Posts by Jack Harris3

hollowviper72 said:You’ve got a point there, but honestly, just like I wouldn't want a girl who only cares about her looks, I wouldn't want one who is *exclusively* intellectual either... all those extremes just wear you out, at least they do for me. And we're living in a society that seems to push those extremes pretty hard, if you ask me.
And I always end up circling back to that old golden rule: "Moderation in all things"...

Come on, don't talk nonsense. 😛
It isn't really about being moderate, it's about priorities.
Whatever matters most to you, and how much it matters, that's what a girl "has" to have to fit your life.
If, say, brains are way more important to you than looks, then she'll be more of a thinker than a model.
If you value both equally, she'll be equal too, but if you're all about the physical side, well, you'll end up with a blonde bombshell. 😁
You just decide based on what you're drawn to. Everyone else does the same.

There isn't some universal formula involving moderation or extremes or any of that crap... there's just a formula for every single individual, so roughly 6 billion different versions. 😁
Or maybe just 3? Since two people who actually click usually share the same priorities... 🙂

For example, I'm definitely not "moderate," and I'd lose my mind with someone who is just a little bit of everything, to be honest. 😁
Certain traits of hers would have to be miles ahead of everything else, otherwise, it just won't work... 😂

nimblecobra79 said:...which is exactly why Jesus, being completely pure through His sacrifice, was able to wipe away all our wrongdoings...

Just memorized it... 😛

So, I was sitting here thinking about this earlier... which bad deeds did Jesus actually undo, and who were they actually targeting? It’s one of those deep questions that makes you really stop and stare at the ceiling for a minute... I mean, when you look at how He moved through the world, it wasn't just about fixing things on a surface level. It felt more like He was reaching into the messy, broken parts of people's lives to pull them out... almost like He was rewriting their history in real-time. Whether it was breaking the chains of someone caught in a cycle of addiction or simply showing grace to people that society had already written off as lost causes... it feels like He was nullifying the damage done by others. It wasn't just about punishing the "bad guys," though. It was more about canceling out the weight of their mistakes... making it so those actions didn't define the person anymore. It's heavy stuff to wrap your head around... but truly transformative...
What did his death actually bring to the table... things that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't shown up at all? Looking down from above, from a divine perspective, I guess...

If you look at it from a certain angle, it’s almost a given that Jesus had to be a real person if his followers were actually going to carry his message out into the world... I mean, ideas don't just spread themselves without someone to start them. But that isn't really how the Church frames the whole thing. Their take is different... they focus on the idea that the sacrifice was what God required... it was necessary...
So, I'm trying to wrap my head around what you mean... how exactly is it that God can't get anything done without someone having to pass away first? And if that's the case, how does it even work then... I guess I'm just looking for a bit more clarity on that part... 😁

If you can just shift how you see God... everything else starts to make a whole lot more sense...
😉

I don't think I ever actually said that I was confused... or maybe I did mention it somewhere? If I did, then it’s not the core stuff that’s tripping me up. It's more like... I just can't wrap my head around how some people think. You know, certain theories or doctrines, or even that specific point you made earlier... it just doesn't quite click for me...
God and I have this way of understanding each other without even needing to say a word, so thanks for asking... And honestly, even if we weren't on the same page, just leave us to work things out ourselves. It’s never a good idea to go inserting yourself into a situation between two people... 😁

Jose Reyes said:Congrats to Karen Sanchez19, Jack Harris3, and anyone else with half a brain... you guys were all clearly shaken up by those massive gaps in your memory stories, and honestly, you're probably still craving a bit of that wisdom...

What did I do wrong this time? I asked him a long time ago what even interested me about his stuff in the first place... 😁

The comment I left was coming from a completely different place... 😁
And besides, it was directed at you, not him... 😁

Jose Reyes said:Less is more when you're starting out. Just ask questions... 😎 🙄

Honestly, it’s solid advice. That’s exactly how hiddenviper9 got their start, and look at them now! 😁

Nemruth Dag said:Even at his own expense, though???😲

How exactly did he hurt you? You just losing it...😁

swiftcobra15 said:😁 She hasn't even seen it, yet she's talking about it like an expert...

My comment is a direct response to what you wrote. There isn't really any other way to read it... 😛
You could've just laid out the whole scene from the start so we weren't left guessing... 😁

The King actually jumped right in front of Shrek when that wicked Fairy Godmother swung her wand... he basically took a bullet for him...😉 So, he basically went back to his "true" self... you know, that froggy persona. He made this huge sacrifice—for Shrek, I guess?—just to stop pretending to be someone he wasn't. He shed that fake identity and finally embraced who he really was deep down. A real frog at last...
Isn't that just the core of every sacrifice... letting go of the lies and finally finding your way back to the truth...

So, what exactly did Jesus "sacrifice," and what was the payoff on the other side?... It’s one of those big, heavy questions that really makes you stop and think for a second... I mean, if you look at it from a certain angle, the cost seems almost impossible to wrap your head around... He gave up everything, didn't he?... His physical life, his comfort, even his connection to the earthly realm... It was all laid out there on the line... And yet, when you weigh that against what was gained... the idea of reconciling everything with God... it changes the whole equation... It's hard to put into words without getting lost in the weeds, but it's definitely worth pondering...

At its core, every single victim is just being traded like a commodity... just like I said before... 😁
It’s always been that way... people sacrificing virgins just to keep some monster from tearing the rest of the village apart, or offering up livestock hoping God might show a little mercy... others giving up maidens just to beg for rain. It’s always a trade-off... you give one thing up just to get something else back...

Based on the scene as it's described... I don't really see them as a victim... though again, I'm just going by the description provided... 😁It’s just... you know, it becomes this automatic reflex. You don't even think about it. It’s just that split second where you see someone in trouble and you move... just trying to help someone out of danger...
It’s just instinct, really... if you see a kid fall into the water, you don't stop to run a mental checklist of the risks or worry about whether you might drown too... you just jump. You don't even think about it... you just move...

Sacrifice isn't some kind of knee-jerk reaction... it doesn't just happen on autopilot. It’s a conscious choice. A deliberate, voluntary decision made with a clear head and a steady heart... you have to go into it knowing exactly what it costs. 😁

So, I was thinking about this one version of the story where Jesus didn't actually sacrifice anything... and honestly, he didn't really gain anything either... just an interesting way to look at it...
If we’re really looking at the Bible, it says right there that he was sent to preach, live his life, and die the way he died, doesn't it? When you lay it out like that, it almost feels like God sacrificed him to Himself... which honestly seems like a massive waste of time. I mean, if there's only one God, who is He even trying to justify anything to? Why would He need this whole grand production just to suddenly flip the script... and then there's the whole idea that Jesus supposedly died for human sins. Just so people could be forgiven, so the resurrection thing actually works, blah blah blah...
It’s like... couldn't God have just figured out a way to fix things without sending him straight into the jaws of death? I mean, seriously... what gives...

Another way to look at it is that Jesus was just a total genius who had a knack for spotting all the rot within the Jewish community back then. He saw what was going on and, like any true revolutionary, decided he had to change things up. He called out the religious leaders, flipped their laws on their head, and preached that everyone has an equal shot with God... rather than just some "chosen" few getting all the perks...
He just stuck to his guns until the very end... died for what he believed in, through and through...

Man, thank goodness there isn't any damage... 😁

swiftcobra15 said:It’s such a beautiful illustration of what sacrifice actually means:
The "King" sacrifices himself, shedding his human appearance to embrace his TRUE (froggy) form.
So, he’s sacrificing the illusion—that false persona—to gain the truth, his actual self.
Of course, most people would much rather cling to a lie than face the truth...

I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts, specifically on the idea of sacrifice. 😉

I haven't watched that crap and honestly don't plan to (the commercials alone were stupid enough to make me lose money), so I won't talk about the movie itself, just that snippet you shared.

What exactly is the king sacrificing to whom?
If I'm following you, he’s losing his old self to gain his new self. He's essentially just evolving...
Can something you do entirely for your own sake even be called a sacrifice? Especially when you're just ditching something worse to get something better?

Like one of our more distinguished forum regulars once put it—sacrifice is basically a transaction, and I have to agree with him there. If I sacrifice something to God, or to you, or to anyone else, I'm not just doing it for the hell of it. There's always an exchange involved.
But can a person really strike a deal with themselves? 😁

swiftcobra15 said:I’m talking about true, voluntary self-sacrifice here. Nobody just "reflexively" jumps in front of a bullet without even thinking about the fact they won't survive the impact.

But sometimes you *do* jump on pure instinct, without a single thought other than needing to save someone else. 😁
Very few people would actually step up in a life-or-death moment if they had enough time to sit there and weigh the consequences for themselves... 😁

...that he sacrificed his physical body so that he could live freely in spirit.

Personally, I’d say he just neglected the physical side of things. 😁
Or maybe he just risked it all for what he believed in. To me, that doesn't feel like "sacrifice" so much as just being incredibly consistent with your principles—whatever the cost, even if it means losing your head... 😁

It seems like we're using the same word to describe two totally different concepts, which is probably why we're bumping heads here...

Me? You just vanish into thin air, and then you have the nerve to ask me where I've been? 🤔

What are you working on? Is there a little bit left for me too? 😁😛

It probably won't do much for the body, but who cares... maybe the soul will feel a little lighter? 😂

😂😂😂 I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of the strategy... 😁

Oh, give me a break. How am I supposed to believe that we’re all meant to live up to our full potential, only to look in the mirror knowing damn well I only bother using mine when I absolutely have to?
That includes my brain, obviously. 😂
Go to hell. 🙄

I'm out of here... you're seriously killing me. 🙂

So, if we’re talking about personal choice, why do some people insist that "running" is actually essential for spiritual growth? 😛
It’s just my own personal thing, but I’d much rather curl up on the couch than go for a jog. Like, I don't do moderate exercise, I don't care about "body maintenance" at all. Honestly, even getting a wax feels like too much effort... 😂
But somehow, it seems to me that my sense of humor works out pretty well enough. And then there's the wit... 😁

I'm totally on board with the idea of personal choice, and I wouldn't mind it one bit if they hadn't come up with this whole version where physical fitness is mandatory for soul development. 😁

hollowviper72 said:I mean, it’s gotten to the point where I couldn't even pull off a 300m sprint at twenty-five...

So what? If someone were actually chasing you down, you'd probably breeze through 600m without breaking a sweat. 😛

Actually, I think it’s the other way around. You don't just learn how to be a genius... you're either born with it or you aren't. 😁

hollowviper72 said:Jack Harris3, wouldn't you say that if you aren't actively doing the thing you hate, you still hate it? If hatred is what kills the spirit, then just avoiding what you despise doesn't actually solve the underlying issue. 😉

🙂 I really don't feel like dissecting whether I phrased that perfectly... I forgot my quotation marks, so let me fix that right now. 😁
I "hate" watching sports (I don't watch them), reading about them (I don't read about them), or getting involved with them (heaven forbid!), but otherwise, I have nothing against the whole concept. 😁

Just leave me out of it, and you can go hit the gym every single day for all I care. 😁
That’s pretty much the gist of what I was trying to get at... 🙂

And obviously, I don't think physical fitness dictates your spiritual state, though your headspace can definitely take a toll on your body.
But I thought I made that clear. Hopefully... 🤔

Vorkosigan said:Is this just how you view spirituality, or the whole concept of being, or just everything in general?

Well, since you're asking...
It's everything, really. Just the whole big picture. 😂
But hey, don't let it get to you. Your seriousness isn't going to stop me from cracking a joke, and I certainly hope my little jabs won't force you to start taking things so heavy... 😛

Gaudrath said:Yeah... I mean, Hawking was a total genius and an incredible scientist, but he never really struck me as a particularly spiritual guy...

I feel the same way, though honestly, I have that same issue with pretty much any scientist. 😂
But when you think about it, whether you call it the soul, the self, consciousness, or whatever else you want to label it... it’s all happening "in the head." And as long as everything is functioning properly, none of the rest seems to matter much.
Plus, I’m just one of those people who gets super cranky and gets a headache if I don't eat... so not only do I *have* to eat, I actually love snacking. 😁
And sports? I can't stand them. I'd much rather just lounge around after a good meal. 😁
How am I supposed to become some enlightened, spiritual person if I'm forcing myself to do things I absolutely hate?
Resentment just kills spirituality, don't you think? 😂

Vorkosigan said:To me, Stephen Hawking is the ultimate proof that the physical body isn't everything...

What about you? 😁

Besides, I think the old saying would be more accurate if it went "a sound mind leads to a sound body." 😁
Half the illnesses people deal with wouldn't even exist if their mental gears were actually clicking together properly... 😁
The body can't really screw over the spirit on its own, but the spirit? It can absolutely wreck the body.

velvetpilot212 said:Jack Harris3, with all due respect, I have to remind you that Eric Scott65 is looking for a spiritual leader—a guru—not some kind of finger-wagging lecture on how to live life.

Well... looks like she finally came to her senses and decided she actually wants those lectures after all... 😂
And honestly? Those lessons are way more useful and insightful than anything some guru could ever throw at you... 😁

😂 You?
You’re basically spending another whole year convincing yourself that she actually loves you after all. 😁😛

Anyway, why don't the two of you try my approach instead?

When I'm in a bad mood, I stay off the forums 😁 (I only jump on here when I'm feeling good and looking for someone to tear me apart 😂 ), and if someone tries to talk to me privately, I just warn them to back off... tell them not to ask me anything until I've cooled down, unless they want to be the target for me to dump all my frustration on. 😁