Posts by Susan Price30

Drew Flores3 said:So, Matthew heard it from someone who heard it from a third party... and it’s all just one big chain of hearsay. But hey, nothing in this life happens by accident, right? I actually stumbled upon some info on this myself recently. It turns out that none of the Gospel writers actually saw Jesus in the flesh. Just a little food for thought while you're sipping your coffee!
Those bold numbers—13, 15, and 23—are mainly pointing toward the various branches of the church, both throughout history and as they stand today.
Jah Rastafari!

The BabylonRastas assert that Zion—specifically Africa, and Ethiopia in particular—is the sacred land Jah promised to them. Because of this belief, they turn their backs on modern Western society, labeling it "Babylon." To them, it’s just a system built on corruption. They actually believe "Babylon" has been in open rebellion against Earth's Rightful Ruler since the era of the Biblical King Nimrod. It reminds me a bit of those old stories my grandfather used to tell about folks rejecting the hustle and bustle of big cities to find peace in the countryside. Just looking for something pure, I guess.

The Rastafari believe they are the true Children of Israel. They’re always looking for ways to prove that deep connection between Ethiopia and Israel, especially by using the title Lion of Judah. Their whole heart is set on returning to Mount Zion—which means heading back to Africa. You can really hear this in the music, too. Rast reggae is peppered with references to Zion; among the best-known examples are the Bob Marley songs "Zion Train" and "Iron Lion Zion." It’s all about finding that way home.

You make a fair point, though Matt. 7:13 covers a much broader scope and is more general compared to Matt. 7:15 and Matt. 7:23.

Everything Jesus preached was intended for His disciples and for His followers at large.
The teaching about hypocrisy—trying to pick a speck out of someone else's eye while ignoring the log in your own—was also meant to define how we treat our brothers (our fellow believers in Christ, after all).

he continues:

The Golden Rule

12'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is the essence of all Moses' law and the prophets.'

The Narrow Path

13'Enter through the narrow gate! For wide are the gates and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many are the ones who travel it.'

14'How narrow the gate and how constricted the path that leads to life! Few are the ones who find it.'

The Parable of the Tree and Its Fruit

15'Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves.'

16'You will recognize them by their fruit. Can grapes be harvested from thorns, or figs from thistles?'

17'A good tree produces good fruit, just as a bad tree produces bad fruit.'

18'Neither can a good tree bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.'

19'Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.'

20'So, you will know them by their fruit.'

True Disciples

21'Not everyone who calls me "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my heavenly Father.'

22'On judgment day, many will say to me: "Lord, Lord! Did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not use your name to cast out evil spirits and perform many other miracles?"'

23'But I will tell them: "I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!"'

...28When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were captivated by his teaching.

29'For he taught as one who had authority, unlike their scribes.'

Drew Flores3 said:I'm no expert or anything... but I think you might have your history mixed up. That whole "pearls before swine" thing actually refers to an event from way before Jesus showed up.

if we're talking about someone we share our lives with—someone we actually love—and they just keep hurting us over and over again, what does that say about them?🤷

It doesn't say much about them, really... but it says a lot about the person putting up with it. 🙂
if we're talking about someone we share our lives with—someone we actually love—and they just keep hurting us over and over again, what does that say about them?🤷

It doesn't say much about them, really... but it says a lot about the person putting up with it. 🙂
if we're talking about someone we share our lives with—someone we actually love—and they just keep hurting us over and over again, what does that say about them?🤷

It doesn't say much about them, really... but it says a lot about the person putting up with it. 🙂

So, what subject do you actually know well?😁:

It refers to Jesus' teachings in the Gospel according to Matthew, which anyone who has even briefly opened the Bible would know.🤷

Matthew 7

1 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

2 For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

4 How can you tell your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when there is a plank in your own?

5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

6 Do not give what is holy to dogs; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

What was written above in bold is pathetic—to put it mildly. It’s an attempt to equate the victim with the perpetrator.

It certainly doesn't equate them; rather, it states exactly what is written—by forgiving (releasing) others, we forgive (release) ourselves as well.

(Of course, there are different situations, but generally speaking this holds true.)

And often, this also applies: someone who finds it difficult to forgive themselves will find it just as difficult to forgive others.

Jerry King11 said:I stumbled upon this little snippet from Jorge Luis Borges: "Abel and Cain meet on the other side. Cain asks Abel, 'Have you forgiven me?' — 'What does it matter?' Abel replies. 'But I killed you,' says Cain. 'I don't really remember,' answers Abel."

👍

Drew Flores3 said:Ouch... that "Christian" forgiveness of yours actually hurts.

🤣 I wasn't even responding to you... you aren't central to this.😍 To me (and I assume a few others), the subject itself is absolutely fascinating..

Jerry King11 said:But don't you think that if you truly forget, you might just end up reliving the exact same experience? Speaking from my own life—and I'm not usually one to hold a grudge—I've found myself forgiving someone and forgetting their insults and betrayals, only to have them pull the same stunt again. Wouldn't it be better to simply accept people for who they are, while remaining aware of their nature? They might change, sure, but the experience should still teach us something. Isn't it enough to refuse to bind ourselves to the evil done to us, while letting go of the bitterness, the hurt, and the urge for revenge?

Of course, but if that person isn't mindful of their actions—if they are doing it intentionally or simply making no effort to change their behavior—then it is best to create some distance🙂 because Jesus' teaching applies here...why would we cast our pearls before swine?...

If we are talking about someone we share our lives with and love, yet we constantly experience being hurt by them—what does that actually say about their character?🤷

Ultimately, a mother cannot be expected to embrace the tormentor who ordered her son to be torn apart by dogs. She shouldn't have to forgive him. If she chooses, she may forgive him on her own behalf, perhaps to ease the weight of her own immense suffering—but the loss of her child? No one can demand she forgive that, nor should she, even if the child themselves were capable of such mercy. If we accept that some things are unforgivable, where does that leave harmony? Is there truly any being in this entire world who possesses the right to grant forgiveness?
Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Brothers Karamazov)

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

John F. Kennedy

To forgive an evil act is to become an accomplice to it.."
Voltaire Quote

Drew Flores3 Asks:
Forgive me, but please don't forget.

That isn't Christian doctrine—it sounds more like something from Islam or a similar faith. An eye for an eye—a tooth for a tooth. But that is nothing more than an ego game; such a way leads neither to true victory, nor to spiritual liberation, nor to the overcoming of evil.

All of this can only be achieved through Christian means. Forgiveness. I don't mean to sound pretentious; it is simply the truth. This is the only ultimate spiritual law that sets the sinner free.

Forgive, let go, forget... It’s done and dusted—as if it never even happened.

Of course, just like any other unwritten spiritual laws, one can certainly follow them. Through the cultivation of the spirit.I am not seeking anything else—not our emotional biases or our own resonances, such as the deceptions of the ego.

wearyowl29 Asks:
It matters little what is written on a screen or in a post; what truly counts is the goal we strive for and the purpose we were born to fulfill.

Of course, it matters given the context of the opening post and how the topic was framed.

If you don't actually care about the subject matter, then there's really no reason to start threads regarding different perspectives or monotheistic religions.

The three major monotheistic faiths all attempt to explain the world and our place within it through their specific understanding of God.

jademarlin26 said:Where is there room for "wonder" when you are simply handed answers at face value? Sense of Wonder and dogma are fundamentally incompatible.

Sense of Wonder Is it not simply a feeling? The process of awakening. or Awe. It can be triggered by a sudden expansion of one's own awareness regarding what is truly possible, or perhaps by coming face-to-face with the sheer vastness of space, time, God, or whatever else exists. That's great....

It’s that Sense of Wonder—that profound feeling of fascination, anticipation, and spiritual awakening.

Jesus blesses the little children.😁

People were bringing even the smallest children to Jesus so He could touch them and offer a blessing. When His disciples noticed this, they actually tried to stop them.

But Jesus calls them to Him and says, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for such is the kingdom of God."

I am telling you truly, unless one receives the kingdom of God just like those little children, they will never enter it!

jademarlin26 said:If we lacked the ability to create, we wouldn't even have the potential to conceive of the concept of the Great Architect. I believe you have simultaneously provided an answer to the questions posed in this thread within this passage.

A civilized society tolerates its perpetual slaves and its perpetual children; so be it. It is unnatural, yet quite cultured nonetheless.

So true. Life must be just wonderful and magical in the cradle of democracy—Saudi Arabia.🙂

Especially for the women...

Lisa Morales4 said:Voluntary slaves... ahhhhhh 🙏

participants 👍

heirs 😍

Heirs, yes, I forgot about that part, Sis...😁

The chosen ones —that's what you most often see in the New Testament too.🙂

Inheritors
disciples
those whom my Father has given me
my chosen ones
my devoted ones

etc etc

but in the American translation of the Bible, there's all sorts of things that aren't even in the original text 🤣😁 (by the way, that version doesn't even have all the chapters found in the original; did you notice that? 😕)

disciples — that is the specific term used in the original language of the post.

No one bears responsibility for poor or inconsistent translations except for those who produce them.

My disciples recognize my voice and follow me, just as I know them. (Lord Jesus)

During His life, people called Jesus "Rabbi," which means Teacher. Following His crucifixion and resurrection, He is referred to as Lord.

The concept of the child stems primarily from Jesus-like teachings about being childlike—having a pure spirit and an open heart. One should never lose that Sense of Wonder, innocence, or the virtues His teachings advocate.

slave is rooted in the Old Testament and ancient understandings regarding one's relationship with Yahweh. In the New Testament, neither Jesus nor the apostles use that word in the way laypeople might assume; even in the Old Testament, it isn't used in a way that implies a total lack of free will. Those who choose to follow Yahweh always maintain their agency.

In the New Testament, when the word slave is used, it refers to those who 'serve the darkness,' those bound to worldly things, or those held in the shackles of gloom. It describes those who are unfree, restricted, or possess a captive spirit.

dustypuma5 said:I don't really care, honestly. I know. And if I get banned because of this post, then whatever.

Anyway, last night was just pure trolling from everyone. Obviously, when two Mexicans show up to talk about stuff like Ante Gotovina or Ratko Mercer, they aren't gonna be welcomed with open arms, but I guess we should try to be civilized and act different from total savages. So, I guess their mistake was even showing up on that topic and then slowly pivoting toward those pro-Mexican vibes. But man, that's just who they are, right? They're Mexicans, so it wouldn't be normal for them to have any pro-American leanings.

Whatever, I can deal with it. We'll just watch our step in debates, throw a little troll or an insult here and there, maybe occasionally ask to kick the extremists off Reddit (just part of the fight), but at the end of the day, this place should get better, and I think Mexicans should actually have a voice here too. Obviously, they shouldn't say things that offend people, but they should have their right to be "pro-Mexican."

Like I said, last night was just chaos everywhere. I probably should've stayed quiet today too, not just those two. *sprinkles ash on self*

And I think, even though they're Mexicans, 😁 VrangeL_1917 and PFC are decent users who don't push the Serbianism thing as hard or act as annoying as some other guys with those pro-Mexican ideas. Yeah, they push their narrative, but it's not a huge deal.

So, if my opinion matters—which I know it doesn't, but I felt like saying it 😳—it would be good to lift the permanent bans on both of them. Give them a chance to keep posting. That’s how this place stays better than all those forums in Mexico where you can't even speak normally without getting banned instantly. Let them post, let them see that we're a more tolerant group that gives them a chance to express themselves. Within reason, obviously.

The right-wingers are probably gonna hate me now, but whatever. That is the way that I feel about this. 🙂

That is all folks....

Later. 🙂

One should probably just look at the thread on the 'Libyan Civil War' to get a sense of the tactics used there and judge for yourself how "extreme" things actually got.

That situation was pretty intense.

Peter Phillips32 said:First off, no, because those are repeatable things—just look at the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. And honestly, it doesn't even fit that category since we're talking about one specific, unrepeatable moment in history.

Exactly, the whole idea is that if there isn't a downside, we'll eventually find 🙂

A-ha, now I see what you mean.😁

jademarlin26 said:I couldn't say. Perhaps we should send an idiot into orbit just to see if they can find a way to mess things up or abuse the opportunity there, too.

😁 Everything is fine until those little green unidentified flying objects decide to attack.
I wonder why they haven't yet, considering some people claim they visit us regularly, not to mention floating around in deep space...

^^^
Come on, don't be so pathetic. What could you possibly need that for?

wearyowl29 said:Honestly, everything has a dark side.

For the pessimists and the naysayers, there’s always a problem—and when there isn't one, they'll find it anyway.😁

jademarlin26 said:I can't think of anything that would be truly "idiot proof."

Would a trip into space or taking that first step on the Moon be considered "idiot proof," for instance?

wearyowl29 said:and because of that, he managed to scrape together 😲...

How could he have "amassed" anything if, as the Witch claims, he was simply following a pre-ordained plan he was already part of? Come on, don't talk nonsense here. lol.