10 posts shown.
Susan Price30 said:Christianity is built upon Revelation and Tradition—if we set aside the theological treatises of great theologians and the Holy Fathers throughout history. Therefore, based most heavily on oral Tradition, early Christians knew what Jesus looked like. They knew he had green eyes, long dark hair, was tall, athletic, and had a darker complexion. Then there is the Shroud of Turin, or perhaps relevant historical books from the historians of Jesus's era and his contemporaries who wrote about him. For instance, the works of ancient Roman historians like Flavia or Josephus are quite interesting.
(I recall someone sharing links to some modern books regarding the historical aspect and life of Jesus here, but I can't find the thread right now because I can't remember the title.)
I am not sure what you are asking me or what you are insisting on. Are you questioning the existence of Jesus, or do you simply believe that all the paintings, icons, and even the Raphaels aren't a faithful representation of the image of Jesus as we consider him to be through Tradition?
And why is this so important here and now, in this specific thread? I truly don't understand... is it because you got the impression that I worship Jesus? Of course I worship Him 🤣 and love Him with all my being; it's no secret.
Honestly, nuns actually have the privilege of being officially wed to Him.😁 Personally, I would love nothing more than to retreat to a monastery and spend the rest of my days in communion with God and nothing else, but that isn't my calling...
Totally agree! How else would anyone survive trekking through deserts and long, dusty roads unless they were incredibly tough? All the great people in history who traveled the world had to be resilient—there were no planes or luxury cars with AC back then! They were riding camels, horses, or just walking everywhere, which takes massive strength and endurance. The fact is, Jesus traveled through lands where there's zero shade and no streams around every corner, just scorching sun from dawn till dusk. Anyone who's ever gone hiking knows exactly how much grit it takes to trek through the wilderness.
Donna Lopez4 said:Forgetting is just plain inefficient. It teaches nothing; it’s just turning a blind eye to a messy reality. Honestly, what a waste of opportunities to build something better, to rearrange the pieces, or to gain actual insight if you just let it slip away. Maybe the "solution" is simply to let go—to live with the knowledge but remain powerless to actually control your own life or anyone else's. By trying to diminish its significance, the importance starts to fade away... 🙂
My deepest apologies for the unchecked sarcasm, but can you back up those claims with some quotes from the Bible?😁
I think you hit the nail on the head there! To clear out those internal blocks—like when someone totally screws you over—we’ve gotta use our imagination. We need to replay the whole thing from an outsider's perspective instead of feeling like the victim. Think of it like watching a movie or being a journalist writing a story about it. That's how you break through the block and let that energy flow naturally again! It's not about forgetting; it's about seeing it from a different angle so it doesn't mess with your peace. Of course, that's only if you actually want to live a normal life. Some people just don't care how they feel and choose to stay stuck. It's their call, I guess!
Jerry King11 said:Yeah, that’s an interesting and vital point. We often find ourselves blaming ourselves for why someone would act maliciously in the first place, wondering if we somehow invited it or deserved it...
I see it a little differently! It’s really about having two paths: you either forgive or you go for revenge. Revenge just pulls us toward doing bad things, and honestly? That stays with you way longer than the initial hurt. Why? Because when we choose to strike back, we’re making a choice to be the bad guy, whereas being wronged wasn't our call at all!
So, seeking revenge basically guarantees we cause permanent damage to ourselves. But hey, if someone picks that over healing and living without a heavy conscience, that’s on them! Not everyone is wired the same, right? Some people aren't looking for peace—they just want to hit back while they have the chance, or maybe they've become just like the person who hurt them. People are complicated!
Jerry King11 said:Every injustice forces us to remember. Forgetting would be an act of betrayal against those who suffered. The real challenge, however, isn't remembering—it's resisting the urge to settle the score. Revenge is a dead end; it kills any chance of a fresh start and keeps the perpetrator tethered to their crimes and the wreckage they left behind.
By choosing to forgive, we actually protect ourselves from the rot of hatred and the slow suicide of holding onto bitterness. It’s about mental survival. We forgive so our enemies don't get to finish us off spiritually; we refuse to let their toxicity become our identity. Forgiveness lets us turn our gaze toward something better and move away from the darkness. It provides a certain kind of spiritual freedom. You can't extinguish hate with more hate, and you can't erase an insult with another insult. Only forgiveness works. Our worst enemies are actually our own malice and inhumanity, and the only way out is through mutual forgiveness—accepting and granting it. Evil can only be defeated if we start forgiving one another. We can clear our consciences by finding peace, even if it's only in our hearts, while leaving the actual judgment of the enemy and their actions to God.
Of course, all this sounds like hollow rhetoric if we can't actually pull it off in the real world. It’s easy enough to overlook a petty slight, but there are some intentional evils out there that stay with you, making true forgiveness feel almost impossible no matter how hard you try.
What’s your take on this?
Here are a few quotes, though they certainly don't all agree:
"When someone hurts us deeply, we only truly recover once we have forgiven."
Alan Paton
"If you're going to strike a child, let it be in a fit of rage, even if it leaves them bruised. A cold, calculated blow is neither forgivable nor should it ever be."
George Bernard Shaw
"I hope the work of the Commission will open wounds just enough to clean them, preventing them from festering. We can't be superficial and pretend the past is buried, because it isn't; it follows us. True reconciliation is never cheap, because it's built on forgiveness, which is costly. And forgiveness depends on remorse, which relies on acknowledging wrongdoing and uncovering the truth. You cannot forgive what you do not know."
Desmond Tutu (From Tutu's speech upon his appointment as Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on November 30, 1995)
"When I hate, I lose something of myself; when I love, I am enriched by what I love. Forgiveness is reclaiming lost property—misanthropy is just a slow form of suicide; egoism is the greatest misery a soul can endure."
Friedrich von Schiller
"Ultimately, I won't have a mother embrace the tormentor who ordered the dogs to tear her son apart! She must not forgive him! If she chooses to, let her forgive him for her own sake, to forgive the tormentor for the immense maternal suffering he caused. But she has no right to forgive the suffering of her torn child, and she shouldn't forgive the tormentor even if the child themselves were to offer it! If that is the case, and they cannot forgive, where is the harmony? Is there anyone in the whole world who could or should have the right to forgive?"
Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Brothers Karamazov)
"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."
John F. Kennedy
"He who forgives a crime becomes an accomplice to it."
Voltaire
Totally agree! If you can do it, you absolutely should. Like you said, it's necessary for your own well-being. I bet everyone has been in that spot at least once, but were they strong enough to forgive? Did they love themselves enough to choose peace? Personally, I say this: forgive, which basically means letting go and moving on. Just cut that person out of your life and your head entirely! Don't deal with them ever again if you can help it. And stay far away from people like them too—avoid the risk altogether, even if things seem fine right now. Once you've been burned a few times, you learn. There are plenty of good people out there, and if you're a good soul yourself, you'll find them and enjoy life surrounded by better vibes. You never know what's coming next, so stay sharp and be cautious. It's way easier to walk away early than to deal with the damage later!
crimsonmarlin2 said:They only do DG HAL up to stage III here... I checked... Stage IV requires DG HAL RAR, but unfortunately, nobody in America is doing that yet... Apparently, there's a doctor in Pittsburgh who came back from Austria and opened a private clinic, and it's half the price compared to our places...
Of course I know DG HAL only goes up to stage III—I actually had that surgery! And yeah, I saw all that stuff about DG HAL RAR and stage IV online too.
Rachel Richardson45 said:Hey everyone! Finally jumping in after lurking here for a while. Since Jessica Grant56 said "just ask," well, here I am asking for some advice!
So, I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for about 10 years now. I've tried every cream and pill my doctor prescribed, plus all those random things people swear by. Nothing worked—not even that "miracle" Plex. Honestly, I just got used to it and figured I'd just deal with the struggle (there are way worse things in life, right?).
A few months ago, my stomach started hurting every single day, so they told me to get a colonoscopy just to be safe. I did a little Googling to see what to expect, and decided I definitely wanted anesthesia. I'm not exactly a fan of needles or anything, but why suffer if I don't have to? I live in a small town, so I actually had to travel to Washington, D.C. to get the anesthesia part handled. The prep was brutal (I barely survived the Excedrin suppositories), and my hemorrhoids flared up so bad that my whole life basically revolves around them now. The colonoscopy results were fine otherwise, but the doctor told me I have stage IV hemorrhoids and shouldn't wait—I need surgery ASAP.
There's no point in suffering anymore; I can't keep taking sick days because of this mess, so I've decided to go through with the surgery. Now my dilemma is where to go, because the info I'm finding is super confusing. At our local hospital, they do the surgery using the Morgan-Milligan method under general anesthesia, and you stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. People who’ve had it say the recovery is awful—really painful and lasts a long time. But, a private clinic in Washington, D.C. uses the exact same method but does it as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia (so no hospital stay!), and they claim the recovery isn't nearly as scary—just take some painkillers for a few days and you're good.
I'm so confused! Is it really possible for the recovery to be that different if it's the same surgery???!!! Because if it's not, there's no reason for me to drive all the way to Washington, D.C. to pay for something I can get for free locally. Do any of you know someone who’s had this done at a private clinic? What should I do?
By the way, I'm also looking into the DG HAL method, but I'm not sure if it works for my stage. But that's a story for another time...
I was checking them out 3 months ago
www.arithera.com, give them a call and see
Oh, one more thing! I’ve noticed a lot of people on here sounding pretty terrified about getting a colonoscopy. Honestly? I’ve had four of them—once before my surgery and three times after—including the deep ones going in 20 cm. It’s definitely uncomfortable, but it isn't exactly excruciating. I will say, that first time and then again seven days post-op felt a bit sharper, probably just because of my hemorrhoids, but it was nothing major. You can totally handle it! Seriously, getting a tooth pulled is a total nightmare compared to this, so I think everyone can breeze through it without an issue. And the last time I went? Barely even felt a thing!
Hey everyone, just checking in like I promised! So, I've been dealing with hemorrhoids (that's the actual medical term) for a few years now. It wasn't life-threatening at first, just a constant nuisance you could live with, but in the last few months, things got absolutely brutal. Diagnosis was Stage II-III hemorrhoids. I went with the DG HAL procedure—basically tying off the arteries using Doppler ultrasound. And guess what? A month later, they were gone! They shrunk back down like I was a teenager again. After a few months, I still had this lingering anxiety in the back of my head that something was wrong; I was getting some itching and stinging when cleaning myself, so I panicked and rushed back for a checkup. Turns out, it wasn't the hemorrhoids at all—I was just being way too aggressive with the scrubbing and using soap too often! Honestly, I think beer might have been making it worse too, since I noticed the symptoms flared up after drinking; let's just say me and beer have officially broken up. When I finished my follow-up, I was over the moon! One big takeaway: I realized I never actually drank enough water, only when I felt thirsty. Now I know you have to stay hydrated constantly to keep things moving smoothly. Apparently, you're supposed to drink even if you aren't thirsty—like a glass every hour. Makes total sense, right? That adds up to about 2 liters a day. Even after the surgery, having a hard stool felt pretty gross. A friend told me she also felt a bit weird for a while after her procedure, so I'm just hoping everything stays smooth sailing from here on out. Looking back, I don't regret spending those extra bucks to get rid of this nightmare, because it was becoming impossible to handle.
granitebear56 said:I wanted to jump in here too! 😁
I dealt with hemorrhoids about three years ago (heavy bleeding really forced my hand). First, I totally overhauled my diet, applied Hemophill regularly, and made sure to get plenty of walking in. Once things stabilized and my symptoms calmed down (after about 6 months), I slowly started doing my old routine again while keeping a close eye on what specifically triggered them. Nowadays, too much processed meat, greasy food, or hard-boiled eggs really messes with me—and honestly, I’ve always been a bit wary of fast food anyway. Alcohol (whether it's spirits or red wine) and BBQ don't bother me much, but I definitely have to be moderate with everything. In the meantime, I cranked up my physical activity, which makes me feel way better, and added grains back into my diet (I have a grain and milk mix every single morning for breakfast and nothing else).
I highly recommend everyone listen to their body instead of hunting for quick fixes. Hemorrhoids are basically a signal that we've been living a bit too wild and need to fix our habits. People often ignore them until things escalate to the point of needing surgery, but that doesn't fix the root cause—only the symptom—so they often just come right back.
My doctor told me that hard liquor and cigarettes are terrible for hemorrhoids; they leave traces all the way down to the large intestine and cause irritation. I totally agree with the rest, too. Meat also triggers it for me because it leads to hard stools, and then you know exactly what's coming next—that's when you really need to chug fluids. Just like you, I’m still listening to my body, and man, I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but at least I won't repeat them! Too much milk isn't great either; liquid fruit yogurts and lots of water and fruit are better to keep things moving smoothly. If things stay soft, it's manageable, but hard stools? Man, I fear hard stools more than a bullet! 😢 If I ever face surgery again, I know for a fact I’ll be forcing myself to drink water like there's no tomorrow just to avoid that dreaded constipation. That would stop the straining instantly! Even though I love physical labor, I think I’ll scale it back to just enough for basic fitness. I’ve gotta prioritize managing this stuff because I definitely got too relaxed and took it way too lightly before...
Sandra Baker35 said:Anyone else dealing with this intense burning and aching down there? No bleeding, just this crazy feeling like something is about to pop out😲 along with pain everywhere... there's zero blood, but the stinging and soreness is just brutal... I can't figure out why everything hurts so much.
I dealt with hemorrhoids for years—they weren't a huge deal and didn't bleed, but then they started hurting like crazy. It wouldn't stop for a whole month! Still no blood, but my stools were getting thin and weirdly shaped. I went to a private clinic and got diagnosed with 2nd and 3rd-degree hemorrhoids. They recommended DG HAL, so I went through with the surgery. Everything cleared up within a month, and I felt totally fine for about two months. Now, things are acting up again! I'm heading back for a checkup soon to see what's going on. Fingers crossed they haven't come back, but we'll see what the doctor says...