It feels good to do good

A woman and her five-year-old boy lived in a house overlooking a valley. One day the little boy became so angry at his mother that he ran out of the house and yelled into the valley, "I hate you!" Immediately, the echo of what he had yelled came back to the little boy, and he thought somebody was yelling "I hate you" to him. This scared the little boy, and he ran inside to tell his mother there was a mean person out there yelling at him. The mother knew what happened, so she told the little boy to go outside and yell, "I love you!". When the little body did this, a voice came back to him saying, "I love you!"

This story is simple but the point is profound for it illustrates an immutable principle of nature call the Law of Cause and Effect. That which we cause to happen comes back to effect us in the same way. Jesus said, "Whatever a person sows, that is also what the person will reap." Confucius said, "Whatever proceeds from you will return to you." Jewish text states, "A liberal man will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. In Buddhism and Hinduism, it is called karma. Every major religion has a variation of this law as one of its foundational principles. Whatever you express into the world is what you will get back. Express anger, hatred, ill will or offensive acts to another, and that is what will return to you. Express love, kindness, compassion and good deeds, and that is what will return to you. It feels good to do good. It feels bad to do bad. Determine how you want to feel, then treat others in an identical way.

(from KC Star)

Is homosexuality a religious issue?

Prejudice of some boggles the mind

Imagine for a moment that you have a garden with a wide variety of wonderful, beautiful and colorful roses. Each one offers a unique and individual beauty that greatly benefits the one who gazes upon them. Then one day, a dictate comes down from some religious order stating that red is the only natural color for a rose and therefore every rose of a different color should be plucked up and cast into the fire. Would you say the declaration that red be the only color for a rose should be a religious issue?

In God’s great garden of humanity there are a wide variety of wonderful, beautiful and colorful people. Each person offers a unique and individual beauty to the world. When attuned to his or her heart, each greatly benefits the world, whether that person is black, white, Asian, Native American or Hispanic; of any particular religion, agnostic or atheist; man or woman; heterosexual or homosexual. Who has the right to self-appoint themselves as judge of the flowers in the garden?

I just don’t understand how anybody with a clear mind and compassionate heart can state that one’s sexuality is basis for condemnation, discrimination or prejudice. Even more mind-boggling is how any religious institution can be so insolent and ignorant to condemn a child of God in the name of God.