RowanRavyn Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 I have followed two different threads in this particular forum. I have chosen not to post in them more often than I chose TO post in them. That said I have a few things I would like to say: I was raised Baptist. From a very early age I was spiritual. My parents could barely keep me inside when a storm came up. My daddy who was a Baptist preacher used to sit on the front porch with me and watch the storm. He said storms made him feel small. It was a reminder that the creator of the universe was bigger than he could ever hope to be. I have sought God since I was big enough to walk, I found him everywhere I looked. I won't go into my whole history in this thread, but in the end the church itself let me down too many times. When I went for help I was told to pray more, fast more, submit more. I was very active in the church. Often times the doctrine of the church pushed aside instinct. In the end a lot of damage was done. I began to seek God my way. I found him. (Her, It). I KNOW there is something bigger out there. I do not chose to define it for anyone but myself. I have experienced the emotionalism of many protestant religions. I have witnessed the splendor of a Catholic Mass. I see God everywhere. I experience God everywhere. In my child's laughter, in the dancing of the trees when the wind blows, and when I make love. A long time ago in Greece, Paul the apostle stumbled into a temple filled with statues and shrines. The Greeks were so interested in serving the gods that they had a shrine to the "unknown" God. Paul used this to begin preaching to them. My personal feelings about Paul aside, he made a strong point. His God is not one that lives in a temple built by the hands of man. His God did not need to be served as the other gods were served. MY GOD does not fit neatly inside a box created by any human. He is the alpha and omega. The all. The one. Perhaps instead of arguing "whose" God is bigger, and "The one." Maybe, just maybe we need to focus on how we can best serve? Maybe instead of killing in his name, we should heal in his name? Maybe we should love more and hate less. Jesus didn't reserve his time for the pious and the religious. He spent his time with women (gasp!), tax collectors, Samaritains, whores, the dredges of society as it was in his time. He loved them. Laughed with them. Healed them. Fed them. Clothed them. One might say he was the first democrat. He broke into church and overturned tables full of wares. I will worship my way. I will let his still small voice be my conscious. I will let him sit in judgment of me. As John Lennon said, "Jesus was alright, his followers were thick and ordinary" Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 eloquently said, RR. I think sometimes we get bogged down in the trappings of "stuff" and forget that He's as simple as a breeze or the laugh of a child. And we spin our wheels trying to intellectualize him, instead of just letting him be .... Perhaps instead of arguing "whose" God is bigger aha! Veggie Tales tells us that God is bigger than the bogeyman, and I believe them! Link to post Share on other sites
RowanRavyn Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be. There will be an answer, let it be. Let it be, let it be, Whisper words of wisdom, let it be Daughter: "God is everywhere." Son: "Really" Daugher: "Yep, right in this caterpillar." Son: "Hmm" Daugher: "This caterpillar will be a butterfly someday." Son: "Not if I squish it." Daugher: "That still won't stop it." Son: "How do you figure? If I squish it, it dies." Daughter: "It only dies as far as YOU can see. It will just move on and begin all over and be a butterfly somewhere else. Then someone else will see its beauty, and you will be left with the gross memory of caterpillar guts." Son: "Thats gross." Daughter: "Yeah" Son: "Lets put it on the tree. It has a lot of work to do." Daughter: "ok" Son: "I want to carry it." Daughter: "I don't think so." Son: "I won't squish it." Daughter: "Says you. I don't trust you." Son: "I promise. I don't know if I believe it will get a second chance, but you deserve a butterfly. Just cuz I don't think so doesn't mean I have to squish it to prove my point. You might never know if it makes it or not, but at least if it doesn't its not my fault." Daughter: "Ok" Son: "Go be a butterfly. Watch out for the birds." Daugther: "You're weird" Son: "Yeah......." Daughter: "I like you...sometimes....like now...." Son: "Yeah, but don't tell anybody. Mom and dad will get all mushy over it." Mom and dad did get mushy. I learn a lot from my kids. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Oh pshaw! Don't you know that the winner of 'my god is better' gets a free ride to Heaven? Link to post Share on other sites
RowanRavyn Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Is that what all the fuss is about!? Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Anything to save a buck and a quarter Link to post Share on other sites
pixie2004 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 I am passing this on to you because it has definitely worked for me. By following the simple advice I read in an article, I have finally found inner peace...the article read: "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you've started." So I looked around the house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished...and before leaving the house this morning I finished off a bottle of red wine, a bottle of white, the Bailey's, Kahlua, and Wild Turkey, the Prozac, some valium, some cheesecake and a box of chocolates. Hope you find inner peace as well! Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Huuuurgh.... If I ate all of that my insides would back come out in pieces :-) Link to post Share on other sites
pixie2004 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 I think mine just did - tee hee hee Link to post Share on other sites
RowanRavyn Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 hehe I like you guys!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
pixie2004 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 We like you toooooooo! Link to post Share on other sites
BlockHead Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 RowanRavyn One might say he was the first democrat.Don’t even think about it. Link to post Share on other sites
Fayebelle Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 And sometimes you can't help loving BH too Link to post Share on other sites
YellowLioness Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 If I had some wine and vallium, then my heart would also over flow with love. Either that or I would puke all over the place. Anyway Row, I like your thoughts on God. Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Don't you know that the winner of 'my god is better' gets a free ride to Heaven? never knew that, but did YOU know that nuns carry a "get outta hell free" card to threaten misbehaving students with? Link to post Share on other sites
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