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pidan posted:I like Francis, but I also liked Benedict. I think Francis' emphasis on social and environmental issues is good, even though I don't agree with him on every point. I don't know who would make a better pope at this time, maybe Cardinal Marx though. I love Benedict and admire a lot about his papacy. A pope has been many things, including a scholar and a pastor. What way do you come at things that is familiar?
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Dec 15, 2016 00:56
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Another day of violence and discord in between the alpha and the omega. Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us.Smoking Crow posted:Ok so Catholics This link did not work for me, likely because of the NYT website's byzantine linking and paywall system, but I found the article with some basic navigating. I am a lay, married Catholic with not many close friends, and few of them are divorced and none are remarried. In my estimation, God's imperative to the Christian believer is to be evermore merciful and loving, and the Last Supper was not an invitation to divide sinners from non-sinners. I am also sensitive to the divisiveness of sexual morality, even from within this thread, which is more what Douthat is columnizing about rather than a critique of Amoris Laetitia itself. I think he's right that Amoris Laetitia will continue to challenge and unsettle more than it settles and resolves, as it should.
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Dec 20, 2016 02:16
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pidan posted:I like the marriage discussion on the last page, seems it's not so bad after all. I'm not a convert to Catholicism by the way, I'm just discovering all the bits anew. I also liked it. Who you love is about as personal as a relationship gets. I understand better why it's been a human spiritual concern then and now.
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Dec 21, 2016 08:51
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Josef bugman posted:If God does exist and have a plan why would he only make some people aware of it? Why hide the plan in the first place? Why only provide hints to it instead of just writing it in 40 ft tall lettering as opposed to going "Well I'll make the bird entrails fall a different way, thus meaning the battle will be lost". Also, if God is doing all this, doesn't that interfere with the whole "free will" defence of the problem of evil? I like your questions, and I am glad you're enjoying Man's Search for Meaning. I think you will also enjoy its sequel, Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning, where Frankl discusses how meaning in individuals might interconnect to My feeling is that answers about God's nature or motives are most meaningfully answered inwardly, from within yourself. It's been my experience that God only makes those kinds of interferences in stories. The historicity of those stories is such a hot topic, people are literally burned alive over it. For an experience of God closer to what I've witnessed in my days, I like to borrow a metaphor used in the new Westworld (which we will be discussing like The Man Who Was Thursday and Deus Ex some day).  This is Michaelangelo's fresco of the Creation of Adam. Centuries after he painted it, a scientist pointed out that the shape around God resembles the human brain. An interpretation of that has been that God is a creation of the human mind. I understand that, but I also argue that God exists in the mind, and is how most people will have access to divinity. It will be an inward journey, the way Frankl talks about finding meaning, but which also concerns that higher level of ultimate meaning. Everything seems to come down to the choices we make.
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Dec 21, 2016 09:50
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Cthulhu! How many ICBMs has he got?
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Dec 22, 2016 15:29
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Tias posted:Merry christmas, liturgigoons! May God preserve you and yours, I'm going off to make confectionary and then see the fam. Merry Christmas, Tias. God preserve you, too. Bel_Canto posted:fascism is the sheerest idolatry and cannot be fought with arguments or institutions, because fascism idolizes pre-rational instinct and action free of reflection. you don't reason with fascists, you protect yourself and others by any means necessary. Fascism is also one of the idolatries that is comfortable with aggressive violence and killing, making it dangerous. Thirteen Orphans posted:My white backpack boldly displays, in large black letters, "This Machine Converts Fascists." That is a good message. Only dead fascists have to remain fascists. Every living fascist still has the chance to doubt and ultimately reject fascism. Caufman fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Dec 24, 2016 |
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Dec 24, 2016 12:19
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pidan posted:A guy from church sent me this picture of a damaged church in Syria, where they built their nativity scene in the rubble: Incredible.
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Dec 25, 2016 09:41
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The whole homily is worth watching. The english translation kicks in a few seconds after Pope Francis begins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv9CA6JDwJ4&t=2572s The story of Jesus is inalienable from a preferential option for the marginalized. Many people have tried to claim divinity. But God the Son wasn't born in a palace. His parents weren't rich or powerful or even protected. He did not have paintings made of himself. For most people, Christmas Day is not a special day. It may be a normal day, or it might be a bad day. The birth of Jesus is not actually just for the people who will already have a merry Christmas. It is even more significantly for the people who are in any way challenged by or not at peace with how things are.
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Dec 25, 2016 15:41
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It is still Christmastime, so Merry Christmas to all, and a happy new year.System Metternich posted:Uh, why, do you guys have a feud going on or something? A horrible burst of violence that has not even ended yet. No sin is begotten in a vacuum, especially not today's troubles, not anywhere. Hearts are legitimately wounded and hardened and go forth to do more wounding, but the disciples of Jesus affirm that the flesh and all its concerns will wither until only the spirit of faith, hope and love remain. Bel_Canto posted:this current line of conversation is wonderful and i love you all, happy secular new year. this thread has been a really important place for me these past couple of years and i'm really grateful to have it and all of you in my life. God grant you all many blessings this year, and since it's still christmastide, may the mystery of the Incarnation bring all of us the redemption we need God bless you, too, Bel Canto. The church is a perfect gift of God, available to believers whenever they gather, even at the hour of their death. Josef bugman posted:I hope that you guys are all watched and cared for in the new year. I hope the same for you. Thank you for your questions, and the sincerity with which you've asked them. I hope the answers you've gotten have not only given you a broader perspective of other people, but I also hope it's imparted with you the conviction of a believer for all the things you feel called to do. Thirteen Orphans posted:An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the shittiest poster. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a troll and placed it by his side and said to them, "Whoever receives this troll in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is the least shittiest among all of you is the one who is the greatest." A gospel of the Lord; praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Jan 1, 2017 10:32
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Well I pricked my thumb and scratched my finger on a knife making dinner, so clearly there is no God or purpose to my existence or yours.
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Jan 2, 2017 06:12
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HEY GAL posted:oh look, apostasy Bone chilling. I don't know Reno or his work, but why is a religious conservative ever prepared to drop the teachings of Jesus? regulargonzalez posted:This will be long. Sincere thanks to anyone who reads through it, and even bigger thanks to anyone who can parse out what I'm talking about and help. Welcome, regulargonzalez! What you have written makes sense to me, and thank you for sharing what you have genuinely realized and experienced. A spiritual journey, Christian or otherwise, does involve an inward accounting of the assumptions we have held onto, both about ourselves and the external world. The letting go of the assumptions that no longer seem true is an important and potentially disorienting step. The recognition of a call, an undeniable and persistent will to meaning in your particular life and what you can do, is another sign you are undergoing an important spiritual change. I won't claim to have any special, prophetic, or divine ability to discern what that meaning could be in your life, but I encourage and support you to develop your understanding of that call, especially in the company of those who earn your trust at that level. As a Christian, I especially encourage you to reflect seriously on love and how it has existed in your life and what it may be calling you to do. I also don't recommend you completely abandon what you learned or experienced as an atheist or an agnostic. Anyone who takes spirituality seriously will eventually have to confront that charlatanry is real and idolatry is real. Most gods are idols. Beyond the common pendulum of doubt, there are many, many forms of deception, both in the self and between people. You and I, at most, can only be truthful to the experience that we have felt, to the reality that we know. It is already a big leap of faith to commit to that level of truthfulness, but it is my testimony that this commitment is the only reasonable way to live, and any other compromise will eventually lead to nothing or things worse than nothing. Please keep in touch as you discern what is calling to you from within and what it is like. I keep all those who sincerely wonder in my prayers.
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Jan 2, 2017 09:06
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Bel_Canto posted:Because he's a member of the "intellectual" branch of the American right who spends his time palling around with right-wing Evangelicals, and he caught the virus from them and now thinks he can reason his way out of the commands of Christ and the teaching of the Church. He's more loyal to his political allies than to the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, he's not alone: this is also true of many of our bishops, who avoid taking distinctively Catholic public positions because it would upset the Mammon-worshipping heretics with whom they forged a political alliance in the 70s. The Phlegmatist posted:The point of these conservative thinkers is to convince the Christian Right that they're locked in a forever war against the forces of liberalism, because without a constant external threat the whole coalition gets mired in in-fighting. Pure tragedy. It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world, but for
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Jan 2, 2017 17:05
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Valiantman posted:Well, every muslim I know is an insane murderer. A few branches of my family back in old country are converts to Islam. That's not unexpected, since Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, but we Chinese Indonesians tend to be Christians. Though we are all peace-loving and in contact, I'm sensitive to the friction caused by being a family with divided spiritual practices. Personally I find more closeness with my observant Muslim uncle than I do with my materialist, nominally-Christian uncle, but my mother is scandalized that her brother would convert to Islam. The Chinese and Christian governor of Jakarta is also currently on trial for trumped up blasphemy charges. These things along with the broader current events keep interfaith relations and frictions deep in my prayers and contemplation.
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Jan 4, 2017 16:50
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That Tokyo Cathedral is certainly... an intimidating place to worship.[/url]The Phlegmatist posted:The Catholic cathedral in Tokyo, on the other hand, is where you fight the final boss. Let's see what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say! quote:http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm As with most things the Catechism says about the life after death, it's vague on the imagery and details of the sensory experience. Typical bet-hedging, if you ask me, since we all know Purgatory will resemble a dental waiting room, passing the time until the receptionist calls us by name.
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Jan 6, 2017 00:02
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One thing I like about Wikipedia is learning the Church Latin names of cities: Hochiminhopolitana (Ho Chi Minh City) Neo-Eboracensis (New York) Angelorum in California (Los Angeles) Hierosolymitanus (Jerusalem) Tigiuanaënsis (Tijuana) Sciiamchiamensis (Hong Kong)
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Jan 6, 2017 01:23
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The Phlegmatist posted:Mostly I'm curious about the whole "souls you bounce out of purgatory will then go to heaven and pray continuously for you" thing because if were true I wouldn't waste my time doing anything else. Just have Mass intentions said for the poor souls every Sunday until I have squad prayin' at all times and I'm holy enough to make Jesus blush. I don't think it's a dogmatic teaching though, just another episode of weird Catholic things. Hey, whatever gets you motivated to spread goodness and holiness, brother.
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Jan 6, 2017 04:26
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The Phlegmatist posted:Yoga, Vegetarianism, Halloween, Church of Satan, Necromancy. All the same thing really. HAW HAW Of course Christians shouldn't be playing Dungeons and Dragons because Dungeon World is more streamlined and enjoyable.
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Jan 6, 2017 06:08
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Josef bugman posted:And if we are talking good game books might I suggest "Heroquest Glorantha" as my own personal favorite. You can play virtually anything and can get to play in a world where the Gods are 1) Real and 2) Not Real and actually just concepts of reality that grew sentience all at once. Ah, Josef Bugman, I always knew you were a good person with good tastes. The Glorantha series has the most thought-provoking depictions I've encountered of mythology and its role and its relativity between cultures. The Invisible God is Glorantha's closest approximation to the monotheist god, but as far as I'm aware, there is no Gloranthan approximate of Jesus Christ, the material presence of the Invisible God, who "has chosen not to eliminate suffering, but to suffer with humanity." But of course, players, you can fulfill this role  edit: this whole thread should play Glorantha together. I know that in death, we most certainly will.
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Jan 6, 2017 11:54
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Cythereal posted:Personally, I think there's a credible argument to be made that an impulse towards spirituality - if not religion per se - is baked into the human psyche. Viktor Frankl thought that symbolic thinking was both near-universally human and an inalienable component of spirituality. Thirteen Orphans posted:We...are very different people in this regard. I am a little curious about your interest in weaponry, Hey Gal, but neither is it too much my business. Mo Tzu posted:i also mention silence, but shusaku endo has written a lot about japanese identity and catholicism Silence is on my to-watch/to-read list, I'm curious about the spiritually narcotic mudswamp of Japan as Shusaku Endo describes. It reminds me also of Kenji Goto and the public apology his mother made to her fellow Japanese. Or more personally, it reminds me sadly of my parents' generation of Chinese Indonesians who prefer to live quietly oppressed and scarred instead of seeking justice for the killings in the 1960s. Caufman fucked around with this message at 00:46 on Jan 7, 2017 |
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Jan 7, 2017 00:27
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The Comna posted:Merry Christmas, everyone! Merry Christimas and a happy new year of our Lord! Pellisworth posted:Merry Christmas Eastern-calendar liturgigoons! To your health, stranger!
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Jan 7, 2017 09:07
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HEY GAL posted:i am a pretty bellicose person, and i've been interested in military things since earliest childhood. i'm also blind in one eye. so i'm a military historian instead of anything you know, real. Respect. I have an interest in military history and science as a current necessary reality of statecraft, though I don't think I myself am an aggressive person. I'm thoughtful of the Orlanthi saying, "Violence is always an option." It's considerable even if one is not considering the role of the aggressor. I'm also thoughful of what the 31st chapter of the Dao De Jing says about violence and war, and that victory in war ought to be observed like a funeral.
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Jan 7, 2017 21:12
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HEY GAL posted:yeah--the more you learn about conflict, the more you learn about what a terrible thing war is. little kids are all hoorah-violence, teenagers on the internet yelling about tanks, but then you talk to people who have actually been hurt, or the relatives of the dead, and you stop thinking like that. Definitely. As I get older, I only get more humbled by the deadly seriousness of life, and therefore of one's relationship to the ultimate meaning, the telos, the imperatives of God. There was agonizing to do in the privacy and night of the garden.  And then there was resurrection to do, and the joy of eternal life and the victory of the Kingdom of Heaven. 
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Jan 8, 2017 01:07
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Now there's a question that bakes the noodle.... I confess I am not familiar enough the real history of the Crusades to answer well, but in general I would exhort Christians to consider taking up the cross the way the Christ did, and he did not raise armies to wage expeditionary warfare.
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Jan 8, 2017 02:11
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Tias posted:Can I ask you guys about the degree of submission to God involved in prayer in your denomination or personal practice? Excellent question, really got me wanting to put my soul into words. It seems the degree to which I want submission to God is the highest possible, in that the ultimate goal is truly to be in maximum harmony between the individuality I possess and the ultimate, all-powerful deity and its imperatives. In prayers, I make this my most sincere aim. It's also very easy to imagine why this desired level of submission to God can be so dangerous, and why I am very grateful for good judgment in everyone. It's life-and-death that idolatry, charlatanry, and even madness are real problems and pitfalls.
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Jan 8, 2017 20:01
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Though there are indeed ways to clothe a neighbor that are sinful, I wonder what Augustine would say if I asked what is the difference between a Samaritan's mercy and a pagan's mercy?
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Jan 9, 2017 22:13
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syscall girl posted:Let's talk about Job. Job is a good story that I like to go back to regularly. Whenever I mention Job, I also like to mention Viktor Frankl, because I really believe he, among this era's undiscovered prophets, is most like Job and most instructive of the Job story. He himself did not spend a lot of time in angst about why he had to live through the holocaust. During his suffering, he realized that his life always challenged him to respond with meaning, and that "love is the highest goal to which a man can aspire," and "the salvation of man is through love and in love." I highly recommend Man's Search for Meaning for anyone who is mystified by the Job story. It is important that a human life asks itself important questions beyond "Why me?" Josef bugman posted:As a secondary question I had to ask something quickly, as it's something I was wondering about. I read a book on satan recently, I think it was called "The devil: A biography", and I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on the idea of the devil? Do you believe in it? Is there really a moral centre of evil? In the language of spiritual warfare, I think of the Devil as the accuser of the brother, and so the believers are the defenders of the brother. At the level of my daily existence, this looks like the struggle to fully value one another. I struggle with the Devil to not write people off, to not overreact, to not be neglectful. I believe in the Devil in that I am alert to how easy it would be for me to devalue my brother if I was not aware of an accuser. Caufman fucked around with this message at 11:20 on Jan 11, 2017 |
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Jan 11, 2017 10:58
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Deus caritas est, God is love, brothers and sisters. Let this be as natural and foundational to you as any truth can be. Tuxedo Catfish posted:Sounds pretty relatable, honestly. The paradoxes are what make the Jesus story so compelling to me. The ultimate deity suffered mortal existence with us and had something to teach.
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Jan 12, 2017 01:29
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Mo Tzu posted:back when i was still christian i really liked the idea of jesus as fellow-sufferer. that because of the incarnation god identified with the human experience, and because of the crucifixion identified with the suffering of humanity. like an almost transubstantiated presence is with those who are suffering, those who are oppressed, those who despair. god is with us and suffers with us and while the resurrection promises that this suffering will be transformed into triumph at the same time it doesn't mean that the crucifixion is somehow negated. There are at least two things I can identify as gifts of salvation that the ultimate deity has given to human individuals: solace to those who are suffering, and encouragement to those who take on the suffering of another.
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Jan 12, 2017 04:22
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Nobody ever told me matrimony could nor or should not be kinky.
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Jan 12, 2017 05:45
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HEY GAL posted:nobody else wants to hear about what you and your partner do in bed either. that's private. That's a good point, nobody really does ask to hear that.
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Jan 12, 2017 06:05
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The Phlegmatist posted:The most-used translation of the Bible into Chinese translates logos into dao which has caused some interesting heresies among westerners who think they've suddenly found the hidden knowledge of Laozi. It's...actually kinda close though. That is an interesting thing to learn. I've enjoyed the little bits I've studied of things like the Dao De Jing and the Chinese Rites controversy. It's enjoyable to imagine how my Chinese ancestors may have understood their values and spirituality. I'm also encouraged that the Second Vatican Council says the criteria by which we should decide what is permitted liturgy with respect to native traditions is the harmony it has with the true and authentic spirit of the liturgy. Spiritual authenticity is key. Love which is real bears good fruit in any nationality or language.
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Jan 12, 2017 22:06
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zonohedron posted:So, on a completely different note, has anyone else been reading what seems like an increasing number of opinion pieces about Pope Francis causing dissatisfaction / acting autocratically / furthering cronyism / etc? I have noticed this, too. I am reminded that Pope Francis himself prefers detractors to flattery. "Detractors speak ill of me and I deserve it because I am a sinner: that's the way I see it. That doesn't worry me." I find his consistent humility very arresting, and it paradoxically makes me pay more attention to his wisdom. For myself, I can only say what is most sincerely in my spirit about Pope Francis: his pastorship has lead me away from temptation and closer towards God.
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Jan 14, 2017 23:25
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VoteTedJameson posted:Also, thanks to everyone who was super welcoming and understanding. This is hard stuff for me to talk about openly so it feels great to have such a warm reception. Nice to meet you, VoteTedJameson. Peace be with you! VoteTedJameson posted:I am also generally of the opinion that while I may never fully assure myself of the existence of God, or that Christian worship is the right way to experience contact with said God, that the ethical foundation of Chtistianity- i.e. forgiveness, mercy, serving the poorest and most vulnerable, is so commendable that the actual metaphysical elements might be irrelevant. I think that's a very interesting thing to ponder. The Jesus story is already revolutionary as literature. I don't think you have to worry about praying hypocritically as long as you are praying sincerely. Prayer is being honest with your ultimate creator and imperative, including your doubts about God's absence or existence. Everyone is capable of doing this. In Christians, there is a specific belief that the omnipotent and omnibenevolent deity also took the Earthly existence as a man named Jesus, who lived a blameless life of forgiveness, mercy, and service to the most vulnerable, and these things he said authoritatively were the ultimate matters of life and death and obedience to God, and he did not force people to worship him. This is what he said about praying: quote:“And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? (Matthew 6:5-8 from The Message contemporary language Bible) Jesus also taught his disciples to look out for each other as brothers and sisters, so if there is ever something you want others to pray for, here is the place to ask.
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Jan 16, 2017 03:56
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It's considerable that fasting is undertaken by people of all sorts of traditions and no traditions. Beyond the Abrahamic religions, the discipline is diversely practiced. Like prayer, Jesus taught that fasting should be deeply personal between the faster and God. I think that if you do not feel the grace of God compelling you to perform a long or formal fast, it's also considerable that there's something else which calls for your action or attention.
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Jan 16, 2017 23:36
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Happy MLKJr. Day, my liturgigoon family.Mo Tzu posted:dying for a cause does not equal killing yourself Whether there is a God or not, this is the reality of a believer. It's why on the night before he was murdered, Martin Luther King Jr. can have the grace to preach he is not afraid of death. He wanted to live, "Longevity has its place," but he did not want to let the real threat of death get in the way of what he thought was doing God's will. His in an American prophet, martyr, and sinner. The mountaintop speech is worth watching on any day in which awesomeness is required: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oehry1JC9Rk Josef bugman posted:Most likely, however it could conceivably be argued that fasting in extremis induces an altered state of consciousness that is often right up there "fermented fruit drink" and "These weird mushrooms I found", hence why people think it is a good way of contacting the divine. I take your point, and it is understood by religious traditions, too. Having tried the extremes of asceticism, the first Buddha said the Middle Way leads to liberation. Similarly, the story of Jesus does not end with him fasting for the rest of his life. zonohedron posted:On the other hand, a spiritual life that never involves fasting is probably lacking, too; Catholics and Orthodox have prescribed fast days (and feast days!) in part to make sure that doesn't happen. I take your point, too. People have realized the imperatives of God are challenging, and spiritual strengthening and conditioning is necessary if you want to win in spiritual warfare.
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Jan 17, 2017 15:25
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Bel_Canto posted:could i ask that you all keep me and my colleagues in your prayers? we're still reeling a bit because a teach-in that we put on for MLK Day yesterday (about how classical antiquity has been and continues to be deployed in support of racist and white supremacist agendas) was invaded by actual no-poo poo fascists from Identity Evropa. nobody was hurt and their video camera was confiscated, so probably nobody's going to be doxxed, but we're all still rather terrified, particularly those of us in racial and sexual minorities Peace be with you folks. Godspeed you past the moment of terror. Terror is the Devil's tool and does not impede God's ultimate victory. Deteriorata posted:It's easy for critics (and even adherents) to focus on the discipline of faith. Let's also remember: Yes, let us remember this, too. Qoheleth was wise to realize God's assessment as ultimate and man's as useless or vain in comparison. Even Pope Francis, with all the wisdom and love he's equipped himself with, does not ask to be considered sinless. The truth is perfect but the vessel is not. So please, by all means let's all enjoy the daily little gifts of God, and find ourselves smiling and happy, too. Josef bugman posted:As regards the highlighted part: How does one "win" in spiritual warfare? What is Spiritual warfare in the first place? Spiritual warfare is a way to look at any struggle of the spirit as a conflict between multiple sides, one of which you are on. A spiritual struggle can happen at the group and individual level. It can be thought of as a battle of wills, a resistance of temptation, an urge to remain steadfast in the face of opposition. It ought to capture all the non-physical struggles we have. Anyone can have these inner struggles and fights, and so spiritual warfare is not a solely Christian concept. I think Qoheleth would say that no one can determine what ultimate victory is with any meaningful substance; that is a question that can only be meaningfully answered by an ultimate deity, by God. Josef bugman posted:Whilst it is better to die than to do horrible things, but dying for a belief? I can't help but think "What if I am wrong and have been misinterpreting everything"? That is an legitimate challenge that we all need to have, really. Qoheleth again would challenges us to consider if any of our mortal dialog can give a meaningful answer. There is no one who can answer that like God can, certainly not me, not Qoheleth, not even Frankl, though we are all each of us challenged to respond to the same doubts. Lutha Mahtin posted:Martin Luther King is somebody I want to study more. I read some of his writing in school and I always thought he was really good at writing clearly, and he had a lot of ideas about things. He's our brother, for sure. I can always stand to learn more about King. It was most important for me to learn how his public focus grew over time, starting with racism and the Civil Rights movement to eventually include the anti-war movement and the Poor People's Campaign, and how that lost him support (even among friends) and may have greatly imperiled his life. He was not perfect (he did not stand beside Bayard Rustin, for example) and never claimed to be, but he lived a Jesus-inspired life, and it shows. Brother King, pray for us! Caufman fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Jan 18, 2017 |
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Jan 18, 2017 04:08
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WerrWaaa posted:Deeds of Jesus, psssh. What I want to know is: Deeds of God? Does God act in the world? How so? Does God respond to prayer? Sure doesn't seem like it! What's the function of prayer-- what, in other words, is God's foreign policy? Prayer is much more about our foreign policy to God than the other way around. It is the stand we take towards the ultimate reality, inquisitive or hostile or doubtful or illuminated or what have you. The Psalms are good examples of the diversity of a mortal bringing as much honesty as possible before the almighty.
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Jan 19, 2017 10:17
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WerrWaaa posted:Well doesn't that just sort of punt the question? "God doesn't respond to prayer because it's really about our attitudes..." sounds like God doesn't answer prayers and we're coming upon with excuses to keep on believing. Knock and it shall be opened, ask and ye shall reveive, etc. I get where you're coming from. Please let me ask what do you mean that twice now you've said God doesn't answer prayers. Is there a prayer of yours that God has not answered? It is good to remember the 7th chapter of Matthew's Gospel. We should be able ask and receive, knock and have the door opened. But in the same chapter Jesus says to go through the narrow door. There are many doors to knock on in life, and the big obvious doors always gets knocked on sooner or later. But it is only the narrow door that will open, and behind it is the hidden god. God is love, and our salvation is in love and through love. But that would be just another pointless string of charming words that Jesus exactly warns against if my life doesn't reflect any amount of that redemptive love. The narrow door will be tighter that the Amigara Fault, because it is meant only for your spirit. If I do not love myself and my family, then who will? If I do not love my neighbor and the stranger, then who will? I do commend your doubts, though, because many things regarded as God are idols and do not answer prayers or lead to salvation, and people will come up with excuses to believe these things.
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Jan 19, 2017 23:43
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There's a typo. It's meant to be read, "Obey Jesus or He'll Fire https://www.christianinterviews.com"
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Jan 20, 2017 03:00
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Pellisworth posted:Welp guys I have a shingles outbreak on my face and it suuuuucks. Would appreciate prayers for a swift recovery and for my roommate who isn't sure that they had chickenpox (and therefore has a small risk of catching it from me). See, that's what Baron Harkonnen lacked, a good natured sense of humor that can laugh at one's situation. Get well soon!
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Jan 22, 2017 04:23
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