Figuring Out Religion

[dualstow]

If God is not there, none of those things makes any sense. Anything that goes, "if not God, then you should" or "if not God, then X, Y, or Z is good" is pretty much nonsensical.

Did I mention that zen is also about not trying to make sense?

No, seriously, that's one of the teachings.
Introduction to Zen Buddhism, by D.T. Suzuki

[vnatale]

My 42-year-old daughter is the last remaining believer of my three kids and as I'm watching what she's going through in a horrific situation I can only think to myself how much better she would be able to function if she would abandon her illusions of supernatural intervention. She prays to Jesus only to have her hopes crushed to pieces and then she has to ask herself what SHE might be doing wrong and why isn't Jesus answering her prayers. Then she has to exert what little energy she has to strengthen her faith instead of spending that same energy on doing what she logically can to improve her own situation all by herself.

At some point you just have to really stop and think that if a bear is chasing you in the woods you really have to save yourself or else the bear is going to eat you.

It's not being mad at God. It's just realizing that the bear is going to eat you. Whether God is watching and cares about that or not is a completely irrelevant consideration.

I once had a pastor telling me that if a farmer was praying for a good crop that that farmer should also be praying with a hoe in his hand -- meaning doing his part in making the prayer come to fruition.

Vinny

[vnatale]

I took that to be more of a "golden rule" comment, i e you should behave properly regardless of whether there is a God or not. That way you win no matter what, and so do the people around you

That is what Jesus stated as the second greatest commandment:

Matthew 22:34-40 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: "'Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Vinny

[dualstow]

I once had a pastor telling me that if a farmer was praying for a good crop that that farmer should also be praying with a hoe in his hand -- meaning doing his part in making the prayer come to fruition.

Trust in Allah, but tie your camel
- Berber proverb

[jacksonm2]

Jacksonm2, I am so sorry that your daughter, and you, are suffering on this side of the Last Day.

Thanks. I'll let her know that it's the Last Day and Jesus is coming soon. Sure that will help.

[Mountaineer]

Jacksonm2, I am so sorry that your daughter, and you, are suffering on this side of the Last Day.

Thanks. I'll let her know that it's the Last Day and Jesus is coming soon. Sure that will help.

jacksonm2: I'm sorry you interpreted my condolences so glibly. I was serious, I am sorry you are suffering. You, and your daughter, are a fellow human beings deserving of compassion regardless of your beliefs.

[Mountaineer]

Into the Darkness. Pointedstick must have had his prophesy glasses on when he recently spoke of light and darkness.

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/defa ... e=20200123

An excerpt from today's devotion:

"But the darkness we live in is way more dangerous than the darkness from a power outage. Most of you are converts to Christianity; you know the darkness I'm talking about. I mean the spiritual darkness of fear, hatred, and hopelessness. I mean the darkness of always trying to get ahead, even if it means putting other people down—because you know you can't trust anyone, not even yourself. I mean the words that are whispered in darkness—the lies, the gossip, the backstabbing. And the actions that are born out of darkness—the cheating, the violence, the hurting of other people to get what we want, because we want it, and we want it now.

Into this darkness, Jesus came as the Light of the world. Evil can't live in His presence. When Jesus arrives, all the evils that used to run freely scuttle away as fast as they can, looking for dark corners to hide. Where Jesus is, there is life and joy and protection and blessedness."

[Mountaineer]

YOU Forgive Sins

A short uplifting video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_q2Fc ... COPY_01%29

[Xan]

YOU Forgive Sins

A short uplifting video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_q2Fc ... COPY_01%29

Part of our call process was to look for people who could write really well backwards.

[Mountaineer]

YOU Forgive Sins

A short uplifting video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_q2Fc ... COPY_01%29

Part of our call process was to look for people who could write really well backwards.

Xan, I do like Pr. Wolfmueller's insights and presentations very much. You are blessed to have him. Is he as good in person as his YouTube material?

[Xan]

YOU Forgive Sins

A short uplifting video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_q2Fc ... COPY_01%29

Part of our call process was to look for people who could write really well backwards.

Xan, I do like Pr. Wolfmueller's insights and presentations very much. You are blessed to have him. Is he as good in person as his YouTube material?

He is amazingly engaging. He can preach a really long sermon and it doesn't feel long. In fact the past couple of weeks, and for at least the next several, he's doing two different sermons each Sunday: at our early service he's preaching on the Epistle text, and at our late service on the Gospel text. He's just overflowing with wonderful things to say! So whichever service I attend, I still need to go to the website to hear the other one.

But yes, he's just the same guy in person, whether it's one-on-one, adult Bible study, or in the Divine Service, as he is on YouTube. Which is a very good thing. If and when we get a Texas meetup going, you should come to a service.

[Mountaineer]

Thanks for the info. I would gladly come to your church. It’s been quite a while since I was in “Don’t Mess With Texas” country, far too long.