Comments for petitioninggod.com Blog http://petitioninggod.com/blog6 How to find joy (& get prayers answered) Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:22:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on The vale of soul-making by Administrator http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/20/the-vale-of-soul-making/#comment-43 Administrator Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:22:22 +0000 http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/20/the-vale-of-soul-making/#comment-43 I agree wholeheartedly. Also, once we rcognize that the purpose of life is to spur us on to growth, which then leads to our happiness, then that means there are no truly painful events, because they're all designed to lead to our maturation. And when we "pass," we move on to the next level of consciousness & closeness to the God of Love! Tell me, am I making any sense at all? I need to know! I agree wholeheartedly. Also, once we rcognize that the purpose of life is to spur us on to growth, which then leads to our happiness, then that means there are no truly painful events, because they’re all designed to lead to our maturation. And when we “pass,” we move on to the next level of consciousness & closeness to the God of Love!

Tell me, am I making any sense at all? I need to know!

]]> Comment on The vale of soul-making by Anonymous http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/20/the-vale-of-soul-making/#comment-42 Anonymous Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:06:02 +0000 http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/20/the-vale-of-soul-making/#comment-42 Coming to this realization is such a freeing experience. The task of spiritual transformation is much more rewarding and long-lasting than trying to find happiness in material acquisitons, or competing with others in what our society views as achieving success. Coming to this realization is such a freeing experience. The task of spiritual transformation is much more rewarding and long-lasting than trying to find happiness in material acquisitons, or competing with others in what our society views as achieving success.

]]> Comment on Another kind of debunking by Administrator http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/06/another-kind-of-debunking/#comment-27 Administrator Wed, 21 May 2008 01:17:19 +0000 http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/06/another-kind-of-debunking/#comment-27 Great to hear from you. I agree totally that this world is not whole or perfect---don't know what made you think I thought otherwise! As far as what it needs to be healed from, I also agree that it is sin, but I think I define that word very differently from you. It seems to me that Jesus made it very clear when he gave the two great commandments that it all boils down to Love, so that sin is any failure to love God or our neighbor. I refrain from using the word "sin" because so many in our culture associate it with strict Christianity that is judgmental and exclusive, and specifically with superficial sins of the flesh (perhaps especially sexual sins) that I think the strict Christianity movement places far too much emphasis on. Strict Christianity has turned millions of people off from church & religion altogether because they were raised in the quite unloving judgmentalism of either conservative Protestant denominations or strict Roman Catholicism. People in those strict denominations seem to be hung up on sins of the flesh that they can point to and criticize themselves and others for, whereas I feel very strongly that sin is, instead, any failure to LOVE. So to use this word sin risks turning off millions of seekers automatically, in an emphasis that I don't believe was Jesus's at all. Regarding the whole issue of homosexuality, for example, I believe he would say that it all boils down to love---that as long as a person's situation is based on love, then it's not sinful but instead a part of the kingdom of heaven. I believe that Jesus's message is that we have lots of work to do in the world, and all we need to worry about is continually re-orienting our minds and hearts around the God of Love, and then get out and do things for all the millions who need us, instead of sitting around worrying about whether we're holy enough or not! Of course, our repeated falling away from the right orientation around God can correctly be defined as sin, and of course it is the basis of much pain & sorrow in this world. But Jesus's whole point is that we are forgiven, and all we have to do is accept that forgiveness & then get out there & spread the kingdom of Love by healing as much suffering as we can. It seems clear to me that this world was never meant to be perfect or whole, but rather a vale of soul-making, as I mentioned in one of the new posts above. I look forward to your response, and so do the readers of this blog, I'm sure. Blessings on you! Sara Great to hear from you. I agree totally that this world is not whole or perfect—don’t know what made you think I thought otherwise! As far as what it needs to be healed from, I also agree that it is sin, but I think I define that word very differently from you. It seems to me that Jesus made it very clear when he gave the two great commandments that it all boils down to Love, so that sin is any failure to love God or our neighbor. I refrain from using the word “sin” because so many in our culture associate it with strict Christianity that is judgmental and exclusive, and specifically with superficial sins of the flesh (perhaps especially sexual sins) that I think the strict Christianity movement places far too much emphasis on. Strict Christianity has turned millions of people off from church & religion altogether because they were raised in the quite unloving judgmentalism of either conservative Protestant denominations or strict Roman Catholicism. People in those strict denominations seem to be hung up on sins of the flesh that they can point to and criticize themselves and others for, whereas I feel very strongly that sin is, instead, any failure to LOVE. So to use this word sin risks turning off millions of seekers automatically, in an emphasis that I don’t believe was Jesus’s at all. Regarding the whole issue of homosexuality, for example, I believe he would say that it all boils down to love—that as long as a person’s situation is based on love, then it’s not sinful but instead a part of the kingdom of heaven.

I believe that Jesus’s message is that we have lots of work to do in the world, and all we need to worry about is continually re-orienting our minds and hearts around the God of Love, and then get out and do things for all the millions who need us, instead of sitting around worrying about whether we’re holy enough or not! Of course, our repeated falling away from the right orientation around God can correctly be defined as sin, and of course it is the basis of much pain & sorrow in this world. But Jesus’s whole point is that we are forgiven, and all we have to do is accept that forgiveness & then get out there & spread the kingdom of Love by healing as much suffering as we can. It seems clear to me that this world was never meant to be perfect or whole, but rather a vale of soul-making, as I mentioned in one of the new posts above.

I look forward to your response, and so do the readers of this blog, I’m sure.

Blessings on you!

Sara

]]> Comment on Another kind of debunking by Chadwick http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/06/another-kind-of-debunking/#comment-26 Chadwick Wed, 21 May 2008 00:32:33 +0000 http://petitioninggod.com/blog6/2008/05/06/another-kind-of-debunking/#comment-26 hey sara... i am honored to get a whole entry on your blog...i wonder if the response of your readers comes in some sort of 'you go girl!' tone. i have read in your entries a disdain for a certain branch of the Christian tree. probably for good reason. but...as i read your response to my letter, i realized that we don't understand each other. if this were a debate, i realized that you are not debating me, but continuing a debate with some 'fundamentalist' that has offended you. i'm not that person. if it would help to deal with some semantics, then maybe you could change the word: HOLINESS, to WHOLENESS or PERFECT LOVE. Maybe then it would make the meaning behind a word more palatable. A desire for WHOLENESS or PERFECT LOVE brings with it the reality that this world is not WHOLE or not PERFECT. I get the idea in your writings that you are aware of this truth. I also get a sense that you would like to admit that there is a breakdown, without admitting there is a breakdown. Round and round and round. I get the sense that you would like to talk about the effects of words like SIN, without actually using the word SIN. Ok...but, i need you to clarify what exactly the world needs to be healed of. i am happy to meet you half way. i'll speak in specifics and work through semantics, if you will go beyond personal experience. 'more than you bargained for'? not really, just more of the same song and dance. haha...this could be fun my friend... Christ's love, chadwick hey sara… i am honored to get a whole entry on your blog…i wonder if the response of your readers comes in some sort of ‘you go girl!’ tone.

i have read in your entries a disdain for a certain branch of the Christian tree. probably for good reason.

but…as i read your response to my letter, i realized that we don’t understand each other. if this were a debate, i realized that you are not debating me, but continuing a debate with some ‘fundamentalist’ that has offended you. i’m not that person.

if it would help to deal with some semantics, then maybe you could change the word: HOLINESS, to WHOLENESS or PERFECT LOVE. Maybe then it would make the meaning behind a word more palatable. A desire for WHOLENESS or PERFECT LOVE brings with it the reality that this world is not WHOLE or not PERFECT. I get the idea in your writings that you are aware of this truth. I also get a sense that you would like to admit that there is a breakdown, without admitting there is a breakdown. Round and round and round. I get the sense that you would like to talk about the effects of words like SIN, without actually using the word SIN. Ok…but, i need you to clarify what exactly the world needs to be healed of.

i am happy to meet you half way. i’ll speak in specifics and work through semantics, if you will go beyond personal experience.

‘more than you bargained for’? not really, just more of the same song and dance.

haha…this could be fun my friend…

Christ’s love,

chadwick

]]>