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#21
11-07-2005, 06:04 AM
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__________________
Adequate words are essential to thinking beyond a visual concept. 
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#22
11-07-2005, 06:11 AM
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if G-d ( G-d is not 'X' for all 'X' )
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#23
11-07-2005, 06:14 AM
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EEWRED, I am back. (that may not be good news, but I genuinely want to help); I don't want this to come across as proselytising (One day- most likely on my death bed, I will be able to write that blasted word without looking it up
 )I can feel your suffering, and the anguish, mental turmoil - you sound like your world has fallen from beneath you and you are lost. May I try again ? This time, I would like to use a fictious scenario. But one that might just a conveniently possible one 'to use'. Imagine God, who had just left this wonderful creation for life on which to develop. Mankind (along with Adam and Eve) were a bit clueless (except on one subject due to that dratted snake)  This was his creation. He had allowed life to emmerge, and saw man struggling (most of them illiterate, living on instincts), much as a Mum would see her little baby turn to the stage of being a child. Of course, humans needed 'schooling'; they had to be taught what was wrong, what was right (and yes, perhaps punished for misdeeds in the class room). Much as the Mum who scolds her child for trying to clim high enough to touch a buring hot plate on an oven, when God saw man 'getting up to mischief', he would have needed to say "Don't touch that hotplate'; if humans kept insisting, maybe he had to let a few be burned to learn the lesson. Manking has, over the centuries, become civilized (though I would disagree with that as a blanket generality) - at least he ought to have become civilized. We are like (perhaps) at the stage of being Uni students who have graduated, and now making our way in the world. We don't need mummy to watch over us anymore. Sure, we can be naughty, and we will be brought up in front of a judge, and have a sentence passed. God is different in this matter. He sacrificed his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to give us the message that as long as we are baptised, we truly repent our sins, and do our best to be as Christ-like as possible (and I guess most of us fail miserably), when the time comes, he will forgive us (much more lenient that an Earth Judge!) Have you ever sat, in the woods, and watched a colony of ants working away, having a hard time of it ? there might be a boulder in their way, it might start raining, and the poor little ants will struggle.........do you move the rock, do you hold an umbrella over the ants ? - it is tempting to do so, but you don't (unless you are a nutter like me - joking, I wouldn't go that far). My wife has often screamed "Darling, there's a horrible spider in the bath, please come and deal with it!". I used to be terrified of spiders. Now that I have learned to have respect for any living thing, I take the spidert out of the bath, as gently as i can, take the little guy outside, and let him loose in the folliage, where i think he might feel more at home. Perhaps, some people do get 'removed from the bath, and put where they feel more at home', by God either by a) having a spiritual 'moment' b) find themselves in circumstances where they are given every opportunity (only if they choose it) to do good. Katrina killed many; it made others homeless, wounded, lives were devastated. Yet, I remember Deut posting an article about a Rabbi (if I remember correctly), who threw open his doors, and who fed and warmed survivors...(some of those might well have been anti-semitic - who knows). I posted a thread yesterday about a Negro woman singer who stole food and a bus to help others escape. When she was asked if she felt guilty about the thefts, she said "I feel guilty about all those who were screaming at me to let them onto the already crowded bus".....and she was crying....... Out of anything bad, come some good. People from all over the world have dug deep in their pockets to help Darfur, The tsunami appeal, Katrina victims. The worst disasters bring the best out of people. I shall never forget how my parents described the commeraderie between total strangers in, say, London, during WWII when bombs were crashing down, night after night. People would do anything for another stranger; they became selfless. I guess that maybe I am trying to give you food for thought that is inspirational about the God I believe in; about the Jesus Christ I would like to be able to emulate (I wish!  ).Some in this thread have said "This is your decision is yours, think about it and do what your heart tells you". That is perfectly right and proper; if you decide to become an atheist, or an agnostic at the end of this soul-searching, no one is going to blame you; you have good reason to take that descision - you feel that the God you have been following has let you down, disappeared, is callous (whatever). I am trying (in my usual fumbling unconventional way) to give you a perspective you might not have thought of, and one which will allow you (if that is what you wish) to keep on the path you chose, years back. I only want to help give you every opportunity to see different angles. If what I have written seems like rubbish to you, then so be it. My conscience is making me post this. Good luck, my friend, and may you choose what makes you happy - whatever that is. 
__________________
My life is an open book; if you don't like the read, put me back on the shelf ....................
Last edited by michel; 11-07-2005 at 06:17 AM.
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#24
11-07-2005, 06:40 AM
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Did you ever watch "Bruce Almighty"??? In it, Bruce pulled the moon closer to impress his girlfriend. The headlines in the news for the next day discussed a "freak" tidal wave.
God has created a wonderful world. We sing about the purple mountains majesty and yet we ignore the forces that made them and that are still modifying the earth today. If we are going accept the beauty, then we have to accept the fury as well. Anything less is simply being dishonest about the whole process. If you think that God should just turn it all "off", think about those unintended consequences from "Bruce Almighty". God knows what he's doing. While we like to second guess him and tell him a thing or two, he still knows what's best for EVERYONE.
__________________
On sabbatical until things become fun again.
Reach me at NetDoc@ScubaBoard.com or on www.ScubaBoard.com.
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#25
11-07-2005, 07:12 AM
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Quote:
__________________
Adequate words are essential to thinking beyond a visual concept.
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#26
11-07-2005, 10:55 AM
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#27
11-07-2005, 11:15 AM
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Quote:
__________________
On sabbatical until things become fun again.
Reach me at NetDoc@ScubaBoard.com or on www.ScubaBoard.com.
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#28
11-07-2005, 11:43 AM
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Thank You to everyone for the thoughts. Still thinking about it. Don't have much else to say right now, but I still welcome your insight. The kind words were quite a surprise, so thanks for that too.
__________________
I start the threads that make the whole forum scream.
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#29
11-07-2005, 12:01 PM
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As a project I was working on for another member, I'm trying to write and record a guided meditation to help those who are questioning their faith and considering another. I'm going to step up my work on that, so that you can use it, if you wish.
__________________
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...Mad Brain Surgeon!...