...Credo Paper Everyone has a core set of beliefs that dictates how they should lead their lives. These core beliefs are usually molded by one’s upbringings and personal experiences, and as such they can be readily modified as new information presents itself. As a college student, soon to take the next step into adulthood, I think it is important to not only define my core set of beliefs but also challenge them to make sure they hold up against any personal experiences I may have had or will have. In order for me to define my core beliefs, I must first identify where these beliefs stem from. In my case, I was born a devout Sikh, and as such I adhere to the three pillars of Sikhism which include: living honestly, meditating, and giving back to the community. Even though I don’t currently associate myself to any religion these three pillars have been an integral part in shaping my core beliefs. However as I have grown older and have had a chance to experience the world for myself I have formed beliefs that deviate from the core teachings of Sikhism. My core beliefs today are a culmination of the beliefs of Sikhism as well as my experiences. Taking a look at my characteristically Sikh childhood and surroundings, one may deduce that my parents forced the Sikh faith upon me, and therefore I had no personal say in the formation of my religious beliefs. This could not be farther from the truth. I was introduced to the Sikh faith at a very young age and as such many of the Sikh ideals...
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...Worship to GOD Thesis Statement: I give Honor, Praise and Worship to my GOD for He is the master and creator of everything, and (John 3:16) for GOD so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Introduction I give Honor, Praise and Worship to my God for He is the master and creator of everything. God loved you and me so much He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life according to (John 3:16). And (1John 4:10) states, “Love is not only what God is, but it is also what he does and what he gives. Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” God alone is worthy of my devotion, Honor, Praise and Worship. (Psalm 96:9) states, “Worship the Lord your God in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Psalm 29:2) states, “Give unto the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” The best way that I can praise and worship God is with my every thought and action. (Romans 12:1-2) states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Deuteronomy...
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...Spiritual Formation Ministry Plan God expects individuals that call themselves “Christian” to grow spiritually. The Word of God encourages personal examination as a part of the growth process, as found in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Becoming more Christ-like focuses on how He works in us and not on our work for Him. The Cycle of Works demonstrates that regardless of work we complete, the acceptance of others, the sustainability of our works and the significance it brings, we cannot compete with God’s Cycle of Grace that show us that we are significant in His sight and that brings us sustenance and acceptance as His child and that it is only by His work of dying on the cross that we can be forgiven. There are obstacles to developing any kind of plan for the church. People complain of not having enough time to study because of work, family, and other obligations. It is a matter of establishing personal priorities and because they see no tangible earthly benefits to spiritual practices, no effort is made in developing a personal plan for spiritual growth. According to Simon Chan in Spiritual Theology, we are a society of partially committed Christians (p. 105), demonstrated by his model of the world, the visible church, and the remnant. Chan contends that those in the remnant are disciplined and committed to corporate rule and prayer. Using that...
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...sacred space and the natural world, and with each other. The essential goal for many of the world’s foremost faith traditions is to be love and be loved by God, to be able to live in a relationship with the Devine reconciliation with the ultimate, and union with the beloved. All religious traditions with the Devine are distinct incomparably based on separate beliefs and faith systems. What they all have in common is that they all share the same interest for the deepest level of reality and for the majority of religions the origin or core of everything is mysterious and sacred. The Dao, Devine Parent, Great Spirit, Great Mother, the Absolute, and Allah are only some examples people use to illustrate the Devine. In the Christian faith the Devine is well defined as the Holy Trinity, Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son. In the Christian religion it can seem like there are more Gods than one, but in fact, they believe that God is one. Sacred time, measured to be the starting point connecting eternity and time with the pulse of human life, is thought to be the holy ancient history in which the Gods worked and lived. Native religions support relationships with sacred time by living through actions of ancestors and the Gods ritually. They have faith by doing this, and can pass it into the sacred time that the ancestors and the Gods exist in. In the Christian religion it connects the members of the body of Christ, and...
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...Hinduism to Christianity, it seems that each religion has the same priority, which is to teach and show how God loves us, his children, and how we in turn must show that same intense love to others that we coincide with on a daily basis. It is seen as the way to achieve world peace, unity and progress; “Love thy neighbor as you love yourself.” With the help of Thomas Jay Oord, I will go into depth of how love and its teachings through religion have affected people and discuss the differences between Christianity and Islam, or love in the east and west. In the eastern world, there is much discipline and faith that the people of Islam, Muslims, acknowledge through the Qur’an. “As such, the Qur’an for Muslims is the primary means of encountering God” (Abdin, “Love in Islam”, p.188). It is this deep desire of wanting to be on the path with Allah, that Muslims believe that the path to true love is through Allah and that true human love is part of Allah. “Muslims believe that true human love is part of Allah’s love and that it is the duty of Muslims to love one another truly” (Abdin, “Love in Islam”, p.188). The sense of placing one’s true “overseer” ahead of those whom you are supposed to love is highly regarded in the Islam world. There are different schools of thought in the Muslim world, they are the Asharites, Hanbalites and the Sufis. They all agree that to love God is the ultimate belief and is an attest to their faith. Out of these three schools, I would like to focus on...
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...Truth, Love and Righteousness Truth, Love and Righteousness Peace and Non-Violence make more sense If we try hard to make these as part of our life Then God will be with us day and night. Sai Sangeetham Truth Is the Doorway Truth is the doorway, peace is the key Step through in goodness, such love you'll see The Lord is watching, he will show you the way To bliss and freedom with every new day. Sai Sangeetham I Want Peace You Often Hear I want peace you often hear From people near and afar Ego and desire are barriers two So cross "I want" and peace is with you. Sai Baba's Human Values five Let Sai Baba your chariot drive With horses his Human Values Five The Lord will always be around To keep the vehicle safe and sound You'll be as gentle as a dove With the joys of Non-Violence and Love And a new world full of beauty Will spring from Truth, Peace and Duty. Human...
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...Pastor Kelley Steele is 42 years old, and a mother of 5 wonderful children that share the same spiritual vision. She has been married to her husband, Pastor Reginald Steele for over 20 years and together have founded Kingdom in the Valley Christian Church which has over 10,000 members. She has had a hard life but has not allowed that to influence her, instead she has used it to become a better and stronger person. Pastor Kelley Steele is an important person in my life because her teaching skills have impacted my spiritual walk, she has a love for God that is immeasurable, and is a good role model. As one of my spiritual leaders, she has shown me how to understand the bible with more clarity. When explaining the bible or giving a teaching,...
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...practices should be respected and accepted. Although there are different religions that have parallel perspectives, they also have contrasting perspectives that can affect the way care is provided. Today, the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Muslim will be discussed and compared to the beliefs and practices of Christianity. The Buddhist religion is a religion that focuses on the ethical and spiritual well-being of individuals and in turn helps the individual develop wisdom and compassion for all mankind. Buddhist believes in taking a holistic approach when facing health and disease. This practice includes the principles of practice, meditation, technique, and discipline. From a Buddhist perspective, there is no personal God to serve. They believe that optimal health is strongly associated with the effects of good karma. Karma is considered the action and the results of an action. Buddhist believes that nothing is permanent, and that how a person lives their life is how a person goes through life. According to Buddhism, any life lived solely for...
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...World Literature I October 21, 2014 The Story of Jesse The Story of Jesse of Harnett is one of the most profound pieces of literature in the American culture. It is a religious Hindu text and is one of the two most famous epics written in US. The Story of Jesse is considered an epic and does contain a lot of action, but at the core of it, it is a love story. Were it not for love none the actions in The Story of Jesse would have taken place. This tale became almost like an epidemic that spread throughout the U.S. Shows on television about The Story of Jesse were aired and when they came on almost all of the U.S. shutdown to watch this show. The Story of Jesse had a huge moral impact on the U.S. and became a way to pass down Jesse ideals to younger and more modern generations. Young boys and girls were told to follow in the footsteps of the righteous Jesse. The Story of Jesse is a timeless American text that portrays the religious beliefs of the Jesse religion through its characters; these idealistic behaviors can be seen clearly in characters such asJesse, Sita, and Laksmana. Jesse is one of the main characters throughout the story and is supposed to be portrayed as the hero of The Story of Jesse. Jesse is a noble prince and is seen as the epitome of righteousness throughout the tale. When Jesse is banished by his stepmother, Kaikeyi, and father, King Dasaratha, to the forest he accepts this without any hesitation or negative emotions. He stays calm and “understands...
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...are recorded into principles, priorities and practice. In the end the writings conclude with Israel’s destiny where their covenant was ratified and community was prepared. “Moses begins with his first sermon as a covenant renewal for the second generation who were born of the wilderness.” Hindson & Towns, supra 85 Through the recording of Israel’s laws, Moses’ second sermon “articulates the covenant law and its application.” Hindson & Towns, supra 85 The principles speak of loving God, which emphasizes a “matter of the heart.” Loving God was not just a ritual nor was it required, but it was and still is of “spiritual devotion” that would ultimately result in giving the “Israelites the land of Canaan as a gift of His grace.” Hindson & Towns, supra 86 The priorities of Israel’s covenant contained the laws as explained by Moses that the second generation would most likely encounter. Moses then strongly encourages the practice of the Covenant by the Israelites in remembering how God has blessed them. In Israel’s destiny, Moses continues by calling the Israelites to “ratify the covenant...
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...would be like using ancient medical scholars such as Galen and Hippocrates to train modern doctors. This approach is quite different from human-based ethical systems, which generally focus on egoism, utilitarianism or deontological reasoning. Christian ethics don’t reject all of these values. To the contrary, there is much overlap between Christian ethics and many human-centered ethical systems. While concerned with human happiness and the fulfillment of ethical obligations, Christian ethics does not see these as its ultimate goal. It prize is the life that seeks to emulate God’s character. Three divine characteristics that have direct bearing on ethical decision-making are repeatedly emphasized in the Bible: God is holy, God is just, and God is loving. Christian ethics requires all three characteristics to be taken into account when decisions are...
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...with a slight conscience for “God created man in his own image.” Therefore, God’s morals and law over right and wrong are naturally instilled in all men and women. “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Tom Sawyer needn’t the Bible to follow his morals, only the will to do so. When Muff Potter is unjustly imprisoned for murder, Tom Sawyer struggles to listen to that moral voice. To relieve his conscience, he smuggled gifts in prison to the drunkard, yet in the end, he let his holy conscience take over and exonerated Muff Potter. Lastly, as the runaway boys fell to sleep, Tom Sawyer felt sick—he was overcome with the act of stealing from the town and tormenting his Aunt with his disappearance. His conscience was partially satisfied when he promised to never steal again. He felt so sorry for messing with his Aunt that he wrote a simple note of his love. Although he never delivered the note, the act of writing the note demonstrated that he felt guilt’s burden. Tom Sawyer’s conscience, though somewhat muddied, is purified with the...
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...Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. STEP 2: Say the Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, And is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. STEP 3: Say 1 "Our Father": Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. STEP 4: Say 3 "Hail Mary's": (For the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity) Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen. STEP 5: Say 1 "Glory Be": Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to...
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...This means that Scripture gives us everything that we need in order to be obedient to God. It teaches us truths about God, salvation, and everything of eternal significance. DeYoung claims that one reason this doctrine is so important is because Jesus is often identified as the Logos or Word (John 1). God speaks though Jesus because he is “God’s full and final revelation of himself (50).” This is a truth that is deeply woven into Scripture and shows us the importance of Scripture in pointing man to God. The doctrine of sufficiency also means that no one should take away or add to scripture. In fact there is even a curse for doing so in Revelation 22:18-19. God has given us enough to point us to himself and to teach us how to have a right relationship with him. Scripture helps us hear God’s voice and live a life that is able to please him. The Bible’s sufficiency is why Martin Luther was able to cry out with confidence “sola Scriptura,” which mean “Scripture alone (53).” He understood the depths and riches of Scripture and how it had everything needed in order to know God and have salvation in...
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...otherwise unattainable. We are challenged every day to surpass those obstacles that hold us back, knowing that they can be very meaningful. In the epic of The Aeneid, written by the Roman poet, Virgil, we come across Aeneas, who is marked by his loyalty and devotion, his pietas. This epic also raises the controversy of weather Aeneas wrongs Dido. However, his unquestionable obedience to the gods cannot possibly be blamed for Dido’s heartbroken soul. In the early books of the Aeneid, Aeneas is presented as the son of gods, a valiant, brave...
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