xjwsforChrist

Hey, dear Skalls (peace to you!)...



In your opinion (and perhaps hers/others), perhaps. I agree it was really GOOD; however, whether it was "brilliant" might depend on who you "ask". Many people believe many different things.



Coolness!



I'm think you explained it a nutshell, dear one, so I can't see the need, just now. But thank you for the recommendation!



(Smile) I can't claim to know that you mean the term rhetorically, luv. Even so, I took the opportunity to share what I did, for which your comment opened the door.



If one GETS that answer. All do not. Which is evident by some of the comments.



Indeed. Even if you ask... and the answer is that there is One who DOES know... and can/will tell YOU! Even better! A TRUE win-win... and not just a... mmmmmmm... rhetorical (and so illusion of win-win) situation! Win... because there is someone who IS worthy and so CAN "open the scrolls"... and TRULY win... because you can find out from HIM... what's IN them!



I thought we'd found "common ground" on that, dear Char (peace to you, as well!): you explained yourself quite well and I "got" it. Did I miss something?



Mmm-kay; forgive me, though, 'cause I'm not sure what you're referring to - I THINK it's with regard to my comments to dear Skalls... but I'm not really sure, given this issue (metaphors, which was part of a previous discussion that I thought had reached conclusion. I could have been wrong, though, so...)...



Okay, dear Char.



Sigh. My use was for SKALLY's purposes, dear Char; not yours. The "who knows" implies that there is no one who does. As a member of Christ's Body, I have to reject that presumption. And I meant (to help dear Skalls "see") that as a member of that Body also, you... who she was addressing... would, too.



Okay.



Then my apologies - I used the word because of whom I was ADDRESSING (Skally)... not who I was speaking OF. I make the SAME claim... belonging to Christ. Whether the claim is TRUE or NOT true was not the issue. It was about what SKALLY "believes." Or what she apparently doesn't. Hopefully, my comments above will clarify.

Again, peace to you, both!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

That's ok, Shelby, thanks.

You're quite welcome, dear Char (mornin' and peace to you!). Glad I could be of help.

Peace!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar

Even after re-reading your reply to me a few times Shelby, I'm quite sure YOU completely lost me.

No worries. The important issue is that I MYSELF Know exactly what I was 'talking' about. I am as important in my state of Being, as is other human, living amongst the 'crowd' here on this particular planet.

I still do not know, at this very minute, just as I did not know hundreds of thousands of seconds ago....why I, as a Human, am here. What 'here' is and 'where' I'm even going TO next...scares me. Yet declaring to mySELF that "I DO NOT KNOW/WHO KNOWS" when it comes to even thinking I know OR HAVE THE 'RIGHT' TO KNOW the Answers to those questions, is of Great Comfort. I'm going to die soon, so there is no REASON to expend so much Energy in the concept of Knowing Anything about the particular twight zone I've been in since birth.
Have pleasant day.

~skally~

_________________
"I am proud to say that I will not lift one finger ( except my middle finger) for the WTBTS."

Then my apologies, dear Skalls (peace!); I realize that what I share CAN be a bit "over the head" of some...



Indeed.



Absolutely! You would never hear different from ME. Actually, I would probably try to help you see just how important you truly ARE! Important enough for another (the Son of GOD, girl!) to give HIS life for you... before you ever even came INTO this world! Even if YOU don't/can't/won't appreciate that.



I did not get that you asked that. If so, my apologies for overlooking it. If not... then I can suggest you ASK... and then LISTEN when you are given the answer. And if you still can't hear, let me know: I would be more than happy to share that particular truth with you, although it is rather quite simple.



You are scared, dear one... because you do not KNOW. Fear is the CHILD of the unknown, luv. Once one KNOWS, however, fear tends to dissipate.



Whatever works for you to, ummmmmm... help... mmmmmmm... "handle" your fear, dear one. Though, it would seem to ME that the very EXISTENCE of fear indicates it's NOT being handled. I would much rather KNOW... and so seek the ANSWER, albeit perhaps not in the same places... or from the same ones... as others do. But that's just how I look at/handle it - REMOVE it... by means of GETTING the answer.



That's your position, dear Skalls... and you're certainly entitled to it. Not all are that... mmmmm... satisfied... or complacent. Not that seeking knowledge as to death was my goal - seeking truth was mine... and through doing that I found the Truth (well, was found BY the Truth)... and from that One received truth. About this world, his world... even about death. Not something I would sneeze at, personally.



You as well and, as always, peace to you!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

Hi Shelby,

I saw this comment as I was about to hit the kitchen:

Important enough for another (the Son of GOD, girl!) to give HIS life for you... before you ever even came INTO this world! Even if YOU don't/can't/won't appreciate that.

____

Yes, well guilt is no longer a monkey on my back. Why we do what we do, here in the twilight zone, is a mystery, to MYSELF, my Being. Guilt that I don't live according to tales of some man dying for some other man [which still does not make sense; i.e. war among men}and that I will never know that are genuinely true, simply is not an option at this stage of my life. Guilt is toxic. I'm not going to get on that crazy toxic guilt train anymore. The regret train is about all I can handle. Guilt can roll on down the tracks now, in my life.

Shelby, I appreciate that I can leave this world when I so choose. And that, the possibility that someone or something else may make that very choice for me too.

WHO KNOWS what will happen next, in the twilight zone?

Right now though, I'm starving and must eat, in order to stay in the TZ, for now, because I do not know if I'm ready to go 'anywhere else' by my own choice.

_________________
"I am proud to say that I will not lift one finger ( except my middle finger) for the WTBTS."

And you stopped to comment, eh? Dang. But peace to you, truly!



Dear Skalls... if you took that as an attempt at guilt... rather than at HOPE... that's on you... and YOUR perceptions and paradigms, girl. Because the BEAUTY... OF that death... was freedom FROM guilt... by means of mercy/grace.



Yes, I get that.



Dear one, if you HAVE guilt... in relation to Christ... then you entirely miss the point OF Christ. Now, I get it: you come from a religious background BUILT on guilt and so perhaps cannot allow yourself to shake that "baggage"... or accept that PERHAPS something "different" is being discussed. On you, though, girl.



It IS. Which is why Christ CAME: to set man FREE from guilt... by means of his BLOOD. True, once can (perhaps) set oneself free from it, too... but your comments don't indicate to me that you have really don't that. I mean, guilt wasn't even on MY radar. I didn't want to you feel "bad" for NOT knowing Christ; rather, I wanted you to feel the HOPE... that you COULD know him. Which is why I pointed out that YOU... ARE... important. Had I wanted you to feel GUILTY... I wouldn't have corroborated some's thinking that you are not. You know, like you wanted to perhaps make ME think (about myself). But I have come to know that even nothings, the jokes among mankind, and foolish ones... are important to God and Christ. I only hoped to help YOU see that you are among those.



As it SHOULD, dear one. Just helps if it can PERMANENTLY do so... such that you don't even "taste" it when it's not even profferred.



Okaaayyyy... I don't dispute that (although, I am SURE there are some who would... or would at least try to lay a guild trip on you for even thinking the first one)...



I think we've addressed that previously. We can visit it again, though, and in more detail (i.e., who, what, when, where, and why), if you wish.



Please, do NOT let me keep you from much-needed sustenance, girl! By all means, DO go and lunch! When you come back, though, maybe you could answer for:

If your, ummmmmm... demise... came as a result of, say, some unforeseen occurrence... like a car running a light, or eating some tainted food (you know, bad chicken CAN be fatal)... would you say that you chose that... and/or where you "ended up"? Just curious, as I'm not sure what you mean by "ready" to go [anywhere else]... and whether such... journey, shall we say... is "by [your] own choice." Can you clarify, please? Thank you!

And, again, peace to you!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

You have officially blown my mind.

I Believe in THAT.

~skally~

_________________
"I am proud to say that I will not lift one finger ( except my middle finger) for the WTBTS."

Just thinking...and might as well put this out here..

Just as we came into this world, without wishing it or asking for it, nor do we have any say on the matter, but in one sudden moment we exist, we see light, we see our mothers and fathers for the first time...we see smiling faces, we exist not because we wanted nor we did chose it but because God wanted us to

Christ died for mankind not because men asked for it, or even imagined it, but because He and His Father volunteered and signed up for it

Now, I wonder what will happen next...what is this life all about with all this hardships and pitfalls, and little victories, most of it we did not want, and God didn't ask for our permission if we wanted to experience it, we didn't have any say in the matter, we just came in, dived in to the sludge and the mud, and here we are, because God willed it so. As a consequence, some turns into ultimate demons, other turns into incorruptible saints. That of course is THEIR choice, and the only thing within their power.

I always wonder if life is really just a big lesson for us to experience, and it really doesn't matter if we "win" (i.e. righteous, in biblical terms) or "lose", we just needed to experience. What's next after this life is equally a mystery, what is the purpose of all this? We existed without us wishing to, will we be shown mercy even without us wishing for it as well?

Another random thought. This of course, might be another heresy.

Hello,

You say:

"What's next after this life is equally a mystery, what is the purpose of all this? We existed without us wishing to, will we be shown mercy even without us wishing for it as well?"

Who Knows?

And thank you for sharing your hearsay with others who say what they hear too.

~skally~

_________________
"I am proud to say that I will not lift one finger ( except my middle finger) for the WTBTS."

Oh, if only ALL of mankind could grasp the answer, dear, dear Kassad (peace to you, luv!): we have come into existence to:

1. GLORIFY the MOST HOLY ONE of Israel, JAH of Armies... in HOW we live our lives, so that those of us who DO
2. INHERIT His kingdom!

That is the VERY reason we were brought into existence - NOT to glorify ourselves... but to glorify the One who BROUGHT us into existence. It is not the designer who should glorify the computer... but the value of the COMPUTER... based on its wonderous PERFORMANCE... that glorifies the one who created it.

Oh, that man would "get" this truth... and stop seeking his OWN will... but the will of the One who created him. Which they do... through their LOVE of that One... MANIFESTED through love of the creation in general. Which includes the earth, the beasts, etc., OF the earth... and the "universe" in which it all exists. Which love is taught, to those of us who don't exercise it NATURALLY... though His Son.

Our SOLE purpose... is to glorify God... and His creation. THAT is what the Son came... to teach us, those of us who don't know/do this... naturally. For those who DO... while they may not be sons of God... they are granted entry into God's kingdom because they NATURALLY do good TO such sons.

I hope this helps!

Again, peace to you!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

It is important to understand that Christ's sacrifice was not done to "guilt" us into anything.
Guilt is an emotion we feel when we know we have done something wrong and should make amends for it.
There is nothing we can do to "pay back" Christ and God for their love ( other than love them in return BUT not because we feel we have to).
God is perfect love, love that is other-centered.
The father loves the son, the son loves the father, they are united by love in the spirit of God.

This other-centered love is the perfect love that we are to strive for.
Christ gave of himself out of love.
We are saved out of His love.
We are to love out of love.
Guilt doesn't factor in it.