.
No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace" (just checking if it lets me copy paste)

Why not take it to twenty, with 2 very influential texts (even though they are sort of considered fictional but also taken very seriously and basically believed by many throughout history in one way or another), and a third one representing the beginning of the New Age of Scriptures?

AI4. Dante's Comedy (P):
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-h/8800-h.htm
ttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-h/8800-h.htm

AI5. Milton's Paradise Lost and Regained followed by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (R):
https://www.paradiselost.org/8-Search-All.html
ttps://www.paradiselost.org/8-Search-All.html

AI6. Urantia Book followed by the Thelema writings by Aleister Crowley and Albert Pike's writing (U):
https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/read-urantia-book-online
ttps://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/read-urantia-book-online

and lets top it off with the writing most likely closest to my own

AI0.7. The Satanic Bible and other Satanic writings (ASL for Anton Szandor LaVey, Howard Stanton to ASL):
https://interemodeus.com/blogs/house-of-liberation/the-satanic-bible-by-antonszandor-lavey-full-text
ttps://interemodeus.com/blogs/house-of-liberation/the-satanic-bible-by-antonszandor-lavey-full-text

Anyway! Even if I don't end up doing it, here is a collected resource for your learning benefit and enjoyment!

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

0.H Hesiodic and Orphic Hellenic Beliefs
1.B Judeo-Christianity
2.Q Islam
3.C Confucian and Chinese beliefs
4.A Zoroastrianism
5.V Vedic Religion
6.S Buddhism and Jainism
1.2.N Japanese Religion and Shintoism
2.2.I Greek Religions and Cults
3.2.E Germanic Religions
4.2.D General Popular Buddhism
5.2.M Mahayana Buddhism
6.2.K Popular Hinduism
0.7.T Taoism
AI1.J Mormonism
AI2.B Bahai
AI3.G Sikhism
AI4.P Popular Catholicism
AI5.R Popular Protestantism
AI6.U Masonic Religions
AI0.7.ASL Satanism

0.H Hesiodic and Orphic Hellenic Beliefs
Theogony
(ll. 1-25) From the Heliconian Muses let us begin to sing, who hold the great and holy mount of Helicon, and dance on soft feet about the deep-blue spring and the altar of the almighty son of Cronos, and, when they have washed their tender bodies in Permessus or in the Horse's Spring or Olmeius, make their fair, lovely dances upon highest Helicon and move with vigorous feet. Thence they arise and go abroad by night, veiled in thick mist, and utter their song with lovely voice, praising Zeus the aegis- holder and queenly Hera of Argos who walks on golden sandals and the daughter of Zeus the aegis-holder bright-eyed Athene, and Phoebus Apollo, and Artemis who delights in arrows, and Poseidon the earth-holder who shakes the earth, and reverend Themis and quick-glancing (1) Aphrodite, and Hebe with the crown of gold, and fair Dione, Leto, Iapetus, and Cronos the crafty counsellor, Eos and great Helius and bright Selene, Earth too, and great Oceanus, and dark Night, and the holy race of all the other deathless ones that are for ever. And one day they taught Hesiod glorious song while he was shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon, and this word first the goddesses said to me -- the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who holds the aegis:

1.B Judeo-Christianity
Genesis
ttp://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Genesis/index.htm
Bible
Genesis
1:1 In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. 2 But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water. 3 And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 4 And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided between the light and the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

2.Q Islam
Quran in English - Clear and Easy to Read.
ttps://www.clearquran.com/001.html
1. In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
2. Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds.
3. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
5. It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help.
6. Guide us to the straight path.
7. The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided.

3.C Confucian and Chinese beliefs:
THE ANALECTS
BOOK I
On Learning�Miscellaneous Sayings:�
"To learn," said the Master, "and then to practise opportunely what one has learnt�does not this bring with it a sense of satisfaction?
"To have associates in study coming to one from distant parts�does not this also mean pleasure in store?
"And are not those who, while not comprehending all that is said, still remain not unpleased to hear, men of the superior order?"
A saying of the Scholar Yu:�
"It is rarely the case that those who act the part of true men in regard to their duty to parents and elder brothers are at the same time willing to turn currishly upon their superiors: it has never yet been the case that such as desire not to commit that offence have been men willing to promote anarchy or disorder.
"Men of superior mind busy themselves first in getting at the root of things; and when they have succeeded in this the right course is open to them. Well, are not filial piety and friendly subordination among brothers a root of that right feeling which is owing generally from man to man?"
The Master observed, "Rarely do we meet with the right feeling due from one man to another where there is fine speech and studied mien."
The Scholar Tsang once said of himself: "On three points I examine myself daily, viz., whether, in looking after other people's interests, I have not been acting whole-heartedly; whether, in my intercourse with friends, I have not been true; and whether, after teaching, I have not myself been practising what I have taught."
The Master once observed that to rule well one of the larger States meant strict attention to its affairs and conscientiousness on the part of the ruler; careful husbanding of its resources, with at the same time a tender care for the interests of all classes; and the employing of the masses in the public service at suitable seasons.
"Let young people," said he, "show filial piety at home, respectfulness towards their elders when away from home; let them be circumspect, be truthful; their love going out freely towards all, cultivating good-will to men. And if, in such a walk, there be time or energy left for other things, let them employ it in the acquisition of literary or artistic accomplishments."
The disciple Tsz-hi� said, "The appreciation of worth in men of worth, thus diverting the mind from lascivious desires�ministering to parents while one is the most capable of so doing�serving one's ruler when one is able to devote himself entirely to that object�being sincere in one's language in intercourse with friends: this I certainly must call evidence of learning, though others may say there has been 'no learning.'"

4.A Zoroastrianism
Avesta.org site map
ttp://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/lib/avesta-org/sitemap.htm
Holiness (Asha) is the best of all good:
it is also happiness.
Happy the man who is holy with perfect holiness!
I profess myself a Mazda-worshipper and a Zoroastrian, opposing the Daevas, accepting the Ahuric doctrine. For Hawan....
(Hawan Gah)
To Hawan, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Savanghi and Visya, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise.

2. To Fire, the son of Ahura Mazda. To you, O Fire, son of Ahura Mazda. With propitiation, for worship, adoration, propitiation, and praise.
3. 'Yatha Ahu Vairyo', the zaotar should say to me
'Atha ratush ashatchit hacha', the knowing Ashavan should say.
Ashem Vohu ...(3).
[URL='http://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/lib/avesta-org/ka/ka_part1.htm#ahunwar']Yatha Ahu Vairyo ... (2).

4. I praise good thoughts, good words, and good deeds and those that are to be thought, spoken, and done. I do accept all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. I do renounce all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.
5. I proffer to you, O Amesha Spentas, sacrifice and prayer, with thought, with word, with deed, with [my] being, with the very life of my body.
6. I praise Asha.
Ashem Vohu ...(3).
7. [=y1.23 = y3.24 = y14.4 = y27.12 = y62.12.]
8. ....
9. [=y22.24 = y24.29.]
10. [=y22.25 = y24.30.]
11. [=y22.26 = y24.31.]
12. [=y24.32.]
13. ....
15. [=y27.13.]
1. I announce (and) carry out (this Yasna) for the creator Ahura Mazda, the radiant and glorious, the greatest and the best, the most beautiful (?) (to our conceptions), the most firm, the wisest, and the one of all whose body is the most perfect, who attains His ends the most infallibly, because of his Asha, to him who disposes our minds aright, who sends His joy-creating grace afar; who made us, and has fashioned us, and who has nourished and protected us, who is the most bounteous Spirit![/URL]

5.V Vedic Religion

HYMN I. Agni.
I laud Agni, the chosen Priest, God, minister of sacrifice,
The Hotar, lavishest of wealth.
2 Worthy is Agni to be praised by living as by ancient seers :
He shall bring hitherward the Gods.
3 Through Agni man obtaineth wealth, yea, plenty waxing day
by day,
Most rich in heroes,' glorious.
4 Agni, the perfect sacrifice which thou eneompassest about
Verily goeth to the Gods.
5 May Agni, sapient-minded Priest, truthful, most gloriously great,
The God, come hither with the Gods.
6 Whatever blessing, Agni, thou- wilt grant unto thy worshipper,
That, Angiras, is indeed thy truth.
(6 Angiras : here a name of Agni. The Angirases appear to have been .
•regarded as a race of higher beings between Gods and men, the typical first
sacrifieers, whose ritual is the pattern which later priests must follow.)

6.S Buddhism and Jainism
Digha Nikaya
1. The Prime Net: Brahmajāla Sutta 1. Talk on Wanderers So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Rājagaha and Nālanda together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants. The wanderer Suppiya was also traveling along the same road, together with his pupil, the brahmin student Brahmadatta. Meanwhile, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other. Then the Buddha took up residence for the night in the royal resthouse in Ambalaṭṭhikā together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. And Suppiya and Brahmadatta did likewise. There too, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil kept on directly contradicting each other. Then several mendicants rose at the crack of dawn and sat together in the pavilion, where the topic of evaluation came up: “It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing how the diverse attitudes of sentient beings have been clearly comprehended by the Blessed One, 15 who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For this Suppiya criticizes the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, while his pupil Brahmadatta praises them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.” When the Buddha found out about this discussion on evaluation among the mendicants, he went to the pavilion, where he sat on the seat spread out and addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?” The mendicants told him what had happened, adding, “This was our conversation that was unfinished when the Buddha arrived.” “Mendicants, if others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves resentful, bitter, and exasperated. You’ll get angry and upset, which would be an obstacle for you alone. If others were to criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, and you got angry and upset, would you be able to understand whether they spoke well or poorly?” “No, sir.” “If others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should explain that what is untrue is in fact untrue: ‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false. There’s no such thing in us, it’s not found among us.’ If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves thrilled, elated, and excited. You’ll get thrilled, elated, and excited, which would be an obstacle for you alone. If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should acknowledge that what is true is in fact true: ‘This is why that’s true, this is why that’s correct. There is such a thing in us, it is found among us.’

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

1.2.N Japanese Religion and Shintoism
Kojiki
RECORDS OF ANCIENT MATTERS
[SECT. I.—THE BEGINNING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.]
The names of the Deities 1 that were born 2 in the Plain of High Heaven 3 when the Heaven and Earth began were the Deity Master-of-the-August-Centre-of-Heaven, 4 next the High-August-Producing-Wondrous Deity, 5 next the Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity. 6 These three Deities were all Deities born alone, and hid their persons. 7 The names of the Deities that were born next from a thing that sprouted up like unto a reed-shoot when the earth, 8 young and like unto floating oil, drifted about medusa-like, were the Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder Deity, 9 next the Heavenly-Eternally-Standing-Deity. 10 [16] These two Deities were likewise born alone, and hid their persons.

2.2.I Greek Religions and Cults
Iliad
Goddess, sing me the anger, of Achilles, Peleus’ son, that fatal anger that brought countless sorrows on the Greeks, and sent many valiant souls of warriors down to Hades, leaving their bodies as spoil for dogs and carrion birds: for thus was the will of Zeus brought to fulfilment. Sing of it from the moment when Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, that king of men, parted in wrath from noble Achilles.
Which of the gods set these two to quarrel? Apollo, the son of Leto and Zeus, angered by the king, brought an evil plague on the army, so that the men were dying, for the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses the priest. He it was who came to the swift Achaean ships, to free his daughter, bringing a wealth of ransom, carrying a golden staff adorned with the ribbons of far-striking Apollo, and called out to the Achaeans, above all to the two leaders of armies, those sons of Atreus: ‘Atreides, and all you bronze-greaved Achaeans, may the gods who live on Olympus grant you to sack Priam’s city, and sail back home in safety; but take this ransom, and free my darling child; show reverence for Zeus’s son, far-striking Apollo.’

3.2.E Germanic Religions
VOLUME I
LAYS OF THE GODS
p. xxx p. 1
VOLUSPO
The Wise-Woman's Prophecy
1. Hearing I ask | from the holy races,
From Heimdall's sons, | both high and low;
Thou wilt, Valfather, | that well I relate
Old tales I remember | of men long ago.
2. I remember yet | the giants of yore,
Who gave me bread | in the days gone by;
Nine worlds I knew, | the nine in the tree
With mighty roots | beneath the mold.
p. 4
3. Of old was the age | when Ymir lived;
Sea nor cool waves | nor sand there were;
Earth had not been, | nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap, | and grass nowhere.
4. Then Bur's sons lifted | the level land,
Mithgarth the mighty | there they made;
The sun from the south | warmed the stones of earth,
And green was the ground | with growing leeks.
5. The sun, the sister | of the moon, from the south
Her right hand cast | over heaven's rim;
No knowledge she had | where her home should be,
The moon knew not | what might was his,
The stars knew not | where their stations were.
p. 5
6. Then sought the gods | their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, | and council held;
Names then gave they | to noon and twilight,
Morning they named, | and the waning moon,
Night and evening, | the years to number.
7. At Ithavoll met | the mighty gods,
Shrines and temples | they timbered high;
Forges they set, and | they smithied ore,
Tongs they wrought, | and tools they fashioned.
8. In their dwellings at peace | they played at tables,
Of gold no lack | did the gods then know,--
Till thither came | up giant-maids three,
Huge of might, | out of Jotunheim.
p. 6
9. Then sought the gods | their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, | and council held,
To find who should raise | the race of dwarfs
Out of Brimir's blood | and the legs of Blain.
10. There was Motsognir | the mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs, | and Durin next;
Many a likeness | of men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth, | as Durin said.
11. Nyi and Nithi, | Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, | Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, | Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, | Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, | Ai, Mjothvitnir.
(Most of the names presumably had some definite significance, as Northri, Suthri, Austri, and Vestri ("North," "South", "East," and "West"), [fp. 7] Althjof ("Mighty Thief'), Mjothvitnir ("Mead-Wolf"), Gandalf ("Magic Elf'), Vindalf ("Wind Elf'), Rathwith ("Swift in Counsel"), Eikinskjaldi ("Oak Shield"), etc., but in many cases the interpretations are sheer guesswork.])
p. 7
12. Vigg and Gandalf) | Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin, | Thror, Vit and Lit,
Nyr and Nyrath,-- | now have I told--
Regin and Rathsvith-- | the list aright.
13. Fili, Kili, | Fundin, Nali,
Heptifili, | Hannar, Sviur,
Frar, Hornbori, | Fræg and Loni,
Aurvang, Jari, | Eikinskjaldi.
14. The race of the dwarfs | in Dvalin's throng
Down to Lofar | the list must I tell;
The rocks they left, | and through wet lands
They sought a home | in the fields of sand.
15. There were Draupnir | and Dolgthrasir,
Hor, Haugspori, | Hlevang, Gloin,
p. 8
Dori, Ori, | Duf, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, | Skafith, Ai.
16. Alf and Yngvi, | Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalar and Frosti, | Fith and Ginnar;
So for all time | shall the tale be known,
The list of all | the forbears of Lofar.
17. Then from the throng | did three come forth,
From the home of the gods, | the mighty and gracious;
Two without fate | on the land they found,
Ask and Embla, | empty of might.
18. Soul they had not, | sense they had not,
Heat nor motion, | nor goodly hue;
Soul gave Othin, | sense gave Hönir,
Heat gave Lothur | and goodly hue.
p. 9
19. An ash I know, | Yggdrasil its name,
With water white | is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews | that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well | does it ever grow.
20. Thence come the maidens | mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling | down 'neath the tree;
Urth is one named, | Verthandi the next,--
On the wood they scored,-- | and Skuld the third.
Laws they made there, and life allotted
To the sons of men, and set their fates.

4.2.D General Popular Buddhism
Dhammapada
Chapter I
The Twin-Verses
1. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is
founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel
follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
2. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is
founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a
shadow that never leaves him.
3. "He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,"--in those
who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease.
4. "He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,"--in those
who do not harbour such thoughts hatred will cease.
5. For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by
love, this is an old rule.
6. The world does not know that we must all come to an end here;--but
those who know it, their quarrels cease at once.
7. He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled,
immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mara (the tempter) will
certainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree.
8. He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well
controlled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will
certainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky
mountain.
9. He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed
himself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of
the yellow dress.
10. But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all
virtues, and regards also temperance and truth, he is indeed worthy of
the yellow dress.
11. They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never
arrive at truth, but follow vain desires.
12. They who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at
truth, and follow true desires.
13. As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break
through an unreflecting mind.
14. As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will
not break through a well-reflecting mind.
15. The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he
mourns in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil of his
own work.
16. The virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the
next; he delights in both. He delights and rejoices, when he sees the
purity of his own work.
17. The evil-doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next;
he suffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has
done; he suffers more when going on the evil path.
18. The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the
next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he
has done; he is still more happy when going on the good path.
19. The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion (of the
law), but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is
like a cowherd counting the cows of others.
20. The follower of the law, even if he can recite only a small
portion (of the law), but, having forsaken passion and hatred and
foolishness, possesses true knowledge and serenity of mind, he, caring
for nothing in this world or that to come, has indeed a share in the
priesthood.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

5.2.M Mahayana Buddhism
I, Ánanda, Live in the Fullness of Emptiness
Empty of Empty Habits
Not an Empty Habitat
A Little Spell of Emptiness
Translated from the Pali by Michael Olds
I hear tell:
Once Upon A Time, The Lucky Man, Savatthi-Town, East-Park, The Palace of Migara’s Mother came-a-visiting. At this time, Ánanda, just emerging from his afternoon’s sit down practice, went to the Teacher, greeted him, and sat down to one side. There he said:
Sir, at one time, The Lucky Man was residing among the Sakyans in the market town of Nagaraka, and I, also, was there. In that place, I recall having heard, learnt, studied, grasped, face-to-face with the Lucky Man, this statement made by him: "At this time, Ánanda, I reside in the fullness of emptiness." Did I hear this correctly?
Yes, Ánanda, you heard, learnt, studied, grasped this correctly. Previously, as well as now, I reside in the fullness of emptiness.
In the same way, Ánanda, as this Palace of Migara’s Mother [1] is empty of the disturbances of the city: empty of elephants, cows, horses, asses; empty of dealings with gold and silver; empty of groups of men and women, and there is only this that remains to disturb the emptiness: that is, the vibration emanating off the beggars here; in the same way, a beggar, paying no attention to the disturbances of the city, paying no attention to human beings, pays attention only to the vibration emanating off the forest. He takes to paying attention only to perception of the forest, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of the city. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of human beings. This way there is only that disturbance which emanates off perception of the forest." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of the city. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of human beings. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of the forest."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present; and, with regard to what remains, he understands that: ‘That being; this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to human beings, paying no attention to the forest, he takes to paying attention only to perception of earth, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
In the same way as he would regard a bull’s hide, stretched out to cure, held down by a hundred pegs, it’s life done gone; when he pays attention to earth, he does not think about anything on earth such as dry land or rivers or swamps or marshes with plants with branches and thorns or mountains or plains, but he only just pays attention to the vibration which emanates off perception of earth. He takes to paying attention only to perception of earth, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of human beings. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of the forest." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of human beings. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of the forest. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of earth."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present; and, with regard to what remains, he understands that: ‘That being; this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to the forest, paying no attention to earth, he takes to paying attention only to perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Space, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of the forest. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of earth." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of the forest. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of earth. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of the Sphere of Unlimited Space."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to earth, paying no attention to The Sphere of Unlimited Space, he takes to paying attention only to perception of the Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of earth. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Space." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of earth. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Space. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of the Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to The Sphere of Unlimited Space, paying no attention to The Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness, he takes to paying attention only to perception of The Sphere Where No Thing’s There, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Space. This way there is no disturbance emanating from the perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of the Sphere of Unlimited Space. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of the Sphere Where No Thing’s There."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to The Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness, paying no attention to The Sphere Where No Thing’s There, he takes to paying attention only to perception of The Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere Where No Thing’s There." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of the Sphere of Unlimited Consciousness. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from the perception of The Sphere Where No Thing’s There. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the vibration which emanates off perception of the Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to The Sphere Where No Thing’s There, paying no attention to The Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception, he takes to paying attention only to the mental High-Getting that is Sign-less, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere Where No Thing’s There. This way there is no disturbance emanating from perception of the Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception." Thus: "This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere Where No Thing’s There. This way is empty of disturbance emanating from perception of The Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness: that is, the six sense-realms bound to this body reacting to life."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And again, Ánanda, deeper than that, paying no attention to The Sphere Where No Thing’s There, paying no attention to The Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non Perception, he takes to paying attention only to the mental High-Getting that is Sign-less, and cleans out, tidies up and liberates his mind.
He understands: "This Mental High-Getting that is Sign-less is something that has been constructed, thought out. Whatever has been constructed or thought out is subject to change and coming to an end." Knowing and seeing this, his heart is free from the grip of sense pleasures, his heart is freed from the grip of living, his mind is free from the grip of blindness. In Freedom comes the knowledge of Freedom, and he knows: "Left Behind is Rebirth, Lived is the Best of Lives, Done is Duty’s Doing, Crossed over Am I; No More It’n and At’n for Me!"
He understands: "This way there is no disturbance emanating from the grip of sense pleasures. This way there is no disturbance emanating from the grip of living. This way there is no disturbance emanating from the grip of blindness." Thus: "This way is empty of the disturbance emanating from the grip of sense pleasures. This way is empty of the disturbance emanating from the grip of living. This way is empty of the disturbance emanating from the grip of blindness. This way there is only this that disturbs the emptiness, that is the six sense-realms bound to this body reacting to life."
In this way he regards that which is present as empty of that which is not present, and, with regard to what remains, he understands that ‘That being, this is.’
Thus, Ánanda, there is in the case of this case, a sitting-down-to-empty-out that results in surpassing purity.
And, Ánanda, all those Shamen or Brahmen of the long distant past who attained the highest surpassing purity of emptiness and made it a habitat, all of them did so by attaining this same highest surpassing purity of emptiness and making it a habitat.
And, Ánanda, all those Shamen or Brahmen who in the far distant future will attain the highest surpassing purity of emptiness and make it a habitat, all of them will do so by attaining this same highest surpassing purity of emptiness and making it a habitat.
And, Ánanda, all those Shamen or Brahmen who at present are able to attain the highest surpassing purity of emptiness and make it a habitat, all of them do so by attaining this same highest surpassing purity of emptiness and making it a habitat.
Wherefore, Ánanda, train yourself this way: "I will attain the highest surpassing purity of emptiness and make a habitat of that."

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

6.2.K Popular Hinduism
The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Bhagavad-Gita
ttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/2388/2388-h/2388-h.htm#chap01
Dhritirashtra:
Ranged thus for battle on the sacred plain--
On Kurukshetra--say, Sanjaya! say
What wrought my people, and the Pandavas?
Sanjaya:
When he beheld the host of Pandavas,
Raja Duryodhana to Drona drew,
And spake these words: "Ah, Guru! see this line,
How vast it is of Pandu fighting-men,
Embattled by the son of Drupada,
Thy scholar in the war! Therein stand ranked
Chiefs like Arjuna, like to Bhima chiefs,
Benders of bows; Virata, Yuyudhan,
Drupada, eminent upon his car,
Dhrishtaket, Chekitan, Kasi's stout lord,
Purujit, Kuntibhoj, and Saivya,
With Yudhamanyu, and Uttamauj
Subhadra's child; and Drupadi's;-all famed!
All mounted on their shining chariots!
On our side, too,--thou best of Brahmans! see
Excellent chiefs, commanders of my line,
Whose names I joy to count: thyself the first,
Then Bhishma, Karna, Kripa fierce in fight,
Vikarna, Aswatthaman; next to these
Strong Saumadatti, with full many more
Valiant and tried, ready this day to die
For me their king, each with his weapon grasped,
Each skilful in the field. Weakest-meseems-
Our battle shows where Bhishma holds command,
And Bhima, fronting him, something too strong!
Have care our captains nigh to Bhishma's ranks
Prepare what help they may! Now, blow my shell!"


0.7.T Taoism
Hansen's authentic seeming atypical translation
Tao Te Ching - Translated by C. Hansen
ttp://www.edepot.com/tao5.html
To guide what can be guided is not constant guiding.
To name what can be named is not constant naming.
'Not-exist' names the beginning (boundary) of the cosmos (Heaven and earth)
'Exists' names the mother of the ten-thousand natural kinds .
Thus, to treat 'not-exist' as constant is desiring to use it to view its mysteries.
To treat 'exists' as constant is desiring to use it to view its manifestations.
These two emerge together yet have different names.
'Together'--call that 'obscure. ' 'Obscure' it and it is more obscure.
. . . the gateway of a crowd of mysteries.

AI1.J Mormonism
1 Nephi 1 Chapter 1
1 Nephi 1:1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was
taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen
many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having
been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God,
therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
1 Nephi 1:2
2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which
consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the
Egyptians.
1 Nephi 1:3
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it
with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
1 Nephi 1:4
4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of
the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having
dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there
came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must
repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
1 Nephi 1:5
5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went
forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in
behalf of his people.
1 Nephi 1:6
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a
pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and
heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he
did quake and tremble exceedingly.
1 Nephi 1:7
7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at
Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with
the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
1 Nephi 1:8
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away
in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he
saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless
concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising
their God.
1 Nephi 1:9
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the
midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of
the sun at noon-day.
1 Nephi 1:10
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their
brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
1 Nephi 1:11
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth;
and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him
a book, and bade him that he should read.
1 Nephi 1:12
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the
Spirit of the Lord.
1 Nephi 1:13
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen
thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read
concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the
inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many
should be carried away captive into Babylon.
1 Nephi 1:14
14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen
many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto
the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God
Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth,
and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who
come unto thee that they shall perish!
1 Nephi 1:15
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the
praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole
heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea,
which the Lord had shown unto him.
1 Nephi 1:16
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things
which my father hath written, for he hath written many things
which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written
many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of
which I shall not make a full account.
1 Nephi 1:17
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days.
Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon
plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I
have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account
of mine own life.
1 Nephi 1:18
18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord
had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea,
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth
among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them
concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
1 Nephi 1:19
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the
things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of
their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that
the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he
read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the
Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
1 Nephi 1:20
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with
him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast
out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that
they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto
you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom
he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even
unto the power of deliverance.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

AI2.B Bahai
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas
In the name of Him Who is the Supreme Ruler over all that hath been and all that is to be
1The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behooveth everyone who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.

AI3.G Sikhism
http://gurbanifiles.net/translations/English Translation of Siri Guru Granth Sahib.pdf
ttp://gurbanifiles.net/translations/English%20Translation%20of%20Siri%20Guru%20Granth%20Sahib.pdf
-1- ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. THE NAME IS TRUTH. CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED. IMAGE OF THE UNDYING, BEYOND BIRTH, SELF-EXISTENT. BY GURU’S GRACE ~ CHANT AND MEDITATE: TRUE IN THE PRIMAL BEGINNING. TRUE THROUGHOUT THE AGES. TRUE HERE AND NOW. O NANAK, FOREVER AND EVER TRUE. || 1 || By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times. By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained, even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within. The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by piling up loads of worldly goods. Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even one of them will go along with you in the end. So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away? O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. || 1 || By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described. By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained. By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained. Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever. Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command. O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego. || 2 || Some sing of His Power—who has that Power? Some sing of His Gifts, and know His Sign and Insignia. Some sing of His Glorious Virtues, Greatness and Beauty. Some sing of knowledge obtained of Him, through difficult philosophical studies. Some sing that He fashions the body, and then again reduces it to dust. Some sing that He takes life away, and then again restores it.

AI4.P Popular Catholicism
IN the midway of this our mortal life,
I found me in a gloomy wood, astray
Gone from the path direct: and e'en to tell
It were no easy task, how savage wild
That forest, how robust and rough its growth,
Which to remember only, my dismay
Renews, in bitterness not far from death.
Yet to discourse of what there good befell,
All else will I relate discover'd there.
How first I enter'd it I scarce can say,
Such sleepy dullness in that instant weigh'd
My senses down, when the true path I left,
But when a mountain's foot I reach'd, where clos'd
The valley, that had pierc'd my heart with dread,
I look'd aloft, and saw his shoulders broad
Already vested with that planet's beam,
Who leads all wanderers safe through every way.

Then was a little respite to the fear,
That in my heart's recesses deep had lain,
All of that night, so pitifully pass'd:
And as a man, with difficult short breath,
Forespent with toiling, 'scap'd from sea to shore,
Turns to the perilous wide waste, and stands
At gaze; e'en so my spirit, that yet fail'd
Struggling with terror, turn'd to view the straits,
That none hath pass'd and liv'd. My weary frame
After short pause recomforted, again
I journey'd on over that lonely steep,

The hinder foot still firmer. Scarce the ascent
Began, when, lo! a panther, nimble, light,
And cover'd with a speckled skin, appear'd,
Nor, when it saw me, vanish'd, rather strove
To check my onward going; that ofttimes
With purpose to retrace my steps I turn'd.

The hour was morning's prime, and on his way
Aloft the sun ascended with those stars,
That with him rose, when Love divine first mov'd
Those its fair works: so that with joyous hope
All things conspir'd to fill me, the gay skin
Of that swift animal, the matin dawn
And the sweet season. Soon that joy was chas'd,
And by new dread succeeded, when in view
A lion came, 'gainst me, as it appear'd,

With his head held aloft and hunger-mad,
That e'en the air was fear-struck. A she-wolf
Was at his heels, who in her leanness seem'd
Full of all wants, and many a land hath made
Disconsolate ere now. She with such fear
O'erwhelmed me, at the sight of her appall'd,
That of the height all hope I lost. As one,
Who with his gain elated, sees the time
When all unwares is gone, he inwardly
Mourns with heart-griping anguish; such was I,
Haunted by that fell beast, never at peace,
Who coming o'er against me, by degrees
Impell'd me where the sun in silence rests.

While to the lower space with backward step
I fell, my ken discern'd the form one of one,
Whose voice seem'd faint through long disuse of speech.
When him in that great desert I espied,
"Have mercy on me!" cried I out aloud,
"Spirit! or living man! what e'er thou be!"



AI5.R Popular Protestantism
~ BOOK I ~

1. • 
     Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
   • Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
   • Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
   • With loss of Eden, till one greater man
   • Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
   • Sing heavenly muse, that on the secret top
   • Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
   • That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed,
   • In the beginning how the heavens and earth
   • Rose out of chaos: Or if Sion hill
   • Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flowed
   • Fast by the oracle of God; I thence
   • Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song,
   • That with no middle flight intends to soar
   • Above the Aonian mount, while it pursues
   • Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.
   • And chiefly thou Oh spirit, that dost prefer
   • Before all temples the upright heart and pure,
   • Instruct me, for thou knowest; thou from the first
   • Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
   • Dove-like satst brooding on the vast abyss
   • And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark
   • Illumine, what is low raise and support;
   • That to the heighth of this great argument
   • I may assert eternal providence,
   • And justify the ways of God to men.

AI6.U Masonic Religions
The Urantia Book
Paper 1
The Universal Father
1:0.1 (21.1) THE Universal Father is the God of all creation, the First Source and Center of all things and beings. First think of God as a creator, then as a controller, and lastly as an infinite upholder. The truth about the Universal Father had begun to dawn upon mankind when the prophet said: “You, God, are alone; there is none beside you. You have created the heaven and the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts; you preserve and control them. By the Sons of God were the universes made. The Creator covers himself with light as with a garment and stretches out the heavens as a curtain.” Only the concept of the Universal Father—one God in the place of many gods—enabled mortal man to comprehend the Father as divine creator and infinite controller.

1:0.2 (21.2) The myriads of planetary systems were all made to be eventually inhabited by many different types of intelligent creatures, beings who could know God, receive the divine affection, and love him in return. The universe of universes is the work of God and the dwelling place of his diverse creatures. “God created the heavens and formed the earth; he established the universe and created this world not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited.”

1:0.3 (21.3) The enlightened worlds all recognize and worship the Universal Father, the eternal maker and infinite upholder of all creation. The will creatures of universe upon universe have embarked upon the long, long Paradise journey, the fascinating struggle of the eternal adventure of attaining God the Father. The transcendent goal of the children of time is to find the eternal God, to comprehend the divine nature, to recognize the Universal Father. God-knowing creatures have only one supreme ambition, just one consuming desire, and that is to become, as they are in their spheres, like him as he is in his Paradise perfection of personality and in his universal sphere of righteous supremacy. From the Universal Father who inhabits eternity there has gone forth the supreme mandate, “Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.” In love and mercy the messengers of Paradise have carried this divine exhortation down through the ages and out through the universes, even to such lowly animal-origin creatures as the human races of Urantia.

1:0.4 (22.1) This magnificent and universal injunction to strive for the attainment of the perfection of divinity is the first duty, and should be the highest ambition, of all the struggling creature creation of the God of perfection. This possibility of the attainment of divine perfection is the final and certain destiny of all man’s eternal spiritual progress.

1:0.5 (22.2) Urantia mortals can hardly hope to be perfect in the infinite sense, but it is entirely possible for human beings, starting out as they do on this planet, to attain the supernal and divine goal which the infinite God has set for mortal man; and when they do achieve this destiny, they will, in all that pertains to self-realization and mind attainment, be just as replete in their sphere of divine perfection as God himself is in his sphere of infinity and eternity. Such perfection may not be universal in the material sense, unlimited in intellectual grasp, or final in spiritual experience, but it is final and complete in all finite aspects of divinity of will, perfection of personality motivation, and God-consciousness.

1:0.6 (22.3) This is the true meaning of that divine command, “Be you perfect, even as I am perfect,” which ever urges mortal man onward and beckons him inward in that long and fascinating struggle for the attainment of higher and higher levels of spiritual values and true universe meanings. This sublime search for the God of universes is the supreme adventure of the inhabitants of all the worlds of time and space.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

AI0.7.ASL Satanism
PROLOGUE
The gods of the right-hand path have bickered and quarreled for an entire age of earth. Each
of these deities and their respective priests and ministers have attempted to find wisdom in
their own lies. The ice age of religious thought can last but a limited time in this great scheme
of human existence. The gods of wisdom- defiled have had their saga, and their millerinium
hath become as reality. Each, with his own "divine" path to paradise, hath accused the other of
heresies and spiritual indiscretions. The Ring of the Nibelungen doth carry an everlasting
curse, but only because those who seek it think in terms of "Good" and "Evil" - themselves
being at all times "Good". The gods of the past have become as their own devils in order to
live. Feebly, their ministers play the devil's game to fill their tabernacles and pay the
mortgages on their temples. Alas, too long have they studied "righteousness", and poor and
incompetent devils they make. So they all join hands in "brotherly" unity, and in their
desperation go to Valhalla for their last great ecumenical council. "Draweth near in the gloom
the twilight of the gods." The ravens of night have flown forth to summon Loki, who hath set
Valhalla aflame with the searing trident of the Inferno. The twilight is done. A glow of new
light is borne out of the night and Lucifer is risen, once more to proclaim: "This is the age of
Satan! Satan Rules the Earth!" The gods of the unjust are dead. This is the morning of magic,
and undefiled wisdom. The flesh prevaileth and a great Church shall be builded, consecrated
in its name. No longer shall man's salvation be dependent on his self-denial. And it will be
known that the world of the flesh and the living shall be the greatest preparation for any and
all eternal delights!
REGIE SATANAS!
AVE SATANAS!
HAIL SATAN!
THE
NINE
SATANIC
STATEMENTS
1 . Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5 . Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic
vampires!
7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than
those that walk on all- fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual
development", has become the most vicious animal of all!
8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or
emotional gratification!
9. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all
these years!
(FIRE)
THE BOOK OF SATAN
THE INFERNAL DIATRIBE
The first book of the Satanic Bible is not an attempt to blaspheme as much as it is a statement
of what might be termed "diabolical indignation". The Devil has been attacked by the men of
God relentlessly and without reservation. Never has there been an opportunity, short of
fiction, for the Dark Prince to speak out in the same manner as the spokesmen of the Lord of
the Righteous. The pulpit- pounders of the past have been free to define "good" and "evil" as
they see fit, and have gladly smashed into oblivion any who disagree with their lies - both
verbally and, at times, physically. Their talk of "charity", when applied to His Infernal
Majesty, becomes an empty sham - and most unfairly, too, considering the obvious fact that
without their Satanic foe their very religions would collapse. How sad, that the allegorical
personage most responsible for the success of spiritual religions is shown the least amount of
charity and the most consistent abuse - and by those who most unctuously preach the rules of
fair play! For all the centuries of shouting- down the Devil has received, he has never shouted
back at his detractors. He has remained the gentleman at all times, while those he supports
rant and rave. He has shown himself to be a model of deportment, but now he feels it is time
to shout back. He has decided it is finally time to receive his due. Now the ponderous rule-
books of hypocrisy are no longer needed. In order to relearn the Law of the Jungle, a small,
slim diatribe will do. Each verse is an inferno. Each word is a tongue of fire. The flames of
Hell bum fierce . . . and purify! Read on and learn the Law.
THE
BOOK OF
SATAN
I
1 . In this arid wilderness of steel and stone I raise up my voice that you may hear. To the
East and to the West I beckon. To the North and to the South I show a sign
proclaiming: Death to the weakling, wealth to the strong!
2. Open your eyes that you may see, Oh men of mildewed minds, and listen to me ye
bewildered millions!
3. For I stand forth to challenge the wisdom of the world; to interrogate the "laws" of
man and of "God"!
4. I request reason for your golden rule and ask the why and wherefore of your ten
commandments.
5. Before none of your printed idols do I bend in acquiescence, and he who saith "thou
shalt" to me is my mortal foe!
6. I dip my forefinger in the watery blood of your impotent mad redeemer, and write
over his thorn- torn brow: The true prince of evil - the king of slaves!
7. No hoary falsehood shall be a truth to me; no stifling dogma shall encramp my pen!
8. I break away from all conventions that do not lead to my earthly success and
happiness.
9. I raise up in stem invasion the standard of the strong!
10. 1 gaze into the glassy eye of your fearsome Jehovah, and pluck him by the beard; I
uplift a broad- axe, and split open his worm-eaten skull!
1 1 . 1 blast out the ghastly contents of philosophically whited sepulchers and laugh with
sardonic wrath!

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

THE
BOOK OF
SATAN
II
1 . Behold the crucifix; what does it symbolize? Pallid incompetence hanging on a tree.
2. I question all things. As I stand before the festering and varnished facades of your
haughtiest moral dogmas, I write thereon in letters of blazing scorn: Lo and behold; all
this is fraud!
3. Gather around me, Oh! ye death- defiant, and the earth itself shall be thine, to have and
to hold!
4. Too long the dead hand has been permitted to sterilize living thought!
5 . Too long right and wrong, good and evil have been inverted by false prophets !
6. No creed must be accepted upon authority of a "divine" nature. Religions must be put
to the question. No moral dogma must be taken for granted - no standard of
measurement deified. There is nothing inherently sacred about moral codes. Like the
wooden idols of long ago, they are the work of human hands, and what man has made,
man can destroy!
7. He that is slow to believe anything and everything is of great understanding, for belief
in one false principle is the begiririing of all unwisdom.
8. The chief duty of every new age is to upraise new men to determine its liberties, to
lead it towards material success - to rend the rusty padlocks and chains of dead custom
that always prevent healthy expansion. Theories and ideas that may have meant life
and hope and freedom for our ancestors may now mean destruction, slavery, and
dishonor to us!
9. As environments change, no human ideal standeth sure!
10. Whenever, therefore, a he has built unto itself a throne, let it be assailed without pity
and without regret, for under the domination of an inconvenient falsehood, no one can
prosper.
1 1 . Let established sophisms be dethroned, rooted out, burnt and destroyed, for they are a
standing menace to all true nobility of thought and action!
12. Whatever alleged "truth" is proven by results to be but an empty fiction, let it be
unceremoniously flung into the outer darkness, among the dead gods, dead empires,
dead philosophies, and other useless lumber and wreckage!
13. The most dangerous of all enthroned lies is the holy, the sanctified, the privileged he -
the he everyone believes to be a model truth. It is the fruitful mother of all other
popular errors and delusions. It is a hydra-headed tree of unreason with a thousand
roots. It is a social cancer!
14. The he that is known to be a he is half eradicated, but the he that even intelligent
persons accept as fact - the he that has been inculcated in a hide child at its mother's
knee - is more dangerous to contend against than a creeping pestilence!
15. Popular lies have ever been the most potent enemies of personal liberty. There is only
one way to deal with them: Cut them out, to the very core, just as cancers. Exteiminate
them root and branch. Aririihilate them, or they will us!
THE
BOOK OF
SATAN
III
1. "Love one another" it has been said is the supreme law, but what power made it so?
Upon what rational authority does the gospel of love rest? Why should I not hate mine
enemies - if I "love" them does that not place me at their mercy?
2. Is it natural for enemies to do good unto each other - and what is good?
3 . Can the torn and bloody victim "love" the blood- splashed jaws that rend him limb
from limb?
4. Are we not all predatory animals by instinct? If humans ceased wholly from preying
upon each other, could they continue to exist?
5. Is not "lust and carnal desire" a more truthful term to describe "love" when applied to
the continuance of the race? Is not the "love" of the fawning scriptures simply a
euphemism for sexual activity, or was the "great teacher" a glorifier of eunuchs?
6. Love your enemies and do good to them that hate and use you - is this not the
despicable philosophy of the spaniel that rolls upon its back when kicked?
7. Hate your enemies with a whole heart, and if a man smite you on one cheek, smash him
on the other!; smite him hip and thigh, for self-preservation is the highest law!
8 . He who turns the other cheek is a cowardly dog !
9. Give blow for blow, scorn for scorn, doom for doom - with compound interest
liberally added thereunto! Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, aye four- fold, a hundred- fold!
Make yourself a Terror to your adversary, and when he goeth his way, he will possess
much additional wisdom to ruminate over. Thus shall you make yourself respected in
all the walks of life, and your spirit - your immortal spirit - shall live, not in an
intangible paradise, but in the brains and sinews of those whose respect you have
gained.
THE
BOOK OF
SATAN
IV
1 . Life is the great indulgence - death, the great abstinence. Therefore, make the most of
life - HERE AND NOW !
2. There is no heaven of glory bright, and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is
our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! Here and now is our opportunity!
Choose ye this day, this hour, for no redeemer liveth!
3. Say unto thine own heart, "I am mine own redeemer."
4. Stop the way of them that would persecute you. Let those who devise thine undoing be
hurled back to confusion and infamy. Let them be as chaff before the cyclone and after
they have fallen rejoice in thine own salvation.
5. Then all thy bones shall say pridefully, "Who is like unto me? Have I not been too
strong for mine adversaries? Have I not delivered myself by mine own brain and
THE
BOOK OF
SATAN
V
1 . Blessed are the strong, for they shall possess the earth - Cursed are the weak, for they
shall inherit the yoke!
2. Blessed are the powerful, for they shall be reverenced among men - Cursed are the
feeble, for they shall be blotted out!
3. Blessed are the bold, for they shall be masters of the world - Cursed are the
righteously humble, for they shall be trodden under cloven hoofs!
4. Blessed are the victorious, for victory is the basis of right - Cursed are the vanquished,
for they shall be vassals forever!
5. Blessed are the iron-handed, for the unfit shall flee before them - Cursed are the poor
in spirit, for they shall be spat upon!
6. Blessed are the death- defiant, for their days shall be long in the land - Cursed are the
gazers toward a richer life beyond the grave, for they shall perish amidst plenty!
7. Blessed are the destroyers of false hope, for they are the true Messiahs - Cursed are the
god- adorers, for they shall be shorn sheep!
8. Blessed are the valiant, for they shall obtain great treasure - Cursed are the believers in
good and evil, for they are frightened by shadows!
9. Blessed are those that believe in what is best for them, for never shall their minds be
terrorized - Cursed are the "lambs of God", for they shall be bled whiter than snow!
10. Blessed is the man who has a sprinkling of enemies, for they shall make him a hero -
Cursed is he who doeth good unto others who sneer upon him in return, for he shall be
despised!
1 1 . Blessed are the mighty- minded, for they shall ride the whirlwinds - Cursed are they
who teach lies for truth and truth for lies, for they are an abomination!
12. Thrice cursed are the weak whose insecurity makes them vile, for they shall serve and
suffer!
13. The angel of self-deceit is camped in the souls of the "righteous" - The eternal flame
of power through joy dwelleth within the flesh of the Satanist!

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

Wow! So, those probably aren't just the "first verse" but a bunch of verses in chunks, which was easier for me to copy paste and keep track of.

Please let me know when you have completed reading all that and what you thought of each.

Just from the "beginnings" of each, which ones seemed to grab you the most or seemed most enjoyable? Which ones seemed most annoying or difficult to follow? Which ones seemed pointless, which ones like lies?

This is ROUND 1 Ding Ding!

I gave some other pieces an advantage possibly for the first round, since I copy pasted a lot more in some cases than others, and in other cases, the way what was available to me was structured was a little bit messy, like the Analects and the Mahayana Buddhist Sutras (which in the case of the Mahayana Buddhist Sutras are on the website somewhat alphabetically or something).

So in the case of some of these, they might start building up or producing more information as they progress, if I even continue this project at all! For now though, we can discuss this very large amount of collected text above, which should be enough to debate over for a little while.

My suggestion is that whatever is likeable, take it, use it to the best of your ability, enjoy it, love it, have fun with it, there is no need to even pick and choose, and what you don't like, or can't find any use for, feel free to put it aside!

Personally, I consider most of these scriptures or writings all part of our human heritage, all "mine" legitimately, but there are some which are really cumbersome and annoying for me. I've read all these scriptures before, and the religions or scriptures (listed here) that I like least are (from least liked first):

1. The Book of Mormon and Mormonism plus Mormon Theology
2. The Bible, which very rapidly degenerates into some of the worst things I have ever heard, and I similarly tend to strongly dislike Canaanite myths as well mainly, like drunken El and fiesty Baal battles and just annoyingness in every direction. The Book of Mormon is inspired by and trying to connect itself to such things, but the Jewish theology (of today) is better than the Mormon theology (of today).
2. Bahai stuff, which so far seems too talkative and wory (lol you'd think I'd like that huh!) (this is one I haven't read through most any of their stuff yet, but there is a tendency in almost all stuff from out of Persia to, pardon the expression, blather on) and there are other texts which are from Iran which are these super long and terribly annoying seeming prayers which sound like endless complaints, and none of it is to my taste at all. It may be notable that both these two annoying texts for me are out of the 1800s. Bahai have nice ideas maybe (somewhere) but not anything that we haven't heard before or seemingly more beautifully in other writings. I much prefer the writings in the Guru Granth Sahib which are far more enlightening and powerful seeming than what I've read so far of "The Holiest Book of the Bahai" unfortunately, so keep a close eye on those two Post-Islamic texts as they compete with each other, and I think the Guru Granth Sahib will stand out as the more beautiful and sophisticated than the Bahai writing, and it was written hundreds of years earlier I think. Hundreds of years after the Qur'an, and hundreds of years before the Bahai writing. It looks almost like Joseph Smith and Baha'u'llah were literally trying to imitate flourishes and certain language elements of the scriptures they were each familiar with, namely the English language Bible and the Arabic Qur'an in the case of Baha'u'llah. It might have been more impressive seeming had they come up with some totally unique style that isn't the same as things before them, making them look like poor imitators a few centuries or millennia late.
4. The Analects, I almost didn't even place them there since they were seemingly so badly organized. They are reminiscent to me of perhaps the Biblical "Proverbs". I like Chinese religion, but they need to give it a better treatment, and Taoism in my view far exceeds Confucian codes which seem to not really be focused so much on spirituality exactly, or the spirituality seems mainly assumed more or understood already so that it isn't elaborated upon as much as some of these other texts seem to write a lot about the cosmology and miracles and mysticism and all that.
4. The Buddhist Suttas
I could've really put the Buddhist writings at an immediate disadvantage by showing the "Rules for Monks" which start off the Tipitaka, but instead thought that matching it up more to the other scriptures would make the Suttas as a starting point the more fitting selection. Even so, the style of the Buddhist suttas, with painfully specific repetition of sentences and repeating things as carefully as possible, can really be brain crushing when you go through it a lot and they are having trouble getting past one little area or idea by repeating entire lines like a "on the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me" and then going through the entire list, over and over. Very nauseating.

Some of the outstanding texts I think might be The Guru Granth Sahib and Urantia Book, both of which aren't very well known by the rest of the World.

The Qur'an is organized supposedly mainly by the lengths of the writings inside, and with a prayer placed in the beginning as "The Opening", but as soon as it gets to "The Cow" which is the second Surah but really the beginning of the rest of the book and maybe the longest Surah (chapter, partition, or section) in it, it is immediately involving and engaging.

The Septuagint or Bible was commissioned I think as a compilation of the "Jewish History and Lore" under the reign of Ptolemy or someone like that, and the other collections that aren't really too different and are collections of cultural History and Lore are the Eddas and the Shinto writings, and in some ways even Hesiod's Theogony might be considered that as well, and each of these seem to pretty early on try to "start at the beginning" or discuss lots of cosmological things step by step almost immediately, whereas the Qur'an does not do that, nor do many of the others, so it may be worth noting also what these books seem to be doing, how they were collected and how what was inside them was placed and ordered as well, and what the intention may have been for these writings, as well as how they might be true, might be false, in their specific statements, or what they might be talking about and how what they were talking about may have seemed matter of fact to them somehow. It may be up to us as individuals reading these to make them seem better or worse, sensible or senseless.

 

[exchemist]

Are you having a psychotic episode?

Who do you think is going to read all this guff?

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

Are you having a psychotic episode?

Who do you think is going to read all this guff?

Me, and possibly someone else.

Its a rare opportunity that so many different belief systems from around the world and history are placed all together for easy comparison, and even to have a singular resource listing so many and links to where they can be read can be useful to anyone interested in comparative religion (I am one such person, I would have loved if someone put together something like this somewhere or was enthusiastic about learning and religions the way I am).

So, though I may be the only one, I think it is a really interesting look into a variety of English translations for a wide array of majorly influential belief systems that continue to have an impact to this day!

People can look at it from all sorts of different angles or with different agendas or interests motivating their research and commentary.

I appreciate that you commented at all for example and with a pretty good question (stated sort of rudely, but I think you've done that before), which gave me the opportunity to explain some of the reasons I think this thread might be sort of interesting.

Yes, its a lot of writing even just for the first few lines or paragraphs from a variety of scriptures, and it might take a little time to slowly read through and absorb them (for whoever is willing), but when you put them all together like that, it can really showcase even what one really might have a true affinity for, which ones a person might be disturbed by or feel irritated by reading, which ones seem to be a breeze or very enlightening or inspiring, and they are all just laid out here, back to back. A person could even skip through and see what catches one's eye and seems interesting. As for me, I'll be reading them all deliberately and very slowly from the top to the bottom. I will also continue to discuss things here if people write comments, and then when it seems enough time has passed and there has been enough discussion (or no discussion, but I've completed reading), then I will move onto the next chunk maybe (and ideally try to fit it into less posts each time, this was my first attempt so it ended up that the chunks were too large and I had to make multiple posts because of exceeding the word count).

I collected all these links and writings quickly, but also in a measured way, and I do so because I actually enjoy the subject (I don't think I really have much stamina or enthusiasm regarding things I don't really have fun with or enjoy).

What are your favorite scriptures? Just the Bible?

I have another thread idea that I'm going to try out right now as well!

 

[exchemist]

Me, and possibly someone else.

Its a rare opportunity that so many different belief systems from around the world and history are placed all together for easy comparison, and even to have a singular resource listing so many and links to where they can be read can be useful to anyone interested in comparative religion (I am one such person, I would have loved if someone put together something like this somewhere or was enthusiastic about learning and religions the way I am).

So, though I may be the only one, I think it is a really interesting look into a variety of English translations for a wide array of majorly influential belief systems that continue to have an impact to this day!

People can look at it from all sorts of different angles or with different agendas or interests motivating their research and commentary.

I appreciate that you commented at all for example and with a pretty good question (stated sort of rudely, but I think you've done that before), which gave me the opportunity to explain some of the reasons I think this thread might be sort of interesting.

Yes, its a lot of writing even just for the first few lines or paragraphs from a variety of scriptures, and it might take a little time to slowly read through and absorb them (for whoever is willing), but when you put them all together like that, it can really showcase even what one really might have a true affinity for, which ones a person might be disturbed by or feel irritated by reading, which ones seem to be a breeze or very enlightening or inspiring, and they are all just laid out here, back to back. A person could even skip through and see what catches one's eye and seems interesting. As for me, I'll be reading them all deliberately and very slowly from the top to the bottom. I will also continue to discuss things here if people write comments, and then when it seems enough time has passed and there has been enough discussion (or no discussion, but I've completed reading), then I will move onto the next chunk maybe (and ideally try to fit it into less posts each time, this was my first attempt so it ended up that the chunks were too large and I had to make multiple posts because of exceeding the word count).

I collected all these links and writings quickly, but also in a measured way, and I do so because I actually enjoy the subject (I don't think I really have much stamina or enthusiasm regarding things I don't really have fun with or enjoy).

What are your favorite scriptures? Just the Bible?

I have another thread idea that I'm going to try out right now as well!

It's no doubt a noble effort, but I just think if you post all this on a discussion forum, people won't read it and they will think you are some kind of obsessive nutter. How can anyone find anything to discuss in what looks like a brain dump?

As to your question about my favourite scripture, the only scriptures I am familiar with are the Christian bible. And to be honest, I'm not really tremendously interested in them, even. Poking about in the writings of ancient people has limited appeal for me. I'm a lot more interested in the ideas we have today that have sprung from them. But, you see, I was brought up a Catholic. For Catholics, there is a whole intricate structure of religious ideas built up from a combination of scripture and the subsequent teaching of the spiritual successors of the Apostles. These ideas continue to evolve. I am similarly somewhat interested in the ideas of other religions.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

It's no doubt a noble effort, but I just think if you post all this on a discussion forum, people won't read it and they will think you are some kind of obsessive nutter. How can anyone find anything to discuss in what looks like a brain dump?

As to your question about my favourite scripture, the only scriptures I am familiar with are the Christian bible. And to be honest, I'm not really tremendously interested in them, even. Poking about in the writings of ancient people has limited appeal for me. I'm a lot more interested in the ideas we have today that have sprung from them. But, you see, I was brought up a Catholic. For Catholics, there is a whole intricate structure of religious ideas built up from a combination of scripture and the subsequent teaching of the spiritual successors of the Apostles. These ideas continue to evolve. I am similarly somewhat interested in the ideas of other religions.

So, what brought you to a religious forum? You like the ideas sort of built up off of or related to religion but not their original and most influential source materials or "core"? I agree, the Bible is a terrible and tedious bore, which is why I thought maybe people might like to see what else is out there also which was taken quite seriously by a lot of different people out there through history.

I still have a lot of patience, despite the internet age of brief little comments, to read the stuff from the past, and what makes it especially helpful to me is that I look to these writings in order to extract names or terms as well as quotes that can be useful in promoting my own modern ideas. So that is probably how these things can keep me interested, because I'm getting something out of it, and the more I know and am able to remember or recall, the more I can use to bolster myself and my ideas potentially, but also to feel like "I'm the real deal" and "everyone else doesn't even know what I know, they are the fakes", and so this gives a sense of empowerment and feeds the ego as well which gives a lot of pleasure in its own way. When I have the scriptures running through my mind, and have taken these names as gaining new names and terms related to God and God's attributes or various domains of power and influence, its like collecting lots of treasure or toys and tools one can use and be stimulated by or feel influenced by, and I feel really good, even when I find things that are silly or to mock (like negative things in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or whatever else), so even the opposite of finding things of value, seems of value to me as ammunition or cause to think myself superior again and better off without these.

So, even just reading these "first few verses" can be really empowering feeling if one uses it for these sorts of things (or maybe they could figure out other ways to make it fun), but if not, its easy enough to skip entirely of course.

I also welcome anyone who does not want to actually read any of that stuff above, to feel free to participate down here in the discussion and contribute whatever they may like to pertaining to the theme of the thread, which is basically World Religions, Scriptures From Around the World, and again, Preferences Related To Writings and English Translations, what people are familiar with, what books one has found that they enjoy more than others and why they think that is, etc.

It may be that nobody managed to read or even skim what I posted above, and I may or may not continue with another chunk of writings.

If I reach the end of some of these, some will have outrun others in length, some will be demonstrably more easy to read and enjoyable than others.

People can also skip the wait and access any of the links I have provided to get started on any single scripture they would like to read.

In this thread though I've placed them one after another so people can take them as a sort of wild composite singular scripture of human heritage that is widely inclusive, or use the back to back reading as a way to (as quickly as is feasible) compare the scriptures between each other and rank them by preference.

 

[exchemist]

So, what brought you to a religious forum? You like the ideas sort of built up off of or related to religion but not their original and most influential source materials or "core"? I agree, the Bible is a terrible and tedious bore, which is why I thought maybe people might like to see what else is out there also which was taken quite seriously by a lot of different people out there through history.

I still have a lot of patience, despite the internet age of brief little comments, to read the stuff from the past, and what makes it especially helpful to me is that I look to these writings in order to extract names or terms as well as quotes that can be useful in promoting my own modern ideas. So that is probably how these things can keep me interested, because I'm getting something out of it, and the more I know and am able to remember or recall, the more I can use to bolster myself and my ideas potentially, but also to feel like "I'm the real deal" and "everyone else doesn't even know what I know, they are the fakes", and so this gives a sense of empowerment and feeds the ego as well which gives a lot of pleasure in its own way. When I have the scriptures running through my mind, and have taken these names as gaining new names and terms related to God and God's attributes or various domains of power and influence, its like collecting lots of treasure or toys and tools one can use and be stimulated by or feel influenced by, and I feel really good, even when I find things that are silly or to mock (like negative things in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or whatever else), so even the opposite of finding things of value, seems of value to me as ammunition or cause to think myself superior again and better off without these.

So, even just reading these "first few verses" can be really empowering feeling if one uses it for these sorts of things (or maybe they could figure out other ways to make it fun), but if not, its easy enough to skip entirely of course.

I also welcome anyone who does not want to actually read any of that stuff above, to feel free to participate down here in the discussion and contribute whatever they may like to pertaining to the theme of the thread, which is basically World Religions, Scriptures From Around the World, and again, Preferences Related To Writings and English Translations, what people are familiar with, what books one has found that they enjoy more than others and why they think that is, etc.

It may be that nobody managed to read or even skim what I posted above, and I may or may not continue with another chunk of writings.

If I reach the end of some of these, some will have outrun others in length, some will be demonstrably more easy to read and enjoyable than others.

People can also skip the wait and access any of the links I have provided to get started on any single scripture they would like to read.

In this thread though I've placed them one after another so people can take them as a sort of wild composite singular scripture of human heritage that is widely inclusive, or use the back to back reading as a way to (as quickly as is feasible) compare the scriptures between each other and rank them by preference.

There was a thread on why we joined the forum at one stage. I joined mainly to do my bit to stop science and religion being seen as mutually antagonistic. This is a recent tendency I deplore, fomented by people like Dawkins.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

There was a thread on why we joined the forum at one stage. I joined mainly to do my bit to stop science and religion being seen as mutually antagonistic. This is a recent tendency I deplore, fomented by people like Dawkins.

I agree, I've never felt they should be treated like that and my family and I never felt antagonistic towards science, but found science only strengthening our wonder and awe regarding the spiritual and God.

 

[exchemist]

I agree, I've never felt they should be treated like that and my family and I never felt antagonistic towards science, but found science only strengthening our wonder and awe regarding the spiritual and God.

Yes I rather agree.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

Yes I rather agree.

These scriptures also seem to make no enemy of science at all, and are often very compatible and surprisingly sophisticated or matched up well with an awareness of both the apparent nature as well as very intricate and complex philosophy (which may have mathematical origins or aspects at least) in writings like those regarding the Tao, or some of the technical aspects of the Upanishads and Vedic philosophy, and the important mathematical thinking of the Sramanic schools of thought like that of the Buddhists in their Abhidhamma philosophy and the Jain with their very intricate cosmology.

Militant atheists often make our human predecessors out to be nincompoops when in fact they seemed to be possibly more sophisticated in some ways than even many people today, with far less means, making the best of what little they had, and their minds more so than dependence on certain tools or technologies. The things they figured out about nature, the universe, chemistry, medicine, all that, is really remarkable, and they encoded some of it within these scriptures and writings at times.

People would travel far and wide to attain knowledge from people who were well versed in the scriptures, which were thought to contain miraculous insights and knowledge that were inspired in people from somewhere and things generally beyond the mere human intelligence and realm.

The writings of the Norse people for example, may seem a little strange, but what they are discussing can be interpreted in many ways as referring to nature and the natural sciences even, while still being put into a poetic and symbolic form.

People would write about their observations of the stars, seasons, natural things, and keep a record for repetition and learning through making it easy by having things written in a rhythmic fashion for easy oral repetitions and recalling and making sure that things were less likely to be misremembered or mis-recorded since it would mess up the rhyme or poem if a word was changed too drastically.

These recitations were for some people, their everything, less cut off than films or television shows, when it was rare that people had specific forms and lots of variety of options for learning and entertainment, so they would jam pack everything into their songs, poems, and scriptures, giving copious knowledge regarding a number of issues and lots of advice all in an efficient format which was repeated and all people had or could keep in some cases (where now we have so many options and so much available which also affords the luxury of saying little to nothing, quantity over quality, lol, like people must think of my own writing, but I mean how there are now so many things to keep minds occupied but very little that is focused on precise recordings that are important due to their multi-faceted pragmatic uses and references, since it was also not easy to create things that were saved or repeated).

 

[exchemist]

These scriptures also seem to make no enemy of science at all, and are often very compatible and surprisingly sophisticated or matched up well with an awareness of both the apparent nature as well as very intricate and complex philosophy (which may have mathematical origins or aspects at least) in writings like those regarding the Tao, or some of the technical aspects of the Upanishads and Vedic philosophy, and the important mathematical thinking of the Sramanic schools of thought like that of the Buddhists in their Abhidhamma philosophy and the Jain with their very intricate cosmology.

Militant atheists often make our human predecessors out to be nincompoops when in fact they seemed to be possibly more sophisticated in some ways than even many people today, with far less means, making the best of what little they had, and their minds more so than dependence on certain tools or technologies. The things they figured out about nature, the universe, chemistry, medicine, all that, is really remarkable, and they encoded some of it within these scriptures and writings at times.

People would travel far and wide to attain knowledge from people who were well versed in the scriptures, which were thought to contain miraculous insights and knowledge that were inspired in people from somewhere and things generally beyond the mere human intelligence and realm.

The writings of the Norse people for example, may seem a little strange, but what they are discussing can be interpreted in many ways as referring to nature and the natural sciences even, while still being put into a poetic and symbolic form.

People would write about their observations of the stars, seasons, natural things, and keep a record for repetition and learning through making it easy by having things written in a rhythmic fashion for easy oral repetitions and recalling and making sure that things were less likely to be misremembered or mis-recorded since it would mess up the rhyme or poem if a word was changed too drastically.

These recitations were for some people, their everything, less cut off than films or television shows, when it was rare that people had specific forms and lots of variety of options for learning and entertainment, so they would jam pack everything into their songs, poems, and scriptures, giving copious knowledge regarding a number of issues and lots of advice all in an efficient format which was repeated and all people had or could keep in some cases (where now we have so many options and so much available which also affords the luxury of saying little to nothing, quantity over quality, lol, like people must think of my own writing, but I mean how there are now so many things to keep minds occupied but very little that is focused on precise recordings that are important due to their multi-faceted pragmatic uses and references, since it was also not easy to create things that were saved or repeated).

Don't overdo it. Ancient scripture reveals an almost total ignorance of scientific understanding of nature. None of these ancient peoples had much idea of what we call science today.

The issue, in my view, is that religious writings are not intended as science manuals, so it is missing the point to criticise them for getting science "wrong". They are about something else entirely.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

Don't overdo it. Ancient scripture reveals an almost total ignorance of scientific understanding of nature. None of these ancient peoples had much idea of what we call science today.

The issue, in my view, is that religious writings are not intended as science manuals, so it is missing the point to criticise them for getting science "wrong". They are about something else entirely.

That is true, they aren't intended as science books, but there is quite a bit of evidence that they were very frequently making likely coded references to events they witnessed among the stars and constellations or with reference to them, and though they lacked knowledge in anything like the modern scientific thinking and sciences, they had figured out quite a bit just based on observations as well and using mathematical logic (you'll find this to be the case most likely if you expand someday past just the Bible and Biblical history, which is also filled with likely star lore at least), as the people of the Indus for example were extremely sophisticated at an early period when it came to mathematics as well as philosophy (which often ties back into mathematics, like Pythagorean Math/Philosophy/Spirituality all mixed together in Greece as well).

 

[SeekerOnThePath]

Some of the outstanding texts I think might be The Guru Granth Sahib and Urantia Book, both of which aren't very well known by the rest of the World.

I agree, actually fun fact, the Urantia Book was one of the first things I read when I started exploring religious stuff during my atheist period after leaving Christianity as a teen.
It remained a book I was allured by but never got hardcore into. However, when I've revisited it from time to time, I've kind of come to respect it when read as a kind of speculative compilation of essays about cosmology, metaphysics and God. I haven't payed much attention to the latter half of the book about Jesus though, as it's too Christiany for my tastes.

The Guru Granth Sahib became of particular interest to me, after converting to Islam, in it's correlation with both Islam and Hinduism, both subjects immensely important to me.