Saturday, November 7, 2015

Welt Ethos: A Foundation For Scriptural Reasoning (For The Salt Lake City Parliament)

Scriptural Reasoning
For The Welt Ethos

The 4 components of the Welt Ethos include:  Ahimsa, Socioeconomic Balance, Truthfulness, and Sexual Ethics.  The proceeding are Scriptural verses (respectively from Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam), organised by category, that support the assertion of this Welt Ethos.

Ahimsa

Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Luke 22:47 – 51
“While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.  He drew near to Jesus to kiss him;  but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?’  And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, ‘(Leader), shall we strike with the sword?’  And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’  And he touched his ear and healed him.”

Dhammapada 1:1 – 6
“Our life is shaped by our mind;  we become what we think.  Suffering follows an evil though as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.
“Our life is shaped by our mind;  we become what we think.  Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.
“He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me”—those who dwell on such thoughts will never be free from hatred.
“He was angry with me, he attacked me, he defeated me, he robbed me”—those who do not dwell on such thoughts will surely become free from hatred.
“For hatred can never put an end to hatred;  love alone can.  This is an unalterable law.
“People forget that their lives will end soon.  For those who remember, quarrels come to an end.”

Brahma Gala Sutta 1:8
“ ‘Putting away the killing of living things, Gotama the recluse holds aloof from the destruction of life.  He has laid the cudgel and the sword aside, and ashamed of roughness, and full of mercy, he dwells compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life.’  It is thus that the unconverted man, when speaking in praise of the Tathâgata, might speak.”

Bhagavad Gita 2:55
“They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart.”



Bhagavad Gita 5:7
“Those who follow the path of service, who have completely purified themselves and conquered their senses and self-will, see the Self in all creatures and are untouched by any action they perform.”

Bhagavad Gita 3:42 – 43
“The senses are higher than the body, the mind higher than the senses;  above the mind is the intellect, and above the intellect is the Atman.
“Thus, knowing that which is supreme, let the Atman rule the ego.  Use your mighty arms to slay the fierce enemy that is selfish desire.”

Bhagavad Gita 6:7 – 9
“The supreme Reality stands revealed in the consciousness of those who have conquered themselves.  They live in peace, alike in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, praise and blame.
“They are completely fulfilled by spiritual wisdom and (Self-Realisation).  Having conquered their senses, they have climbed to the summit of human consciousness.  To such people a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.
“They are equally disposed to family, enemies, and friends, to those who support them and those who are hostile, to the (benevolent) and the evil alike.  Because they are impartial, they rise to great heights.”

Sura 2:190
“And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you but be not aggressive.  Surely Allah loves not the aggressors.”

Sura 2:192 – 193
“But if they desist, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
“And fight them until there is no persecution, and religion is only for Allah.  But if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.”

Sura 25:63
“And the servants of the Beneficent are they who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ‘Peace.’”

Shmot 20:13
“You shall not murder."

Vayikra 19:33 – 34
“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him.  The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens;  you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt:  I the LORD am your God.”




Socioeconomic Balance

Bhagavad Gita 6:16 – 18
“Arjuna, those who eat too much or eat too little, who sleep too much or sleep too little, will not succeed in meditation.
“But those who are temperate in eating and sleeping, work and recreation, will come to the end of sorrow through meditation.
“Through constant effort they learn to withdraw the mind from selfish cravings and absorb it in the Self.  Thus they attain the state of union.”

Bhagavad Gita 14:5 – 9
“It is the three gunas born of prakriti—sattva, rajas, and tamas—that bind the immortal Self to the body.
“Sattva—pure, luminous, and free from sorrow—binds us with attachment to happiness and wisdom.”
“Rajas is passion, arising from selfish desire and attachment.  These bind the Self with compulsive action.
“Tamas, born of ignorance, deludes all creatures through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.”

Bhagavad Gita 14:12, 19
“When rajas predominates, a person runs about pursuing selfish and greedy ends, driven by restlessness and desire.
“The wise see clearly that all action is the work of the gunas.  Knowing that which is above the gunas, they enter into union with (Me).”

Bhagavad Gita  14:22 – 26
“They are unmoved by the harmony of sattva, the activity of rajas, or the delusion of tamas.  They feel no aversion when these forces are active, nor do they crave for them when these forces subside.
“They remain impartial, undisturbed by the actions of the gunas.  Knowing that it is the gunas which act, they abide within themselves and do not vacillate.
“Established within themselves, they are equal in pleasure and pain, praise and blame, kindness and unkindness.  Clay, a rock, and gold are the same to them.  Alike in honor and dishonour, alike to friend and foe, they have given up every selfish pursuit.  Such are those who have gone beyond the gunas.
“By serving (Me) with steadfast love, a man or woman goes beyond the gunas.  Such a one is fit for union with Brahman.  For I am the support of Brahman, the eternal, the unchanging, the deathless, the everlasting (Dharma), the source of all joy.”

Shmot 20:13
“You shall not steal.”



Vayikra 19:9 – 10
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard;  you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger:  I the LORD am your God.”

Devarim 23:25 – 26
“When you enter another man’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want, until you are fill, but you must not put any in your vessel.  When you enter another man’s field of standing grain, you may pluck ears with your hand;  but you must not put a sickle to your neighbour’s grain.”

Vayikra 19:11 – 18
“You shall not steal;  you shall not deal deceitfully or falsely with one another.  You shall not swear falsely by My name, profaning the name of your God:  I am the LORD.
“You shall not defraud your fellow.  You shall not commit robbery.  The wages of a labourer shall not remain with you until morning.
“You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind.  You shall fear your God:  I am the LORD.
“You shall not render an unfair decision:  do not favour the poor or show deference to the rich;  judge your kinsman fairly.  Do not deal basely with your countrymen.  Do not profit by the blood of your fellow:  I am the LORD.
“You shall not hate your kinsman in your heart.  Repove your kinsman but incur no guilt because of him.  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen.  Love your fellow as yourself:  I am the LORD.”

Shmot 22:24 – 26
“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor;  exact no interest from them.  If you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you must return it to him before the sun sets;  it is his only clothing, the sole covering for his skin.  In what else shall he sleep?  Therefore, if he cries out to Me, I will pay heed, for I am compassionate.”

Devarim 15:12 - 15
“If a fellow Hebrew, man or woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall set him free.  When you set him free, do not let him go empty-handed:  Furnish him out of the flock, threshing floor, and vat, with which the LORD your God has blessed you.  Bear in mind that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you;  therefore I enjoin this commandment upon you today.”

Devarim 15:1 – 2
“Every seventh year you shall practice remission of debts.  This shall be the nature of the remission:  every creditor shall remit the due that he claims from his fellow;  he shall not dun his fellow or kinsman, for the remission proclaimed is of the LORD.”

Vayikra 25:8 – 17
“You shall count off seven weeks of years—seven times seven years—so that the period of seven weeks of years gives you a total of forty-nine years.  Then you shall sound the horn loud;  in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month—the Day of Atonement—you shall have the horn sounded throughout your land and you shall hallow the fiftieth year.  You shall proclaim release throughout the land for all its inhabitants.  It shall be a jubilee for you;  each of you shall return to his holding and each of you shall return to his family.  That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you:  you shall not sow, neither shall you reap the aftergrowth or harvest the untrimmed vines, for it is a jubilee.  It hall be holy to you:  you may only eat the growth direct from the field.
“In this year of jubilee, each of you shall return to his holding.  When you sell property to your neighbour, or buy any from your neighbour, you shall not wrong one another.  In buying from your neighbour, you shall deduct only for the number of years since the jubilee;  and in selling to you, he shall charge you only for the remaining crop years:  the more such years, the higher the price you pay;  the fewer such years, the lower the price;  for what he is selling you is a number of harvests.  Do not wrong one another, but fear your God;  for I the LORD am your God.”

Brahma Gâla Sutta 9:8
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away the taking of what has not been given, Gotama the recluse lived aloof from grasping what is not his own.  He takes only what is given, and expecting that gifts will come, he passes his life in honesty and purity of heart.”

Sâmañña Phala Sutta 35 – 36
“ ‘Now what do you think, O king.  Suppose among the people of your household there were a slave who does work for you, rises up in the morning before you do and retires later to rest, who is keen to carry out your pleasure, anxious to make himself agreeable in what he does and says, a man who watches your every look.  Suppose he should think, ‘Strange is it and wonderful, this issue or meritorious deeds, this result of merit!  Here is the king of Magadha, Agâtasattu, the son of the Videha princess—he is a man, and so am I.  But the king lives in the full enjoyment and possession of the five pleasures of sense—a very (angel), methinks—and here am I a slave, working for him, rising before him and retiring later to rest, keen to carry out his pleasure, anxious to make myself agreeable in deed and word, watching his very looks.  Would that I were like him, that I too might earn merit.  Why should not I have my hair and beard shaved off, and don the yellow robes, and going forth from the household state, renounce the world?’  And suppose, after a time, he should do so.  And having been admitted into a (Sangha), should dwell restrained in act and word and thought, content with mere food and shelter, delighting in solitude.  And suppose your people should tell you of this, saying:  ‘If it please your majesty, do you know that such a one, formerly your slave, who worked for you, (and so on), has now donned the yellow robes, and has been admitted into a (Sangha), and dwells restrained, content with mere food and shelter, delighting in solitude?’  Would you then say:  ‘Let the man come back;  let him become a slave again, and work for me’?’
“ ‘Nay, (Leader), rather should we greet him with reverence, and rise up from our seat our of deference towards him, and press him to be seated.  And we should have robes and a bowl, and a lodging place, and medicine for the sick—all the requisites of a recluse—made ready, and beg him to accept of them.  And we should order watch and ward and guard to be kept for him according to the law.’
“ ‘But what do you think, O king.  That being so, is there, or is there not, some fruit, visible in this world, of the life of a recluse?’
“ ‘Certainly, (Leader), that is so.’
“ ‘This then, O king, is the first kind of the fruit, visible in this world, which I maintained to arise from the life of a recluse.’”

Matthew 10:5 – 11
“These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And preach as you go, saying, ‘The (Sovereignty) of heaven is at hand.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.  You received without paying, give without pay.  Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff;  for the labourer deserves his food.  And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart.”

Matthew 19:16 – 24
“And behold, one came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what (benevolent) deed must I do, to have eternal life?’  And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is (benevolent)?  One there is who is (benevolent).  If you would enter life, keep the commandments.’  He said to him, ‘Which?’  And Jesus said, ‘You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’  The young man said to him, ‘All these I have observed;  what do I still lack?’  Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;  and come, follow me.’  When the young man hear this he went away sorrowful;  for he had great possessions.
“And Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the (Sovereignty) of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the (Sovereignty) of God.’”

Luke 21:1 – 4
“He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;  and he saw a poor widow put in tow copper coins.  And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;  for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.’”



Matthew 25:34 – 40
“Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my (Creator), inherit the (Sovereignty) prepared for you from the foundation of the world;  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you  welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘(Leader), when did we see thee hungry and deed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?  And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?  And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’”

Matthew 20:25 – 28
“But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (lead) it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  It shall not be so among you;  but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave;  even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 11:46
“And he said, ‘Woe to you lawyers also!  For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.”

Sura 2:177
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteous is the one who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and gives away wealth out of love for (Allah) to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask and to set slaves free and keeps up prayer and pays the poor-rate;  and the performers of their promise when they make a promise, and the patient in distress and affliction and in the time of conflict.  There are they who are (Truthful);  and these are they who keep their duty.”

Sura 4:36
“And serve Allah, and associate naught with (Allah), and be (benevolent) to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbour of your kin and the alien neighbour, and the companion in a journey and the wayfarer and those whom your right hands possess.  Surely Allah loves not such as are proud, boastful.”

Sura 2:280 – 281
“And if the debtor is in straitness, let there be postponement till he is in ease.  And that you remit it as alms is better for you, if you only knew.
“And guard yourselves against a day in which you will be returned to Allah.  Then every soul will be paid in full what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.”

Sura 104:1 – 4
“Woe to every slanderer, defamer.
“Who amasses wealth and counts it—
“He thinks that his wealth will make him abide.
“Nay, he will certainly be hurled into crushing disaster;”

Sura 64:14 – 18
“O you who believe, surely of your wives and your children there are enemies to you, so beware of them.  And if you pardon and forbear and forgive, surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
“Your wealth and your children are only a trial, and Allah—with (Allah) is a great reward.
“So keep your duty to Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend;  it is better for your souls.  And whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are successful.
“If you set apart for Allah a (benevolent) portion, (Allah) will double it for you and forgive you.  And Allah is the Multiplier of rewards, Forbearing,
“The Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Wise.”



Truth

Shmot 20:13
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Devarim 19:15 – 20
“A single witness may not validate against a person any guilt or blame for any offense that may be committed;  a case can be valid only on the testimony of two witnesses or more.  If a man appears against another to testify maliciously and gives false testimony against him, the two parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests or magistrates in authority at the time, and the magistrates shall make a thorough investigation.  If the man who testified is a false witness, if he has testified falsely against his fellow, you shall do to him as he schemed to do to his fellow.  Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst;  others will hear and be afraid, and such evil things will not again be done in your midst.”

Vayikra 19:35
“You shall not falsify measures of length, weight, or capacity.  You shall have an honest balance, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin.”

Sura 28:69
“And thy Lord know what their breasts conceal and what they proclaim.”

Sura 4:135
“O you who believe, be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness for Allah, even though it be against your own selves, or your parents or near relatives—whether he be rich or poor, Allah has a better right over them both.  So follow not your low desires, lest you deviate.  And if you distort or turn away from (Truth), surely Allah is ever Aware of what you do.”

Sura 17:35
“And give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance.  This is fair and better in the end.”

Brahma Gala Sutta 1:9
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away lying words, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from falsehood.  He speaks (Truth), from the (Truth) he never swerves;  faithful and trustworthy, he breaks not his word to the world.’
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away slander, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from calumny.  What he hears here he repeats not elsewhere to raise a quarrel against the people here;  what he hears elsewhere he repeats not here to raise a quarrel against the people there.  Thus does he live as a binder together of those who are divided, and encourager of those who are friends, a peacemaker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace.’
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away rudeness of speech, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from harsh language.  Whatsoever word is blameless, pleasant to the ear, lovely, reaching to the hear, urbane, pleasing to the people, beloved of the people—such are words he speaks.’
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away frivolous talk, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from vain conversation.  In season he speaks, in accordance with the facts, words full of meaning, on religion, on the discipline of the (Sangha).  He speaks, and at the right time, words worthy to be laid up in one’s heart, fitly illustrated, clearly divided, to the point.’”

Sâmañña Phala Sutta 91 – 92
“With his heart serene, made pure, translucent, cultured, devoid of evil, supple, ready to act, firm and imperturbable, he directs and bends down his mind to the knowledge which penetrates the heart.  Penetrating with his own hear the hearts of other beings, of other men, he knows them.  He discerns—
“The passionate mind to be passionate, and the calm mind calm;
“The angry mind to be angry, and the peaceful mind peaceful;
“The dull mind to be dull, and the alert mind alert;
“The attentive mind to be attentive, and the wandering mind wandering;
“The broad mind to be broad, and the narrow mind narrow;
“The mean mind to be mean, and the lofty mind lofty;
“The stedfast mind to eb stedfast, and the wavering mind to be wavering;
“The free mind to be free, and the enslaved mind enslaved.
“Just, O king, as a woman or a man or a lad, young and smart, on considering attentively the image of his own face in a bright and brilliant mirror or in a vessel of clear water would, if it had a mole on it, know that it had, and if not, would know it had not.
“This, O king, is an immediate fruit of the life of a recluse, visible in this world, and higher and sweeter than the last.”

Mark 13:11
“And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say;  but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”

John 18:33 – 38
“Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’  Jesus answered, ‘Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?’  Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew?’  Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me;  what have you done?’  Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world;  if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews;  but my kingship is not from the world.’  Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’  Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king.  For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the (Truth).  Every one who is of the (Truth) hears my voice.’  Pilate said to him, ‘What is (Truth)?’”



Matthew 5:20
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the (Sovereignty) of heaven.”

Bhagavad Gita 2:52
“When your mind has overcome the confusion of duality, you will attain the state of holy indifference to things you hear and things you have heard.”

Bhagavad Gita 5:18
“Those who possess this wisdom have equal regard for all.  They see the same Self in a spiritual aspirant and an outcaste, in an elephant, a cow, and a dog.”



Sexual Ethics

Sura 4:1, 3 – 4
“O people, keep your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single being and creasted its mate of the same kind, and spread from these two many men and women.  And keep your duty to Allah, by Whom you demand one of another your rights, and to the ties of relationship.  Surely Allah is ever a Watcher over you.
“And if you fear that you cannot do justice to orphans, marry such women as seem (benevolent) to you, two, or three, or four;  but if you fear that you will not do justice, then marry only one or that which your right hands possess.  This is more proper that you may not do injustice.
“And give women their dowries as a free gift.  But if they of themselves be pleased to give you a portion thereof, consume it with enjoyment and pleasure.”

Sura 17:32
“And go not nigh to fornication:  surely it is an obscenity.  And evil is the way.”

Sura 24:30 – 31
“Say to the believing men that they lower their gaze and restrain their sexual passions.  That is purer for them.  Surely Allah is Aware of what they do.
“And say to the believing women that they lower their gaze and restrain their sexual passions and do not display their adornment except what appears therof.  And let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms.  And they should not display their adornment except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or guileless male servants, or the children who know not women’s nakedness.  And let them not strike their feet so that the adornment that they hide may be known.  And turn to Allah all, O believers, so that you may be successful.”

Brahma Gala Sutta 1:8
“Or he might say:  ‘Putting away unchastity, Gotama the recluse is chaste.  He holds himself aloof, far off, from the vulgar practice, from the sexual act.”

Ambattha Sutta 2:1
“In the supreme perfection in wisdom and righteousness, Ambattha, there is no reference to the question either of birth, or of lineage, or of the pride which says:  ‘You are held as worthy as I,’ or ‘You are not held as worthy as I.’  It is where the talk is of marrying, or of giving in marriage, that reference is made to such things as that.  For whosoever, Ambattha, are in bondage to the notions of birth or of lineage, or to the pride of social position, or of connection by marriage, they are far from the best wisdom and righteousness.  It is only by having got rid of all such bondage that one can (Realise) for himself that supreme perfection in wisdom and in conduct.”



Samanna Phala Sutta 97
“With his heart thus serene, made pure, translucent, cultured, devoid of evil, supple, ready to act, firm and imperturbable, he directs and bends down his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the Deadly Floods.  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is pain.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the origin of pain.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the cessation of pain.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the Path that leads to the cessation of pain.’  He knows as they (Truly) are:  ‘These are the Deadly Floods.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the origin of the Deadly Floods.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the cessation of the Deadly Floods.’  He knows as it (Truly) is:  ‘This is the Path that leads to the cessation of the Deadly Floods.’  To him, thus knowing, thus seeing, the heart is set free from the Deadly Tain of Lusts, is set free from the Deadly Taint of Becomings, is set free from the Deadly Taint of Ignorace.  In him, thus set free, there arises the knowledge of his emancipation, and he knows:  ‘Rebirth has been destroyed.  The higher life has been fulfilled.  What had to be done has been accomplished.  After this present life there will be no beyond.’”

Shmot 20:13
“You shall not commit adultery.”

Devarim 22:5
“A woman must not put on man’s apparel, nor shall a man wear woman’s clothing;  for whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD your God.”

Beresheit 2:18 – 25
“The LORD God said, ‘It is not (well) for man to be alone;  I will make a fitting helper for him.’  And the LORD God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them;  and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name.  And the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the wild beasts;  but for Adam no fitting helper was found.  So the LORD God cast a deep sleep upon the man;  and, while he slept, (Adonai) took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that spot.  And the LORD God fashioned the rib that (Adonai) had taken from the man into a woman;  and (Adonai) brought her to the man.  Then the man said,
“ ‘This one at last
“  ‘Is bone of my bones
“ ‘And flesh of my flesh.
“ ‘This one shall be called Woman,
“ ‘For from man was she taken.’
“Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh.
“The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, yet they felt no shame.”



Mark 12:24 – 25
“Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.’”

Matthew 19:3 – 12
“And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, ‘Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?’  He answered, ‘Have you not read that (God) (Who) made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.’  They said to him, ‘Why then did (Moshe) command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?’  He said to them, ‘For you hardness of heart (Moshe) allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you:  whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery.’
“The disciples said to him, ‘If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.’  But he said to them, ‘Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given.  For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the (Sovereignty) of heaven.  Hw who is able to receive this, let him receive it.’”

Bhagavad Gita 1:40 – 43
“When a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed.  With them are lost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its sense of unity.
“Where there is no sense of unity, the women of the family become corrupt;  and with the corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos.
“Social chaos is hell for the family and for those who have destroyed the family as well.  It disrupts the process of spiritual evolution begun by our ancestors.
“The timeless spiritual foundations of family and society would be destroyed by these terrible deeds, which violate the unity of life.”

Bhagavad Gita 2:56 – 61
“Neither agitated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger.  Established in meditation, they are (Truly) wise.
“Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are neither elated by (benevolent) fortune nor depressed by bad.  Such are the seers.
“Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the wise can draw in their senses at will.
“Aspirants abstain from sense pleasures, but they still crave for them.  These cravings all disappear when they see the highest goal.
“Even of those who tread the path, the stormy senses can sweep off the mind.

“They live in wisdom who subdue their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed in (Me).”

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