Persecuted Religions

[TheLightWithin]

I can understand why. Those of you that have been here for y e a r s must not have a life. this has become your sad life. Faceless names on a screen. I can understand if someone is lonely and has been hurt, getting into the real world become scary. Yes and I will be gone soon and you can roll over into your comfort zone. No one here was made to answer any of my posts, so why waste you time with someone like me. The world is not a safe place like storage on a hard drive is.

Wait what?
Your posts have been replied to dozens of times?? Scores of times? Hundreds?
What do you know about the lives of anybody here? Why be sarcastic? And patronizing?
I don't know how old you are, but do you know you're dealing with fellow intelligent adults, some of whom may be older than you are?
Why tantalize us with the possibility that you might soon go?
If you're going to go, just go.

As for me, I have a busy life and this newly found group is a nice little break at the end of the day most days.
Once in awhile I am away for days, once in awhile I have the option to be on and off during the day.
I can't speak for others, but I suspect many here do experience it that way.

 

[TheLightWithin]

must not have a life. this has become your sad life. Faceless names on a screen.

Interestingly... you've been here a few days and have made over 200 messages.

 

[TheLightWithin]

I had never heard this.

I guess the teaching is she died and then was assumed into heaven?

Assumption of Mary - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also some related stories

Entering heaven alive - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Thinking required]

guess I'll take this opportunity to ask: What is your purpose here? Are you trying to change people's minds about something? In a nutsheell: What do you want people to take away from their conversations with you?

I had a week to k i l l as my wife has had surgery. I love to dialogue and was reading the Quran again and thought that I would like to see what the newer none Arabic muslim converts believe today. Typically I have learned that most cults keep changing their stories to try and combat their errors. The Jehovah Wittnesses have done this a lot over the last 30 years. They even claim to believe the KJV Bible these days. I am a thinker and love to try to understand people and why they believe what they believe. I never stop digging for answers. I have always been honest here, unlike others.

I understand that I could be wrong about a lot. When I am challenged about something, I will research it, not just looking for what backs up what I believe, but looking at all sides. I even have a big problem with what is happening with Christianity today. Do I want to change minds, no, that’s impossible. I mind will never be changed until the owner of the mind admits a few things and has a good talk with themself in the mirror. Most people just lie to the mirror. Have you ever thought about all the stuff you believe and asked yourself why you believe it?

Most people will never do that. It wasn’t until I stopped blaming every one else for my problems and took the responsibility for my life that I truly got a life worth living. But this only happened when God opened my eyes through the Scriptures. The Bible lays out the sinful nature of people, all people, but especially me. Hope I answered your question. No one will have to put up with me much longer, But again, anyone can ignore my posts, But no, people want to state their opinions, since we all live by opinions. Like Pascal says, “we live in our imagination”. I understand that, does anyone else. Peace and blessings

 

[Thinking required]

Wait what?
Your posts have been replied to dozens of times?? Scores of times? Hundreds?
What do you know about the lives of anybody here? Why be sarcastic? And patronizing?
I don't know how old you are, but do you know you're dealing with fellow intelligent adults, some of whom may be older than you are?
Why tantalize us with the possibility that you might soon go?
If you're going to go, just go.

As for me, I have a busy life and this newly found group is a nice little break at the end of the day most days.
Once in awhile I am away for days, once in awhile I have the option to be on and off during the day.
I can't speak for others, but I suspect many here do experience it that way.

You are so correct here. I believe there are some very nice people here. But screens have become our new friends. Everywhere I go, everyone has a screen in front of their face. Most people just want to be someone else, someone famous. I am not saying that is your. ”Intelligent adults”. What does intelligent mean. I will take common sense any day over intelligence. I have tried both and common sense always wins. There may be a few older than me, but I doubt it. It’s like I tell my kids, you don’t get a brain until you are 30. I never could understand when I was 20, why I could not be president of the US, since a person in the US has to be at least 35. But as I got older I understood exactly what the founding fathers knew.

Your little get away at the end of the day. Between work, wife and playing with the kids, I never had time for any of this. I like people, people are interesting and I have learned so much from people. Growing up is a process that does not end, no matter how old you get, you should always be learning something about yourself. I love to interact with people, the problem is, is that most people find me a little to honest, people don’t really like honest, that’s why so many people lie to themselves. Don’t get mad, you know this is truth.

I have enjoyed your input and dialogue. Said the elder sitting at the gates.

 

[TheLightWithin]

you don’t get a brain until you are 30.

More specifically, our brains are continuing to grow and develop into our mid to late 20s.
So we have a fully adult brain at age 30. A developing brain up until that time or shortly before that time.

 

[Thinking required]

Interestingly... you've been here a few days and have made over 200 messages.

Do I get some bonus points for that, I was just trying to rack up points. I usually read 3 to 4 hours a day. Retirement stinks. I am lonely and would like some honest people to interact with, but they are just about impossible to find. I never try to offend anyone, but there are a lot of damaged people in the world who have very thin skin and do everything to avoid conflict.

 

[TheLightWithin]

You are so correct here. I believe there are some very nice people here. But screens have become our new friends. Everywhere I go, everyone has a screen in front of their face. Most people just want to be someone else, someone famous. I am not saying that is your. ”Intelligent adults”. What does intelligent mean. I will take common sense any day over intelligence. I have tried both and common sense always wins. There may be a few older than me, but I doubt it. It’s like I tell my kids, you don’t get a brain until you are 30. I never could understand when I was 20, why I could not be president of the US, since a person in the US has to be at least 35. But as I got older I understood exactly what the founding fathers knew.
Your little get away at the end of the day. Between work, wife and playing with the kids, I never had time for any of this. I like people, people are interesting and I have learned so much from people. Growing up is a process that does not end, no matter how old you get, you should always be learning something about yourself. I love to interact with people, the problem is, is that most people find me a little to honest, people don’t really like honest, that’s why so many people lie to themselves. Don’t get mad, you know this is truth.
I have enjoyed your input and dialogue. Said the elder sitting at the gates.

All this sounds very reasonable and wise...
So what happens? Why does it seem in this short time you seem to get so impatient and contentious with others here?

 

[TheLightWithin]

Do I get some bonus points for that, I was just trying to rack up points. I usually read 3 to 4 hours a day. Retirement stinks. I am lonely and would like some honest people to interact with, but they are just about impossible to find. I never try to offend anyone, but there are a lot of damaged people in the world who have very thin skin and do everything to avoid conflict.

Well, this is a very good group.
Have some patience.
I'm retiring for the night.
I hope your wife is doing well.

 

[Thinking required]

More specifically, our brains are continuing to grow and develop into our mid to late 20s.
So we have a fully adult brain at age 30. A developing brain up until that time or shortly before that time.

Hey! Did I get something right. I was talking about the ability to finally understand life. I know the body peaks around 29 and then starts to die off, but the brain, it does not get old. Sometimes i feel like Iam bad in my 20 with all the energy that never stopped.

 

[Thinking required]

this sounds very reasonable and wise...
So what happens? Why does it seem in this short time you seem to get so impatient and contentious with others here?

It just happens when people start trying to not answer questions or use a lot of maybes, if, could bes, probably words. The questions asked are never difficult. I can answer just about any question thrown at me about. The Bible or Christianity. There are many. Other areas also. Want to know how to fly a plane, want to know how to repair a computer, want to know how to repair a car, want to know how to roof a house, want to know how to paint a car, want to know how to fix a motorcycle, want to know how to homeschool kids, What to know how to snow ski or water ski. Do you want to know how fast the earth is retating at the equator, about 1000 miles an hour. You want to know how fast the earth is moving through space, @63,000 and hour.

 

[Cino]

It just happens when people start trying to not answer questions or use a lot of maybes, if, could bes, probably words. The questions asked are never difficult. I can answer just about any question thrown at me about. The Bible or Christianity. There are many. Other areas also. Want to know how to fly a plane, want to know how to repair a computer, want to know how to repair a car, want to know how to roof a house, want to know how to paint a car, want to know how to fix a motorcycle, want to know how to homeschool kids, What to know how to snow ski or water ski. Do you want to know how fast the earth is retating at the equator, about 1000 miles an hour. You want to know how fast the earth is moving through space, @63,000 and hour.

I struggle with the urge to "mansplain", too.

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

@Tony Bristow-Stagg this contradicts scripture that his remains are located anywhere as Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind on a chariot of fire in 2 Kings 2..

Also John the Baptist was not Elijah but came in the spirit of power of Elijah. Not to mention Elijah appeared at the Mount of Transfiguration after John the Baptist died. Also he denied being Elijah


John 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

OK.

Regards Tony

 

[Faithfulservant]

I can understand why. Those of you that have been here for y e a r s must not have a life. this has become your sad life. Faceless names on a screen. I can understand if someone is lonely and has been hurt, getting into the real world become scary. Yes and I will be gone soon and you can roll over into your comfort zone. No one here was made to answer any of my posts, so why waste you time with someone like me. The world is not a safe place like storage on a hard drive is.

Is it possible to voice your opinion without being insulting? You don't know anything about any of us. So in your head you write a story that fits your idea about people and blab it and it's not kind it's not showing love definitely not bringing peace or being gentle. So if we are to know them by their fruits... How you are being is actually the problem a lot of people have with Christians. Beating people up with their opinions and judgements using the Holy Word of God.

 

[Cino]

you read into my post what was not said.

I think I read it as intended, though. You were quite clear in what you said.

You were saying how you want to help people spiritually, to get them so see the truth, for their own best interest. I get that!

Here's what I was replying to, for easy reference:

Now, can I care about people no matter what they believe, certainly. Do I care about a person more if I see them heading in a wrong direction and try to help them, yes.

In the very next sentence, you made the analogy to how it feels to be watching someone suffering in an abusive relationship, and wondering how one might best help.

Say someone is in a bad abusive relationship and I try to help the person out of it, yet they don’t want out of the relationship because they feel like no one else will every love them. Should I sit back and see them abused or try to help them see what they can not see at this point. Which is the right or loving thing to do?

And again, I get that! I've been there, on both sides of such a relationship situation. It's very difficult to watch, isn't it?

So here's what I learned: Unasked-for advice never works, it is in fact just another crossing of boundaries for the person on the receiving end. If they are truly in an abusive relationship, then they already have more than enough of such boundary violations going on in their life. And if they aren't really in an abusive relationship, then it is still a very invasive thing to do to give them unasked-for advice.

Now, spirituality, faith, beliefs, world-views, all these things have a big "relationship" component in them: they revolve around the relationship between a person and the numinous, the divine, the mystery, nature, the universe, God, ... - something vast, something wonderful, right? What Buber called the "I-Thou" relationship. Very intimate, very personal. To tell another person, unasked, that this intimate, personal relationship is wrong, and they need to act, or say, or read, think in this way - your way, essentially - for it to be a correct relationship, is really very invasive, very impolite, violent, even. I'm learning not to do that. Failing often, but determined to stick to it. If you read back on this site, you will find many instances of me struggling with, and giving in to, my urge to help people see the errors of their ways.

But where does that leave someone like you with your concern for my spiritual well-being, with your perception that I am in peril and not seeing it, or not accepting what you know is good and right for me? What about your desire to do "the right or loving thing"?

I would invite you to examine where this impulse comes from, within your heart. It obviously comes from a good, tender place, and listening to it, figuratively speaking, to learn more about that tenderness, would definitely be a good, right, and loving thing to do for yourself. The equation of loving the next person like oneself has two sides, after all.

 

[RabbiO]

Now, spirituality, faith, beliefs, world-views, all these things have a big "relationship" component in them: they revolve around the relationship between a person and the numinous, the divine, the mystery, nature, the universe, God, ... - something vast, something wonderful, right? What Buber called the "I-Thou" relationship. Very intimate, very personal. To tell another person, unasked, that this intimate, personal relationship is wrong, and they need to act, or say, or read, think in this way - your way, essentially - for it to be a correct relationship, is really very invasive, very impolite, violent, even. I'm learning not to do that. Failing often, but determined to stick to it. If you read back on this site, you will find many instances of me struggling with, and giving in to, my urge to help people see the errors of their ways.

But where does that leave someone like you with your concern for my spiritual well-being, with your perception that I am in peril and not seeing it, or not accepting what you know is good and right for me? What about your desire to do "the right or loving thing"?

I would invite you to examine where this impulse comes from, within your heart. It obviously comes from a good, tender place, and listening to it, figuratively speaking, to learn more about that tenderness, would definitely be a good, right, and loving thing to do for yourself. The equation of loving the next person like oneself has two sides, after all.

Wise words.

 

[juantoo3]

Is there a teaching that this happened for Mary too, or is this strictly a Catholic tradition?

Strictly Catholic

 

[Thomas]

Catholic church in their most hardline doctrine thing everyone else including the Orthodox and the Protestants are heretics ...

Ah, well, yes ... Latin and Greek did fling excommunications at each other at one point in history, but those days are long past.

Now the relationship is more filial. And in fact, the Orthodox are more strict of the two, as Roman Catholicism recognises Orthodox sacraments, whereas the Orthodox Patriarchates regard RC sacraments as defective.

and "there is no salvation outside the Church" (their church) The Orthodox branches have similar opinions.

Again, that needs qualification. The CCC states that 'Outside the Church there is no salvation' means "all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body", and it "is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church". (Para 846-848.)

The Declaration Dominus Iesus states:
"The Church is the “universal sacrament of salvation”, since, united always in a mysterious way to the Saviour Jesus Christ, her Head, and subordinated to him, she has, in God's plan, an indispensable relationship with the salvation of every human being. For those who are not formally and visibly members of the Church, “salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church, but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit”; it has a relationship with the Church, which “according to the plan of the Father, has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit”.

In short, we accept and allow for the freedom of God and the mission of the Holy Spirit to do as S/He chooses.

 

[Thomas]

Strictly Catholic

Er, no, that's not quite right.

Catholics call it Assumption, Orthodox call it Dormition – the distinction being whether she died and was assumed (Catholic), or fell asleep and was assumed (Orthodox). The Seattle Statement between Anglicans and Catholics (2004) declares the belief "is consonant with the teaching of the Scriptures and the ancient common traditions." Lutherans celebrated the Assumption, and some Protestant denominations close to Catholic theology, observe it.

 

[juantoo3]

Er, no, that's not quite right.

Catholics call it Assumption, Orthodox call it Dormition – the distinction being whether she died and was assumed (Catholic), or fell asleep and was assumed (Orthodox). The Seattle Statement between Anglicans and Catholics (2004) declares the belief "is consonant with the teaching of the Scriptures and the ancient common traditions." Lutherans celebrated the Assumption, and some Protestant denominations close to Catholic theology, observe it.

And if that all helps float your boat, more power to you.

All of the stuff around Mary only serves to perplex me. It is non-essential, completely, totally, to my faithwalk. It holds no bearing whatsoever. I don't pray to Mary. Likewise, I don't pray to Moses. I have more I could say that would underline why I believe the way I do but it will only drive a wedge between us...this subject is nothing new to me, I've known long before I ever came to this site or met you. And it bears no reflection on the Catholics that have passed within my circle of influence - many of whom I've considered to be decent people.