My words to ruminate on today:
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“We are not going to change the whole world, but we can change ourselves and feel free as birds. We can be serene even in the midst of calamities and, by our serenity, make others more tranquil. Serenity is contagious. If we smile at someone, he or she will smile back. And a smile costs nothing. We should plague everyone with joy. If we are to die in a minute, why not die happily, laughing?”
– Swami Satchidananda
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“Never respond to an angry person with a fiery comeback, even if he deserves it … Don’t allow his anger to become your anger.”
– Bohdi Sanders
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“How do you defeat terrorism? Don’t be terrorized.”
– Salman Rushdie
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pic from The European
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
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Religion4All 
‘don’t be terrorised’? hmmm perhaps this is a method the sierra leonians can use
Yes, I realize that for literal terrorism … that’s more than a little mis-used. I intended it to be a statement (in coordination with the other quotes) that pertained to each person’s inner fortitude … the peace that only we can open up within ourselves through connecting with God. We allow other people to dictate our lives or actions and, in doing so, we shut ourselves down. It can be very difficult to not allow others to force us into a life of reaction … but that is the task that keeps us on the Path toward happiness and connectivity with our Creator.
THAT is what I was going for … more metaphorical than literal, I suppose. Although one COULD point to the martyrs of various religions and say that this IS exactly what they did in the face of “terrorism”. One of the primary points of terrorism is to make others react to you, or your actions … to dictate people’s reactions through fear. Refuse to give them that, and their power is taken away … even if it is the end of one’s life (Jesus comes to mind). On a smaller scale? The same can be true about bullying … in a sense, it is a form of terrorism … that being, causing others to react to your actions out of fear. So there is a commonality … the terrorism to which you refer is the ultimate example of a destructive brand of behavior that is rampant in this world.
Certainly didn’t intend to offend in regards to people who are literally being tortured and slaughtered. These are crimes that are beyond horrible … and it is an equal crime that the only reason people get rescued is whether it is profitable for a country/government to help them.
Peace and Love.
Wow, you make a strong case!
But I would add that the Unknown is the only terrorist, but Panic is also our inheritance we would be inhumane without it, empathy and pleasure both stem from Terror, don’t you think?