God is going to get you.....

CW wrote:I certainly hope you expressed your feelings to this couple. The truth of the matter is we can only control one mind and that is our own. Eventually, other minds will break free of attempts to control. Even our children.

1antique wrote:This is the point I was attempting to make in my previous post. This idea has been promulgated throughout the centuries by the church in order to control the populace. It has become so ingrained into the teachings now that people quote it as fact constantly without any thought to the truth. (but, then again, what is the truth)

Would it be evil if God sent someone to kill another?

What if that person was about to slaughter an entire family of innocent people?

Violet wrote:god would still not intervene imo, why would any god do that, many slaughters have happened in history, god did not stop any of those either, nor will god stop slaughters of the future. Only man can stop these things and he won't ever stop these things, as unfortunate as these things are. god is not responsible for what we do nor does god make anyone do anything, or prevent anyone doing anything no matter how bad that action appears to us, we have free will and personal responsibility.

Resonator wrote:

Violet wrote:god would still not intervene imo, why would any god do that, many slaughters have happened in history, god did not stop any of those either, nor will god stop slaughters of the future. Only man can stop these things and he won't ever stop these things, as unfortunate as these things are. god is not responsible for what we do nor does god make anyone do anything, or prevent anyone doing anything no matter how bad that action appears to us, we have free will and personal responsibility.

Well said Violet.

The thing is, if we look at the above with a spiritual need to understand, I think the only conclusion one can draw is that free will is God's gift to humanity, and he so loves us that he let's us do whatever we want - though we suffer the consequence, and that consequence is the Realization (or, conversely, the atrophy) of our soul. This demonstrates how there are natural values of right and wrong, sewn into the very fabric of this universe.

...and I hope I haven't pissed off Mac by injecting my beliefs somewhat off-topic...

mac wrote:...I've 'stood down' over the past few days after a period of intellectually-intense consideration (by my crummy standards) of certain issues which popped up seemingly out of nowhere. And right now I'm looking back at accounts from early last century (I don't usually 'do' history) and I'm finding found some resonances in words said to be from FWH Myers ('The Road to Immortality'.)

It's an interesting example of how truth doesn't change but how its expression may vary and be expressed. I was impressed that no matter how we express things, they will only be as accurate as we're able to explain them using any language system. (This was also particularly evident recently in the recent threads about 'higher self' and communication with incarnates' spirits.)

I'm reminded of what I used to say to folk some years ago, viz "I've no idea how well I'm understanding a subject but my depth of understanding is good enough for me." (or words to that effect) I'm in the frame of mind that I'll do what I can to help others if they ask for help all the time realising that mostly I'm gonna fail.

I'm being taken back to fundamentals, looking again at them, and refreshing ideas and notions - then looking at what I might do better in future. Even if it's only ever for myself....

Oops - now I've gone off-topic. sorry

Resonator wrote:I find that interesting because you don't disagree
with my overall premise of the conceptual nature of mind , but rather
with the implication of the fragility of our conceptions.

I
suppose it does depend on how stubbornly we hang on to our conceptions,
if you want to argue with that - but to carry the metaphor forward, that
just means we resist the loosening of the brick. Of course we are
always tearing down and rebuilding the structures of our conceptions
whenever we learn anything - but that does not automatically imbue them
with any real integrity, IMO.

Perhaps another metaphor: All
beliefs hang from a chain of acceptances, anchored at the top to a leap
of faith. A break anywhere in the chain let's the belief fall, though
of course we don't like to look at our beliefs that way, we like to
think of them as substantial and self-sustaining - until they
fall.

mac wrote:Resonator

The floor is open Mac - please feel free to straighten me out. What are you inviting me to straighten you out about - I hadn't mentioned any such thing of course!

I only have what you tell me to go on. Do you mean the pulling out of the non load-bearing brick issue? I tried to make myself as clear as I could - looks like I might have failed. You seemed to be carrying the 'brick structure' metaphor to make your own point, Yes I did extend the use of the metaphor you had earlier used to draw out a further point of my own....which I took as a tacit agreement of the substance behind the metaphor. no - That wasn't the case.

My apologies for my assumption. Thank you but none needed.

i find it funny that people fear god hell i never did!!!!

Violet wrote:

i find it funny that people fear god hell i never did!!!!

There is far more to be scared of on this plane than god