Religion Feedback
by Ron Kurtus
Readers have sent in a total of 224 comments and questions on Religion issues. They are listed according to date.
You can read them to further your understanding of the subject.
List of most recent 15 letters
Title |
Topic |
Country |
| Thanks | Do Humans Have a Soul | UK |
| Where does Jesus stand in Unity? | Unity Principles | USA |
| Suggested correction | Buddhism Four Noble Truths | USA |
| Suggested correction | Buddhism Four Noble Truths | UK |
| When do we get our soul? | Soul or Body | USA |
| Did the Earth exist before Genesis 1 in the Bible? | General | South Africa |
| Getting rid of chronic pain | Buddhism Four Noble Truths | Canada |
| Viewing life from a soul perspective | Soul or Body | UK |
| We have a universal soul | Do Humans Have a Soul | USA |
| Astronomy in the Quran | General | USA |
| Why do some religions believe in punishment? | General | USA |
| Do scientists believe in God? | General | Ghana |
| About religious dialogues | General | Nigeria |
| Should I join a local church? | General | Kenya |
| Explain the nature of the soul | Do Humans Have a Soul | Canada |
Do Humans Have a Soul
Thanks
April 27, 2020
Question
just wanted to say I very much like your down-to-earth website... I am a practical philosopher working on what is the best way to put across my thoughts to a very diverse audience without it being too academic (for those that might need help the most).
simon - UK (29457)
Answer
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad the material was useful to you.
Best wishes for success in your work and in getting your thoughts across in an understandable manner to other people.
Unity Principles
Where does Jesus stand in Unity?
August 15, 2019
Question
I was born and raised as a Catholic but eventually became a non-denominational Christian. I believe in the bible and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Where does Jesus stand in Unity?
peggy - USA (29147)
Answer
Unity Church followers believe that all humans are the children of God and share that divine potential. Thus, they believe in the divinity of Jesus, but only in the sense that Jesus is the great example of the Christ in physical form.
Thus, their view is not that Jesus came to save us from our sins but rather as an example of how to relate to God.
Buddhism Four Noble Truths
Suggested correction
October 2, 2018
Question
please correct the phrase "The First Truth is that all life is suffering, pain, and misery."
you go on to correctly state "suffering exists" which is more accurate. please correct your initial sentence to be "The First Truth is that suffering, pain, and misery exist." all of life is not suffering. i think it's safe to say that unless a person is tortured from birth, almost every human has moments of joy and happiness. your incorrect sentence is the first search result that pops up in google when using search term "causes of suffering in buddhism" so please be responsible and state the teachings accurately
Edward - USA (28732)
Answer
Thank you for pointing that out. I corrected the phrase and tried to get the right wording in the Four Noble Truths article.
Buddhism Four Noble Truths
Suggested correction
September 30, 2018
Question
Just messaging to say that the first Noble truth is that there is suffering, not that everything is suffering. Furthermore this is why attachment to material phenomena is the cause of suffering, not attachment to suffering itself being the cause as the first truth would mean.
Many thanks:)
Ben - UK (28730)
Answer
Thank you for pointing that out. I corrected the phrase and tried to get the right wording in the Four Noble Truths article.
Soul or Body
When do we get our soul?
September 20, 2018
Question
When do we get our soul?
Roxana - USA (28713)
Answer
Most Catholics and some from other religions believe that a human gets a soul at the time of conception. Since the fetus then has a soul, Catholics are against abortion.
Many other Christian religions believe the baby gets a soul at the time of birth.
General
Did the Earth exist before Genesis 1 in the Bible?
February 1, 2018
Question
Did the earth existed before Genesis 1 and was there a world before Genesis 1 Some believe it was where the dinosaurs came from.
Henrico - South Africa (28413)
Answer
The article Big Bang Theory and Religion gives a good explanation relating to the views of various religions on this issue.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Buddhism Four Noble Truths
Getting rid of chronic pain
June 4, 2017
Question
Can you please explain what the 8 attitudes or paths really mean? What is meant by right view, right speech, right intention, etc.etc. I would also like to know how cessation of desires would end chronic physical pain.As an example someone who is born with a painful condition who is still too young to have formed any desires or attachments in life?
Joe - Canada (28073)
Answer
You can see explanations of the items in Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism. They provide the recommended attitudes and conduct for a good life.
Desires and attachments in life seem to concern the mental and emotional conditions. For example, a person with chronic pain should not be envious of those without the pain. Some meditation practices can help a person alleviate pain. However, medication practices still are usually required.
Best wishes for both physical and spiritual health.
Soul or Body
Viewing life from a soul perspective
March 30, 2017
Question
I have been having more experiences to indicate I would benefit from viewing this life from my soul persective. When I do its amazing, but then resist and feel tired. It feels a bit of a battle with myself. I was happier feeling I was a body and having occassional spiritual experiences. Now I feel I need to just focus on the soul perspective which I am sure would feel good but how to release my resistance? I guess my ego is fighting to keep the illusion going. I am practicing surrender but any other help would be useful.
Sally
Sally - UK (27973)
Answer
One viewpoint I like is that we are spirits having a human experience.
Take a look at our Spiritual Health area. There are only a few articles, but they may give you some insight.
Also see Sensing Spirits for more insight. In sensing the unknown, it seems that the harder you try, the less it seems to work. This is similar to your experiences.
Do Humans Have a Soul
We have a universal soul
January 3, 2017
Question
My belief on "Do humans have a soul" is that all humans are born into one shared soul or spirit, and our behavior may be from our genetics and learned behavior combined. You can also teach yourself new behavior with concentration of your brain when and if our brain is mature enough.
Amorita - USA (27781)
Answer
There are a number of religions that believe there is a universal soul that everyone is part of. In such a case, that spirit or soul is having many human experiences.
Yes, behavior comes from genetics and learning. That could explain bad behavior independent of the soul.
General
Astronomy in the Quran
December 10, 2016
Question
Greetings, I immensely thank you for your wonderful physics website, it is very helpful. I want your opinion about scientific and astronomical facts that I have found in a book dating back to more than 1400 years, check some of them:
--------------------
Creation of the Universe, "Big Bang"
“Do not the Unbelievers see That the heavens and the earth Were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder?”
[Al-Qur’aan 21:30]
----------------------
That there was a huge gaseous matter or clouds were present before the formation of the galaxies.
“Moreover, He Comprehended In His design the sky, And it had been (as) smoke: He said to it And to the earth: ‘Come ye together, Willingly or unwillingly.’ They said: ‘We do come (Together), in willing obedience.’”
[Al-Qur’aan 41:11]
----------------------
The Light of the Moon is reflected light.
“Blessed is He Who made Constellations in the skies, And placed therein a Lamp And a Moon giving light.” [Al-Qur’aan 25:61]
The Arabic word for the sun in the Qur’aan, is shams. It is referred to as
siraaj, which means a ‘torch’ or as wahhaaj which means ‘a blazing lamp’ or as diya which means ‘shining glory’. All three descriptions are appropriate to the sun, since it generates intense heat and light by its internal combustion.
The Arabic word for the moon is qamar and it is described in the Qur’aan as muneer, which is a body that gives nur i.e. light. Again, the Qur’aanic description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon, which does not give off light itself and is an inert body that reflects the light of the sun.
Not once in the Qur’aan, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya or the sun as nur or muneer. This implies that the Qur’aan recognizes the difference between the nature of sunlight and moonlight.
--------------------------
The Sun Rotates
“It is He Who created The Night and the Day, And the sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) Swim along, each in its Rounded course.”
[Al-Qur’aan 21:33]
The Arabic word used in the above verse is yasbahûn. The word yasbahûn is derived from the word sabaha. It carries with it the idea of motion that comes from any moving body. If you use the word for a man on the ground, it would not mean that he is rolling but would mean he is walking or running. If you use the word for a man in water it would not mean that he is floating but would mean that he is swimming.
Similarly, if you use the word yasbah for a celestial body such as the sun it would not mean that it is only flying through space but would mean that it is also rotating as it goes through space. Most of the school textbooks have
incorporated the fact that the sun rotates about its axis. The rotation of the sun about its own axis can be proved with the help of an equipment that projects the image of the sun on the table top so that one can examine the image of the sun without being blinded. It is noticed that the sun has spots which complete a circular motion once every 25 days i.e. the sun takes approximately 25 days to rotate around its axis.
In fact, the sun travels through space at roughly 150 miles per second, and takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy.
-----------------------------
“It is not permitted To the Sun to catch up The Moon, nor can The Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along In (its own) orbit (According to Law).”
[Al-Qur’aan 36:40]
This verse mentions an essential fact discovered by modern astronomy, i.e. the existence of the individual orbits of the Sun and the Moon, and their journey through space with their own motion. The ‘fixed place’ towards, which the sun travels, carrying with it the solar system, has been located exactly by modern astronomy. It has been given a name, the Solar Apex. The
solar system is indeed moving in space towards a point situated in the constellation of Hercules (alpha Layer) whose exact location is firmly established.
The moon rotates around its axis in the same duration that it takes to revolve around the earth. It takes approximately 29½ days to complete one rotation.
-------------------------------
The Sun will extinguish after a certain period
“And the Sun Runs its course For a period determined For it; that is The decree of (Him) The exalted in Might, The All-Knowing.”
[Al-Qur’aan 36:38]
The Arabic word used here is mustaqarr, which means a place or time that is determined. Thus the Qur’aan says that the sun runs towards a determined place, and will do so only up to a pre-determined period of time – meaning
that it will end or extinguish.
-------------------------------
The Book's name is "Quran", as mentioned it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
Muhammad, the prophet of Islam was an unlettered man, he could not write nor read his own name. Islam in Arabic means: Total submission to God's will (not a follower of Muhammad).
It is a monotheistic religion, and it obligates it followers to believe in all the previous prophets such as Jesus, Moses, Noah, Abraham etc, and not worship any of them, rather, worship their Creator.
There are chapters entitled by the names of some of them, in addition to a chapter name called "Maryam" translated "Marry" in the honor of the mother of Jesus.
Regardless of these scientific facts, there are still many that I did not mention (such as the Universe expanding and many others!),
please care to read them if your interested, there are books that lists the scientific miracles in the Quran, one of the best:
"The Quran and Modern Science Compatible or Incompatible ?"
Please if you have any questions ask me, thank you. Again.
Mozhar - USA (27556)
Answer
Thank you for your insight on scientific and astronomy references in the Quran. These were written in the "glory days of Islam" in about 800, where Islam was the world leader in scientific studies.
I do have a article on Big Bang Theory and Religion that references mention in the Quran.
Best wishes for success in your studies.
General
Why do some religions believe in punishment?
December 6, 2015
Question
I'm having trouble believing that God will punish us for not believing that Jesus Christ is God. I believe that God is Goodness, period. Whey the emphasis on punishment in Christian religion?
I believe that we are a soul, not that we HAVE a soul. I believe that when we die, that's it.
I appreciate your comments.
Marge - USA (26594)
Answer
Just as some parents believe they should be strict with their children and punish them if they do wrong, other parents believe that giving love is the best way to correct wrongs. Likewise, do some people believe that God punishes, while others believe that God is Goodness.
Some Christian denominations are very strict, while there are others that are more liberal in their beliefs. This is also true of other non-Christian religions, where the fundamentalists believe in harsh punishment. I'd prefer to believe in a loving God.
As far as believing that we are a soul, I think of the saying that "we are spirits having a human experience." Thus, when the human body dies, the spirit lives on.
General
Do scientists believe in God?
July 20, 2015
Question
Do scientists believe in God or not?
Abubakar - Ghana (26182)
Answer
Many scientists from all religions believe in God or some form of Supreme Being.
However, there are scientists that only accept facts that can be proven through experiments. Those people usually do not believe in God or things spiritual, since they cannot be directly proven and simply require faith.
General
About religious dialogues
March 3, 2015
Question
Kindly answer these questions for me:
i.what are the theories on religious dialogue?
ii. what are the scholarly objections to religious dialogue?
Adewale - Nigeria (25806)
Answer
Most religions are based on faith in what is written in their own holy books, as well as what is taught by their religious leaders. A religious or inter-religious dialogue is usually a discussion between people of different faiths. At the very least, you can learn what others believe in.
Scholars look at the philosophical and historical basis of various religious. Unfortunately, since religions are very personal and many aspects cannot be proven with hard facts, scholarly discussions may not lead to any conclusions.
General
Should I join a local church?
September 20, 2014
Question
Mr.Ron Kurtus, I am Glad That Your Advice About Trusting In God Really Helped Me. However ,a Very Intriguing Question Is Boiling My Head Off Me "will Joining An Established Religion Really Help Me In My Spiritual Journey?? Because I Really Want To Join A Local Church??
Please Respond As Soon As Possible
Thank You
Peter - Kenya (25369)
Answer
Joining an established religion can help in your spiritual journey. Another benefit is that you can meet other like-minded people and feel like you belong to a community.
It is a good idea to visit several churches in your area to see if their beliefs are close to yours, as well as how friendly the people seem.
God bless you in your journey and in finding the right church to join.
Do Humans Have a Soul
Explain the nature of the soul
September 14, 2014
Question
I have read your article on the soul, very interesting but it does not explain the nature of the soul and its connection, (if any) with spirit.
What is the nature of the soul and what is it made of? It seems likely to me that he soul and spirit are the same. Anyway thank you for your consideration.
Chris - Canada (25351)
Answer
Ancient Greeks, such as Aristotle, separated the soul and spirit (or life-spirit). Many did not believe humans ever had a soul.
However, most modern people who believe in some religion also believe that humans have souls that exist beyond death.
The biggest problem concerning describing a soul or spirit is that it is purely theory or speculation. No one knows for sure, except through belief in a holy book, such as the Bible.
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