PUDDLE

[lizzytysh]

Are you a closet Christian, Paula ?

[John K.]

Lizzy - I was thinking of sending you a PM to comment on how calm the forum has been this week...there's been a bit less anger and vile language being thrown around. This is of course directly proportional to the number of posts being left by certain individuals.

As I read this thread I decided to post this as a public comment, as I realized how starkly certain posts stand out for their nastiness.

Just as all things ebb and flow, I'm sure the tone of voice in the forum will too, but this week has been especially pleasant.

[lizzytysh]

Just as all things ebb and flow

Yes, exactly, John. That's why I've always thought it absurd that anyone leave the Forum, if they really have enjoyed being here during the 'better' times. Since my schedules run the days into weeks, and the weeks into each other, I haven't kept a sense of how it's been 'this' week; yet more pleasant of late, for sure.

~ Lizzy

[Fljotsdale]

Fljots wrote

Tell me, Bee... why do you feel such a need to attack happiness in other people? A christian should be the most joyful, positive and loving of people. But your christianity is negative, denigrating, self-alienating and desperately unhappy. I wish I could help.

Ah, oh, that lament for the Christian compassion, joyfulness, positive attitude -on what basis your illogical mind has these desires and requests? Christ was just a good guy, in your very smart opinion, not to mention that there is no God, in your even smarter opinion. Why then you would expect any of above? If there is no source for that-and if there is no source of love, than you cannot expect any. You get what you were asking for. Stick with what you know.

LOL! My dear girl - I was a zealous christian for 25 years - I do stick with what I know!

Although I do not believe in a god of any variety, I have met many genuine believers, and I assure you, my dear, they were, for the greater part, joyful, positive, kind and loving people. Not perfect - no-one is perfect - but mostly good and kind and deeply joyful. I have the greatest regard and respect for such people. I know from personal experience how very difficult it can be to maintain a christlike personality. And I always had a bit of vitriol in me.

It is their beliefs that made such people strive so hard to be like their lord - and my lack of belief makes me, too, joyful and positive - though maybe I am not so kind and loving, lol!

Also, my dear, love should be extended to all by the believer, regardless of whether they share your beliefs or not. Vitriol is not the currency of real faith.

I repeat: Jesus said 'love your enemies' and 'if someone strikes you on the cheek, turn the other also to him'.

You do not have the joy of your beliefs. You are an unhappy woman. I hope your faith will one day bring you joy.

[bee]

LOL! My dear girl - I was a zealous christian for 25 years - I do stick with what I know!

Aha, I knew that, I knew it! And how did I know? because you are projecting, yes, you are projecting yourself all the time. I am no zealous Christian, never been, but your projections told me, who you really are.
Btw- I am not your dear girl- don't try to catch the fly's (much less-bee's) with honey, or honey surrogate, not working. I can see you trough and trough-you just amaze me, how precisely I can see you.

Also, my dear, love should be extended to all by the believer, regardless of whether they share your beliefs or not. Vitriol is not the currency of real faith.

Really? Says who? Accordingly to you-there is no God, all the believers are self delusional fools, believing in fairy tales, why should they extend anything? What is, in your smart opinion-real faith? Accordingly to your previous statements, what would be the difference between faith and "real faith", since all of the faithful are just damn fools, and Christ is just a good guy?
And please-give up that nonsense about "unhappy bee," just because you don't like, what I am writing to you? Cheep manipulations! Does not make me unhappy individual. Rather opposite, you amaze me. You are not very good with insights, intuition and such. No matter, if you have left behind your years of "zealous Christianity." Still, you are judging everything accordingly to your long ago established and formed moral standards. It's all about morals for you, that has been your "faith," still is. Even if you decided to get looser, it all comes back at ones, as soon as you are challenged. You have not escaped very far from were you were before. Think about it.

[Fljotsdale]

LOL! My dear girl - I was a zealous christian for 25 years - I do stick with what I know!

Aha, I knew that, I knew it! And how did I know? because you are projecting, yes, you are projecting yourself all the time. I am no zealous Christian, never been, but your projections told me, who you really are.
Btw- I am not your dear girl- don't try to catch the fly's (much less-bee's) with honey, or honey surrogate, not working. I can see you trough and trough-you just amaze me, how precisely I can see you.

No, you didn't see. Or you wouldn't have told me me to talk about what I know.

Also, my dear, love should be extended to all by the believer, regardless of whether they share your beliefs or not. Vitriol is not the currency of real faith.

Really? Says who?

The bible, my dear.

Accordingly to you-there is no God, all the believers are self delusional fools, believing in fairy tales, why should they extend anything? What is, in your smart opinion-real faith? Accordingly to your previous statements, what would be the difference between faith and "real faith", since all of the faithful are just damn fools, and Christ is just a good guy?

That is my opinion, not yours, and not the opinion of believers.

Believers in Jesus must of necessity accept his teachings, yes? Or they are not believers in Jesus, and therefore not christians. That's logic. And JESUS said his followers should love one another and also love their enemies. If you do not believe that, and do not follow that commandment, you are not a christian at all. Which is fair enough. But if that is the case, you should stop pretending to be a christian.

And please-give up that nonsense about "unhappy bee," just because you don't like, what I am writing to you?

It has nothing to do with not liking what you are writing to me, Bee. I am only mildly amused by you, and deeply sorry for you.
And only unhappy people are as consistently spiteful and unpleasant as you try to be, Bee.

Cheep manipulations! Does not make me unhappy individual. Rather opposite, you amaze me. You are not very good with insights, intuition and such.

I neither manipulate nor cheep like a bird. I make comments on what I see and hear. You are clearly a deeply unhappy woman, whether you admit it or not.

No matter, if you have left behind your years of "zealous Christianity." Still, you are judging everything accordingly to your long ago established and formed moral standards. It's all about morals for you, that has been your "faith," still is. Even if you decided to get looser, it all comes back at ones, as soon as you are challenged. You have not escaped very far from were you were before. Think about it.

Naturally I remember the things I learnt over over such a long time. It would be amazing if I did not.
However, remembering and recognising both the good and the bad in what is learned is part of normal human growth and development. It would be folly to throw out the baby with the bathwater, no?
Moral standards - yes, why not? Jesus was a good man, whatever one believes about him, and why should I throw away the love I learnt, with the faith I no longer possess? Folly!

As for 'Think about it' - I did that many years ago, my dear. I went through much mental argument and anguish before I admitted to myself that I detested god and wanted no part of such an appalling creature. From there it took a little longer to admit what I had known inside myself for many years - namely, that the gods of all religions through human history were nothing but the constructs of human minds.
Humans. We are our own gods and our own devils.

[bee]

I went through much mental argument and anguish before I admitted to myself that I detested god and wanted no part of such an appalling creature.

Fljots, Again, reflections all over the place-was that creature God-or was it you? Is that unhappy person bee, who wants you to think, just for a tiny bit, just for a moment? Or is it you-the unhappy person, who is so afraid of thinking? Instead, just repeating the old records! But I can see, it is totally imposibble-there isn't even one spark of inspiration! One can beat you, tease you, or caress you-all the same. Well, go on, you'll adjust anything to the music of your old records and be as happy as you are, who cares, anyway.

[Fljotsdale]

Well, dear, I never expected you to care! Why would expect anything of you but you usual self? LOL!

I will continue on in my happy 'unthinking', 'logos vulgaris' kind of way, and you will continue on in your own way.

We are in agreement that we are clearly not communicating on any level, so I will leave you to whatever it is you... enjoy?

And I also leave you with these words of the Apostle Paul:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all the mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
1st Corinthians 13:1-8, 13 (New International Version of the Bible)

[Diane]

Thanks for copying those words Fljots. Beautiful.

Diane

[Vince]

The Divine lens is not for the near sighted, you know.
Eyes wide open gazing upon Divine radiance
can cause blindness in humans...
still we long to see it don't we
and 'tis only natural, me thinks,
that we would want to get a peek.

I'd be content with a face to face
with the Goddess Venus
but I imagine after passion had been spent
I, too, might wish to take it up a notch,
right to Numero Uno.

Yeah, I'd have a question or two
like "God, do you feel you might have
made a mistake with your creations?
And tell me Big Fella don't you think you've
overdone human suffering just a bit?
And what's with this dying thing...
I mean, no sooner do we get here, then you
take us out...what's with that?"
Just a question or two, no more.

Ahhh too beautiful for human me to handle
too much love and power
throttle back Big Guy or you'll burn me to a crisp.
But not a bad way to go I suppose
given that eventually I'll have to walk through that door.

Was it the Buddah that said if
you're going to reach enlightenment
you'll have to go out of your mind?
hmmm.


< looks in mirror, straightens tie, smiles...>

Hello bee.

[Fljotsdale]

Thanks for copying those words Fljots. Beautiful.

Diane

I dislike Paul, but I have always been very fond of, and influenced by, that passage.
It is beautiful.
But only if put into practice. The words alone, without the practice, are like a lovely ornament buried in the ground.

[Steven]

Yes, those words of Paul are beautiful and a reminder to put them into
practice is good. Not putting the message into practice, is to not
cultivate it. And, yes, this requires ongoing practice; doing so is like keeping up a garden.

[bee]

Hi, Vince What's up with you these days?

I'd be content with a face to face
with the Goddess Venus

Dangerous desires you having, Vince, think of the consequences!
With goddesses it always comes to this-you do not do as you wish, she commands over the mortals! If you anger her, your suffering will never end! She looks overwhelmingly pleasing and beautiful, of course, not innocent, but by Venus- you will not be content to be with her face to face. Her powers are still not fully appreciated by mortals, be careful.

[paula_hansen]

Yes, those words of Paula are beautiful and a reminder to put them into
practice is good.

thank you very much Steven, what a charming compliment you pay me. I shall certainly add you to my prayers tonight.

[bee]

Oh, Fljots, what I'm to do with you, such a baby! You are running to daddy Paul to ask for help, even if you dislike him. Surely, you would be on the safer side, if you would just fill your posts with your LOL, LOL,- thus letting me know, that you are completely happy! I would believe that, I would, even without second guessing what room you are in. You see-if you just run to daddy Paul, getting the quotes from him, wanting to wash my mouth and wash me all over with daddy's quotes, like with a soap, it would still give me an idea, that you are hiding many, great many things.