Faith is important.

[Shadowprophet]

I sit here this morning. Unafraid, Unpanicked, Without Fear and at peace, We all worry about an uncertain future, But Faith affords someone a clearer sight of truth. Through faith, someone can see the fabrications of daily life lifted, The Illusion of daily living tells us, Look at how comfortable we are, Look at all we have accumulated, All we have achieved, We can lose all of this Happiness and joy we have collected into a pile.

But When you see the truth of reality you begin to understand that the only reason you are here at all is to lift up others, You begin to see that If you were the only being alive in a universe all alone, Then what would that lonely existence be worth With no one to share it with? You begin to see that others are the real Treasure of this reality. And nothing else even comes close to that. We get to share this life with others.

Faith is important because even in these dark times when people fear sickness and the unknown. Faith affords us the understanding that We were never once Safe from death ever in our entire lives and we have always lived facing the darkness of the unknown. As long as you still breathe life here, Then your life has meaning, As long as you can share your strength with another then you have a profound purpose,

I want to dispel something here, I spoke of Faith And Love, Those are not Religious concepts exclusively. Anyone can have Faith, A complete trust in something or someone. You can completely trust that as long as you live, As long as you still share in this world, That someone somewhere needs you, The world is full of darkness and suffering. There is no shortage of need.

Find those people, Serve your purpose.

SP.

 

[Shadowprophet]

I know, Old Shadow, He's flipped his gourd. I assure you, my mind is more sharply tempered than you have witnessed ever before. We look into the unknown and call it a reality, Not fully understanding it, Yet we accept is as reality And call it as such, Is this not faith? To know something, To be certain without fully understanding?

No matter how you contextualize it, Faith is important.

 

[Sheltie]

Thank you for posting this, SP. I believe very strongly that it's important to have a spiritual faith.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who have a huge chip on their shoulder because of bad experiences they had with organized religion while growing up. I know a lot of people who grew up in a strict Southern Baptist household or attended Catholic school. I'm sorry for the trauma it may have caused but we should not let it prevent us from enjoying our faith and our personal relationship with God or the spirit world.

 

[Shadowprophet]

Thank you for posting this, SP. I believe very strongly that it's important to have a spiritual faith.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who have a huge chip on their shoulder because of bad experiences they had with organized religion while growing up. I know a lot of people who grew up in a strict Southern Baptist household or attended Catholic school. I'm sorry for the trauma it may have caused but we should not let it prevent us from enjoying our faith and our personal relationship with God or the spirit world.

I tend to agree, There are a lot of people out there that when they hear I am a Christian, They begin to Judge and assume, And all I have to go by is, Know me as the person I have been to you. People make assumptions about Spirituality and what it is. Sure there are guidelines. But Each person Grows in the spirit in their own ways and becomes their own person. Sure, I'm a Christians Who knows a great deal of science, But one doesn't invalidate the other. People aren't so simple and binary as to be a shallow do or don't choice. people assume they know what a Christain is, And apply that to me when I say I'm a Christian. That's the problem with spirituality as far as others perceive it. preconceived notions.

If a man spends his life showering you with love and acceptance and all good things, Does it change that man's accomplishments toward you if he says, oh, By the way, I'm Christian? To some people, it does And has before.

Religion teaches a lot of things, But Spirituality Teachs Love, To accept this person for the person they are. Spirituality isn't nearly as complicated as religion honestly

 

[pepe]

I think the problem people have with folk who declare their religion and aren't religious themselves is maybe that once declared as such while doing good, the good can be seen as doing it for oneself somehow. Trying to make the list or stay off the other one, dilutes the sentiment and I think can create an illusion of one being used for anothers ultimate benifit that doesn't take place in this realm.

I have no problem with it as i think it becomes inherant once a certain level of awareness is attained and the question is asked.

Nature once observed in cycles sure has a big hand.

 

[Shadowprophet]

I think the problem people have with folk who declare their religion and aren't religious themselves is maybe that once declared as such while doing good, the good can be seen as doing it for oneself somehow. Trying to make the list or stay off the other one, dilutes the sentiment and I think can create an illusion of one being used for anothers ultimate benifit that doesn't take place in this realm.

I have no problem with it as i think it becomes inherant once a certain level of awareness is attained and the question is asked.

Nature once observed in cycles sure has a big hand.

Oh, I get it kind of Like, This person is being a goodie two shoes to show off to others kind of mentality? I get that nobody likes that happy morning person or the guy that pretends Just putting a smile on your face will make all the bad go away.

Consider the contrary, Lots of people who proclaim to be Christian, Face a lot of criticism, And harsh reactions to be called to defend their beliefs. To be honest. Declaring one is a Christian Is much akin to standing up loudly in a movie theater full of people and declaring one's self to be an Uncool nerd that deserves scorn. Consider, How many times have you seen someone come in and speak about religion, Then the next thing you know, they are clinking on to dear life just to defend why they believe as they do? It happens.

That's why I was saying, People have these notions on what it means to be a Christian. They Think Ned Flanders, The upper Middle-class guy that doesn't know hardships that goes home and sits around a dinner table while saluting the flag. If you think about it, People who proclaim to be Christian publicly, put a target on their backs and ask for a path of hardship among peers. Ned Flanders people are happy Because Daily they deal with so much hardship that the only way to stay happy is to simply not let go of the belief that eventually, things will improve. It's not easy being a Public Christian. Not at all my brother.


Think about it, Who can say, Even among those who don't believe. Who can say, boy, I'll bet those Christians have it so easy in these modern times. We really don't brother.

TO note, These forums are tolerant, You are tolerant, But some people, Nay, a lot of people, Absolutely despise Christians. We deal with a lot of negativity and hate. And the only real way to process it all is, Some people will hate us, That's just how it is. And let that hate roll right off us, Because that's what hate is. Truly in its viral form, It's Simply an emotional attack someone tries to use on others to inflict hurt or damage or displeasure. But, No matter what kind of person someone is, There is a group out there that hates them. It's not easy being Christian, But likewise, It's not easy, To just Be.

 

[pepe]

The West has been moving away from identifying as one or the other in an attempt to quell our differences across the board and religion doesn't escape it I think. I can only imagine the hardship of one who has a deep mainstream faith as with nearly all subjects, once the masses are involved, it takes on a different face and even among its own it breaks in two.

I like religion as a concept as it is naturally evoked with evolving. It's why I believe in seeding and our growth as of the same hand. I would never judge anothers faith by comparison as I think we are all barking up the same tree, being heard becomes important otherwise the journey to the tree was only for a quick piss and a sniff but because I think faith is part of evolution it can't be overlooked or dropped.

 

[Shadowprophet]

The West has been moving away from identifying as one or the other in an attempt to quell our differences across the board and religion doesn't escape it I think. I can only imagine the hardship of one who has a deep mainstream faith as with nearly all subjects, once the masses are involved, it takes on a different face and even among its own it breaks in two.

I like religion as a concept as it is naturally evoked with evolving. It's why I believe in seeding and our growth as of the same hand. I would never judge anothers faith by comparison as I think we are all barking up the same tree, being heard becomes important otherwise the journey to the tree was only for a quick piss and a sniff but because I think faith is part of evolution it can't be overlooked or dropped.

Oh yeah, it's complicated, Even governments have issues with religion, Really for as far back as it goes, To the separation of Church and state. Because a power knows it can't fully pacify someone who answers to an authority higher than the government, If even only to that person who thinks that. Still, A person such as this can't be pacified and controlled so easily. I think that maybe a fundamental thing that all religions teach. To paraphrase. "Hey, They will try to control you, with laws and enslavements, Here are the dos and don ts" So governments can't really possess absolution power over religion. That's one of the reasons you see these political pushes very often in Both camps. Against organized religion.

 

[pepe]

Oh yeah, it's complicated, Even governments have issues with religion, Really for as far back as it goes, To the separation of Church and state. Because a power knows it can't fully pacify someone who answers to an authority higher than the government, If even only to that person who thinks that. Still, A person such as this can't be pacified and controlled so easily. I think that maybe a fundamental thing that all religions teach. To paraphrase. "Hey, They will try to control you, with laws and enslavements, Here are the dos and don ts" So governments can't really possess absolution power over religion. That's one of the reasons you see these political pushes very often in Both camps. Against organized religion.

Henry the eighth had it made official while he reigned and created the position of supreme head of the church so he could take the power as his own and clear the path. It resembles freedom from oppression to me but did originate from indoctrination which is anything but freedom.

To have another to answer to greater than those who ask the questions.

 

[Sheltie]

A big part of the problem is that a church is in reality a business. It needs to take in revenue in order to survive. Enrollment in organized religion in the US, and probably most of the western world, has been steadily declining since the 1960's. I think there is a temptation for them to pander to certain political or social views in order to survive.

 

[pepe]

A big part of the problem is that a church is in reality a business. It needs to take in revenue in order to survive. Enrollment in organized religion in the US, and probably most of the western world, has been steadily declining since the 1960's. I think there is a temptation for them to pander to certain political or social views in order to survive.

Could it be one of the reasons why the Western world is closing up, I too see how the church has been in decline and because how the world has changed. It's always been with us and could have a hand to play in the direction of reversing progression.

Like an anchor.

 

[Sheltie]

Growing up, my family belonged to the United Methodist Church. I was an active member in a Methodist Church until about 10 yrs ago. I finally quit in disgust because it is so interested in trying to pander to liberal causes to show how "progressive" it is.

Recently there was an incident in Virginia Beach where a Trump supporter was body slammed at Methodist-affiliated Virginia Wesleyan University by a security guard as he was leaving a Bernie Sanders rally. It only made the local news in the Norfolk area. Even here in Richmond there was no media coverage.

Personal faith does not exist at today's Methodist Church. It is a dead church that only cares about about political and social issues.

 

[Kchoo]

Peace bro.

Do not attack and single out by the label.

It takes a brew of all factions to produce a whole.

Balance will come... but not by attack.

Since the 80's the media puppets have been/are loading up TV with attack as the right way to move forward. And it is wrong.

Bullying, from any angle, attacking anything... is not going to do anything but add to the brawl.

When politicians fight like a ball of cats on the lawn, when a media host attacks the children of poiliticians, and when even the best candidate gives in to personal attacks... more is lost than gained holistically.

Set an example.

 

[Shadowprophet]

Peace bro.

Do not attack and single out by the label.

It takes a brew of all factions to produce a whole.

Balance will come... but not by attack.

Since the 80's the media puppets have been/are loading up TV with attack as the right way to move forward. And it is wrong.

Bullying, from any angle, attacking anything... is not going to do anything but add to the brawl.

When politicians fight like a ball of cats on the lawn, when a media host attacks the children of poiliticians, and when even the best candidate gives in to personal attacks... more is lost than gained holistically.

Set an example.

I have found in the past, Almost every situation where I was the aggressor ended poorly for me, The lesson is, Sure, there is a time to fight and make a stand for what one believes in. That time is rarely ever in a discussion forum lol, And I mean this in every sense of the word forum, Even if it's literally a group of people performing discussion, Losing one's cool never pays off. The only thing losing one's cool achieves is it leaves an impression. For better or for worse. Later still In life, I've come to opposition to those kinds of people who are always angry and fighting. Opposition and discord do nothing to promote the community. If one can not find a way to be heard without getting confrontational, Then it was never their fight to win. Some lessons are hard-earned, But I've found that usually, the angry screaming drama guy is most often confused and misguided, even out of place in a room. This applies to pretty much the entirety of human psychology, Politics, Religion, Hell relationships.

 

[pepe]

Well we all know what happens to the chimp who smacks another, after a lot of screaming and realignment they go off and pick a blade of grass to focus on while pretending it never happened. I had a fight not long back and the worst part was afterwards. In public and on the ground too, a big Scottish fella who i bet was feeling the same deep down.

 

[Shadowprophet]

Well we all know what happens to the chimp who smacks another, after a lot of screaming and realignment they go off and pick a blade of grass to focus on while pretending it never happened. I had a fight not long back and the worst part was afterwards. In public and on the ground too, a big Scottish fella who bet was feeling the same deep down.

Oh, there is a time to fight no doubt. But I'm still caught up in the old fashioned view of online activity, The whole online social media world, That's somewhat different and removed from reality. Someone steps on your toes online, They don't know you or your toes, Someone does it in reality, You knock them back a bit.

 

[pepe]

Oh, there is a time to fight no doubt. But I'm still caught up in the old fashioned view of online activity, The whole online social media world, That's somewhat different and removed from reality. Someone steps on your toes online, They don't know you or your toes, Someone does it in reality, You knock them back a bit.

I don't go there online at all, in fact I turn the other cheek to it if I get any as i would imagine it going round in circles. I never have had an online row with anyone and if I were to start to, I would check myself in a moment of futility.

 

[Shadowprophet]

I don't go there online at all, in fact I turn the other cheek to it if I get any as i would imagine it going round in circles. I never have had an online row with anyone and if I were to start to, I would check myself in a moment of futility.

It would pay to do so, I've found upon reflection that most online altercations I've ever been in, were mostly my fault. In honesty.

 

[pepe]

It would pay to do so, I've found upon reflection that most online altercations I've ever been in, were mostly my fault. In honesty.

I have to say I haven't witnessed here but if you venture into the choppy rapids of the mainstream then I guess it can bring it out of one more readily.

That stuff is best left for the vultures who I'm sure are circling in hunger.

 

[Kchoo]

To me, Online Discussion has no validity unless it is on AE...