Have you ever considered how life could be without some religious framework permeating our world view and giving us no alternative to thinking there is an enemy around every corner?
One of my grandkids came up with the question- who do you hate the most. Fair question I suppose.. I don't think I wanted to answer it.. so suggested a better question would be "who is your greatest enemy.." who is stopping you from being what you want to be.. the answer: "the devil..". OK, so as a Christian, we believe in redemption- what power does he really have.. none. Then the next candidate. The current Politician of dislike.. my answer- too easy of a target. They are too easy to find and blame- dime a dozen.
Finally the whole room agreed on who to hate, who to blame- along with "you have to love yourself here.." heh
I'll be honest here. Sometimes I can really hate myself..
One of my grandkids came up with the question- who do you hate the most. Fair question I suppose.. I don't think I wanted to answer it.. so suggested a better question would be "who is your greatest enemy.." who is stopping you from being what you want to be.. the answer: "the devil..". OK, so as a Christian, we believe in redemption- what power does he really have.. none. Then the next candidate. The current Politician of dislike.. my answer- too easy of a target. They are too easy to find and blame- dime a dozen.
Finally the whole room agreed on who to hate, who to blame- along with "you have to love yourself here.." heh
I'll be honest here. Sometimes I can really hate myself.
I cringed when I read your answers. Religious (not necessarily limited to fundamentalist) frameworks, the whole gamut of Christian and Muslim, and maybe Jewish (but I don't know enough about Jewish faith or traditions to say with any degree of certainty) engulf their followers, notably indoctrinating them from infancy as much as possible in adversarial mindsets.
Why does it have to be that way? Am I right when I posit that it may not have to be that way? IDK (I don't know).
As to hating yourself sometimes, I would love to offer you comfort and encouragement. IOW, I hope it's possible for you to discard whatever in your mind causes such feelings or beliefs or thinking or whatever.
This may or may not be foundational truth, but it can be comforting and encouraging.
Heh. well.. video unavailable and removed by the uploader..
I don't practice self-loathing every day, just some days..
Maybe.. sometimes, it is the spirit of Christ.. does not really feel comfortable with our particular beliefs or practices. I am willing to listen.
I think that we find ourselves confronted with ourselves in Romans. Wretched man..
even if we are redeemed.. we have to live with this from time to time. Oh wretched man, but thank God..
What have I learned from what some call worldly wisdom- it is more logical to point the finger of blame to myself than to others. I can sometimes control myself, but others.. no.
I cringed when I read your answers. Religious (not necessarily limited to fundamentalist) frameworks, the whole gamut of Christian and Muslim, and maybe Jewish (but I don't know enough about Jewish faith or traditions to say with any degree of certainty) engulf their followers, notably indoctrinating them from infancy as much as possible in adversarial mindsets.
Why does it have to be that way? Am I right when I posit that it may not have to be that way? IDK (I don't know).
As to hating yourself sometimes, I would love to offer you comfort and encouragement. IOW, I hope it's possible for you to discard whatever in your mind causes such feelings or beliefs or thinking or whatever.
This may or may not be foundational truth, but it can be comforting and encouraging.
Well, that's sad. The video was on practicing gratitude. Let's try it again.
Rocky, I appreciate the message of thankfulness. and gratitude. With all of the fears of the world.. I generally come to the conclusion: at the moment, I have everything and more than everything that I need.
Glad that you would want to offer me some comfort.. heh. I'll take it..
Rocky, I appreciate the message of thankfulness. and gratitude. With all of the fears of the world.. I generally come to the conclusion: at the moment, I have everything and more than everything that I need.
Glad that you would want to offer me some comfort.. heh. I'll take it..
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Ham
I think that this is the correct forum for this. Spiritually- as a "believer".. who or what is your biggest challenge.. greatest enemy..
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Ham
still no answers.. we have met the enemy.. heh who or what is it..
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waysider
"We have met the enemy and he is us."...Walt Kelly
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Rocky
Have you ever considered how life could be without some religious framework permeating our world view and giving us no alternative to thinking there is an enemy around every corner?
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Rocky
My greatest enemy is societal ignorance.
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chockfull
“Sand” - Donnie Fugit
one of the few I miss…
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Ham
One of my grandkids came up with the question- who do you hate the most. Fair question I suppose.. I don't think I wanted to answer it.. so suggested a better question would be "who is your greatest enemy.." who is stopping you from being what you want to be.. the answer: "the devil..". OK, so as a Christian, we believe in redemption- what power does he really have.. none. Then the next candidate. The current Politician of dislike.. my answer- too easy of a target. They are too easy to find and blame- dime a dozen.
Finally the whole room agreed on who to hate, who to blame- along with "you have to love yourself here.." heh
I'll be honest here. Sometimes I can really hate myself..
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Rocky
I cringed when I read your answers. Religious (not necessarily limited to fundamentalist) frameworks, the whole gamut of Christian and Muslim, and maybe Jewish (but I don't know enough about Jewish faith or traditions to say with any degree of certainty) engulf their followers, notably indoctrinating them from infancy as much as possible in adversarial mindsets.
Why does it have to be that way? Am I right when I posit that it may not have to be that way? IDK (I don't know).
As to hating yourself sometimes, I would love to offer you comfort and encouragement. IOW, I hope it's possible for you to discard whatever in your mind causes such feelings or beliefs or thinking or whatever.
This may or may not be foundational truth, but it can be comforting and encouraging.
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Ham
Heh. well.. video unavailable and removed by the uploader..
I don't practice self-loathing every day, just some days..
Maybe.. sometimes, it is the spirit of Christ.. does not really feel comfortable with our particular beliefs or practices. I am willing to listen.
I think that we find ourselves confronted with ourselves in Romans. Wretched man..
even if we are redeemed.. we have to live with this from time to time. Oh wretched man, but thank God..
What have I learned from what some call worldly wisdom- it is more logical to point the finger of blame to myself than to others. I can sometimes control myself, but others.. no.
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Rocky
Well, that's sad. The video was on practicing gratitude. Let's try it again.
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Rocky
Btw, I'm not pointing either one or three fingers anywhere.
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cman
yeah! depends on the day or hour, there is plenty to go on, then I come out of it somehow...
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Ham
Me too.
Every day I wake up.. generally renewed.
Rocky, I appreciate the message of thankfulness. and gratitude. With all of the fears of the world.. I generally come to the conclusion: at the moment, I have everything and more than everything that I need.
Glad that you would want to offer me some comfort.. heh. I'll take it..
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Rocky
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