So in other news, I realized just literally right now I am 100% better off with my deadbeat fathers than if wong were my dad (SCARY)
Also today I realized Scuter is literally my brother. Probably sounds strange, but I have no family, and I do not think of him as a friend nor do I want to fuck him. Older brother fits. Cobson and Gary obv round out my other brothers, I actually feel like I have family for the first time in my life.
Reading this thread brought back a lot of good (and some bad) memories.
How Scutes went from the charming enlightening helpful individual just a couple pages back (like 2-3 months ago) to what I am experiencing now I have no idea.
Anyway this thread is primarily what sparked a LOT of change in my life to the good. Might be a good read for those lurking or whom forgot. Scuter didn't always hate me, or he did a better job hiding it, at least.
Obviously the only people who ever write about god/s are doing so to exploit the weak & unsuspecting; but in terms of my theory about sanity, if there was a god and he wanted me to write to all of you, it would be in my best interests and the best interests of humanity.
Not sure it wouldn't be worth mocking him of course. What's he gonna do? He's powerless. Kid ain't even literate.
Or he could just write that shit by flicking his fingers? One of the big problems Religion has always just kinda hoped no one would notice is why all-powerful gods need men to guide other men.
It's why I always go on about middle men of religion. Their existence is blasphemous to each of their all-powerful and all-knowing gods.
This was really good actually. When I realized you were talking about people like my pastor, it put the whole christian experience into perspective. I do not believe I can be in the same room with people like that anymore without becoming vulgar. They prey upon people like my friend in afganistan.
Recently I had an email exchange with my friend and I levelled with him finally about quitting going to church. I am going to copy and paste our last exchange, because I haven't answered him in 3 weeks, and he's wondering why. Honestly, what can I say? I have no idea.
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Originally Posted by InsaneWoman
Thank you J, that's very solid applicable advice.
What pushed me to drink is that the guy is literally Byron BUT I turned my agitation into inspiration. I have two projects I am working on now, a newsletter that is very solid creative and easy (for me) to do, the second isI am infusing a few ideas and psychology from collections and also developing a whole script with structured rebuttles and such so that the stores can adopt an efficient cookie cutter approach.
On Grace- I pretty much walked away from church because I saw no benefit and no changes in my life, I found a man who basically "solved" religion and adopted his philosophy and wanted to see how/if it would change/benefit me. I didn't see much of a change, although he did have a lot of answers which essentially have made the church my enemy (all of mankinds enemy really)
I think it's relevant to walk away from faith and see the other side in earnest. I did so, and then God answered with this job I have now- J, I got the job because a LONG term employee was caught STEALING.
Stealing!
Meaning, with 0 chance of opportunity and right when I NEEDED a job BADLY and couldn't find one, almost as if by chance/fate/luck (none of which exist) I walk in thinking I'd be doing flyers for the day and grateful and ********* gave me the gig on the spot to replace the other guy.
I am sure it's the Big Guy upstairs and I really do not feel worthy though I am grateful and it's making me conflicted. I really despise religion but my faith was is and will always be very strong in God and I don't know what to do, essentially.
Curious what you have to say about all that.
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Originally Posted by J
Quit thinking that you need to be worthy. That's damn arrogant. Grace by definition means "unmerited favor", getting something of value that we do not deserve in the first place. Grace only comes from God.
You obvioulsy didn't read the book I got you, "What's so Amazing About Grace" by Phillip Yancey. If you had read it, then you should be able to understand the importance of Grace. Why it only comes from God and why it is so valuable.
In the entire universe, ONLY God has the authority to offer Grace. It exists because He exists and it is extended to us because of God's love toward us (human beings). We are His creation. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, in His image. What an amazing thing. Only the fool says there is no God. Grace was created for us, for humanity. Romans chapter 5:20 "...Where sin did abound, Grace did that much more abound."
God has not extended it to any other beings except mankind. When Lucifer fell from heaven, he took a third of the angels with him. God did NOT extend His Grace to them. There is no forgiveness for Satan and his demons. Mankind is unique in all the universe in many ways, the least of which is not that we are covered by God's Grace. Remember Jason, ANYTHING that is good comes from God and only God. Nothing bad comes from God. Ever. Everything that is good in this shitty life is not luck or chance. It happens because the Good Lord allows it. We are drenched in God's Grace, literally and we cannot escape it. It is integral. The Psalmist asks in Psalms 139 "Where can I go that You are not there Lord?"
Remember religion is man made. Christianity, as true Christians define it, is from God. It's not just saying that "Oh I'm Christian / Protestant (as opposed to Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or whatever)" Saying that is merely taking a side in 'religion', Saying "I'm christian" is one thing. Living like one the way that God instructs us to live is entirely another.
I don't have a rebuttle against him. In fact, I want to go back to church now, after reading what he wrote again.