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CV, your story is one I've heard dozens of times: An empty life of booze, drugs, pain and misery + hitting bottom + finding "God" = sobriety, and a new, positive way of living.
Good for you. And I mean that seriously. But most of us, believers and non, are doing just fine. I personally think the Abrahamic god is a disgusting monster deserving of nothing but contempt. I admire much of what Jesus purportedly taught but don't believe he was a god-thing's son who worked miracles.
Your "good news" is old news or no news to most of us. But I'm glad you found a recipe for a positive life change.
Trout...I know, my story is certainly not unique. But, I share it because it's all I got...and, for me, it's the foundation of my life.
Ok, I appreciate your thought. Sure, we're not on the same page, but that's another thing.
All I wanna say in closing is this...
I hope the day never comes when you "crash and burn" so to speak. I truly do--I'd not wish that on anyone.
But, if it ever does come about for whatever reason...I hope, I pray, and I hope again....
That..."Pizza"...comes to your mind...even if we're talking years/decades down the road.
IT will always be there...it will always be yours for the asking.
All best to you and yours Mr. Canadian.
Oh, almost forgot ...I love trout fishing. I'm not good at it, but it's a thrill to feel that "lunker" hit the line!
Jesus is no longer here in the flesh, is why you don't see Him performing miracles. (I do, but that's another story).
Jesus didn't come to Earth to heal the lepers, restore sight to the blind, and to make a paraplegic walk. Miracles.
He used those miracles to prove that he IS the Son of God, so that he would be believed when he said follow me to God, and you are forgiven.
Had he stood there and said I am the Son of God, and can forgive your sins, and I am the way to life everlasting, he'd have gotten tomatoes thrown at him.
But when he miraculously heals the sick in front of people's eyes, well, he's got some cred.
So His true message will be believed.
That's nice and all, but the only "proof" we have that these events occurred are written accounts by people who were not there, but heard the story from someone who heard the story from someone who heard the story, after several hundred years had gone by. Have you ever played "telephone"?
Essentially, the message of some kinds of Christianity is that people are fundamentally flawed and deserving of God's wrath and eternal punishment. Such a message can easily feed off of an individual's personal foibles and failures. They feel bad about those things, or guilty or condemned, and it might seem to them that if God exists, God must feel the same way about them as they feel about themselves. So, Christianity provides a way out of those feelings. It says, "God forgives you, just accept it." That can be a very freeing and healing and empowering thing.
The thing is, one can get to that freedom, healing and empowerment by simply accepting that God never held them in condemnation in the first place (either by not believing there is a God, or by believing that it is not in God's nature to condemn humanity to an eternity of torment).
In other words the Jesus narrative CAN be a way to more abundant life, but any narrative that allows one to get out from under a sense of condemnation is equally as valid a way. Too often, the accompanying beliefs of Christianity can lead people back into a place of either self-condemnation or other-condemnation. I hope, CasualVisitor, that that does not happen for you. But if it ever does, if it ever comes crashing down around you, I hope, I seriously hope, the conversations you've had here are brought to your mind.
...snip...
I hope the day never comes when you "crash and burn" so to speak. I truly do--I'd not wish that on anyone.
But, if it ever does come about for whatever reason...I hope, I pray, and I hope again....
That..."Pizza"...comes to your mind...even if we're talking years/decades down the road.
IT will always be there...it will always be yours for the asking.
...snip...
I stopped believing in the biblical god-thing in my early teens. It made no sense then. It makes no sense now.
I've been on this planet for 67 years and along life's way have suffered my fair share of tragedy, depression, and decades of hard times. Most of my adult life was spent living well below the poverty line. My brand of faith pulled me through: Faith that if I kept putting one foot in front of the other, eventually I would find better days.
And I have.
Again, I'm glad your beliefs have helped steer you away from what was hurting you and yours. But I'll never be convinced the god-thing in the bible is remotely real.
Essentially, the message of some kinds of Christianity is that people are fundamentally flawed and deserving of God's wrath and eternal punishment. Such a message can easily feed off of an individual's personal foibles and failures. They feel bad about those things, or guilty or condemned, and it might seem to them that if God exists, God must feel the same way about them as they feel about themselves. So, Christianity provides a way out of those feelings. It says, "God forgives you, just accept it." That can be a very freeing and healing and empowering thing.
The thing is, one can get to that freedom, healing and empowerment by simply accepting that God never held them in condemnation in the first place (either by not believing there is a God, or by believing that it is not in God's nature to condemn humanity to an eternity of torment).
In other words the Jesus narrative CAN be a way to more abundant life, but any narrative that allows one to get out from under a sense of condemnation is equally as valid a way. Too often, the accompanying beliefs of Christianity can lead people back into a place of either self-condemnation or other-condemnation. I hope Casual, that that does not happen for you.
yeah, they have to dump the original sin and go out and save people parts. and the magic stuff.
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So back to this delicious pizza.
If I were at the table, and someone was saying oh my gosh, taste this delicious pizza!! It's just yummy. And when I eat it, I kind of feel euphoric - must be an herb? I don't know. And when I eat it for dinner, I have the most wonderful dreams! And a few at the table agreed it tasted out of worldly good, and they felt calm too. A few people said wait what? I can't even taste it??? You can't prove to me that you can taste it, that it makes you euphoric, and gives you good dreams!
Personally, I'd be very thankful to be in the crowd that could taste the pizza.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. Psalms 34:8a
If I were at the table, and someone was saying oh my gosh, taste this delicious pizza!! It's just yummy. And when I eat it, I kind of feel euphoric - must be an herb? I don't know. And when I eat it for dinner, I have the most wonderful dreams! And a few at the table agreed it tasted out of worldly good, and they felt calm too. A few people said wait what? I can't even taste it??? You can't prove to me that you can taste it, that it makes you euphoric, and gives you good dreams!
Personally, I'd be very thankful to be in the crowd that could taste the pizza.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. Psalms 34:8a
The Emperor thought his new clothes were quite spiffy too.
If I were at the table, and someone was saying oh my gosh, taste this delicious pizza!! It's just yummy. And when I eat it, I kind of feel euphoric - must be an herb? I don't know. And when I eat it for dinner, I have the most wonderful dreams! And a few at the table agreed it tasted out of worldly good, and they felt calm too. A few people said wait what? I can't even taste it??? You can't prove to me that you can taste it, that it makes you euphoric, and gives you good dreams!
Personally, I'd be very thankful to be in the crowd that could taste the pizza.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. Psalms 34:8a
I have no beef with pizza until we start saying "its delusional that people eat it.", "pizza is totally bad for us.", or that "pizza can cook itself and save us."
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