Anyone ever read?

[Thelema]

WOW this is a long topic. lol i feel so dumb now i have no idea what any of you are taking about :lol: :lol:

You not knowing anything will probably save your sanity :wink:

 

[shy_girl]

bye

 

[LA-girl]

Without fear of what happens when you die there would be no need for church at all :lol: The religions would in fact crumble to dust over night probably. The first God was a bear and I imagine they worshipped it to protect them against bears :lol:

How about the anticipation of finally coming back to "the lost garden" and restore our relationship with God? A bear? And how can anyone prove it is the very first "god"?

Is it not a little comical that this one God out of the thousands is the real one? Isn't it more likely that this God is as fake as all the rest and will eventually give way to something else?

Yes, I know there has been many different gods worshipped by different ethnic groups through the ages. And you really ask a very good question, why is the god I believe inthe right one. Why is "my" god the God with a capital G? Well, I can not scientifically prove to you that he is. But there do exist a lot of evidences and truths in the Bible that you just can't ignore or look pass if you take time to study it carefully. The hundreds to thousands of fulfilled prohecies for instance where every single one (that is not in the category of the end-time) has come to pass.

If you want (and I am sure you will :wink: ) you can find out more about how the Bible can be tested, you can always start here:

Is the Bible True? - By inspiration of God
So, is the Bible true? If the Bible is indeed what it claims to be, the implications for us are considerable. The Bible candidly claims to be "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Of course, the Bible is not the only book to claim divine inspiration, but it is unique in that it offers substantial evidence to back its claims. It even goes so far as to challenge its readers to put it to the test, exhorting us to "Test all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
The Bible purports to contain more than a thousand inspired prophecies. The vast majority of these prophecies have already come to pass and can be verified by secular history.

http://www.allabouttruth.org/is-the-bible-true-c.htm

Note the following:

A. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

B. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

C. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

D. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved wrong as new discoveries confirm biblical people, places, and events.
www.bibleuniversity.com

At Mt. Sodom.

The only help the Bible could give me really is if I burned it to keep from freezing to death in some weird horrible situation. People make the words powerfu...words are just useless symbols until you give meaning to them. Wouldn't you agree? And if we can in fact give any meaning to any symbol then any book could be of equal power!

The Bible do contain some symbolic language, in Revelation for instance. But the good thing is that if you let the Bible explain itself and its own symbols you will always arrive to very logical answers.

Isn't it likely that because you were brought up in a religious environment and that you were always surrounded by the stories in the Bible that you would be more likely to believe them? The meaning of life is to be happy...doesn't everyone know that? :wink:

Perhaps, although I never paid attention to anything during sunday school. And honestly up until very recently I knew very few bible storys and embarrasing little about the Bible in general.
-
Hm...didn't I just say that my faith make me stronger and happier?

Thats a question I've wondered myself...If there are angels and demons is it so much more of a stretch to believe in God? I don't have the answer.

Do you know if Crowley believed in Satan or even God? Because I know there are satanists who do acknowledge the existence of God and Satan.

So if you do believe in God you sell your soul to God?

It is more like receiving a gift rather than selling your soul... the gift of eternal life.

I think Crowley's life was ruined by drug addiction and him spending all his money..not the occult. I'm happy you have your own beliefs and get happiness from your faith

Well, there you have it. His life was ruined by his own philosopy. How his occult practice influenced his life in specific, I don't know. But Crowley is not the only man to have experimenting with the occult. And based on what I know, from real life stories, many have been severely traumatized and haunted (by evil spirits if you will). The sad part is that they have a hard time escaping it and some even become so afflicted that for them the only way they see to escape these spirits is by commiting suicide. I mean, is it really worth to take the chance? Don't you at least want to consider the dangers before diving into the occult?
-------------------------------------------------------------

And to answer your other question whether Jesus was a good leader or not...Well, I think Jesus was here for completely other reasons than to demonstrate how effective his leadership were. And honestly I think the story of Judas just proves that he was an excellent leader as he did not force anyone to follow him. Judas was tempted by earthly desires and chose that to Jesus. Jesus was of course sad, but he never forced him to stay. A very democratic leader i would say, contrary to Hitler.

 

[Thelema]

Without fear of what happens when you die there would be no need for church at all :lol: The religions would in fact crumble to dust over night probably. The first God was a bear and I imagine they worshipped it to protect them against bears :lol:

How about the anticipation of finally coming back to "the lost garden" and restore our relationship with God? A bear? And how can anyone prove it is the very first "god"?

Is it not a little comical that this one God out of the thousands is the real one? Isn't it more likely that this God is as fake as all the rest and will eventually give way to something else?

Yes, I know there has been many different gods worshipped by different ethnic groups through the ages. And you really ask a very good question, why is the god I believe inthe right one. Why is "my" god the God with a capital G? Well, I can not scientifically prove to you that he is. But there do exist a lot of evidences and truths in the Bible that you just can't ignore or look pass if you take time to study it carefully. The hundreds to thousands of fulfilled prohecies for instance where every single one (that is not in the category of the end-time) has come to pass.

If you want (and I am sure you will :wink: ) you can find out more about how the Bible can be tested, you can always start here:

Is the Bible True? - By inspiration of God
So, is the Bible true? If the Bible is indeed what it claims to be, the implications for us are considerable. The Bible candidly claims to be "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Of course, the Bible is not the only book to claim divine inspiration, but it is unique in that it offers substantial evidence to back its claims. It even goes so far as to challenge its readers to put it to the test, exhorting us to "Test all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
The Bible purports to contain more than a thousand inspired prophecies. The vast majority of these prophecies have already come to pass and can be verified by secular history.

http://www.allabouttruth.org/is-the-bible-true-c.htm

Note the following:

A. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

B. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

C. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

D. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved wrong as new discoveries confirm biblical people, places, and events.
www.bibleuniversity.com

At Mt. Sodom.

The only help the Bible could give me really is if I burned it to keep from freezing to death in some weird horrible situation. People make the words powerfu...words are just useless symbols until you give meaning to them. Wouldn't you agree? And if we can in fact give any meaning to any symbol then any book could be of equal power!

The Bible do contain some symbolic language, in Revelation for instance. But the good thing is that if you let the Bible explain itself and its own symbols you will always arrive to very logical answers.

Isn't it likely that because you were brought up in a religious environment and that you were always surrounded by the stories in the Bible that you would be more likely to believe them? The meaning of life is to be happy...doesn't everyone know that? :wink:

Perhaps, although I never paid attention to anything during sunday school. And honestly up until very recently I knew very few bible storys and embarrasing little about the Bible in general.
-
Hm...didn't I just say that my faith make me stronger and happier?

Thats a question I've wondered myself...If there are angels and demons is it so much more of a stretch to believe in God? I don't have the answer.

Do you know if Crowley believed in Satan or even God? Because I know there are satanists who do acknowledge the existence of God and Satan.

So if you do believe in God you sell your soul to God?

It is more like receiving a gift rather than selling your soul... the gift of eternal life.

I think Crowley's life was ruined by drug addiction and him spending all his money..not the occult. I'm happy you have your own beliefs and get happiness from your faith

Well, there you have it. His life was ruined by his own philosopy. How his occult practice influenced his life in specific, I don't know. But Crowley is not the only man to have experimenting with the occult. And based on what I know, from real life stories, many have been severely traumatized and haunted (by evil spirits if you will). The sad part is that they have a hard time escaping it and some even become so afflicted that for them the only way they see to escape these spirits is by commiting suicide. I mean, is it really worth to take the chance? Don't you at least want to consider the dangers before diving into the occult?
-------------------------------------------------------------

And to answer your other question whether Jesus was a good leader or not...Well, I think Jesus was here for completely other reasons than to demonstrate how effective his leadership were. And honestly I think the story of Judas just proves that he was an excellent leader as he did not force anyone to follow him. Judas was tempted by earthly desires and chose that to Jesus. Jesus was of course sad, but he never forced him to stay. A very democratic leader i would say, contrary to Hitler.

Hmmm well I do like a nice peaceful garden in the summer. I remember reading Buddha when he was growing up always liked to spend time in the garden. I don't know how anyone could prove it but thats just what I remember hearing. "worship the bear spirit...it will give you the strength of the bear and protection from bears" makes sense to me. All the other gods do the same thing.

The prophecies remind me of psychics. They will make THOUSANDS of predictions every year and if one just comes half true they claim it was because of their power...but you never heard the other things their power saw and didn't come true...those predictions get scraped clean and thrown in to the sea never to be heard of again :wink: If I make tens of thousands of predictions and wait 2000 years some of them by chance will undoubtedly come true. The more likely something will happen anyway the better.

I read the page but stopped at where it claims chariot wheels are on the bottom of the red sea at the land bridge. To make such a claim that is soooo bs..... Isn't it agreed upon anyway in recent years that the translation is actually the reed sea? It would make more sense anyway that God would do something simple and yet powerful instead of parting a whole sea anyway. It makes more sense that God would just let the chariot wheels get stuck in the mud and let the jews get away clean. But I understand its much more dramatic...like a tv show being dramatic to get viewers :wink:

I have never read the Bible but I do remember it actually saying the bible itself is 100% true. But I remember seeing on the news that certain parts of the bible written about Jesus were written hundreds of years too late. Like him saying "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" was written hundreds of years later. I didn't get to that part in that page.

If you weren't so in to religion before what changed your mind?

Here is Crowley's answer: I thought it a good plan to put my fundamental position all by itself in a postscript; to frame it. My observation of the Universe convinces me that there are beings of intelligence and power of a far higher quality than anything we can conceive of as human; that they are not necessarily based on the cerebral and nervous structures that we know; and that the one and only chance for mankind to advance as a whole is for individuals to make contact with such Beings.

If you read the rest of his letter on the botto of my post above this he makes some good points on God.

So I can give a gift to God but to Satan I have to sell it? I guess either way you swing your still doing it for something. I guess Satan will give you anything and God will give you eternal life. Same difference.

Lots of smart people have been addicted to drugs and have been no good with money so to dismiss the man just because of that isn't very fair. The very first ritual you do and become very good at doing it before you move on (Crowleys way of going about it) Is the Lesser Banishing Ritual Of The Pentagram. You can look it up on the internet. It has nothing to do with evil spirits and evokes angels for protection. Now Lavey pretty much says its all in our heads and therefore we need no protection from the spirits. In Crowley's way of doing things the MOST IMPORTANT thing is contact with your holy guardian angel. The stories you hear of people being tormented by evil spirits and killing themselves by it is such bs....Lavey openly invoked Satan on a regular basis and he died in his 70s...I think and not by suicide! Now doesn't it seem a bit odd that Lavey and Crowley could do this and that and be fine but if you do one ritual you will be tormented until you kill yourself? These stories sound just like another way of scaring people.....I think that I have enough fear in my life and that to let scared people scare me is just a waste of time...I'm all too aware that if you are too scared to take a chance then you will get nowhere. I would like to hear one person that has done occult things come to me and tell me their story...I won't read stories from the internet or hear from one person that their cousins, brothers, grandparents, aunt did a spell and killed herself.

But isn't Jesus seen as a leader? He will lead us all back to God and what not? But isn't it weird that if Jesus was the freaking son of God the true on God in the whole universe...most powerful thing in all the world that the son of God's best friend would betray him?

 

[LA-girl]

The prophecies remind me of psychics. They will make THOUSANDS of predictions every year and if one just comes half true they claim it was because of their power...but you never heard the other things their power saw and didn't come true...those predictions get scraped clean and thrown in to the sea never to be heard of again :wink: If I make tens of thousands of predictions and wait 2000 years some of them by chance will undoubtedly come true. The more likely something will happen anyway the better.

I read the page but stopped at where it claims chariot wheels are on the bottom of the red sea at the land bridge. To make such a claim that is soooo bs..... Isn't it agreed upon anyway in recent years that the translation is actually the reed sea? It would make more sense anyway that God would do something simple and yet powerful instead of parting a whole sea anyway. It makes more sense that God would just let the chariot wheels get stuck in the mud and let the jews get away clean. But I understand its much more dramatic...like a tv show being dramatic to get viewers :wink:

If you really take time to study the prophecies in the Bible you will see that many are quite detailed. And almost 2000 prophecies has been fulfilled with a hundred percent accuracy. Unlike the foretells of physics and clairvoyants which have at best only 60 percent accuracy.
"since the prophecies are for the most part independent of one another, the odds for all these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance without error is less than one in 102000 (that is 1 with 2000 zeros written after it)!"

I'll give you one example:

!In the fifth century B.C. a prophet named Zechariah declared that the Messiah would be betrayed for the price of a slave—thirty pieces of silver, according to Jewish law-and also that this money would be used to buy a burial ground for Jerusalem's poor foreigners (Zechariah 11:12-13). Bible writers and secular historians both record thirty pieces of silver as the sum paid to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus, and they indicate that the money went to purchase a "potter's field," used—just as predicted—for the burial of poor aliens (Matthew 27:3-10).
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1011.) "

More:
Fulfilled Prophecy: Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible
by Hugh Ross, Ph.D.
http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/prophecy.shtml

About the link I offered in my previous post. To be honest I only read the first page as I could not find the one I was looking for, which I did find today. The same link I added above. I haven't heard of any final conclusions regarding the red versus reed sea. The debate is still ongoing. I also heard that the word that was translated into reed is more accurately translated as seaweed. So I don't know, but I doubt that what is described as a major event to show the Isrealistes Gods great power would just be a shallow lake! :roll:

I have never read the Bible but I do remember it actually saying the bible itself is 100% true. But I remember seeing on the news that certain parts of the bible written about Jesus were written hundreds of years too late. Like him saying "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" was written hundreds of years later. I didn't get to that part in that page.

I have never heard of any such claims, but I would not be surprised as the media seems to be filled with attempts and false claims to disprove the Bibles authenticity .

If you weren't so in to religion before what changed your mind?

-Well, I have always been a believer due to my personal experience rather than to search the Bible for answers. I had a major backslide for years though, until I started debating this subject on this site. I discovered how little I really knew and it made me investigate and to dig deeper into the material. And what I eventually found strengthened my beliefs in the christian faith considerably. As i also said it led me to change my views about many biblical questions so much that i departed from the state church.

So I can give a gift to God but to Satan I have to sell it? I guess either way you swing your still doing it for something. I guess Satan will give you anything and God will give you eternal life. Same difference.

The way I see it is if you follow Satan you perhaps get a temporary satisfaction, but you have to pay in the end. If you follow God you might have to resist some temptations, but you will be rewarded later.

Lots of smart people have been addicted to drugs and have been no good with money so to dismiss the man just because of that isn't very fair. The very first ritual you do and become very good at doing it before you move on (Crowleys way of going about it) Is the Lesser Banishing Ritual Of The Pentagram. You can look it up on the internet. It has nothing to do with evil spirits and evokes angels for protection. Now Lavey pretty much says its all in our heads and therefore we need no protection from the spirits. In Crowley's way of doing things the MOST IMPORTANT thing is contact with your holy guardian angel. The stories you hear of people being tormented by evil spirits and killing themselves by it is such bs....Lavey openly invoked Satan on a regular basis and he died in his 70s...I think and not by suicide! Now doesn't it seem a bit odd that Lavey and Crowley could do this and that and be fine but if you do one ritual you will be tormented until you *****? These stories sound just like another way of scaring people.....I think that I have enough fear in my life and that to let scared people scare me is just a waste of time...I'm all too aware that if you are too scared to take a chance then you will get nowhere. I would like to hear one person that has done occult things come to me and tell me their story...I won't read stories from the internet or hear from one person that their cousins, brothers, grandparents, aunt did a spell and killed herself.

-I looked it up -the Lesser Banishing Ritual Of The Pentagram- I see they make use of many names from the Bible like Michael and Gabriel, not to mention Jehovah and Adonai which are names of the christian God.
Which i find a bit strange as they are speaking so highly against christianity. The only sense it would make, and which also agrees with their statements, is that it is a way of mocking the christian faith and God.
You say the ritual is for evoking angels for protection and not evil spirits. The Bible says "Marvel not, for Satan himself will appear as an ANGEL OF LIGHT" And how did Satan tempt Jesus in the wilderness? By appearing as the monster as we often portray him? No, he appeared as a beautiful angel. Do you really think that in order for Satan to lure as many people he can to follow him, that he would always use a big warning sign? If Satan exist, he was after all created to be one of the most beautiful, intelligent beings and he would indeed make use of any trick and lie he can come up with. And of course he will make us think that it is harmless and even beneficial for ourself and others. I bet Crowley probably did have a "helping angel" , but from the other side of the table. I believe I have a guardian angel as well, but I see no need for me to invoke any contact with him. As long as I communicate with God, he send his angels to protect me when He sees it necessary.

About the stories I have heard which you consider as bs. You know, I can not force you to believe in anything nor to listen to my warnings about this. But let's say you were thinking of starting on a new drug, wouldn't you at least consider the side effects before starting it. I mean to think that nothing bad at all can happen when diving into the occult and black magic when there are so many people, including many practicing ones, who warn people against it. To totally ignore their warnings is just as sad as to only listen to the company that made the drug, and totally ignore the warning from people who experienced the side effects.
And if you really think that I do this only to scare you and not to help, I would definately not start off by saying that Gods punishment is not as severe as many christians say. But I still believe there will be a punishment and to openly go against God in blasphemy is not something i would recommend for sure. If I really had a desire to scare you for the sake of scaring though I would have kept my mouth shut about my idea of hell for starters. And if I had honestly thought that occultism would benefit you with no risks associated I would supported you right away. Believe me I have no desire to have the role as your overly protective parent or something. But if you really have put your mind into this, I guess there is not much i can say except than to ask you to at least give it a second thought...

But isn't Jesus seen as a leader? He will lead us all back to God and what not? But isn't it weird that if Jesus was the freaking son of God the true on God in the whole universe...most powerful thing in all the world that the son of God's best friend would betray him

No, I don't think that is strange at all. Many people who are convinced that the Bible is true and that God is out there, still chooses the easy road in stead of staying on the narrow one even though they are convinced it will lead them to heaven. Earthly, "here and now" pleasures are too tempting for some to keep their feet on the "heavenly path"...

We want candy, and we want it now!

P.S! About this discussion...perhaps it's about time to wrap it up soon or what? It looks like it can be put in the category of the neverending debate topic...just like the evo/creation debate. Anyway I think I should have made my point pretty clear by now.

 

[Thelema]

Alright we'll save each other some headaches by ending it :lol:

But I have something I just need to let out

I had a strange feeling a few minutes ago. I was laying in bed Watching Mythbusters. I was really comfortable eating my Goldfish crackers thinking...this is the life. Then I remembered a from the Book Of The Law...."Man of the earth"...and I thought...thats what I am! Now the Book Of The Law makes much more sense to me.

Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.

It is a lie, this folly against self. The exposure of innocence is a lie. Be strong, o man! lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture: fear not that any God shall deny thee for this.

Be goodly therefore: dress ye all in fine apparel; eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam! Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will!

The word of Sin is Restriction. O man! refuse not thy wife, if she will! O lover, if thou wilt, depart! There is no bond that can unite the divided but love: all else is a curse. Accursed! Accursed be it to the aeons! Hell.

I feel like I just now accepted it. I think this is how gay people feel when they finally accept who they are. I feel like I've finally let go of the guilt and am ready to take my fill of love.

Isn't the underlying cause of SA that we don't accept ourselves? We can't feel comfortable in our own skin because we don't accept who we are. Is this not what religion has taught us? To not like who we are. So we pretend we don't sin so we can lose some of the guilt that we just gave ourselves? :lol: Who was it that said "follow you bliss"? I think those 3 words sum it up well.

 

[LA-girl]

Isn't the underlying cause of SA that we don't accept ourselves? We can't feel comfortable in our own skin because we don't accept who we are. Is this not what religion has taught us? To not like who we are. So we pretend we don't sin so we can lose some of the guilt that we just gave ourselves? .

I think for many and at least for me the underlying cause of SA is in the end the fear of not being loved. And for me, knowing how much God loves me, even when i am rebellious and go against his will, when I feel weak and a total failure he still loves me. He does not judge me if I make a fool of myself, His love is unconditional.

God says:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;... I will not forsake you or leave you, I will be with you."

When we recognize how much we need God, He will strengthen us. That's the advantage of weakness. —Joanie Yoder

One man has written,
One of the great truths of Scripture is that when God looks at us, He does not see us for what we are, but for what we can become, as he works in our lives. He is in the business of taking weak, insignificant people, and transforming them by his presence in their lives. He begins with us where we are, as we are. He knows our weaknesses, failures, discouragements, doubts, and inadequacies, but he does not say, "You get rid of those, and then I can use you." Rather, he comes to us in our weakness with the promise of his presence that will transform our inadequacy into his strength.

Believing this with all my heart has made me realize little by little that I do not need the constant approval of other people, I don't have to be afraid anymore of not being loved. Every breath I take is for me an evidence that God loves me. Just the knowledge of existing fills me with great joy, because that is a proof that He cared enough about me to create me. God says He is "not willing that anyone should perish, but have eternal life". That tells me that every single one of us is created with the purpose of living side by side with Him forever. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10). And if God Almighty loves us that much to even be willing to give His one and only son in order to save us, then why should I worry about how people perceive me?

Inadequate but mighty—
How strange, yet wholly true;
Weak servants filled with power
The Lord's great work can do. —Bosch

If you believe in this or not, I still would like to present to you a short video that moves me every time I see it. It is called a 'Fathers love letter' and is what it says; a personal letter from God to us taken directly from scripture. Perhaps after watching it you will better understand how believing in this make me feel as strong and just as valuable and powerful as the greatest champion in the world. We are all precious diamonds to God.

Click image to watch
A Fathers Love Letter:

Who was it that said "follow you bliss"? I think those 3 words sum it up well

...Or how about: -Follow Jesus!- I think those two words sum it up pretty well! :wink:

_________________

 

[Thelema]

Isn't the underlying cause of SA that we don't accept ourselves? We can't feel comfortable in our own skin because we don't accept who we are. Is this not what religion has taught us? To not like who we are. So we pretend we don't sin so we can lose some of the guilt that we just gave ourselves? .

I think for many and at least for me the underlying cause of SA is in the end the fear of not being loved. And for me, knowing how much God loves me, even when i am rebellious and go against his will, when I feel weak and a total failure he still loves me. He does not judge me if I make a fool of myself, His love is unconditional.
God says:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;... I will not forsake you or leave you, I will be with you."

When we recognize how much we need God, He will strengthen us. That's the advantage of weakness. —Joanie Yoder

One man has written,
One of the great truths of Scripture is that when God looks at us, He does not see us for what we are, but for what we can become, as he works in our lives. He is in the business of taking weak, insignificant people, and transforming them by his presence in their lives. He begins with us where we are, as we are. He knows our weaknesses, failures, discouragements, doubts, and inadequacies, but he does not say, "You get rid of those, and then I can use you." Rather, he comes to us in our weakness with the promise of his presence that will transform our inadequacy into his strength.

Believing this with all my heart has made me realize little by little that I do not need the constant approval of other people, I don't have to be afraid anymore of not being loved. Every breath I take is for me an evidence that God loves me. Just the knowledge of existing fills me with great joy, because that is a proof that He cared enough about me to create me. God says He is "not willing that anyone should perish, but have eternal life". That tells me that every single one of us is created with the purpose of living side by side with Him forever. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10). And if God Almighty loves us that much to even be willing to give His one and only son in order to save us, then why should I worry about how people perceive me?

Inadequate but mighty—
How strange, yet wholly true;
Weak servants filled with power
The Lord's great work can do. —Bosch

If you believe in this or not, I still would like to present to you a short video that moves me every time I see it. It is called a 'Fathers love letter' and is what it says; a personal letter from God to us taken directly from scripture. Perhaps after watching it you will better understand how believing in this make me feel as strong and just as valuable and powerful as the greatest champion in the world. We are all precious diamonds to God.

Click image to watch
A Fathers Love Letter:

Who was it that said "follow you bliss"? I think those 3 words sum it up well

...Or how about: -Follow Jesus!- I think those two words sum it up pretty well! :wink:

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Yes faith can be a great thing.

I watched the video and its pretty uplifting. I see why you like it.

I guess I have faith that if I have all the wordly things then I will be happy. If I have a girlfriend I will be happier and if I have money then I will be happier and if I have friends I will be happier and all these worldy things will make me happy. If you give a kid a toy then he becomes happy and all these things are just like toys to make me happy.

I love the lyrics to the Bon Jovi song It's my life.

It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life

Also the lyrics to the song World by Five For Fighting

Got a package full of Wishes
A Time machine, a Magic Wand
A Globe made out of Gold

No Instructions or Commandments
Laws of Gravity or
Indecisions to uphold

Printed on the box I see
A.C.M.E.'s Build-a-World-to-be
Take a chance - Grab a piece
Help me to believe it

What kind of world do you want?
Think Anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now...

I believe that there is no God but man...The world is out there waiting to be taken...am I man enough to take it? Does the ocean matter if I take a cup full of water out of it besides a swimming pools worth? You can have anything you want in the world if you have the courage to take it. There are no secrets and few shortcuts but there is the way and its been well lit by others and is just waiting for the next person to walk it. I can craft any world I wish to have. The world is my garden and I can plant trees that make me happy and pretty flowers and have a little pond and anything I wish. I have all the parts of any man that has ever been born and I can be just as great as any man ever has.


Oh so I have 3 words so you have to come up with 2 words hmm? :wink: Well...I guess the word....good... sums it up well also so...beat that! :lol:

 

[LA-girl]

Oh so I have 3 words so you have to come up with 2 words hmm? :wink: Well...I guess the word....good... sums it up well also so...beat that! :lol:

Just remove one O in the word you came up with, and what do you get? Piece of cake!

 

[Thelema]

Oh so I have 3 words so you have to come up with 2 words hmm? :wink: Well...I guess the word....good... sums it up well also so...beat that! :lol:

Just remove one O in the word you came up with, and what do you get? Piece of cake!

Dammit! :lol: alright...you win..actually I could use gd but that means garbage disposal :lol:

 

[LA-girl]

 

[Thelema]

I'm putting a spell on you now....It will make you think of a piece of bacon taped to a ukulele on top of a pyramid...Did it work? Knew it would...now you're thinking "where did he get the piece of bacon taped to a ukulele from?" Was I right again? I am a great and powerful wizard 8)

 

[LA-girl]

I'm putting a spell on you now....It will make you think of a piece of bacon taped to a ukulele on top of a pyramid...Did it work? Knew it would...now you're thinking "where did he get the piece of bacon taped to a ukulele from?" Was I right again? I am a great and powerful wizard 8)

All right all right...I'll reluctantly admit that it did work. In fact it worked so well, that I can't get myself to think about anything else!! So, 'Harry Potter wannabe' -can you please make the spell go away...NOW!!!?

 

[Thelema]

I'm putting a spell on you now....It will make you think of a piece of bacon taped to a ukulele on top of a pyramid...Did it work? Knew it would...now you're thinking "where did he get the piece of bacon taped to a ukulele from?" Was I right again? I am a great and powerful wizard 8)

All right all right...I'll reluctantly admit that it did work. In fact it worked so well, that I can't get myself to think about anything else!! So, 'Harry Potter wannabe' -can you please make the spell go away...NOW!!!?

Abrakadabra! Now you will think of...Johny Depp...fresh out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel...better now?

 

[LA-girl]

All right all right...I'll reluctantly admit that it did work. In fact it worked so well, that I can't get myself to think about anything else!! So, 'Harry Potter wannabe' -can you please make the spell go away...NOW!!!?

Abrakadabra! Now you will think of...Johny Depp...fresh out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel...better now?

In other words restoring my mind back to its original thinking patterns!

 

[Thelema]

All right all right...I'll reluctantly admit that it did work. In fact it worked so well, that I can't get myself to think about anything else!! So, 'Harry Potter wannabe' -can you please make the spell go away...NOW!!!?

Abrakadabra! Now you will think of...Johny Depp...fresh out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel...better now?

In other words restoring my mind back to its original thinking patterns!

Oh but...he's gained 60 pounds and he hasn't shaved...his back in 3 years :lol: thats for calling me a Harry Potter wannabe :lol:

 

[LA-girl]

Oh but...he's gained 60 pounds and he hasn't shaved...his back in 3 years :lol: thats for calling me a Harry Potter wannabe :lol:

-Ok, I think we are even now....Let's terminate this thread before we give other people a headache too!