Post by nina on Aug 28, 2006 7:50:46 GMT -5
Not philosophy either. Steps along the journey... 
"And God created man in His image, in the divine image He created him, male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:26).
"So God created them one, and then split them into two.
Thus man searches for woman and woman yearns for man.
Thus each has it within their power to look into their splintered self and uncover their primordial oneness.
Thus man and woman can cleave to each other and become one -- in a oneness that is not a lonely singularity but a dynamic and creative union."
What is true liberation for both sexes?
"Though feminism rightfully calls for the stop of male domination and abuse, and for equal rights for women, it is vital to get to the root of the distortion -- that our focus in life, as man or woman, must not be simply to satisfy our own ego or needs, but to serve God.
True women's liberation does not mean merely seeking equality within a masculine world, but liberating the divine feminine aspects of a woman's personality and using them for the benefit of humankind.
After so many years of male dominance, we are standing at the threshold of a true feminine era. It is time now for the woman to rise to her true prominence, when the subtle power of the feminine energy is truly allowed to nourish the overt power of the masculine energy.
We have already proven that we can use our strength to slay the demons around us; let us now learn to nurture the Godliness within.
Men and women must realize their respective equal roles and strive to complement each other in their shared struggle to improve life.
In order to correct the abuse of male dominance, men must concentrate on using their dominant qualities for the good.
They must use their strength to protect and preserve the feminine character, helping women realize their true potential in exposing Godliness, which the world so desperately needs today.
Learn about what it means to be a man or a woman, about masculine and feminine energy.
Learn to live up to your potential, to balance these energies to lead a productive and meaningful life -- a Godly life.
And finally, learn to appreciate and respect your male or female counterpart."
Redemption
"As we stumble through life, we have all wondered if we will ever find peace within ourselves and lead a truly meaningful life.
After all, even though human nature craves a higher purpose, what is the point of working so hard to live a virtuous life if it is not leading anywhere?
The answer to all these questions is just one word: redemption.
Redemption is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Redemption is the belief that this world was created by design, and its purpose will indeed be realized -- that goodness will prevail and that our lives can be meaningful.
Without redemption, our lives would indeed be meaningless -- a never-ending tunnel of darkness, with little awareness of an alternative existence and no hope of ever reaching the light.
Humility
"True virtue never needs to advertise itself.
That is why I find the aggressive packaging of personality so sad. It speaks of loneliness, the profound, endemic loneliness of a world without relationships of fidelity and trust. It testifies ultimately to a loss of faith -- a loss of that knowledge, so precious to previous generations, that beyond the visible surfaces of this world is a Presence who knows us, loves us, and takes notice of our deeds.
What else, secure in that knowledge, could we need?
Humility, then, is more than just a virtue: it is a form of perception, a language in which the "I" is silent so that I can hear the "Thou", the unspoken call beneath human speech, the Divine whisper within all that moves, the voice of otherness that calls me to redeem its loneliness with the touch of love.
Humility is what opens us to the world.
And does it matter that it no longer fits the confines of our age?
The truth is that moral beauty, like music, always moves those who can hear beneath the noise. Virtues may be out of fashion, but they are never out of date.
The things that call attention to themselves are never interesting for long, which is why our attention span grows shorter by the year.
Humility -- the polar opposite of "advertisements for myself" -- never fails to leave its afterglow.
We know when we have been in the presence of someone in whom the Divine presence breathes. We feel affirmed, enlarged, and with good reason.
For we have met someone who, not taking himself or herself seriously at all, has shown us what it is to take with utmost seriousness that which is not I."
"And God created man in His image, in the divine image He created him, male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:26).
"So God created them one, and then split them into two.
Thus man searches for woman and woman yearns for man.
Thus each has it within their power to look into their splintered self and uncover their primordial oneness.
Thus man and woman can cleave to each other and become one -- in a oneness that is not a lonely singularity but a dynamic and creative union."
What is true liberation for both sexes?
"Though feminism rightfully calls for the stop of male domination and abuse, and for equal rights for women, it is vital to get to the root of the distortion -- that our focus in life, as man or woman, must not be simply to satisfy our own ego or needs, but to serve God.
True women's liberation does not mean merely seeking equality within a masculine world, but liberating the divine feminine aspects of a woman's personality and using them for the benefit of humankind.
After so many years of male dominance, we are standing at the threshold of a true feminine era. It is time now for the woman to rise to her true prominence, when the subtle power of the feminine energy is truly allowed to nourish the overt power of the masculine energy.
We have already proven that we can use our strength to slay the demons around us; let us now learn to nurture the Godliness within.
Men and women must realize their respective equal roles and strive to complement each other in their shared struggle to improve life.
In order to correct the abuse of male dominance, men must concentrate on using their dominant qualities for the good.
They must use their strength to protect and preserve the feminine character, helping women realize their true potential in exposing Godliness, which the world so desperately needs today.
Learn about what it means to be a man or a woman, about masculine and feminine energy.
Learn to live up to your potential, to balance these energies to lead a productive and meaningful life -- a Godly life.
And finally, learn to appreciate and respect your male or female counterpart."
Redemption
"As we stumble through life, we have all wondered if we will ever find peace within ourselves and lead a truly meaningful life.
After all, even though human nature craves a higher purpose, what is the point of working so hard to live a virtuous life if it is not leading anywhere?
The answer to all these questions is just one word: redemption.
Redemption is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Redemption is the belief that this world was created by design, and its purpose will indeed be realized -- that goodness will prevail and that our lives can be meaningful.
Without redemption, our lives would indeed be meaningless -- a never-ending tunnel of darkness, with little awareness of an alternative existence and no hope of ever reaching the light.
Humility
"True virtue never needs to advertise itself.
That is why I find the aggressive packaging of personality so sad. It speaks of loneliness, the profound, endemic loneliness of a world without relationships of fidelity and trust. It testifies ultimately to a loss of faith -- a loss of that knowledge, so precious to previous generations, that beyond the visible surfaces of this world is a Presence who knows us, loves us, and takes notice of our deeds.
What else, secure in that knowledge, could we need?
Humility, then, is more than just a virtue: it is a form of perception, a language in which the "I" is silent so that I can hear the "Thou", the unspoken call beneath human speech, the Divine whisper within all that moves, the voice of otherness that calls me to redeem its loneliness with the touch of love.
Humility is what opens us to the world.
And does it matter that it no longer fits the confines of our age?
The truth is that moral beauty, like music, always moves those who can hear beneath the noise. Virtues may be out of fashion, but they are never out of date.
The things that call attention to themselves are never interesting for long, which is why our attention span grows shorter by the year.
Humility -- the polar opposite of "advertisements for myself" -- never fails to leave its afterglow.
We know when we have been in the presence of someone in whom the Divine presence breathes. We feel affirmed, enlarged, and with good reason.
For we have met someone who, not taking himself or herself seriously at all, has shown us what it is to take with utmost seriousness that which is not I."