Simone Weil

"In what concerns divine things, belief is not appropriate. Only certainty will do. Anything less than certainty is unworthy of God."

Woah thats heavy stuff. I constantly say "I believe this" or "I believe that..." when i should be saying "I am certain!" Well in dealing with matters of God and faith anyways. The definition of believe is to accept something as true or feel sure of the truth. The definition of certainty is a fact that is absolutely true or a person that can undoubtably be relied on. Which one would you prefer? Accepting something as true, or knowing something as undoubted fact. I would definitely choose fact.

"Perfect and infinite joy really exists within God."

I really like this quote. It almost sounds like it came right out of the bible. haha. I dont know how i feel about the rest of it though..."My participation can add nothing to it, my non-participation can take nothing from reality of this perfect and infinite joy." Well I understand that with or without me God is perfect...but I'd like to think that each and every person that comes to know the Lord adds to that infinite joy. 

"Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer."

In other words...absolute focus and concentration on God and nothing or no one else is prayer. Not gonna lie this can be hard at times. First of all, how hard is it to find a secluded place where you can give your complete attention to God. pretty dang hard. Secondly, how hard is it to focus on one thing and one thing only for a long period of time. Well for me its very hard haha Our brains are designed to think of a million different things within seconds....i mean our train of thought alone is so weird and random. However, I find that its much easier to control your train of thought in prayer than at any other time. That must be God' doing because I know I would not be able to do that on my own haha

Isaac of Nineveh

"There is a love like a small lamp, which goes out when the oil is consumed; or like a stream, which dries up when it doesn't rain. But there is a love that is like a mighty spring gushing up out of the earth; it keeps flowing forever, and is inexhaustible."

So the lamp in my opinion would  be an earthly love. One that someone has with a spouse or a friend. The oil would be like a persons life span....so when the oil runs out (or a persons time runs out) the love technically goes out. But there is a love that lasts no matter what....under any circumstance. "like a mighty spring gushing up and out of the earth; it keeps flowing forever" And that is the love of God. Inexhaustible. Today in class we had a big discussion about suffering and death, and the whole time a Lincoln Brewster song was playing in my head called The Love of God. The lyrics say "in brokeness, i know you hold me, safe in redemptions arms, and i confess you alone restore me, leading me to your heart. Where else can i turn but to the love of God. "

"When we trust God with our whole heart, we dont fill our prayers with "Give me this" or "Take this from me.""

This is actually something that was recently discussed at the church i regularly attend. The pastor talked about how often when praying, people will ask God for things or to do things in their lives. He said that instead you should just surrender everything to him and lift your heart to him and ask that his will be done. Well at first i was like "why should i pray a certain way...its my prayer not yours..." haha but then i thought about it and what place do i have to ask God to give me something or do something for me when i have no way of knowing if it is his will or purpose for me. 

Thomas Traherne

Thomas has the same idea in his writings about God manifesting in people's souls as in Johannes'. His description of drinking wine really got my attention. I mean the obvious action taking place is the drinking of wine. But symbolically you are quenching your thirst with a gift from God. This makes me think about everything I do and how it is a gift. I mean when we go throughout our day, we dont look at everything being from God. I mean a person can claim they do and more power to em but in all honesty I know i dont. I get caught up in my daily routine and dont think twice about something as small as walking. But we walk because God created us to have legs and have that function.
Something about nature really makes me think about God though. I went to the beach this weekend and as I looked at the beach and the ocean I just couldnt help but feel complete gratitude to God. The creator. I also went to a redwood camp a few months ago with my church and something about the tall trees that reached beyond sight just gave me such peace.
The very last sentence "Which now I unlearn, and become as it were a little child again, that I may enter into the Kingdom of God" describes an idea that has come up in many of the passages in this book. When we become childlike and innocent again we will enter the Kingdom of God. I dont know about you but I long for the day i become like a child again :)

Johannes Scotus Erigena

"How can there be any place not filled with the glory of God?"
Thats what im sayin!
God is everywhere. EVERYWHERE! That alone just shakes me up...in a good way of course. How awesome is that though... I dont know about you but knowing that God is everywhere makes me feel so safe. Because if God is everywhere...then he is always with me...and I am always under his protection. I loved the descriptions used in this passage...."superessential essential...supernatural natural...simple composite..." So basically this is saying He is the opposite and parallel, the same and different. He is everything! haha thats crazy stuff.
I like how he tlaked about God manifesting in the creature. The creature obviously would be us. So in my opinion this means that God manifests(grows) in our hearts until we cant deny that he is there anymore. And then we are consumed by him in every possible way. This concept reminds me of a song called "From the inside out" by Hillsong United. The lyrics say:
"In my heart and my soul I give You control. Consume me from the inside out Lord. Let justice and praise become my embrace to love You from the inside out."
I think those lyrics just really reiderate what Erigena is saying here.

Albert Einstein

Alright so i dont really know a lot about Albert's religious views and what not...but i did find some profound things in what he had to say.
"He to whom this emotion is stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead."
That is harsh stuff...but its true. Im pretty sure he was referring to the scientific side of things. However, from a general view point he is basically saying you better appreciate the world around you. A pastor at my church spoke on perspective recently. He said there are the people that have good ole basic cabel. and there are the people who have high def. The people with basic cabel are the people commonly reffered to as "Sunday morning Christians." The people with high def are those christians that are actively growing closer and stronger in their relationship with Christ. Basic cable people get basic the idea, know the stories somewhat, and see the surface stuff. High Def people get the deep ideas and feelings and see every splinter on the cross. Not to say that either person is better or more important, but there is a definite difference in the way basic cable people view the world around them and the way high def people view it.

"This illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest us."
This really spoke to me. I mean our world is huge. But to the individual our world is small. My world as of now is Sierra College...Roseville... Rocklin...Granite Bay(which isnt even a city btw haha)....My view of what the world is is so small and condensed. I want to expand my view...reach out to the world around me...help those in need...I dont want to live in the illusion that this is my world...Because the fact is that my world is so much bigger.

Novalis

It funny how such profound thoughts can be stated and delivered in one sentence. sometimes even one word.
"We are close to waking up when we dream that we are dreaming."
Oh Wow how this statement is true. haha Plenty of times when im asleep i will dream that im dreaming...and then seconds later im awake and trying to remember what i was dreaming about haha However, i do think there is a deeper meaning behind this statement. Often people refer to life without God in your life as the time you were asleep. And when you recieve Christ and devote yourself to God you are awakened. So with that knowledge, this would mean that when you start to learn more about God and are actually thinking about how your life would be with him in it...you are closer to becoming awakened. 00

"Philosophy is really homesickness."
Philosophy is the investigation of truths, principles of being, knowledge, and conduct. So basically this statement says that the investigation is really just a longing or searching for home. What is home? In my opinion home would be heaven or a relationship with Christ. Im not sure what this guy meant by home, but if i had to guess that would be my answer....

"There is only one temple in the world and that is the human body."
This reminds me of a verse from the bible:
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have recieved from God? You are not your own... 1 Corinthians 6:19
So those two thoughts alone pretty explain eachother. THe human body is a temple. A temple of the Holy SPirit. Meaning treat it well, its not yours. Its borrowed property. If you mess with it...your messin with the Holy Spirit. Thats big stuff.

Heraclitus

Now this is my kind of passage. For those of you who read my blog often, you'll notice i pretty much unpack a few sentences per passage. Well this passage is made up of one line fragments. Perfect!!!!

"All things flow" I like this statement a lot. I interpret this to mean that all things work together. Or they were made to work together anyways. If you look at it scientifically, every living thing has a flow or a cycle...or everything has a process.

"The sun is new everyday" I think this is a very optimistic view. I like it! ha Every time the sun rises it is a new day. Every day is almost like a new adventure. The sun brings about new adventures. And hey if you had a really bad day...next time the sun comes up you get to start fresh and make the best of the present.

"You cant step twice into the same river." Bascially, you learn from your mistakes and hopefully dont make those same mistakes twice.

"You wont discover the limits of the soul, however far you go." meaning your soul lives on forever. So you may live to be 80 some odd years old...and then you have reached your earthly limit. But your soul has just begun and continues on into eternity.

"To men, some things are good and some are bad. But to God, all things are good and beautiful and just." Wow that is really profound. It makes me think about how many times in a day I complain about things. Or how I judge people. To God, those same things I am complaining about or judging are beautiful and great. How dare i complain or think badly about what God created...

Maximus of Tyre

First off, i loved how he described God as "a fashioner of all that is." The term "fashioner" is something people in today's world can relate to. Especially with fashion being so popular now-a-days. It doesn't have the exact same meaning but people get the idea. Its funny how words carry over from generation to generation, changing in the slightest.

"older than the sun or sky, greater than time and eternity and all the flow of being..." wow older than the sun or sky...thats pretty dang old haha but on the more serious note, its interesting how he described God as being older than such constants in our daily lives that seem so distant and untouchable. The sun and sky might are two of the oldest things known to man. Well scientifically that is...And greater than time...that says something. I mean our whole lives are based on time. What time i need to be here, what date i was. We rely on time all too much...And Maximus says here that God is greater than time. To me that is huge! And eternity...from what ive learned...eternity is never ending...which makes God even greater than never ending....He is like never EVER ending... And i mean that in all do respect.

Kind of off topic...but i was very interested to read this passage purely based on the title. This Maximus guy is from Tyre. Well recently I visited a local church with my friends and they spoke about the city of Tyre. I dont really remember the context of the story, but the pastor gave a lot of historical information. For example, the people of Tyre were basically attacked by Constantine and their city was completely wiped out by his army. That doesnt really pertain to this passage except for the fact that it came from there ha but it got my attention.

Abu Yazid al-Bastami

"Nothing is better for a man than to be without anything.....When he is without everything, he is with everything." So true! In my opinion this means that once you surrender everything and cling to nothing in this world you will gain everything spiritually. So in other words...all that really matters is your spirituality and your connection with God.

"I sloughed off my self as a snake sloughs off its skin. Then looked into myself and saw that I am He." One way i look at this is basically the same idea as mentioned earlier that once you surrender everything you will be able to have a better connection with God. The second statement that "I am He" kind of confused me at first because obviously no man is GOd...haha but I thought about it more and i realize that it means He is within us...in our heart and soul. In order to see that we must shed all worldly things.

"Being in a realm where neither good nor evil exists. Both of them belong to the world of created beings; in the presence of Unity there is neither command nor prohibition." So we live in a world full of judgment...people think "oh thats good" or "oh thats bad." Well those are created judgements of this world. Who decides whats good and bad on this earth? I really like how they capitilize the word "Unity." I dont know if this is what they meant by doing that...but to me its like how they capitilize "He" or "I Am." So think of God as Unity is just amazing.

"For thirty years i used to say, "do this" and "give that"; but when i reached the first stage of wisdom, I said, "O God, be mine and do whatever You want."" I think this is such an important thing in faith. People are so quick to say God do this or give me that. Who do we think we are bossing God around (or trying to anyways haha) or commanding him to do things for us. We are just little humans with no power...lol

Muhammad

So right off the bat before the passage even begins it says "Islam means "surrender to God." When we surrender ourselves fully, there is nothing but God..." This is something I truly believe. And that is one of the hardest things to do...surrendering everything...I mean I think about my house, my car, my phone, school, stress, anxiety, fear, everything! God wants us to surrender that all to him. How is that possible? lol well it is...somehow...and our job is to figure out how and do it! haha

Moving on...
I love how he describes God. He uses such beautiful and descriptive language.
"He is omnipotent over all things. He is the first and the last, the manifest and the hidden, and has knowledge of all things." Omnipotent is such a powerful word. Definitely not one in my daily vocab. Obviously there are no words great enough to describe God, but if there were...i assume this would be one of em. haha
A statement that really stood out to me is "He is with you wherever you are." I could see where that idea might creep people out. But when i think about it, I cant help but smile and feel completely safe. It reminds me of a verse in psalms...

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me... psalm 23:4

That is without a doubt my favorite verse in the bible. In fact, I am getting a tattoo of "i will fear no evil" on my arm. There is also a song based on this verse called You Never Let Go. It says "you never let go through the calm or through the storm."
That thought just leaves me in awe and at the same time gives me peace because I know that with God in my life I will never be alone and I will fear no evil.

Jesus of Nazareth

What an amazing passage. I could write about this for pages and pages but i will limit myself for the sake of my classmates haha
First of all, i loved the quote "Unless you change your life and become like a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." Children are innocent and are untainted by the world. They have little or no worldly desires. They have not yet sinned. Wouldnt it be nice to be a kid again.....haha
I cant really choose a favorite excerpt from this passage but the closest to a favorite would be the one about the prodigal son from the gospel of Luke. The son takes his share of his father's estate and goes wild with it. He spends every last dime and is forced to do labor to make money and survive. He returns to his father and says "Father I have sinned against God and against you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Let me be like one of your hired men." In response to this the father ran to his son, embraced him, kissed him, threw a beautiful robe on his back, and gave him a plentiful feast. Jesus told this story to describe God's love for us. We have all sinned, whether its frivolously spending money, lying, cheating, stealing, etc...But God, our father, is running after us...ready to embrace us, kiss us, give us a plentiful feast and forgive us for those sins. Later in the excerpt the father says "But it was proper to rejoice and make merry and rejoice, for your brother was dead, and he has come back to life; he was lost, and is found." What a beautiful thing for a father to say. We are dead and lost. With the love of God in our hearts we are alive and found.

The Cloud of Unknowing

I love the first line of this passage. "Lift up your heart to God with a meek stirring of love; and intend God himself and none of his created things." First of all "lift up your heart to God" is just such a beautiful picture. It reminds me of when you see people singing and praising in worship at church and they have their hands lifted up as a sign of surrender. The thought of pretty much handing God your heart is such a surrendering idea. I also loved how the word meek was used in this passage. I think it can be taken in a few different ways. One definition of the word is "humbly patient." Oh wow how patience is not something America is good at haha Lifting up your heart to God with a humbly patient stirring of love...that is not as easy as it sounds. Another definition for meek is compliant. In this sentence that would be "with a compliant stirring of love." So that would be not only surrendering but also obeying. And the last definition for meek is gentle or kind. "lift up your heart to God with a [gentle] stirring of love." I love this version of the excerpt. I like to think of God as being very gentle, so to gently stir your love for him just makes you that much closer to him. The next part of the sentence says "intend God himself and none of his created things." I took this to mean that one should pray for the will of God and not for your own worldly desires. He has such a greater picture and path of our lives than we could possibly fathom. So idealy, praying for him to work in your life and have his will be done is so much more effective.
Obviously this whole passage is really profound but I really wanted to unpack that excerpt and just dig into the meaning behind the words.

Pai-Chang

I liked this one haha short and sweet :) lol
It discussed similar ideas as the Hui-Hai but for some reason i liked this one better ha. I kinda ripped apart Hui-Hai :/ my bad. lol
But anyways..
"To behold the Buddha nature you must wait for the right moment and the right conditions." Well i think this is the case in most religions; waiting until your heart is prepared and ready for what God has in store for you. This may not be what was meant by the passage but that is what i interpret from it.
I really like the part that said "when the time comes, you are awakened as if from a dream." Recently I went on a retreat with the college group at my church and the title of the retreat was actually "awakened." so i definitely related to this. Well after the retreat me and all my peers felt the same way...refreshed and alive, like we had been "awakened from a dream." So obviously this is an idea that spans over multiple relgions.
The part i didnt agree with is "what you have found is your own and doesnt come from anywhere outside." I believe that this big realization does come from you in part because obviously you search inside yourself to find it but i dont believe the source is yourself.
Also, i do not believe that after enlightenment you are still the same. I know that ever since i became a Christian and fully opened up my heart to God I have never been the same and I never will be the same. My life is changed forever.
Lastly, I liked the line "When you have arrived at this recognition, please hold on to it." Holding onto a faith can be hard because you are holding on to something you cant see. But holding onto that recognition or faith is the best thing you could possibly do in your lifetime.

Hui-Hai

Ha well sorry to disappoint everyone who liked this reading but i really didnt :/
There were a few parts i liked though...
One of which was when it talked about "men [being] unattached to all things." I think that people shouldn't be attached to "things" because that is exactly what they are. The things of this world are nothing and mean nothing. Our world is so focused on "chasing after something outside [ourselves]" When in reality what matters most is whats inside of us, our hearts.
I didnt really know what to think about the part that talked about not dwelling on anything. From what ive learned in psychology and physiology....you cant turn off your brain. So no matter what you are always thinking about something (unless your dead or in a choma or something). I understand not DWELLING on something as in like obsessing on it, but i dont think thats what was meant by this passage. I think it was talking about clearing your mind.
I also did not agree with the part about our nature being pure. News flash... human nature isnt pure lol humans were made to sin. Unless you are a newborn baby or an animal you are impure. Sorry to break it to ya...but we all sin. And you cant just make your mind all of the sudden be pure. In response to the question "since the pure essence cant be found, where does this perception come from?" they compare us to a mirror. Well mirrors arent living beings....they sit on a wall and do nothing...so yeah i think that is self explanitory. I mean i totally believe that we can strive to be pure but i do not believe that complete purity is an option. That would mean humans can be perfect...which they cant.

Shunryu Suzuki

I really like how he talked about our minds being ready for anything. Too often people are close minded. Especially when it comes to religion. People are so defensive that they dont even wait to hear out the other side. The funny thing is that most religions are centered around similar ideas. I found it interesting when he said "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few." This is so true because a beginner has potential to advance while an expert supposedly knows all there is to know. I find this kind of funny because so many people think they are experts on things or strive to be...I know after reading this I would rather be a beginner and keep learning new things. It'll be a sad day when there is nothing else to learn...talk about boredom! haha
The section that talks about balance intrigued me. The idea that we are constantly off balance and changing was kind of hard for me to understand at first. But it totally makes sense now. I used to take gymnastics and my coach would always tell me when i was having a hard time "Its ok to feel off balance or like you are going to fall...that means you are doing it right" Well I never really got why he said that because I was so sure that tumbling should not make me feel uncomfortable or off balance. I thought that the whole point was to demonstrate balance. But the fact is that when your feet are above your head...you are going to feel off balance. Once you put your feet back on the ground your stable and in a new place than you were befpre. This same concept applys to life. You go through stages of change all the time and its ok to feel off balance because during those times you develop and grow.

The Buddha

First of all, I found the meaning behind the name Buddha very interesting. "...the awakened one- that is, someone who has woken up from the dream of being a separate ego in a material universe." The statement about dreaming of being a separate ego follows closely with the idea that we are all one with God or as stated in a previous reading that we are sparks of God. Also, the idea that the material universe serves no purpose in the greater picture is an idea that spans over most religions.
I didn't much agree with the statement "Do not be led by holy scriptures..." In my experience, scripture is how we learn of our religion and try to better our faith. In the Christian religion, the Bible is the source of scripture and it lays out right from wrong. I don't think that basing what you do or don't do on what feels right to the individual is correct. To me that seems like anarchy because everyone could justify everything they do by saying "I didnt realize it was bad because it just felt right."
On a better note, I really liked that part of this passage that said "As a mother at the risk of her life watches over her only children, so let everyone cultivate a boundlessly compassionate mind toward all beings." If everyone loved everyone else with the same love that a mother has for her children this world would have no problems. haha. Recently at my church, a guest speaker was talking about how he lived in a condo with a bunch of pastors and they did this thing where they left their door open so that anyone and i mean anyone could walk in and spend time with these guys, making friends, learning about Christianity, etc. That is just crazy awesome to me. I mean I would not be able to just leave my front door open for strangers to walk in. So that just seems like a great example of this idea of loving everyone around you. They may not have put there life on the line but they reached out to people and just spread the word of God. This condo becamr known as Narnia because when people went there it just felt like another world entirely full of loving and caring people.

Yehiel Mikhal of Zlotchov

The descriptions this guy gives are just awesome. I loved when he said "...without the power of God, who created them and who keeps them in existence, they are nothing, just as before the creation; and so there is nothing in the world but the Creator, blessed be he." This statement is just so spot on...well to my beliefs that is. The Creator is a constant in this universe and we are just temporary occupants. The passage basically says that people that have a relationship with God and believe in him know this to be true. On the other hand it says the opposite for those who are not attached to God. It says that they think they exist and are great but in reality they are not. However, if they realize that they are nothing without the Creator and know that they are a temporary occupant on the earth, then they are great.
I loved the imagery of "The root is the Infinite, therefore the branch is also infinite. It has lost its own existince, like a drop that has fallen into the great sea and is one with the waters of the sea and cannot be recognized as a seperate thing." God is the root. We are the branches. Being attached to the root we go on forever, but as soon as we fall from that root or detach ourselves from God we are nothing and cannot be recognized. That is so great yet at the same time sad. There are so many people in this world that aren't attached to the Infinite and its sad to think that they will one day be unrecognizable. It's especially hard to think about because I mean I have family members and friends that don't believe in God that have passed away. Its sad to think they wont be in that place that I go off to one day when I die.

Shmelke of Nikolsburg

I related to this reading quite a bit. I have actually found myself asking the exact questions the disciple asked the rabbi.
The rabbi's first response that "all souls are one" reminded me of previous readings about the jewels and how they are all connected and affect each other. Also, the image of punishing your hand because it hit you was rather humorous to me. It makes sense though. If you hurt someone else it is like you are hurting yourself because we are all a piece of one original soul. I think that is something people need to remember because it would reduce a lot of conflict in the world.
I found it interesting how he referred to people as sparks of God. This creates the picture in my head of like a campfire with embers flying off everywhere. Obviously God would be the huge flame and we would be the embers. This wouldnt be the first time God was referred to as a fire. In the bible he comes in the form of a burning bush and presents himself as I Am.
The rabbi's second response hit me hard when he said, "And will you not have mercy on Him, when you see that one of His holy sparks has been lost in a maze, and is almost stifled?" On a day to day basis we dont think about others as being just another lost spark. What ive been taught adn what i believe is that sin is sin in God's eyes, so then what right to we have to pass judgement on who is wicked? If sin is sin then we are all wicked in one way or another. To think that we place blame or shame on "His holy sparks" just gives me pain in my heart. By punishing those that have sinned, we are pretty much punishing God and that idea really doesnt sit well with me.

The Upanishads

The first excerpt that caught my attention was",Whatever lives is full of the Lord. Claim nothing; enjoy, do not covet His property." Basically this is saying that everything is of the Lord and everything therefore belongs to him. Nothing on this earth is really ours. We may enjoy it but we may not claim ownership. Even we are his. This fact spans across many religions including Christianity. It still amazes me how similar the ideas of each religion are and yet how different they are at the same time.
Profound statements and facts really just rock my world (excuse the expression haha) and many of the statements in this passage do that. "The Self is everywhere, without a body, without a shape, whole pure, wise, all knowing, far shining, self-depending, all transcending..." this is such an amazing desription. The Self, meaning God, has the traits that no human can posses in the full capacity (purity, wisdom, all knowing, far shining...etc). He is the exact opposite of human nature and therefore is perfect. I cant even begin to wrap my head around that idea....I believe it with all my heart, but the fact is that none of us truly know what it means to be perfect. Not one human on this earth is completely pure or all knowing.
The other quote that got my attention was "When you see that God acts through you at every moment, in every moment of mind or body, you attain true freedom. When you realize the truth, and cling to nothing in the world, you enter eternal life." So what i get from this is that once you become saved and become a believer you attain true freedom. And then following that when you reach the end of your worldly life, you enter eternal life(heaven).

Ramana Maharshi

This guy had some really profound things to say. I especially liked his description of the Master. "Affection toward the good, compassion toward the helpless, happiness in doing good deeds, forgiveness toward the wicked..." I feel like this high regard for the Master is something that carries over to most religions. So then why all the arguing people?????

The statement that "all religions have come into existence because people want something elaborate and attractive and puzzling" really hit me hard. From what i know, this rings pretty true. People are constantly looking for greater meanings of life and religions seem to answer those questions. I know i often find myself thinking about the complex greater picture which then turns me to my faith for the answers.

I also loved the comment he made that "every being in the world longs to be joyful." This is so true. Think about how many times you have heard someone say "I just wanna be happy" or "she doesnt look happy." You also hear about people who turn to temporary and empty things to fulfill their happiness but in reality it doesnt work. Whens the last time you met a coke addict or alcoholic who was completely happy. Chances are you have not. We even talked about this in class on Monday...how sex, drugs, and alcohol wont bring you happiness or fill voids in your life. If naything they will make the voids larger. This statement reminded me of a verse from the Bible, 1 Thesselonians 5:16 which says "Be joyful always." This cread seems to show up in many religous texts.

My favorite excerpt from this passage is "God's grace is the beginning, the middle, and the end. When you pray for God's grace you are like someone standing neck-deep in water and yet crying for water." My interpretation of this is that God is everywhere ready and willing to give salvation. Everyone is surrounded by his mercy and grace. People are searching for a greater meaning to life and searhing for that salvation that staring them in the face. The mental picture of swimming in a giant pool of God's grace just leaves me at a loss for words.

Chief Seattle

hmm well i really didnt like this passage as much as the previous one.

I feel like this chief dude was really close minded...i pictured like an old man who is all set in his ways unwilling to even consider changing his mind. And some of the things he said made it sound like he was all for the division and seperation of races. For example, he stated "No, we are seperate races, and we must stay seperate."

I imagine that Sa-go-ye-wat-ha would be outraged by this guy. It is pretty much the exact opposite of everything he stated in his speech.

Part of me understands why this chief would be so grouchy because his people were sort of made to feel inferior to the "white men." The whole taking over thing that our ancestors did to the indians was wrong. However, even Sa-go-ye-wat-ha was able to look past those circumstances and have grace and compassion for the white men.

I also did not like how the chief criticized the religion of the white men. I do not see what gives him the right to be so judgemental. Critical people like this are the reason that there is so much conflict between people of different religions.

I found his comments of our deceased relatives very offensive. Its nice that they have their rituals and beliefs when it comes to their forefathers, but it is so disrespectful for someone to criticize the ways in which people go about remembering those who have passed on. Everyone deals with things differently and no one has the right to belittle an individual's mourning practices. I found it rather humorous when he said "Your dead forget you and the country of their birth as soon as they go beyond the grave and walk among the stars." Im sorry am i missing something here....was he once a dead white guy, because that would be his only possible evidence to back up this accusation...haha

Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

Hmm where to start...

First of all, i really enjoyed this speech. The ideas that Sa-go-ye-wat-ha presented were extremely thought provoking on my end. I mean I have my own beliefs and everything, but I respect the beliefs of others. The way the missionary stated his case really bothered me because it is narrowminded people (as described in the text) like that that give christians a bad rap. The way he isolated the Senecas in their worship practices was an outrage to me. What gives him the idea that he is the almighty decider of how to worship? In my opinion, a persons worship is their business. If they want to go preach on a mountain top then let them. If they want to privately worship when they are alone, thats ok too. To each their own. Everyone is different. We were all created that way. As the cheif stated, "The Great Spirit has made us all. But he has made a great difference between his white and his red children. He has given us different skin color and different customs." This statement was interesting to me because i havent ever stopped to think about why we are all different. Only the Great Spirit knows why.

So if we were made different in so many ways, then why cant we be different in the ways we worship? The answer to that question is that we can be different because "what pleases him is the offering of a sincere heart."

With the profound things the senecas presented in response to the missionary, i would imagine he would probably rebutt with the typical "Do as I say, not as i do." statement. haha. In so many words, the cheif accused the white people of being hypocritical because they cant even all follow the "one religion, one way to serve" that they are trying to push off on this tribe. In my opinion, the best leadership skill is leading by example. In order for the missionary to state a valid case he might want to take a second and look at his own race. If he wants the world to worship and serve the same way, maybe he should show the whole world how to do so, instead of pointing fingers at those who are not right in his eyes.