Matthew 5:21-26

[NikolaiI]

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.



-not that I'm a Christian, I believe all religions are valid paths to the divine and worth learning from, and just as one can get the roof of a house by stairs, by a ladder, or by a rope, or by other methods, I believe we can reach reality through any culture's wisdom traditions - still, I'm rooted in some of these faiths and ideas. . . this one - reconciliation, forgiveness, has always been deeply a part of my life, and it's a very good point - forgive. . . reconcile. . it's important to do, and fairly easy if you learn how. . . just empathy - once you get totally empathic, however, just as a warning, you can't relly go back to not caring. It's okay though, it's worth it in the end. Once self-mastery is attained, great empathy and great sensitivity to others' feelings is only a good thing - you simply take in more of the world around you.

[tailor STATELY]

Just read the beatitudes in my BOM study last night in 3 Nephi 12 (a wonderful experience for me to be reading 3 Nephi during the Easter season).

Meekness, repentance, humility, forgiveness... : canons befitting those of faith, or secularism, in a civilized world.

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[NikolaiI]

Yes, but how do you get someone to forgive you over something that was a total misunderstanding; someone you care about more than they could ever know; who came to think you are the worst person in the world, out of again, a total confusion of intention and understanding?

Well, I take certain vows -not to swear, not to say unkind things, not to be do anyone harm, and I follow through everyday to the best of my ability - and it brings heavenly peace and gladness - unfortunately, occasionally misunderstandings arise, even when you say with all intentions of kindness, be happy, do not worry -

so forever I will ask forgiveness.

Peace and love will win in the end. . that's what I believe Christ taught us. .

One thing I'm grateful for, is not to have any enemies. . I just can't handle it, lol.


Peace and thanks to you dear friend - don't know if I told you years ago, or just imagined the memory of telling you - some of my best friends were Mormon when I was growing up (and every religion) we would pay roller-hockey together, and hacki-sack. Wonderful, wonderful memories.

Thanks for your words.

[tailor STATELY]

Yes, but how do you get someone to forgive you Words I live by: "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned" https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/121.41

Each has their own path in life. Compelling another often resorts in rebellion, or worse. Hope this helps.

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[NikolaiI]

(Not to worry - I know that to have faith in peace and light will always succeed in the end; if those who would prefer war turn up; the peaceful method of always, instantly and forever forgiving and misconduct always has seemed to be the best and right way. . in real life, it is much easier - when people see peace and grace, they always respond. Online is really pretty much the same; in a lot of ways, we're more connected online, because we can say what we really feel without fear of reprisal - so the true self comes through more easily - and as the world is made of words. . .)

And I know for certain that sharing peace, hope, and strength is the key to creating beauty and restoring the world to its paradise - and indeed, that is always very near; because we can wake up from the trance, we can snap out of it, very instantly, very immediately. It definitely always feels like this light is already here, has already been here since before time and is in all places. . . in the words of Thomas Merton

'We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining through it all the time. God manifests Himself everywhere, in everything - in people and in things and in nature and in events . . . The only thing is we don't see it. . . . I have no program for this seeing. It is only given. But the gate of heaven is everywhere.'

It is just that ego gets in the way. . . it is interesting that in Kabbalah, ego is referred to as "Satan," although I never believed in any dark entities, it's interesting. . .

It's certainly possible to live in a state of total love. . . the only thing is - if we are too hesitant about sharing who we really are, the strength and beauty and love in our being, that we've found - for concern that others wouldn't understand, wouldn't believe, that we've never known fear - then miscommunication is also likely to result. . . and it will naturally be on us. . .

As it seems to come back to - once again, everything in our lives, we are responsible for.

'We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our fate. None else has the praise, or the blame.'

It's only unfortunate that we don't quite live in a paradise where when misperceieved weakness is there, people wish to dominate -

in fact, overcoming that human impulse in relation to weakness, is probably one of the keys to reaching that society where we achieve that. . .

as Einstein said, 'the true value of a human is how they have achieved liberation of the self.'

When the strong can - maybe, not protect the weak, but simply know they are strong as well. . . you know?

Anyhow - it definitely seems true, that peace and strength and truth will win - as long as we can put a halt to this war machine.


I have gone off-topic slightly, but I think it all still relates.


Infinite peace and love, to all.

[NikolaiI]

(Just came back to see your post).

Not to worry - you are always kind, Tailor... therefore you always do good.


Even persuasion I feel is a real form of violence, however. . have never been a fan of it, partly perhaps because of reading Persuasion by Jane Austen much younger. . .



As there is infinite peace, and light, within the heart of all - this is the real truth. . . and at first - sharing it may seem odd. . and people reject it when you first say it - so, the whole once bitten twice shy thing came into effect - and I didn't wish to say that I'd seen the infinite peace and light - so therefore I saw another law in effect, 'proclaim the truth boldly.'

[YesNo]

Yes, but how do you get someone to forgive you over something that was a total misunderstanding; someone you care about more than they could ever know; who came to think you are the worst person in the world, out of again, a total confusion of intention and understanding?

It may be more a matter of forgiving oneself than getting someone else to forgive. They may not even remember, but if they do, does it matter?

[NikolaiI]

Yep, I get your point - in this case, what I am asking forgiveness for is saying, don't worry and be happy - the issue was I said such in a provocative manner; well do I know that the way something is said means more than what is said most times, and this was not the right energy -

but the energy I received back was not all proportionate. .

It wouldn't have mattered except all the overtures of friendship by this person, I considered them a good friend. . It seems like it could only be from a lot of confusion, or a very sincere desire to cause me pain -

either way, I simply wish to clear it a bit. . .

There are a few spiritual principles at work, it would seem - when you hurt anyone, you hurt everyone. . . this sort of thing.

The main accomplishment of my life was finding total peace, beauty and love, and for many, this just does not fit into their conception - my error in all of this was not expressing myself well enough perhaps. . .

8 years ago I experienced the infinite peace and bliss which is within every form of the universe - and immediately came onto lit-net and shared. . . 'do not fear - infinitely, there is no need to fear, worry or doubt. . there is infinite peace, and light at the source of everything.'

I knew that infinite peace, light, and harmony would go throughout the whole world, and it would happen almost overnight.

I met with such rejection and antipathy that it. . . - well, not important. But I learned from this that such an experience can only be shared when there is a lot of trust -

or, alternately, in such things as art, beauty, metaphor, or simple acts of kindness, works of peace, a smile, or something like this. . .

Anyway - my error with this person was the opposite - not expressing the peace and beauty I'd found, for the knowledge that it would not be understood -

Yet I should have, one should always express oneself, and be true to oneself - so this is the lesson I learned.


So I just wanted to get it out in the light. . although even this - what can I say but that perhaps it is a mistake - and I felt it all the world over. . . we are so vastly interconnected - the whole world.


When I slip up, falter - I can feel that I have made the entire universe slip and falter. . . how vastly interconnected we are - one living breathing form, one being. .


Spiritual principles such as Christ taught, such as "If you hurt the littlest of these, you hurt me," are being seen to enact in the world instantaneously, as we are ever more connected. . . So if you hurt anyone - you hurt everyone. . .


And if you take care of yourself - then you take care of everyone, you lead the way toward peace, perfect health, infinite peace, pure life, and happienss for all the world, and paradise returns, for ever and ever.

It starts within everyone and each of us affects the whole, and all others.


And this is part of it - I always felt so connected. . . in countless beautiful ways - and it is evolving, changing, ever more. . never noticed it more than the last year. . .

it is completely new, different and beautiful at every step of the way.


So this is why I just wished to clear the air - never in my life would I wish harm for someone like this - not for anyone. . . I've definitely got to that point. It's not hard, in fact it's very easy if you just begin to see that we're all so connected.


One of the most important things to realize in today's world is - intention is so important, and changes everything. When you say to someone, they are strong - you are doing all good in the universe. . . You are creating all beauty. . . when you tell someone, they are weak - you are doing quite the opposite. .

This is becoming more and more clear.

[Melanie]

I was thinking about forgiveness the other day while driving down the freeway and had an epiphany. I thought, wait a minute, we don't have to forgive EVERYbody because God doesn't forgive EVERYbody. God said "Forgive others just as I have forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). "Just as" is the key phrase here. If we forgive others just as God does, well, he only forgives those who admit (confess) that they have sinned or are sinners in need of a Savior (Jesus) AND trying not to sin anymore (repent). So if we follow God's example and forgive "just as" God did then we only need to forgive if the other person is sorry and repentant.

Occasionally, you see parents on the News forgiving the killer of their son or daughter because they think God wants us to forgive everyone. He wants us to love the sinner and hate the sin but he never said to forgive the sinner…..unless, as I mentioned above, the sinner admits his wrongdoing, makes it known that he's sorry, and repents (plans to never do it again).

Not to be confused with loving EVERYone…we should love sinners and the unlovable as well as the ones who are easy to love…all…because God loves all…even before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5). Love the sinner, hate the sin, and forgive them if they admit the sin and repent.