The Old Irish Blessing a prayer to which god?

Hello to you to Wheel, Well I do hope you come back soon... Your insight is very keen... I like the way that you phrased and framed your reply, it was very good nearly excellent... So tell me can you hold you in the palm of 'his' hand? Tell me about you in opposition to 'him'? By the way you have the right GOD, the Great Spirit... Until we meet again, Peace and Blessings, Sincerely, Gary

Hi there Gary, I haven't forgot about this discussion I just had to chew on it for a bit. Here's what I've been thinking about. I started my response to this discussion by telling you that I considered myself to be a spiritual person not a religious one. I ended by saying that I believe faith or spirituality is inside each and every one of us, if only we choose to look. In your response back to me you asked me if I can hold me in the palm of his hand? And went on to assure me that I indeed did have the correct God, the right God.... The Holy Spirit. I agree with everything you said, up until that point. How do you know that I have "the right God"? I don't think there's any such thing. I definitely believe that there is something bigger than ourselves, larger then life if you will, that holds us all together with all other living things in the universe. If one chooses to call that God then so be it, I think of it as I said, as more of a collective unconsciousness, where we are all interconnected spiritually whether we're aware of it or not. My basic and fundamental problem with organized religion as it is today, is that everyone is busy pointing out, they are right and everyone else is wrong, rather than just focusing on, themselves and how they can make the world a better place. Everyone, in my personal opinion, is busy pointing fingers, at everyone else, and complaining about what they a should be doing, instead of focusing on what I can do personally to make this world a better place. I for one, would much rather be part of a solution, rather than a contributor to the problem I would much prefer, to work for change, rather than complain about all of the things that are wrong. This is why I personally choose not to associate with organized religion. It seems to me that people use God as an excuse to do whatever they think is right, people can choose to twist the words written in the bible, in whichever light is most favorable to them. I think actions speak louder than words and so, I am quite happy to leave that big book on the shelf, and learn from each and every person that comes into my life. I think that if one focuses too much on the bible, as the only source of knowledge and information, they will miss many many opportunities for further learning. I choose to believe that God, or what ever one chooses to call that spiritual entity that holds us all together, will put the people and things in my life that I need at that particular moment. All of the information I need to solve my current problems is right in front of me as long as I am open minded enough to see it when it comes along. On the other hand, if I have blinders on, and believe that there is only one right answer, I may just continue to recreate the same problem over and over again and never find a solution, because I'm not yet open minded enough to see a true solution. As an end note, I'm just curious how you were able to ascertain that I have the correct god or the right god.... And that I am on the right path? All the best.

Hi again Wheel, The answer is simple, very simple... See you wrote the answer in your reply, and thank you for asking me to show you how I knew... Now I hate to call myself an expert on the Bible, it would certainly be foolish to claim that I know the book inside and out having every verse and chapter memorized but I have done my share of listening to people preaching and I've done a lot of reading along and teaching and researching my own beliefs. So I'm dangerous because I have some knowledge... LOL... Not to use the Bible as a sole source for understanding soul issues is the key. On the other hand it is good to have some knowledge and not be blind to the truth that is even found inside of the Bible, they say that there are no absolute truths but we do know better as an apple falls and an object in motion remains in motion while an object at rest remains at rest. We are up against absolute constants all the time and you have described a constant that is found inside of the Bible an absolute truth. No one can see the face of GOD for GOD can not be described. That is a theme scattered all through the pages of the Bible. Now the twisting of man to make GOD in the image of man... We keep on trying to sneak this through and yet it is never true, GOD is not made in the image of man... Let me say that again, in a different way, Man is made in the image of GOD. We are not to make GOD in the image of man... So I see that you espouse the right image of GOD because your GOD can not be defined or put into a box or even the body of another man. Here comes the tricky part, and all of the Christians will jump all over me if they stop reading at that last sentence, if they stop listening and if they stop thinking they are all to be caught in a great wave, a multitude of Christians are being led astray by the leadership of Organized Religion, if they don't here me out they are ripe for the picking of the wrong harvest. I believe that Jesus exists in each one of us. I believe that the teachings of Jesus in the Bible are real and applicable to a life to be lived in harmony with the Universal GOD and nature and other people. The teaching that each one of us is fundamentally good or bad at our core and we can encourage and build up in others either the good or the bad. But once you start a person on the path to destruction be it of the family or the finances there is no turning back if that hardened heart becomes stone cold, blind or deaf to the wisdom of the good of GOD. So can you hold you in his hands is absolutely impossible just as I can not hold me in her hands. We are gender specific we are created as we are in the image of GOD while we are not GOD we are aware of something greater than ourselves and so desire to be held in the hands of GOD all of us together, one to another. What is the tie that binds us together? Love What is the definition of GOD? Love What is GOD? Love What does GOD love? Justice It is all of us working together to hold each other accountable, a very simple message. I think you get it? I got it... Peace and Blessings, Sincerely, Gary

Ahhh... Suspenseful, You know GOD is in you, or didn't you read that part?

So you now have a different perspective of the prayer? That is how I saw it other than I disagree with giving GOD a gender I always saw it as a good Blessing. A good prayer for a good wish to another. Nope I didn't get that it was selfish at all...

I always thought it was something the Irish did to make someone feel good when saying good- bye when they were leaving as if they did not expect to see them again. Something like when we would say "see you around," or "drop in the next time you are back this way," when we are certain that it might be years or not at all. I guess if God is not with someone, then the prayer does become selfish.

Like above it is the picture or image you draw of GOD... Take the second commandment, make for yourself no image of GOD... Your image you create of GOD is not the GOD that created you... You are not worshiping the one true GOD... first commandment... The next thing you could come back with is that Jesus was to be our savior, not if you are making Jesus GOD and not the teacher that reveals the true GOD... There are many flaws in the Bible and the Gospels you can choose your own path, but in the end where will your path lead you? Can you see into the future?

Yeah! It was a little part of my father and his signature, Love Dad, GOD Bless or vice versa... But he would also put the date there as well... The old man was a good guy, too bad others didn't know of his true heart, and too bad that some brought out the worst in him. Who are we to Bless each other? We are all connected and sometimes that Blessing appears to be a curse, but is it? Is it a curse or a blessing, we have to examine one and the other, to see where the road will lead us, be it in a circle or a straight line... The real key would be to find our way home... Where is home? Peace and Blessings, Sincerely, Gary

Hi there, Well, now there's yet another piece of the puzzle to throw into the mix. What exactly does it mean to be blessed? And do we as humans have the right to bless another? Honestly, I have never actually considered whether I have a place in blessing another. Until you brought up this point, I just assumed that as long as I was offering goodwill and not harm, I'd have a right to bless you. Yet another interesting point to ponder. It always amazes me how sometimes we use a word thinking we know what it means and that other people use it in the same context as we do and when you get right down to it maybe we're not talking about the same thing anyway? Perhaps we have different definitions for even the words that we think are most common. Thanks for giving me something else to think about and happy Mylotting!

Wishful thinking that is partly true, and as for forgiveness we are not forgiven in prayer, Jesus taught us that we have actions to follow for forgiveness. We are to confront the person we have sinned against and make right our wrongs before coming to GOD as our walk with the Great Spirit would be broken unless we make right our wrongs. Why has America been Blessed? There is a nation here that knows a Great Spirit and they are the reason for our Blessings. As for the Irish Blessing it would be just that and the person receiving such a Blessing should be thankful. Now what is wrong? Where is the flaw and how do I know it is a flaw? The last line; "May God hold you in the palm of His hand." Look closely at this line and see if you can figure out what I would call the error or flaw and why? Tis' simple my friend, just look closely at the title and the line and see if ye' see's what I's seein' like a little leprechaun got his wee little fingers in there and dominated the theme. Such a little rascal that little instigator he is... Why there isn't any room for a partner, he is a bit controlling and selfish and only half of the team.

Okay, I'll give it another try, but I may be missing the obvious by over thinking the question. It comes to mind that if we were in the palm of God's hand then we wouldn't need the road, wind, sun, and rain. But what do I know? On the other hand, if you believe that Jesus is God and that he is just a man then he could not hold anyone in the palm of his hand. Then there is the statement that the pride of man gets in the way. In that case why would man want to be in God's palm when he thinks he can do everything himself?

You are right, think of the image of GOD... Who can see the face of GOD? What did man create? What is man to worship? Where can you find GOD? If GOD lives in the Universe then GOD lives in all of us... There is a little more, and it is a war... Between who or what?

Hi Hildas, It is mans pride, look above at the clues that I am giving, remember this is according to my opinion, I know many people who will disagree with my opinion, but be that as it is, I am entitled to share my point of view and have been for a long time. So I welcome your confusion and hope to be clear that you don't have to agree with me, but I really appreciate that you take the time to look over what I am getting at. You will see in a different light when I am done that it is all about the pride of man that has this all messed up and this is a great avenue to present more of my thoughts to prove that it is the pride of man... We need to be much more aware of who and how we worship in order to know the one true GOD... Okay, let's see if we have any other people thinking about this discussion? Let's see if anyone else will see what I see?