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Does god use confusion as a test of faith?
- Thread starter jazza82
- Start date
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
jazza82 said:
Who's god? *grin*
My gods (or what I percieve as my gods) tend to utilize confusion, not as a test of faith, but as an encouragement for me to seek answers beyond what I might more easily find myself believing.
FFH
Veteran Member
BucephalusBB
ABACABB
I thought it was satan who would bring the confusion..
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
jazza82 said:
Sure! (Sorry, I should have thought to do that earlier!) One of the goddesses I'm most fond of, Persephone, used confusion in order that I might better understand her nature and my own. When she ate the seeds of the pomegrante that then when on to keep her in the Underworld, did she do so innocently or did she know that they would have that effect? If she did so knowingly, did she do so as an act of rebellion against her mother (Demeter), because she loved Hades, or because she saw that the residents of the afterlife were unhappy? Initially, in worshipping her, I puzzled over what part of her story was the 'true' one, until I finally worked out that whichever version of her story was true to me at any time depended on what I, myself, was feeling. Perhaps because I have a great relationship with my own mum, I can't imagine Persephone rebelling against her. I tend to be rather oblivious, so I could imagine Kore (Persephone's other name, meaning 'the maiden') simply being innocent, and I also see her as being compassionate, an attribute I strongly admire. I also imagine that, were I to be in love, I would see the story in the light of her wanting to stay with Hades. My confusion over the changing of her myth over the years helped me to understand that she is, in some ways, a projection of myself. Another of her attributes is that she helps people in understanding things that are hidden, and I view her as using confusion to help me to understand her better.
jazza82
New Member
FeathersinHair said:
Wow that's quite deep! So I glean from this, that your god and gods intentionaly make it complex and mysterious so as to make it versitile? quite interesting. I think people use this method in good movies as well, and it seems when you watch it over and over you still get new meaning from it. Could be different. Not sure.
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
*nods, then blushes* I don't know if it's deep or not, it's just what I sense from them.jazza82 said:
I think you summarized it excellently. If you've ever read the "Discworld" books, there's one sub-series in which a young girl is realizing that her goal in life is to be a witch. A reoccuring theme in those installments ("The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky") is that part of being a witch is knowing that, in order to properly see the world, one must "open your eyes. And then open your eyes again." I see the gods as being the ones to make you realize that you've opened your eyes once, but that the need to open your eyes again must come from oneself.
Editted to add: I'm sorry! I didn't realize until now that you hadn't been properly greeted! Welcome to the forums! (Feel free to introduce yourself here
, too! I promise that people will only slightly totally tackle you with hellos!)
jazza82
New Member
Ophiuchus said:
I'm happy to hear that you sound happy. What do you think about the attention to detail god used in designing predatory creatures?
The bible says that 'the boy will play apon the hole of the cobra'. so cobras will be a morphed version after armageddon it seems.
jazza82
New Member
FeathersinHair said:*nods, then blushes* I don't know if it's deep or not, it's just what I sense from them.
I think you summarized it excellently. If you've ever read the "Discworld" books, there's one sub-series in which a young girl is realizing that her goal in life is to be a witch. A reoccuring theme in those installments ("The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky") is that part of being a witch is knowing that, in order to properly see the world, one must "open your eyes. And then open your eyes again." I see the gods as being the ones to make you realize that you've opened your eyes once, but that the need to open your eyes again must come from oneself.
Editted to add: I'm sorry! I didn't realize until now that you hadn't been properly greeted! Welcome to the forums! (Feel free to introduce yourself here
You're goin places young lady! I haven't read them though. sounds a bit more inspiring than what i've read in the bible to be honest.
Hey and thanks for the welcome!
nice to know i'm wanted somewhere! lol...
jazza82
New Member
Ophiuchus said:
- [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them.
Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den.
(Isaiah 11:6-8) [/FONT]
FFH
Veteran Member
James 3: 15-18jazza82 said:
15- This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16- For where envyings and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17- But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18- And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
The scriptures will bring clarity and peace of mind like nothing else on this earth.
The scriptures are before us, all we have to do is search, read, and ponder them.
There is nothing more powerful and life changing on this earth than the spoken word's of Jesus Christ.
Read: The Scriptures
Listen: Audio Scriptures
www.Mormon.org
www.LDS.org
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
jazza82 said:You're goin places young lady! I haven't read them though. sounds a bit more inspiring than what i've read in the bible to be honest.
Hey and thanks for the welcome!
Hehee, I think I'm probably three years older than you! (But being called 'young lady' is a nice change from 'that crazy old bat' which my personality seems to lend itself to!
)I tend to recommend Terry Pratchett's books to almost anyone that comes here. While he tends to get rather pointed when it comes to organized religion (and tends to poke fun at the other kind, too), I think his writing captures some of my own thoughts about spirituality. It's rather odd, not being able to express what you believe, and then finding it put into perfect words by someone you've never met. If you're looking for one to start with, focusing more on religion than other ones in the series, I would recommend "Small Gods".
jazza82
New Member
FeathersinHair said:Hehee, I think I'm probably three years older than you! (But being called 'young lady' is a nice change from 'that crazy old bat' which my personality seems to lend itself to!
I tend to recommend Terry Pratchett's books to almost anyone that comes here. While he tends to get rather pointed when it comes to organized religion (and tends to poke fun at the other kind, too), I think his writing captures some of my own thoughts about spirituality. It's rather odd, not being able to express what you believe, and then finding it put into perfect words by someone you've never met. If you're looking for one to start with, focusing more on religion than other ones in the series, I would recommend "Small Gods".
Lol, I thaught I might stirr you with that. 3 years is nothin tho, you're still a baby.
thanks for the thaughts. i gtg till tomorrow. take care all