Description Details
These are Alice Lady Lovat's meditations on the treatise Del Aprecio y Estima de la Divina Gracia, written by the prolific Roman Catholic theologian and mystic Juan Eusebio Nieremberg, S.J. (1595-1658). Nieremberg's treatise was published in 1638 in Madrid, where he taught Sacred Scripture at the Jesuit Colegio Imperial. Abbot Oswald Hunter-Blair, O.S.B. wrote the preface for Lovat's book, which bears an imprimatur. (Introduction by dave7)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
2 Chronicles was purportedly written by Ezra the scribe. It expounds the history of King Solomon and the kings came after him. It is very similar to 1 and 2 Kings, but centers primarily on the Temple as the Presence of God among the people. It is a history of the Kings of Israel. (Summary by Sundiata)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
Described by William Barclay as the Queen of the Epistles, the Epistle to the Ephesians is one of the books of the Bible in the New Testament. Paul is traditionally said to have written the letter while he was in prison in Rome (around 63 A.D.). This would be about the same time as the Epistle to the Colossians (which in many points it resembles) and the Epistle to Philemon. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
Why was that tree in the garden, anyway? Stan Robertson spent his adult life trying to understand what the Bible really was saying. He decided to approach the subject with an open mind and let the Bible itself tell him rather than depending on what tradition says that it means. His book reaches unorthodox conclusions based on well developed and thoroughly justified analyses. His understanding helps reconcile many of the disconnects in traditional views. For instance, how is it that the Lord God of the Old Testament is harsh, demanding, violent, unforgiving, jealous, and destructive while the God of the New Testament is Love? This book develops the idea that each person is a duality of Spirit and flesh, and relates this to scripture. The Spiritual man and the carnal man are separated and the carnal man is subject to the Law while the Spiritual man cannot sin. ...

Excerpt Details
We Christians, as long as we feel that we must keep the Ten Commandments, are shut out of knowing the benefits of grace. Keeping the law demands all of man’s attention leaving no time for anything else. This maintains the veil over our hearts. “The letter kills but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Even though Paul repeatedly says that we are not under the Law, we feel guilty. Guilt steals our freedom and our knowing the benefits of grace and the Divine Love that comes with it. The Commandments give opportunity for the false accuser to accuse us falsely. Then we accept the false accusation of sin and guilt. From that point on, it is our own conscience that condemns us, and thus, our own thought-power is used against our own selves. The result is depression or sickness or a feeling of being empty, useless. This latter result prevents our praying. We cannot follow both the Law and the Spirit. We cannot serve two masters....

Table of Contents Details
Table of Contents (Note: For a professional review of the first edition of this book, please go to: http://reviewservice.blogspot.com/) Introduction Chapter 1: The Prayer and the Mission of Christ Jesus 1 Separating the Spirit from the Flesh 19 The Purpose of Spirit Is to Lead Us to the Truth 29 Jesus of Nazareth: Flesh or Spirit, Man or God? 36 Satan the Antichrist, Imprisoning Deceiver 54 Who Was Responsible for Jesus’ Death? 60 David Prophesied Crucifixion Not Practiced in His Time 61 The Parable of the Prodigal Son and Predestination 62 Chapter 2: The Mission of St. Paul 67 Faith Overcoming Flesh 71 The Importance of One’s True Intent 77 Walking Our Path Out of the Flesh Daily 84 Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Redemption 92 Guilty Feelings Erased 98 The Carnal Mind 102 Paul’s Explanation of the Status of the Christian 108 Turn Loose of the Commandments? 110 To Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit Is Sacred— To Flesh, the Flesh, the Flesh Is Sacred 112 Spirit-Given Conviction Instead of Logic 116 Genesis and the Law xxx Did God Change From the Old to the New Testament? xxx...

Description Details
One great universal law runs through the realm of nature. Our Saviour gave it in a sentence: 'First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.' It is with the desire to show that the same law rules in another of God's creations—The Bible—that this little volume has been prepared. The Bible has as literally 'grown' as has an oak tree; and probably there is no more likeness between the Bible as we know it to-day and its earliest beginning, than we find between the mighty tree, and the acorn from which it sprang. The subject is so vast that we have not attempted anything beyond the briefest outline. Our purpose has been merely to give some idea of the origin of the Bible books, up to the measure of our present light upon the subject, and also to show the purpose for which they were written. But if our readers, by seeing something of the wonder and glory of the Holy Scriptures, are able to catch a glimpse of the Creator's mind behind the whole, our work will not have been in vain. (Foreword, by Mildred Duff)...

Excerpt Details
Religion, Literature

Description Details
The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, usually referred to simply as Philemon, is a prison letter to Philemon from Paul of Tarsus. Philemon was a leader in the Colossian church. This letter, which is one of the books of the New Testament, deals with forgiveness....

Excerpt Details
Ancient Texts, Religion

Description Details
Luis de la Palma (Toledo 1560 - Madrid 1641) fue un jesuita español y uno de los grandes maestros espirituales del Siglo de oro a la altura de S. Ignacio de Loyola, S. Juan de ávila, Fray Luis de Granada, S. Juan de la Cruz y Santa Teresa de Jesús. Fue provincial de Toledo y predicador en el Colegio Imperial de Madrid, donde escribió la Historia de la Sagrada Pasión, publicada por indicación del prepósito general de la Compañía en 1624. Esta obra, no superada en su género, se basa en las narraciones evangélicas y tiene forma de meditaciones. Al poco tiempo de su publicación fue traducida a diferentes idiomas. Su censor, Cristóbal de Zamora, afirmó sobre él: Si como compuso sola la Pasión de Cristo, hubiere compuesto toda su vida, nos quitara el trabajo de estudiar en otros libros, porque el suyo sólo bastaría para tener la noticia entera y puntual de todo lo que Cristo obró y dijo, con tanta propiedad y tan elegante estilo que ninguno le hace ventaja y él la hace a muchos de los más aplaudidos que han escrito». (Introducción por Tux)...

Excerpt Details
Religion, Philosophy

Description Details
The Epistle of James is a book in the Christian New Testament. The author identifies himself as James (James 1:1), traditionally understood as James the Just, the brother of Jesus, first of the Seventy Disciples and first Bishop of Jerusalem. With no overriding theme, the text condemns various sins and calls on Christians to be patient while awaiting the imminent Second Coming. The epistle has caused controversy: Protestant reformer Martin Luther argued that it was not the work of an apostle. Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Mormonism claim it contradicts Luther's doctrine of justification through faith alone (Sola fide) derived from his translation of Romans 3:28. The Christian debate over Justification is still unsettled, see also Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification and Christian view of the Law. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
The Epistle to Galatians is a book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia. It is principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law within Early Christianity. Along with the Epistle to the Romans, it is the most theologically significant of the Pauline epistles, and has been particularly influential in Protestant thought....

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
The Epistle to the Galatians is a book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia. It is principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law within Early Christianity. Along with the Epistle to the Romans, it is the most theologically significant of the Pauline epistles, and has been particularly influential in Protestant thought. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
William Law (1686-1761) was an Anglican priest, Christian mystic, and one of the most prominent, popular, and controversial theological writers of his time. Law revolutionized the way in which 18th century Anglicans engaged the spiritual aspect of their faith, and his popularity rivaled that of John and Charles Wesley. Law adapted mystical practices from early church writings to the practice and doctrine of the modern British church, with the intention of equipping the Anglican layman to pursue intimacy with Christ. Dialogue Between a Methodist and a Churchman is one of Law's purely theological works. In it, Law engages what he sees as the most dangerous doctrines of Methodism using a dialectic format. The dialogue focuses especially on the Calvinistic doctrines of predestination and absolute depravity, and is remarkable for its extrapolation of Calvinist proof texts to refute the doctrines they allegedly prove. (Summary by Kirsten Ferreri)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
This book was written over a three year period while in sessions of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament. I first read and then summarized each Parable, or Miracle, and then added some brief comments concerning each one. Presented in an easy to read and orderly format, this book covers sixty-six events listed as either a Parable or a Miracle in my New American Bible (1986). I have written what has come to me while in Adoration. I have made no research, or study, into what others have written on these topics, as I wanted to see what would come to me through my own thinking process, and through God’s graces. This is meant to be a simple book of reflections; something that anyone could use for study, or meditation, as St. Alphonsus has asked us to do. ...

Excerpt Details
-The seed, of course is the Word, Jesus Christ, sent by the Father. This seed was sown in each of our hearts –it is part of us-but it can be stolen away by the devil. We can also reject the Word when persecution or hardship comes because of our belief in Jesus. It becomes too much trouble and we can be lured into taking an easier path. -We can also lose our faith and trust in Jesus and begin to think that we must create our own salvation through riches and distractions. But those that hear the Word and truly understand it realize that this understanding has been granted as a gift from God, and only because of God and this gift, can we ever produce much fruit. We cannot bear fruit without God’s assistance. His path and His Word is the one true life....

Table of Contents Details
Preface- Page 9 The Parables- Page 1) The Two Debtors 13 2) The Sower 16 3) The Seed 19 4) The Weeds 22 5) The Mustard Seed 25 6) The Yeast 28 7) The Hidden Treasure 31 8) The Costly Pearl 34 9) The Drag-net 37 10) The Unforgiving Servant 40 11) The Good Samaritan 43 12) The Rich Fool 46 13) The Barren Fig Tree 49 14) The Wedding Guest 52 15) The Great Feast 55 16) Counting the Cost 58 17) The Lost Sheep 61 18) The Lost Coin 64 19) The Lost Son 66 20) The Dishonest Steward 70 21) The Rich Man and Lazarus 73 22) The Unprofitable Servant 76 23) The Unjust Judge 79 24) The Pharisee and Tax Collector 82 25) The Workers in the Vineyard 85 26) The Ten Gold Coins 88 27) The Two Sons 91 28) The Tenants 94 29) The Wedding Feast 97 30) The Te...

Description Details
The Book of Nehemiah is a book of the Hebrew Bible. Told largely in the form of a first-person memoir, it concerns the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, a Jew who is a high official at the Persian court, and the dedication of the city and its people to God's laws (torah). The events take place in the second half of the 5th century BCE, and together with the Book of Ezra, it represents the final chapter in the historical narrative of the Hebrew Bible. The book tells how Nehemiah, at the court of the king in Susa, is informed that Jerusalem is without walls and resolves to restore them. The king appoints him as governor of Judah and he travels to Jerusalem. There he rebuilds the walls, despite the opposition of Israel's enemies, and reforms the community in conformity with the law of Moses. After an absence in Susa he returns to find that the Israelites have been backsliding, taking non-Jewish wives, and stays to enforce the Law....

Excerpt Details
History, Religion

Description Details
Deuteronomy (Greek: Δευτερονόμιον, second law) or Devarim (Hebrew: דְּבָרִים‎, literally things or words) is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fifth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. A large part of the book consists of five sermons delivered by Moses reviewing the previous forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and the future entering into the Promised Land. Its central element is a detailed law-code by which the Israelites are to live within the Promised Land. Theologically the book constitutes the renewing of the covenant between YHWH, the Jewish God, and the 'Children of Israel.' (Summary by Wikipedia)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
Ignatius of Antioch penned these letters to churches (Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, and Smyrnaeans) and Polycarp on his way to martyrdom. Ignatius was an apologist for the Episcopal style of church government (as opposed to sole rule by a council of presbyters) which developed in the late first or early second century. Eager to die in imitation of his Savior, it was Ignatius who wrote this to the Roman church: I am God's wheat, and I am ground by the teeth of wild beasts that I may be found pure bread [of Christ]. (Summary by Sam Stinson)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
Galatians is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia. Paul is principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law within Early Christianity. The main theme of Ephesians is “the Church, the Body of Christ.” The Church is to maintain the unity in practice which Christ has brought about positionally. Another major theme in Ephesians is the keeping of Christ's body (that is, the Church) pure and holy. Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul circa 62 while Paul was in prison. The letter was written to the church at Philippi, one of the earliest churches to be founded in Europe. They were very attached to Paul, just as he was very fond of them. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the needs of Paul; and on his return Paul sent this letter with him. Written in the 50s while Paul was in prison, Colossians is similar to Ephesians, also written at this time. Colossians declares Christ's supremacy over the entire created universe and exhorts Christians to lead godly live...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
During the time of the Judges when there was a famine, an Israelite family from Bethlehem - Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion - emigrate to the nearby country of Moab. Elimelech dies, and the sons marry two Moabite women: Mahlon marries Ruth and Chilion marries Orpah. Then Mahlon and Chilion also die. Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. She tells her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers, and remarry. Orpah reluctantly leaves; however, Ruth says, Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV) The two women return to Bethlehem. It is the time of the barley harvest, and in order to support her mother-in-law and herself, Ruth goes to the fields to glean. The field she goes to belongs to a man named Boaz, who is kind to her because he has heard of her loyalty to her mother-in-law. Ruth tells her mother-in-law of Boaz's kin...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
1 Maccabees is an apocryphal/deuterocanonical book written by a Jewish author after the restoration of an independent Jewish kingdom, probably about 100 BC. It is included in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons. Protestants, Jews, and some others regard it as generally reliable historically, but not a part of Scripture. The setting of the book is about a century after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, after Alexander's empire has been divided so that Judea was part of the Greek Seleucid Empire. It tells how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress the practice of basic Jewish religious law, resulting in a Jewish revolt against Seleucid rule. The book covers the whole of the revolt, from 175 to 134 BC, highlighting how the salvation of the Jewish people in this crisis came from God through Mattathias' family, particularly his sons, Judas Maccabeus, Jonathan Maccabaeus, and Simon Maccabaeus, and his grandson, John Hyrcanus. The doctrine expressed in the book reflects traditional Jewish teaching, without later doctrines found, for example, in 2 Maccabees. (Summary by Wikipedia, modi...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
While in prison, Paul writes this letter to another Christian, Philemon. Paul has met with and converted a man named Onesimus, probably a runaway slave, and he writes to Philemon, Onesimus's legal owner, to tell him that he is sending him back. Appealing to Philemon's personal debt to him, Paul urges him to welcome Onesimus as though he were Paul himself, and to accept him as a fellow brother in Christ. (Summary by Leon Mire)...

Excerpt Details
Religion

Description Details
Content for this ebook is obtained from http://malayalambible.in. "The Complete Malayalam Bible In Unicode Ver 3" was encoded by Nishad Kaippally. The Content provided has been released under the Creative Commons License. You are free to to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for non-commercial, non-profit use. The content provided here is based on "The Holy Bible" printed in 1977 by "The Bible Society of India, 20 Mahathma Gandhi Road, Bangalore, India". Information provided in this ebook is intended for research and educational use only. Distribution of religious material is restricted and or prohibited by law in certain countries, and may constitute criminal offences. The owner of this ebook does not endorse the propogation of any religion or doctorine and is not liable for the actions of individuals who may choose to distribute this content....

Description Details
The foundation of the doctrine of sola fide and sola gratia is none other than the finished sacrifice of Christ. This book is meant to challenge the Roman Catholic and indirectly even the Eastern Orthodox teachings concerning salvation. I hope that it will help Protestants defend their faith in an age when apostasy is rampant all around us....

Excerpt Details
I hope you will come to agree with me that Jesus paid it all on the cross and now our salvation does not rest on our good works or our good deeds. As saint Paul says, “For if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21). Jesus died entirely in our place and took upon himself the punishment the punishment we deserve. I love the way Cyril of Alexandria says it in the following words, "They led away the author of life to die – to die for our sake. In a way beyond our understanding, the power of God brought from Christ’s passion an end far different from that intended by his enemies. His suffering served as a snare for death and rendered it powerless. The Lord’s death proved to be our restoration to immortality and newness of life. Condemned to death though innocent, he went forward bearing on his shoulders the cross on which he was to suffer. He did this for our sake, taking on himself the punishment that the law justly imposed on sinners. He was cursed for our sake according to the saying of Scripture: “A curse is on everyone who is hanged on a tree.”" Then Cyril emphasizes his point even more b...

Table of Contents Details
-Introduction -The First Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Second Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Third Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Fourth Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Fifth Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Sixth Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Seventh Letter To Daniel Jodoin -The Eighth Letter To Daniel Jodoin...

Description Details
This short Old Testament book tells the story of Naomi and Ruth, Naomi's daughter-in-law and great-grandmother of King David. (Summary by TriciaG)

Excerpt Details
Religion, History

Description Details
The Book of Psalms, commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible. Taken together, its 150 poems express virtually the full range of Israel's religious faith. They each have a poetic character with frequent use of parallelism. In addition to the title of the collection, which translates as song or hymns from both Hebrew and Greek, superscriptions (or headings) in many of the Psalms provide musical references and some direction, in some cases even references to melodies that would have been well known by early congregations. Songs that can be identified as such in the Psalms include songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 30), hymns of praise (e.g., Ps 117) and royal psalms, which may have been used in coronations and weddings. Identification of some psalms as prayers is also seen within the text, for example in the conclusion to Psalm 72, The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended. The largest category of Psalms, though not grouped as such in the text, is that of lament (expressions of complaint and pleas for help from God). There appears to also have been an instructional function of the psal...

Excerpt Details
Poetry, Religion

Description Details
John Donne was an English Jacobean preacher, sometime lawyer, later in life a Member of Parliament and Royal Chaplain. Marrying for love against the wishes of his influential father-in-law; Donne's career was cast into shadow: forcing him to support his wife, Anne, as best he might under a specter of unforgiving penury. Despite such hardships - perhaps because of them - Donne's writings demonstrate a mastery of poetry layered with metaphysical meaning and mystery: which continues to delight and challenge modern-day readers. Donne's divine poems - the focus of this collection - present profound theological insights using absorbing allegories and beautiful imagery. At the end of Donne's life - as his health deteriorated under illnesses of increasing severity - his poetry served him as: distraction, consolation, and even public confession. With them, Donne cheerfully but soberly faces the limits of his own mortality: and contemplates the mysteries that lie beyond the grave. (Introduction by Godsend)...

Excerpt Details
Poetry, Religion

Description Details
This book describes the return of Israelites from exile in Babylon. One group returns to rebuild the Temple and restore the worship of The LORD, while the second group, led by the priest and scribe Ezra, returns to re-establish Mosaic law to the Israelite community. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were once considered one book. (Introduction by Mark Penfold)...

Excerpt Details
History, Religion

Description Details
The Way of Peace is your guide to the power of meditation; self and truth; the acquirement of spiritual power; the realization of selfless love; entering into the infinite; saints, sages, and saviors; the law of service; and the realization of perfect peace. (Summary by Andrea Fiore)...

Excerpt Details
Instruction, Religion, Philosophy

Description Details
When you open this newest issue of Hinduism Today, get ready for some seriously good reading. Those editors in Hawaii have teamed up to create yet another how-do-they-keep-this-up magazine, full of savvy reporting, lucid writing and wowy photographs. Two features provide the tofu and potatoes main course. The first is our Hindu history lesson. Our academic associates tell us that this is tough stuff to research and write, and tougher still to get right. In 16 pages the lesson explores India's history between 1100 and 1850, a time of vicious Muslim attacks and greed-driven British conquest. In response, Hindus embraced heart-transforming bhakti. Talk about reacting to tragedy in the highest possible way. Most historians gloss over the massive slaughters, the brutal reign of outsiders who had no love of Hinduism. Our lesson does the impossible: tells the true story fairly, without demeaning the aggressors. Plus, it focuses on the armed resistance and spiritual resolve that made it possible for India to survive such dark days into modern times, while virtually every other ancient society succumbed to similar forces and disappeared. ...

Description Details
Under The Thelián Sky: Beyond the Great Unknown (updated cover)As everyone knows, God created mankind to his image (Genesis 01:27). What mankind does not know is that God did not create man on Earth, but rather on MARS! When Mars could not sustain life anymore, mankind had to escape the planet and colonized Earth. Many years later, a study was written about the survival of mankind in Sol Four (Mars) and its struggle in Sol Three (Earth). We proved to be a species that has survived wars, slavery and other forms of abuse — always holding on to our faith in God. Doctor Ajidán Edejèm, after finding out that his world was going to die, embarks in the dangerous mission to rescue as many people as possible and search for a new world. All the while, the government wants to keep everything quiet and even kill him for telling others about the unavoidable doom. “We discovered that the seismic activity is increasing and becoming more frequent causing volcanic eruptions, which increase the volume of sulfates in the atmosphere and break down Ozone. In other words, the atmosphere of this planet is bleeding into space. At the rate these p...

Description Details
This book may be downloaded from: http://www.islamicinformationcenter.info/understandingislam.pdf . This book enables its reader to thoroughly understand what Islam is. It makes strong analysis along with relevant knowledge and hundreds of quotations from the Quran, the main source of Islam. It gives answers to FAQ such as those about Islam and violence, men and women in Islam....

Table of Contents Details
1 Introduction 19 2 The General Features of Islam 20 2.1 Islam Is Based on Logic 20 2.2 Islam Is Based on Loving Allah and Being Careful of Him 22 2.3 Islam Is Comprehensive 25 2.4 Islam Is Universal 26 2.5 Islam Is Based on Peace 28 3 Belief Essentials of Islam 29 3.1 Allah -The One Real God- 30 3.1.1 Belief in God as a General Concept 30 3.1.1.1 The Concept of Belief in General 30 3.1.1.2 Islam and the Other Main Approaches Regarding God 33 3.1.1.2.1 Islam and the Atheist Approach 34 3.1.1.2.2 Islam and the Agnostic Approach 40 3.1.1.2.3 Islam and Beliefs Largely Based on Communication 41 3.1.1.3 Everyone Believes in One or More Gods, Or in Things That Correspond to the Concept of God 44 3.1.2 There Is No God But Allah: This Universe and Its Parts Are Not Absolute, There Is Only One Absolute Power 45 3.1.3 The Methodology to Understand Who Allah Is and Some Key Facts Relating to Him That We Observe in Our Universe 48 3.1.3.1 General Methodology 48 3.1.3.2 Examples 49 3.1.3.2.1 Many Similar Things 49 3.1.3.2.2 Things -Including Causality- Are Parts of Systems 50 3.1.3.2.3 The Sequential Unity 53 3.1.3.3 Thing...

Description Details
Although historically marginalized, Buddhist nuns are taking their place in modern Buddhism. Like the monks, Buddhist nuns live by an ancient system of monastic law, the Vinaya. This work investigates various areas of uncertainty and controversy in how the Vinaya is to be understood and applied today....

Table of Contents Details
Introduction 0.1 The Nature of Vinaya 0.2 Vinaya in Context 0.3 Bhikkhunis in History 0.4 The Vinaya Texts 0.5 Schools 1 A Question of Interpretation 1.1 What can we expect from Vinaya? 1.2 The Scope of Vinaya 1.3 The Layers of Text 1.4 What is a Tradition? 2 Principles to be Respected 2.1 Garudhamma 1 2.2 Garudhamma 2 2.3 Garudhamma 3 2.4 Garudhamma 4 2.5 Garudhamma 5 2.6 Garudhamma 6 2.7 Garudhamma 7 2.8 Garudhamma 8 2.9 The Garudhammas​—​an Assessment 3 Towns, Rivers, Journeys 3.1 Some Preliminaries 3.1.1 What does ‘alone’ mean? 3.2 The Rule 3.3 Sectarian Group Similarities 3.4 Traveling 3.4.1 Interpretation 3.5 Crossing a river 3.5.1 Interpretation 3.6 Spending the night 3.6.1 Interpretation 3.7 Lagging behind a group 3.7.1 Interpretation 3.8 Going out in the Day 3.9 Conclusion 4 Bhikkhuni Pārājika 1 4.1 Can a Bhikkhuni Ordain Again? 4.2 Nuns and Rape 4.2.1 Mahāvihāravāsin 4.2.2 Dharmaguptaka 4.2.3 Mūlasarvāstivāda 4.2.4 Who is to blame? 5 Ordination of Nuns by Monks 5.1 Vinaya and variability 6 Vuṭṭhāpana & Upasampadā 6.1 Vuṭṭhāpana, Pavattinī, Sahajīvinī 6.2 Basic Dharma Bhikkhuni...

Description Details
This book – This Is My Faith – comes to highlight the first science which is Ideology in a simplified dialogue-based style. All can understand its content as it is free from complicated reasoning and difficult demonstration. Some texts have been changed for the sake of simplification as the definitions to the five Principles are also provided. Thus, here we offer you this book in the form of dialogue-based serial stories between two friends seeking only truth and knowledge....

Excerpt Details
Hasan: I always encourage believers to ask about their religion. The Hadith says, “ask about your religion until you are called lunatic”, and there is no shame in seeking knowledge, especially when it comes to every day issues. Hasan: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was the most forbearing, the most courageous, the most even-handed and the most virtuous of all. He never laid a hand on a woman unless he had their tenderness, married to them or had kinship that permits it. He was the most generous so much that no penny had stayed overnight with him. He did not return home until he had satisfied the needy. He used to mend his foot-wear, patch his garments and help with house-work like chopping the meat with female members of the family (Harem). Moreover, he was the most modest. He did not look sharply at a person. He answered the requests from both the free and the slave. He accepted any gifts even it was a drink of yogurt and he rewarded them for that. He would not accept any alms. He would only get angry for the sake of Allah and not to satisfy himself. He attended funerals. He walked among his enemies unguarded. He was the mos...

Table of Contents Details
CHAPTER ONE Monotheism (At-Tawhid) CHAPTER TWO Divine justice (Al-‘Adl al-ilahi) CHATPTER THREE Prophecy (Nobowa) CHATPTER FOUR Imamate (Imamah) CHATPTER FIVE The Hereafter (Mi’ad) ...

Description Details
The material on these pages was compiled over many years and is the result of one person’s desire to figure out whether there is anything in our actions that must be ‘absolute’ or if all concepts of everything really are relative, based entirely on each person’s individual beliefs. A uniquely different kind of ‘trip’ took place after the compiler of this ‘stuff’ had a very heated argument with someone else when one of them yelled, “...well, your truth isn’t my truth!” What an amazing ‘trip’ it was......

Table of Contents Details
1) FŌGIE/FRŌGIE comparison 2) ‘Garden Scene’ comparisons of certain commands 3) “Do it!” commands 4) dictionary command – D words 5) ‘Daniel’ details - ISLAM - CHRISTIANITY - JUDAISM 6) Imagery - oil rigs - stock markets 7) Procrastinating with LIBERTY 8) Finger-walking ‘assignment’ and MESSAGE given using numbers: - 379 - 213 - 383 and books: - Bible - Qur’ân - others 9) Symbolism development - circles - triangles - colors - cross - pyramid 10) Fruit... 11) Another Age 12) So what!!! or So what??? 13) Quotes/Media Events - “Restoring Honor” Rally - “One Nation Working Together” Rally - Comedy Rally - 9-11 14) “IMAGINE – THE FŌGIE WAY” 15) Developing another Word Picture: a Muslim and a Mormon 16) ‘RELIGION RAILS’ 17) 10 Cannots by Abraham Lincoln 18) ‘THE PROTESTER’ categories 19) ‘GOOD’ standards 20) Pledge of Allegiance change and TRUE REPUBLIC concept 21) TOUGH LOVE – WE, THE PEOPLE 22) Commander-in-Chief 22) Politics 23) Changes in Government (Federal) - Term Limits - Taxes - Government Reorganization/Balanced Budget - Social Security - Federal Assistance - Education - Health Ca...

Description Details
Since the first edition of Inquiries about Shia Islam was published in the summer of 1999, four-thousand English copies have been distributed and sold to Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States of America and abroad. The book was also published in various languages. The need still exists for a better understanding about the traditions and followers of the Ahlul Bayt, and thus a revised second edition of the book was made. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sister Fatma Saleh for her generous contributions in editing and revising this edition. Special thanks are also due to the Khaki family of Seattle, Washington for making this book come to print. May Allah, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate reward all those who work sincerely to serve His cause....

Excerpt Details
I ask all who read this book to read it objectively, with openmindedness and without sectarian biases, and I welcome any suggestions, criticisms, or inquiries. We ask Allah for guidance and enlightenment in our search for the truth. May Allah open our hearts and minds to it, and may He guide and extend His mercy upon us, for He is the one who grants all things. “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; truly, You are the Bestower.”Noble Quran, 3:8 We ask Allah for His mercy, grace, and blessings in this endeavor, and I ask the readers for their prayers that we all continue to be humble servants of the religion of Allah on the Earth....

Table of Contents Details
Table of Contents Introduction Introduction to Second Edition Who are the Shi‘a? The Five Schools of Islamic Thought Ja‘fari Hanafi Maliki Shafi;i Hanbali Imamah Quranic Evidence for the Divine Ordination of the Imam Seven Categories of Verses of Allah’s Government in Quran (1) The Verses of Kingdom: (2) The Verses of Government: (3) The Verses of Command: (4) The Verses of Guardianship: (5) The Verses of Following: (6) The Verse of Choosing: (7) The Verse of Judgment: Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Ghadir Khum The Verse of Warning (Indhar) The Verse of Bowing (Ruku) The Verse of Guardianship Prophetic Narrations Appointing Imam Ali as Successor Twelve Leaders to Succeed the Prophet. Who are the Twelve Leaders? The Ahlul Bayt The Verse of Purity (Taharah) The Verse of Affection (Muwaddah) The Verse of Malediction (Mubahilah) The Verse of Prayer (Salat) The Verse of Feeding The Verse of Guardianship The Hadith of the Two Weighty Things (Thaqalayn) Similar Narrations from the Prophet Muhammad about his Ahlul Bayt Infallibility Intercession (Shafa‘ah) Calling Upon the Prophet and ...

Description Details
We all live in a world where virtually every spiritual struggle is practically beyond our control. While some of us will die instantly without the opportunity to consciously sense death beforehand, others on the other hand will have the opportunity to know well in advance that death is around the corner. Regardless of which group you eventually find yourself, the truth is that every life on earth will one day without notice suddenly come to an end followed by a swift judgment with no excuses whatsoever. Do you know your final destination? When the disciples asked Jesus about the End of the Age, he said to them, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36. But in this book and for the first time in human history, Jesus discloses a unique breathtaking code in the Language of Heaven that reveals the only clue to the End of the Age. God’s spiritual principle of life for humanity on earth is, “All about Him” because He wants us to make Him the priority of our lives. But on judgment day, when you appear before Jesus Christ, that will all change because God’s spirit...

Excerpt Details
As citizens of a nation, we all have unique individual identities that clearly set us apart from all other members of the society. It could be something as simple as your Social Security Number, your DNA or even your likes and preferences in life. Your physical identity is very obvious and everybody can see it as you carry yourself around because you can’t hide from the world. On the other hand, your spiritual identity can only be felt as you exhibit your inner self from the way you approach the struggles of life. Your spiritual identity describes who you are. Joseph knew himself; he knew he was the spoiled little kid who was very much loved and received everything from Daddy including an expensive coat of many colors. But when he found himself in prison in Egypt, he knew he had to redefine and change his spiritual identity. He decided to become tough, brave, and relentless. He became very hopeful and trusting God with everything....

Table of Contents Details
CONTENTS My Prayer vii Prayer Request ix Acknowledgement x Introduction xii Chapter 1: The Test of Faith 1 God’s Template of Humanity 1 Why Isaac was not Sacrificed 5 Shrewd 13 Tithes and Offerings 17 Jesus and John the Baptist 23 Blind Rush 26 Exploring the Promised Land 35 The Written Laws 45 Chapter 2: From Jacob to Jesus Christ 56 Fourteen Generations 56 Drafting the Holy Bible 65 Preparing for the Cross 70 The Lives of Joseph and Jacob 82 The Price of Guilt 84 Chapter 3: Reclamation 89 God’s Garden 89 God’s Spiritual Acceptability Test (GSAT) 93 Ready for War 102 Stages of the Journey 107 Inheritance 114 The 13th Disciple 122 Chapter 4: Supernatural Transformation 128 The Punishment 128 Reinstating Peter 130 Breakfast with the Holy Trinity 139 Spiritual Identity 145 Using your Supernatural Divine Number 147 Naming a Child 150 The Importance of a Female Seed 152 Chapter 5: Supernatural Equilibrium 155 God’s Equations of the Sacrificial Lamb 155 God’s Equations of the Cross 161 The Gates of Heaven 170 Personalize the Lord’s Prayer 177 The Call of Moses, Aaron, and Joshua 177 Go...

Description Details
One common attribute we all share as humans is the fact that whenever there is an important future event, we always make necessary preparations in anticipation of an outcome from the event. We do this with childbirth, graduation from school, marriage, vacation, and death. But when it comes to the second visit of Jesus Christ leading to the End of the Age, we seem to care less about the need for some serious preparations. Before death, we will all come to a point in life when we subconsciously without notice start to briefly analyze our path; where we came from, where we are, and where we honestly think we are going after death. After this unprecedented brief moment, our next step is largely determined by the analysis obtained from the pause. That you accepted Jesus Christ as the son of God is not enough to save you from hell; you must repent and live by God’s law to enter His Paradise in Heaven. Anybody can believe in Jesus Christ; but not everybody can live for Jesus Christ. God made you for a specific unique supernatural divine purpose beyond your imaginable dreams. This book will guide you, restore you, energize you, and move you...

Excerpt Details
The opening statement in the Holy Bible talks about two different worlds; it unveils the heavens and the earth.“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. One remarkable feature that sets heaven apart from the earth is the fact that while everything about heaven is supernatural, the earth on the other hand is strictly natural. This spiritual demarcation was established in fulfillment of God’s law of divine number 2. The law states that members of a pair must be the exact opposites of each other. The Book of Revelation talks about the battle of the End of the Age which will take place during the second visit of Jesus Christ. We know that Satan will wage war against God’s kingdom. As Christians, every time we read the Book of Revelation, we immediately assume that this looming battle will be the first of its kind in human history....

Table of Contents Details
CONTENTS My Prayer vii Prayer Request ix Acknowledgement x Introduction xiii Chapter 1: The Battle of the Holy Trinity 1 Why Satan Tempted Jesus Christ 1 Your Spiritual Job Description 10 God’s Template of the World 11 Temptation Number One 13 Temptation Number Two 17 Temptation Number Three 30 Summary of the Three Temptations 37 The Sins of the World 38 The Gift of Temptation 45 Chapter 2: Preparing for the Mission 48 The Last Passover Lamb 48 Dreams 57 The Ten Commandments-Prayer 59 Chapter 3: The Birth of Jesus Christ 68 John the Baptist 68 The Supernatural Conception 69 The First Disciples 78 The Second Adam 82 Chapter 4: God’s Blueprint 87 Why Jesus started at the Age of Thirty 87 The First Two Miracles of Healing 91 Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man 94 Marah 96 Supernatural Spiritual Flavor 102 Divine Number 12 107 Chapter 5: Spiritual Mandate 120 Receiving the Holy Spirit 120 The Laws of God 127 Authority and Power 131 Satan 139 God and Money 144 God’s Prescription for Fallen Greedy Pastors 157 Congratulations! 158 My Dream 158 About the Author 159 Other Books by Felix Want...

Description Details
We all have questions regarding God’s paradise in heaven; as Christians, there is nothing more disappointing as spending all your life on earth convinced that you will go to Paradise when you die only to arrive there and hear Jesus say to you, “You are not saved; you are going to hell.” There are more than 6,000 spoken languages in the world but one thing that sets heaven apart from the earth is the fact that there is only one language in Heaven. A good knowledge of the Language of Heaven will prepare you to better understand the Holy Bible, the teachings of Jesus Christ, his parables, and the miracles he performed. This book will introduce you to the Language of Heaven, answer your questions about heaven, prepare you for the struggles of this world, and ultimately help to prepare you for Jesus Christ. When you read this book, you will know without any doubts if indeed you are truly saved and ready to enter God’s paradise in Heaven. This book is Volume One of “Face to Face Meetings with Jesus Christ” trilogy and a must-read for every soul. Felix Wantang has been meeting face-to-face with Jesus Christ since October 1991. Contact him ...

Excerpt Details
If God lives in heaven and the Bible is His holy word, then the Bible must be from heaven. If the Bible is from heaven where God lives, then the Bible is definitely written in the Language of Heaven. If the Bible is the Language of Heaven, then the Bible must be interpreted using the Language of Heaven. As far as Biblical interpretations and mysteries are concerned, strictly using the Language of the World to interpret the Holy Bible explains why the Church for the most part, has completely lost its way. No human is equipped with the supernatural power to successfully interpret the Holy Bible; only the Holy Spirit can effectively do that job because the Holy Bible is nothing but the Spirit of God exposed to humanity in the Language of Heaven. If the Bible is the supernatural word of God, then the Bible is also written in the Language of a nation where everything including life is supernatural. That nation is called Heaven....

Table of Contents Details
CONTENTS My Prayer viii Prayer Request ix Acknowledgement x Introduction xii The First Visitation from Jesus Christ xv Chapter 1: The Language of Heaven 1 Heaven 1 Divine Numbers of Heaven 16 Above and Below 19 God is Holy 27 Divine number 9 41 Key Divine Numbers 43 The Mission of Jesus Christ 57 The Flood 62 Jesus clears the Temple 64 The Law of Bricks without Straw 67 Decapolis and Bethsaida 71 Twelve Unique Miracles 76 Aaron 86 Moses 86 God 88 Naming the Ten Plagues 91 The Plague of Blood 91 The Plague of Frogs 92 The Plague of Gnats 93 The Plague of Flies 93 The Plague of Boils 93 The Plague of Hail 93 The Plague of Locust and Livestock 95 The Plague of Darkness 95 The Plague on the Firstborn 96 The Passover 97 The Lord’s Supper 102 Why Judas did not drink from the Cup 104 The Clothes of Jesus Christ 106 God’s Choice of Names 108 The Number 666 110 Chapter 2: The Fall of Man 118 In the Beginning 118 The First Assignment 120 The Supernatural Spiritual Fruit 120 The Choice Wine 122 Why Satan Tempted Eve 125 God’s Creative Nature 127 Noah, the Ark, and Joseph 128 Prime Minister J...

Description Details
In our present era, it is most disturbing for many Muslims and non- Muslims alike to witness the escalating rise in sectarian violence between the Shia and Sunni followers of Islam, particularly in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Some people, including Muslims, ask why the Shia and Sunni are violently murdering each other; is there something in the history of the Muslims that continues to spark such hatred and violence today; why does one sect accuse the other of heresy; and why is one sect of the Muslims considered as “mainstream,” while the other wing is branded unconventional and literally pacified? Unquestionably, seeded in the history of Islam is the answer - in particular, the political course that was taken following the death of the Prologue ii Holy Prophet and the way in which the early history of Islam was written. They say that history is bound to repeat itself and this is much more apparent today because the remnants and unconsciousness of Muslims in regards to their own history is affecting Muslims today. The account of the Muslims is not the classical historical case of not knowing th...

Excerpt Details
Understanding that the historical and political aspects covered throughout this book may be delicate for some; nonetheless, never is it meant to be as a means to jostle sectarian division - this is far from my intention. I have maintained judicious care in the manner of presenting this work, but it is my belief that in order for Islam and Muslims to go forward in harmony and solidarity, we have to have the courage to recognize the truth of our past and rationally discuss the matter in a dignified and scholarly fashion. When an injustice is done in the past against others, then it becomes incumbent upon the people of the present to acknowledge it and make amends. This needs to happen so that the Muslims can truly practice what Allah has intended for them - a religion of brotherhood, peace, and justice. Until the end of time, even the most sincere Muslims will disagree upon what they truly believe is the most correct path. However, while accepting that there will be disagreement, it is important to represent each school of thought accurately - as it represents itself, and as reliable and mutually agreed-upon historical...

Table of Contents Details
Contents PROLOGUE ........................................................................................................................... I DEDICATION ..................................................................................................................... XI CHAPTER 1 SMASHING THE IDOLS OF TRIBALISM ............................................ 1 CHAPTER 2 QURAYSH GROUP ................................................................................... 5 Development of the Quraysh Group............................................................................................................... 5 Objective of the Quraysh Group ....................................................................................................................... 6 Emergence of the Quraysh Group .................................................................................................................... 7 Quraysh Group Appears on the Scene .........................................................................................................10 “Calamity of Thursday” ......................................................

Description Details
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. The Hebrew title, [spoken] words, is taken from the opening phrase, These are the words...; the English title is from the Greek and Latin, both meaning second law, a mistranslation of the Hebrew phrase mishneh ha-torah ha-zoth, a copy of this law, in Deuteronomy 17:18. The book consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recapitulates the forty years of wilderness wanderings which have led to this moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings); the second reminds the Israelites of the need for exclusive allegiance to one God and observance of the laws he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored. One of its most significant verses is Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema, which has become the definitive statement of Jewish identity: Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the ...

Excerpt Details
Religion, History

Description Details
Pantheisticon: or, the Form Of Celebrating the Socratic-Society. Divided into Three Parts. Which Contain, I. The Morals and Axioms of the Pantheists; or the Brotherhood. II. Their Deity and Philosophy. III. Their Liberty, and a Law, neither deceiving, nor to be deceived. To which is prefix'd a Discourse upon the Antient and Modern Societies of the Learned, as also upon the Infinite and Eternal Universe. And subjoined, a short dissertation upon a Two-fold Philosophy of the Pantheists, that is to be followed; together with an Idea of the best and most accomplished Man. Written Originally in Latin, by the Ingenious Mr. John Toland. And now, for the first Time, faithfully rendered into English. (Summary from frontispiece.)...

Excerpt Details
Philosophy, Religion

Description Details
“Bahaism is not a new religion,” writes Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, “It is religion renewed… it does not pretend to represent the whole Truth; on the contrary, it recognises Truth in fundamental principles which are the basis of all former dispensations, and which for that very reason form the standpoint of concord too long lost sight of. And it requires people to renounce ancient superstitions, to abandon the dead letter in order to be penetrated by the living and vivifying spirit, then by that very means it confirms the original purity of their religion, whilst helping them to know and love everything profoundly beautiful in the others… it will suffice for me to indicate that the Bahais believe that from all eternity God has raised up among human creatures higher beings who have inculcated mankind with the great moral principles on which societies are founded, and have thus been the supreme guides of its evolution.” Hippolyte Dreyfus earned his doctorate in law in February 1898 and became the first French Bahá’í in 1901. In 1903 he gave up his legal career to devote himself to oriental studies. He enrolled at the École pratique des ...

Excerpt Details
Religion, Politics

Description Details
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, a Judean exile at the court of Nebuchadnezzar II (605 to 562 BC), the ruler of Babylon, becomes a high government official and delivers various visions. The earliest manuscripts discovered, like the traditional Jewish version, are written partly in Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, and consist of a series of six third-person narratives (chapters one to six) followed by four apocalyptic visions in the first person (chapters seven to twelve). The narratives take the form of court tales which focus on tests of religious fidelity involving Daniel and his friends (chapters one, three and six), and Daniel's interpretation of royal dreams and visions (chapters two, four and five). In the second part of the book, Daniel recounts his own reception of dreams, visions and angelic interpretations....

Excerpt Details
History, Religion

Description Details
Edward Granville Browne (1862 – 1926), born in Stouts Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire, England, was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value, mainly in the areas of history and literature. His works are respected for their scholarship, uniqueness, and style. He published in areas which few other Western scholars had explored to any sufficient degree. He used a language and style that showed high respect for everybody, even toward those he personally did not view in positive light. In A Year Amongst the Persians (1893) he wrote a sympathetic portrayal of a Persian society which few Westerners had ever seen, including a frank account of the effects of opium. It did not attract the attention it deserved at the time of its initial publication, but after his death in 1926 it was reprinted and became a classic in English travel literature. A Year Amongst the Persians includes moving accounts of the Bahá’í community in Iran. Concerning his meetings with the Bahá’ís of Iran, Browne writes: “The memory of those assemblies can never fade from my mind; the recollection of those faces and those tones no time...

Excerpt Details
Travel, Religion, Philosophy