Wanted: Dead Or Alive

What does the phrase Wanted: Dead Or Alive mean? It depends on whether we're talking about the physical body or our internal qualities. Let's take a look:

1. Physical Body:
• With respect to our physical body, the phrase Wanted: Dead or Alive means two opposite things:
• Dead: If somebody's captured, they could be killed.
• Alive: If somebody's captured, they could be taken alive. 
• The phrase has potentially negative connotations.
• If a person is Wanted: Dead or Alive, it means they're wanted either physically Dead or physically Alive, two opposite states.
2. Internal Qualities: 
• With respect to our internal qualities, the phrase Wanted: Dead Or Alive means the exact same thing, meaning when one quality dies, a new quality is born and comes to life:
• Dead: This means the death of the quality of selfishness.
• Alive: This means the birth of the quality of bestowal.
• When we change from personal selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) to mutual bestowal (seeking to benefit others), selfishness dies and bestowal is born, bestowal comes to life.
• The phrase has positive connotations because both Dead and Alive mean the exact same thing, moving from selfishness to bestowal.
• If a person is Wanted: Dead Or Alive, it means they're wanted with their quality of selfishness Dead (meaning they're in bestowal), or they're wanted with their quality of bestowal Alive (meaning they're in bestowal). Both mean the exact same thing.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Reward

Some people do good deeds and aspire to receive their reward AFTER they die. Yet we're already surrounded by love, right here, right now. We just have to reveal it, attain it.

We don't have to die to receive our reward, we just have to change. Our perception of reality has to change and our internal qualities have to change from personal selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) to mutual bestowal (seeking to benefit others).

There's nothing else. Everything is already right here. We just have to realize it.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Blind, Asleep and Dead

The Bible and The Quran talk a lot about being blind [1], being asleep [2] and being dead [3]. What does this mean? Let's take a look:

1. Physically Blind, Asleep And Dead:
• It could mean being physically blind, physically asleep and physically dead. But we also know that The Bible and The Quran talk about the blind receiving their sight, those who are asleep waking up and the resurrection of the dead. So there's probably more to it that just the physical.
• Not to negate the physical states, not at all. The physical states exist because they represent our connection with God (or lack thereof).
• Just because somebody's blind doesn't mean they don't have a connection with God, it simply means they represent a type of connection with God (or lack thereof).
2. Going From Something You Don't Know to Something You know: 
• One example is that I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. So you could say that I'm blind, asleep or dead to what's going to happen tomorrow. When tomorrow comes and I experience it, then you could say that I can see, I'm awake and I'm alive. I've experienced tomorrow, I now know it.
• Another example is that of a child. A 3 year old doesn't know what it means to be an adult. You could say that the child is blind, asleep or dead to what it means to be an adult. When the child grows up and becomes an adult, then you could say that she can see, she's awake and she's alive. She knows what it means to be an adult because she's experienced it.
• Just like a child, we're going to grow up. We're going to change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal. Today we're immersed in selfishness, seeking to benefit ourselves with no regard for others. We have no idea what it means to be connected in mutual bestowal. You could say that we're blind, asleep or dead to what it means to be in mutual bestowal. When we become connected in mutual bestowal, we'll see, we'll be awake, we'll be alive. Now we're blind but soon we'll see, now we're asleep but soon we'll wake up, now we're dead but soon we'll rise from the dead and be alive.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.

___________

References:

1. Blind:
• "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known ..." (Isaiah 42:16, NIV)
• "... deaf, dumb and blind ..." (Quran 2:171, Sahih)
2. Asleep:
1. "The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep..." (Isaiah 29:10, NIV)
2. " ... while they are asleep." (Quran 7:97, Sahih)
3. Dead:
1. "Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?" (Psalm 6:5, NIV)
2. "Wherever you may be, death will overtake you ..." (Quran 4:78, Sahih)

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Death As A Good Thing

Edited Aug 17, 2014.

There's the two forces in nature (bestowal and reception), then there's my story:

The Two Forces In Nature (Bestowal And Reception):

There are two forces in nature, bestowal and reception:

1. Bestowal:
• Is associated with the color white.
• Is associated with dogs.
• If bestowal dies, it's a bad thing because it means one is no longer in bestowal.
2. Reception:
• Is associated with the color black.
• Is associated with cats.
• If self-reception dies, it's a good thing because it means one is no longer in selfishness, one is in bestowal.

Here's My Story:

When I was about 12 or 13 years old, we lived in Mombasa, Kenya. We had two cats called Salt and Pepper. (Cats are associated with reception, salt is white so it's associated with bestowal and pepper is black so it's associated with reception).

One day I was playing with Pepper. I enjoyed seeing how innovative he could be. I would put him on top of the fridge to see how he would get down. He would jump on to the counter, then on the floor etc. After I did this a few times, he got fed up with me because he jumped straight down from the top of the fridge to the floor. He hurt himself quite badly and a few days later he had to be put down. I felt terrible. It was my fault.

As it turns out, this event has a positive meaning. The death of Pepper means the death of self-reception, the death of Receiving to Receive. Salt lived, which means reception would be transformed to bestowal, a state called Receiving To Bestow.

Basically, it means killing the quality of selfishness in order to be in the quality of bestowal, which is a good thing. However, once you're in the quality of bestowal, "You shall not murder" (Deuteronomy 5:17, NIV), meaning don't kill the quality of bestowal and fall back into selfishness.

This doesn't mean that people have free license to do whatever they want. Not at all. It doesn't mean that people should commit suicide. Not at all. Never commit suicide.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves, this includes being kind to all animals and to all of nature.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

What Are You Ready To Die For?

Some people are ready to die for their country, a cause, their honour, a worldly relationship etc. You may think this is noble, but it's rooted in the quality of selfishness.

The only thing worth dying for is love, true love that is. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one that this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13, NIV)

I'm not talking about a biological death or the death of the physical body. I'm talking about the death of our internal quality of selfishness.

Are you willing to give up your selfish ways to benefit your friend instead? Are you willing to let your selfish nature die, so you can connect with others in mutual concern and consideration, seeking to benefit others instead of yourself?

Some people want to die to run away from their problems, but your problems are there to bring you to bestowal. Don't kill yourself, instead, cry out to The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ask Him to help you and He will. Ask Him to change your internal qualities from selfishness to bestowal, and He will.

Do not be afraid. God is with us.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Understanding Death

Let's examine a few things about death: the angel of death, a bad death versus a good death, the resurrection of the dead and the death of death.

The Angel Of Death

The angel of death is a force that kills. It kills indiscriminately; however, what it kills makes all the difference:

• If the angel of death kills our internal quality of bestowal, then it's a bad thing because it means we're becoming immersed in selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) and we're becoming separated from God in quality. This is where we are today, immersed in selfishness and separated from God.
• If the angel of death kills our internal quality of selfishness, then it's a good thing because it means we're attaining the quality of bestowal (seeking to benefit others) and we're returning to God in quality. Today, we have to attain bestowal and we have to return to God in quality.

Each time we draw nearer to God in quality (or further away), our state changes. One state cancels (kills) a previous state. Two states don't exist together.

For example, a 20 year old - cancels (kills) his previous 10 year old self (state). His 10 year old self no longer exists, it's replaced by his 20 year old state.

A Bad Death Versus A Good Death

The two types of death - the death of bestowal and the death of selfishness - are both mentioned in The Bible and The Quran.

The Bible and The Quran also mention the various states we go through as we become increasing separated or similar to God in quality.

One has to understand the context in order to understand which death is being reference.

• The Death of Bestowal - A Bad Death:
• The death of bestowal is considered a bad death because when our internal quality of bestowal dies, we become immersed in selfishness and we become separated from God in quality.
• Here are examples from The Bible and The Quran:
• God said, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17, NKJV)
• "For in death there is no remembrance of You ..." (Psalms 6:5, NKJV)
• "Adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand." (Psalms 88:5, NKJV)
• "Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah ..." (Quran 2:161, Sahih) 
• The Death of Selfishness - A Good Death:
• The death of selfishness is considered a good death because when our internal quality of selfishness dies, we attain the quality of bestowal and we return to God in quality.
• Here are examples from The Bible and The Quran:
• "Every soul will taste death." (Quran 21:35, Sahih)
• Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25, NKJV)
• "And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." (Quran 2:154, Sahih)
• "... kill the polytheists (meaning the quality of selfishness) wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent (meaning return to bestowal), establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way." (Quran 9:5, Sahih)

The Resurrection Of The Dead

The Bible and The Quran also talk about the resurrection of the dead. The quality of selfishness (seeking to benefit oneself) is considered dead, and the quality of bestowal (seeking to benefit others) is considered alive.

When our internal qualities change from selfishness to bestowal, the dead shall live, the dead shall be resurrected to life. As it is written:

• "Your dead shall live ..." (Isaiah 26:19, NKJV)
• "But the dead - Allah will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned." (Quran 6:36, Sahih)

The Death Of Death (The Death of Selfishness)

When our internal qualities change from selfishness to bestowal, the quality of selfishness shall cease to exist, it will be completely cut off, wiped out and we'll attain 100% bestowal. As it is written"

• "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Revelations 21:4, NKJV)
• "...in the generation following let their name be blotted out ... That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth ..." (Psalms 109:13,15, NKJV)
• " ... and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more." (Psalms 37:10, NKJV)

We've looked at the angel of death, a good death compared to a bad death, the resurrection of the dead and the death of death.

Do not be afraid, The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is with us and to Him we shall all return.

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

Second Chances Are Really Important

We all do negative things, things that later, we come to regret. It's part of being a human being and it's part of learning good behaviour from bad behaviour.

As we grow up, life experiences show us that our negative destructive behaviour from our past was/is inappropriate. We learn constructive behaviour and we want that positive behaviour in our lives, in our children's lives and in our community as a whole.

It is possible for people to change, to transform, to see the positive from the negative, to see the constructive from the destructive.

As such, second chances are really important. It gives people an opportunity to engage in their own personal growth and development, to become better human beings.

Also, it's an expression of our humanity, an expression of our emotional intelligence, traits that we need in society today - empathy, consideration, understanding, compassion, sympathy, love and genuine concern for the welfare and well-being of others.

If you kill someone, you've denied them any chance of a second chance.

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.

A Prayer for The Resurrection of The Dead

You are God, The One True God
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
The Living God, The Infinite God
 
We pray for ourselves
   because we are immersed in the quality of selfishness
In this state we are dead
   because we are disconnected from You and from each other
   seeking only to benefit ourselves
 
We pray for our resurrection
   the resurrection of the dead
That we may exit the quality of selfishness called 'death'
   and be raised from the dead
Bring us back to 'life', to the quality of love of others
That we may seek to benefit others instead of ourselves
And become connected with You and with each other

We want to return to You
Which means we have to change our inner qualities
By changing our inner qualities we return to you in quality
You are love and Your Kingdom is the quality of love of others
Raise us from the dead and bring us back to life
Change our inner qualities from selfishness to love of others

Copyright  © 2013, Carter Kagume. All rights reserved.

Death Itself Dies and Life Itself Lives

The Bible and the Quran both speak about two families: the family of selfishness (seeking to benefit oneself), governed by the devil; and the family of love of others (seeking to benefit others), governed by God. 

Both books talk about how we will change our qualities from selfishness to love of others and return to God.

è   è   è   We Develop from Selfishness to Love of Others   è   è   è
Family of Selfishness	Family of Love of Others
•       Seeking to benefit oneself •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc	•       Seeking to benefit others •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc
•       Father is the devil •       Kingdom of this world	•       Father is God •       Kingdom of God
DEATH	LIFE
The quality of selfishness is considered death.   When we are in the quality of selfishness we are separated from God because God is the quality of love of others.   When we are separated from God we are considered dead.   When we change our qualities from selfishness to love of others, the quality of selfishness within us dies. That which keeps us separated from God dies.   Death itself dies.   ... and the quality of love of others within us comes to life.	The quality of love of others is considered life.   When we are in the quality of love of others we are connected to God because God is the quality of love of others.   When we are connected to God we are considered alive.   When we change our qualities from selfishness to love of others, the quality of selfishness within us dies and the quality of love of others within us comes to life.   Life itself lives.   We become a part of God's family, the family of love of others.
Copyright © 2013 , Carter Kagume. May be used for research purposes only. May not be used for any commercial purposes.

Life, Death, Resurrection and Being Born Again

The Bible and the Quran speak about two families: the family of selfishness (seeking to benefit oneself), governed by the devil; and the family of love of others (seeking to benefit others), governed by God.

Both the Bible and the Quran talk about how we will change our qualities from selfishness to love of others:

1. The quality of selfishness will DIE and the quality of love of others will LIVE

2. When our quality changes from selfishness (death) to love of others (life), this is considered the RESURRECTION of the dead because the dead quality of selfishness will rise to life and be in the quality of love of others

3. We will be BORN AGAIN, out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others

è   è   è   We Develop from Selfishness to Love of Others   è   è   è
Family of Selfishness	Family of Love of Others
•       Seeking to benefit oneself •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc	•       Seeking to benefit others •       This family has a father, mother, brother, sister etc
•       Father is the devil •       Kingdom of this world	•       Father is God •       Kingdom of God
•       Born of the flesh •       Death	•       Born of the Spirit •       Life
"And the disbeliever says, "When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?" (Quran 19:66, Sahih) Meaning when I am in the quality of selfishness (dead) will I be brought back to life in the quality of love of others? Answer: YES   "Thus does Allah bring the dead to life..." (Quran 2:73, Sahih) Meaning God will change our quality from selfishness to love of others   "He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned." (Quran 10:56, Sahih) Meaning God causes the quality of selfishness to die and causes the quality of love of others to live and we will be returned to God's Family   "13. Then you shall know that I am the Lord (YHVH), when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live..." (Ezekiel 37:13-14, NKJV) Meaning we will leave the quality of selfishness (the grave) and enter into the quality of love of others (life)   "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction!" (Hosea 13:14, NKJV) Meaning we will leave the quality of selfishness	"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. " (John 3:3, NKJV) Meaning you have to be born out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others   "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6, NKJV) Meaning our internal quality (spirit) will change from selfishness to love of others   "... the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21, NKJV) Meaning our internal qualities determine which kingdom we belong to. If we're in the quality of selfishness we belong to the kingdom of this world, if we're in the quality of love of others we belong to the kingdom of God.   "O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." (Psalm 30:3, NKJV) Meaning God has brought me out of the quality of selfishness into the quality of love of others   "He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection ..." (Quran 6:12, Sahih) Meaning we will be resurrected from the quality of selfishness (death) into the quality of love of others (life)
Copyright © 2013 , Carter Kagume. May be used for research purposes only. May not be used for any commercial purposes.