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Amazing thought processes on display here, eh, Mystic et al?
All I can add now, swollen head and all (BTW, DOTL, thx for the many compliments. If I'd only known!), is that it's exactly been my big head and it's evolved internal neuronal connections and resulting logic which have consistently led me AWAY frommy previous Christian beliefs.
I also didn't like others making up my mind for me.
We may have had similar paths, Rifleman . . . except I refused to be satisfied with left brain knowledge. I abandoned the Catholic Church because of all the hierarchy and autocracy and became a young very spiritually unsatisfied atheist. From the Tao of Power:
". . . Power will not develop in individuals who allow doctrine and dogma to stand between them and direct personal knowledge of the universe."
My pursuit of the right brain disciplines eventually led me back experientially to Jesus and a purely loving God. It's been quite a ride! According to John 6:45, apparently even Jesus knew that this would happen,
. . . It is written in the Prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has listened to the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
Garberator?? Believing and accepting the free gift of salvation is EASY. WE (that includes all of us) make it complicated. Look to God, not men for His logic. The unexplainable awesomeness of the universe and our beautiful earth (for now) is in and of itself, proof of God and He is the original Scientist.
Yeah, the Garberator. You know, the in-sink or in-head garbage processing unit. (Here I used it as a metaphor for the thought process into which we all toss our ideas, good or bad. The spoons. Get it?) If the brain grinds them up or coughs them back at'cha, perhaps your is mind is struggling & trying to tell you something.
For me, salvation was being set free from religion, not "accepting" it. I was already there, apparently aching to be set free.
The world is growing less and less "inexplicable" every day, DOTL. Anyone can see the persistant growth of knowledge (see examples below) and see that light, rather than darkness, is the thing which is expanding through science and objectivity. If you choose to accept THAT, DOTL, your life will be more fulfilled, more "illuminated" if you will, rather than being more constrained by a never-expanding, never improved, never challenged set of strict behavioral and belief rules.
Reach out for the knowledge we scientists and thinkers are generously offering. On a regular basis, we discover and offer up the truth about things that have existed all along, but were inexplicable only until they became illuminated.
Imagine trying to explain to one of Jesus' prophet-authors back then about, say: wireless internet; mp3 digital music files demo'd to one of them with an iPod that held over 10,000 songs inside it; 240mph, safely, in a Ferrari on a country road; 100 million year old rocks and similarly aged dinosaurs; an AK-47; better yet, a Taser and an anti-satellite 10gW HeNe laser; a comm-satellite; a Trident sub going under water for, say, 12 mo.; witness to a 1 mT hydrogen bomb explosion after they first see the 2' X 3' X 6" box it's built into; hydroponic corn growing in the middle of winter in a solar-powered greenhouse. Men walking on the moon. And on & on forever. (And growing, BTW, as anticipated. In a few more years, we'll know even more, not less!)
All explicable easily through science (after all, we had to fully understand this stuff before we could build it, right?). Not explicable through mystic processes except by saying "God works in mysterious ways, and waggles his nose when he feels like it!". But otherwise, all of our modern world would be completely inexplicable in their day except by mythic fable.
As in: the bible. Good for object lessons, for lifestyle guidance, for ethical arguments. To explain Yellowstone? Not so much. Guaranteed to fail in such instances. Miserably, BTW, except in a few cases of luck or coincidence.
An electrical storm, an earthquake, a typhoon; all terribly horrifying, inexplicable and unpredictable to the prophets of old; less so to the Mayans and Greeks who were at least more objective and keen observers of their world, and always on the lookout for rational reasons, not myth, to explain things. And then compare what the Greeks and Romans did with their culture, their architecture, their language and science, their world explorations, versus what the peasants on the south side of the Mediterranean did...
Logic and reasoning and the keeping of accurate records versus wailing, praying, goat sacrificing, and blind unquestioning faith in mythic fables.
Works for you? Not so much for me. I lost too many spoons, as I said earlier. Now, DOTL, now... I'm free. And you?
Have a good night all!
Last edited by rifleman; 01-05-2009 at 07:33 PM..
Reason: typos.
I think it's interesting that when we are made aware of something that we can often lose focus and convince ourselves of something outside the realm of normalcy. It's often been said that the reason people pay a lot of attention to psychics is because they focus on the "hits" rather than the "misses" in an attempt to justify some sort of interior (or perhaps exterior) purpose.
I once had a girlfriend who told me that she went to see a psychic about our relationship and where it was headed. The psychic told her that we were going to eventually break up and this worried my girlfriend to no end. Surprisingly enough, we did break up and this convinced her even further that the psychic was in fact telling the truth. The thing is, to think about it logically, I was sixteen at the time and she was seventeen. How many high school relationships actually last a lifetime? I'm not saying it doesn't happen but the odds are that we would break up. Some psychic prediction, huh?
I suppose my point is that no one ever really heard about the Yellowstone super-volcano (with the exception of geologists and a handful of other scientists) until the Discovery Channel made a rather vivid television program on it a few years ago. Prior to that, people living in and around the Western half of the United States didn't even worry about it. Now it seems like people are beginning to get edgy over this thing as if every creak and groan or geyser eruption that comes from Yellowstone is a sign of it about to explode.
Well, perhaps it is. Maybe Yellowstone is about to erupt into a giant spewing ball of lava decimating the entire Western half of the United States (the Eastern half may actually have it worse since most people will die of starvation due to the winds carrying the ash over most of the Eastern part of the U.S.) Either way, if it blows up, what are we going to do about it? To my knowledge, there is no preventative measure in place to stop a volcano from erupting which sort of puts us at an impasse as to what to do.
Nevertheless, people will worry about it to their wits end but I really don't see the point in getting worked up over it. We have a lot of problems both in this country and around the world that we do have some sort of control over. Of course I think we should be examining Yellowstone to try and make a determination if it is about to erupt but if it's going to blow I ask the question - So what? What are we going to do about it? Why don't we focus our manpower, our worries and our efforts on things that we have some semblance of control over?
Of course, because Yellowstone has now become more widely publicized it becomes a fear on people's minds. Yet, what I don't hear people talking about is the vast amount of unaccounted for meteors/asteroids that are on a possible collision course with Earth. We freak out about rumblings and grumblings of Yellowstone churning it's volcanic underbelly but we should be alarmed and dismayed when meteors strike the Earth (which they do often) without any prior warning. I don't know the statistic off the top of my head but I think unaccounted for space rocks are estimated to number in the thousands (if not millions). That should be far more alarming than Yellowstone and, might I add, depending on the size of said space boulder - much more damaging.
So, I have to sit here and wonder. Why are we fretting and worrying over things that are out of our control? Do we not have enough to worry about in our daily lives? I'm just saying that from an American perspective, our economy is in the tank, we're in the middle of two wars and most of the world hates our guts. These seem like things that are more in our power to fix rather than worrying about whether a volcano is going to erupt. Around the world, people scavenge for food through sewers, children in India still die from cholera due to unsanitary drinking water, landmine victims in Africa have no legs or arms and young women are forced into prostitution to hopefully feed their families.
Do you honestly think people around the world who are living in their own 'hell on Earth' are really worried about whether or not Yellowstone erupts? How convenient we have it! We are so lucky that even in times of what we perceive as "turmoil, angst and economic woe" that our biggest fears are being played out under the guise of a super-volcano. I bet the young girl in the Phillipines who is being sold for sexual slavery would give anything to worry about a super-volcano as opposed to the hell she is experiencing at this moment. I bet the child in Africa who stepped on a landmine yesterday and now has no legs would give anything to worry about a super-volcano.
If things are so bad that we must find a way to worry about things out of our control than I must ask how bad things really are? I'm not losing sleep over Yellowstone and I'm not losing sleep over asteroids/meteors or any other thing out of my control. It's pointless, it's stupid and it shows just how lucky we really are.
I think it's interesting that when we are made aware of something that we can often lose focus and convince ourselves of something outside the realm of normalcy. It's often been said that the reason people pay a lot of attention to psychics is because they focus on the "hits" rather than the "misses" in an attempt to justify some sort of interior (or perhaps exterior) purpose.
The reaction is interesting in that even scientists are afraid, but just like anything else of interest the country has a short memory. One minute of fear and horror (9/11 comes to mind) is vaporized into "oh well" and eventually forgotten completely until reminded briefly by a clip of the horror on tv. Short memories and denial is exactly why I bring these things up. Yellowstone is a symptom, not the end. But it is important nonetheless to the culmination of what's happening.
Quote:
I once had a girlfriend who told me that she went to see a psychic about our relationship and where it was headed. The psychic told her that we were going to eventually break up and this worried my girlfriend to no end. Surprisingly enough, we did break up and this convinced her even further that the psychic was in fact telling the truth. The thing is, to think about it logically, I was sixteen at the time and she was seventeen. How many high school relationships actually last a lifetime? I'm not saying it doesn't happen but the odds are that we would break up. Some psychic prediction, huh?
How much did she pay this "psychic"?? What a scam.
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I suppose my point is that no one ever really heard about the Yellowstone super-volcano (with the exception of geologists and a handful of other scientists) until the Discovery Channel made a rather vivid television program on it a few years ago. Prior to that, people living in and around the Western half of the United States didn't even worry about it. Now it seems like people are beginning to get edgy over this thing as if every creak and groan or geyser eruption that comes from Yellowstone is a sign of it about to explode.
I didn't see that particular program, but I was still aware of Yellowstone's potential danger. Interesting. I think the fear of it blowing what with the 400 or so tremors within just 10 days is warranted. It's what is driving the fear. It's unheard of, and cause for alarm.
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Well, perhaps it is. Maybe Yellowstone is about to erupt into a giant spewing ball of lava decimating the entire Western half of the United States (the Eastern half may actually have it worse since most people will die of starvation due to the winds carrying the ash over most of the Eastern part of the U.S.) Either way, if it blows up, what are we going to do about it? To my knowledge, there is no preventative measure in place to stop a volcano from erupting which sort of puts us at an impasse as to what to do.
There is an interesting program on the History channel this week about Armageddon and the 7 signs of the apocalypse (9:00 pm). I can watch it because I have no fear of anything that is coming, but they give a warning that it may be disturbing to some. I think everyone should watch it, but that's just me.
You ask what are we going to do about it if it blows? Nothing. The point of my post about it is preparation to meet your Maker because all of what is to come is prophecy being fulfilled and inescapable. No one can hide from it, but we sure can be ready for it and have no fear whatsoever.
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Nevertheless, people will worry about it to their wits end but I really don't see the point in getting worked up over it. We have a lot of problems both in this country and around the world that we do have some sort of control over. Of course I think we should be examining Yellowstone to try and make a determination if it is about to erupt but if it's going to blow I ask the question - So what? What are we going to do about it? Why don't we focus our manpower, our worries and our efforts on things that we have some semblance of control over?
Yes, some will because their eternal destiny is not secure. Fear of dying can be horrifying without knowing God. We do have a lot of other problems that we may or may not be able to control, because if it's part of God's plan no man will control anything. Better to just be prepared and not have to worry about what is coming.
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Of course, because Yellowstone has now become more widely publicized it becomes a fear on people's minds. Yet, what I don't hear people talking about is the vast amount of unaccounted for meteors/asteroids that are on a possible collision course with Earth. We freak out about rumblings and grumblings of Yellowstone churning it's volcanic underbelly but we should be alarmed and dismayed when meteors strike the Earth (which they do often) without any prior warning. I don't know the statistic off the top of my head but I think unaccounted for space rocks are estimated to number in the thousands (if not millions). That should be far more alarming than Yellowstone and, might I add, depending on the size of said space boulder - much more damaging.
Meteors are discussed in the documentary I mentioned. It is also a real threat as Wormwood is also mentioned in Biblical prophecy.
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So, I have to sit here and wonder. Why are we fretting and worrying over things that are out of our control? Do we not have enough to worry about in our daily lives? I'm just saying that from an American perspective, our economy is in the tank, we're in the middle of two wars and most of the world hates our guts. These seem like things that are more in our power to fix rather than worrying about whether a volcano is going to erupt. Around the world, people scavenge for food through sewers, children in India still die from cholera due to unsanitary drinking water, landmine victims in Africa have no legs or arms and young women are forced into prostitution to hopefully feed their families.
Fretting and worrying shouldn't be part of the equation. As Christians we are told in the Bible to not be alarmed. Concern for others and their eternal destiny should be at the forefront of all that a Christian does in these perilous times. Those who don't believe are in for a lot of fear and shock at what is happening to them and around them. It will make some turn to God, and it will make others curse Him. But the hope is to warn now and have people turn to God NOW.
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Do you honestly think people around the world who are living in their own 'hell on Earth' are really worried about whether or not Yellowstone erupts? How convenient we have it! We are so lucky that even in times of what we perceive as "turmoil, angst and economic woe" that our biggest fears are being played out under the guise of a super-volcano. I bet the young girl in the Phillipines who is being sold for sexual slavery would give anything to worry about a super-volcano as opposed to the hell she is experiencing at this moment. I bet the child in Africa who stepped on a landmine yesterday and now has no legs would give anything to worry about a super-volcano.
No, of course not. This is an American concern. We still have it good for the moment, but that is not going to last.
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If things are so good that we must find a way to worry about things out of our control than I must ask how bad things really are? I'm not losing sleep over Yellowstone and I'm not losing sleep over asteroids/meteors or any other thing out of my control. It's pointless, it's stupid and it shows just how lucky we really are.
Again, temporary. Yellowstone is a symptom like I said, that leads to death and destruction. It's pointless to worry, but it's not pointless to pay attention, know what's coming and be prepared for it. Luck has nothing to do with it.
Everyone on this forum will be dead within the next 120 years
Who will be "ready"?
Not a prophecy, but still a valid question.
If you die tomorrow, will you be ready?? Nevermind the fact that we're in the last days......no one is guaranteed one more millisecond in this world either. The fate is the same whether we die naturally, accidentally or the world blows up........death. Where will you spend eternity??
Watch this video "Earthquakes and Volcanoes in Prophecy!" on http://www.realtruth.org/wtc_055_100402.html...amazing (broken link)
I don't know much about the RCG but this Mr. Pack is an excellent speaker and this is an excellent video. Worth a watch if you got 30 minutes.
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And happily at that!
All I can say, if they aren't, there are going to be some very old people still alive! 
