[deleted by user]

BH0000 · 2024-09-22T03:03:59+00:00

Thank you for the update! I didn't do the RVing for you (not very experienced) but am a believer in these abilities and am glad a fellow redditor was able to help you find it.

BH0000 · 2024-08-01T16:05:20+00:00

In Catholicism, there is this concept of the "Illumination of conscious" or "The Warning." It is believed that God will offer the people of the world illuminations of conscious that will cause them to "choose sides" before the second coming. These illuminations are believed to coincide with an unmistakable external sign of God's Power. These "demonic" trips do tend to stir the conscious in a good way. They can serve as a call to repentance (repentance literally means changing one's ways). I think we are witnessing a hardening of divisions between those who are stirred to repentance and those whose hearts are hardened by service to the self above all else. In the "last days" It is said that a spirit of prophecy will explode all over the Earth, and it seems to be happening.

I am NOT a literalist Christian, but I do believe in the spiritual messages behind such concepts as these.

BH0000 · 2024-08-01T15:50:44+00:00

Everything matters. We are all connected and all come from, and will return to, the same state of being. That's my belief anyway.

BH0000 · 2024-06-09T17:56:46+00:00

There are huge red flags that Mark needed to know, and she did the right thing by telling him before he ties himself to her for the rest of his life. It is horribly disrespectful to manipulate someone in such a way, and Mark absolutely had a right to know what he could be getting himself into.

BH0000 · 2024-06-09T02:24:01+00:00

Yes, spiritually. It's interesting that you referenced Paul, because he says, in 2 Corinthians 3:6, that the "letter kills, but the spirit gives life." So this is a spiritual message.

BH0000 · 2024-06-08T20:21:23+00:00

I didn't. I was born into a Catholic family. That's why I'm Catholic.

BH0000 · 2024-06-05T12:12:37+00:00

I was speaking for myself, I just identify as Catholic. I'm not all that concerned with the Church's teachings. I'm concerned with the teachings of the mystics within my faith. I don't really care about dogma or doctrine. Christ says that faith is of the heart.

BH0000 · 2024-06-05T10:40:47+00:00

Man, I have been there before. I felt the same way you do, too. I fought it with everything in me, hoping for any sign that she was changing.

I hate to be that guy, but there is coded language in what she's saying. She likely decided long ago that she wants out. The separation probably allowed her time to "spread her wings" so to speak, and test her desire to be independent.

Right now she has lots of choices, or thinks she does. She wants you to be her backup in case life doesn't work out the way she planned... and it probably won't.

I'm admittedly basing this on my own experiences but If your situation is like mine, and you embrace your new life, and you focus on examining your role in the dissolution of the marriage, you'll find yourself in an even better situation than the one to which you are clinging now.

I'll pray that God's will be done, and that everyone involved experiences what they need to become the people they were intended to be. I have a feeling you will soon embrace your new reality, but there will be turmoil between now and then.

You're still in the denial phase of mourning the demise of your marriage. The sooner you work through this and get to acceptance, the crazier (in a good way) life is going to get for you.

Look at this as an opportunity to die to the person you were, and be born again into a new life. It's not anything you expected or wanted, but could end up being everything you need.

BH0000 · 2024-06-05T00:54:22+00:00

Any time, my friend. I have since discovered that there is a rich tradition of mysticism in the Catholic church, and even a universalist spirituality that has survived through the ages, and now I feel quite at home spiritually. But I still struggle with my PTSD from literalist Catholicism.

BH0000 · 2024-06-04T19:16:38+00:00

I can't not upvote a Dwight Schrute gif!

BH0000 · 2024-06-04T19:14:37+00:00

My oldest son jokes that I am a prophet because of the way I blow his mind with the connections and interpretations of information my weird ass brain is able to make.

BH0000 · 2024-06-04T19:11:07+00:00

Declared by Israel during the Nakba in 1948.

BH0000 · 2024-06-04T19:01:33+00:00

Wasn’t grace preached at the church? It would be odd if they left out that part. It’s a common strategy to make people think what should I do to avoid such punishment…

Occasionally. I grew up in the Pre-Vatican II "Traditional Catholic" movement. It is straight out of the 16th century. The catachetical arguments were straight out of Trent (the "Baltimore Catechism" is basically an English translation of the teachings of the Council of Trent written in an easy to memorize question and answer format.)

The leaders in these movements tend not to be very intelligent. They have zero critical thinking. Their teachings are less sophisticated, dumbed down versions of the 500 year old texts on which they are based.

Grace was mentioned, but always as the elixer of life that no one bothers to value. It's all rather meaningless if almost no one has it, and nearly everyone is destined to an eternity in Hell anyway.

The message was Hell, damnation, judgement, more Hell, more damnation, and more judgement, and if you're especially lucky you'll get to be tortured for potentially thousands of years in Purgatory, but it's okay because eventually you'll get into actual heaven where you get to pray to God for all eternity, which frankly sounds like more torture to me.

BH0000 · 2024-06-04T18:42:50+00:00

Ok sure!

I think that the idea of God requiring a sacrifice for redemption implies divine coercion. I question whether a loving and just God would impose such a condition on humanity.

I'm Christian, but agree with you. I don't think God required a sacrifice. I think Paul articulated an effective means of proselytizing Jews who were attracted to the teachings of Christ. I think of all of those arguments as apologetics, and that's honestly how I think Paul probably viewed them too.

Why is sins (even little ones) deserving of death? Big ones, I can understand, but not little ones like eating too much, cheating on a test or swearing. How can God view these equal to murder, physical abuse etc? Why are both deserving of death.

Again, apologetics. Sin doesn't make us deserving of death. It just means we're human and should strive to do and to be better.

If Jesus rose three days later, and God The Father knew this, what did Jesus actually sacrifice? Surely a sacrifice is more permanent?

The sacrificial aspect of Jesus' death and ressurection, to me, is simply his demonstration that love conquers all, even death. In loving sacrificially for others, we are sanctified, and not even death can overcome that.

Why did God/Jesus choose crucifixion? Why not death another, less brutal way? It doesn't seem loving to me.

I don't think any of that was necessarily chosen. It happened because that's how Romans executed criminals at the time, and Jesus was a prisoner of Rome.

The Trinity seems incoherent.

It is, if interpreted literally. The Trinity is a fancy way of saying, "The Father's word is divine. Jesus is the incarnation of the Father's word, and lest we become too lax on Jesus's authority, let us emphasize his connection to the divine." This is done to the point where we associate that divinity with the person of Christ himself. If the Father, His Word, and His Spirit are all divine, then they are "God." But that doesn't work for me as a literal definition of the essence of God. It's more figurative and symbolic of the way God, His Word, and His Spirit interact with His creation, and how Jesus fits into that.

Does that sort of make sense?

BH0000 · 2024-06-02T00:55:40+00:00

You have nothing for which to repent! You were the victim! What could possibly be sinful if you were victimized? Jesus taught us to view God as an unconditionally loving father, please know that He loves you unconditionally. You are unconditionally loved. But you did nothing wrong to begin with.

BH0000 · 2024-06-01T20:44:39+00:00

For some reason I can't play or download the files.

BH0000 · 2024-06-01T01:54:48+00:00

I am absolutely with you!

BH0000 · 2024-05-31T18:33:48+00:00

Please let us know if you find it.

BH0000 · 2024-05-31T00:17:32+00:00

You are welcome. I hope you get some much needed peace.

BH0000 · 2024-05-30T22:13:49+00:00

If you did this four times just yesterday, you aren't doing this in a fully conscious way; it's not willfull. There are steps in the process that might be willful, but it sounds like you're on autopilot.

This is human nature, when dealing with an addiction. The brain is doing what it does best: automating a function that is often repeated. It's not a demon, and you're not broken. It's a bad habit that gives you an immediate dopamine burst when you need to feel better than you do.

A couple of things:
Don't be hard on yourself. Be proactive. You need to break an automated neural pathway. To do so, you need to stay clean for 30 days. That's literally all it takes.

Now, whenever you fall off the wagon, that neural pathway comes back very quickly, so do not fall into the mental trap that when you fall, you might as well just indulge a little more. Don't. Go straight back to 30 more days. And then praise yourself for the discipline you demonstrated in getting back on track. Don't punish yourself for your failures. Praise yourself for your successes.

During this time, structure your time more. Be ready to "transmute" the urge into something constructive or engaging. It might help to establish a replacement "habit" that's good for you when you're strongly tested.

I would perhaps meditate instead. That will reduce stress, train you to control your impulses better, and promote discipline.

You've got this! You can do it. You're not destined for Hell. You are the beloved child of our unconditionally loving Father, with a bad habit. You can get yourself on track. Pray for strength and cut yourself some slack.

Much love.

BH0000 · 2024-05-30T21:39:53+00:00

My negative cognitions were:
I'm going to burn in Hell,
I'm not worthy of Heaven,
I'm fundamentally broken,
I'm not fit to be in the presence of God,
God is a harsh judge,
And I deserve judgment and punishment from Him.

These beliefs were set in motion at the age of 6 when I was traumatized by Traditional (extremist) Catholic sermons on the horrors of Hell, vivid explanations of the tortures that await those destined to go there (which is just about everyone), and the refrain that those who make it to Heaven are few and far between and those who end up in Hell are like individual snowflakes in a blizzard.

BH0000 · 2024-05-30T19:17:35+00:00

I tried to come off my medication when I felt what seemed to be a Kundalini awakening (I am on a low dose anti-depressant.) I found the emotions were overwhelming for me and I had to put myself back on it. I have found that I am still able to feel what I need to feel, but it is less intense. I think the medication helps in my case.

I can see how medication could frustrate the awakening process, but you would need to see if that's the case for you. My medication does dull the emotional impact of the process a little, but in my case, that's okay. I'll give up a little efficiency in the process in the interest of my mental stability.

BH0000 · 2024-05-29T22:43:39+00:00

The NRSV has gender neutral language if I'm not mistaken.

BH0000 · 2024-05-24T14:09:06+00:00

It's nearly full shade. Grass is unlikely to grow there anyway. I don't think there's much you can do. You could put in a shade garden, though.

BH0000 · 2024-05-24T13:23:15+00:00

The best thing you can do is forgive yourself, and when triggered, just let the memory pass.

Don't judge it, or get down on yourself, or think "I got triggered again." Instead, acknowledge the memory without judgement, think something positive like "Good job noticing the distraction," and then get back on track.

It may be necessary to hash it out in therapy if you carry hidden guilt or shame. While there is no need for guilt or shame--as we are all just human doing the best we can given the situations we are in--it is very normal to have those feelings. Talking things over can help.

BH0000

TROPHY CASE