Month: April 2021

Arthritis

     A drunk man who smelled like beer sat down on a subway seat next to a priest. The man’s tie was stained his face was plastered with red lipstick, and a half empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his torn coat pocket. He opened his newspaper and began reading.

     After a few minutes the man turned to the priest and asked, “Say, Father, what causes arthritis?” “My Son, it’s caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol and a contempt for your fellow man.” Well, I’ll be damned,” the drunk muttered, returning to his paper. The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?”

     “I don’t have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope does”.

Source: http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Spiritual_Humor.html

Think Outside the Box

     Think outside of the box, without boundaries.  Question every belief you’ve ever had, and any new ideas you encounter along the way.  Become a freethinker, and evaluate/re-evaluate what you know while putting every thought and idea through certain tests or filters.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 14)

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

A New Perspective

     To free your mind you must be able to see yourself and the people and world around you without any ego, desires, or attachments.  It requires a new perspective on old ideas.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 14)

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

Two Boats and a Chopper

     A traveling preacher finds himself in a tremendous rainstorm. Within a few hours the hotel he is staying in is flooded. As the water rises, the preacher climbs to the roof and starts praying. “Lord, save me so I can continue on my mission of preaching your gospel.”

          Just then, a coast guard rescue party floats by in a rowboat. “Let’s go mister, into the boat!”

     “I’ll stay here,” says the preacher. “The Lord will save me.”

     An hour later a second boat reaches the scene and the water is close to the roof of the hotel. “Sir, you better get in the water is still rising.”

     “No thanks. The Lord will be my salvation.”

     Toward evening, the hotel is almost completely under water and the preacher is clinging to the satellite dish on the roof. A helicopter is spotted and on a loudspeaker is heard: “Sir, grab on to the line and we will pull you up. This is your last chance.”

     “I’m all right,’ says the preacher, “I know the Lord will provide sanctuary.”

     As the helicopter departs, the satellite dish is hit by lightning and the preacher is killed.

     When he arrives at the Pearly Gates he is furious. “What happened?” he shouts. “I thought the Lord would provide!?”

     Moments later a thunderous voice is heard: “Give me a break. I sent you two boats and a chopper!”

Author: Unknown

I searched and found this story on many internet sites, but never found a source.  Here’s a link to one site that had it posted:

Source: https://khamneithang.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/lessons-from-the-traveling-preacher/

What We I-dentify With

     So what do you identify with?  It’s time to question everything!  For many of us, we identify with our ego, a certain element of the mind that always wants more for itself—more attention, more possessions, more control over others … more, more, more, more, more; and it doesn’t usually care who it hurts in the process as long as it gets what it wants.

     Otherwise known as selfishness, this desire for more separates and alienates us from the people and world around us.  Once we’ve acquired what we want, it becomes a possession.  And from there it becomes an attachment.  We no longer believe that we can be happy without whatever it is that we’re attached to.  It has become part of our identity.  When our ego, desires, and attachments become part of our identity, it becomes part of the “I,” the individual.  They have become extensions of our very selves.

     If anything were to happen to that which we I-dentify with, we feel threatened, insecure, depressed, hurt, devastated… The more we I-dentify with, the greater the chance of our being hurt, disappointed, and unhappy.

     The key, then, is to identify with things which bring you happiness, security, peace, love, and harmony with the people and world around you (in other words, positive energy), and to dis-I-dentify with anything that causes negative energy.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 13-14)

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

The Harder It is to Let Go

     Over time, we come to identify with the thoughts, trees, and flowers in our garden (mind).  One tree may be called ego.  Another is desire.  Another is called attachment … and so the garden grows.  The stronger we identify with each tree, the harder it is to let go.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 13)

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications