Sitting around waiting for the show

[marykmusic]

I brought this quote over from the "Has Anyone Seen THIS Yet?" thread:<br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I worry that because so many people believe in the end of days that they are sitting around waiting for it. And when something comes along like WWIII or Bird Flu or Global Warming, because its part of a divine plan the religious community just sit and watch the show.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>...because this is the major difference between "communities."<br><br>There's the Religious Community. This includes some highly spiritual people whom I greatly respect. There are also many hard-headed, ignorant, narrow-minded jerks.<br><br>There's the Non-Religious Community. This also includes some highly spiritual people whom I greatly respect. The second statement holds true as well.<br><br>I strongly believe that our expectations color the potentials... That each of us is responsible for our thoughts, words, decisions, and deeds. And that the Catholic "sin of ommittance" can also be called "decision by indecision." This crosses religious and philosophical lines. <br><br>We have far more similarities than we do differences; we are humans first, THEN members of communities whether the "differences" are skin color, class/economic level, or belief system. And if our belief system includes the destruction of most of the Earth in order to fulfill some sort of "Divine Plan" --then that belief system is B.S.<br><br>Discuss... --MaryK <p></p><i></i>

[nashvillebrook]

just like patton oswalt says... you'll be in the Velvet Rope Section of Eternity. <br><br>in american 'pragmatism' (george h mead, william james, etc), it is recognized that 'belief' can be many things. 'belief' that doesn't impact behavior is called 'pseudothinking.' we love to pseudothink, don't we? i do it. we romance the idea that we will witness something truly amazing in OUR lifetime. it's the next stop after accepting death -- 'okay, if i must die, it would ROCK to be part of something, and go in good company.' to be PART OF something either secular or biblical -- the Revelation or the Revolution -- that would be good use of my mortal sacrifice. <br><br>fact is -- we're most likely going to die just like everyone else: thru bad health habits (she says exhaling her american spirit) or in the same grinding, tragic way we watched our parents die (babbling, terrified, incontinent), or in the next five minutes by lightning, choking or fire ants. <br><br>i check in on Glop every chance i get. it's like sneaking a snickers from the freezer when i was a kid. total guilty pleasure. there's that sense of delicious impending doom (scary). and the weird security of knowing people like Kenton are paying attention to whispers in data (reassuring). <br><br>remember how Reagan terrified everybody by putting James 'rapture' Watt in charge of interior? it was horrifying because it was the first time eschatology was used in political strategy. we have so much End Times political strategy in play right now, we have Doom Fatigue. <br><br>here's how i'm reacting to the zeitgeist: it's made me realize that now is the time to earn my own respect. no more excuses. i'm doing things in my personal life that have been 'long time coming.' i'm not waiting for the end of the world, anymore. <p></p><i></i>

[PeterofLoneTree]

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"...we're most likely going to die just like everyone else: thru bad health habits (she says exhaling her american spirit)..."</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> -- nashvillebrook<br><br>Perhaps not so bad after all? Is nashvillebrook aware of "Aliens Don't Like to Eat People That Smoke!"?<br>at <br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://signs-of-the-times.org/signs/anti-anti-smoking.htm">signs-of-the-times.org/si...moking.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p></p><i></i>

[dbeach]

First I definitely DO NOT want to die!<br><br>My kid is 7 yrs old and I assume he feels same..<br><br>My wife still wants to visit Italy or France...so<br><br>the whole shootin match oops sorry the whole 2012 scenario<br>may be part of the control and these globalists are big time control freaks as in BIG BRO has a sinsiter agenda.<br><br>So we have lived on the edge on WW III since the late 40s.<br><br>with jr and the duck hunter <br>calling many of the shots..oops again<br><br> with jr and duckie and the PTB<br>using war and fear as methods to loot treasuries and steal your cash ,fun and Liberty..<br>the prognosis for most of us is grim.<br><br>HOWEVER the essence of your being Soul Spirit Mind is more<br>powerful than all their nasty toys and able to pierce this hollogram or matrix or denial..<br><br>I think the need to be more positive and NOT feed the controllers with negative energy is a method to bust out of this Prison Planet..<br><br>tHE CONTROLLERS EAT loosh<br>BAD VIBES NEGATIVE EMOTIONS THOUGHTS hate resentments ECT... <p></p><i></i>

[Wolfmoon Lady]

Thanks, MaryK. I'm going to use your post's question to speak about certain issues that bug me.<br><br>First, in case there's any doubt, please know that I respect the right of others to believe in anything they choose. However, I insist that my right NOT to believe (as they do) be equally respected. Sounds good, if only in theory, yes? <br><br>Now, an anecdote:<br><br>A JW called me last week, speaking about the current lack of peace in the world. She asked me why I thought there was no peace. I knew what she was GOING to say in response to whatever I said, but I still bothered to tell her what, for me, is the simple truth: we are at war because we live in a war economy. Right on cue, she told me the current problems in the world were all foretold in the Bible and that we can only be saved when Jesus Christ returns to Earth. In other words, men who wage war have absolutely nothing to do with why we have no peace. Therefore, we needn't concern ourselves with war, and the evil that men do, because Jesus will be coming back any day now.<br><br>How comforting! So let's just sit back and watch TV.<br><br>Now, a diatribe:<br><br>The message that Christians continue to pound at us non-Christians is relentless. Yet, the 'end times' scenario is their personal myth/fantasy. They have no business forcing it upon the rest of us. Indeed, I find it atrocious that fundamentalist Christians believe it is okay to impose the tenets of their belief system upon the American political landscape, in order to steer both foreign and domestic policy in such as way that their beliefs become reality, through a fake-believer like Bush, and to the peril of us all.<br><br>To me, the Christian Fundamentalist track is not all that different than Islamic Jihadism. Both religions, rooted in a "kill all infidels" model of monotheism, are constructed around doomsday prophecies and advocate violence and death on a world-wide scale. Whether actively or passively, members of both religions work to bring about the respective prophecies found in their holy books. No thought is given, by either side, to the non-believing innocents who are unwillingly caught in their huge, manufactured, cosmic drama.<br><br>I mean, really!<br><br>And please, don't give me any shit about non-believers being wards of Satan. I put up with enough of that chat in daily life without seeing it trotted out here. To me, this board is not an appropriate forum for anyone to be preaching about Jesus. Even if that's what he/she truly believes. I must say that, as the preaching trend escalates, I visit here less and less often. Taking time to write a response is usually too great a luxury, in any case.<br><br>I'm too busy with RL BS.<br><br>Peace, out.<br>Morgan Wolf <p></p><i></i>

[Connut]

once you get IT. And IT is love - love for oneself first, then love for humanity. Ramtha, speaking through JZ Knight, says:<br><br>"They (men) look for God in governmental rule, in church rule, in a history which they have yet to question who wrote it, why it was written. Man has based his beliefs, his understanding, his thought processes, his life on something that life after life after life has proven itself a failure. Yet man, stumbling over his own altered thinking, imprisoned by his own arrogance, continues the steadfast hypocrisy that only leads to death.....<br><br>Only you can be your greatest lover. Only you can be your greatest friend and teacher. There is no voice that will ever teadh you greater than your own. Who you are this day is the answer to everything you have ever wanted. But if you insist on looking outside of yourselves for paths to follow and entities to worship, you will never truly see or know the glory of God. You can only realize your divinity, your enlightenment, your unfoldment through yourself and your proclaimed love of self. The only way to peace and happiness and fulfillment in your life is to worship and love yourself - for that is loving God - and to love yourself greater than anyone else, and to love yourself greater than anyone else, for that is what will give you the love and steadfastness to embrace the whole of humanity. "<br><br>Great stuff! I'm reading The White Book by Ramtha and it is truly encouraging and uplifting. It's not a religious tome, or some new New Age philosophy, but check it out for yourself. If you enjoyed "What the Bleep" and Ramtha's dismissal of religous crap, you'll enjoy this too.<br><br>Spread Joy wherever you go!! Connut <p></p><i></i>

[nomo]

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>To me, this board is not an appropriate forum for anyone to be preaching about Jesus. </em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><br><br>Well said. There's a lot of high weirdness being documented here on this board, and it always strikes me as mindlessly simplistic for some posters to respond by urging us all to just kneel and pray to Jesus. I mean, sure, if that's what you believe, fine, but to me it's a cop-out and hardly even begins to address the perennial question permeating this board, which is: "What the hell is going on???"<br><br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :hat --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/pimp.gif ALT=":hat"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

[dbeach]

cuza me<br><br>Where is the J word on this thread?<br><br>and is it against thread rules to not say the word<br><br>cust both ways<br><br>chill out t<br><br>the fundies in ALL these religions use divide and conquer<br><br>and send out their brain washed and possibly mind controlled minions to hassle everyone not just the non-believers <br>in the J dude. <p></p><i></i>

[nashvillebrook]

love the acetylcholine argument! damn. i'm alien repellant! <p></p><i></i>

[heath7]

Jesus wasn't all bad. If his message is examined, lying there, plain as day, is the schema for the new enlightenment. His message wasn't for christians, it was for everybody.<br><br>As for this being no place for Jesus, I'll bet this is one of Jesus's favorite hobbies, watching and laughing at these parapolitical MFers making the great game as challenging as perhaps intended. <p></p><i></i>

[Darklo]

Im glad you bought this point up.<br><br>Im an atheist and quite enjoy reading the whole "just sit and cuddle and it wil be OK" posts. Well Im sorry, but its not going to be OK, thats why people like us come to these types of websites.<br><br>We want stay up to date, stay fresh and cynical, and hopefully bleed strategies into our minds so we can protect ourselves and our families.<br><br>If all the people in the world that said they believed in God really did, we wouldnt have any of these problems. As a shared reality its pretty usefull, but the philosphies of old with their fables and poems were not built for the modern age. We live in an age where technology appears to surpass the old miracles, and the teachings can no longer teach.<br><br>Walk on water? Big deal, we sent people into Space, made machines that touched stars and harnessed the energy of the Sun.<br><br>We now live in an age where there is no excuse in contracting out the protection of your soul to a state religion, it cant guarantee you everlasting life, these are the ages or action where, whatever your beliefs you get off your arse and solve the problems of the world.<br><br>Once thats done we can spend our time arguing if there is a God. And if that God is angry that we saved the world at the cost of its love, maybe we were worshiping the wrong God?<br><br>Have your own beliefs, I commend you for that, but please leave them at the other end of your keyboard as they dont add to logical debate. How can you debate with the catchall "its Gods will"?<br><br>Religion is not based on logic, the arguments on this website ostensibly are. <br><br>Had to be said. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=darklo>Darklo</A> at: 2/13/06 6:51 pm<br></i>

[sunny]

Fundies have given Jesus a bad name- can't blame people for dismissing a gun-toting, revenge freak.<br>But he was none of those.<br>He was non-conformist.<br>He challenged the powers that be every day of his life.<br>His righteous anger at the money changers should be an example for everybody.<br>His tender loving care of his disciples, the poor, and children should scare the crap out of Bushco.<br>He hung out with outcasts-sinful women (Mary was not a prostitute-seems she lived with a man without benefit of marriage) and tax collectors.<br>He made fun of rich people ("It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the Kingdom of Heaven")<br><br>Peace lovin' people of the world have nothing to fear from the wrath of God- warmongers on the other hand...<br>"Prince of Peace" and all that. Woe to those who think that title is just an empty slogan, like "Compassionate Conservative" <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

MaryK, I will attempt to "discuss" without "cussing" so here goes. Does your "Religious Community" include everone who rigorously and religiously worships Something or Someone, but just not Bible-believing Christians? I'm not being smart or cute here. I am asking for your actual thinking on this question. I completely agree with your comment about "sins of omission". If you see a thing you can do to help someone, and do not, you are guilty of that sin, no matter what your personal belief system. I don't think that Christianity is by far, the only belief system that thinks the current meme/paradigm world system is not only going to come to an end. I believe that there are many others out there who feel that Something Has GOT To Give. None of us, nor our children./grandchildren, can go very much farther under this current system and remain free and healthy.<br><br>Keep in mind, that no matter WHAT any of us believe, most of us here at R.I. believe what we do BECAUSE of our upbringing, life experiences, traumas, reading, writing to others, pondering imponderables, and, keeping open minds about what might or might not be Possible in this mind-overpowering Universe in which we find ourselves trying to survive, AND retain sanity. It may interest you all here to know that, even as an avowed Christian, I found the thread (which I believe I first encountered here on this board) about the Universe being Holographic, to be not only mind-blowing, but perfectly believable, even from the Intelligently Designed by a Creator point of view. I can't tell any of you how much that validated my faith. Sorry folks, but true.<br><br>But, to address the Title of my post: (Save yourselves the trouble of reading all the complete sentences, just read the first words of each one.)<br><br>Muslims believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Bhuddists believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Pagans believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Jews believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Zoroastrans believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Jehovah's Witnesses believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Mormons believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Scientologists believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Native Americans believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Hindus believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Wiccans believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br>Satan-worshippers believe that everyone else's faith is total B.S.<br><br>I could go on and on and on........but I hope you ALL get the picture here. I can, however easily see how someone who has been sexually or physically abused by a pedophilic priest, nasty-tempered nun, faux-fundamentalist parent, preacher (or parental figure), or just simply misled by someone in a faux-christian cult like Jim Jones' People's Church, or the Branch Davidians at Waco, could and would decide in their own heart, that the Holy Bible is nothing more than a foolish myth written by a bunch of old dead Jewish liars. It's not that hard to imagine how easy it would be/is to harden a child or young person's heart against God if they KNOW they have been deliberately and badly hurt, physically, emotionally, and spiritually by someone that they thought they could trust, who came and did the evil deed in God's holy name.<br><br>Wolfmoon Lady, I don't know where you think you get your information, but WHAT part of Christianity do you THINK you're quoting about "kill all infidels"??? Jesus said to love your enemies. Forgive your enemies. Do good to those who despitefully use you. If you're smitten on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If they ask for your robe, give them your cloak also. If they compel you to carry their baggage one mile, go the extra mile in My name. FYI, JW's are NOT Christians, for theirs is a works-based faith. If you don't do enough good works, you don't get in. In that case, you don't need a sacrificially killed Jesus, so I and many others, often wonder WHY they bother.<br><br>Also, Mormons are not either, in spite of their blasphemous use of the savior's name in the "title" of their so-called church. Neither are the "sheep's clothing-wearing" NEOCONS who are doing their God Damnest to lead us all, and our beloved progeny into World Wide War, not to be confused with the World Wide Web, which, on most faux-conservative sites, is doing it's evil BEST to convince us to get behind another senseless, needless, horrific war in the name of our favorite twins, "Freedom & Liberty". I have Never heard, in all my years of studying, and sharpening my particular brand of faith ANYTHING about unbelievers being "wards of Satan". ANYONE trying to shove that CRAP down your throat is DEFINITELY NOT a Christian. Our faith says to "tell them about Him", but DON'T BUG them about Him. If, under their own natural-born freewill, they chose not to believe, then leave them alone. I feel this way also. But don't come back to me one this thread and try to accuse me of doing "just that". I am explaining my faith here, NOT shoving it at you. I fervently hope you can see (and lovingly) feel the difference.<br><br>Citizen "nomo", re your question, "What the hell is going on???" I posit that the answer lies within your question. My simplistic answer (to far too many of you) is this: "Hell" IS What's Going On! ! ! We've all (I hope) encountered the old, derived from ancient Greek, word, Pandemonium. It literally translates "All Demonic Activity". Regargless of your, or anyone's, beliefs, I think you will pretty much have to agree that that's exactly "What the hell is going on" right now all over our beloved planet Earth. I don't have any cheap and easy answers on how to stop the insane, evil rulers of this thread of history. Wish I did. That's why I just concentrate on doing my best to help local hurting people that I Can help, keep my head down and my powder dry, pray a lot, and trust in "whatever" made us to help us out of this stinking mess.<br><br>dbeach, I hope I at least covered your question by using both "J" words, Jews, and Jesus.<br><br>nashvillebrook, loved your post:<br>"fact is -- we're most likely going to die just like everyone else: thru bad health habits (she says exhaling her american spirit) or in the same grinding, tragic way we watched our parents die (babbling, terrified, incontinent), or in the next five minutes by lightning, choking or fire ants." I can beleive that myself. Gave me a hoot. Thanks.<br><br>PeterofLoneTree, I too, am glad to know that I'm also not alien foodbait. They probably really really HATE smokers who also drink that world-famous "Presidential" beer, Busch!!!<br><br>Wow!!! Just reloaded the page!!! sunny, thanks for your post, if you check mine out here, I think you'll find that I couldn't agree with you more.<br><br>Maranatha,<br>Floyd<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[sunny]

Thanks Floyd, but I have to disagree with you on one point-<br>You agree that christians are to live by Jesus' example?<br>Then you would have to agree that Jesus not only had faith, but he performed works every day, healing people, preaching the truth, feeding multitudes, and allowing himself to be sacrificed, on the strength of his faith.<br>Acts 26:20:<br>".....I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance."<br>James 2:26:<br>" Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."<br>In other words, sitting around contemplating the glory of God is great, but you have to display to God that you will take chances for that faith. <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

....sunny, thanks for your reply. I will reply with this:<br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>That's why I just concentrate on doing my best to help local hurting people that I Can help,<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>And, then I will answer with this, is contending for the faith here at R.I. Not, in a small, small way, displaying to God, that I WILL take "chances for that faith"???<br><br>I know, and completely understand, that NO ONE HERE on this board actually "knows" me. I also understand that the PTB, thanks to the NSA, CIA, FBI, etc, alphabetica, ad nauseum, "know me" all too well. If THAT is not stepping out on faith, and trusting in God, and God alone, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, then, you, dear fellow believer, please tell me WHAT DOES???<br><br>Maranatha,<br>Brother Floyd<br><br>P.S., Maybe I'm not "saved" because I haven't managed to give up cigarettes and beer yet. I know ALL of St. Paul's rants on these subjects, but I stand on the promise that ALL who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved. I, as a Bible-believing Christian, in no way claim to be perfect, only saved by the sin-covering Blood of Jesus.<br><br>For all the rest of you here at R.I., we don't DEMAND that you believe as we do, we only ask, in human love, that you TRY to understand it. Real Christians HATE (O.K., really, really don't like a lot) the NEOCONS who have hijacked our beloved Savior for their own Satanic purposes. It disgusts us FAR MORE than it disgusts the rest of you.<br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>