What is the meaning of faith?
One of the great conundrums of life which places a huge question mark against faith is the phenomenon of natural disasters. Earthquakes, hurricanes and tidal waves seem to be so indiscriminate in their occurrence, causing so much tragedy and human suffering.
Surely a loving, merciful God would not allow such suffering of his people?
With the many thousands of people who die and suffer from such events surely not all these are sinful enough to warrant the consequences of such unforeseen catastrophes?
Questions like these have exercised the minds of many intellectuals over the centuries and undoubtedly their answers have fallen at both ends of the spectrum, proving or disproving the existence of God.
It would be so easy to use natural disasters as indisputable evidence as to the fact that there is no God. A God who truly cares about his creation would not allow for such cataclysms, would not oversee the sufferings from destruction and famine. This surely is not the work of a loving, merciful Father?
Yet there are many scientists, particularly geologists who see the world as a work in progress. The crust of the earth is a movable, floating surface. Plate tectonics proves that there is movement of the different areas of this crust, and friction develops as the plates either rub against each other or slide one under the other, eventually releasing the energy in the form of earthquakes. Constant transference of energy from one part of the globe to another comes in the form of wind, with hurricanes and tornados at the extremities of this process. The conclusion of said scientists is that these are the inevitable changes occurring in the world as Mother Nature heads towards her ultimate creation.
The Tsunami of Boxing Day 2004 would surely be another nail in the coffin of faith?
With many thousands dead in the coastal areas of India, Thailand and Malaysia one would expect the faith of the surviving people to be destroyed.
On the contrary.
Despite the loss of loved ones, despite the loss of homes and property and despite the tremendous suffering after such an awesome display of destructive power, the faith of the survivors was, and still is, remarkably strong. Many saw this as a challenge set by God to test their abilities, to prove the strength of their faith. Others saw it as punishment for the misdemeanors of themselves or their people proving that they still believed in God their creator.
The compassion showed by so many people in the aftermath of this destruction was seen as a demonstration of God’s love with mercy missions coming from all over the globe, desperate to offer aid in whatever capacity they could provide.
We could be forgiven for thinking that negativity would prevail. But as time wore on people became more positive as communities started to rebuild; phoenixes from the ashes. Almost unbelievably it was the religious centres that seemed to stand steadfast against the onslaught of water and today remain the focal point as these villages overcome disaster.
The problem that exists when trying to reason as to why God allows natural disasters to occur is that the arguments are set by the human mind. Taking into account the greatest of minds in the scientific, political and theological fields, the human mind is still limited. The intellect can only go so far. In searching for the answers to the universe we always come up with more questions. We are trying to drain the oceans using a spoon. If computers could understand their creator then the world would surely be in trouble. Likewise it is impossible to understand the intelligence of our creator.
It is not hard for any of us to see back through our lives, that when we believe in God he is there for us. And even when times appeared hard, when we could so easily have questioned our faith, God saw us through the darkness until the light shone again. There is a reason for the pain and suffering that we all experience at different points in our lives; they are just not always apparent at the time. Don’t try to reason it because the human mind has frailties, it is limited in comparison to the truth that is God. Just know that God is there and have absolute faith that he will guide us through to the good times.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
Showing posts with label Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christianity. Show all posts
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
What Do You See?
What is the Meaning of Life?
A candle burns gently, giving a warm glow to dark surroundings. Then a slight breeze blows out that enchanting flame.
Do we see that breeze?
No we don’t. But we may feel the cool softness of the air as the breeze brushes our faces.
The operation of a switch brings light to a room in a fraction of a second. The miracle of physics determines that electricity illuminates darkness through that single light bulb.
Do we see the electricity?
No we don’t. But we see the results of its work.
A television sitting in the corner of a room beams out a mass movement of light. Radio waves carrying digital information through many miles of space creates that picture on the screen.
Do we see those radio waves?
No we don’t. But we can enjoy the stories that they create.
There are so many things that we cannot see yet we feel, see and enjoy the results of.
People doubt God’s existence.
Why?
Because they cannot see him. This means that there is no proof that he exists. Scientists can tell us how energy creates a breeze, causes electricity to flow and allows radio waves to carry signals through the air. But scientists cannot explain Gods love and the energy that this provides to anybody who opens up their hearts to him.
So he can’t exist, can he?
So you want proof!! Look around you.
How did this wonderful creation ever come into being?
Oh!! The whole universe was created by a massive nuclear explosion derived from one small atom. The “Big Bang” theory the scientists call it.
But where did that atom come from?
A mathematician once calculated the odds on life being created on a planet with all the chemicals and atmosphere to sustain that life plus putting the sun, moon and stars in all their corresponding places. It worked out at 1 to the power of billions. Personally I have better things to do with my time, but at least he concluded that life, the world and the universe is too orderly to have been created by such chance.
For those of us in the know, those with faith; we have the knowledge and the wisdom. There is a creator of this beautiful world and all that surrounds it and that creator is God.
We may not be able to see him but we can most definitely feel his presence, see his work and enjoy his love.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
A candle burns gently, giving a warm glow to dark surroundings. Then a slight breeze blows out that enchanting flame.
Do we see that breeze?
No we don’t. But we may feel the cool softness of the air as the breeze brushes our faces.
The operation of a switch brings light to a room in a fraction of a second. The miracle of physics determines that electricity illuminates darkness through that single light bulb.
Do we see the electricity?
No we don’t. But we see the results of its work.
A television sitting in the corner of a room beams out a mass movement of light. Radio waves carrying digital information through many miles of space creates that picture on the screen.
Do we see those radio waves?
No we don’t. But we can enjoy the stories that they create.
There are so many things that we cannot see yet we feel, see and enjoy the results of.
People doubt God’s existence.
Why?
Because they cannot see him. This means that there is no proof that he exists. Scientists can tell us how energy creates a breeze, causes electricity to flow and allows radio waves to carry signals through the air. But scientists cannot explain Gods love and the energy that this provides to anybody who opens up their hearts to him.
So he can’t exist, can he?
So you want proof!! Look around you.
How did this wonderful creation ever come into being?
Oh!! The whole universe was created by a massive nuclear explosion derived from one small atom. The “Big Bang” theory the scientists call it.
But where did that atom come from?
A mathematician once calculated the odds on life being created on a planet with all the chemicals and atmosphere to sustain that life plus putting the sun, moon and stars in all their corresponding places. It worked out at 1 to the power of billions. Personally I have better things to do with my time, but at least he concluded that life, the world and the universe is too orderly to have been created by such chance.
For those of us in the know, those with faith; we have the knowledge and the wisdom. There is a creator of this beautiful world and all that surrounds it and that creator is God.
We may not be able to see him but we can most definitely feel his presence, see his work and enjoy his love.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
Saturday, 14 November 2009
The Faith of Children
What is the meaning of faith?
On occasions our faith can be in need of strengthening. Life has a habit of sometimes throwing doubt at us when things don’t quite go as smoothly as we would like.
So where can we gain our inspiration from?
Where can we turn to regain that absolute faith that we have so relied on before?
The answer is quite simply all around us. For a start Gods creation is wonderfully inspiring. Despite the scientist great efforts to explain the origins of the universe, there are always more questions than answers and one can only conclude that some kind of super force is the creator of our world and the planets and stars beyond.
But just by purely observing nature we can see how creatures rely on faith to progress. Imagine being a chick in a birds nest. Eventually, one day that chick will have to flee the comforts of that nest to make its own way in the world. But first it must learn to fly.
But how does a bird learn to fly?
It’s not exactly one of those skills that can be practiced before hand. That chick has to take one almighty leap of faith and jump. Instantaneously that chick becomes a fully fledged bird with the instinct to fly.
Mother Nature provides many other instances of faith, but we can also see this happening naturally in our own children.
My son Charlie was up on his feet quite early; about seven months. He practically skipped the crawling stage. However once he was on his feet he would hold on to every piece of furniture to guide himself around the room. This he did for about another nine months until one day we were sitting on the patio at my parents’ house. My wife and I were sitting on one side on a concrete bench linked to the patio table and my mum and dad were sitting on a wooden bench on the other side of the patio. Charlie was eager for his grandparents’ attention and was stretching out for them to come and get him. I made to take him over to them but after a couple of steps I let go of his hand. He was left stranded in the middle of the patio.
What should he do?
For a second we could see the bemusement on his face. But he looked at my mum and dad and then went for it. His faith became instantaneous as he toddled over to nanny. From that point on there was no stopping him. His faith had provided him with a new found confidence and freedom.
We can see this faith and self confidence naturally and unquestioning in children.
But what happens to us as we grow older and our faith tends to weaken?
With life’s many ups and downs, the downsides can test our faith and self confidence if we let it. But if we take the trouble and time to look around us we can see the miracles of God all the time, and we should easily be able to recall the many times that God has helped us in our lives.
In children faith is unquestioned. They don’t think about it, they just practice it, even if they are unaware of it. This is how our faith in God should be; unquestionable.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
On occasions our faith can be in need of strengthening. Life has a habit of sometimes throwing doubt at us when things don’t quite go as smoothly as we would like.
So where can we gain our inspiration from?
Where can we turn to regain that absolute faith that we have so relied on before?
The answer is quite simply all around us. For a start Gods creation is wonderfully inspiring. Despite the scientist great efforts to explain the origins of the universe, there are always more questions than answers and one can only conclude that some kind of super force is the creator of our world and the planets and stars beyond.
But just by purely observing nature we can see how creatures rely on faith to progress. Imagine being a chick in a birds nest. Eventually, one day that chick will have to flee the comforts of that nest to make its own way in the world. But first it must learn to fly.
But how does a bird learn to fly?
It’s not exactly one of those skills that can be practiced before hand. That chick has to take one almighty leap of faith and jump. Instantaneously that chick becomes a fully fledged bird with the instinct to fly.
Mother Nature provides many other instances of faith, but we can also see this happening naturally in our own children.
My son Charlie was up on his feet quite early; about seven months. He practically skipped the crawling stage. However once he was on his feet he would hold on to every piece of furniture to guide himself around the room. This he did for about another nine months until one day we were sitting on the patio at my parents’ house. My wife and I were sitting on one side on a concrete bench linked to the patio table and my mum and dad were sitting on a wooden bench on the other side of the patio. Charlie was eager for his grandparents’ attention and was stretching out for them to come and get him. I made to take him over to them but after a couple of steps I let go of his hand. He was left stranded in the middle of the patio.
What should he do?
For a second we could see the bemusement on his face. But he looked at my mum and dad and then went for it. His faith became instantaneous as he toddled over to nanny. From that point on there was no stopping him. His faith had provided him with a new found confidence and freedom.
We can see this faith and self confidence naturally and unquestioning in children.
But what happens to us as we grow older and our faith tends to weaken?
With life’s many ups and downs, the downsides can test our faith and self confidence if we let it. But if we take the trouble and time to look around us we can see the miracles of God all the time, and we should easily be able to recall the many times that God has helped us in our lives.
In children faith is unquestioned. They don’t think about it, they just practice it, even if they are unaware of it. This is how our faith in God should be; unquestionable.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
Monday, 26 October 2009
Knock Knock
What is the meaning of faith?
How can we measure true faith?
How can we tell when our faith in god is truly justified?
When the chips are down and we our facing real adversity and our situation seems completely hopeless do we turn to god?
There will be many times in our lives when doors keep shutting in front of us. The dreaded “no” keeps being thrown in our face when we go knocking on those doors. Somehow we still believe in our ideas but it seems impossible to get anybody else to be interested. This is the moment that the really strong will switch into overdrive. The tough keep going.
There are so many examples in history of successful people who have found the going sticky at times. Just about every single successful person did not start out being successful. They had to endure hardship and persevered in the project that they believed in. They kept knocking on doors because they never knew whether that next door might be the one that led to the road of success. They continued with hope and faith. Thomas Edison tried nearly one thousand different patents before he finally created the model light bulb that worked. Each one that did not work wasn’t considered a failure but more of a learning curve. He learned that that one wasn’t the correct way and he was one step closer to finding the right way.
A tremendously positive example of focussing on the solution, not the problem.
So how can one stay strong during extreme times of adversity?
One way is to have faith in God. By turning to God and asking him for guidance he will listen to our prayers and provide us with answers. And sometimes the answer lies in a completely different format to what we expected. There can be no greater example of this than that of “The Virgin Birth”.
Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem with Mary just about ready to give birth. Mary knew that she was giving birth to God’s child but did he have to make life so difficult? Did that census have to come right now?
They knocked on door after door only to be told that there was no room at the inn. But they had faith in God. So they kept trying and eventually they were given shelter in a stable. Jesus was born in that stable.
Now the obvious answer to their dilemma would have been for God to have found a spare room in one of the inns. A room with a comfortable bed. But it was extremely fortuitous that they ended up in that stable. Firstly, the inn keepers would have been obliged to have provided them with a room each as men and women weren’t allowed to share rooms in those days. Joseph, being Mary’s only travelling companion would have missed out at being present at the birth. Secondly all those visitors they had wouldn’t have been able to find them and they wouldn’t have gone home loaded up with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Mary and Joseph’s faith in God eventually provided them with a solution to their problem, even though it was in the most unexpected of ways.
Likewise for all of us, in the mitts of adversity we can turn in faith and hope to God to gain our strength. Strength to see us through to the bitter end. But don’t be surprised if his ideas are somewhat different to our own.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
How can we measure true faith?
How can we tell when our faith in god is truly justified?
When the chips are down and we our facing real adversity and our situation seems completely hopeless do we turn to god?
There will be many times in our lives when doors keep shutting in front of us. The dreaded “no” keeps being thrown in our face when we go knocking on those doors. Somehow we still believe in our ideas but it seems impossible to get anybody else to be interested. This is the moment that the really strong will switch into overdrive. The tough keep going.
There are so many examples in history of successful people who have found the going sticky at times. Just about every single successful person did not start out being successful. They had to endure hardship and persevered in the project that they believed in. They kept knocking on doors because they never knew whether that next door might be the one that led to the road of success. They continued with hope and faith. Thomas Edison tried nearly one thousand different patents before he finally created the model light bulb that worked. Each one that did not work wasn’t considered a failure but more of a learning curve. He learned that that one wasn’t the correct way and he was one step closer to finding the right way.
A tremendously positive example of focussing on the solution, not the problem.
So how can one stay strong during extreme times of adversity?
One way is to have faith in God. By turning to God and asking him for guidance he will listen to our prayers and provide us with answers. And sometimes the answer lies in a completely different format to what we expected. There can be no greater example of this than that of “The Virgin Birth”.
Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem with Mary just about ready to give birth. Mary knew that she was giving birth to God’s child but did he have to make life so difficult? Did that census have to come right now?
They knocked on door after door only to be told that there was no room at the inn. But they had faith in God. So they kept trying and eventually they were given shelter in a stable. Jesus was born in that stable.
Now the obvious answer to their dilemma would have been for God to have found a spare room in one of the inns. A room with a comfortable bed. But it was extremely fortuitous that they ended up in that stable. Firstly, the inn keepers would have been obliged to have provided them with a room each as men and women weren’t allowed to share rooms in those days. Joseph, being Mary’s only travelling companion would have missed out at being present at the birth. Secondly all those visitors they had wouldn’t have been able to find them and they wouldn’t have gone home loaded up with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Mary and Joseph’s faith in God eventually provided them with a solution to their problem, even though it was in the most unexpected of ways.
Likewise for all of us, in the mitts of adversity we can turn in faith and hope to God to gain our strength. Strength to see us through to the bitter end. But don’t be surprised if his ideas are somewhat different to our own.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
www.cryinthedark.org
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Aborigines Part 1
What is the meaning of faith?
When anybody talks about faith the obvious assumption is that the conversation will be religious. Indeed the great religions of the world base faith at the heart of their teachings and understandings but even the smaller religions, cults and cultures all still have their faiths. Even atheists will have faith in something even if that faith is in themselves and their abilities to accomplish a goal.
Tribes’ people of the world have their individual cultures with their own type of religion revolving around beliefs and faith. Typical is the Aborigines of Australia which is arguably the oldest continual culture on this planet. As Australia urbanises around the coastal areas, Aborigines are constantly drawn to or consumed by the Western way of life and much of their sacred lands have been taken over. Consequently the Native Aborigines are dwindling in numbers.
In the 1970’s when carbon dating was the best way of dating historical artefacts, history could only have a date set upon it to 40,000 years ago. Carbon dating could only take us back that far and Aboriginal Culture was proved to have existed then. Today it is thought that Aborigines were in existence 60,000 years ago and possibly 100,000 years ago.
With such a long history it is safe to assume that they have learned something during that time. Although collectively the Aborigines share similar beliefs, the culture is still very much tribal and thus there are variances in beliefs and customs between the differing tribes. Ceremonies, rituals and customs are shrouded in secrecy so their meanings will not be totally understood by the next tribe. However there are some common stories, beliefs and faith shared by all.
The Creation Period
Many religions are characterised by having a god or gods who in their wisdom created the universe. Baiame is the Great Spirit. It was he who dreamed of creating the world and along with the other spirits Nungeena (Mother Nature), Punjel (the Architect of the Universe) and Yhi (Sun Goddess) they set about making this dream come true.
Punjel, being the Architect of the Universe, took multi-million portions from the Supreme Intelligence of Baiame and created Yowies (souls). These Yowies were given three strong drives; the need for nutrition to sustain a physical body, the desire for reproduction and a will to achieve. These Yowies were then collectively swirled around in an anti-clockwise direction and thrust towards Tya (earth) which created the gravitational force of earth.
Because of their desire to achieve, the Yowies started to mould Tya and eventually a solid mass was formed. The Spirits decided that the Yowies needed memory so they gave them a spirit body called the Dowie; a memory bank to retain all previous experiences and the Mullowill; a sheath like protection to guard the Yowies from psychic and emotional influences and also to protect the Dowie.
The next stage of the creation period was to introduce plant life so Nungeema was called upon to create her magic. The Yowies creative abilities were somewhat lacking, plant life was merely in the form of mosses, so Yhi was asked to warm up Tya. The sun created steam caps and the ice encapsulating Tya began to melt.
Their next problem was that the plant life was now drowning in the flood of water so Uluru, The Intelligent Snake from within the higher spirits of the universe was summonsed. He burrowed holes into the solid mass creating the seas, lakes and rivers with the spoils creating mountains. His work created an imbalance and Tya began to wobble as it span through space.
In digging the holes, Uluru had thrown masses of soil into the air and as Yhi didn’t want this contamination ruining her work of sunlight, she took this soil to create Bahloo (the moon).
Plant life was now starting to overgrow due to the three main drives. More action was needed so the spirits decided to introduce animal life. Advanced Yowies were selected because of their memory banks, their desire to achieve and creative abilities. These Yowies became animals. Jelly fish were the first of the animal kingdom and as the rains came and ponds overflowed many of these jelly fish were left stranded upon the rocks once the flood waters subsided. The Strongest and most creative Yowies survived and evolved to create different species.
The next part of the jigsaw was to create an advanced intelligence; the human being. Baiame descended to Tya with three hundred men and woman to introduce them to all the previous experiences and intelligence of mineral, plant and animal life. These men and woman became the first tribe and Baiame taught them the Laws of Living and the Laws of the Universe with the magic, art and healing contained within them. Elders and wise men and women were chosen to ensure that these lessons were interpreted correctly and handed down through the generations.
This is just a brief summary of the Creation Period as understood by the Aborigines. Yet through the haze of the myth there are some remarkable resemblances with how modern day science depicts the creation of the universe.
The order and time span are notably similar, indeed the aboriginal version of creation with regards to time is much nearer to modern day thinking than the bible, if the idea that the world was created in seven days is to be taken literally.
And these ideas came many thousands of years before modern science.
At the beginning Baiame had a dream and with the aid of the other spirits his thoughts and dreams became a reality. Today we have ideas and theories such as the Law of Attraction which helps us understand that everything created in this world started with a thought in somebody’s head. If we believe in our thoughts hard enough, desire it great enough, these thoughts will manifest themselves into reality soon enough. Have faith.
How fantastic is that?
Much of this information came from the following sources: Understanding Aboriginal Culture by Cyril Havecker which can be obtained at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-aboriginal-culture-Cyril-Havecker/, http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/religion.shtml and http://www.indigenousaustralia.info/culture.html.
Terry Norrington
http://www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
When anybody talks about faith the obvious assumption is that the conversation will be religious. Indeed the great religions of the world base faith at the heart of their teachings and understandings but even the smaller religions, cults and cultures all still have their faiths. Even atheists will have faith in something even if that faith is in themselves and their abilities to accomplish a goal.
Tribes’ people of the world have their individual cultures with their own type of religion revolving around beliefs and faith. Typical is the Aborigines of Australia which is arguably the oldest continual culture on this planet. As Australia urbanises around the coastal areas, Aborigines are constantly drawn to or consumed by the Western way of life and much of their sacred lands have been taken over. Consequently the Native Aborigines are dwindling in numbers.
In the 1970’s when carbon dating was the best way of dating historical artefacts, history could only have a date set upon it to 40,000 years ago. Carbon dating could only take us back that far and Aboriginal Culture was proved to have existed then. Today it is thought that Aborigines were in existence 60,000 years ago and possibly 100,000 years ago.
With such a long history it is safe to assume that they have learned something during that time. Although collectively the Aborigines share similar beliefs, the culture is still very much tribal and thus there are variances in beliefs and customs between the differing tribes. Ceremonies, rituals and customs are shrouded in secrecy so their meanings will not be totally understood by the next tribe. However there are some common stories, beliefs and faith shared by all.
The Creation Period
Many religions are characterised by having a god or gods who in their wisdom created the universe. Baiame is the Great Spirit. It was he who dreamed of creating the world and along with the other spirits Nungeena (Mother Nature), Punjel (the Architect of the Universe) and Yhi (Sun Goddess) they set about making this dream come true.
Punjel, being the Architect of the Universe, took multi-million portions from the Supreme Intelligence of Baiame and created Yowies (souls). These Yowies were given three strong drives; the need for nutrition to sustain a physical body, the desire for reproduction and a will to achieve. These Yowies were then collectively swirled around in an anti-clockwise direction and thrust towards Tya (earth) which created the gravitational force of earth.
Because of their desire to achieve, the Yowies started to mould Tya and eventually a solid mass was formed. The Spirits decided that the Yowies needed memory so they gave them a spirit body called the Dowie; a memory bank to retain all previous experiences and the Mullowill; a sheath like protection to guard the Yowies from psychic and emotional influences and also to protect the Dowie.
The next stage of the creation period was to introduce plant life so Nungeema was called upon to create her magic. The Yowies creative abilities were somewhat lacking, plant life was merely in the form of mosses, so Yhi was asked to warm up Tya. The sun created steam caps and the ice encapsulating Tya began to melt.
Their next problem was that the plant life was now drowning in the flood of water so Uluru, The Intelligent Snake from within the higher spirits of the universe was summonsed. He burrowed holes into the solid mass creating the seas, lakes and rivers with the spoils creating mountains. His work created an imbalance and Tya began to wobble as it span through space.
In digging the holes, Uluru had thrown masses of soil into the air and as Yhi didn’t want this contamination ruining her work of sunlight, she took this soil to create Bahloo (the moon).
Plant life was now starting to overgrow due to the three main drives. More action was needed so the spirits decided to introduce animal life. Advanced Yowies were selected because of their memory banks, their desire to achieve and creative abilities. These Yowies became animals. Jelly fish were the first of the animal kingdom and as the rains came and ponds overflowed many of these jelly fish were left stranded upon the rocks once the flood waters subsided. The Strongest and most creative Yowies survived and evolved to create different species.
The next part of the jigsaw was to create an advanced intelligence; the human being. Baiame descended to Tya with three hundred men and woman to introduce them to all the previous experiences and intelligence of mineral, plant and animal life. These men and woman became the first tribe and Baiame taught them the Laws of Living and the Laws of the Universe with the magic, art and healing contained within them. Elders and wise men and women were chosen to ensure that these lessons were interpreted correctly and handed down through the generations.
This is just a brief summary of the Creation Period as understood by the Aborigines. Yet through the haze of the myth there are some remarkable resemblances with how modern day science depicts the creation of the universe.
The order and time span are notably similar, indeed the aboriginal version of creation with regards to time is much nearer to modern day thinking than the bible, if the idea that the world was created in seven days is to be taken literally.
And these ideas came many thousands of years before modern science.
At the beginning Baiame had a dream and with the aid of the other spirits his thoughts and dreams became a reality. Today we have ideas and theories such as the Law of Attraction which helps us understand that everything created in this world started with a thought in somebody’s head. If we believe in our thoughts hard enough, desire it great enough, these thoughts will manifest themselves into reality soon enough. Have faith.
How fantastic is that?
Much of this information came from the following sources: Understanding Aboriginal Culture by Cyril Havecker which can be obtained at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-aboriginal-culture-Cyril-Havecker/, http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/religion.shtml and http://www.indigenousaustralia.info/culture.html.
Terry Norrington
http://www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
The Battle is Not Ours
What is the meaning of Faith?
So many times in life things get on top of us. Things don't seem to go right and other people demand so much that we wonder how we can cope with it all. We brood over our problems and dispair at the magnitude of everything. At this point our faith in God can very much be tested.
Amongst all our problems we can easily forget to turn to God. The hussle and bussle of everyday life creates no time to sit and allow God to give us answers.
Yet amazingly, if we can just switch off for a few minutes, think about God and re-affirm our faith and belief in him, suddenly a peace of mind washes over us. This allows us to see the problems from another perspective and helps us to prioritise the things that are really important.
If we turn to God and ask for the help that accomplishes good works, we get answers. To do good works is not our battle but that of God. We are merely the tools for which God's work can be completed. God will take on the burdens and relieve us of the pressure if we allow him to.
Heb. 11 : 1 Faith means that we have the full confidence in the things that we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see.
Joshua 1 Verses 2 and 5. Arise, go over this Jordan...I will not leave you or forsake you.
2 Chronicles 20 : 15 Do not be afraid nor dismayedbecause of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
http://www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com/
So many times in life things get on top of us. Things don't seem to go right and other people demand so much that we wonder how we can cope with it all. We brood over our problems and dispair at the magnitude of everything. At this point our faith in God can very much be tested.
Amongst all our problems we can easily forget to turn to God. The hussle and bussle of everyday life creates no time to sit and allow God to give us answers.
Yet amazingly, if we can just switch off for a few minutes, think about God and re-affirm our faith and belief in him, suddenly a peace of mind washes over us. This allows us to see the problems from another perspective and helps us to prioritise the things that are really important.
If we turn to God and ask for the help that accomplishes good works, we get answers. To do good works is not our battle but that of God. We are merely the tools for which God's work can be completed. God will take on the burdens and relieve us of the pressure if we allow him to.
Heb. 11 : 1 Faith means that we have the full confidence in the things that we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see.
Joshua 1 Verses 2 and 5. Arise, go over this Jordan...I will not leave you or forsake you.
2 Chronicles 20 : 15 Do not be afraid nor dismayedbecause of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
http://www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com/
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
A Christian's Look at Islam 2
What is the meaning of faith?
In part one we looked at how the Christian faith and that of Muslims were very similar. We also explored the differences between Christianity and Islam. Much of this information was sourced from www.geocities.com/mikailtariq/index.htm and trust that the facts have justly been interpreted.
It is reckoned that Christians look for their rewards or punishment in the next life, whilst Muslims believe that by conducting themselves correctly every day heaven can be created here on earth. However through the teachings of James in the bible, this isn’t necessarily a true interpretation of Christian philosophy.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” – James 1:22
“What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?” – James 2:14
“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” - James 2:17
These verses obviously demonstrate the need to place action behind beliefs and faith.
A Muslim will conduct himself with dignity and honour. Not to do so is disrespectful to the Islamic faith. Likewise, cleanliness is a very important aspect of their day to day conduct. It is their belief that being unclean offends God. Being dirty through honest toil is acceptable; at any other time it is not. It has to be said that from my experience of people following the Islamic faith, their cleanliness is wholly commendable as cleanliness doesn’t seem to be at the heart of Christian faith.
Whilst bodily cleanliness ranks high in a Muslims conduct, so also does internal cleanliness. This is why they do not partake in alcohol and illicit drugs. As a pig is seen as an unclean animal, eating filth, the consumption of pork is also forbidden.
The Qur’an is obviously the book by which the words must be followed, but a Muslim will also abide by the laws of the land in which they reside. They are lawful and responsible citizens that abhor sin. To make a mistake and sin once is forgivable but to continue to live in sin is wrong and shows contempt of God.
How does this compare to the Christian notion of forgiveness?
The religion of Islam acknowledges that everybody is a brother or sister. A practitioner of Islam must not discriminate between race and ethnic origin.
They must not contribute to the downfall of another. This too, is best practice of the Christian faith.
Islam decrees that a follower should observe the following five points:-
To say the creed several times a day.
To undertake daily prayer – at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall. Cleansing must be undertaken prior to prayer and they must face Mecca during prayer.
Give alms – give money to the poor in the community.
Fast during the month of Ramadan. Fasting during day-light hours is a reminder of the gift of God’s revelation to Muhammed, ie. The Qur’an.
Undertake a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime.
By sticking to a disciplined regime a Muslim obviously remains in touch with God many times during the course of the day. A Christian daily routine would be more flexible and consequently perhaps doesn’t retain his/her thoughts on God so much during the day. Grace at meal times and a once per day offering of prayer doesn’t strike as being quite so devout as that of a Muslim.
Although some of the differences between Islam and Christianity may appear to be divisive, there is a lot of common ground. The shear fact that both religions share a belief in one God should be THE uniting factor. Ultimately demonstrating ones faith in God is an individual choice. By living our lives through him and creating a quality in life that is in harmony with fairness, kindness and morality means we can have that freedom of choice and should be able to live peacefully together.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
In part one we looked at how the Christian faith and that of Muslims were very similar. We also explored the differences between Christianity and Islam. Much of this information was sourced from www.geocities.com/mikailtariq/index.htm and trust that the facts have justly been interpreted.
It is reckoned that Christians look for their rewards or punishment in the next life, whilst Muslims believe that by conducting themselves correctly every day heaven can be created here on earth. However through the teachings of James in the bible, this isn’t necessarily a true interpretation of Christian philosophy.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” – James 1:22
“What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?” – James 2:14
“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” - James 2:17
These verses obviously demonstrate the need to place action behind beliefs and faith.
A Muslim will conduct himself with dignity and honour. Not to do so is disrespectful to the Islamic faith. Likewise, cleanliness is a very important aspect of their day to day conduct. It is their belief that being unclean offends God. Being dirty through honest toil is acceptable; at any other time it is not. It has to be said that from my experience of people following the Islamic faith, their cleanliness is wholly commendable as cleanliness doesn’t seem to be at the heart of Christian faith.
Whilst bodily cleanliness ranks high in a Muslims conduct, so also does internal cleanliness. This is why they do not partake in alcohol and illicit drugs. As a pig is seen as an unclean animal, eating filth, the consumption of pork is also forbidden.
The Qur’an is obviously the book by which the words must be followed, but a Muslim will also abide by the laws of the land in which they reside. They are lawful and responsible citizens that abhor sin. To make a mistake and sin once is forgivable but to continue to live in sin is wrong and shows contempt of God.
How does this compare to the Christian notion of forgiveness?
The religion of Islam acknowledges that everybody is a brother or sister. A practitioner of Islam must not discriminate between race and ethnic origin.
They must not contribute to the downfall of another. This too, is best practice of the Christian faith.
Islam decrees that a follower should observe the following five points:-
To say the creed several times a day.
To undertake daily prayer – at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall. Cleansing must be undertaken prior to prayer and they must face Mecca during prayer.
Give alms – give money to the poor in the community.
Fast during the month of Ramadan. Fasting during day-light hours is a reminder of the gift of God’s revelation to Muhammed, ie. The Qur’an.
Undertake a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime.
By sticking to a disciplined regime a Muslim obviously remains in touch with God many times during the course of the day. A Christian daily routine would be more flexible and consequently perhaps doesn’t retain his/her thoughts on God so much during the day. Grace at meal times and a once per day offering of prayer doesn’t strike as being quite so devout as that of a Muslim.
Although some of the differences between Islam and Christianity may appear to be divisive, there is a lot of common ground. The shear fact that both religions share a belief in one God should be THE uniting factor. Ultimately demonstrating ones faith in God is an individual choice. By living our lives through him and creating a quality in life that is in harmony with fairness, kindness and morality means we can have that freedom of choice and should be able to live peacefully together.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
Monday, 28 September 2009
A Christian's Look at Islam
What is the meaning of faith?
As a Christian I practice my faith in God in a manner that feels the most comfortable to me. Perhaps this has evolved from my upbringing, the teachings that have been presented to me through the course of my life and from what I have encountered myself during my life.
Ultimately how I allow my faith and beliefs to affect my life is down to me. The rules that I obey through Christianity allow me to live a clean and happy life with a well developed sense of morality and fairness.
But do we need to be a Christian to have a faith in God and live a decent life?
At www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com it is the aim to look at all aspects of faith. In the first of two articles we shall look at the very basic beliefs of Islam as practiced by its Muslim followers.
The major source of information for this article has come from www.geocities.com/mikailtariq/index.htm and it is sincerely hoped that the interpretation is factually correct and in no way offensive.
The Islamic faith and Christianity agree in many things and as is also common with other faiths such as the Jewish faith, they all believe in one God. Perhaps the confusion comes with the fact that Muslims refer to Allah, which is a contraction of Al Ilah (The God).
A true Christian will follow the teachings of Jesus as presented in their one book, The Bible. A Muslim will accept the teachings of the great prophets Jesus, Moses and Abraham, but practice their faith through the words of The Qur’an. This, they believe is the most complete and reliable source of God’s revelations as presented through the prophet Muhammed, and as he was the last of the great prophets, this must be the most up to date account of God’s wisdom.
So Christians and Muslims have common ground in the belief of one God and a desire to live good, clean and honest lives. So where are the differences?
Muslims are taught to be proud and to conduct themselves with dignity and honour. They believe that Christianity teaches meekness, which is true although it could be argued that modesty doesn’t have to obscure self esteem. Assertiveness is viewed as inline with Muslim thinking.
Muslims place tremendous store on education. They place great reverence on schools and books and encourage efforts to acquire great knowledge. It certainly could be said that those that sit on the fringes of Christianity are not so disciplined in their attempts to gain a better education.
The Islamic faith encourages commerce and the accumulation of wealth whilst it believes that a good Christian will shun riches and depend on God for sustenance. Muslims have an immense work ethic and although they aren’t against benefits handed out by governments and charitable organisations they have the belief that they should work where at all possible. In defence of Christians, the bible implies that it is the desire for wealth that is the root of all evil. The earning of money to enjoy God’s abundance and perhaps to help others is no sin at all.
Christians are certainly encouraged to turn the other cheek. A follower of Islam on the other hand will defend his family, his faith and himself. Although not advocating violence they would not be subjected to humiliation by submitting to evil. The difficulty may come in respect to the interpretation of who or what is evil.
This is the first of two articles on a Christians view of Islam through www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com. So far we can see that there is a lot of common ground between these two major religions and perhaps the differences aren’t really that great a divide. Accepting the common denominators of the two should surely mean that we can live in harmony with each other.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
As a Christian I practice my faith in God in a manner that feels the most comfortable to me. Perhaps this has evolved from my upbringing, the teachings that have been presented to me through the course of my life and from what I have encountered myself during my life.
Ultimately how I allow my faith and beliefs to affect my life is down to me. The rules that I obey through Christianity allow me to live a clean and happy life with a well developed sense of morality and fairness.
But do we need to be a Christian to have a faith in God and live a decent life?
At www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com it is the aim to look at all aspects of faith. In the first of two articles we shall look at the very basic beliefs of Islam as practiced by its Muslim followers.
The major source of information for this article has come from www.geocities.com/mikailtariq/index.htm and it is sincerely hoped that the interpretation is factually correct and in no way offensive.
The Islamic faith and Christianity agree in many things and as is also common with other faiths such as the Jewish faith, they all believe in one God. Perhaps the confusion comes with the fact that Muslims refer to Allah, which is a contraction of Al Ilah (The God).
A true Christian will follow the teachings of Jesus as presented in their one book, The Bible. A Muslim will accept the teachings of the great prophets Jesus, Moses and Abraham, but practice their faith through the words of The Qur’an. This, they believe is the most complete and reliable source of God’s revelations as presented through the prophet Muhammed, and as he was the last of the great prophets, this must be the most up to date account of God’s wisdom.
So Christians and Muslims have common ground in the belief of one God and a desire to live good, clean and honest lives. So where are the differences?
Muslims are taught to be proud and to conduct themselves with dignity and honour. They believe that Christianity teaches meekness, which is true although it could be argued that modesty doesn’t have to obscure self esteem. Assertiveness is viewed as inline with Muslim thinking.
Muslims place tremendous store on education. They place great reverence on schools and books and encourage efforts to acquire great knowledge. It certainly could be said that those that sit on the fringes of Christianity are not so disciplined in their attempts to gain a better education.
The Islamic faith encourages commerce and the accumulation of wealth whilst it believes that a good Christian will shun riches and depend on God for sustenance. Muslims have an immense work ethic and although they aren’t against benefits handed out by governments and charitable organisations they have the belief that they should work where at all possible. In defence of Christians, the bible implies that it is the desire for wealth that is the root of all evil. The earning of money to enjoy God’s abundance and perhaps to help others is no sin at all.
Christians are certainly encouraged to turn the other cheek. A follower of Islam on the other hand will defend his family, his faith and himself. Although not advocating violence they would not be subjected to humiliation by submitting to evil. The difficulty may come in respect to the interpretation of who or what is evil.
This is the first of two articles on a Christians view of Islam through www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com. So far we can see that there is a lot of common ground between these two major religions and perhaps the differences aren’t really that great a divide. Accepting the common denominators of the two should surely mean that we can live in harmony with each other.
How fantastic is that?
Terry Norrington
www.whatisthemeaningoffaith.com
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