The Word of God

Harmony9 · #1 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 01:27 AM

Dear Friends,

What do other religions say about 'The Word of God'?

I'm curious to see what similarities arise.

I love this quote from the Baha'i writings. What a wonderful analogy.

“The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling, whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men. It is incumbent upon you to foster its growth through the living waters of wisdom, of sanctified and holy words, so that its root may become firmly fixed and its branches may spread out as high as the heavens and beyond.” — Bahá’u’lláh

Have a wonderful evening!

Loving Greetings, Amy

Lightkeeper · #2 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 01:33 AM

That is beautiful, Amy. One of my favorite images is from the Upanishads, Hinduism. The Salt Doll walks into the ocean. Meaning our image dissolves when we return to the beloved. We and the beloved are one.

joshuway · #3 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 07:55 AM

I think Word of God is equivalent with Holy Spirit (for me equals, Voice for God), which I also find to be consistent with the existence of spiritual texts that are written. I believe it is a mistake to refer to the written word (and the collection of symbols on a page) as THE word of God. Yet, I would call the mistake, one of interpretation and one that is rather easily remedied if one gives up (the illusion) that the book (an idol) is what contains Spirit's Message.

Within the New Spirituality, it is a little known FACT that God speaks to and through humans, ALL THE TIME. I find that the belief that God has only spoken to humanity on occassion to be the the sort of belief that blasphemy is made of, while I recognize that those who hold to the idea that God speaks rarely to humans might say I am being blasphemous in thinking God always is speaking to humanity.

I believe that the Word of God is found within all of Creation. When it is believed to be "outside" of the Self, then I believe one is hearing an-other voice. And yet, even these "voices" are subject to the purification of the Word (Voice from within).

In joy,

J

Harmony9 · #4 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

That is beautiful, Amy. One of my favorite images is from the Upanishads, Hinduism. The Salt Doll walks into the ocean. Meaning our image dissolves when we return to the beloved. We and the beloved are one.

I like that imagery very much.

thanks!

in the Baha'i Scriptures, Baha'u'llah's writings are likened to the ocean.

"Immerse yourself in the ocean of my words, that ye may unravel it's secrets and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in it's depths."

Harmony9 · #5 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshuway

I think Word of God is equivalent with Holy Spirit (for me equals, Voice for God), which I also find to be consistent with the existence of spiritual texts that are written. I believe it is a mistake to refer to the written word (and the collection of symbols on a page) as THE word of God. Yet, I would call the mistake, one of interpretation and one that is rather easily remedied if one gives up (the illusion) that the book (an idol) is what contains Spirit's Message.

Within the New Spirituality, it is a little known FACT that God speaks to and through humans, ALL THE TIME. I find that the belief that God has only spoken to humanity on occassion to be the the sort of belief that blasphemy is made of, while I recognize that those who hold to the idea that God speaks rarely to humans might say I am being blasphemous in thinking God always is speaking to humanity.

I believe that the Word of God is found within all of Creation. When it is believed to be "outside" of the Self, then I believe one is hearing an-other voice. And yet, even these "voices" are subject to the purification of the Word (Voice from within).

In joy,

J

Hi,

I believe there is some truth in what you say. We all have access to that inner voice. But I also believe that God periodically sends us great teachers to help us learn what he wants for us.

I also believe that the evidence of God is all around us, all of creation contains His signs.

But being the stubborn breed that we are, we often need a little nudge in the right direction, hence the teachers we are given.

Have a nice day!

Lightkeeper · #6 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harmony9

I like that imagery very much.

thanks!

in the Baha'i Scriptures, Baha'u'llah's writings are likened to the ocean.

"Immerse yourself in the ocean of my words, that ye may unravel it's secrets and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in it's depths."

Water is symbol of the Unconcious mind. It could be that's where we find the pearls of wisdom.

Harmony9 · #7 (**permalink**) 17th January 2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Water is symbol of the Unconcious mind. It could be that's where we find the pearls of wisdom.

Perhaps.

There are also references in many scriptures which indicate water meaning the Word of God.

Below I have posted verses from several scriptures referencing water. Imho, It appears to be the same message, the same Voice, renewed throughout the ages.

Quote:

Revelations - 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man...

1:15 ...and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Quote:

10:13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.(King James Bible, Jeremiah)

Quote:

the counsels of heaven are likened to water, even as the Qur’án saith: ‘And pure water send We down from Heaven,’ 1 and the Gospel: ‘Except a man be baptized of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.’ 2 Thus is it clear that the Teachings which come from God are heavenly outpourings of grace; they are rain-showers of divine mercy, and they cleanse the human heart. Selections From the Writings of `Abdu'l-Baha, Pages 146-150

Quote:

Withhold not, O my Lord, the water that is life indeed from running down—the water from whose murmuring the wondrous melodies which extol and glorify Thee can be heard. Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, Pages 69-70

Quote:

Water is the cause of life, and when Christ speaks of water, He is symbolizing that which is the cause of Everlasting Life. This life-giving water of which He speaks is like unto fire, for it is none other than the Love of God, and this love means life to our souls. Paris Talks, Pages 81-83

Quote:

To shelter Virtue's laws;

The Fount whence Life's stream draws

All waters of all rivers of all being:

The One Unborn, Unending:

Unchanging and Unblending!

With might and majesty, past thought, past seeing!
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr))

Quote:

I am the fresh taste of the water;
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr))

Quote:

And God sendeth down water from Heaven, and by it giveth life to the Earth after it hath been dead: verily, in this is a sign to those who hearken.

(The Qur'an (Rodwell tr), Sura 16 - The Bee)

Quote:

O Nanak, the season of spring comes to one who serves the True Guru.
The Lord rains His Mercy down upon him, and his mind and body totally blossom forth; the entire world becomes green and rejuvenated. ||59||
(Shri Guru Granth Sahib, Section 43 - Shaloks In Addition To The Vaars)

Quote:

More than any earthly power,
More than all the joys of heaven,

More than rule o'er all the world,

Is the Entrance to the Stream
((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path))

Quote:

And, verily, those who are filled with unshaken faith in me, all those have entered the stream.

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path))

and i really like this quote from Rumi...

Quote:

Quote:
"O friend,

This is the tree of knowledge, O knowing one;

Very high, very fine, very expansive,

The very water of life from the circumfluent ocean.

Thou hast run after form, O ill-informed one,

Wherefore thou lackest the fruit of the tree of substance.

Sometimes it is named tree, sometimes sun,

Sometimes lake, and sometimes cloud.

'Tis one, though it has thousands of manifestations;

Its least manifestation is eternal life!

Though 'tis one, it has a thousand manifestations,

The names that fit that one are countless.

That one is to thy personality a father,

In regard to another person He may be a son.

In relation to another He may be wrath and vengeance,

In relation to another, mercy and goodness.

He has thousands of names, yet is One,

Answering to all of His descriptions, yet indescribable.

Every one who seeks names, if he is a man of credulity,

Like thee, remains hopeless and frustrated of his aim.

Why cleavest thou to this mere name of tree,

So that thou art utterly balked and disappointed?

Pass over names and look to qualities,

So that qualities may lead thee to essence!

The differences of sects arise from His names;

When they pierce to His essence they find His peace!"

(Mathnavi of Rumi (E.H. Whinfield tr), The Masnavi Vol 2)

food for thought. ;)

Have a wonderful day!

-Amy

biomystic · #8 (**permalink**) 25th April 2006, 07:53 PM

The historical truth about "Word(s) of God" is that they almost always come to be used as weapons in which to divide human communities from one another. When the mythical Moses claimed that God literally wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, that was the beginning of word idolatry, when words themselves became idols commanding obedience or death in many cases. And as per idol worship, it is always taboo, forbidden to question the idol.

But it is also true that periodically God does send messengers to tell the spiritual truth to correct each age's spiritual path that gets corrupted through time. This has happened now again where God has sent a messenger bearing the new Word of God, only this time the Word of God speaks universally to all humankind without the need of written words that will become idols. The new Word of God is in the Holy Land now and already has shown its power of communicating exactly what God wants now from us, shown it to over 500 Palestinian Christians and Muslims too at Easter in Nazareth in 2003. More will be known this when the time is right.

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