10.11.07
Do you fear death or not and why or why not?
The main proprietor of Bookworm Room has stated frequently that she’s pretty much a non-believer. I think, though, that posts like this show that she is someone, as I characterize myself, who is feeling her way toward a solid faith.
Mr. Dings said,
October 11, 2007 at 3:35 am
Ask me that question when death knocks at my door, if I should be so blessed to be able to contemplate its imminent arrival and delay opening the door. But, it does seem to me as I age that I do indeed fear death less and less, compared to the absolute terror I used to experience contemplating it as a child, or the complete denial I was in during adolescence and early adulthood.
I don’t know about you, bloggie, but I heard many times from vets returning from ‘Nam that “them gooks don’t respect life like we do–they ain’t afraid to die.” We hear the same stuff about the Islamists. I dunno about the latter, but the former, if they were true practicing Buddhists, respected life, all life, including flora and fauna, much more than the average fundamentalist Christian whose God gave us dominion over all creation. Judaic holy writ is quite inconclusive. Heaven is not elaborately described in the NT either. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is within (us). The Kingdom of God or Reign of God (Greek: Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ – Basileia tou Theou, is a foundational concept in Christianity, as it is the central theme of Jesus of Nazareth’s message in the synoptic Gospels. The phrase occurs in the New Testament more than 100 times, and is defined almost entirely by parable. According to Jesus, the Kingdom of God is within (or among) people, it is approached through understanding, and entered through acceptance like a child, spiritual rebirth, and doing the will of God. It is a kingdom peopled by the righteous and stands in stark contrast to another realm people serve: the kingdom of Satan. Ah, that elusive(?) will of God, that we must let go of ourselves and let God work in our lives. Only two commandments in the NT: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
October 11, 2007 at 12:50 pm
That’s why I insist on the right to feel my way toward a consistent cosmology, a solid faith, at my own pace. These fundies who look right past what I’m saying when I say, “I’m in alignment with the broad outline of where you’re coming from” and go right to their own message, which is “Aceept Jesus in this particular way or you ain’t got nothin’” really set my teeth on edge.
And your mention of doing the will of God brings up another thing about the fundies that bugs me. The last pamphlet I read that was given to me by a fundie said, “Your good works are as filthy rags before God.” Something in me responds to that with a big “F— you.” In any sensible cosmology, it seems to me, there has to be a place for a heart volitionally inclined toward God and a pattern of behavior that results from such an inclination.
Mr. Dings said,
October 11, 2007 at 7:49 pm
That be the Holy Spirit (or Ghost, if you will). Amd to the fundies I have always repeated, “judge not lest ye be judged.” Where is their love? They even damn meditation as the devil’s playground, and of course the oldest Christian denomination on the planet which Luther never planned to leave and, although a decadent regent split off, John Wesley never intended to leave the quite similar Anglican tradition. I, like Twain, think I would prefer heaven for the climate, hell for the company.
Mr. Dings said,
October 11, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Just a plug here for 12 Step Programs which are all over the geographical (and psychic) map if one needs what co-founder Bill Wilson called “spiritual kindergarten.” There, progress, not perfection is sought and a spiritual awakening awaits in the 12th Step, along with helping others and practicing these principles in all our affairs.
http://www.stanice.com/links.html
In the AA Big Book, Appendix V, p. 572, there is “The Religious View of AA” by Edward “Father Ed” Dowling, SJ, who writes: “AA is natural; it is natural at the point where nature comes closest to the supernatural, namely in humiliations and in consequent humility. There is something spiritual about an art museum or a symphony and the Catholic Church approves of our use of them. There is something spiritual about AA too, and Catholic participation in it almost invariably results in poor Catholics becoming better Catholics.” The Episcopal magazine “The Living Church” observes editorially: “The basis of the technique of Alcoholics Anonymous is the truly Christian principle that a man cannot help himself except by helping others. ”
In 72 years look what it’s wrought: all over the planet and all over the addictive map of suffering. Jesus supped with sinners….
Mr. Dings said,
October 11, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Then there’s Newtie. Your good angel to Jimmy Carter’s bad?
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
October 11, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Not talking about the relative virtue with which either of them have conducted their personal lives. What I focus on when comparing Newt w/ Jimmah is the relative soundness of their views on America’s place in the world, economics, the role of government, energy, health care, Israel. Jimmah has been true to Rosalyn through the years, I think we can be confident. But on the above matters, it’s like the guy is trying to be as dangerously stupid as possible.
Mr. Dings said,
October 12, 2007 at 4:11 pm
He received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. Carter was a gifted student and finished 59th out of his Academy class of 820. Carter served on submarines in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. He was later selected by Captain (later Admiral) Hyman G. Rickover for the U.S. Navy’s fledgling nuclear submarine program, where he later completed qualification requirements to serve as a commanding officer.
I am not just talking about fidelity to one’s wife. Gingrich is a hypocrit and a liar.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
October 12, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Carter did all those things and then went on to preside over 12 % inflation, 7.5 % undemployment, 20 % interest rates, an enrgy crisis, the fall of the Shah of Iran and the rise of the terror state still menacing the world today, standing by idly as the Nicaraguan broad-based revolution was hijacked by the Sandinistas, cancelling the B-1 bomber program, saying that America suffered from a “malaise” – real inspiring stuff to hear from our president, huh? – and that we needed to get over our “inordinate fear of communism.”
Then, as ex-president, he visited Cuba against the wishes of the State Department, handing Castro a huge PR win with that photo of the two of them on the pitcher’s mound. He took it upon himself to initiate an Agreed Framework with North Korea. (He found Kim Il-Sung “vigorous, intelligent, surprisingly well-informed about the technical issues,” and he said “I dont see that they are an outlaw nation.”) He monitored the recall effort against Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, certifying that balloting showed Chavez had beat it back, in spite of the respected (as in hired by such prominent Democrats as Hillary Clinton) polling firm Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates’ press release “Exit Polls Show Major Defeat for Chavez.”
Then there’s his current meddling in the Israel situation, a move that so disgusted several Jewish Carter Center scholars that they quit.
Now, on to Newt. Just what has he lied about? What do you think motivates him? Why didhe opt out of running for president in favor of continuing to build his American Solutions project?