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#3014By Rodney Bohen (198.81.26.202) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 3:31 am

Alas
Yes, the times they are a changing, my only observational question however remains this, for the better or the worse?
Nah hell, I'm not truly jaded nor skeptical, truth be known, I however can only paint the world I see daily, churning and twisting in uncertainty and turmoil, and accented and steeped in hate and prejudice.
I can only note, chart and document and analyze the strides I deem small in my view, in my Fifty-two years of life.
Granted, we have made grand legal sweeping advances long overdo, in the arena of civil rights, yet we have made little to no advancement in this arena where our hearts are concerned in my humble estimation, concerning this grave and vital issue.
Oh yes we all parrot, adhere and reluctantly acquiesce to the present acceptable standards and status concerning verbal politically correct verbiage, but yet in our hearts, and at home at the dinner-table, indeed what do we teach and breath verbally in the presence of our children? How indeed are we impacting the next generation?

What do we teach them with our body language, and facial expressions when a particular group of people are mentioned? Does not the mere rolling of ones eyes, as well as the hardening and painful wincing of the face speak multitudes? Do not these unmistakable sighs and mutterings speak volumes to all concerning our true heart status, color and scent?
Oh I have observed closely lo these many years I have walked among the living, and I must confess, I have seen little but lip service offered in the arena of change concerning prejudice towards others differing from us merely in color or sect.
Few today will admit to the quiet slumbering burning prejudice they still lurks harbored and entombed in their hearts, but we know don't we? Yes, each of us deep down knows the current status of heart's concerning this issue.
I say this today, and scribe it to the record of time with no doubt nor hesitation, being fully persuaded that what I am about to state is true! The current global problems we incur this day, war, starvation, etc., shall NEVER be rectified nor solved, so long as mankind harbors discontent for others based on religion, race or creed.
Our chance for peace on the horizon of the morrow solely depends upon our change of heart today.
Our children deserve a gentler tomorrow, don't you think?
Peace,
Rodney Bohen
Author of "Letters To Carla"
www.rodneybohen.com

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#3184By mysticsdream (203.10.231.229) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 7:40 am

It was a good question c thanks for asking..

Much harder to understand the answer though isn't it.
Its like trying to interpret the sound of the wind.

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#3228By Albert Sidney (150.176.68.194) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 1:12 am

It is exactly that - intepretting the sound of the wind, the crash of waves, the flight of birds, the warmth of the sun. That is what it is? It is everything and though we may not can quantify the concept in this way or speak about it coherently our hearts know that it speaks the clearest.

I know much more of the nature of God from such "voices" than from the preachings of man.

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#5298By Faith Mairee on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 10:10 am

I think Albert is so very right. I might add that you see God in everything or you see Her in noth- ing! Who knows??? God could be a woman. Do you know it isn't so? My spirituality is tied up in nature. What is more beautiful than the first flower of spring, the soulful eyes of a beagle pup, the joy on a child's face as he/she plays in the rain? I could go on but it is clear to me that God speaks to us in many ways. Nature is only one way but it is such a beautiful and creative one.

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#5309By mountainwoman on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 4:32 am

Faith, Albert has unfortunately left us. If you look around the postings a bit, you will see that we have had the discussion as to God's male/femaleness. As far as I'm concerned, God is Life, therefore both, and neither. Blessings.

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#5342By Faith Elizabeth Brigham on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 10:39 am

Thank you, Mountainwoman for your comments. I am a newbie as far as posting messages go (this is the first one I have posted on) and I did not read that far back to know I couldn't/shouldn't respond. At any rate, your comments were graciously taken. I, myself, prefer however to think of God as love. God bless...

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#8419By D-twizzard on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 9:16 pm

What god is saying to me is - "Why must you sin? You have a choice it is better to create than to destroy. Why must you fight when there is no point. The choices you make are yours until you escape into another world and place but when your decision is made there is no room for mistakes. There are no exceptions and death is your fate." The devil is saying - No prisoners or mercy no one will listen to the words you are serving. Filling your heart with misery is what I am hoping will change you for the worse and it will be this way everyday night and morning."

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#8430By mountainwoman on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 8:15 pm

DT, do you think unity exists anywhere? or harmony? or peace of mind? what if god was not blaming you for so-called sinning?... what if there were no 'sins', only steps to perfection?...
Any ideas?

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#8431By mysticsdream on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 1:15 pm

Thats not a bad question.

I may have said similar things in the past.. here are todays rambling observations as I reflect on my faith.. and hopefully your question.

The God I believe in is more about invitation to "love' than "condemnation", is more about "forgiveness" than inflicting "penalties" (or retribution), is more about "freedom" than "repression".. is about "salvation", is about life in its fullness not in its meanness.

But even so maybe there is a sense that alienation and estrangement from others and from God brings some sort of adverse consequences in the short and long term.

Hence to understand that we live in a sense of estrangement and disharmony (sin) may lead us to take some sort of actions, or amend our goals. So I don't preclude a creative aspect to concepts like 'sin' but I do think fear is not the appropriate basis for a mature developing faith which seeks to be more loving and more in touch with God.

Fundamentally I agree with you Mountainwoman.. a creative God is about an "inspiration" which points us towards a potential or hope and a dynamic God is like nurturing parent providing opportunites for development.

One way I think of sin is as an estrangement from the spiritual core of who God intended us to be. Since part of that intent is some ideal of a universal siblinghood (brotherhood) and love ethic, and our daily living falls short of this unity with our neighbours and God, we thus live in some sort of "disharmony" and any harmony we find tends to be on a minute scale.

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#8435By mountainwoman on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 5:43 pm

Thank you, Mystics. I especially like the part where you say it is "about life in its fullness, not its meanness".
I find it interesting that you end with the thought that harmony found here is minute. I have had experiences of all-encompassing harmony and of varying degrees of darkness encroaching - to a complete dark night of the soul. Sometimes, harmony is minute, sometimes, it is HUUUUUUGE!
I also prefer to use out of balance or disharmony instead of 'sin'. Catholic upbringing, maybe, puts too much heavy weight on the words sin and sinner...

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#8441By mysticsdream on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 1:30 am

Yep I realise "sin" has a baggage component.. but as I said... it is a word with a background.. and basically I have interpreted it consistent with an existentialits approach.. it is that which distances ourselves from harmony.

I understand youe experiences of harmony feel like a cosmic moment ie not a small thing. However I imagine you have some empathy with someone like CBE who contiues to write about various states of disharmony whether is its with the animal world, or with others suffering disadvantage in society. There is a sense that we live in 'disharmony' that moments we achieve the experience are like a glimpse of something that is yet to be.. however beautiful they may be