IF YOU THINK THAT SOMEDAY WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE GOD, HE WILL LET YOU INTO HEAVEN BECAUSE YOU'VE TRIED TO DO YOUR BEST, you’ve been regular in attending church, you’ve given money to the church, you’ve never intentionally hurt anyone, THEN YOU'RE IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING.
"IF YOU DON'T USE YOUR INTELLIGENCE TO GET RID OF IGNORANCE, HOW WILL YOU ATTAIN BLISS AND SALVATION?"
The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Positive-Thinking-Norman-Vincent/dp/0743234804
. The Blood by Benny Hinn: https://www.bennyhinn.org/shop/all-products/the-blood-of-jesus-dd/
. Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander: http://ebenalexander.com/books/proof-of-heaven/
1 - The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity (May 2018) : https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/1931943366849596:13
2 - The Orthodox Church - An Introduction to Eastern Christianity (December 2019): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2804521079591816&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
3 - Orthodox Worship - A living continuity with the Synagogue, the Temple, and the Early Church (March 2020): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3040438502666738&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
4 - On the Human Condition - St Basil The Great (June 2020): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3235050516538868&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
5 - The Deification Of Man - Georgios I. Mantzaridis (June 2020): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3275326145844638&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
6 - Eternal Mysteries Beyond The Grave - Archimandrite Panteleimon (July 2020): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3302776633099589&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
7 - Orthodox Afterlife - John Habib (August 2020): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3399780126732572&set=pb.100001018551865.-2207520000..&type=3
8 - Harlots of the Desert by Benedicta Ward (August 2020): https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/3471541072889810
9 - The Name of Jesus - Irenee Hausherr (September 2020): https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/3514115091965741
10 - Trinitarian Theology East and West (October 2020): https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/3654873754556540
"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true" -Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
"And the drawing near of Death, which alike levels all, alike impresses all with a last revelation, which only an author from the dead could adequatelly tell" -Herman Melville (1819-1891)
"Many people, she said, don’t realize for years that they’ve had an NDE, and piece it together only after they notice the effects. These include heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and certain chemicals; becoming more caring and generous, sometimes to a fault; having trouble with timekeeping and finances; feeling unconditional love for everyone, which can be taxing on relatives and friends; and having a strange influence on electrical equipment."
Reference: https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/1613507525359850
M – How are you?
E – I am shattered. I am breaking into pieces
M – Do you like music?
E – Yes, I do. I can play the veena
M – Tell me something. If the strings of a veena are loose, will you be able to play it?
E – No. It won’t produce a melody
M – That’s true. What if the strings are very taut?
E – The strings will break.
M – It means, the strings should be tuned properly. They shouldn’t be too taut or too loose. When they are rightly tuned, only then can you produce a melody. Am I right?
E – You are right.
M – Your strings are too tight. If you try too hard, they’ll break. Calm down. Mellow down. If you can adjust your inner strings, you will be able to produce a melody. I am sure about that.
This is Your Fight Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOO5qRjVFLw
From the movie: https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/1589586411085295
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- Friends, discriminations exists in our society in many forms. It could be based on the skin color, the caste system or financial status. Guatam Buddha has opposed discrimination in any form. He says since nature doesn't discriminate among us, why should human beings do so?
- Suneet (Sinner) - Please, do not touch me. Even my shadow will befoul you.
- Buddha - Why? You are a human being just like us. How can a fellow human being's touch befoul another human being? Greed, hatred, gluttony and lust can befoul a person.
- Priest - What kind of a sage are you? You don't even know anything about the caste system. You cannot become a sage, Just by wearing the saffron robes. You are fraud.
- Buddha - When you deprive someone of their right to live, you are nothing, but a fraud. If you feel better after calling me a fraud, I don't mind. But he is a human being, just like us. It is a crime to demean him and insult him.
- Priest - If you don't know, let me tell you that it is the religious norm. How can it be wrong?
- Buddha - Nature has created the entire humankind. Nature has created him too. By discriminating among people, you are showing disrespect to our creator. If we throw mud at the sky, it won't reach the sky, but it will come back to hit us. The sky doesn't discriminate amongst us. It covers all of us. We till the land to yield The land never discriminates among us.
- The breeze touches us all in the same way. Water quenches the thirst of everyone. If nature doesn't discriminate, why do humans discriminate among themselves?
- Priest - In that case, why not let him join you as a monk in your order?
- Buddha - That is an excellent suggestion. Suneet, would you like to be a monk?
- Suneet (Sinner) - Yes.
- Buddha - I, Buddha, welcome Suneet to our order of the monks.
Memories: https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/1589586411085295?hc_location=ufi
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A MUST READ SHORT STORY. It's about a Mom (Sarah) who died in an electric chair to sacrifice for a young son (Riley) she never met. Very touching!
Human Sexuality is a complex dynamic of 3 components:
- Biological
- Physiological
- Emotional
FBI:
- Jacob's (Riley's father) needs were formed by the emotional and sexual abuse that he received.
Sarah:
- There is no greater gift in life than that of being a parent.
- Yet so many of us abuse and squander that gift.
- If he knew who his parents were... can you imagine the damage my legacy would leave him?
FBI:
- Can you imagine what he would feel... knowing his mother spent 15 years on death row... innocent of all charges...Just so he could be free of her?
Sarah:
- Not me. Jacob.
- It isn't just my life you have in your hands, It's Riley's life, too.
- You have the chance to save my son's life.
FBI:
- I choose to save yours, too.
Sarah:
- My life ended the day I met Jacob.
- I'm standing here because of choices I made.
- Don't let my son be Jacob's last victim.
- Let me go.
- Let us both go.
They were both (Sarah & Jacob) executed in the electrical chair on the same day.
Riley was adopted when he was born. He never met his real natural parents (Jacob and Sarah). Riley is a very young talented musician who plays in concerts now.
Albert Pine said:
WHAT WE DO FOR OURSELVES DIES WITH US.
WHAT WE DO FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD, REMAIN AND IS IMMORTAL.
Reference: Season 1: Episode 15
https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/1808955502481717
Memories: https://www.facebook.com/enrique.castro.73/posts/10156258281516212:46
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M – What troubles you?
E – I know how to be a shepherd, a dedicated servant, and now I’m learning about the sword. About iron. How to be a warrior. What troubles me is, God chose me for a far greater purpose. And…I do not know how to be a king.
M – Nor do I. The crown will be yours to wear, David. How or when…I do not know.
E – Then why did God choose me?
M – God teaches us not to judge a man by his height or his appearance. Man looks at these external qualities, but…God judges man by which cannot be seen. The truth within a man. The truth within his heart. You’re a man after God’s own heart, David. Faithful and true.
E – What about the others? Josheb is faster. Shammah is stronger. Eleazar is more skilled. How am I to measure up to God’s standard if I’m not the best?
M – A warrior is not a sword, nor a shield. Nor is he the sum of his strength and training. You want to be perfect. But you never will be. Every warrior inevitably faces defeat.
You will fight and you will lose. It’s what’s inside a warrior’s heart that makes him fierce and makes him powerful. While God desires us to be perfect…He does not expect it. All He asks is that we keep on trying…to always keep going, to be strong… to be forged like iron. We are meant for so much more than this existence.
What he has promised is glory beyond imagination. Even though we are not perfect, even though we are undeserving of His grace. So, David, what does God want for you?
He wants you to answer those questions that burn inside of you. Am I prepared for the next battle? Do I have what it will take?
When the answer to those questions is yes, and you have faith in your heart, then it’s time to boldly face the enemy. And life will be filled with dangers.
At times it will seem like you’re alone in a field of lions, all hungry to spot your weakness, prowling, waiting to attack.
At that moment, when all is against you and you begin to doubt yourself and you fear that you are not ready, that you’re not prepared, listen for that voice inside of you, inside your heart, the voice that says you are ready, you are prepared, you have given everything… for that is the voice of God. Abandon your…your fears and doubts.
David, for when God is with you, no one can stand against you.
From the movie: David vs. Goliath: Battle of Faith
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" Evil was necessary because without it free will was impossible, and without free will there could be no growth - no forward movement, no chance for us to become what God longed for us to be. Horrible and all-powerful as evil sometimes seemed to be in a world like ours, in the larger picture love was overwhelmingly dominant, and it would untimately be triumphant. " by Eben Alexander, M.D.
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"If you surrender your mind to the Almighty,
You can easily traverse the ocean of life
that is teeming with greed and lust.
A person who surrenders himself to his mind
wanders aimlessly all his life."
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Beauty and ugliness.
Such categories are created by our minds.
Every human being is made of the five basic elements like the entire creation.
If we look at it from the point of view of an artist, we can find anything to be beautiful or ugly.
The clouds, the wind, the sun-rays, the trees during the fall and this beautiful thicket of bamboo trees, everything is beautiful.
PROBABLY, NOTHING IS BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH TO WEAKEN A MAN'S RESOLVE, EXCEPT A WOMAN'S BEAUTY.
IF A MAN IS ATTRACTED TO A WOMAN'S BEAUTY, HE CAN GET DISTRACTED FROM HIS PATH.
IF YOU INTROSPECT YOURSELF AND LOOK AT SOMETHING WITH A BALANCED MIND, IT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DISTRACT YOU.
Beauty can never be destroyed. It can never cause you pain. It is a heart full of kindness and freedom, which knows no restrictions. It is a heart full of peace and happiness.
That is the ultimate truth. Keep practicing. This path is open to all.
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