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“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
Albert Einstein
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“However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?”
Buddha
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“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there
is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.”
Paul the Apostle
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The subject tonight is Love
And for tomorrow night as well.
As a matter of fact,
I know of no better topic
For us to discuss
Until we all
Die!
Hafiz
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“The essence of all religions is love, compassion, and tolerance.
Kindness is my true religion. The clear proof of a person’s love of
God is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.”
Love, compassion, and tolerance are necessities, not luxuries.
Without them, humanity cannot survive.
If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good.
But you can survive without it if you have
love, compassion, and tolerance.
The Dalai Lama, For the Love of God
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
When I was in the Navy we had to check the integrity of the ship on a regular schedule. If the integrity of the ship was compromised all on board were in danger. The same is true with integrity anywhere. We are experiencing a recession right now because of a lack of integrity. Some of our business leaders decided to take unsafe chances for larger profits.
The lack of ethics, honesty, truthfulness, and integrity is everywhere in our society. It’s lacking in government, business, advertising, and most other institutions. Yet it is paramount to our survival as a country. Large powerful countries are first defeated from within before they lose on the battlefields. Defeated by the greed, avarice, and excessive desires of those in powerful positions to possess material wealth far beyond their needs, while ignoring the needs of others. In a democracy we must elect those leaders that will work for the betterment of all, rather than the betterment of themselves. The same applies to the leaders of all our businesses, and institutions. Without integrity the ship is lost.
Intregity begins with the individual. Each of us know right from wrong, we know what the rules are, we know how to be honest with others, and ourselves. Give full measure to others, pressed down. Practice living in truth. If you are misleading others, cheating them in any way stop it, because what you do to others you do to yourself also. We are spiritual beings, no one gets away with anything. The good we do others will be rewarded, and the harm we cause others will be repayed. What is at stake is your joy, and peace, don’t throw it away. Live in honesty, and make integity checks of your life on a regular schedule.
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
Self-Acceptance.
The process of learning to love yourself.
You are OK. You are where you are supposed to be in life. If you were supposed to be somewhere else then you would be somewhere else. Accept who you are right now, this moment, don’t look ahead to tomorrow. Self-Acceptance is Self-Love. God is love, unconditional love, He accepts you today just as you are, you don’t have to do, or believe anything different than you do right now as you are reading this paragraph. So, if God is willing to love you and accept you, why wouldn’t you accept and love yourself. Love is the beginning of all knowledge, practice loving yourself today, now.
“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”
William Shakespeare, Dramatist and poet
considered to be the greatest English playwright, 1564-1616
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
This spiritual element is a willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others. Tolerance and respect are the key words here. We live in a country of great diversity, it is what makes this country strong. A non-judging attitude avoids condemning others because they don’t think like we do, act like we do, look like we do, or belong to the same organizations as we do. Respecting others beliefs will lead to them respecting your beliefs. Tolerance of the rights of others is what this country is about.
One of the perks of non-judging is not having to forgive. If you don’t condemn others for being different, you won’t need to forgive yourself as often. The opposite of non-judging are “control freaks,” those who think everyone should act and think as they do. Control freaks are the ones that believe their way is the only way. There is no one right way, no one right path, and no one with all the answers to all the questions. All paths eventually lead to unconditional love, some loop, and fork, others go straight, but all lead to God. Treat all others with respect, all the time.
© 2009, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
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