Posts by Terry Parker15

You make a fair point... I honestly hadn't thought of it that way.
ths🙂

I haven't run into any trouble yet... though I can't quite say why... I just have this nagging feeling that things might get a little 😠 before I finally find my footing and my faith...
But honestly... I'll take your word for it... and 🙏 pray to God that it all happens sooner rather than later.
👋

Does anyone know how I can get posting privileges enabled on all the subforums? Right now, I'm blocked from the religion section...
I'm not trying to be difficult or anything... there isn't really a reason for this to be happening...
I can't actually post in the religion forum at all, unless I just read through everyone else's threads...
And for some reason, I can't even search my own post history???
So, I don't want to make things more complicated than they need to be... who should I reach out to about this?

thanks!

here take a look

Gaudrath said:The whole concept of truth is... heavy. A deep philosophical rabbit hole. 😉

I suppose if we speak from a place of genuine conviction, then what we say is true—at least for us and those who see it that way. In my view, spiritual truth holds just as much reality as material truth, though it’s far more dependent on perspective. Then again, even physical facts aren't as absolute as we once thought; relativity proved that too.

So, if truth is ultimately relative, maybe we can share our own versions without worrying about being labeled as mere pawns. Because, in a sense, we are. But maybe we aren't either.

It all depends on how you look at it.

😁

sweet😁 👍

Hopefully, we're finally starting to understand one another🙂

Hopefully we're finally starting to understand one another🙂

Peter Taylor63 said:How can you possibly know if I've actually experienced it or not? 😕 😉

I'll just put it this way... I was lucky enough to experience that pain firsthand. And I was lucky enough to find a "cure." But honestly, that pain isn't really about typical sadness or standard human emotions... it’s more like an entirely different world altogether.

Look, if you've been there, you know that feeling when your soul aches—it's something you just can't put into words, no matter how many people have suffered through it.
Suffering isn't just a one-day thing; it's usually tied to long-term endurance. A soul can ache briefly, or it can hurt for a long time, though I don't think anyone could bear it indefinitely.

You asked me what I am suffering through if I don't know deeper pain anymore.
My answer was simply that I used the word "suffering" because there wasn't a better, more accurate way to describe what I feel when I witness evil.
It's a bit like asking why I still feel warmth if I no longer know what pain feels like.

It doesn't really make sense, and I tried to explain it, but clearly, you aren't interested in hearing it.

Peter Taylor63 said:Wait a second, if you don't recognize soul-deep pain anymore, then what actually hurts when you witness evil?😕

Wow... quite a few interesting posts here.

First, regarding my being contradictory:
I'm not writing to look smart. I just write because, in a given moment, I feel the need to answer a question. I simply write what I think.
It's a shame that some people—hopefully with good intentions—find me contradictory, but please allow me the right to express my thoughts as I see fit.
I see how easy it is to maliciously twist someone's words, even when said in good faith, just because they mentioned Jesus. Suddenly, I'm labeled as someone who's just jumping to conclusions.
Okay...

I used the word "hurt," and then suggested that might be the closest way to describe it...
So, to quiet the agitated spirits... let me clarify. When I see evil, I feel sorrow, heaviness, sadness, helplessness, and anger. All at once. That isn't quite the same thing as soul-deep pain.
If you ever experience true soul-pain, you'll know exactly how much it hurts. For now, it seems you've been lucky enough to avoid it.

And what is with all the question marks?
Is that also a reason to underestimate me?

Suffering?
A few years ago... I think... I could have written entire essays on what suffering actually meant.
Thanks to Jesus, I don't really recognize that kind of soul-crushing pain anymore. Now, if I feel anything, it's just heartache when I witness injustice... though I'm not sure "suffering" is even the right word for it now.
Are you asking if it's shameful? Why would it be?
It's your own journey...
And honestly, that pain is usually what forces you to take a hard look at where you are and where you're headed.

You might not see the physical change immediately, but mentally, you become a completely different person. I can't quite put it into words... but go ahead, try to explain it. Just don't talk down on it if you haven't actually experienced it yourself. I’m a huge advocate for this; it's difficult, sure, but it's also incredible. And honestly, if you think about all the toxins your body carries, that mental clarity starts to make sense.

Kudos to you... I once managed to push through 7 days, and honestly, it was such a great experience. Even though those first 3 or 4 days felt pretty rough. I ended up breaking my fast on day 7 because I just couldn't hold out anymore... but I hadn't really prepared myself beforehand. I didn't even know what I was getting into back then. Still, it was a wonderful reminder of what I can do, and I think I could actually do it all over again.👋

If you spent your time on pentagram protections and actual rituals, maybe you wouldn't end up with cancer or getting hit by a train.

I don't even get why you're talking...
as if reading three books on astral projection and Kabbalah makes you an expert, or like performing a few rituals will grant your every wish at the cost of your own child's life.

Well, once that actually happens to your own kid, you'll stop playing around with this stuff.
I actually know someone like that personally...
so go ahead and be disgusted if you want, but I’m going to keep praying. I know what I'm doing, while you still have no idea what you're actually getting into.

I'm curious to hear everyone else's thoughts on this. How much of this is actually true? [/B]

It’s just ridiculous... we need licenses for fishing, for bikes, for motorcycles, even cars... but this? This is literally unbelievable. "Free spirituality"... without any actual work.

I honestly can't wrap my head around people chasing this instant spirituality. They read a few lines that resonate, find some "guru," and suddenly they think they've... what? Found it?

It makes sense that they crumble when they're handed such powerful tools without even knowing how to build a basic slingshot.
They throw around these big concepts and names of famous figures... as if just mentioning their names somehow makes someone holy.

I'm not accusing anyone here... really, I'm not. It's just hard to believe we'd rather look for answers from some exotic tribe halfway across the world just because it feels mystical, instead of simply looking within ourselves to be better people.

My response is strictly about the original post... not the debate itself.

The Matrix—honestly, no other book has ever hit me quite like that. You can peel back the layers and see how much it mirrors real life... it’s profound if you look at it that way... even spiritual, if you choose to see it that way... and obviously, there's the action. The scenes are incredible and the acting is solid. It's just a dark, heavy film if you don't just watch it on the surface. Naturally, I'd give the first one a five out of five. The rest? They were just okay... they aren't quite THAT

Shortcuts might exist, but then it isn't really "it." There’s this one issue—when our own thoughts are messy and everything feels cluttered, our energy just collapses. To me, that seems like a natural part of personal growth; we probably have to go through all those stages. Once we realize we can't keep living like that, we start looking for answers. That’s when these questions come up. People start following different paths... and honestly, the choice is ours. We can close ourselves off to avoid getting hurt, or we can stay open, even if it means a little suffering, or just staying stagnant... and so on.
The possibilities are endless...
I’m not sure exactly what steps to take... and I don't think there's a universal manual for every situation, but I am certain of one thing: once you reach a point where you feel stable and secure within yourself, then external things—people, circumstances—won't be able to shake your life.
A lot of things help... like doing good even when people walk over you, prayer, or light meditation (nothing cultish, just using it to relax rather than chasing specific goals). It’s about staying steady when the storm hits and trying to observe and understand the people around us without getting swept up emotionally. I know that sounds cold, but it isn't. We’re still here, feeling everything, but we try to keep a level head. If you can pair that with empathy instead of judgment, everything should be fine... though I won't lie, it takes a long, long time. Don't give up. 👋

I have a copy of *Emotional Intelligence* by Daniel Goleman. Not sure if it would be helpful to you. I could even sell it to you if you're in the Chicago area.👋

Damn. You're right. We really need to stay vigilant and remember what it feels like when others squeeze us dry... so we don't end up doing the same to anyone else.👋

Certain people follow you through specific chapters of life. But then, you outgrow them. They stay stuck where they are, trying to pull you back down to their level. If you want to keep moving forward, you’ll eventually have to leave them behind. It’s just part of life. Don't let it weigh on you. New people will come along—maybe even people who find you to be a bit much sometimes...

It's dark, and honestly, it really is. You enter these "conflicts" with others solely to learn something. Either you learn from them, or you learn what it feels like when you're the one causing the friction. It's about patience, empathy... basically, it's all lessons. But now what? Well, you have to put in some work too; it wouldn't be fair to expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter. It's incredibly hard to endure that phase while people are draining you... but if you watch any decent movie, you'll see that spiritual growth is basically a battle against various demons—some our own, some from others—and then, we win. We do.