Archive for the ‘Spirituality’ Category

What Are Hinduism Beliefs?

May 4th, 2013 |

What Are Hinduism Beliefs?

Hinduism is the oldest known spiritual tradition. Thousands of years before anyone was talking about Christ or Buddha, people in India were worshipping a set of Hindu gods and practicing their spiritualism.

Many historians and followers of the religion claim that some form of Hinduism has been practiced on Earth since before recorded history. We know for sure that as long as 6,000 years ago the people of current-day India were practicing Hinduism.

For being the world’s oldest religion Hinduism is a  mystery to most of the Western world. We have stereotypes (lots of gods, incense burning, strange rituals) but we don’t really know what Hinduism is all about. Here’s a breakdown.

The Basics

Hinduism is as varied as Buddhism, meaning that different families practice different forms of the basic religion, but there are some things that unite all Hindus. The main tenent of Hinduism is a belief in Brahman. Brahman is the ultimate force that makes up our existence.

According to Hindu texts, people are trapped in an endless cycle of death and rebirth as long as they are ignorant of the fact that we are all one with Brahman. Much like Buddhism, the goal of Hinduism is to liberate our spirits from this cycle of death and reincarnation. The Buddhists have Nirvana, the Hindus have Moksha.

Sacred Texts

There are many texts held sacred by Hindus, but the most important of these are the “four Vedas”. There’s the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.

The Vedas had a serious impact on all religions of Southeast Asia (Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, etc) but is traditionally the realm of Hinduism. Though Hinduism holds that these texts were created at the beginning of time, scholars have worked out that the Rig Veda was written about 1500 BCE  and not printed until around 300 BCE.

The Vedas are a mashup of hymn books, rituals, and even spells recovered from ancient India. The Vedas are easily the most ancient religious texts still in existence.

A Collection of Beliefs

A strong belief in the karmic system means that Hinduism has become part of the structure of the Indian social system. Yes, the caste system of India came out of Hinduism — though it has been abolished,  the caste system still hands out certain advantages to people whose families were of a higher caste .

The tradition of bhakti, which translates roughly to “devotion”, is really a complex expression of criticism against practices like the worship of idols and the caste system itself. Many Hindu people who practice Bhakti will recite long devotional poems and do other things to worship “God” without supporting any doctrine or caste system.

Hinduism is a large and complex religion that just can’t be summed up in a short article. If you’re looking for more info on Hinduism, check out Religious Tolerance’s page on Hinduism right here.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Is Astrology?

January 23rd, 2013 |

What Is Astrology?

The stars and planets have always sparked in humans a remarkable sense of amazement. Human beings have looked skyward to see the face of God, or too figure out what the future holds for us. The movement of the stars and planets represents a grand cosmic dance–but this movement is also personalized, occuring in the bright eyes of anyone who decides to look up at a starry night.

The simplest wasy to define astrology is to call it the study of patterns and relationships. As planets and stars move, our birth chart, the relation of the stars and planets to one another at the moment of our birth, affects how we get along with others, the make-up of our personality, and many other personal features. Astrology means using knowledge of the stars as a tool to find some deeper meaning in the cosmos.

What Is Astrology? - Signs and Charts

Is Astrology a Science?

No matter how much people believer in astrology, it will never be considered a science. To call astrology a science is to not do it justice. Truly, astrology is in the field of metaphysics. Metaphysics is the study of things which are beyond the physical realm. Astrology is thus more similar to feng shui, acupuncture, numerology, and yoga.

When people study astrology for their entire life and gain a deeper understanding of the movement of the cosmos, it is considered a study in the “intuitive arts”. But since astrology outdates any human religion, and as it was the first attempt for humans to understand our existence in the universe, it is sometimes called the “mother of all sciences.”

The Universe as Giant Clock

Astrology’s basic premise is that the movement of planets and other celestial bodies influences our behavior and the behavior of the natural world. Since human beings are a big part of the story of the universe, our moment of birth as it is  recorded on the universe’s clock is meaningful to use. As the planets and stars continue to move, they bounce off of and affect the energies first formed when we were born.

Students of astrology have an entire history of myth, symbols, and the wisdom and experience of past astrologers to draw on and form their own personal astrology. Different celestial bodies hold different answers–for instance, if you want to take a look at long-term, generational trends, you take a look at the long life cycles of the outer planets. If you want a more up-close and personal look at your moment in time, the shorter movements are your best bet. The sun’s annual journey through the celestial realm is good for taking smaller measurements of astrological value.

Astrology Signs and Charts and Self-Discovery

Astrology at its most basic is a simple tool people use to learn more about themselves. When we first look at astrology signs and charts, they may seem like tiny puzzle pieces that we have no idea how to arrange. There is a point in the study of astrology where the small pieces of our personality just sort of “click” together.

This is because our lives themselves appear to be nothing more than a long and random series of small events. In a world of random events, astrology is used as a comforting sign that we are living our lives the way they’re meant to be lived.  Astrology is used to shine a bright light on our inner conflicts and reveal the easiest way forward.

Understanding Your Birth Chart

A birth chart is a simple representation of the position of celestial bodies at the moment of our birth.

There are three parts to any birth chart– planet, sign and house.

The most basic assumptions of astrology are based on the understanding of those three celestial units.

After learning about the planets, signs and houses in your birth chart, you can continue your astrological journey toward self-discovery by looking at what are called “aspects.” These are the relationships between the various pieces of your birth chart.

Where Do I Start with Astrology?

Because Astrology is such a wide and varied field, it may be hard to know where to begin.

A person’s “birth sign” may be little more than a broad stereotype of who they are–but we know that most stereotypes are based in some version of the truth. This is how basic astrology works, too–the various aspects of each person’s astrological energy has a specific reputation. Virgo is a moral purist, Gemini is chatty and gossipy. Scorpio is sultry, intense, and so on. Pay attention to these stereotypes but also understand how your own life creates an exception to the rule.

Astrology gives us large clues as to why we are attracted to or repelled by different people, events, or situations. Astrology helps you take clashes you have with different people as less crucial–if you don’t get along with someone, it has more to do with the conflict between your birth charts than any shortcoming of yours.

Astrology tries to give us a deeper understanding of our entire selves–how we related to the outside world and how it relates to us. Astrology is a pure metaphysical science where things like numbers and star charts show us the way forward, and the way things have worked in the past.

Learn more:

  1. California Astrology Association
  2. Astrology at SkepDic.com

Spirituality Questions & Answers

January 11th, 2013 |

This section is dedicated to spirituality questions & answers. Our goal is to prodive you with the kind of spirituality advice that will help you find peace, tranquility, understanding.

We’re open to discussing any topics related to spirituality in this section. If you would contribute your thoughts and ask questions please send an email to questions [at] askdeb.com.

Recent blog posts related to spirituality include:

spirituality-questions-answersA few months ago we did a series of blog posts about what various
religions believe:

Spirituality Tips

The following articles will provide spirituality tips put together by our research staff and spiritual advisers. These spirituality tips are meant to help you strengthen your relationships and improve your outlook in life.

What Are Online Seminary Schools?

Online seminary schools vary from the only vaguely serious to the authentic seminary experience intended for people who want to educate themselves at home.

Where Can I Get Discount Christian Books?

There are many venues available for the Christian book enthusiast looking to save a little cash. Whether you’re searching out the perfect Bible for a relative’s birthday or Christmas present…

What Are Spiritual Mediums?

Maybe you found a “psychic” or “spiritual” medium in your hometown advertising their services as a medium — or you may have seen one of any number of television shows (usually on Daytime television) featuring spiritual mediums like Sylvia Browne or John Edward.

Is God Real?

Is God real? That is one of mankind’s questions that have been asked for hundreds of years. Philosophers and so-called intellectuals have theorized about the existence of a Supreme Being.

What Are Quakers?

Quakers are members of the group known as the “Religious Society of Friends”. This group is a religion that emerged as a new Christian denomination in England during a period of religious turmoil in the middle 1600s.

How Do I Figure Out My Purpose In Life?

Throughout all recorded time, human beings have wondered about the Big Questions: Is there a God? What happens after we die? What is my purpose in life?

What are Online Seminary Schools?

January 11th, 2013 |

Online seminary schools vary from the only vaguely serious to the authentic seminary experience intended for people who want to educate themselves at home. Correspondence courses in seminary have been offered since as early as 1901 in America when the Moody Bible Institute began their at-home seminary correspondence courses. There are now hundreds of schools offering correspondence classes in subjects like “Christian Studies”, “Evangelism”, and “Divinity”. Selecting the right program for your needs is the key to figuring out what online theology or semianry courses you want to take.

Why do you want to take seminary classes?

Your experience in online seminary and theology classes is extremely mutable. Some people are looking to get quickly ordained so they can officiate a wedding, still other people want to “become ordained” as a joke or a novelty. There are plenty of sources for that kind of online material — YourSeminary.com promises training and accreditation for under $50 (they’ll even throw in a OFFICIAL PARKING badge indicating that you are a member of the clergy). Universal Ministries, operating out of Chicago, has been providing cheap (and only half legal) ordination for years now — you can order a regular ordination certificate for $10 or a “fancy” certificate for $20. Pretty good deal. If you’re just looking to get ordained on a whim or you need ordination material to officiate a wedding, website like these will be fine.

If you’re looking into theology for a more serious reason, there’s plenty for you to choose from as well. If you’re interested in taking an online course in seminary, this means you really want to study Christianity in one of many forms. Many bricks-and-mortar schools offer seminary courses online — big names in the Christian community like Liberty University, Creighton University, and the Denver Seminary offer Masters of Arts degrees in subjects like Worship Studies, and you can even earn a PhD online in Philosophy with an emphasis in theology from Liberty University. If you’re interested in a serious course of theological study, many online seminaries provide just that.

What are of seminary are you interested in?

online-seminary-schoolsOnline seminaries offer courses in all sorts of specific theological and seminarial topics. If you’re interested in becoming a music minister, you can earn a Masters degree in Ethnomusicology or Worship Music. If your dream is to be a Pastor, focus on Church Planting or Discipleship. The key to picking the right online seminary is focusing your desire as much as possible and figuring out exactly what it is you want to do with your calling. Because there are so many programs (and so many degrees) offered by online seminaries, the more specific you can be about your desire to serve, the better your chances are of being satisfied with your online theological study experience.

Benefits of Online Study

Many people who are skeptical of online learning are concerned with the legitimacy of the program, the accreditation of their degree, and how they will “look” if they have a degree they earned online. And yes, there is a prejudice in favor of residential seminaries, just as there is a prejudice in favor of four-year residential univerisites in the secular world. If you pick the right online seminary, your degree will look no different from the degree they give to students who attended on-campus. A degree from a school like Creighton, which hands out degrees both online and on-campus, will appear to your future employer just like any other degree. Online seminaries (the ones that are accredited) offer the same education and support to their online students as they do to more traditional scholars.

The obvious benefit to online seminary is that you can study theology without shaking up your life. There are plenty of young pastors, young ministers, and college students out there who want to study theology but can’t afford it or can’t arrange their lives tp suit a traditional on-campus education. Why should these people be left out of the seminary experience? Taking online courses in seminary is convenient and you can pace yourself — there’s no classroom of people to compete with or to match the pace of.

Many people find it refreshing that with online course work you can complete your work at your own pace. If you work ahead, you can take exams and quizzes earlier than scheduled. Be careful about being late, though — the same rule doesn’t apply. If you push a little bit ahead every week, you’ll find that the end of the semester comes earlier than most people. Finishing courses early means finishing your entire study time early, and saving yourself money over a traditional college.

There are some other benefits to online education — it is much cheaper to take seminary courses online. Also — since you’ll be taking courses from your computer, you can save on travel expenses (like gas and parking) and continue the work or school you are already involved in.

Drawbacks of Online Study

The most obvious drawback for taking seminary courses online is the lack of face to face time with a professor and the lack of social interaction. Meeting other students, studying together, eating meals together and taking part in campus activities — these are all vital parts of the college experience for most people, and earning a degree in seminary online will keep you from doing that. You will be studying by yourself (unless you arrange for something on your own) and you won’t have much if any personal contact with a professor.

To combat this lack of contact with others, most online seminaries have forums where you can chat with other students, get help with questions or concerns, or just sit around and gossip. These forums are a fun way to get study help or to meet folks online, but it just doesn’t compensate for the total lack of social time that you’d get at a traditional campus based seminary.

For people who want to study theology at their own pace, can’t afford a traditional college, or want to continue studying while they stay at work, online seminaries are the way to go.

What Are Quakers?

January 11th, 2013 |

Quakers are members of the group known as the “Religious Society of Friends”. This group is a religion that emerged as a new Christian denomination in England during a period of religious turmoil in the middle 1600s, and is still practiced today, in a variety of forms around the world. To members of this religion, the words “Quaker”and “Friend” are interchangeable.

It would be difficult to write a description of Friends’ beliefs that would be acceptable to all the Quakers in the entire world. Quakers all share common roots in Christianity, specifically in the movement that arose in England in the middle of the 17th Century, but today it is only true that Friends adhere to certain essential principles — a belief in the possibility of “direct, unmediated communion with the Divine” (famously expressed by George Fox in the statement, “Christ is come to teach his people himself”), and a commitment to living lives that show an outward expression of this inward commitment. These terms may seem vague — and they are — but this is for a reason. As with any large group of spiritually like minded people, Friends hold many varying beliefs.

Nowhere in the world are these differences more obvious than in the Quaker groups of the United States, which contains four distinct branches of Friends — Liberal, Pastoral, Conservative, and Evangelical.

Liberal Friends

Liberal Friends meetings practice unprogrammed or silent worship. They concentrate on the authority of something called “the Inward Light”, and their membership contains people identify themselves as Christians and those who identify themselves as “universalists” — believers in God, but unsure of that God’s identity. They are often active in service work, but not in missionary or evangelical activities like some Christian groups. Many liberal meetings are affiliated with a group called the Friends General Conference, while many are independent groups supported by their members.

Conservative Friends

what-are-quakersConservative Friends are also sometimes called “Wilburites.” The meetings of Wilburites adhere to unprogrammed worship, and some members continue to practice traditional “plainness” of dress and speech. They acknowledge the authority of Christ Within and also of the Christian scripture. They have no affiliated body and are independently operated. This is perhaps the least common of the four American “types” of Friends.

Evangelical Friends

Evangelical Friends churches are similar to other Evagelical Christian bodies, with a strong emphasis on the authority of Christian scripture. These Friends practice programmed worship and are more likely to call their congregation a “church” rather than a “meeting.” Like other Christian groups, they are active in missionary, evangelical and service work, and share an affiliation with a group called the Evangelical Friends Church International. This is the most “traditionally Christian” of all Quaker groups, though Pastoral Friends are similar.

Pastoral Friends

Pastoral Friends meetings practice “programmed” worship services guided by clergy. Like Evangelical Friends, this branch has traditionally emphasized the authority of Christian scripture. They are active in service and missionary work as are many Christian denominations. Most pastoral Friends meetings are affiliated through a group called Friends United Meeting.

For many Friends (especially the unprogrammed, “liberal” branch) it is not important that we all have similar beliefs. These Friends would say that is not one’s beliefs that make one a Quaker. Rather, it is participation in Friends community, the deep search for Divine Guidance, and the attempt to live faithfully in harmony with that Guidance that make a person a Quaker.

In worship, some Friends still practice uniqe “silent” meetings with no formal minister or religious text, while other Quakers now have programmed services led by a pastor, similar to many Protestant denominations. In belief, some Friends place most emphasis on the teachings of Christian Scripture, while others give greater emphasis to the more New Age belief in the importance of the “Inward Teacher”, allowing for a wide range of religious perspectives. In many ways, these groups of Friends are similar to Unitarians — another unique branch of Christianity.

General Beliefs of Quakers

Quakers are pacifists, commited to non violence and anti war activities. Contrary to popular beliefs, Quakers are allowed to drink alcohol, but as with Christians are warned against drinking “to excess”. Quakers are generally ‘anti-Clerical’, believe that God and an understanding of God comes best from within and not from the teachings of a spiritual leader. Some extreme followers of Quakerism are commited to what is known as “plainness” in dress and speech — preferrinng simple colors and styles of clothing, usually handmade, and remaining reserved in speech and temperament. Besides these few core beliefs, there is not much “binding” Quakers together besides their identity as Friends.

Famous Quakers

  • Herbert Hoover – 31st president of the United States
  • Richard Nixon – 37st president of the United States
  • Daniel Boone – frontiersman and early organizer of Kentucky
  • Betsy Ross – sewed the first American flag
  • Thomas Paine – author and American revolutionary (raised as a Quaker)
  • Dolley Madison – First Lady, wife of President James Madison
  • Susan B. Anthony – woman’s suffragist (lapsed)
  • Jane Adams – author and activist in urban social conditions in the late 19th century
  • Julian Bond – legislator, civil rights activist
  • David Lean – film director (Lawrence of Arabia; The Bridge On the River Kwai; Doctor Zhivago)
  • James Dean – American actor; pop icon
  • Jack Larson – actor best known for playing Superman’s pal “Jimmy Olsen” in the 1950s Adventures of Superman TV series
  • Judi Dench – British actress (Academy Award for Shakespeare in Love; nominations for Iris; Chocolat; Mrs. Brown); “M” in James Bond movies since 1995
  • Ben Kingsley – actor, received Best Actor Academy Award for Gandhi (1982)
  • Paul Eddington (1927-1995) – British film and television actor (“The Good Life”, “Yes, Prime Minister”, etc.)
  • Don Porter – actor; starred as “Prof. Russell Lawrence” on “Gidget” TV series (1965-1966); films include “The Candidate” (1972), “Mame”
  • Bonnie Raitt – popular singer, guitarist, songwriter – blues, rock, etc. (raised as a Quaker)
  • Joan Baez – singer and activist (lapsed)
  • David Byrne – singer, composer
  • Annie Oakley – entertainer in Wild West shows
  • Edward R. Murrow – famous news broadcaster
  • James Fennimore Cooper – writer famous for adventure stories in early America
  • Walt Whitman – American poet (Leaves of Grass, etc.), humanist
  • James Michener – novelist (lapsed)
  • Jorge Luis Borges – poet, essayist

What are Quakers? As you can see, Quakers (or Friends) are a difficult group to ‘pin down’. To better understand Quakers and Quakerism, you may want to attend a “meeting” or “service”. To find one near you, visit Quaker Finder.

How Do I Figure Out My Purpose In Life?

January 11th, 2013 |

Throughout all recorded time, human beings have wondered about the Big Questions: Is there a God? What happens after we die? What is my purpose in life?

Some would say these questions are all connected. Still others see these philosophical questions as a complete waste of time, preferring instead to live well, do good things for their fellow man, and let it all shake out in the end.

In my opinion, the most important question is that last one — how do we figure out what our purpose in life is? I believe there are three angles to attack this problem from.

Purpose In Life Through Spirituality

Don’t confuse “spirituality” with “religion”. Spiritualists are more concerned with the immaterial nature of life — those intangible factors that impact and influence our daily lives. Religious people follow strict ethical codes as laid out in various spiritual texts or by spiritual leaders. This is an important distinction — spiritual people have their own unique answers to the question of life’s purpose.

A spiritual person trying to figure out their purpose in life would look to their belief set much like a religious person, only they wouldn’t have as specific a “guide” to discovering their life’s purpose as someone who, for instance, follows the teachings of the Bible. Spiritualists might look to the Earth itself — perhaps they would spend their life protecting and defending our natural resources. Many environmentalists are truly spiritualists at heart, and protecting our most precious resource (the very planet we live on) is a noble and worthwhile pursuit. Other spiritually minded individuals would look to the plight of mankind — poverty, poor health, hunger, etc. — and decide to spend their life in pursuit of improving the lives of others. Those of us who concentrate on matters of the spiritual realm see helping our planet and our fellow human beings as the ultimate pursuit in life. What better purpose in life, they may ask, than to make the world a better place?

So how do you find your purpose in life if you are spiritually minded? If you have a favorite charity, you can dive in up to your elbows and work hard for that charity’s purpose. Volunteer, raise money, donate money, or get out on the street and pass out flyers in support of that cause. If you haven’t found the cause that really sets you on fire for life, there are many places to look. Use your personal experience to find your purpose in life. My grandfather died of complications from Alzheimer’s — thus, I raise money for Alzheimer’s research, and donate my time and money to assist those suffering from the disease. Maybe someone in your family has a disease or disorder that could use your help . . . your purpose in life could be as simple as raising awareness about AIDS. If you haven’t yet found your life’s purpose through a charity, dig into your own life, find what weighs on your heart, and seek out a way to make that cause your very own.

A Religious Purpose In Life

figure-purpose-lifeNo matter what religion you may claim as your own, you can discover your purpose in life through your religious teachings. Christians, Jews, Muslims, and peoples of all the world’s religions have a perfect guide to discovering their goal in life. Jesus Christ, for instance, spent most of his time helping the poor, the diseased, and the generally underprivileged. If you’re a Christian, finding your purpose in life could be as easy as modeling your life after Christ’s pursuits. Buddhists and members of other Eastern religions may not have as many explicit guidelines as those followers of Western religions, but the teachings of their spiritual advisors will surely be a guide to discovering their life’s purpose. Perhaps, if you’re a follower of an Eastern religion, your goal in life may be to achieve perfect inner peace, to meditate and reflect, and to give freely of your possessions. Religion can be a perfect springboard to discovering the meaning of life — specific verses from religious texts say it all. Here are a few selections from various holy books to get you started in your pursuit of your purpose in life.

Purpose From the Koran

“I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and follow me, for God is my Lord, and your Lord, so worship Him: this is the right path. And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, He said, “Who are my helpers for God?” Said the apostles, “We are God’s helpers.” We believe in God, so bear witness that we are resigned. Lord, we have believed in what Thou hast revealed, and we have followed the apostle, so write us down with those which bear witness.”

Purpose From the Bible

“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

Purpose From the Torah

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

Purpose From the Buddhist text of the Great Decease:

“So long as the brethren meet together in full and frequent assemblies–so long as they meet together in concord, and rise in concord, and carry out in concord the duties of the order–so long as the brethren shall establish nothing that has not been already prescribed, and abrogate nothing that has been already established, and act in accordance with the rules of the order as now laid down — so long may the brethren be expected, not to decline, but to prosper.”

Looking for your purpose in life through your religious beliefs can be a rewarding and life affirming experience. The texts are there, and many before you have found their life’s purpose in tese texts. Dig in to your book of choice, and act accordingly.

A Vocational Purpose In Life

Besides simple ethical, spiritual, or religious beliefs, there are those who completely ignore the realm of the spirit world in favor of a more earthly approach to discovering life’s purpose. How can you find your purpose in life if you are an atheist, agnostic, or simply just not that religious?

Consider your job. Regardless of how simple you may feel your job is, you may find that your entire purpose in life is to do your work, and to do it well. I have worked in many jobs, from dishwasher to freelance writer to radio station music director. All of these jobs had some higher purpose that helped others, or brought joy into their lives.

If you are a dishwasher, imagine what life would be like for your customers without your work. It would be impossible to serve the customers food from dirty plates — and as lofty as it may seem, people would go hungry. It may seem a bit “high falutin” to say so, but even a job as simple as a dishwasher makes people’s lives better. Your purpose in life could be to provide a clean and sanitary eating environment.

If you have a high powered job, you can find your life’s purpose there as well. Where would we be without bankers, lawyers, or police officers? As much as we like to grumble about people who work in these difficult jobs, we do need them. Without police, we would have no order. Without bankers, our money would be stuffed into mattresses.

Burying yourself in your job is not always the best idea — everyone needs a break from work, and you don’t want to stress yourself out or wear yourself thin at work. But, if you live without a spiritual or religious guide, finding your life’s purpose can be as easy as looking at your job. Every worker in every society is a crucial piece of society.

Finding your purpose in life can be freeing, stress relieving, and empowering. Look to your spiritual or religious background, your ethical beliefs, or your vocation and you will find something to guide you in your search for the meaning of life. No one on earth is worthless, and every day you wake up breathing and in a sound mind is a day you can make the world a better place.

What are Spiritual Mediums?

January 11th, 2013 |

Maybe you found a “psychic” or “spiritual” medium in your hometown advertising their services as a medium — or you may have seen one of any number of television shows (usually on Daytime television) featuring spiritual mediums like Sylvia Browne or John Edward. These people appear to be making money working as “spiritual mediums” — but what are spiritual mediums?

Put simply, mediums act as the “middle man” between spirits and humans. Like it or lump it, believe them or question them, mediums claim to act as a communicating agent between the spirits of the dead and those of the living. In fact, the concept of “mediumship” is just that — a claim that you can communicate with spirits not visible to the naked eye. Mediums don’t always restrict themselves to dead human spirits — many claim they can talk to animals, angels, demons, or any number of other spirit creatures.

Types of Spiritual Mediums

spiritual-mediumsNot all spiritual mediums are the carnival barker variety — many people are happy to enjoy the “gift” of mediumship without exploiting it for money. These people, who seldom give “readings” and prefer instead to use their gift for personal reasons, come in every walk of life, work every profession, and may be working right next to you in your office.

There are many stories of religious officials who benefited from spiritual medium gifts — Baptist preachers who would hear from their deceased relatives or other spirit guides, and many other religious figures whose belief in some form of communication with spirits is verifiable. This means that not all spiritual mediums are of the Voodoo or Caribo-African religious variety.

Besides their various religious differences, mediums can be classified in different sub-categories. Some of these are –

Spirit Guide

A spirit guide is like a spiritual mediums second-hand man. A spirit guide is not a human spirit medium, but an evolved type of spirit whose sole purpose is to send the spiritual medium down the right path and provide other forms of spiritual guidance to a spiritual medium. Mediums who use spirit guides are called “operators” — they commune with their spirit guide to deliver messages from otherworldly entities.

Telepath

A telepath is a spirit medium who uses mental powers to communicate with spirits rather than the purely supernatural powers other mediums claim. These “telepaths” physically hear or see messages from spirits through the power of the mind and passes the information on to the person who the telepath is “reading”.

Physical Medium

Probably the cheesiest and most parodied form of spiritual mediumship, physical mediums are the “agents” or “substrates” which spirits draw energy from and manipulate that energy into noises or displays to prove their existence and presence in the room. In the 19th century, physical mediums were very popular, though whether as parlor games or genuine spiritual interests you just can’t tell. Physical mediums at this time were often complete charlatans, with complicated secret knocking mechanisms and other tricks to prove the existence of spirits.

Trance Medium

The trance medium will enter into a kind of hypnosis, or “trance”, in order to commune with spirits, angels, demons, or whatever entity the medium desires. The spirit then takes over the physical body of the medium and speaks and behaves through that body. Trance mediums are not as common these days — a good actor could pull off a convincing enough trance reading — but you’ll find plenty of parodies and imitations of trance mediums in popular culture and on the freak show circuit.

Cost of Spiritual Medium Readings

When looking for a spiritual medium for your own personal readings, you need to decide ahead of time how much of a financial commitment you can make. Believe me, you can spend anywhere from a few bucks per minute on the phone with a phone based spiritual medium to hundreds of dollars for a single half hour session with the country’s better known psychics. If you just want to get your toes wet to see how you like spiritual medium readings, call a psychic that you’ve looked up online and that shares some good reviews and testimonials. These phone readings run anywhere from $15 to into the hundreds, depending on which psychic you pick and how long you talk.

If you’re interested in a face to face meeting with a spiritual medium, be prepared to fork over at least $30 per twenty minutes — though most spiritual mediums these days seem to prefer selling half-hour or hour slots — I suppose you can charge more for a half-hour sitting . . . it just sounds longer. The psychic I use regularly charges $45 for a half hour or $80 for a full hour session — and she can cram a ton of work into that hour.

Big-name psychics get that way by reputation — celebrity clients help as well. You’ll know you’re in for a big-name celebrity spiritual medium reading when you see prices that go up above $100 for a half hour.

Whatever level of finances you have, you can find a spiritual medium reading that fits your budget.

When To See a Spiritual Medium

If you have questions that you can’t find answers for in the physical world — why a person passed on, what may be in store for your love life, how long you’ll have to wait to have a child — a spiritual medium can get you pointed down the right path.

Spiritual mediums are not doctors, can not diagnose medical conditions, and certainly aren’t without their flaws. After all, spiritual mediums are just humans with a special gift, and all gifts (like all humans) are flawed. But sometimes we have questions that can only be addressed by people with a different perspective than ours.

If you have deep unanswered questions about your future or your past, research a spiritual medium guide that can help.

Is God Real?

January 11th, 2013 |

Is God real? That is one of mankind’s questions that have been asked for hundreds of years. Philosophers and so-called intellectuals have theorized about the existence of a Supreme Being. Atheists and Theists have argued back and forth with their various points. Communities have been divided over the controversy about teaching either Evolution or Creation in public schools. There are so many different beliefs and opinions on whether God is real. The answer on this falls to one basic point: faith.

Faith In God

Personal faith is all we have to rely on. One can read the scriptures or listen to preachers recite stories of miracles. But that alone does not give proof to the existence of the Almighty. You have to ask yourself what do you believe? If you choose not to believe, then all the preaching in the world will not change your mind.

Faith is a frame of mind. It is the acceptance that there is something else out there besides the physical world as we know it. Faith is the acceptance that all of this that we call life was not just some big accident. No one can give you faith, not even God. It is something that you have to decide for yourself.

Why People Do Not Believe

Statistics show that most people who do not believe in God are usually intellectuals. A large percentage of professionals in the science and math fields are either atheist or agnostic (agnostic is someone who is undecided on God’s existence). Many people rely on what they can see or touch as proof of something’s existence. It is difficult to believe in something that you never see.

Other people who do not believe in God may be those who have had bad experiences in life. They have had bad luck, made wrong choices, or experienced tragedy in their life. A hard life can make one jaded and cynical which may lead you to not believe in God.

Another reason people may not believe in a Supreme Being is because of the state of the world today. There is war, poverty, disease, crime, violence, greed, adultery, and a number of other immoral or despicable acts. These are all intentional acts by man. With all of the things going wrong in the world, why doesn’t God act? Why doesn’t he take a stronger hand to help man? This lack of obvious interference is proof for many that God does not exist.

Sometimes events happen that are not intentional acts. These are accidents or natural catastrophes or tragedies. From car accidents, hurricanes, house fires, or sickness, these events can cause irreparable damage and suffering. Many people lay these problems at God’s doorstep. If he was real, why would he allow these events to take place?

With all of these problems and no obvious sign that the Almighty is actively helping, it is easy to understand why some people do not believe that He is real.

Reasons To Believe In God

is-god-realDespite everything that has been mentioned, there are reasons to believe that God is real. Again, this not irrefutable, scientific proof that God does exist. You still need to have faith in order to believe. But there is very strong evidence that there is a Supreme Being.

The first clue is the universe, our world, and everything in it. Where did it come from? How did it get started? It just seems too far of a stretch that all of this exists just because of an accidental Big Bang. It is too coincidental that everything that formed has a relation to everything else. From the sun that provides light and warmth, to how the earth has an atmosphere, how the light feeds plants that give off oxygen which we breathe, how we exhale carbon dioxide which the plants breathe, to how animals (including man) co-exist in a cycle.

This is basically the debate between Creation versus Evolution. In a nutshell, Creation is the belief that God created the first man, Adam and Eve and the entire world as we know it today. Evolution is the gradual creation of life over millions of years without the benefit of God as the creator. Most people of faith believe in creation while most atheists believe in Evolution.

Believing in God does not mean that you have to believe in one or the other. You can believe in God without believing in Creation. Remember, every major religion in the world has a myth or story involving the creation of the world. Why should Christianity be any different?

The same goes for Evolution. You can believe in Evolution and still believe in God. How could such a complex system such as life come into existence without the aid of a creator? Life is too varied, balanced and delicate to work otherwise.

Besides our universe, there are other clues to the existence of God. One such clue is the universal code of morals. No matter what society you live in, anywhere across the world, you will find that people hold the same set of values. For instance, love is a base emotion found everywhere. Everyone is capable of loving someone, no matter the difference of cultures.

Another shared value is that lying is deemed to be poor behavior and is generally condemned. In some cultures, lying is one of the worst immoral acts someone can commit. Adultery is another shared immoral value. A man may have several wives in some cultures but to sleep with another man’s wife is a condemning act. These moral codes can be found everywhere, even in cultures that have never interacted with one another.

Finally, and most important, the evidence for the existence of God can be found in the Bible and the life of Jesus. Besides being “the Word of God” the Bible is also a history book that talks of events both before and after the coming of Jesus. While there have been many prophets throughout history who have spread the word of God, none claimed to actually be the Son of God. The Bible speaks of Jesus’ many miracles that he performed and his acts of kindness, all in the name of God. The final miracle was his rebirth three days after his crucifixion.

Most historians agree that Jesus did in fact exist, even if they cannot agree on whether his miracles were genuine. This is where faith comes into play. According to the Bible, there were witnesses to Jesus’ miracles, all which were documented in the Bible. It is easy to dismiss such acts while reading. It is not like you can find someone who was there and interview them. These stories occurred so long ago that they have become close to myth. You have to take it on faith in order to believe.

Conclusion

There will always be skeptics and nonbelievers who will not believe in God. This is a debate that will likely continue for the duration of time. Like every controversial topic, you will always find those who are for it and those who are against it. Believing in the existence of God comes down to a personal matter.

If you are not sure about whether God is real, try sitting down and praying. If you are having problems that you are unsure how to deal with, ask God for help. Be sincere when you pray and don’t ask for selfish things such as a million dollars. Don’t ask for a blazing sign in the sky heralding his existence. God does not work that way. He works in subtle ways and the help he gives is not always what you want. But it may turn out to be the help you need.

What Are Christian Beliefs?

December 8th, 2012 |

What Are Christian Beliefs?

Christianity is the world’s largest religion, claiming between 1 and 2.2 billion believers depending on what count you believe. Anywhere from a quarter to a third of the world’s population identifies as Christian.

Christianity is a religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth (real name — Yeshua Ben Yosef or Joshua of Joseph) as laid out in the Bible, a collection of religious texts and teachings.

Though Christianity is a massive religion it is relatively young, having been “founded” by Jesus of Nazareth and his followers only two thousand years ago or so. Compared to the rich tradition of Hinduism (which is at least 6,000 years old) Christianity is just a baby. But by the fourth century CE Christianity was becoming a dominant religion.

Basic Christian Dogma

  1. God is the father of all and the great creator
  2. Jesus Christ is God’s son and the savior of the world
  3. Christ was a miracle worker and was resurrected from the dead
  4. A belief in Christ as the savior is necessary to avoid hell

Since Christianity was originally a sect of Judaism, Christians share a lot with the Jewish faith. For instance, half of the Bible is made up of texts written by, for, and about Judaism. The ten commandments of Christianity come from Moses, a major figure in Judaism. Jesus was himself Jewish. The main difference between Christians and Jews is that Jews (for the most part) don’t recognize Christ as the savior of mankind.

Sacred Texts

The Bible is the major sacred text for Christians. Because there are so many denominations of Christianity (from Catholicism to evangelical Baptists) it is difficult to describe the Bible as a unit. Catholics and followers of the Orthodox church still cling to a set of apocryphal texts and include them in their Bibles. These books (such as the Book of Wisdom) are not included in the Bibles produced and read by members of other faiths.

Besides the Bible there are plenty of texts used by Christians in their walk with God. It is very popular for Christians to read books about their faith and some go so far as to spend a little time every day studying with a “devotional” — this is like a guide book to Christianity. There are plenty of other books on Christianity and texts used by Christians to steady their faith, just look around at the huge Christian bookstores popping up all over.

Christianity gets a pretty bad rap as do most other world religions. Sure, there were plenty of wars fought in the name of Christianity (and Christian intolerance) but that is really more of a human problem than a Christian problem. Humans are flawed — this is in fact the reason that we need religion at all.

If you’re interested in learning more about Christianity, check out the Religious Tolerance blog page on the Christian faith here.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Pentecostal Beliefs?

February 28th, 2010 |

What Are Pentecostal Beliefs?

Pentecostal Christianity is one of the least understood Christian denomination. Most of what people know about “Pentecostals” (as they are called) is surface — the women wear very modest clothing, never cut their hair, etc.

Pentecostals get a bad wrap probably because the faith started (and flourishes in) low income parts of the country. Besides that obvious obstacle, they have a very strict view of Christianity which requires them to dress and act a certain way.

Though there are half a billion Pentecostals around the world, this faith is basically looked over by most Christians.

Pentecostals tend to “stick together”, most likely due to the rigorous nature of their spiritual system. But what do Pentecostals believe?

Basic Pentecostal Beliefs

The word Pentecost refers to a kind of spiritual “baptism” by a figure known as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Christianity’s vision of the spiritual aspect of God — whereas there is God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ of Nazareth), the spiritual embodiment of the Christian deity is called the Holy Spirit. “Pentecostal Baptism” refers to a spiritual change that takes place internally, and is seen as a gift from God.

A big part of Pentecostal worship is speaking in tongues. The Christian Bible makes a few references to this practice (in which a believer is briefly given the gift of speaking in God’s own language) but most Christian denominations do not consider it an active part of their worship. Pentecostal Christians speak in tongues quite often, and consider it as much a part of their worship as any other. Speaking in tongues can be quite a sight for the uninitiated — there is often much weeping and moaning and there can even be physical changes to a person while they are in their tongue trance.

Pentecostal Sacred Texts

The Bible is pretty much the only text needed for the Pentecostal Christian church. Pentecostals take a different view of the Bible than do most other Christians, reading it literally and believing it is the holy word of God himself. Some Christians are happy to think of the Bible as literature or as a kind of guidance, but pretty much a flawed book. Pentecostals believe that every word of the Bible is true, and they act on this belief.

Because of their belief that the Bible is literally true, the Pentecostal church is full of foot-washing, public repentance of sins, speaking in tongues, and many other activities that most Christians don’t perform.

Pentecostal Christianity is a growing faith — the church holds massive “revivals” or prayer meetings all over the world with the intention of bringing more people into their fold, spreading the teaching of Holy Spirit baptism, and increasing their numbers on a global scale. While many people don’t understand Pentecostalism, the faith itself seems to not care one bit what the world thinks. For more info on Pentecostalism, check out this page from SpiritualAbuse.org.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Confucianism Beliefs?

February 27th, 2010 |

What Are Confucianism Beliefs?

Unlike the other religions in our Beliefs series, Confucianism cannot be defined properly as a “religion”.

Confucianism is more of an ethical system of philosophy originating in China. Though Confucianism is practiced as a religion these days (in countries like  Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and even the US) it wasn’t meant to be a religion when it was developed.

Most followers of Confucianism follow some semblance of  traditional Chinese religion, which is a blend of old school Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and any number of localized traditions and ritual.

History of Confucianism

A Chinese writer named K’ung Fu Tzu spent thirteen years wandering China and giving advice to local politicians.

His wisdom led to people following him, writing down his teachings, and eventually deifying him. He died about 479 BCE at the age of 72. Interestingly enough, Confucius (as we call him in English) had just about the same life span during the same time of Gautama Buddha — only the Buddha died two years later to the day.

The writings of Confucius are mostly dictums on morals and ethics, as well as long passages on the proper use of political rule.

According to modern census takers, as many as 350 million people world wide follow some form of Confucianism. It gets a little confusing as Confucius’ teachings are often blended with that of Gautama Buddha into a quasi religious / political belief system.

Sayings of Confucius
We’ve all heard the jokey “Confucius say” jokes — and you may be familiar with some actual sayings of Confucius. Some of the most famous are “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves” and “Study the past if you plan to define the future”. While there are lots of false “Confucius sayings” out there, the only way to get access to the real deal is to pick up a copy of The Confucian Canon from any major book retailer. This includes four texts thought to have been written down by followers of Confucius after his great period of teaching.

Confucianism Beliefs

Confucianism holds six teachings central to its philosophy. These beliefs are –

  • Li: a system of ritual and etiquette
  • Hsiao: familial love
  • Yi: righteousness
  • Xin: honesty
  • Jen: benevolence (this is the highest Confucian value)
  • Chung: loyalty to the government

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Muslim Beliefs?

February 26th, 2010 |

What Are Muslim Beliefs?

The religion of Islam is still a mystery to much of the Western world. Though there are nearly 2 billion Muslims and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, it is mostly misunderstood by Americans as the religion that terrorists belong to.

Much like Judaism, there is no set of laws which a person  must strictly adhere to in order to be a good Muslim. A recitation of something called the  Shahada will do just fine — this recitation is “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his Prophet.”

Beyond this core statement of belief Islam can be summed up pretty well by something called the “Six Articles of Faith.” Even though it is not specifically referred to as such in the holy texts of Islam, the six articles of faith are generally thought to be the requirements for being a Muslim.

Six Articles of Faith

1. A Muslim believes in One God, Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider.

2. A Muslim believes in all the Messengers and Prophets of God without any discrimination.

This is one of the more fascinating aspects of Islam — a belief in many other world religion’s figures, prophets, and messengers. Islam honors Jesus, Moses, Noah, and plenty of other Jewish and Christian prophets along with their own.

3. A Muslim believes in all scriptures and revelations of God, as they were complete and in their original versions.

4. A Muslim believes in the angels of God.

5. A Muslim believes in the day of Judgement.

6. A Muslim believes in “Qadaa” and “Qadar”.

Muslim Life and Salvation

For a Muslim, the object of life is to please Allah with every facet of their life — int his way, a person can gain access to Paradise. Muslims believe that a person’s life is recorded beginning at puberty, and a full  account of each person’s life will be used at the Day of Judgment to determine their ultimate fate.

Sacred Texts

The Qur’an is the main holy text of Islam. It contains the revelations of God to the prophet Mohammad and along the way contains some of the most beautiful language of any holy text. The Qur’an contains many narratives that would be familiar to Jews and Christians, including accounts of the lives of Jesus and Moses, the story of the Great Flood, etc. My favorite scripture from the Qur’an is 16:65 — “Allah sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: verily in this is a Sign for those who listen.”

If you are curious about Islam, check out more facts about the world’s second largest faith at IslamCity.com.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Jewish Beliefs?

February 25th, 2010 |

What Are Jewish Beliefs?

Judaism is one of the most important religions in world history. Why? Christianity, the world’s largest religion, sprung directly out of Judaism. That means that you can credit Christianity’s 2 billion members to the existence of Judaism. In fact, Christianity and Judaism are so closely related it would be impossible to think of them distinctly.

Jewish Dogma

Unlike Christianity and Islam, Judaism does not really have an offiicial set of doctrines or political associations. In fact, all that is required for a person to be considered “Jewish” is their ethnicity. Because being Jewish means being a religion as well as an ethnic group, the lines between religion and race get blurred. These days, a person can be called Jewish whether or not they adhere to the strict system of Jewish beliefs about God or not. Many Jewish families maintain only the  simplest basic beliefs about God and carry out a few simple rituals. Many Jews don’t believe in God at all.

The most important thing in Judaism is action — good deeds and not personal beliefs are far more important to Jews than to Christians or Muslims.

Jewish Sacred Texts

The  Torah and the Talmud are the two main texts for Jews. These books (one of which makes up most of the Christian old testament) tell many stories and facts about God, humanity, even the meaning of all life — and even though Judaism today is more a set of ethnic identifiers and systems of ritual than it is about spiritualism,  throughout history Jewish scholars have had a big impact on our understanding of spiritual principles.

Jewish Traditions

Religious Jews recognize a large number of holy days and feast days as well as periods of fasting and praying. From Rosh Hashanah (like a Jewish new year but sprinkled with repentance) to Yom Kippur (“Day of Atonement”) it is very important for religious Jews to observe certain holidays and traditions throughout the year.

Judaism and the Messiah

Unlike Christians, whose Messiah appeared in the person of Jesus of Nazareth two thousand years ago, the Jews are still waiting for the appearance of the Messiah who will set in motion the Messianic Days, a time of peace and prosperity for all nations.

Some Jews have branched out to recognize Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah  – they refer to themselves as “Messianic Jews” and are generally looked down on by the rest of the Jewish community.

Judaism is as varied as the millions of people who celebrate it. From orthodox Jews who adhere strictly to codes set down in the Torah to new-wave Jews participating in mystical rituals and prayers taken from the Jewish text knwon as the Kabbalah , the beliefs of Jews are just as varied as that of any other large religious system.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Catholic Beliefs?

February 23rd, 2010 |

What Are Catholic Beliefs?

Catholicism is relatively simple to understand due to a large number of recited prayers, statements of belief, and a centralized structure built around the infallibility of their church leader, the Pope.

Whereas other spiritual traditions like Buddhism reject the kind of patriarchal order found in most Christian sects, Catholicism is a well-ordered system with very little variation from church to church or family to family.

The Basics

Catholicism is considered the first Christian denomination, since it was started by the apostle Peter who is considered the first Pope. When Jesus picked Peter to be the head of the church following Jesus’ death, he created Catholicism. Since the Catholic church keeps good records of their Popes and Bishops and can trace a direct path back to Peter, followers of Catholicism feel they have a direct linage to God. A church gets a lot of authority when they can present direct evidence of their relationship with their deity. Thus, Catholics feel pretty strongly about church dogma and tradition, as part of that tradition involves Jesus, their savior.

Sacred Texts of Catholicism

The Bible is really the big sacred text of Catholicism and all of Christianity. The Bible is a collection of texts written over a large period of time — some chronicle the history of the church or its main figures, while some books are collections of proverbs or rules on living. Toss in a smattering of romantic poetry and the occasional apocryphal text (favored by Catholics but not by any other Christian denomination) and you’ve got the Holy Bible.

The Bible is often cited as the most popular book in the world or the most printed book in the world, but regardless of printing statistics it cannot be denied that the Bible is one of the major influences on Western culture.

Catholic Dogma

Consumption of the Host at Catholic Mass is one of the major tenets of the Catholic church. Catholicism, above all other Christian faiths, puts emphasis on consuming the metaphorical “body and blood” of Jesus Christ on a weekly basis. Many people take Communion (as this procedure is called) multiple times a week or even every day. It is seen as a necessary spiritual ritual.

Another big part of Catholic dogma — a belief in a plane of existence known as Purgatory. Think of Purgatory as the middle place between heaven and hell. Catholics believe that some people (who are on God’s “good side” but not good enough to go to heaven) will be judged in Purgatory for some time before being allowed entrance to heaven. This is a controversial belief among Christians and leads to much disagreement between Catholicism and Protestantism.

Catholicism has a long and rich tradition — much longer than any other Christian faith — and millions of followers worldwide. The whole world looks to the Vatican and the teachings of the Pope, even world leaders who want nothing to do with Catholicism. Even though the church has been criticized lately for actions outside the realm of individual control, Catholicism is a proud faith with very specific beliefs and a solid moral code.

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are Buddhism Beliefs?

February 21st, 2010 |

What Are Buddhism Beliefs?

It is just as difficult to describe the “beliefs” of all Buddhists as it is to describe the same for all Christians. Religions often have different sects, belief systems, even different core philosophies while still sharing the same name. Think of a Baptist church in Mississippi compared to a Catholic mass in upstate New York just for one example.

Still there are some basic principles about Buddhism that are common to all people who call themselves Buddhist. In this article, we’ll take a look at rebirth and reincarnation, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Five Precepts. Understanding this basics will give you a quick and dirty understanding of Buddhism.

Rebirth and Reincarnation

Don’t confuse the two things — the idea of ‘rebirth’ is that a person’s energy is retained although the form changes. Buddhists will tell you to think of rebirth as like a leaf on a branch that eventually withers but grows back. Same energy, different form. ‘Reincarnation’ refers to a rebirth of the exact same being back into the physical plane. Contrary to popular belief, there are many cycles of life, death, and rebirth that happen in a person’s life — too many cycles to number.

The purpose of these rebirths is to purify the spirit so that eventually one can attain a state known as Nirvana, or perfect oneness with the universe. When a spirit reaches Nirvana it is relieved of all form and therefore all suffering.

Four Noble Truths

Buddhists believe that Gautama Buddha reached a state of enlightenment and many things were revealed to him. One of these enlightenments is known as the Four Noble Truths. These concepts are an exploration of human suffering. The Four Noble Truths are –

1. Dukkha: Simply, this says that suffering exists.

2. Samudaya: This means “There is a cause for suffering.” It turns out that desire is the cause of all suffering.

3. Nirodha: This concept suggests that there is an end to all suffering.

4. Magga: Like all good religious systems, this Truth is self-referential in a sense. It says that in order to end all suffering and reach Nirvana, you must follow the Eightfold Path.

So what is the Eightfold Path?

Eightfold Path

According to Buddhists, the way to Nirvana is through following these instructions to the letter.

1. Right Understanding (of the Four Noble Truths)
2. Right Thinking
3. Right Speech
4. Right Conduct
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Meditation

Buddhism’s Ten Commandments

Spoiler alert — there’s only five of them.

Certain followers of Buddhism hold fast to the Five Precepts which come from a document produced by a specific sect of Buddhism. These Precepts are –

Do not kill.

Do not steal.

Do not lie.

Do not misuse sex.

Do not consume alcohol or other drugs.

These are not hard and fast “rules” passed down by a deity, but precepts interpreted by the people out of thousands of years of history to help them live the right way. There are as many interpretations for each of these Precepts as there are sects and practices of Buddhism.

If you’re interested in learning more about Buddhism, check out these blogs by Buddhists and gain some insight into their world.

Brad Warner’s “Hardcore Zen”.

Shambhala SunSpace

“bee and me”

This post is part of a series of articles about Religious Beliefs. The other posts in this series are:

What Are the Top Ten Christmas Decorations in 2009?

October 23rd, 2009 |

Top 10 Christmas Ornaments in 2009

It’s about time to start thinking about Christmas decorations for 2009.

If you have to get the ornament crates out of the attic, it’s always nice to buy a few special Christmas decorations to add into the mix and excite you as you decorate your Christmas tree again.

To give you ideas for new Christmas decorations to add to your holiday collection, I’ve compiled a list of the top Christmas decorations in 2009.

Seasons Greetings!

  1. Thomas Kinkade White Christmas Animated Snowman Figure – The Thomas Kincade Collection from Ashton-Drake is among the most popular and most striking decorations right now, including my favorite, the Thomas Kincade Snowman.
  2. Hallmark Christmas Ornament Collection – Hallmark consistently has some of the cutest Christmas decorations year-in and year-out and the Hallmark Christmas Collection 2009 is no different.
  3. Shane Brox Christmas Decorations – Some of the most stylistic Christmas decorations I’ve found are the Shane Brox Collection from Royal Copenhagen. Americans won’t be familiar with the tv show these are based on, but Angela Glitterbright, Ollie Winterwite and Linus Elfnut are characters on the Danish program Shanes Verden (Shane’s World). Shane Brox, an author and designer, is the star of the imaginative children’s show. Mr. Brox also designs wonderful porcelain products for Royal Copenhagen.
  4. Reed and Barton Silver Christmas Ornaments – Silver Christmas ornaments always stand out in room full of lights, including an Annual Christmas bell or silver cross. Check out the lovely bears and Christina Angel decorations.
  5. Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Decorations – The Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Collection will fill up your Christmas tree with some unique ornaments, including this one, which strangely has Santa Claus riding a mallard.
  6. “Angel of Praise” Christmas Ornament – I found this beautiful angelic decoration on the Crystal Cathedral Christian merchandise website.
  7. Frontgate Christmas Decorations – Bright green and red Christmas decorations that are a throwback to the days of traditional holiday ornaments.
  8. Susan Winget 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments – If you want some high end Christmas decorations, try this collectors set of decorations from Susan Winget.
  9. Pfaltzgraff Christmas Decorations – Pfaltzgraff has a large collection of Christmas decorations, including these porcelain gift ideas and decorations to decorate your house during the holidays.

More Christmas Decoration Ideas for 2009

I thought I would include a few bonus Christmas gift ideas and decorations for gift ideas and those ornament suggestions that might slip your mind or miss your notice.

  1. Disney Hannah Montana Star Christmas Ornament – Hannah Montana christmas decorations have been popular for a couple of years now and Disney continues to please the kiddies. Here’s a Disney Hannah Montana star Christmas ornament, which sells for $10 on Amazon.
  2. Disney’s Christmas Carol Decorations – Jim Carrey is starring as Scrooge in Disney’s 2009 version of A Christmas Carol, so you know the Jim Carrey Scrooge tree ornaments are goign to be hot sellers this year. I saw a trailer for this movie and the ghosts have a completely different look. Don’t take the kiddies to this one.
  3. Crate & Barrel 2009 Engravable Ornament Charm – And finally, if you buy $100 worth of merchadise from Crate&Barrel, you can buy this exclusive zinc alloy decoration for $2.95.

What Do Buddhists Believe?

October 21st, 2009 |

Common Beliefs of Most Buddhists

Buddhism was created in the sub-continent of India somewhere around the year 563 BCE by Siddharta Gautama, more famously known as the Buddha. Buddhism has in common several beliefs with another major world religion which originated in India, Hinduism. These beliefs include cause-and-effects ethics in the form of Karma, the illusionary nature of the world (known as Maya) and the cycle of reincarnation, known as Samsara.

To break the cycle of reincarnation, Buddhists seek enlightenment, which will lead nirvana (an end to hatred, greed and delusion) and involves paying off a karmic debt, which is likely to require multiple lifetimes. Because Buddhism has existed for over 2,500 years or roughly 100 generations of Buddhist thinkers, there are a lot of different ideas among Buddhists about how one best attains enlightenment. One thing most if not all Buddhists agree upon is Siddhartha’s original teachings about the Four Noble Truths.

The Four Noble Truths

To achieve enlightenment, a Buddhist must attain the essence of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths. These noble truths are defined as:

  1. To live is to suffer.
  2. Suffering is caused by desire.
  3. One can elimate suffering by eliminating all attachments.
  4. Eliminating all attachments is achieved by following the Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

Therefore, the Four Noble Truths lead to a Noble Eightfold Path to achieving enlightenment, and therefore Nirvana. The Noble Eightfold Path requires you to attain wisdom to purify your mind, maintaining ethics or morality (abstention from unwholesome deeds) and mental discipline, to achieve mastery over one’s own mind. Mental discipline requires contemplation and meditation.

The Eightfold Path is described as:

  1. Viewing reality as it is, peering through the illusion of what it appears to be.
  2. Renunciation, freedom and harmlessness.
  3. Speaking in a truthful yet non-hurtful way.
  4. Acting in a non-harmful way.
  5. Maintaining a non-harmful livelihood.
  6. Making an effort to improve oneself.
  7. Achieve awareness, seeing things for what they truly are with a clear consciousness, being aware of the reality within oneself, without craving.
  8. Correct meditation and/or concentration.

Some view the Eightfold Path as a step-by-step progression, a kind of eight-step program to enlightenment. Others view the Eightfold Path as a simultaneous process, where a Buddhist achieves all eight parts of development at once.

The Middle Way – The Middle Path

Buddhists are expected to follow the “Middle Way”, which is the path of moderation. A Buddhist is supposed to neither live in luxury (or pursue self-indulgence), nor become an ascetic monk (or pursue self-mortification). This method is sometimes translated the Middle Path. There are several explanations for what this Middle Path is, according to the Buddhist sect you listen to.

Practice non-extremism, a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence or self-mortification.
The middle ground on metaphysical questions; that is, the view that things either do (permanance) or do not exist (nihilism).
Perfect enlightment or Nirvana, which becomes clear when one realizes that all dualities (extremes) are delusions.
Achieving “emptiness”, avoiding the extremes of inherent existence or nothingness.

This can get heady for some, which may be why there are so many different explanations for Buddhist principles. There are many different sects of Buddhism, while there have been Buddhas besides Siddhartha over the century. Some of these men were charismatics who were virtually worshipped by their followers, while others shunned any such objectification of a Buddha figure as entirely against the tenets of Buddhism.

Buddhism teaches its followers to look at the world from a different perspective than others, not for the sake of doing so, but because the world has a deceptive quality. A Buddhism meditates and contemplates and attempts to break down the illusions in life that deceive others. Because devout Buddhists have often been seen as wise men, such Buddhists have been approached by rulers and common folk alike, who appeal to their wisdom. These people do not always like what they hear from a Buddhist monk.

How Many Buddhists Are There In the World?

It’s hard to say how many Buddhists there are in the world, because Buddhism isn’t a conventional world religion with a church hierarchy or tithe-paying congregation. In fact, many Buddhists would argue that Buddhism isn’t so much a religion as a philosophy, though Buddhism is generally considered a religious belief system. By most experts’ guess, there are between 250 million and a half-billion Buddhists in the world today.

Buddhism has achieved a certain number of adherants in Western Culture, through the import of gurus and Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism tends to rely on meditation over scriptures and was developed in China and Japan.

The two great schools or branches of Buddhism are Theravada Buddhism (the School of the Elders) and Mahayana Buddhism (the Great Vehicle). Theravada is the older of the two branches of Buddhism and tends to have a following in Southeast Asia, some parts of Southwestern China, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and, to a lesser degree, in Singapore, the West and in modern-day India, where a kind of revival of Buddhism is happening presently.

Mahayana is found in East Asia, including China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. The Mahayana has spread to other parts of the world, in part because of the Himalayan diaspora caused by the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet. There are many schools of Buddhism in the Mahayana branch of Buddhism, including Zen, Shingon, Pure Land Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, the Tendai faith and Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama is a highly-respected religious official of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhists, and has lived in exile since the failure of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959 against the Chinese Occupation of Tibet (1949-1950).

What Beliefs Do Buddhists Have?

In summary, Buddhists believe many things. Themes such as the 4 Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the Middle Way are commonly held practices and beliefs of most Buddhists, though as you can see, there are many divergent beliefs within the greater Buddhist teachings.