No, you’re chill. I use the word luck, as a light term, I don't believe in superstitions or such but it brings a sort of pease of mind when I do pray and/or a thing to do. I pray for a better outcome than what I may have studied for in a way. Like how some thank an animal or food for the life it had. I think in a wayForgive me, I admit I have a limited intellect. How do you correlate luck with faith? You are always free not to answer, as it's a private matter. I'm just curious
It's a beautiful observation; could you expand on it, please?
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Faith or something of it
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Please add to this to help with understanding what you are saying.
In the Old Testament, it’s a constant struggle with the Israelites and their commitment to God, due to their idolatry, disobedience, and constant complaining.
After being freed from Egypt, with God's appointed Moses guiding them, they turned to make a golden calf to worship while Moses was with God, receiving the commandments. They also complained that they weren’t satisfied with the food God had provided them in the desert along with other events. As a consequence, they were withheld from the promised land for 40 years allowing the faithless generation to pass before entering Canaan.
In the book of Judges, God is angered and passes a harsher punishment, by allowing the Israelites to be oppressed and ruled by their enemies. In 2 Kings 17:18-20, the Lord "rejected all the descendants of Israel," punishing them and removing them from his sight due to their disobedience.
This was only a temporary punishment rather than full rejection from him, a show of tough love in a way. He intended to bring the Israelites and lead them onto a better path like the shepherd he is.
meowzician
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Can you share with me what you mean by abstract?
I remember the Shabbat we had a great discussion about what was God. One of us shared that he thought of God as an energy. Another that they preferred not to define God, since words can never capture the infinite. Me? I said when I hear a bird sing, I think God. when I hear children laughing, I think God. When I hear a beautiful symphony, I think God. When I hear of a fireman rushing into a burning building to save a child, I think God. When I see a mother holding her newborn, I think God.
Hugs!
Fruiteloop
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Can you share with me what you mean by abstract?
I remember the Shabbat we had a great discussion about what was God. One of us shared that he thought of God as an energy. Another that they preferred not to define God, since words can never capture the infinite. Me? I said when I hear a bird sing, I think God. when I hear children laughing, I think God. When I hear a beautiful symphony, I think God. When I hear of a fireman rushing into a burning building to save a child, I think God. When I see a mother holding her newborn, I think God.
Hugs!
If I were to go with the abstract I can get into much philosophical details about why atoms exist and free will and consciousness.
When I am distracted by life's problems or just in a quiet area in my life I think about God and it seems I get no feelings from him.
It is like you look at the universe and it is empty. Not all the time. I have felt God before but it comes and goes.
As a child I was left alone allot and I pondered about why things existed. (this began around age 7)
It was like in the 1995 movie Pocahontas with the song about painting with all the color of the wind.
In the movie The Prince of Egypt Moses speaks with God but I only think I heard whispers in the past.
God being love is a good expression of how I felt God before but to me it is indirect like this:
It is never a direct face to face or even sensory expression.
No voice but something moving in the background.
In Muppet babies you never see nanny's face.
(all this could be Ni related, introverted intuition, something there but cannot see it)
meowzician
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William James (an expert on mystical experiences) says that one of the four elements of such experiences is that they are always transient, meaning temporary. There is nothing we can do to hold onto them. They come and go when they come and go.
I think this is totally our INFJ-ness.
One of my all time favorites. I think of all the Disney Princess songs, this one has the most depth.
1 Kings 19:11-12
11 And He said: "Go out and stand in the mountain before the Lord, behold! The Lord passes, and a great and strong wind splitting mountains and shattering boulders before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake-not in the earthquake was the Lord.
12 After the earthquake fire, not in the fire was the Lord, and after the fire a still small sound.
I love your metaphor!
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If you want GOD to respond to you or interact with you, you have to understand that having faith and following CHRIST are 2 different things. Many people can believe in many different things. It doesn't makes those things true or untrue. Christian Faith means believing in JESUS so strongly that you follow his teachings. Also admitting to GOD that you have done many things wrong (sins). If you ask for forgiveness out loud and say to GOD, that you want JESUS's blood to cover your sins, and you then do the things GOD has asked us to do, If you are serious and truthful, GOD will respond to you. You can start with the 10 commandments. For example, If one of GOD's rules is to only have one spouse, then you can't have a boyfriend or girlfriend and consider yourself a true Christian. Some of these things will be a struggle at first, but when you put GOD before yourself, HE will help you. The Bible reads "GOD cannot hear the prayers of the wicked." This means that many people have many unanswered prayers, because GOD doesn't answer the devil's children. You have to be committed to following CHRIST before GOD will consistently respond to you. After you make your commitment, you will get a test. It will seem like people and situations come from everywhere to keep you from keeping your commitment. Don't give in. Even if it's painful, keep your promise to GOD and HE will notice you. You will get HIS attention. Even if you fail at times, get back up. HE honors sincere effort. Don't offend GOD by doing things HE hates like following other gods or religions, or taking part in the occult things, like witchcraft, psychics, or astrology etc. Don't be afraid to talk to GOD, or ask HIM for help with anything you need. I believe that interacting with GOD is the quickest, most effective way to build faith. I hope that helps with your question.
meowzician
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Jesus doesn't even enter into it for me. I have nothing against Jesus. Seems like he was a nice Jewish man, probably a little bit wiser and more intelligent than most, who went around teaching Torah and loving Jews who had stumbled back into God's fold. What's not to love? But he is irrelevant to my relationship with God. He just isn't necessary.
Isaiah 43:11 "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior" I don't need anything or anyone beyond God. He loves me the way I am and calls me to something higher. His loving kindness and mercy reach down and touch my soul, enabling me to be all he calls me to be and to do all he calls me to do. In God I know my greatest and deepest peace, joy, and awe.
Why would I ever trade that for Jesus?
I've already been there and done that. Christianity was not a bad thing. But it was not for me.
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This was so beautifully written, thank you. I find your views on religion, as a person of faith, modern and refreshing. Strip away the nonsense, the noise, the clutter, and it is just you, your faith, and God. Simple and clean.
Why use your faith to divide and hurt people, when it should simply be a loving relationship between you and God? To command people to do one thing or another? Love people and love God. That is all you need to do. The Bible should be a book of love, not a strict book of rules and regulations, passed down from antiquated times.
I was called the devil's child during my youth. This is not love. When I hear these words spoken by someone of faith, I know it is not love. It is hate flowing from the person, twisting words read in holy books, twisting sermons. Assuming you are on a pedestal of morality, up high, towering above others because of your faith... Is deeply incorrect. Your faith gives you faith. It does not give you morality.
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If you are someone who does not turn holy books into a weapon to hurt people, then your faith is fine. It is not damaged and in great need of repair. Not every person of faith is the same. I judge everyone on an individual basis. Your beliefs are harmful and twisted, but that is not true for every Christian.
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Interesting. I don’t find her beliefs harmful or twisted. She simply believes in the 10 commandments and following Christ. Seems innocent enough.
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You basically just said "They're just following the rules." What is up with this strict adherence to the Bible and 10 Commandments as a rule of law to enforce upon others? That is the exact problem.
If you cannot see the harm in this, if you are blind to it, then there is nothing I can do to help you. Godspeed.
Fruiteloop
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Most people do not understand the rules.
Not that rules are bad but that you cannot force people to follow them.
Otherwise you get everyone fighting everyone else.
(so like we all have limitations, we cannot know everything or most things, people find that hard to accept)
At a minimum people should leave others alone, this is often the case but we have jails and prisons because people don't leave other alone.
So like it is ok not to believe what others believe but human society is messed up we cannot get along in some instances.
No one really knows what other people are like on the inside so that is one big problem, false judgments by human beings.
Not that rules are bad but that you cannot force people to follow them.
Otherwise you get everyone fighting everyone else.
(so like we all have limitations, we cannot know everything or most things, people find that hard to accept)
At a minimum people should leave others alone, this is often the case but we have jails and prisons because people don't leave other alone.
So like it is ok not to believe what others believe but human society is messed up we cannot get along in some instances.
No one really knows what other people are like on the inside so that is one big problem, false judgments by human beings.
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She isn’t enforcing anything on anyone. All I saw was her sharing her faith and personal beliefs. You must therefore believe that millions of Christians are harmful simply because they follow the bible and the ten commandments.
Again, I find that highly interesting. And telling..
Fruiteloop
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Really I do not think that most people are wicked enough God does not answer them.
I think the bible says it rains on the just and the unjust.
I am just different, so God relates differently to me because God relates to individuals as they are.
I think the bible says it rains on the just and the unjust.
I am just different, so God relates differently to me because God relates to individuals as they are.
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This is true. He relates to each of us, I feel, in a way in which we can personally understand, so long as we are listening.
It’s all very personal. That’s the whole point.
Fruiteloop
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Actually I have come to the realization that Ni has more to do with visions than not.
I do not have visions. (sometimes called the third eye but is actually the default mode network in the brain)
I have a sense of something existing but its like how God told Moses only to look at his feet not his face.
So it is also like God is behind a door.
You can know God is there but he is too much for anyone to know fully.
Ni stuff is closer to it because you see stuff but I am Not Ni I am Si (introverted sensing) so I feel things like in the wild savana.
In the savanna we can sense things existing without seeing them (Si). So Ni might see more but not everything. God comes in small places to us.
Fruiteloop
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The odd thing is I never had a girlfriend, so I cannot have more than one? lol
If a person has a half brother or sister that is because someone had more than one.
But many half brothers and sisters exist in the bible.
I do know that two people must get along to stay together. So being a true Christian might not reflect the entire situation.
I know that people can be in love but it starts as a teenager nowadays. Most people are not adult enough to stay with one person.
So a true Christian has to be an adult. Or by some criteria mature.
It is tricky.
My mom left my dad because he was abusive to us. Would not take care of us. So there is that I am not sure what to think.
Mom took us to church all the time.
If a person has a half brother or sister that is because someone had more than one.
But many half brothers and sisters exist in the bible.
I do know that two people must get along to stay together. So being a true Christian might not reflect the entire situation.
I know that people can be in love but it starts as a teenager nowadays. Most people are not adult enough to stay with one person.
So a true Christian has to be an adult. Or by some criteria mature.
It is tricky.
My mom left my dad because he was abusive to us. Would not take care of us. So there is that I am not sure what to think.
Mom took us to church all the time.
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You don't see the harm in "the devil's children"? The "us" vs. "them" mentality, them being lesser human beings you would happily cast down to hell... While you sit on your lofty perch, granted to you by your faith in a dusty, old book. If being a lesbian makes someone the devil's child, then the devil is a pretty cool guy. I'd have tea and biscuits with him.
I hope there's space down in hell for me, for loving and supporting gay people, lesbians, transgender people, etc. I hear it's warm down there, sounds cozy.
