If something good, even great happens to a friend of yours or someone you know, would you be happy for that person or would you be jealous? Depending on what the luck is I can understand a little envy, that’s a typical human trait. However when it comes to someone being blind with jealousy and hatred that I don’t understand. Why do people do that?

Jealousy is a weakness, caused by lack of spiritual wealth and little sense of self-worth. Jealousy can be overcome by waking up to who we really are. i.e. if we were always aware that we are eternal spiritual beings, with great intrinsic value, indestructible, loved always and unconditionally by our Father in Heaven, and that ultimately nothing can be threatened, then we would not be jealous of anything. Instead, we would always be strong, self-assured, positive, loving, understanding, and enlightened to the Truth. The further away from this state of being we are, the more room for spiritual growth we have, and the more lifetimes on earth we have ahead of us.

Depending on what the luck is I can understand a little envy, that’s a typical human trait

Jealousy is natural and part of the human condition, but only in the same sense that it is natural for a three-year old to dribble food down its chin, and fall over when learning to walk. Godliness, inner strength, joy and love is also part of the human condition, but only in the same sense that it’s natural for a 28 year old (in contrast with the 3 year-old), to eat with knife and fork and run in good stead. It is true that humanity, generally speaking, is still in its childhood.

I’ve only one thing to say about people like that, other than the fact that I dislike those kinds of people with a passion

Jealous people can’t help being jealous, equally as much as a three-year old who dribbles food down its chin can’t help being three years old and dribbling food down its chin. If we allow other people’s weaknesses - like jealousy, insecurity or bitterness etc. - to affect our emotional state, i.e. evoke negative emotions within us – then there’s room for growth for us. Spiritual muscle will keep us strong, positive and loving, regardless of external conditions and regardless of other people’s opinions or attitudes.

I’ve only one thing to say about people like that, other than the fact that I dislike those kinds of people with a passion, there is such a thing as Karma. It doesn’t even matter if the person doing the ‘evil’ deed doesn’t believe it or not, as long as you do.

Karma needs to work its way through our experiences and lives as a natural law. Karma doesn’t judge, it’s not biased, and it’s not a punishment. Rather, karma is the Law of spiritual growth and experience, and is ultimately only good, because God, the Creator, is only good. Once we have balanced out all our karma, have ‘been there and done it’, eaten to satiation the fruits of good and evil, and everything is all tidied up and folded neatly – with no more unfinished business – then we can rest eternally in our Heavenly abode, full of joy, with a profound sense of completeness and satisfaction, with no more need for physical incarnations or for any more gruelling lessons to learn on earth. Then we will share in the joy of the Lord and then will the Heavens rejoice.

Jealousy is a weakness, caused by lack of spiritual wealth and little sense of self-worth. Jealousy can be overcome by waking up to who we really are. i.e. if we were always aware that we are eternal spiritual beings, with great intrinsic value, indestructible, loved always and unconditionally by our Father in Heaven, and that ultimately nothing can be threatened, then we would not be jealous of anything. Instead, we would always be strong, self-assured, positive, loving, understanding, and enlightened to the Truth.

Agreed with your points here, so true.

The further away from this state of being we are, the more room for spiritual growth we have, and the more lifetimes on earth we have ahead of us.

I'm trying to grasp this one. You're saying that the more we are the way God doesn't intend us to be, i.e., jealous, angry, hateful, the longer we will live? I'm sorry if I sound dense, just trying to understand this point.

It is true that humanity, generally speaking, is still in its childhood.

YOu know, that's a pretty interesting point Andy. I never thought of it this way at all, but you could possibly be right. We're such babies eh? Because when you think about it, man may have been on earth for so long, yet, we keep doing the same things over and over, repeating the cycles of our lives, making mistakes, doing the things that have already been done. We don't seem to grasp the possibilities of the life that God has given us enough to get beyond our 'childish' human traits. When you think about it, we are the chosen ones, not the animals, not the birds, we're the ones with the brain and the ability to think. Yet we don't use it enough to transcend ourselves beyond what we already know.

Spiritual muscle will keep us strong, positive and loving, regardless of external conditions and regardless of other people’s opinions or attitudes.

I agree!

Karma needs to work its way through our experiences and lives as a natural law. Karma doesn’t judge, it’s not biased, and it’s not a punishment. Rather, karma is the Law of spiritual growth and experience, and is ultimately only good, because God, the Creator, is only good. Once we have balanced out all our karma, have ‘been there and done it’, eaten to satiation the fruits of good and evil, and everything is all tidied up and folded neatly – with no more unfinished business – then we can rest eternally in our Heavenly abode, full of joy, with a profound sense of completeness and satisfaction, with no more need for physical incarnations or for any more gruelling lessons to learn on earth. Then we will share in the joy of the Lord and then will the Heavens rejoice.

Nicely said! I do like to look on Karma though as a kind of pay back despite all the goodness that it is. It is in fact, in my mind, the goodness of God, of a spiritual being that balances life the way it should be, and thus to me, it's in a way, payback if you dont' live your life the way you should. Because when you think about it, the people that do live their lives to be always jealous, mean and simply make other people's lives hell, why do they do it? They are just mean-spirited and because they are unhappy. So they reap what they sow and in the end, they get what they do deserve because they dont' allow themselves or anyone else happiness.

Thanks for your comments Andy, I like what you said!

Yesterday I had a phone call from my older sister and she told me what the doctor had to say about health,  and I was sooooooooooo happy for her I could have cried!! 

Thanks God she's in good health!

I'm happy for those that suceed at whatever they undertake in life,  and if they're faltering they need a hand up!  and also some applause when they do suceed! 

You're right on the spot when you say people are:

" think it all boils down to jealousy, nothing else. That person might be someone who is more popular than they are; or younger; or better looking; or stronger; or brighter; or just generally all around good person and they just dislike them and whom this person feels shouldn’t get ahead in life. "

 

Some people are just mean-spirited

This is not a good trait for anyone to have.

Yesterday I had a phone call from my older sister and she told me what the doctor had to say about health, and I was sooooooooooo happy for her I could have cried!! Thanks God she's in good health!

That is great news Trudy!

I'm happy for those that suceed at whatever they undertake in life, and if they're faltering they need a hand up! and also some applause when they do suceed!

Good! There's nothing like sharing the joy of someone else. Especially someone who truly deserves it!

Some people are just mean-spirited This is not a good trait for anyone to have.

No it's not. There's being mean because you're in a bad mood and you lash out, that's normal, when you hurt sometimes you want to inflict pain, however, the person who does that is always contrite afterwards as they should be; that's normal behaviour, that's being human after all. But the ones who are just mean-spririted, well, let's just say they travel with the wrong spirit!

Sorry, Donna just saw this!

yes, I gotta admit to alittle jealousy when this happened! I mean this guy was one of my best friends and we did a lot together. Even our sons are the same age and his wife is my cousin's cousin. But...I got over that and my envy gave way to pride. he deserves his good fortune and I am glad for him. And because he is so down to earth we remain, and always will be, the best of friends.

We're such babies eh? Because when you think about it, man may have been on earth for so long, yet, we keep doing the same things over and over, repeating the cycles of our lives, making mistakes, doing the things that have already been done. We don't seem to grasp the possibilities of the life that God has given us enough to get beyond our 'childish' human traits. When you think about it, we are the chosen ones, not the animals, not the birds, we're the ones with the brain and the ability to think. Yet we don't use it enough to transcend ourselves beyond what we already know

Yes I agree, we’re still only babies. This is reflected in humanity’s behaviour and attitudes as a whole. I believe that it will only be a matter of time before we begin to learn from our mistakes, and can begin to make a change for the better in our attitudes and views, which in turn will change our behaviour. As our souls slowly grow to fruition we’ll begin to adopt Heavenly values – patience, humility, reverence, spiritual wealth, forgiveness, inner strength, transcendence etc. These spiritual fruits stem from a secure, centred and ripe-old soul, rooted in the True Vine, and humanity will begin express such riches, generally speaking, when our souls are old and wise enough, and when we have fully woken up to who we really are.

It is true that Christians have come a long way since their early years. The Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition - mass killings of non-Christians for the Mother Church - were all part of the early Christian mindset - even though the Bible is the same today as it was then. So the trend seems to be one of growth toward goodness, understanding and higher values.

We all have bad qualities in us - a dark side as well as a light side - it’s just a question of to what degree. Where do we draw the line regarding whether we are “bad” or “good”? When we consider things like our upbringing, tragedy in life, and our degree of awareness, it makes us wonder what kind of choice we have regarding the kind of person we are. We don’t have much choice regarding how we feel, and most of the time our actions are determined by our feelings.

As kids we are taught that there are only two kinds of people in life: good and bad. But I believe that this is too limited and is the cause of much intolerance and lack of understanding. Also, when it comes to looking at ourself, it can lead to unnecessary guilt. The ‘line’ regarding whether we are good or bad is like a sliding scale, which can get a bit subjective and fuzzy. I believe the key is to be self-aware, and to learn to love ourself unconditionally – just as God loves us. Deep down we are all God’s beloved, even though some souls are more lost than others.

The further away from this state of being we are, the more room for spiritual growth we have, and the more lifetimes on earth we have ahead of us.

I'm trying to grasp this one. You're saying that the more we are the way God doesn't intend us to be, i.e., jealous, angry, hateful, the longer we will live? I'm sorry if I sound dense, just trying to understand this point.

I’m not saying that God doesn’t intend it to be this way. God created the process in the first place, and so must accept that negative attributes like jealousy, anger, hatred etc. are all part of the condition – different phases of being human, which is all part of the soul’s journey. God knows that as we grow through the process, we will end up stronger and wiser at the end of our journey because of these so-called negative human traits and dark experiences, rather than in spite of them. It’s all hearty fodder for the soul, at the end of the day.

I do like to look on Karma though as a kind of pay back despite all the goodness that it is. It is in fact, in my mind, the goodness of God, of a spiritual being that balances life the way it should be, and thus to me, it's in a way, payback if you dont' live your life the way you should.

Yes I agree, “payback” is what karma is. An “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, says the Good Book. If we were to poke somebody in the eye, then rest assured it’ll be a matter of time before we get our own eye poked, in one way or another, if not in this lifetime then in the next. The only reason why some things seem “unfair” in this world is because we can’t see the bigger picture, amd karma can balance itself out over many lifetimes. Everything is fair though, at the end of the day, because God is all-wise and all-good, and God is ultimately responsible for everything.

I'm trying to grasp this one. You're saying that the more we are the way God doesn't intend us to be, i.e., jealous, angry, hateful, the longer we will live? I'm sorry if I sound dense, just trying to understand this point.

I’ve just realised what you were asking Serenity. “Room for growth” doesn’t mean the longer we live. Another way of saying it is room for improvement.

Usually, the older we get, the more at peace we become with ourself and with the world and with other people, and the more understanding and wise we become. If spiritual growth continues over many lifetimes, then the same principle will apply on a larger scale. If a situation knocked us for six in one lifetime, or if we lost ourself in anger or jealousy, then in a future lifetime we might find peace with ourself, or we might be more understanding, and deal with the situation with more wisdom and in a calmer manner, even if the external situation was exactly the same. The more negative and insecure a person is, the more room for spiritual growth and the more lifetimes they have ahead of them. But even though we’re all at different stages of growth, God loves all His children equally.

yes, I gotta admit to alittle jealousy when this happened! I mean this guy was one of my best friends and we did a lot together. Even our sons are the same age and his wife is my cousin's cousin. But...I got over that and my envy gave way to pride. he deserves his good fortune and I am glad for him. And because he is so down to earth we remain, and always will be, the best of friends.

This is great Joe. Like I said, nothing wrong in feeling a bit of envy sometimes. But you got over yourself and that's the important thing!

This is reflected in humanity’s behaviour and attitudes as a whole. I believe that it will only be a matter of time before we begin to learn from our mistakes, and can begin to make a change for the better in our attitudes and views, which in turn will change our behaviour. As our souls slowly grow to fruition we’ll begin to adopt Heavenly values – patience, humility, reverence, spiritual wealth, forgiveness, inner strength, transcendence etc. These spiritual fruits stem from a secure, centred and ripe-old soul, rooted in the True Vine, and humanity will begin express such riches, generally speaking, when our souls are old and wise enough, and when we have fully woken up to who we really are.

I hope this happens quickly for all of us. There are some people who are already at this stage. You can always tell. But so many who refuse to let go of the childishness, the selfishness...

It is true that Christians have come a long way since their early years. The Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition - mass killings of non-Christians for the Mother Church - were all part of the early Christian mindset - even though the Bible is the same today as it was then. So the trend seems to be one of growth toward goodness, understanding and higher values.

True, yet if some had their way, we would be back to this again. In fact, some are back to this level of thinking. Our world once again comes full circle! (no pun)

We all have bad qualities in us - a dark side as well as a light side - it’s just a question of to what degree. Where do we draw the line regarding whether we are “bad” or “good”? When we consider things like our upbringing, tragedy in life, and our degree of awareness, it makes us wonder what kind of choice we have regarding the kind of person we are. We don’t have much choice regarding how we feel, and most of the time our actions are determined by our feelings. As kids we are taught that there are only two kinds of people in life: good and bad. But I believe that this is too limited and is the cause of much intolerance and lack of understanding. Also, when it comes to looking at ourself, it can lead to unnecessary guilt. The ‘line’ regarding whether we are good or bad is like a sliding scale, which can get a bit subjective and fuzzy. I believe the key is to be self-aware, and to learn to love ourself unconditionally – just as God loves us. Deep down we are all God’s beloved, even though some souls are more lost than others.

Very well said!

I'm trying to grasp this one. You're saying that the more we are the way God doesn't intend us to be, i.e., jealous, angry, hateful, the longer we will live? I'm sorry if I sound dense, just trying to understand this point. I’m not saying that God doesn’t intend it to be this way. God created the process in the first place, and so must accept that negative attributes like jealousy, anger, hatred etc. are all part of the condition – different phases of being human, which is all part of the soul’s journey. God knows that as we grow through the process, we will end up stronger and wiser at the end of our journey because of these so-called negative human traits and dark experiences, rather than in spite of them. It’s all hearty fodder for the soul, at the end of the day.

Hmmm, I guess you're right. We all grow stronger after having been through some type of turmoil or anything that affects us adversely. We don't look at it in this manner though until after the affects of whatever we've been through. We feel first and analyze later, perhaps that's why some of us are prone to repeating some of the mistakes we have made. I can't imagine God not knowing all this beforehand though as you said. Interesting.

Yes I agree, “payback” is what karma is. An “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, says the Good Book. If we were to poke somebody in the eye, then rest assured it’ll be a matter of time before we get our own eye poked, in one way or another, if not in this lifetime then in the next. The only reason why some things seem “unfair” in this world is because we can’t see the bigger picture, amd karma can balance itself out over many lifetimes. Everything is fair though, at the end of the day, because God is all-wise and all-good, and God is ultimately responsible for everything.

Ditto again! Wisely said once again!

I’ve just realised what you were asking Serenity. “Room for growth” doesn’t mean the longer we live. Another way of saying it is room for improvement. Usually, the older we get, the more at peace we become with ourself and with the world and with other people, and the more understanding and wise we become. If spiritual growth continues over many lifetimes, then the same principle will apply on a larger scale. If a situation knocked us for six in one lifetime, or if we lost ourself in anger or jealousy, then in a future lifetime we might find peace with ourself, or we might be more understanding, and deal with the situation with more wisdom and in a calmer manner, even if the external situation was exactly the same. The more negative and insecure a person is, the more room for spiritual growth and the more lifetimes they have ahead of them. But even though we’re all at different stages of growth, God loves all His children equally.

(smiles) I like this response as well Andy. You know, you're one of the few I would love to sit and have a conversation with! You give me 'good food for thought' challenge my brain! Thx!

Thanks Serenity. This subject is my primary passion in life, as well as trying to exercise it as much as I can. You're right, it is food for thought. I've learnt that the more we explore and discover, the more good food we can find to eat, which nourishes the soul. I believe it's all the same Food at the end of the day - i.e. Christ, the Bread of Life, and also that deep down we're all brothers and sisters united by the blood of Christ.

Thanks Serenity. This subject is my primary passion in life, as well as trying to exercise it as much as I can. You're right, it is food for thought.

You're welcome! And no wonder you discuss it so well!

I've learnt that the more we explore and discover, the more good food we can find to eat, which nourishes the soul. I believe it's all the same Food at the end of the day - i.e. Christ, the Bread of Life, and also that deep down we're all brothers and sisters united by the blood of Christ.

Yep! And Amen to that brother!