Peace. What are some parables that you know of which refer to being spiritual. iam aware of some labels such as the kingdom of heaven. For example, in the Qura'n, God describes those who are spiritualy awake as alive, while those who are spiritualy numb as dead. Also Allah refers to those who are spiritualy awake as insightful, hearing. While those who are superficial/materialistc as blind, unable to hear, and lack comprehend/understanding. Allah gives parable of darkness and light between the two groups ( i.e spiritual and materialistic ). There is also a sacred hadeeth which summarizes the state of being spiritualy near God by attaing His special love through living faithfully devoted to God alone, thus spiritualy. This is the sacred hadeeth : (( When I love My slave, I become his ears by which he hears, his sight by which he sees, his hand by which he strikes, his leg by which he walks )) asked 12 Jan '13, 09:38 springflower Barry Allen ♦♦
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Hello springflower Good question, it inspired me to search for a parable and i came up with this one found on internet; The obstacle in our path ... in ancient times a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked round it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person that removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition. Here is the ref. Hope you enjoyed it :) answered 12 Jan '13, 10:20 blubird two Masha'Allah, very inspiring and motivational as well. Thank you for sharing
(12 Jan '13, 10:40)
springflower
@springflower- pleased you liked it :)
(12 Jan '13, 11:25)
blubird two
@BluBird Two - Not sure I am in alignment with this parable. Is there a big reward for straining to move an obstical? Seems like this is struggling, not allowing. Wouldn't it be simpler to walk around or be in a universe where the obstacle did not exist?
(15 Jan '13, 05:30)
Dollar Bill
@Dollar Bill- yes i agree, and to recognize it depends how we function ... some are still struggling with the loa, and are yet to practice the science of deliberate creation and the art of allowing or as bashar would say "you exist, all is one and one is all" ... perhaps you would prefer this less harsh way of expressing it "there's a silver lining to every cloud that sails about the heavens if we could only see it" :)
(15 Jan '13, 06:42)
blubird two
@Blubird two - I see your point and usually agree. Richard Bach stated it as, "Every cloud has a silver lining and every silver lining has a cloud. Every problem has a gift in its hands, you seek the problems because you want the gifts." I used to feel this way. Now I want peace and have learned to flow around perceived problems, at least I try to. Uh oh, Anne just woke up and wants me to login her, No Brainer.
(15 Jan '13, 07:09)
Dollar Bill
@Dollar Bill- yes, each of us see the rock through our own eyes ... a sculptor would carve it into a magnificent statue for all to admire ... and he would declare, i didn't do anything it was always there, all i did was bring it out into the open ... have fun
(15 Jan '13, 11:15)
blubird two
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"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi [see They Never Called Him "Jesus"], we know You are a teacher Who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing [see Miracles Of Jesus Christ] if God were not with Him." "In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see The Kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked." "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - The Son Of Man [see The Logos]. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert [see Wilderness Journey], so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3:1-21) http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20000216.htm you are all son and daughter of men and you must all be lifted up to enter heaven.live by the truth,take the narrow gate and strive to enter. what is holding you back that heart of stone? that piece of wood in your eyes and in your brother eyes? the fact that you are washing the outside of the cup and not the inside,then how can you have pure water with no darkness? and how can you discover the light(spirit) that you are? made in the image of the holy father the one that is truthfull from the beguinning to the end eternal. when you will be born of water and spirit and the 2 will become one with out fear you can leave the flesh and come above in the kingdom.then you will know where you come from and where you are going. God is spirit is worshipper must worship him in spirit and truth. The Parable of the Sower "And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: a sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."—Luke 8:4-8. The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’[a] 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” The Parable of the Weeds 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[c] The Parable of the Weeds Explained 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. The Parable of the Net 47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. 52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” A Prophet Without Honor53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13&version=NIV Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman 4 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a]) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” The Disciples Rejoin Jesus 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4&version=NIV so let there be light ,Be the light that you can be, experience and enjoy. answered 12 Jan '13, 11:17 white tiger |
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God." answered 15 Jan '13, 12:17 flowsurfer |
Here's a parable I found just recently that I really enjoy, and it explains many things. It was written by Kahlil Gibran https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahlil_Gibran the following text is a translated extract from "Le Fou" Are you wondering why I became crazy? This is how it happened, one day I woke from a deep sleep and found that all my masks were stolen. So I went out without my masks through the narrow streets of the village shouting "Thief", "Thief", "Thief", "Curse the Thieves". Men and women made fun of me. Out of fear some ran towards their houses and when I got to the market place a young man standing on the roof of a house shouted "He's Mad" I lifted up my head to see him. For the first time the sun kissed my bare face and my soul lit up for love of the sun and I didn't want any masks anymore. That's how I became crazy, and in my madness I found my liberty and my security. The liberty to be alone and the security of not being understood. For those that understand us enslave us in some way. answered 29 Jun '15, 00:47 jaz |
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I used to have a great dislike for Islam. Until I understood what the whole "slave of God" stuff is supposed to mean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWK1F8wh_0c
"To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God."