Rob, kid, or...

The three major monotheistic religions all try to make sense of the world and our specific role within it by pointing toward what they call God or God.
Some people will tell you we’re just God's servants. It implies our influence over our own lives is basically zero because we're just subjects. In that view, rights are a luxury a servant can't afford, meaning we spend every breath living under someone else's thumb.
For a servant, life is just one long grind of obligations. You live strictly to fulfill the "master's voice."
Then there’s the other camp—they say we are God's children. Suddenly, life feels like playing in a sandbox because we’re the eternal toddlers of an invisible Father who speaks through official church "announcements." Being a kid is great! You never get tired of playing, though school always stinks worse than anything in hell. We tend to be a bit infantile and well-meaning, maybe a little irresponsible; just like any kid, we’d much rather be out playing than sitting in a classroom. Once a child, always a child—it's like we never actually grow up while an omnipotent Father watches over His earthly kindergarten...

Being either Allah's servant or God's eternal child doesn't feel like much of a choice. Either way, your status is set in stone until the day you die.
But is that actually true? Or is it just a fantasy cooked up by people who organized these religious systems? What if we have the potential to be something much more than that???

Maybe the answer lies in the innate ability we're born with. Beyond being servants or kids, we possess the power of creation. We are creative beings, even if we soothe our egos by claiming we're just servants or mere children of someone more powerful. Now, a servant can be creative, and we don't even need to talk about children, but what if both groups are missing the point? What if the servant and the child only see one single ROLE—serving or playing—while completely ignoring their own creative spark?

If we are truly creative, it means we can reshape the world around us and ourselves. It means we can create on multiple levels. It means we aren't just static rubber dolls, but beings that evolve through the process. If we are creative, we are partially crafting our own destiny, making us co-creators in the grand unfolding of what we call REALITY.

A servant isn't a co-creator; they're too busy fearing the boss or dreading punishment. A child is only a partial creator, and often gets grounded because they stepped outside the boundaries the Father set for them...😲

Is our fundamental purpose actually to develop our potential—not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us? Is it to collaborate with the Source to build the world we see, perhaps even influencing the things that remain invisible to the naked eye???

So, what are we really? Just ordinary servants, eternal children, or co-creators...???

We are creative creatures, I suppose. We always have to see things differently. Why can't anyone just stay within the lines?

We create what we intend to, driven by our goals. Eventually, we encounter a moment that brings an entirely new world with it. We focus our attention there, following the shift and directing our will and energy toward the new.
Humans are active beings, I suppose. We have this capacity to adapt and actually drive the changes we call life. It’s about creativity—rising above mere matter, which is just an inert, decaying thing that wants to fall apart. It’s about refining form as life demands. Maybe that happens when we finally recognize and follow our own will.
It’s dark, basically. It just makes recognition harder. I suppose religions ought to protect the light by any means necessary.
Religious teachings ought to point a person toward their own inner strength and that capacity for faith—the kind of belief that actually drives success. Maybe it’s about the inherent will within us that constantly recreates life itself. It should be about conquering death and finding ultimate freedom. Rituals are meant to quiet the chatter of the mind. I guess the mindless babble of a child or a servant is just noise that needs to be silenced.
I suppose if religious founders used terms like "slaves" or "children," it might stifle creativity. What really kills it, though, is when leaders view the public as mere subjects to be manipulated for their own gain. We tend to accept these power dynamics as normal, even within our own families.
If you are truly a servant to God, I guess you might finally be free from all other forms of bondage—mentally and emotionally. Maybe that’s how it works.
I suppose both labor and childhood might serve as catalysts for meditation, self-awareness, and perhaps even a more seamless activation of one's own will. Maybe.
A believer is someone who finds liberation, not necessarily religion. I guess. Maybe.
She answers for her own choices, acting both like a servant and a child. I suppose no position can shield someone from their own inner will. We either hinder her or set her free, depending on our whim. Life works much the same way, I guess.

Do we actually respect our own time—and our children's—or are we just slaves to a father's will? I guess it comes down to whether we value life or... something else entirely.

Voluntary slaves... ahhhhhh 🙏

devotees 🙂

participants 👍

successors 😍

wearyowl29 said:The three major monotheistic religions all try to make sense of the world and our specific role within it by pointing toward what they call God or God.
Some people will tell you we’re just God's servants. It implies our influence over our own lives is basically zero because we're just subjects. In that view, rights are a luxury a servant can't afford, meaning we spend every breath living under someone else's thumb.
For a servant, life is just one long grind of obligations. You live strictly to fulfill the "master's voice."
Then there’s the other camp—they say we are God's children. Suddenly, life feels like playing in a sandbox because we’re the eternal toddlers of an invisible Father who speaks through official church "announcements." Being a kid is great! You never get tired of playing, though school always stinks worse than anything in hell. We tend to be a bit infantile and well-meaning, maybe a little irresponsible; just like any kid, we’d much rather be out playing than sitting in a classroom. Once a child, always a child—it's like we never actually grow up while an omnipotent Father watches over His earthly kindergarten...

Being either Allah's servant or God's eternal child doesn't feel like much of a choice. Either way, your status is set in stone until the day you die.
But is that actually true? Or is it just a fantasy cooked up by people who organized these religious systems? What if we have the potential to be something much more than that???

Maybe the answer lies in the innate ability we're born with. Beyond being servants or kids, we possess the power of creation. We are creative beings, even if we soothe our egos by claiming we're just servants or mere children of someone more powerful. Now, a servant can be creative, and we don't even need to talk about children, but what if both groups are missing the point? What if the servant and the child only see one single ROLE—serving or playing—while completely ignoring their own creative spark?

If we are truly creative, it means we can reshape the world around us and ourselves. It means we can create on multiple levels. It means we aren't just static rubber dolls, but beings that evolve through the process. If we are creative, we are partially crafting our own destiny, making us co-creators in the grand unfolding of what we call REALITY.

A servant isn't a co-creator; they're too busy fearing the boss or dreading punishment. A child is only a partial creator, and often gets grounded because they stepped outside the boundaries the Father set for them...😲

Is our fundamental purpose actually to develop our potential—not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us? Is it to collaborate with the Source to build the world we see, perhaps even influencing the things that remain invisible to the naked eye???

So, what are we really? Just ordinary servants, eternal children, or co-creators...???

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.

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.

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? 😕)

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...

Susan Price30 said: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.

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

Susan Price30 said:

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? 😕)

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? 😕)

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? 😕)
Sister, students, disciples.
What I truly cherish most is this idea of perpetual learning and growth—constantly striving to embody the very attributes of the Teacher.

Holy, loving, prophetic, good, faithful, eternal, impartial, righteous, jealous, wise, transcendent, and strong.

I also have a soft spot for qualifying rounds. Favorites. (God's)
What greater blessing could there be than being favored by God?
You have a way of turning every single loss into a victory. 🙏

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!

Susan Price30 said: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.

A disciple doesn't have to be an automatic co-creator. They can just be a slave to whatever system they adopt, much like a child who never truly grows because they aren't actually learning—they just stay stuck at the exact same level forever.
Being a co-creator means being intentional. It means acting with purpose and actively collaborating in the creative process, which, honestly, requires a massive amount of self-responsibility.

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.

Exactly! If you want people to actually learn, you have to give them breathing room to explore and dive deep into what fascinates them. You can't just trap them in some tiny mental box. That isn't teaching—it's just force-feeding "truths."

Susan Price30 said:

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? 😕)

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? 😕)

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? 😕)
Honestly, it doesn't matter what’s written on a screen or in a post—what really matters is what we are actually striving for and the role we were meant to play when we were born today.

wearyowl29 said:The three major monotheistic religions all try to make sense of the world and our specific role within it by pointing toward what they call God or God.
Some people will tell you we’re just God's servants. It implies our influence over our own lives is basically zero because we're just subjects. In that view, rights are a luxury a servant can't afford, meaning we spend every breath living under someone else's thumb.
For a servant, life is just one long grind of obligations. You live strictly to fulfill the "master's voice."
Then there’s the other camp—they say we are God's children. Suddenly, life feels like playing in a sandbox because we’re the eternal toddlers of an invisible Father who speaks through official church "announcements." Being a kid is great! You never get tired of playing, though school always stinks worse than anything in hell. We tend to be a bit infantile and well-meaning, maybe a little irresponsible; just like any kid, we’d much rather be out playing than sitting in a classroom. Once a child, always a child—it's like we never actually grow up while an omnipotent Father watches over His earthly kindergarten...

Being either Allah's servant or God's eternal child doesn't feel like much of a choice. Either way, your status is set in stone until the day you die.
But is that actually true? Or is it just a fantasy cooked up by people who organized these religious systems? What if we have the potential to be something much more than that???

Maybe the answer lies in the innate ability we're born with. Beyond being servants or kids, we possess the power of creation. We are creative beings, even if we soothe our egos by claiming we're just servants or mere children of someone more powerful. Now, a servant can be creative, and we don't even need to talk about children, but what if both groups are missing the point? What if the servant and the child only see one single ROLE—serving or playing—while completely ignoring their own creative spark?

If we are truly creative, it means we can reshape the world around us and ourselves. It means we can create on multiple levels. It means we aren't just static rubber dolls, but beings that evolve through the process. If we are creative, we are partially crafting our own destiny, making us co-creators in the grand unfolding of what we call REALITY.

A servant isn't a co-creator; they're too busy fearing the boss or dreading punishment. A child is only a partial creator, and often gets grounded because they stepped outside the boundaries the Father set for them...😲

Is our fundamental purpose actually to develop our potential—not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us? Is it to collaborate with the Source to build the world we see, perhaps even influencing the things that remain invisible to the naked eye???

So, what are we really? Just ordinary servants, eternal children, or co-creators...???

Look, Ivančić mentioned on his last segment on CNN that everything within a person is part of creation—that man is fashioned from the Earth and everything God made in those six days. But that’s just the physical shell. For a person to truly become human, God breathed an immortal breath (creativity, transcendence, freedom) into them. We are essentially everything created on Earth, yet we belong to Heaven. God created man in His own image, which means we reflect Him. The snake told Adam, "You will be like God," but it was actually playing a trick, because man already is like God. Anyway, that's just how a Catholic priest interprets it. 🙂

The notion that we aren't just slaves, children, or some other submissive role playing against transcendence—but rather co-creators of this world alongside God—is actually quite an old concept. It’s a core pillar within the framework of one very specific "monotheistic" religion.😉

I can't help but wonder if any of you know which one...😁

Jerry King11 said:Look, Ivančić mentioned on his last segment on CNN that everything within a person is part of creation—that man is fashioned from the Earth and everything God made in those six days. But that’s just the physical shell. For a person to truly become human, God breathed an immortal breath (creativity, transcendence, freedom) into them. We are essentially everything created on Earth, yet we belong to Heaven. God created man in His own image, which means we reflect Him. The snake told Adam, "You will be like God," but it was actually playing a trick, because man already is like God. Anyway, that's just how a Catholic priest interprets it. 🙂

That guy sure knows how to talk and still stay out of trouble!😲
The whole "image and likeness" thing might actually be spot on. I mean, if chimps have less than a 3 percent difference in their genome compared to us, then we really are in His image. It also means we aren't such a massive departure from the creation itself—after all, even chimps can paint and show plenty of creativity!

It reminds me of something Jacques Prévert once said:

"God created man in His own image,
But now the Exhibitionist is returning the favor!" 😁

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.

wearyowl29 said:The notion that we aren't just slaves, children, or some other submissive role playing against transcendence—but rather co-creators of this world alongside God—is actually quite an old concept. It’s a core pillar within the framework of one very specific "monotheistic" religion.😉

I can't help but wonder if any of you know which one...😁

I know of one religion claimed to be the source of all others, called the religion of upright people. Sounds lovely, I guess.

Susan Price30 said:

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.

The core issue here is the patterns we use to erode self-awareness. Those structures embedded within religious communities inevitably shape our capacity for self-reflection in the secular world, too.
I wonder if people today are actually awake enough to recognize their own nature—to see themselves as conscious beings, as creators.
If they aren't, I guess it's high time they woke up.
We are creative beings; we possess the power to rebuild a new world at any given moment.
The idea of reality being "it is what it is" doesn't really exist.
There is only the reality we sustain with our own energy. If we focus solely on humanity as subjects of servitude, our energy flows that way, and that version of humanity becomes our truth. Perhaps we should try directing our gaze toward humanity as creators instead?