Spiritual Gifts

According to Christian doctrine, special abilities given by God to worthy believers. Every Christian has at least one

Following is a list of the gifts arranged in two groups.

• The first are gifts that require supernatural intervention and are possessed only by true Christians.
• The second are gifts that do not require supernatural intervention. Even non-Christians can have the second group of gifts.

A further issue is whether or not the gifts are still in use today. Some believe they ceased with the apostles and the completion of the writings of the Bible) and they are no longer needed for the building up of the body of Christ (Eph. 4: 12). Others believe the gifts are still in use but not in the pure apostolic sense. In other words, they are still in use but not in the same way possessed by the apostles. Instead, they are available to the believer if and when God decides it is beneficial to use them.

The first group of spiritual gifts are: Salvation, Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of Spirits, Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues.

The second group of spiritual gifts are: Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, and Showing mercy.

(see Psychic Gifts)

(See also: Spiritual Gifts , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Salvation Dictionary

shad darshana: (Sanskrit) "Six views or insights; six philosophies."

Among the hundreds of Hindu darshanas known through history are six classical philosophical systems: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta.

Each was tersely formulated in sutra form by its "founder," and elaborated in extensive commentaries by other writers. They are understood as varied attempts at describing Truth and the path to it. Elements of each form part of the Hindu fabric today.

-       Nyaya: "System, rule; logic." A system of logical realism, founded sometime around 300 bce by Gautama, known for its systems of logic and epistemology and concerned with the means of acquiring right knowledge. Its tools of enquiry and rules for argumentation were adopted by all schools of Hinduism.

-       Vaisheshika: "Distinctionism." From "vishesha," differences. Philosophy founded by Kanada (ca 300 bce) teaching that liberation is to be attained through understanding the nature of existence, which is classified in nine basic realities (dravyas): earth, water, light, air, ether, time, space, soul and mind. Nyaya and Vaisheshika are viewed as a complementary pair, with Nyaya emphasizing logic, and Vaisheshika analyzing the nature of the world.

-       Sankhya: "Enumeration, reckoning." A philosophy founded by the sage Kapila (ca 500 bce), author of the Sankhya Sutras. Sankhya is primarily concerned with "categories of existence," tattvas, which it understands as 25 in number. The first two are the unmanifest purusha and the manifest primal nature, prakriti - the male-female polarity, viewed as the foundation of all existence. Prakriti, out of which all things evolve, is the unity of the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. Sankhya and Yoga are considered an inseparable pair whose principles permeate all of Hinduism.

-       See: prakriti, purusha.

-       Yoga: "Yoking; joining." Ancient tradition of philosophy and practice codified by Patanjali (ca 200 bce) in the Yoga Sutras. It is also known as raja yoga, "king of yogas," or ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." Its object is to achieve, at will, the cessation of all fluctuations of consciousness, and the attainment of Self Realization. Yoga is wholly dedicated to putting the high philosophy of Hinduism into practice, to achieve personal transformation through transcendental experience, samadhi.

-       See: yoga.

-       Mimamsa: "Inquiry" (or Purva, "early," Mimamsa). Founded by Jaimini (ca 200 bce), author of the Mimamsa Sutras, who taught the correct performance of Vedic rites as the means to salvation.

-       Vedanta (or Uttara "later" Mimamsa): "End (or culmination) of the Vedas." For Vedanta, the main basis is the Upanishads and Aranyakas (the "end," anta, of the Vedas), rather than the hymns and ritual portions of the Vedas. The teaching of Vedanta is that there is one Absolute Reality, Brahman. Man is one with Brahman, and the object of life is to realize that truth through right knowledge, intuition and personal experience. The Vedanta Sutras (or Brahma Sutras) were composed by Rishi Badarayana (ca 400 bce).

See: Brahma Sutra, padartha, tattva, Vedanta, yoga.

(See also: Shad darshana , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

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 Would it surprise you to hear that there are many people who would prefer NOT to believe in an afterlife? For many, the prospect of what they may face after death can be quite horrifying. "When you're dead, you're dead" is a way of looking at life grounded totally in the physical world and its body, but for many, this concept of life and death offers great comfort. This is because believing this way allows the individual to do whatever he or she wishes to whomever he or she wishes without having to worry about "paying the price" at some later time, in some other realm of life.

Read more here: » Spirit World: Heaven and Hell - Places or States of Mind?

A Christian theological definition of Revelation according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

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Revelation

See also: Revelation , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

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Samkhya Nyaya Vaisheshika Yoga Purva Mimamsa Advaita Vedanta Vishishtadvaita Dvaita Carvaka Jain Buddhist Logic Advaita Vedanta - Three levels of Truth. The transcendental or the Pāramārthika level in which Brahman is the only reality and nothing else; The pragmatic or the Vyāva ...

See also:

Advaita Vedanta, Advaita Vedanta - Adi Sankara: The Pillar of Advaita, Advaita Vedanta - Salient Features of Advaitism, Advaita Vedanta - Three levels of Truth, Advaita Vedanta - Brahman, Advaita Vedanta - Māyā, Advaita Vedanta - God, Advaita Vedanta - Atman, Advaita Vedanta - Salvation, Advaita Vedanta - Other points, Advaita Vedanta - Are the world and God wholly false?, Advaita Vedanta - Status of the world, Advaita Vedanta - Status of God, Advaita Vedanta - Status of ethics, Advaita Vedanta - Shankara's theory of creation, Advaita Vedanta - Comparison with the Buddhist school of Shunyavada, Advaita Vedanta - Adi Sankara's thoughts in a summary, Advaita Vedanta - The Impact of Advaita, Advaita Vedanta - Advaita and Science, Advaita Vedanta - Important Books and Figures of Advaita Vedanta, Advaita Vedanta - Mahavakya, Advaita Vedanta - Founders & key texts, Advaita Vedanta - Demigods Sages and Saints of Advaitins, Advaita Vedanta - Later teachers and proponents, Advaita Vedanta - Other References

Read more here: » Advaita Vedanta: Encyclopedia II - Advaita Vedanta - Salient Features of Advaitism

A Christian theological definition of Soteriology according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

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Soteriology

See also: Soteriology , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

For more dictionary entries, see » Salvation Dictionary

A Christian theological definition of Ordo salutis according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

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Ordo salutis

See also: Ordo salutis , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

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Hinduism vs Christianity: Hindu beliefs compared with Christian beliefs

Read more here: » Hinduism vs Christianity: Hindu beliefs compared with Christian beliefs

The word - Sankhya - means - number -. The system gives an enumeration of the principles of the universe, twenty-five in number. Hence the name is quite appropriate. The term - Sankhya - is used in the sense of - Vichara - or - philosophical reflection - also.

In the Sankhya system, there is no analytical enquiry into the universe as actually existing, arranged under topics and categories. There is a synthetical system, starting from an original primordial Tattva or Principle, called Prakriti, that which evolves or produces or brings forth (Prakaroti) everything else.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Sankhya: Hindu Philosophy . The Sankhya

For the England and Yorkshire cricketer, see Major William Booth William Booth (April 10, 1829 – August 20, 1912) was the founder and 1st General (1878-1912) of The Salvation Army. William Booth - Biography. William Booth - Early life. Booth was born in Sneinton, Nottingham, England, the only son of four surviving children born to Samuel Booth and Mary Moss. His father was wealthy by the standards of the time, but during Booth's childhood, as a result of his fath ...

Including:

• William Booth - Biography
• William Booth - Early life
• William Booth - Marriage and children
• William Booth - Early ministry
• William Booth - The Christian Mission
• William Booth - The Salvation Army
• William Booth - Later years
• William Booth - Published works
• William Booth - In Darkest England and the Way Out

Read more here: » William Booth: Encyclopedia - William Booth

The four main spiritual paths for God-realisation are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Karma Yoga is suitable for a man of active temperament, Bhakti Yoga for a man of devotional temperament, Raja Yoga for a man of mystic temperament, and Jnana Yoga for a man of rational and philosophical temperament, or a man of enquiry.

Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga or Kundalini Yoga, Lambika Yoga and Hatha Yoga, are other Yogas. Yoga, really, means union with God. The practice of Yoga leads to communion with the Lord. Whatever may be the starting point, the end reached is the same.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Yoga: The Four Paths of Hindu Yoga

Historically, Christianity has been divided over how people gain entry into Heaven. From the 16th to the late 19th century, Christendom was divided between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox views on the one hand, and the Protestant views on the other. In the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, entry into Heaven depends upon the Christian receiving God's grace through the activities of the church. This would include sacraments such as Baptism, the Eucharist and Confession. Roman Catholics believe that entering Purgatory after death ...

See also:

Heaven, Heaven - Conceptions, Heaven - Location, Heaven - Getting into Heaven, Heaven - Heaven in Roman Catholicism, Heaven - Heaven in Orthodox Christianity, Heaven - Heaven in Protestant Christianity, Heaven - Heaven in the Bahá'í Faith, Heaven - Heaven in Judaism, Heaven - Heaven in Hinduism

Read more here: » Heaven: Encyclopedia II - Heaven - Heaven in Protestant Christianity

Huguenot predecessors included the pro-reform and Gallican Roman Catholics, like Jacques Lefevre. Later, Huguenots followed the Lutheran movement, and finally, Calvinism. They shared John Calvin's fierce reformation beliefs which decried the priesthood, sacraments and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. They believed in salvation as an act of God as much as in creation as an act of God, and thus that only God's predestined mercy toward the elect made them fit for salvation. Some see this dual emphasis on creation and on salvation, and God's sovereignty over both, as a cornerstone principle for Huguenot developments in ar ...

See also:

Huguenot, Huguenot - Origin of the name, Huguenot - Religious beliefs, Huguenot - Wars of Religion, Huguenot - Flight, Huguenot - External link

Read more here: » Huguenot: Encyclopedia II - Huguenot - Religious beliefs

The "doctrine of predestination" usually refers to Christian teaching concerning the ultimate implications of the predestination idea: the final destiny of men and of angels. As such, discussion of predestination concerns the extent to which salvation and damnation are the issue of God's decisions before time, and the extent to which these are matters decided by men and angels for themselves. The more immediate application of the doctrine of predestination concerns the extent to which people and nations are confined by God to particul ...

See also:

Predestination, Predestination - Contrasted with other kinds of determinism, Predestination - Distinguished from preordination, Predestination - Predestination and omniscience, Predestination - Predestination in Christianity, Predestination - Various Views on Christian Predestination, Predestination - Bible reference, Predestination - Jewish views, Predestination - Islamic views, Predestination - Islam and Christianity

Read more here: » Predestination: Encyclopedia II - Predestination - Predestination in Christianity

Chai

(Chinese, "fast") In Taoism, rites of fasting, repentance, or purification. The term refers to rites on behalf of the living and the dead, including exorcism, protection from illness, securing houses, and recitations for salvation. Unlike related folk rites involving animal sacrifice and alcohol, the Taoist rite stresses the offering of petitions and confessing of sins.

(See also: Chai , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

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The liturgy of baptism in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist traditions makes clear reference to baptism as not only a symbolic burial and resurrection, but an actual supernatural transformation, one that draws parallels to the experience of Noah and the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea divided by Moses. Thus baptism is literally and symbolically not only cleansing, but also dying and rising again with Christ. Catholics believe that baptism is necessary for the cleansing of the taint of original si ...

See also:

Baptism, Baptism - Background in Jewish ritual, Baptism - Explanation, Baptism - Ecumenical statement, Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism, Baptism - Baptism and salvation, Baptism - Conditions of the validity of a baptism, Baptism - Baptism by other denominations, Baptism - Who may administer a baptism, Baptism - Baptist and other Protestant baptism, Baptism - Reformed and Covenant Theology view, Baptism - Latter Day Saint baptism, Baptism - Baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptism - Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptism - Baptism in Churches of Christ, Baptism - Other baptisms, Baptism - Non-christian religions, Baptism - Non-religious baptism, Baptism - Related articles and subjects, Baptism - People and ritual objects, Baptism - Resources

Read more here: » Baptism: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism

Hindu Quotes: Senses

I am not detachment nor salvation,

.

(See also: Hinduism Archives, Hindu Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes)

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Whenever the Golden Temple is mentioned, we tend automatically to think of the beautiful Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, which is known worldwide by that name. However, there is another Golden Temple down South - the great Nataraja temple at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu.

This temple figures prominently in Tamil Shaivite literature and is considered to be one of the most holy spots dedicated to Lord Shiva, next in importance to Mount Kailash itself.

(See also: Nataraja , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Nataraja: Dance of Shiva in The Golden Temple - Nataraja  

The three fundamental tenets for Jains are: Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. A pursuit of these goals involves modest living, and prescribed behavior such as non-violence and stringent vegetarianism, and also various rituals and acts of devotion ( puja). The worship of images of mortal teachers or Thirthankaras (divinities) is common among Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains alike, but the approach of the Jains to the Tirthankaras differs from that of the other groups.

Read more here: » Jainism: Right Faith, Right Knowledge And Right Conduct

Pratyeka Buddha (Sanskrit) [from prati towards, for + eka one]

Each one for himself; exalted and in one sense holy beings who crave spiritual enlightenment for themselves alone. They "are those Bodhisattvas who strive after and often reach the Dharmakaya robe after a series of lives. Caring nothing for the woes of mankind or to help it, but only for this own bliss, they enter Nirvana and -- disappear from the sight and the hearts of men. In Northern Buddhism a 'Pratyeka Buddha' is a synonym of spiritual Selfishness"; "He, who becomes Pratyeka-Buddha, makes his obeisance but to his Self" (VS 86, 43).

They achieve nirvana automatically as it were, and leave the world in its misery behind. Though exalted, nevertheless they do not rank with the unutterable sublimity, wisdom, and pity of the Buddhas of Compassion.

"The Pratyeka Buddha is a degree which belongs exclusively to the Yogacharya school, yet it is only one of high intellectual development with no true spirituality. It is the dead-letter of the Yoga laws, in which intellect and comprehension play the greatest part, added to the strict carrying out of the rules of the inner development. It is one of the three paths to Nirvana, and the lowest, in which a Yogi -- 'without teacher and without saving others' -- by the mere force of will and technical observances, attains to a kind of nominal Buddhaship individually; doing no good to anyone, but working selfishly for his own salvation and himself alone.

The Pratyekas are respected outwardly but are despised inwardly by those of keen or spiritual appreciation. A Pratyeka is generally compared to a 'Khadga' or solitary rhinoceros and called Ekashringa Rishi, a selfish solitary Rishi (or saint)" (TG 261).

(See also: Pratyeka Buddha , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

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  The Hindu god Ayyappan is one of southern India’s most revered deities. Known also as Dharmasastha, Hariharan, Manikanta, Ayyanar and Bhoothnath, Lord Ayyapa is worshipped in a number of shrines across India. At Kulathupuzha, in Kerala he is worshipped as a child; at Achankovil in conjunction with his consorts, Pushkala and Poorna; and at Sabarimala as an ascetic, a celibate meditati ...

Including:

• Ayyappa - Ayyappaswami in Sabarimala
• Ayyappa - Widely accepted story

Read more here: » Ayyappa: Encyclopedia - Ayyappa

reedom is tough shit. That's the central message of the Matrix movies. The inhabitants of the computer-simulated world of the Matrix live in comfortable, salubrious surroundings and appear secure and content with their lives.

The rebels who inhabit the real world live in Zion, an underground citadel that looks like Dante's Inferno. They undergo physical and mental pain and are always prey to fears and doubts. Despite this, they feel immeasurably better off than those in the Matrix. Because Zion is freedom, and the Matrix is enslavement. And if the price of freedom is anguish, too bad. For everyone who's free knows that freedom is tough. Too tough for most, according to Dostoyevsky's Grand Inquisitor.

(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Love and Happiness: The Matrix Myth and the Price of Freedom