I make for a poor philosopher, so I don't even try. There are 3 things within me that guide me: be honest with myself (about my feelings, my actions, about what I see in the world, etc.); treat others in the ways I'd want them to treat me; and walk by faith. These are mutually inclusive, and not exclusive - one does not supersede any other. These are my worth, they are the only gold I own.
So when I find myself stirring up my feelings because of some debatable issue, after some time, I take a step back and understand that I don't see clearly and I don't have all the information; if I did see clearly and have all the information, there would be nothing to debate. I could present my case, and the data (which includes its context) would speak for itself. If my case cannot speak for itself, then what exactly am I doing? What value am I truly bringing? I'd be like a wise preacher convincing well-off well-meaning people to drink poisoned kool-aid because of some feeling that we all felt to be honorable and true, which is often enough in this world to justify every horrible thing.
Does this mean that if I am willing to present my case that I certainly have all the information? Of course not. Others may have even more information, and our combined data paints a more clear picture. But our combined information is far more valuable than well-constructed philosophical teachings or years of opinionated arguments, debates, or encouraged guilt trips.
So then, by me taking a step back, and asking myself, "What do I know so far? Am I being fair and is there any miscommunication?", I am allowing myself to be honest with myself and I am treating others in ways I'd want them to treat me. Assuming I'm not dealing with a sociopath, we will now be able to move forward together, or I have to take a step back by myself - either works just fine in our pursuit.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Tweets - November 17th - Paul had understanding
Paul had understanding of God.
"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that God may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18-29
Unlike later Christians, Paul believed in and trusted the salvation of Yeshua (Christ) from death; it was his message. Like later Christians, Paul often condemned the humanity of people (for instance, he was very pro-sexual repression, as you know); it was also his message.
Though Paul was a prophet (unlike any other Pharisee ever), God was not going to save someone like him from death as this would have boasted in Paul's bad behavior.
Paul took offense with God's creation - and God created a free on-set live porn studio called "Earth" where everyone was welcome. What Paul left in his wake were churches that would also take offense and become the churches of today; churches that God refuses to help or support.
Endless apologetics, endless debates - a single "Yea" or "Nay" from God would put an end to them all - but no, not ever, not a single word or ounce of support from God. You're on your own; this is even made plain to atheists.
"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that God may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18-29
Unlike later Christians, Paul believed in and trusted the salvation of Yeshua (Christ) from death; it was his message. Like later Christians, Paul often condemned the humanity of people (for instance, he was very pro-sexual repression, as you know); it was also his message.
Though Paul was a prophet (unlike any other Pharisee ever), God was not going to save someone like him from death as this would have boasted in Paul's bad behavior.
Paul took offense with God's creation - and God created a free on-set live porn studio called "Earth" where everyone was welcome. What Paul left in his wake were churches that would also take offense and become the churches of today; churches that God refuses to help or support.
Endless apologetics, endless debates - a single "Yea" or "Nay" from God would put an end to them all - but no, not ever, not a single word or ounce of support from God. You're on your own; this is even made plain to atheists.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Tweets - November 11th - Pierced Ahead
When it comes to walking with God, everything is progressive, always progressive; nothing is ever forced or rushed.
This Faith, this life of mine that belongs to God, entrusting my flesh to God, considering "worry" and "doubt" worthless things; this Faith has stirred something up in me these last few weeks.
I went outside to have some dialogue with Christ tonight, and before I could say a word, these 4 spacecrafts flew together across the sky (over Laurel, MD). One after another.
The second was close to the first, the third about twice as far back, and the fourth as equally as far back from the third as the third was from the second. There was a thin light that went through all 4 of them and pierced ahead. I've never seen a formation like it.
Update - 11/12/2019
The peculiarity of the event made me check to see if others near me saw the same event. After a bit of googling and twitter searching, I have doubts that these things were spacecrafts. My searches led me to the StarLink cluster of satellites by SpaceX. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellation)
This was the view from LA yesterday, not sure if they traveled eastward - but maybe so (I only saw 4, and the thin light may have been smaller satellite clusters): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqACWozdHsA
I sure hope these things don't clutter up the sky.
What's interesting is that I was there at just the right time to see them. I had never even heard of StarLink before this (today). Yesterday, I knew that I wanted to go outside and speak to God and Christ.
So I looked at the weather app on my phone to see how cold it was going to get, and I noticed that it was going to get cloudy soon. So I got up, put on my slippers and jacket and went outside. I opened my folding chair and sat down, then I saw the 4 satellites.
They flew fast, and if I would have come outside just a minute later, I would have missed them.
This Faith, this life of mine that belongs to God, entrusting my flesh to God, considering "worry" and "doubt" worthless things; this Faith has stirred something up in me these last few weeks.
I went outside to have some dialogue with Christ tonight, and before I could say a word, these 4 spacecrafts flew together across the sky (over Laurel, MD). One after another.
The second was close to the first, the third about twice as far back, and the fourth as equally as far back from the third as the third was from the second. There was a thin light that went through all 4 of them and pierced ahead. I've never seen a formation like it.
Update - 11/12/2019
The peculiarity of the event made me check to see if others near me saw the same event. After a bit of googling and twitter searching, I have doubts that these things were spacecrafts. My searches led me to the StarLink cluster of satellites by SpaceX. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellation)
This was the view from LA yesterday, not sure if they traveled eastward - but maybe so (I only saw 4, and the thin light may have been smaller satellite clusters): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqACWozdHsA
I sure hope these things don't clutter up the sky.
What's interesting is that I was there at just the right time to see them. I had never even heard of StarLink before this (today). Yesterday, I knew that I wanted to go outside and speak to God and Christ.
So I looked at the weather app on my phone to see how cold it was going to get, and I noticed that it was going to get cloudy soon. So I got up, put on my slippers and jacket and went outside. I opened my folding chair and sat down, then I saw the 4 satellites.
They flew fast, and if I would have come outside just a minute later, I would have missed them.
Old garments and wineskins
Mark 2:21-22 ~ "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
This was Christ's way of explaining how revolutions should proceed, giving his disciples and listeners the information that revolutionaries should have. In summary, "You should not change this system; fixing its holes will only causes further issues. This system must be created anew." This is how revolutionary the Church once was - a very long time ago. This is why the Jews and Romans hung Christ up on a cross, and not because of the weird excuse of him calling himself "God" and the "son of God". The Jews were well aware of what Christ was doing and what he was teaching, and it's why he taught people in parables. If he hadn't, he would have died much sooner than he had.
Fortunately, unlike any other revolutionary, Christ belonged to God and Christ's flesh was God's glory, so there was just no way God was allowing death to keep him.
The author of the gospel of Mark typically wrapped stories around Christ's teachings; Matthew and Luke copied Mark in this regard, but "fixed" the stories. The author(s) of Luke was not a fan of revolutionary Christ (as it seems), and changed things for his own whitewashed agenda: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'" ~ Luke 5:36-39.
This is blatantly insulting.
The Church had changed into something unfamiliar. They had become faithless fearful people, and very prone to judgment (thanks much to the teachings of Paul). They had accepted the new gospel of death, heaven and hell; where salvation is for the dead and not the living; where the understanding and tangible compassion of God is for later and not now. They had become godless while holding on to a few teachings of Christ, not understanding them or him.
========================================================
It's not the only reason he taught people in parables. Going around openly speaking about eternal life, eternal life, eternal life would have gotten him tossed in whatever version of a psych ward they had. So he taught with parables.
This of course makes no sense if "eternal life" is the same as "dying and going to heaven" - which was nothing different, more of the same, just a different God. Eternal life is eternal life - Christ is experiencing it to this day as we speak; he knew exactly what he meant.
This was Christ's way of explaining how revolutions should proceed, giving his disciples and listeners the information that revolutionaries should have. In summary, "You should not change this system; fixing its holes will only causes further issues. This system must be created anew." This is how revolutionary the Church once was - a very long time ago. This is why the Jews and Romans hung Christ up on a cross, and not because of the weird excuse of him calling himself "God" and the "son of God". The Jews were well aware of what Christ was doing and what he was teaching, and it's why he taught people in parables. If he hadn't, he would have died much sooner than he had.
Fortunately, unlike any other revolutionary, Christ belonged to God and Christ's flesh was God's glory, so there was just no way God was allowing death to keep him.
The author of the gospel of Mark typically wrapped stories around Christ's teachings; Matthew and Luke copied Mark in this regard, but "fixed" the stories. The author(s) of Luke was not a fan of revolutionary Christ (as it seems), and changed things for his own whitewashed agenda: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'" ~ Luke 5:36-39.
This is blatantly insulting.
The Church had changed into something unfamiliar. They had become faithless fearful people, and very prone to judgment (thanks much to the teachings of Paul). They had accepted the new gospel of death, heaven and hell; where salvation is for the dead and not the living; where the understanding and tangible compassion of God is for later and not now. They had become godless while holding on to a few teachings of Christ, not understanding them or him.
========================================================
It's not the only reason he taught people in parables. Going around openly speaking about eternal life, eternal life, eternal life would have gotten him tossed in whatever version of a psych ward they had. So he taught with parables.
This of course makes no sense if "eternal life" is the same as "dying and going to heaven" - which was nothing different, more of the same, just a different God. Eternal life is eternal life - Christ is experiencing it to this day as we speak; he knew exactly what he meant.
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