I've never been to church, so I can't relate to that experience.

Growing up I have lived with many different families with many different beliefs, getting bits and pieces of the religious world, and let me tell you, it's very confusing trying to understand it all. please bare with me and I hope you don't think I am attacking your stance in your beliefs. I merely want to hear your opinions and question them. It helps me sort shit out in a way.

So I was wondering what god you serve, and why?

My god is myself. I have committed my life to pleasing him.

I don't really worship anything. I just live my live day by day. I guess if I had to say I worshipped something I would say I worshipped myself. I am master of all that I survey.

I believe in one God. I believe in the day of dudgement and that Jesus will return on the the day of judgement. I believe that Muhammad (pbuh) was and is the final prophet sent to mankind by God. I'm a muslim woman, and I believe that the Qur'an is the guide to life.

I do not worship that which I am a part of, which is all that exists, has existed, and will exist.

Alan Watts used to call God "the Which than which there is no whicher," and he understood God to be the unified totality of existence in which every ostensibly separate thing and event is inseparably related to the Whole. Examine a single grain of sand closely enough and you understand that it implies and therefore ultimately IS the entire universe, because it would not exist and have the properties it does without the existence and properties of the entire universe. Conversely, the entire universe would not exist and have the properties it does if that single grain of sand did not exist and have the properties it does. Thus, all is one and one is all, and this inseparability of One and All is God.

I've never encountered a more sensible understanding of God, and I've accepted it as my own unless and until I find a better one.

Some folks think Bush is God does that count:D

God is everything it is not a he or she it just is. Oh crap a big stick just popped out of the sky and hit me in the head maybe I'm wrong :eek:

I worship God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Here we go.

God is Jesus Father and the Holy Spirit is what they fill you with when you worship them.
Jesus is the only way to be forgiven of your sins and God is the one who Judges you when you die.
The Holy Spirit is the one that helps you in life and guides you down Gods path.
Yet God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one in the same.

Let it begin!

I am pretty much in agreement with you, Inviolable. We have some minor differences but I believe that God is Three-In-One and that God the Father sent his Only Begotten Son to save us from sin, death and the devil.

I also believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God.
No other entity who has claimed this was as kind as he was (to my knowledge).
His kingdom is not of this world, but of the next.

I serve no god. However, evidence or proof aside, purely from a shopping perspective, then if I have to choose I would of course serve a god whose values I find agreeable. The Judeo-Christian god, being described as quite jealous, pushy, and cruel at times, would not be very desirable. Many dieties encourage its followers to abstain from earthly pleasure; these are also quite undesirable. A relaxed, benign, just, and trust-worthy diety that displays qualities I look for in a friend/protector would be more desirable. I just wrote a paragraph with every sentence ending in 'able'...

Examine a single grain of sand closely enough

Forget sand. Try a piece of rotting garbage. Then try your doorknob. And then, a grain of washing machine powder.

Alan Watts used to call God "the Which than which there is no whicher," and he understood God to be the unified totality of existence in which every ostensibly separate thing and event is inseparably related to the Whole. Examine a single grain of sand closely enough and you understand that it implies and therefore ultimately IS the entire universe, because it would not exist and have the properties it does without the existence and properties of the entire universe. Conversely, the entire universe would not exist and have the properties it does if that single grain of sand did not exist and have the properties it does. Thus, all is one and one is all, and this inseparability of One and All is God.

I've never encountered a more sensible understanding of God, and I've accepted it as my own unless and until I find a better one.


I would have to say this is close to how I believe. There must be some sort of creator, everything that exists could not have just happened by accident. On the other hand, I see us as mere specks of dirt on a spinning rock. We are so small and minute to the entirety of it all.

The closest I've ever felt to god would be laying in the open field under a starlit night. So peaceful and such a perspective of how insignificant we truly are.

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Inviolable , Frogger, rendova;

How did you come to serve this god of 3? Was you born to believe this or was you taught, as many are by their parents to carry on this religion?




I have other questions but must go for now.

Hi Imp.

There must be some sort of creator, everything that exists could not have just happened by accident.How did you come to decide that these are the only two possibilities?

There must be some sort of creator, everything that exists could not have just happened by accident.

I used to believe that it's necessary to explain how something came from nothing. But then I came to wonder why nothingness should be a more natural state than somethingness. That is, why is it any more reasonable to believe that there was initially nothing (except, of course, God) that then miraculously became or was turned into something than it is to believe that there has always been something out of which the universe as we know it today evolved? And if there was always something, why did it need something apart from or "higher" than itself to shape it into what it is today? Why couldn't it have contained everything it needed to become what it has? For if one argues that God had to design it, the obvious and perennial question then becomes, Who designed God?

Inviolable , Frogger, rendova;

How did you come to serve this god of 3? Was you born to believe this or was you taught, as many are by their parents to carry on this religion?




I have other questions but must go for now.

Well, to answer in a nutshell, I was taught ( tho I was an irregular churchgoer and frequently didn't WANT to go because it seemed boring at times) and also my own beliefs. I tend to believe in my own way.... I descend from a very long line of Puritans ( the rigid, John Knox/Oliver Cromwell, trust- in- the - Lord- and- hard -work kind) and have modified some of their teachings into my own, as did others of my kin...it's an ongoing thing, yet I cannot buck family tradition, lol....my grandma was very devoutly religious. She never harangued or hassled people, didn't talk about her faith much at all, but she lived the life. IOW, she was kind, at peace with herself, and seemed so happy.

This made a profound impact on me--not her words ( there were none) but rather her actions.

Inviolable , Frogger, rendova;

How did you come to serve this god of 3? Was you born to believe this or was you taught, as many are by their parents to carry on this religion?


For the most part I am self taught. I went to church as a kid but never got into it then. I didnt go to long as a kid either, I moved out of my parents house when I was age 15.
I Didn't become born again until I was in my 30's.
No one taught me then either. God filled me with the Holy Spirit.

When God gets in your way there isnt much you can do about it.
On second thought, there is nothing you can do about it.

Hi Imp.

How did you come to decide that these are the only two possibilities?

Hi Blob.

I've searched high and low, between atoms and the galaxy and everything in between, and have drawn that conculsion.

Hi Blob.

I've searched high and low, between atoms and the galaxy and everything in between, and have drawn that conculsion.


Are you saying that the big bang theory could be wrong?

That maybe there are to many factors for the planet and all life on it to be an accident?

I have been playing around with Modus tollens trying to understand it.

Basically all I have is.

Where there is life there is creation.

Where there is no life there is no creation.

But I am a noob at it.

I really havent a clue.

Maybe in your search you have some insight some of us dont?
Doesnt have to be Modus tollens, I was just giving an example.

I hope you answer my question Imp.

In good faith I will tell you how I percieve God. Recently I have restrained from doing so on these forums. It only causes a fuss and no actual points of view are made.

God is a God of emotion. So far as I know emotion can not be argued logically.
Emotions often cloud the issue and take away from the true meaning of any topic. However emotions are the cause of many an issue.

Artfully done a playwrite can cause an audience to feel any emotion he/she wished to portray. So emotions can be easily understood.
However when you are referring to the emotions of God you are referring to something that is beyond mans comprehension.
So any explanation is beyond us. So when you think of anything resembling logic to describe God, don't. It can not be done.

However.
What God can do for a person can be explained to some degree.
Not a larg degree but none the less some explanation can be shown.

There are many different types of Christians and followers of God.
Most commonly thought of are the upity Christians who do what they can to lay a guilt trip on unfortunate passers by. They do this to family, friends and totall strangers.
While arguably making someone feel bad is a darn good way to convert them I prefere to show people that God is a God of love.
The best way and the way that is writen in the bible is to show people what God has done for you.
Let people know that you are a good person.

Now, if Gods emotions are to complicated to explain then wouldnt it go to show that his love is beyond our comprehension.
That should show in your life if you are a Christian.

Thats it.
Hope you like it.

God is a God of emotion...l
=========================================


Inviolable, would you consider for a moment, that the actions of what we call God, creator, etc., are controlled by the emotions of mankind as a whole?

Some people say that they could not believe in or accept a god that is vengeful, allows suffering, etc. Yet, humanity allows these things to exist without doing all things possible to eliminate them. In general we are a greedy, vengeful, murdering, self-serving race.

If god is within us, he would be constantly bombarded with these and worse thoughts a billion times over. We expect him to be perfect in this sea of illogical, and unrational thinking.

I believe that something, no matter how pure, can be tainted, weakened, broken down, or diluted if enough force is applied long enough.
I have a feeling that we are responsible for the plight of man in more ways than one.
We are responsible for the lack of support that we as a race so desperately seek.

A well written post, Inviolable. Who says theists can't be free-thinkers?

While arguably making someone feel bad is a darn good way to convert them I prefere to show people that God is a God of love.Are you aware of Jim Henderson's website Off the map (http://www.off-the-map.org/aboutus/orientation.html)? He's a very nice guy who devotes himself to examining at how Christians can engage with non-believers in a more productive manner. His cool-headed, research-based pragmatic approach might be up your street.

=========================================


Inviolable, would you consider for a moment, that the actions of what we call God, creator, etc., are controlled by the emotions of mankind as a whole?

Some people say that they could not believe in or accept a god that is vengeful, allows suffering, etc. Yet, humanity allows these things to exist without doing all things possible to eliminate them. In general we are a greedy, vengeful, murdering, self-serving race.

If god is within us, he would be constantly bombarded with these and worse thoughts a billion times over. We expect him to be perfect in this sea of illogical, and unrational thinking.

I believe that something, no matter how pure, can be tainted, weakened, broken down, or diluted if enough force is applied long enough.
I have a feeling that we are responsible for the plight of man in more ways than one.
We are responsible for the lack of support that we as a race so desperately seek.


You got me thinking Dan, but I am fairly positive we are not on the same page. God is the conducter of emotion not man. There is no feed back in a negitive way. He is simply a AC outlet no DC current is running back through it.

But you are right, we are responsible for the lack of support.

A well written post, Inviolable. Who says theists can't be free-thinkers?

Are you aware of Jim Henderson's website Off the map (http://www.off-the-map.org/aboutus/orientation.html)? He's a very nice guy who devotes himself to examining at how Christians can engage with non-believers in a more productive manner. His cool-headed, research-based pragmatic approach might be up your street.

Thank you Blob, I will check out the site. So far you havent steared me wrong.

Are you saying that the big bang theory could be wrong?That maybe there are to many factors for the planet and all life on it to be an accident?

I have been playing around with Modus tollens trying to understand it.

Basically all I have is.

Where there is life there is creation.

Where there is no life there is no creation.

But I am a noob at it.

I really havent a clue.

No, I'm saying I think the big bang theory may be more spot on,perhaps. I haven't researched Modus Tollens indepth, but consider this...

an example:

If there is fire here, then there is oxygen here.
There is no oxygen here.
Therefore, there is no fire here.

In a same essence, this could also relate to the existence of god,instead of oxygen though use the word 'spirit' or 'life'.

If there is god here, then there is spirit here.
There is no spirit here.
Therefore, there is no god here.

If in fact an outerspace collision created an intelligence or a form of life or spirit, causing an awakening of consciousness...then the birth process mimics that. What I mean is, life is formed in a womb by the joining of two objects, a sperm and egg. The body continues to grow inside the womb and one day it has procressed to the point of it's first heart beat. What caused that? a completion of atoms forming perfectly. At THAT moment I believe there is now life inside the mother, before hand it was merely a blob of atoms splitting and dividing creating a work of life.
Perhaps god was just a mix of atoms, modules or gases in the hemisphere that one day it formed a 'spirit', because I believe god is a spirit, and once complete he awoke to the truth that he exists and was consciously aware.
Much like, we as humans one day woke up and realized, they just were. I am, I exist.

Maybe in your search you have some insight some of us dont?
Doesnt have to be Modus tollens, I was just giving an example.


No, I seriously doubt that. All I can do is contimplate it all and try to line it up as I see as a truth. I try to keep an open mind to others thoughts and beliefs because there just might be a key in something they say,although depending on my mood I lit into folk over it, but usually its the closed minded ones that set me off.

I have had a very interesting life. Many things have happened to me on a spiritual level that causes me to seek answers. Generally, I believe in dreams, dejavu and reincarnation. I am finding mind over matter an intriguing avenue to walk recently.
I find it hard to believe in a book by men of a god they apparently walked with on earth in human form.The bible, although containing many great words to live by, I believe was interpreted and twisted over time and man found it a way to prosper financially and ran with it.Gods folk are businessmen,the churches set up as offices.

I believe was interpreted and twisted over time and man found it a way to prosper financially and ran with it.Gods folk are businessmen,the churches set up as offices.

Absolutely.
Sad, really--I've always considered "church" as not a building or a dwelling of any kind, but merely a brotherhood of believers.

snip...

Thats it.
Hope you like it.

I do like it, Inviolable.

My only question would be...if god is emotional and able to express it to an individual, according to your beliefs, then why does he need his followers trying to convince *persuade* others this is the way? Is god not able to do this himself or does he need humans help? I would think not.

So why do men feel the urge to take it into their own hands and express gods love? It makes no sense.
It would be as if I were to go about telling everyone how you feel about them.

Also, what sets gods folk apart from everyone else, what makes them special to god when others fall short?

This made a profound impact on me--not her words ( there were none) but rather her actions.


Actions DO speak louder then words.
I have known some very gentle people who seem to flow of love and were not of a religion, I have also known some who were religious.
I have found religious people full of anger; and also unbelievers.

It seems we all search, fighting to find a truth. but it is those who have found it and live it that are the wisest amongest us.

Why couldn't it have contained everything it needed to become what it has?

I don't know.
I would say perhaps we contain a small fraction of god *spirit* and are in essence one with him already. Each life form on earth *and who knows where else in the galaxy* experiences life differently and interprets it differently also. So maybe, it is for the sole purpose of expierence that life forms are able to exist.

Either..
1..it contained all it needed already and life forms are fragmented pieces of it scattered across the universe..
or
2..we are fragmented pieces of a whole not yet made complete yet.*which I lean more toward but can't back my ass up on that one yet. :D

I do like it, Inviolable.

My only question would be...if god is emotional and able to express it to an individual, according to your beliefs, then why does he need his followers trying to convince *persuade* others this is the way? Is god not able to do this himself or does he need humans help? I would think not.

So why do men feel the urge to take it into their own hands and express gods love? It makes no sense.
It would be as if I were to go about telling everyone how you feel about them.

Also, what sets gods folk apart from everyone else, what makes them special to god when others fall short?


We all fall short. Dumb, stupid, cold hearted. Thats man in a nutshell.
We do have the ability to see past all of that. Few of us do see what it is we are doing wrong but none of us know how to fix it. We can set examples and show people where to go and what to do. In the end thats all we can do. Show people where to go and what to do. It's up to the person to listen and do.

God has set you down a path but he has also given you a choice. Follow the guys who portray Gods love or follow something else. Once you make the choice you are entirely in Gods hands.

Does he need my help?
No
It is like you said, he doesnt need anyones help. It's like you said, you know there is something greater then you. You know there is a God.
Where are you looking for him at?
In what is logical or what your heart tells you?

In what is logical or what your heart tells you?

Both, if a person has any sense at all.

Both, if a person has any sense at all.

Then it would be logical to listen to your heart. How could your own emotions stear you wrong?

Very easily. Have you ever heard of co-dependance?

Very easily. Have you ever heard of co-dependance?

Now youre catching on. You can not rely on yourself or anyone else for that matter.

I am very co-dependant on God. Not another human.

I see. Good luck with that.

I see. Good luck with that.


We are all co-dependant on whatever it is we see as reliable.

No one on this planet relies entirely on themselves unless of course they are relying on themselves to be timely on relying on something else.

And now for some green eggs and ham!

I have had a very interesting life. Many things have happened to me on a spiritual level that causes me to seek answers.
=================================================
Imp, I can really respect this attitude. Answers and questions derived from personal experiences seem to far outweigh simply relying upon and repeating the words and writings of others.

The conclusions and opinions that I have, come after over half-a-century of experiences, various types of research, and personal experimentation.
Early spiritual experiences, which I once thought a curse because of my own ignorance, have led me down a path of learning that has been facinating.
Keep seeking your own answers from within with an open mind, uninfluenced by the organized teachings of others. The keys will fall in place.

We are all co-dependant on whatever it is we see as reliable.

That is a very piss-poor definition of codependancy, one that makes the word meaningless.

That is a very piss-poor definition of codependancy, one that makes the word meaningless.

Well, whats your definition of codependency?

A "codependent" is loosely defined as someone who exhibits too much, and often inappropriate, caring for other people's struggles.

We are all co-dependant on whatever it is we see as reliable.

No one on this planet relies entirely on themselves unless of course they are relying on themselves to be timely on relying on something else.


Why would you rely on anyone/thing other then yourself. Is God handing you your paycheck, Is Jesus giving you full medical, does Jesus feed you or your family? I laugh when I hear a fighter{boxer} on HBO say without God I would have never won this fight blau blau blau. I'm sure God was there throwing the punches for him and God also knocked out the other fighter who also believes in Jesus. LMAO when I here so and so thank God for such a high paying job etc... It's like they forgot they went to college and even went job hunting in the 1st place. IF God does exist he does not care who you punchout or where your paycheck is comming from, as far as that goes he doesn't even care about your health. ALL of these things, life itself, is up to the individual.

We all fall short. Dumb, stupid, cold hearted. Thats man in a nutshell.
We do have the ability to see past all of that. Few of us do see what it is we are doing wrong but none of us know how to fix it. We can set examples and show people where to go and what to do. In the end thats all we can do. Show people where to go and what to do. It's up to the person to listen and do.

Summary. Each person can only walk down their own path.

Then I don't understand the need for any religion, herding people together and made to walk a path, when it was intended to be an individual experience in the first place.


God has set you down a path but he has also given you a choice. Follow the guys who portray Gods love or follow something else. Once you make the choice you are entirely in Gods hands.

Here I would have to disagree with you.
I believe we are each set on a path in this life to walk down. Each one full of unique experiences created for us personally. lessons to be taught for only our own benefit and growth.
I could tell you all about my fight with cancer, details and all, and the fears I had during that time. You would be more aware but it would mean nothing to you because it was a situation you didn't have to face. You could never truly understand what I went thru until you yourself are in the same boat. Even then, your path is different. I needed to learn how valuable life is and to treasure it and stop taking it for granted. For you, it may mean something else entirely.


To follow a man who portrays gods love, is still following a man and an idea. I follow no man, even if he calls himself lord.
That would be like telling someone how tea would taste without giving them a drink. Only if that one was given gods love in the first place, could they understand.



Where are you looking for him at?
In what is logical or what your heart tells you?

I look for god in the kindness of a stranger, the laughter of a child, the smell of a sunflower and in the sun that kisses my face.
Logic, and your heart, can be deceiving. everchanging

=================================================
Imp, I can really respect this attitude. Answers and questions derived from personal experiences seem to far outweigh simply relying upon and repeating the words and writings of others.

The conclusions and opinions that I have, come after over half-a-century of experiences, various types of research, and personal experimentation.
Early spiritual experiences, which I once thought a curse because of my own ignorance, have led me down a path of learning that has been facinating.
Keep seeking your own answers from within with an open mind, uninfluenced by the organized teachings of others. The keys will fall in place.

Thank you, Dan, I will keep seeking.

I understand what you mean about feeling like it was a curse but seeing the blessing in it all now.
Life is ironic. Soon I will be visited by my daddy, a born again christian preacher man who only talks of his god and has no ear to hear. We have never been on best of terms, only recently after 20 years am I back in their life, kinda.
He keeps trying to rope me into a church and see things his way, he is very closed minded. I hate the tension it causes. I hope I have learnt to be silent and have enough patience. It should be a good test for me. hehe

Do you have any peticular spiritual gifts? Can you transend? read a soul? etc

Why would you rely on anyone/thing other then yourself. Is God handing you your paycheck, Is Jesus giving you full medical, does Jesus feed you or your family? I laugh when I hear a fighter{boxer} on HBO say without God I would have never won this fight blau blau blau. I'm sure God was there throwing the punches for him and God also knocked out the other fighter who also believes in Jesus. LMAO when I here so and so thank God for such a high paying job etc... It's like they forgot they went to college and even went job hunting in the 1st place. IF God does exist he does not care who you punchout or where your paycheck is comming from, as far as that goes he doesn't even care about your health. ALL of these things, life itself, is up to the individual.


LOL, I'll bet you come from Puritan stock, mad dog!
"The Lord helps those who help themselves."

Summary. Each person can only walk down their own path.






I look for god in the kindness of a stranger, the laughter of a child, the smell of a sunflower and in the sun that kisses my face.
Logic, and your heart, can be deceiving. everchanging

That's very well said, Imp.

Summary. Each person can only walk down their own path. You do walk down your own path as a Christian.



when it was intended to be an individual experience in the first place.

That is what being a Christian is.



Here I would have to disagree with you.
I believe we are each set on a path in this life to walk down. Each one full of unique experiences created for us personally. lessons to be taught for only our own benefit and growth.
I could tell you all about my fight with cancer, details and all, and the fears I had during that time. You would be more aware but it would mean nothing to you because it was a situation you didn't have to face. You could never truly understand what I went thru until you yourself are in the same boat. Even then, your path is different. I needed to learn how valuable life is and to treasure it and stop taking it for granted. For you, it may mean something else entirely.

That is also what being a Christian is.



To follow a man who portrays gods love, is still following a man and an idea. I follow no man, even if he calls himself lord.
That would be like telling someone how tea would taste without giving them a drink. Only if that one was given gods love in the first place, could they understand.

You are not following another man, I was just giving a recognizable example.



I can not tell you what God can do for you. I can only tell you what he has done for me. Of course I could tell you what he has done for me if you so wish to hear it?





I look for god in the kindness of a stranger, the laughter of a child, the smell of a sunflower and in the sun that kisses my face.
Logic, and your heart, can be deceiving. everchanging


That is why they say, God is life.

Why would you rely on anyone/thing other then yourself. Is God handing you your paycheck, Is Jesus giving you full medical, does Jesus feed you or your family? I laugh when I hear a fighter{boxer} on HBO say without God I would have never won this fight blau blau blau. I'm sure God was there throwing the punches for him and God also knocked out the other fighter who also believes in Jesus. LMAO when I here so and so thank God for such a high paying job etc... It's like they forgot they went to college and even went job hunting in the 1st place. IF God does exist he does not care who you punchout or where your paycheck is comming from, as far as that goes he doesn't even care about your health. ALL of these things, life itself, is up to the individual.

Thats just it, quite a few people are dependent on their jobs or their bank or their car or their family. One way or another you stay alive and you depend on something for life.
I depend on God.

LOL, I'll bet you come from Puritan stock, mad dog!
"The Lord helps those who help themselves."

:D I was raised a {bad word to follow} CATH**** :). I just learned early on that man made religion is a gimmic and isn't worth the time spent on it. I do believe in something but I have no way to show or "preach" about it. People preach about Jesus and they follow the bible as there school book, the problem is that much of the Bible has been proven wrong. There is no solid evidence of a Jesus even existing, so how can we start from the end when we don't know the begaining? With that said IF Jesus did exist then he may have had a good message and I have no problem with folks following a peacefull life style. The problem lys in how far will or do people take their opinion? Good examples of man made religion doing more harm then good is in our past and present.

Thats just it, quite a few people are dependent on their jobs or their bank or their car or their family. One way or another you stay alive and you depend on something for life.
I depend on God.

Let me ask if you don't mind, do you depend on your God for food, money, medical, healthy lifestyle etc... Or do you work for yourself to achieve these goals?

I know you asked this of Inviolable but I would like to answer.

I do not simply sit around and wait for manna from heaven. I go out and work (at least before I retired) to get the things I need, food, clothing, shelter, etc.. I depend on God for the salvation of my immortal soul.

Let me ask if you don't mind, do you depend on your God for food, money, medical, healthy lifestyle etc... Or do you work for yourself to achieve these goals?


I'm retired. So yes lol

You do walk down your own path as a Christian.
That is what being a Christian is.
That is also what being a Christian is.
You are not following another man, I was just giving a recognizable example.

I can not tell you what God can do for you. I can only tell you what he has done for me. Of course I could tell you what he has done for me if you so wish to hear it?

That is why they say, God is life.

But I do all those things am yet I am not a christian. I don't study a bible, go to a church or tell others about this god. I do not believe in their beliefs, many I am against.

Feel free to tell me what your god has done for you, as much as you wish to share.

But I do all those things am yet I am not a christian. I don't study a bible, go to a church or tell others about this god. I do not believe in their beliefs, many I am against.

Feel free to tell me what your god has done for you, as much as you wish to share.

I am bipolar. I was once severely bipoalr, my daily routine was flipping the pillow to keep my face dry. In order to get me to a state of mind to care enough to eat I was prescribed lithium, which made me drool even more.

I found God, got out of bed and just lived life. I have lived in six different states and been to 2 different countries and have seen one side of the U.S to the other. For an American thats a lot. I went to college and got a degree, got a job, traveled some more and retired.

I am currently on no medication and believe I have surpassed my pillow turning days.

I sometimes feel as if I lived 4 lifetimes worth of emotion. I have come to tearms with my emotions on a level I dont think words could explain.

I am sure the standard thoughts are running through your head.

All of something other then God being the one to help me out of the bed.

Thats fine. I 'm use to it.

Remember when you explained to me that God needs no help?

He doesn't.

You want me to explain to you what happened that got me out of the bed?

God, thats it.

You chose to see it or not see it.

I found God, got out of bed and just lived life.

How? What happened, I don't understand.


I am sure the standard thoughts are running through your head.

All of something other then God being the one to help me out of the bed.

Thats fine. I 'm use to it.
Silly man. Please don't judge my thoughts.

How? What happened, I don't understand.


Silly man. Please don't judge my thoughts.

Sorry.


Bipolar people have mood swings that go from one extreme to the next.
So, saying I was fillied with a happienes that could only be God won't hold to much wieght.

But thats what happened. I was fillied with this overwhelming feelling of joy. It never seemed to go away either, I always have it to some extent to this day.

In a depresive state one day I just began to think of sin. What it is we all do to sin and how small it can be. Have you ever lied? Then you are a lier.
That kind of thing.

This set off a chain reaction.
Soon I was overwhelmed with my own thoughts, more then the usual.
I climbed out of bed in search of answers, being bipolar that was what most would say, a dumb thing.
I became homeless and went from one shelter to the next. It was 10 degrees outside in Dec and the only options I had was to go into a church or freeze.
So I went in and listened to the preacher. He was preaching what I was thinking.
I asked God to forgive me of my sins. That is when I was overwhelmed with joy.
Normaly people say, you were homeless and depressed. You set yourself up for the feelling.
All I wanted was warmth. I didnt even care that there was a surman inside.

I didnt run up to the front of the church or even so much as talk to anyone in the church. I just realized I was a sinner.

I left the church applied for help and got off the street. I told you the rest already.

Sorry.

It might have been a slip of tongue (fingers?), but that was rather insulting to not just imp but painted over a whole host of people. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, or what you should believe, but being condescending in that manner isn't a good way to view things. Sure, they might not be God-fearing individuals, and have their own spin on things, but I've found that anyone can surprise you with their abilities, that includes their thinking processes. Now to address this post:

I didnt run up to the front of the church or even so much as talk to anyone in the church. I just realized I was a sinner.

I left the church applied for help and got off the street. I told you the rest already.

It doesn't matter that you weren't delving into theology or being active in a church; you live in America. That standing, you find yourself encountering Christianity in everyday life, and your homeless, ill state could, in a way, set you up for that position. I face similar difficulties that you had, and so identify with the struggle, and I'm happy you've found a positive force driving your life. So, could I challenge you to take time to think of how you could have fallen on this path without divine providence? In any case, have a pleasant Good Friday.

It might have been a slip of tongue (fingers?), but that was rather insulting to not just imp but painted over a whole host of people. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, or what you should believe, but being condescending in that manner isn't a good way to view things. Sure, they might not be God-fearing individuals, and have their own spin on things, but I've found that anyone can surprise you with their abilities, that includes their thinking processes. Now to address this post:



It doesn't matter that you weren't delving into theology or being active in a church; you live in America. That standing, you find yourself encountering Christianity in everyday life, and your homeless, ill state could, in a way, set you up for that position. I face similar difficulties that you had, and so identify with the struggle, and I'm happy you've found a positive force driving your life. So, could I challenge you to take time to think of how you could have fallen on this path without divine providence? In any case, have a pleasant Good Friday.


Please forgive my prudence. You are correct and I assumed way to much.
I guess I was stereotyping.

No you can not. I could talk to you about other possiblilties, but that would lead us both down a road I don't think I would like to walk.
I hope I didnt sound rude there. I wasnt trying to be, just want to point out that these conversations often lead to frustration.
Not saying that you will get frustrated with me or that you will frustrate me. I would rather not take the chance of it happening in another form from another possible source.

No you can not. I could talk to you about other possiblilties, but that would lead us both down a road I don't think I would like to walk. I hope I didnt sound rude there. I wasnt trying to be, just want to point out that these conversations often lead to frustration.
Not saying that you will get frustrated with me or that you will frustrate me. I would rather not take the chance of it happening in another form from another possible source.

It's not rude, I understand that you are stable in your faith and don't seem to like questioning it. I don't aim to frustrate, and don't get so myself, but it is Holy Week! Come now, have a spot of fun. :D