Am i my brother's keeper?

I have been breaking my head all week over society, morals and the role religion has in this.

(I am not a religious man but i am still not convinced about either the presence or absence of a "God".....)

Am i my brother's keeper?

A saying from the Bible's story of Cain and Abel. After Cain had murdered his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was. Cain answered, “I know not; am I my brother's keeper?”

Cain's words have come to symbolize people's unwillingness to accept responsibility for the welfare of their fellows — their “brothers” in the extended sense of the term. The tradition of Judaism and Christianity is that people do have this responsibility.

Answers.com

How do i know my brothers?

If i am to assume that God created all of mankind, is it then logical to think that, according to religion, all of mankind is my brother? For if my brother thinks differently then me, then is he not still my brother? Meaning, If my brother holds a different religion then me is not still my brother?

So instead of different religions bashing each others head in over who is right and who is wrong. Should we not start by taking responsibility and look after the welfare of our "brother"??

As you can tell, i am really grasping at straws here and i am trying to understand this whole "religion" thing. For me it does not make sense that each and every religion seems to think they are the true representatives of God and the rest is wrong, while at the same time they don't take the responsibility to look after the welfare of other religions.

Help me out here people....

Peace

[edit on 15-2-2010 by operation mindcrime]

I think you raise a very valid concern. When will mankind bridge the gap between belief systems and understand that beneath the labels placed on us we are still living breathing human beings. Compassion for one another is often lost at the fault of a religions belief; that generally preaches the demonstration of compassion.

reply to post by Namaste


Thanks for the reply Namaste.

Although i want to respect each and every man's religion i do believe we are ready for a new "bible"......

Only this time i would suggest that we not make it a book with a lot of mandatory rules by which one should live or else... But rather a manual for living on planet earth, with handy tips and suggestions of how to be of best value to one's self and to society.....

Whom ever said Utopia is an illusion has yet to convince me. Provided that we get enough time on this planet, we will should reach some kind of universal understanding....right??

Yeah, I know... I am an incorrigible idealist.

Peace

I think you exactly say what is meant by it !

We should not kill or brother but protect him whatever difference there is between you and your brother.

However.
The story, and our history shows us most brothers kill you for it.

Question is. Are you willing to die protecting him ?

One Mankind, one God! Only ONE:

reply to post by cushycrux


Thanks cushycrux.

One God.....That must be logical no matter which religion you ascribe to. How could one religion then not see that the other religion is "talking" to the same God.

Each have their own book on what God must have wanted but ,although i have not spoken him, God surely must not have wanted that different groups with different interpretations of the same God should fight each other over who's right and who's wrong.

Surely God does not say to one group :" Go and build buildings in my name" while saying at the other group :" Go and destroy every building that was build in my name"..... That is not a God, that is an evil plan to divide and set up brother against brother...

Or is it maybe a test? A God that is willing to create such a division, only to see if we are sensible enough to overcome such differences??

Is it them logical to assume that only the morals and values that are set forth by each religion (I mean the morals that are present in every religion) are actually the only ethical rules that matter?

Every difference their might be between religious groups is a difference that we created our selfs through interpretation and thus is of no importance...

Christianity: "do to others what you would like to be done to you"
Judaism: "do to others what you would like to be done to you"
Islam: "do to others what you would like to be done to you"

Ergo, God must really think it's important to not do to others what you would not like to be done to you.

Christianity: "Sunday is the day of prayer"
Judaism: "The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, Saturday"
Islam: "Friday is the day of prayer"

Ergo, it probably doesn't matter which day of the week you pick as long as you don't forget to regularly take the time to reflect on God's great plan and how you are living up to his moral standards.

One would almost wish for a sign from the big man himself saying: "Stick to the basics and don't get lost in the details. Live it's not that complicated!!

Peace

Ahhhh such heart-warming thoughts..
It starts from one flame, but try convince the masses. sofar it seems the only way is deception.. I for one don't want deception in our new society!
Have you ever been heckeled when you state the facts?
Have you ever been praised for decieving?
It sucks the most when someone you trusted lies to you,
can hurt so much that you deny the truth


[edit on 15-2-2010 by paine]

Yes, all men and women are my brothers and sisters. We are to care for them as best we can... even if they don't believe as we do... even if they don't believe.

You are free to believe what you will, but to understand Christianity, you really should read/study the Bible. There are so many misconceptions because so many teach man's traditions instead of God's Word.

I suggest you begin in the New Testament, the book of Matthew, Chapters 5-6-7. This is Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This is essentially Christianity in a nutshell. For instance, Love your enemies, even the heathen love friends and family, a true Christian loves his enemies. If someone asks for your coat, give them your shirt too. If someone asks you to carry their load a mile, carry it two. Judge not lest ye be judged.

We are all God's children. God's word is given not to bind you by the law or rules or traditions, but set you free.

Originally posted by cushycrux
One Mankind, one God! Only ONE:

Ever read any Jung?
He had some really interesting ideas. I tend to agree with the parts I could understand

I personally believe that most religions do preach unity and general tolerance but our human nature twists that to the "we're right, you're wrong" mentality. it's a sad thing when we see others as a stranger than a fellow human

reply to post by operation mindcrime


One of my favourite stories. The more interesting part to me is that after God marked Cain so that all men would know he had fallen out of God's favour, Cain beseeched him to be lenient, knowing that he would not live long. God agreed, took pity and promised to protect him by exacting seven fold the actions against Cain upon the aggressors.

Then he flooded the planet. Hmmm.

Why God saw Abel in a more favourable light following his sacrifice and not Cain, I do not know, this is one of the clear indications of either man's constructive altering of the original texts or their complete fabrication. To work the land, tend to crops and harvest is equal if not more arduous than rearing animals and slaughtering them. Surely God would value both endeavours.

There are more holes in the Bible than jeans for a centipede. It's biggest problem as with all texts is that it was written by the hand of man, and we only have those men's words that it is God's direct input.

And that is where the "faith" comes in. Wish I had that.

In answer to your post, I think the world yearns for a Superman to watch over us to save us the trouble. Apathy is rife and is currently eating our society from the inside like some kind of Ebola Virus. Morals surely only play a part with some kind of judge or karma scenario, if neither of these exist, morals are only for personal satisfaction and there are far more rewarding things to hold in higher esteem, such as the acquisition of wealth, with no moral regard whatsoever. And therein lieth the problem, in a money driven world, morals take second place if ranked at all.

Great thread.

Sendran.

reply to post by AlreadyGone


AlreadyGone,

but to understand Christianity, you really should read/study the Bible.

And to understand Islam you should read the Qur’an. And to understand Judaism you should read the Tanakh. To understand etc etc....

I understand that if i were to really understand a specific religion i should read the book on which this religion is based. But is it not the essence of these teachings that is important instead of the details?

I mean, if i read the story of Beauty and the beast, is it then important to know the exact details of what the beast said and did or is it the underlying moral that you cannot judge something or someone on the basis of looks alone. And that if we truly love, we can transform everything around us, even the fundamental perceptions of the people closest to us.

Is it important to have read the whole story? Yes.

Is it important to scrutinize the story and think every detail has significance? no.

I mean, in Leprince de Beaumont's version of the tale a wealthy merchant lived in a mansion with his three daughters. In Disney's version the wealthy merchant is a mad inventor and Belle has no sisters.

Yet both story's teach the same moral.....

Should it then matter which of the two versions i read or should it matter that you understood the moral of the story?

Peace


[edit on 15-2-2010 by operation mindcrime]

reply to post by operation mindcrime


From my favoritist TV show Babylon 5:

Dr. Stephen Franklin: May God save us from false religion.
Sinclair: What makes a religion false? If any religion is right, then maybe they all have to be right. Maybe God doesn't care how you say your prayers just as long as you say them.

reply to post by operation mindcrime

Who is my brother?

I guess it depends. If your brother has you on the short list for the mental disease du jour, I'd say you ought to keep a good distance. You never know when that snake is going to strike.

Let me put it another way. Maybe Jesus was advocating civil war, but within the family.

That would perhaps create a spiritual battle and ascension toward consolidating God in man, by having members within each family becoming 'dead' to each other.

That wily guy, Jesus. How could he go so fast? Knowing that one who sees is basically hated by those biologically nearest to him...who cannot. It covers everything. Jealousy, spite, the need to be above the other.

'for I have come to set Mother against daughter, Father against son...'

Do you want to die? Just start finding out about the universe, and then move in back home and get stuck there. You'll see, but hopefully you'll be able to avoid this mess.

OK now Fenceman's pass is coming up...he won't be able to beat me on the grade YOU CAN'T BEAT ME ON THE GRADE!!!!!



[edit on 16-2-2010 by davidmann]

reply to post by davidmann


davidmann,

I have to disagree..

Your brother is you brother regardless of what you brother's intentions or ideas are....

Whoops....you added a lot more text.

That would perhaps create a spiritual battle and ascension toward consolidating God in man

So God's plan is to make man question while at the same time promoting the idea of faith...????

Which is it?

Peace

[edit on 16-2-2010 by operation mindcrime]

reply to post by operation mindcrime


I added a little to my post which you replied to, have a look.

I'd give anything to know my brother, but what's there to know? That I am terminally schizo?

My brother is those who seek God.

reply to post by operation mindcrime


The 'faith' word cause me to chaff somewhat.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word...etc.

Now, I cannot take 'the word'. Just can't. You know and I know the Bible was castrated, just as glen beck castrates the voice of the Founding Fathers, for his wages. Never in history has it been easier for one to find God. Even the top brass in those high compression war machines of yesteryear were allowed glimpses of God. Today you simply have to browse the tales of astral travel and 4th dimensional experiences of mkultra experimental victims to see these victims are having nuggets of gold dropped on their laps. And the guys who make the weapons and who's job is to aim them, as per order and command, they are destined to be held back.

I have trouble with the 'word' because of the limitations of those who ram it down my throat. I've seen it all in that regard. They need to have God so bad that they'll make sure that you do not, cannot, and as they age, guess what happens? All sex is bad. All mind altering things are satanic unless it's by prescription. You are instructed by jessie duplantis that the proper retort for a sexual advance is to start calling her a 'whore' in public places...and they all fell for global warming, aids™hoax, and whatever else the media said to them. I won't be held back by such dedicated dullards. Life is too short to be run over by an ambulance summoned by your kin to have you evaluated.

I'll add this. I could wake up screaming from a manufactured dream, my brains hanging out bleeding, voltages off the meter, and here's the canned response from the Christians I know: "what makes YOU so special?"

Then some more: If you would just start getting in to the WORD (like ME), then the devil couldn't touch you.

So, just think on this for a minute. I believe israel is the new kid on the block with mkultra. I no longer get the ol nazi train which I jumped from after having peered deeply in to each car of dark dark machines. Now, it's stagefright, humiliation, cracks over the police radio when I'm in the bathroom, doing bathroom things. Maybe that's why I had such good porno training in high school. Really, one should only elect politicians who will stand naked, and proud, before a shattered, ravenous public, giving an in depth analysis as to how the female orgasm is actually quite similar to the male orgasm...(I just don't know when to stop)

The ones who deny God are pretty much the same, but instead of threatening me with the police, they use mental illness....

I guess some emotions are pretty much universal. But the truth is that the mkultra joystick has functions that send signals to every one in the zone, and it's a little like rock 'em sock 'em robots. I was writing the other day, very focused, and one of the dogs was quivering like he'd been beaten. Other times, when I started on the ultra thread, one would groan disappointedly because I was at it again. Stinkin' thinkin', as that imbecile zig ziggler says. The goal is to realize that you must put in prison the ones at the control booth, not the victims. I'm not sure if bill oreilly is going to touch on the ultra thing. Maybe oprah will. But I am getting the strangest feeling that our planet Sun is being altered, by spacecraft, and I found myself on board one of these, once. It was all energy, yellow blinding light and black hexagons... It is an answer to a prayer, to me. There are no limits to what God can do. Giving God-consciousness to man must be one of his greatest feats. I was killed off so many times, and brought back...horrible horrible shocks that sever the nervous system from the flesh...they are trying to kill me...no more sweet dreams written by their explorations onto my thoughts. They want me gone...

"I had a job, testing jets for nasa...but it got so I wasn't getting enough action on the ground, if you know what I mean. I mean you CAN'T stay with the same high forever....."-GTO

I have changed this post by adding to it. You can take your star back, if you wish. It means nothing to me, but I am glad to have shown this angle on the new mother nature. In my opinion, this has happened before on Earth, that man has developed invisible weapons designed to destroy families from within. This is how Jesus' legacy is being exploited by those in high places to start more wars for zionism. Again-I would do anything to love and know my brother, but I will not stop what I am set out to do, and I will not give up my soul for mere worldy success or 'powers'.

[edit on 16-2-2010 by davidmann]

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reply to post by davidmann


Thanks for the reply Davidmann.

Although it is a bit cryptic i think i get the general idea of what you are trying to say. I will have to chew on your post a bit more..

Peace

[edit on 16-2-2010 by operation mindcrime]

reply to post by operation mindcrime


The question was "Am I my brothers keeper?"... a Biblical quote. And to answer the question in a Biblical, and thus, in a Christian context...it is important to understand the quote, and my answer to the question. So, yes, an understanding of the Bible is in order.

Now, if the question concerned the Quran or the Talmut, then it would be important to understand the answer in those terms...BUT, it was a Biblical quote...so, Dude, it is important to understand the Bible.

reply to post by AlreadyGone


Hey AlreadyGone,

I never said it wasn't important to understand the bible. What i said was..

Is it important to have read the whole story? Yes.

Is it important to scrutinize the story and think every detail has significance? no.

I am merely saying that only the morals and values that can be found in all religion are the ones that seem important. The "details" or differences between one religion and the other are differences that should not matter.

Even within one religion there are numerous different movement that can not get along with each other because of ridiculous differences...

I am addressing Christianity because it is closest to home for me but this goes for every religion..

Just look at this list : List of Christian denominations

It absolutely puzzles me that even within a group that has obviously read the same book you get so much different directions of thinking. How is this possible?

Surely everybody that read the bible must have picked up on the general idea and which morals are important?

Peace