>>13326258 (pb)
Why choose to believe that what comes next is worse than now? I remember being young once…and watching friends loose their grandparents. My family was what one would call young starting…married very young…had kids very young…so I didn't lose either grandparent until well past middle aged (long living too)…but I remember the thought that I could NOT bear to lose them…that "god" hold off destroying the world until I'd had a chance to grow up, marry, have kids…build a life/experience a life. (I was raised with this DOOM ideation as a Christian).
"when I was a child I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child…and when I became a man…I put away the things of the child"..1 Corinthians 13:11
Is the "child" a metaphor for being a "spiritual babe" and not understanding "the things and ways of this world?" I think so….the Tao of Steve says it all
Be desireless
Be excellent
Be gone
Desire is the root of ALL unhappiness/misery. Once we set aside desire or want…we become satisfied within ourselves…that what we are at any moment, is enough.
I remember being terrorized by Christian imagery. The movie "Left Behind" was probably the worst horror movie ever made. It left you in a space of continual doubt…that somehow you'd be found wanting, that no matter how GOOD you were, you could never be quite sure you were good enough because of a sin you didn't ask forgiveness for…something…god appeared to be kind of a nit picker…if you ask me.
If "god: is love, then why would it engage in terrorizing, threatening, blackmailing people…I will KILL YOU FOREVER if you don't love me…but I'm merciful, if you just love me enough I'll save you…..honest.
I think that the FEAR that imagery produces is about as far from love as anything could ever get. ALL three Abrahamic religions are 10% fear-based.
Funny that ALL the things I "desired" as a child…don't matter at all anymore. Not a whit. I find that shift in me to be most….useful, as far as developing "that peace that passeth all understanding".
GOD WINS…welp, I guess he can't flood us all to death again (I mean 8 people good enough to save? SRSLY?) he said next time he "won" it would be fire…well then…Ok. But now we got people battling for position on the ship of 144.000. KEK.