Watch or listen to the latest Richard Urban Show: Why Abstinence Matters-4: Sex Outside of Marriage Harms Society.
Luke 7
6 So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus wasn’t far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. 7 And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. 8 I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith!”
10 The officer’s friends returned and found the servant well.
Proverbs 29
29 If you keep being stubborn
after many warnings,
you will suddenly discover
you have gone too far.
World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 4
God’s Creation and Human Creativity
The Sanctity of Nature
3. Mother Earth and Her Children
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegeta-
tion, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing
fruit in which is their seed, each according to its
kind, upon the earth.” And it was so. The earth
brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed,
and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their
seed, each according to its kind. And God saw
that it was good.
Genesis 1.11-12
Perhaps if we are lucky,
Our earth mother
Will wrap herself in a fourfold robe of white meal,
Full of frost flowers;
A floor of ice will spread over the world,
The forests because of the cold will lean to one
side,
Their arms will break beneath the weight of snow.
When the days are thus,
The flesh of our earth mother will crack with
cold.
Then in the spring when she is replete with
living waters,
Our mothers,
All different kinds of corn,
In their earth mother we shall lay to rest.
With their earth mother’s living waters
They will be made into new beings;
Into their sun father’s daylight
They will come out standing;
Yonder to all directions
They will stretch out their hands calling for rain.
Then with their fresh waters
The rain makers will pass us on our roads.
Clasping their young ones [the ears of corn] in
their arms,
They will rear their children.
Gathering them into our houses,
Following these toward whom our thoughts bend,
With our thoughts following them,
Thus we shall always live.
Zuni Song (Native American Religions)
Set me, O Earth, amidst thy center and thy navel,
and vitalizing forces that emanate from thy body.
Purify us from all sides.
Earth is my Mother; her son am I;
and Heaven my Father: may he fill us with
plenty…
Whatever I dig from thee, Earth,
may that have quick growth again.
O purifier, may we not injure thy vitals or thy
heart…
As a horse scatters dust, so did Earth, since she
was born,
scatter the people who dwelt on the land,
and she joyously sped on, the world’s
protectress,
supporter of forest trees and plants.
What I [Earth] speak, I speak with sweetness;
what I look at endears itself to me;
and I am fiery and impetuous: others who fly at
me with wrath
I smite down.
Peaceful, sweet-smelling, gracious, filled with
milk,
and bearing nectar in her breast,
may Earth give with the milk her blessings to
me. Who brings the day, and you give light to us
through him.
How handsome he is, how radiant, with great
splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Thou art the vessel, the Mother of the people,
the fulfiller of wishes, far-extending.
Whatever is wanting in thee is filled
by Prajapati, first-born of Eternal Order [the
first god]. Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the
Stars.
In heaven you have formed them, bright, and
precious, and beautiful.
May those born of thee, O Earth,
be, for our welfare, free from sickness and
waste.
Wakeful through a long life, we shall become
bearers of tribute for thee.
Earth, my Mother! set me securely with bliss
in full accord with Heaven. Wise One,
uphold me in grace and splendor.
Atharva Veda 12.1 (Hinduism)
Most High, omnipotent, good Lord,
All praise, glory, honor, and blessing are yours.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong,
And no one is worthy to pronounce your name.
Be praised, my Lord, with all your creatures,
Especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who brings the day, and you give light to us
through him.
How handsome he is, how radiant, with great
splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the
Stars.
In heaven you have formed them, bright, and
precious, and beautiful.
Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Wind,
And for Air, for Cloud, and Clear, and all
weather.
By which you give your creatures nourishment.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water,
She is very useful, and humble, and precious,
and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire,
By whom you light up the night.
How handsome he is, how happy, how powerful
and strong!
Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister, Mother
Earth.
Who nourishes and governs us,
And produces various fruits with many-colored
flowers and herbs.
St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Sun (Christianity)