Critique
anonymous
September 29 2006, 03:23:32 UTC
Okay, there's three lines I'd like to focus on in this entry...
a)I'm at a point in my life right now where I'm finally able to make some decisions about myself to better who I am as a person.
b)To those of you that are religious, please pray for her comfort. I know what it's like to lose someone very close to you, as I'm sure many of you do. I'll be praying for her.
c)I'm not looking for sex, but if it happens across my path; so be it. If you're too immature to understand that, then I'm sorry. Some people should really grow up.
Rather than go in a linear fashion, I'll try to squeeze as much as I'd like to say (not that I assume it will avail much with you Tim, but since this is an open forum and I have something to say I hope you won't take it too harshly) into a few easy paragraphs. First of all, let's go with b; the fact that you want to pray for someone else's problems is 'good' in spirit, at least in the modern language; but honestly Tim it depends on who you are praying to, and exactly what it's about. Rather than post a bunch of scripture; take my word for it that while 'the prayer of a righteous man availeth much'; there's nothing you can do to be righteous on your own. (that is, fulfill a) I'm sure you know the verse, 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God' and, if I can direct you elsewhere, try Isaiah 64:6. Okay, put that aside for a minute.
In what way do you want to better yourself as a person? Do you want to be smarter, healthier, deadlier (that's a real answer), wittier, more stoic - by whose definition will you be a better person; for 'better' suggests morality and morality necessitates a god; not necessarily a Christian god, but a god none-the-less; which you seem to be uninterested in. I know it still sounds like old Chinese philosophy or something from the Enlightenment era...but there's always someone better than you at everything; that's just how it is. Personally, I don't think living on your own will make you a better person even in a human sense, because with most people it doesn't. You lived on your own before and you seem pretty unsatisfied. Not that I couldn't be wrong; for some people moving out was the best thing they ever did but not usually because it, in itself, made them a better person - but because of personal hardship. Though, I wouldn't know what to suggest as any true remedy - I simply accept my own insufficience and believe in Christ to make me righteous before God. Though this may not be what you meant, I tie it in with the first point.
Finally, to bind this altogether; I would suggest that it may be you who needs to grow. The statement, though I could be reading it wrong, seems to suggest that people who can't accept your drive for promiscuous sex must be as children; when typically it is the other way around. I actually heard a debate earlier today on the assumption that the younger you stop having sex, and the more promiscuous you are with it, the less you will enjoy it as you get older. Granted, I may accept this subconciously due to personal bias; but honestly it seems true enough to me. It is subjective either way, but if most of the population agrees with a subjective argument, it is enough to say it is rational. (Not that the population does, I just know many who admit this and have had different sexual lives than I.)
Basically, what I want to do here is show you a contrast. The three sentences seem to suggest you want to commune with God, but you don't want to seek him. You want to better yourself, but only through a materialist means. (For seeking religion is not the same as seeking God.) Third, is a statement that seems nearly paradoxical considering the first two viewpoints. It's not that I have any idea how your relationships go, and any way that's none of my business because I don't have a relationship with those people. But it seems to me you've doubted Christianity for some time, even though you seem open to it I think either you're waiting for some ultimate fault or some entierly compromising evidence; but that's not how it works.
Re: CritiqueblxxdywhxreSeptember 29 2006, 05:16:14 UTC
As for the better myself part, I intend it in my own eyes. In the judgement I pass on myself. I need to do certain things to show myself I've acheived a few things in life. It's not materialistic, nor spiritualistic. It's mostly, in my opinion, just about my pride. I moved out before into circumstances that weren't planned, weren't feasible with a person not to be trusted with responsibility. That's all that I was unhappy about with moving out then.
As for the sex comment, that was directed at someone. I don't feel being promiscuous or not being is childish. That was at a comment someone made about me. No other reason.
The praying; I just want to be done what can be done. If someone will pray to Bast so my friend has the attitude and solidarity of a cat to help comfort her then so be it. If people can take prayer requests in a church and it help, then this is my church and that's my request.
I appreciate the critique Sid. You really do make me second guess some things that I word. I really appreciate that. You can always be honest to me in how something comes across to you. Don't be afraid to offend me, but also don't spend all day long critiquing me. I'm sure you have more important things to do than that. ^ ^
Re: Critique
anonymous
September 29 2006, 17:23:14 UTC
So then, in the form of the Socratic method - If you were to say to me in person, "Sid, pray for my friend." and I were to say, "Okay..."
I then proceed to a large cow...or a sheep...and I say, "Oh great conciever! Giver of life! Bless Tim's friend in this harsh time!" and return to you and say, "There, do you feel better?" What is the honest answer?
If your friend is Christian, praying to Allah won't make her feel better. If she's Jewish praying to Jesus won't make her feel better. And so on...C.S. Lewis once said that prayer is for the one praying, and that it's not necissarily because God follows our requests; but honestly it just seemed to me that a desire for prayer means an open invitation to question that idea.
At any rate; 1) I do this all the time these days, and I constantly go over these kinds of questions so it is in my enjoyment to bring them up. 2) I understand the comment on sexual situations; but not quite your idea that promiscuous sex is neither good or bad - but I suppose it was originally just hyperbole.
I understand what you mean about moving out; but as far as saying you need to convince yourself you've accomplished something so far in life; don't neglect the position that you may have not accomplished anything - which wouldn't be surprising...most people are, in the human sense, unaccomplished until at least their 40s or 50s. There are obviously counterexamples; but I think that American culture has distorted it into the idea that you can simply become a great person by age 15-20. Most people that we view as great by our age we don't realize because we look at their life backwards and see where their fervor began.
Also, consider that as you age your judgement will change...so it may in fact be true that while you achieve an accomplishment later on that you would now view as worthy of pride; there's no telling if by then you will have changed your view on it. I'm not saying don't move out and don't accomplish, I'm saying you should be careful about the subjective reasons you make changes to your life because if you come to regret the reasons, you may come to regret life.
a)I'm at a point in my life right now where I'm finally able to make some decisions about myself to better who I am as a person.
b)To those of you that are religious, please pray for her comfort. I know what it's like to lose someone very close to you, as I'm sure many of you do. I'll be praying for her.
c)I'm not looking for sex, but if it happens across my path; so be it. If you're too immature to understand that, then I'm sorry. Some people should really grow up.
Rather than go in a linear fashion, I'll try to squeeze as much as I'd like to say (not that I assume it will avail much with you Tim, but since this is an open forum and I have something to say I hope you won't take it too harshly) into a few easy paragraphs. First of all, let's go with b; the fact that you want to pray for someone else's problems is 'good' in spirit, at least in the modern language; but honestly Tim it depends on who you are praying to, and exactly what it's about. Rather than post a bunch of scripture; take my word for it that while 'the prayer of a righteous man availeth much'; there's nothing you can do to be righteous on your own. (that is, fulfill a) I'm sure you know the verse, 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God' and, if I can direct you elsewhere, try Isaiah 64:6. Okay, put that aside for a minute.
In what way do you want to better yourself as a person? Do you want to be smarter, healthier, deadlier (that's a real answer), wittier, more stoic - by whose definition will you be a better person; for 'better' suggests morality and morality necessitates a god; not necessarily a Christian god, but a god none-the-less; which you seem to be uninterested in. I know it still sounds like old Chinese philosophy or something from the Enlightenment era...but there's always someone better than you at everything; that's just how it is. Personally, I don't think living on your own will make you a better person even in a human sense, because with most people it doesn't. You lived on your own before and you seem pretty unsatisfied. Not that I couldn't be wrong; for some people moving out was the best thing they ever did but not usually because it, in itself, made them a better person - but because of personal hardship. Though, I wouldn't know what to suggest as any true remedy - I simply accept my own insufficience and believe in Christ to make me righteous before God. Though this may not be what you meant, I tie it in with the first point.
Finally, to bind this altogether; I would suggest that it may be you who needs to grow. The statement, though I could be reading it wrong, seems to suggest that people who can't accept your drive for promiscuous sex must be as children; when typically it is the other way around. I actually heard a debate earlier today on the assumption that the younger you stop having sex, and the more promiscuous you are with it, the less you will enjoy it as you get older. Granted, I may accept this subconciously due to personal bias; but honestly it seems true enough to me. It is subjective either way, but if most of the population agrees with a subjective argument, it is enough to say it is rational. (Not that the population does, I just know many who admit this and have had different sexual lives than I.)
Basically, what I want to do here is show you a contrast. The three sentences seem to suggest you want to commune with God, but you don't want to seek him. You want to better yourself, but only through a materialist means. (For seeking religion is not the same as seeking God.) Third, is a statement that seems nearly paradoxical considering the first two viewpoints. It's not that I have any idea how your relationships go, and any way that's none of my business because I don't have a relationship with those people. But it seems to me you've doubted Christianity for some time, even though you seem open to it I think either you're waiting for some ultimate fault or some entierly compromising evidence; but that's not how it works.
Reply
As for the sex comment, that was directed at someone. I don't feel being promiscuous or not being is childish. That was at a comment someone made about me. No other reason.
The praying; I just want to be done what can be done. If someone will pray to Bast so my friend has the attitude and solidarity of a cat to help comfort her then so be it. If people can take prayer requests in a church and it help, then this is my church and that's my request.
I appreciate the critique Sid. You really do make me second guess some things that I word. I really appreciate that. You can always be honest to me in how something comes across to you. Don't be afraid to offend me, but also don't spend all day long critiquing me. I'm sure you have more important things to do than that. ^ ^
Reply
I then proceed to a large cow...or a sheep...and I say, "Oh great conciever! Giver of life! Bless Tim's friend in this harsh time!" and return to you and say, "There, do you feel better?" What is the honest answer?
If your friend is Christian, praying to Allah won't make her feel better. If she's Jewish praying to Jesus won't make her feel better. And so on...C.S. Lewis once said that prayer is for the one praying, and that it's not necissarily because God follows our requests; but honestly it just seemed to me that a desire for prayer means an open invitation to question that idea.
At any rate; 1) I do this all the time these days, and I constantly go over these kinds of questions so it is in my enjoyment to bring them up. 2) I understand the comment on sexual situations; but not quite your idea that promiscuous sex is neither good or bad - but I suppose it was originally just hyperbole.
I understand what you mean about moving out; but as far as saying you need to convince yourself you've accomplished something so far in life; don't neglect the position that you may have not accomplished anything - which wouldn't be surprising...most people are, in the human sense, unaccomplished until at least their 40s or 50s. There are obviously counterexamples; but I think that American culture has distorted it into the idea that you can simply become a great person by age 15-20. Most people that we view as great by our age we don't realize because we look at their life backwards and see where their fervor began.
Also, consider that as you age your judgement will change...so it may in fact be true that while you achieve an accomplishment later on that you would now view as worthy of pride; there's no telling if by then you will have changed your view on it. I'm not saying don't move out and don't accomplish, I'm saying you should be careful about the subjective reasons you make changes to your life because if you come to regret the reasons, you may come to regret life.
Reply
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