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The meek shall inherit the Earth is not about about man being weak but means power under control. We shall not think more highly of ourselves as we should do right by the Lord without putting on airs how good our deeds are displaying them in front of man.
I see where one states that we as humans are constant in our sinning, however as a believer you have the Holy Spirit within you, that convicts you as to your repentance it should be a change of mind and heart that we stop in our sinning as we want to shift our focus on the Lord
My relationship with the Universe is very simple. I am grateful there is a Universe. I am grateful I am part of it. I do no harm.
I have a deep appreciation for Jesus. He was a radical preacher who believed the poor deserved help, and respect. They deserved to be healthy, and well fed. Jesus is a part of my Universe.
The bible tells of a vindictive needy God. He requires so much attention, we will be doomed to a fiery hell if we fail to meet his expectations. That God has nothing to do with Jesus.
Perhaps I should call myself a Nazarene rather than a Christian.
In other words, you're trying to weasel out of the idea that the poor and downtrodden are to inherit the planet, not the arrogant, the prideful, the greedy, the dispassionate, the uncaring, or the powerful.
Because, for crying out loud, earth was always a synonym for the land upon which we lived - not specifically just dirt. Few people, even in formal writing, actually capitalize "earth" and I very much doubt that the primitives of the age made a distinction between the dirt of the ground and the planet where we lived. I don't even think they were fully cognizant of even living on an actual planet.
No, I'm trying to justify the fact that I've been used and abused for the past 15-32 years, and trying to make sense of it, and realizing I can't.
Meekness is kindness. It's not subservience. It's putting the needs of those you care about first, but it is not martyrdom. From my best interpretation, Jesus died so we don't have to do that anymore. So we don't have to live according to the Law, but can have our own lives.
We have no idea whether it was capitalized or not, but here's a hint. This land was not always called Earth (if the word is from German, it probably wasn't called that during Roman times). So we should always examine what Jesus is actually saying, before outright letting people talk for him and tell us what to think.
No, we shouldn't order people around. But those people aren't meek by any definition.
Jesus didn't preach subservience (he did preach service, but not to the point where a person gave up their hopes and dreams, else he would demand followers join him versus getting them to choose), but he didn't preach violence either. He preached peace, and preached the way to improve the world.
Lemme put it this way. You can help people for a few reasons:
From a desire to be seen as a good person (1), or a desire to be agreeable (2). The former will be seen for the hypocrisy it is, and people will return your "good" for harm. Basically, you're a bastard putting on airs so you can judge people. A Pharisee. In the second case, you actually are a decent person probably, but you will be used and abused by people who aren't really your friends while you try to make friends by not hurting anyone.
Then there is someone who either helps themselves (and by doing so, helps others (3)) or helps others because they genuinely want to (4). The last is the meek, those who help others because of a genuine feeling of love. If we can't all be meek, we should at the very least seek to help others by helping ourselves. Let me give an example. I was at college, and I noticed they had no public way to watch DVDs. I installed a DVD player into one of the computers. It ended up nobody but me seemed to use this, but I'm glad I did it. Anyway, the school admins (type 1) found out and scolded me. Excuse me, you didn't have functional computers with which to use multimedia. They wound up buying me off (which I don't have a problem with, because it gave me a perverse pleasure having the school pay me), but kept the player for the year. I would have liked them to not be cheapskates and buy new computers with players, instead they bought Deep Freeze, so the computers basically kill your word file if you didn't save it in time. Punks.
When you are personally invested in a cause, you know how it affects you because it helps you, so you know what needs to be done. When you are not, when you are doing things to be seen as good rather than being honest with yourself, you don't actually understand the problem, so how do you know you are doing it the right way (for instance, giving money to the despotic government rather than directly to the starving child)?
Love your neighbor as yourself. This is a meek person. A person who is a jerk (what you said), does not love themselves. Nor does a person who allows others to abuse them. Do not be deceived by so-called "Christians" who use the faith to manipulate you into obligation. You have an obligation to your life and your happiness, and then once loving yourself, the hope is that you learn to give back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Facebook sent to me
THE END OF MARTYRDOM
Dear Ones -
I saw this quote the other day on my friend's Facebook page, and it stopped me in my tracks.
Does this quote resonate with anyone out there? Has anyone else out there struggled with the tricky question of confusing "love" with "putting everyone else's life ahead of yours"?
Does anyone else out there think this is a particularly pervasive problem for women? Do you see your own mothers and grandmothers, maybe, reflected in this sentiment? Or perhaps your sisters, or your dearest friends?
Have you watched women whom you adore and admire allow their lives to be drained away to the very depths — constantly giving themselves to others — until there is nothing left to give?
Men do it, too — but I think women do it more...am I right?
Have you witnessed the depression, the vacancy, the emptiness, the sickness, and the despair that can result?
Or have you done that to yourself — drained yourself, over-given of yourself, until you can't even find yourself in the story of your own life at all anymore? Have you let it get to the point that you resent every single one of the people you have put before you? And are you still mistakenly calling that "love"?
Or is the better name for it "martyrdom"?
My friend Iva and I have had so many conversations about this over the years — about our shared sense that the Age of Martyrdom is coming to an end...and that it must end. We must choose a different path. Iva and I remind each other all the time of the vows that we have sworn about our own lives, vows that say: "I'm not going to burn at the stake this time...not for anyone."
Not doing it anymore.
I will love people freely and lightly and happily, or I will let them go.
I will allow people — especially other adults — to be responsible for their own lives. If other people are falling down hellholes, I will not tumble down those hellholes with them out of some mistaken sense of loyalty. (Compassion does not mean jumping into a pit of flame with anyone.) I will not stand in the fire anymore for anyone, or burn up my life for anyone, and mistakenly call that love.
I have a friend who said recently to me, "I liked you better when you were depressed. I was more comfortable with you then."
My reply: "Well, I loved you then and I love you now. But I'm sorry — I won't stay depressed just to keep you company, or make you feel better. I really do love you, but I don't love you that much." (Truth is, I don't love ANYONE that much — because that ain't love.)
I will not be loyal to suffering — neither yours or mine.
I will not be faithful to dysfunction — neither yours or mine.
I will not give you more than I (safely and sanely) have to give.
I will remember that we must take people as we find them, and that sometimes (as Iyanla always reminds us) we must leave them there.
I will not stay in the darkness for ANYONE, and I won't allow myself to be manipulated by anyone who feels they must drag me into their darkness for their own comfort...or that, if I refuse to stay in the darkness with them, I don't love them.
No.
My life is an upward search — moving stubbornly toward the light — and you can come along with me, or I'll see you later.
I will always take care of myself — because I recognize that if I don't take care of myself, then I can never offer my useful service or my authentic love to anybody.
I will always work to fill my soul with grace and enthusiasm. Whatever energy overflows from me, I will happily and generously share it. But I will only share the overflow, because the rest of it, I need. I will not drain my wellspring to the dregs for anyone ever again, and mistakenly call that love.
This is the pledge of the End of Martyrdom.
Who's with me?
ONWARD,
LG
Love your neighbor as yourself. Don't be another martyr.
Last edited by bulmabriefs144; 02-13-2015 at 09:04 PM..
I give a to you too,as your labeling of me as a 'fundavangelist' or whatever term that is is also a baseless assertion,not knowing much about me...
Generalize much?
This was your post, to which I was responding:
Quote:
I think the reason non-Christians,or more seemingly 'anti-Christians' like to bash Christian beliefs is because it just takes too much effort to adhere to many principles and just live in a 'free and fun' world where anything goes and everyone does no wrong...blissful ignorance perhaps?
The above post tells me you believe anyone who doesn't bow to the Christian god is merely because they're lazy and hedonistic.
And you talk to me about labels?!
And generalizing?
Try glancing in the mirror without the Jesus-frosted glasses.
I think the reason non-Christians,or more seemingly 'anti-Christians' like to bash Christian beliefs is because it just takes too much effort to adhere to many principles and just live in a 'free and fun' world where anything goes and everyone does no wrong...blissful ignorance perhaps?
Hey, if living a subservient life of obedience to a cosmic bully appeals to you, go for it. But don't be surprised if others don't wish to join you.
And if the fear of Hell is the only thing that keeps you from killing, stealing, etc then I am very glad you live with that fear.
Hey, if living a subservient life of obedience to a cosmic bully appeals to you, go for it. But don't be surprised if others don't wish to join you.
And if the fear of Hell is the only thing that keeps you from killing, stealing, etc then I am very glad you live with that fear.
Where did I say I wanted others to join me?
Sounds like you like to rebel against things that aren't even there.
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