I just don't buy it

[Eric T]

It is said ... "The world and religion [dunya te din] are like two sisters.
If you marry one, you cannot marry the other ... If you turn your back to
the world, you will face God" (dunya ki taraf pith kare ton khuda ti taraf
mun hota hey) ~ from "Pilgrims of love: the anthology of a global Sufi cult"
by Pnina Werbner. Google Books http://bit.ly/5sR0WM

And Rumi says ... "When you have been concealed from yourself, quickly flee
the world! Do not turn your face back toward yourself- beware! Beware!"

And yet, it is said: "Withersoever you turn, there is the face of God"
(2:115) ~ "The Sufi path of love: the spiritual teachings of Rumi" by Jalal
al-Din Rumi (Maulana), William C. Chittick.

This reminds me of the students who were each given a chicken by their
master and instructed to go away, find a place where they couldn't be seen,
and to kill their chicken. One returned with his chicken still alive, as he
realized that there was nowhere he could go where he would not be seen.

How do you reconcile the former with service (which to my mind must involve
love, or what is it worth?), if you shun all that you serve, other than God?
Sorry, and bearing in mind that I may be mistaken, I just don't buy it.

--
http://sherpoint.blogspot.com/

[Jeff George]

On Nov 24, 5:24 am, "Eric T" <nob...@astral.ykfyindonzj.com> wrote:
> It is said ... "The world and religion [dunya te din] are like two sisters.
> If you marry one, you cannot marry the other ... If you turn your back to
> the world, you will face God" (dunya ki taraf pith kare ton khuda ti taraf
> mun hota hey) ~ from "Pilgrims of love: the anthology of a global Sufi cult"

> by Pnina Werbner. Google Bookshttp://bit.ly/5sR0WM

>
> And Rumi says ... "When you have been concealed from yourself, quickly flee
> the world! Do not turn your face back toward yourself- beware! Beware!"
>
> And yet, it is said: "Withersoever you turn, there is the face of God"
> (2:115) ~ "The Sufi path of love: the spiritual teachings of Rumi" by Jalal
> al-Din Rumi (Maulana), William C. Chittick.
>
> This reminds me of the students who were each given a chicken by their
> master and instructed to go away, find a place where they couldn't be seen,
> and to kill their chicken. One returned with his chicken still alive, as he
> realized that there was nowhere he could go where he would not be seen.
>
> How do you reconcile the former with service (which to my mind must involve
> love, or what is it worth?), if you shun all that you serve, other than God?
> Sorry, and bearing in mind that I may be mistaken, I just don't buy it.
>
> --http://sherpoint.blogspot.com/

Possible translation and context issues aside, reconciling this is
only a problem if you have a worldly concept of God.