The criminal mind

Posted on April 6, 2013 by heaventruth

For the average person, hard work, patience and perseverance usually result in success in any endeavor. For example, society encourages one to work hard and save for a comfortable retirement. Our system of capitalism depends on sacrifice today for the gains of tomorrow. But for some reason, there is a part of society that believes in instant gratification. The criminals in our society can be included in this group.

What goes through the mind of an evil person? They may obtain satisfaction from the spoils of a burglary, the gratification of an illegal drug, or the retribution of a recent disagreement. These are all immediate gratification from greed, arrogance, and self-love. Hard work, patience and perseverance are not familiar to them. They want everything now, resulting in suffering of others and of themselves.

For these evil people, the concept of Cause and Effect will be difficult to understand. Good thoughts and actions result in future joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and actions result in future sufferings. In life, the effect of the cause may be delayed for an extensive time. Because of this lapse of time, the criminal will have a difficulty understanding this relationship. Their lives are based on immediate results.

But suppose God begins to give them immediate reactions for their evil actions or thoughts.  Would this prevent the criminal from committing crimes against society? For fear of God’s wrath, the criminal will certainly reconsider his actions. But like the incorrigible child, the prevention will only last as long as the punishment continues. It is this fear that prevents the evil action; God’s immediate reaction does not prevent the evil thoughts from emanating from their minds.

If the criminal can understand that God’s immediate reactions to their evils are guidance, instead of punishment, they will begin to realize that God is trying to help them. They will realize that every thought or action results in future joy or suffering. They will be able to sweep the evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) from their hearts.

It is this immediate guidance from God that we must all look for. Some upon contracting illness may see it as God’s punishment; others may see it as coincidence, or fate unrelated to God. A few may ponder the illness, and eliminate greed, arrogance, and self love from their minds. But whatever perspective we take for now, God continues to help mankind see the truth that all mankind was created to live the joyous life by helping each other.

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The law of cause and effect

Posted on April 1, 2013 by heaventruth

The law of “Cause and Effect” states that for every thought or action there is an effect in the future.  Good thoughts brings forth joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts brings forth suffering in the future. For many people, the lapse of time may be too long for us to see the relationship. The following is a verse from the Osashizu commenting on Cause and effect (innen, karma).

The world’s path is a path of manifestations, whereas God’s path is the path of the heart.  In the world’s path, you can do whatever you want and get away with it, so long as no one sees you do it. But in the path of the heart, it all comes to bear on yourself.        Osashizu January 27, 1891

In summary, some believe that we can avoid punishment by not being caught; but we do not realize that there is an internal mechanism that punishes or rewards us depending on our thoughts. This is the law of cause and effect.  Have no greed, arrogance, and self-love to have a joyous future.

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Is religion too complicated?

Posted on March 31, 2013 by heaventruth

Do you wonder why there is so much corruption and crime in this world?  Even in the church hierarchy, there are stories of religious leaders going astray. Religious leaders and crime, this is an oxymoron. The question arises, is religion too difficult to understand?

There are many religions where there are volumes of books that must be deciphered. There are churches where a prayer must be recited in a specific language, accompanied by specific religious ceremonies for the prayers to be supposedly effective. There are churches where both sexes are separated when praying.  It almost appears that we are selecting a club when choosing our religions.

Many of us have limited knowledge and time in deciphering the ancient sacred books that teach of God’s truth. We depend on religious leaders to summarize and convince us that they are transmitting God’s truth to us.  But why did God make it so difficult to understand the truth? Why do we need others to decipher God’s truth?

As humans, we sometimes incorporate our beliefs and customs into religion. After awhile these beliefs and customs may mistakenly be incorporated as coming from God. This makes religion difficult to understand. It is with this awareness of human fallacy, we must be cautious in believing in all of the contents in the sacred books.

But in many of the sacred books, there is a common theme of love from God, and love among human beings. It is this common theme of sweeping evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our hearts that we must take from each of the religions in the world.

In summary, religions have become too complicated and too divisive. We must be able to find out God’s truth or why God created mankind. The truth I believe is in most of our religious documents, and is simple for the average person to find. When we find this truth, the world will become joyous with everyone helping each other.

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Illness as God’s Guidance?

Posted on March 31, 2013 by heaventruth

What does illness tell us? If severe, it makes us helpless, relying on others to keep us alive. It makes us realize that we do not have control over our bodies. Our expensive homes, and the superfluous accessories do not make us feel better. On the other extreme, our worries of debt are replaced with our own aches and discomfort. Dependent on the severity of the illness, our survival is our only concern.

At first we may become angry and frustrated with the limitation of our functions. Then we begin to accept the consequence of the symptoms, hoping for a quick recovery. Many times we recover, especially in illnesses like the flu; but sometimes the disease worsens, and we begin to depend on others to help us. This may include doctors and medicine, but also may include immediate families and friends that love you. They all have one goal of healing the body.

By this goal, illness sometimes brings together people. That argument over something silly ten yours ago doesn’t seem as important to you. Everything except for the recovery does not matter.  It is during these times that we call upon God to help us. But suppose God is already helping by giving you this illness?

But what would be the purpose of God giving us illness?  It makes us realize that material wealth is not important. It gives us time to ponder about spiritual topics, bringing us closer to God. If this is the case, our prayer should not be to recover from the disease that was place to help us, but it should be prayer to God to help us eliminate the evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) that may be in our hearts. When we are able to do this, God may remove the illness.

So the next time, illness is placed on your body, it may be God helping you spiritually. Ponder, and remove greed, arrogance, and self-love from your hearts!

Posted in Christianity, God, guidance, Heaven's Truth, illness, Religion, Tenrikyo, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The reason God …

Posted on March 30, 2013 by heaventruth

The reason God began human beings
was the desire to see you lead a joyous life. 14-25

Purpose of life: To live a joyous life by helping others.

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Go around dust

Posted on March 30, 2013 by heaventruth

We hear stories of missionaries that are killed trying to spread the truth. But why does this happen? Sometimes people are not ready to receive God’s truth. One of the followers asked Oyasama why some people are so resistant to the teachings, sometimes to the point of causing violence. Oyasama told her followers sometimes it is wise to go around dust, because when we confront dust, sometimes it gets on us also.

What this means is that sometimes people are not ready to receive God’s truth due to their arrogance. When we try to argue with them, besides bringing out more arrogance from them, we become arrogant ourselves trying to convince them of their errors. It is these situations that God prefers us to avoid confrontation at all costs.

In summary, God brings people to us who are agreeable to our teachings. Some people are not yet ready to receive God’s truths. Eventually with our daily prayers of removing evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from the world’s mind, God will bring everyone to receive the truth. The truth is that all mankind was created to live a joyous life with everyone helping each other.

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Student loans/revised

Posted on March 30, 2013 by heaventruth

While many American still suffer from the economy, the financial institutions are profiting billions of dollars and are primed to profit year after year from the loans to college students. While banks borrow money from each other at low rates close to 0%, they are charging the youths of our future exorbitant interest rates of almost 7%.  This is when the 30-year mortgage for a house is about 3%.

Many of our youth come out of school with debt of over $25,000 in undergraduate loans. It is not unheard that some students come out of graduate school with loans of over $500,00.00 dollars. While, most loans can be eliminated by bankruptcy, lawmakers and investors have handcuffed our youths by preventing student loans from bankruptcies.

It is this greed of outrageous interest rates, the exorbitant profits of executives, and their investors that we place a burden on our future. It is with this baggage of debt that we send our youth into the business world. Unless, prosperity returns to the economy, many of these students will be unable to pay back even their interests on their loans.  Our government and financial investors are sacrificing our youth for greed. Like the financial meltdown in the housing market, the student loan meltdown may place a great strain on our economy, and of the world.

I am not proposing that investors loan money without interest, but I am proposing an interest rate that is reasonable for both parties.  Investors should gain some profit while also knowing that they are helping others. It is this foresight of the future that bankers and investors should lower the interest at a rate which is reasonable for both students and investors, leaning more in favor of the students.  When this happens, the future of America will become a little brighter.

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Student Loan

Posted on March 30, 2013 by heaventruth

While many American still suffer from the economy, the financial institutions are profiting billions of dollars and are primed to profit year after year from the loans to college students. While banks borrow money from each other at low rates close to 0%, they are charging the youths of our future exorbitant interest rates of almost 7%.  This is when the 30-year mortgage for a house is about 3%.

Many of our youth come out of school with debt of over $25,000 in undergraduate loans. It is not unheard that some students come out of graduate school with loans of over $500,00.00 dollars. While, most loans can be eliminated by bankruptcy, lawmakers and investors have handcuffed our youths by preventing student loans from bankruptcies.

It is this greed of outrageous interest rates, the exorbitant profits of executives, and their investors that we place a burden on our future. It is with this baggage of debt that we send our youth into the business world. Unless, prosperity returns, many of these students will be unable to pay back even their interests on their loans.  Our government and financial investors are sacrificing our youth for greed. Like the financial meltdown in the housing market, the student loan meltdown may place a great strain on our economy, and of the world.

It is this greed in government and financial institutions that will bring suffering to this country and the world. While the executives may lavish in their lifestyles, there will be many that will continue to suffer from the poor economy. This lavish lifestyle will not bring upon true joy. It is only when we help others that true joy can exist.

I am not proposing that investors loan money without interest, but I am proposing an interest rate that is reasonable for both parties.  Investors should gain some profit while also knowing that they are helping others. It is with these transactions, that the economy will improve for everyone.

In summary, having money and luxury are not sins. It is only when we profit from the suffering of others that the red light may switch on somewhere in the heavens. It is the mindset of helping each other that will bring true joy to the world.

 

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The fall of the dollar

Posted on March 29, 2013 by heaventruth

 

Recently, there has been a CEO of an investment company predicting the fall of the US economy due to the relegation of the dollar as the world currency.  He has predicted the fall of other major industries in the past. In his claim, he states that the US government is the only one that can print any amount of dollar while borrowing billions each day. He predicts that that the average citizen will face situations never encountered before. In his presentation, he gives the listener the history of past, the present and future. Then he entices the listener in preparing for the eventual fall of the dollar. Like most investment entrepreneurs solicitations, no specifics are discussed. The listener has to call in to get more specifics on how to prepare a profit from this disaster.

I am not a financial expert, and most of his presentations appear to be backed up by legitimate facts.  His predictions may come to fruition, but his motives appear to be in question.  Many of the financial problems we are facing in the world have been caused by greed, arrogance, and selfishness by politicians, investors, and even the average citizen.  While predicting turmoil, the CEO enticing the greed in the public, wants us to profit from this disaster in the financial world.

I am not sure we can gain true joy, while the rest of the population suffers. In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is written that true joy comes from helping each other. The financial situation may come to a standstill as predicted. But what will determine the fate of this country is whether we help each other when this inevitable financial crisis appears. It is with this mindset that this country or any country can survive any difficulties that may occur in the future.

 

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Suppose……

Posted on March 29, 2013 by heaventruth

Sometimes the cause of an illness or disease is apparent, and other times it is not. Series like Quincy and House on television have survived due to the audience curiosity on solving the mysterious cause of the abnormal.

When an illness occurs (effect), it is usually easy to find out what caused it, if the effect of the disease occurs shortly after the cause.  This occurs in the flu, when we can identify the source of the disease to an acquaintance at work, or to a family member who recently contracted the flu. But sometimes, as displayed in the television series, the source of the disease is difficult to identify, making the cure almost impossible.  The good doctor has to go back in time to identify the source. In real life, the longer the lapse between the cause and effect, the difficult it is to solve the mystery of the disease.

Suppose our sufferings in our lives are a result of our past actions? Some may think the sufferings are God’s test, or our fate, which we have no control over. But suppose every good thought or action resulted in joy in the future; and every evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thought and action resulted in future suffering?   But the lapse of time between the two may be too long for us to see the relationship, resulting in many people suffering in the future.

Suppose God begins to shorten the time lapse between cause and effect, like the flu, which occurs right after, we contract it.  People will immediately see the relationship between our thoughts and our future. People will then begin to have more positive thoughts to avoid the sufferings in the future.

So the next time you suffer, it may be the result of the law of “Cause and Effect”, or it may be God’s guidance (shortening the time lapse between cause and effect). Ponder everything that happens, and eliminate greed, arrogance, and self-love from your heart.

It summary, it is with this understanding of “Cause and Effect” that we can have joy in the future with everyone helping each other.

 

Posted in Christianity, Heaven's Truth, Religion, sufferings, Tenrikyo, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment