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I knew a lady in my town who ran a shop of natural products: creams, soaps, etc.
One day, I stopped to have coffee in a cafe and she happened to stop in for coffee, too. We said hi and chatted for a few minutes, and then I said goodbye and headed off to catch the train.
The next day I found out that she hanged herself. She was found by her son who went to the shop to see why she hadn't come home, and found her there.
There are a lot of people suffering in the world. Religion often isn't enough. She certainly had grown up a Catholic (I live in Italy), and she certainly knew the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
But sometimes people aren't "reached" by religion. What people need is to be reached by other people.
Here's a beautiful song I discovered years ago, but still touches me deep down, that talks about the suffering in the world:
Richard's on the street with all the lonely people
trying to get a job and getting nowhere
so now this is what he got
a new kind of dedication
he doesn't feel lost
he walks into the station
And Richard takes a train to go uptown
you know he's gonna find a place where the money just
walks around
and with the grace of a wildcat
he steals a bag without detection
walks on tiptoes right back
to make the right connection.
And when he leaves this world
well then he won't feel alone
now the fighting has all gone.
no more just trying to hold on
to the dreams of this world
where he never quite belonged.
Belinda meets a friend at a pub called 'the gun'
it's full of lots of lonely people all out trying to
have some fun.
she says, "i'll be right back"
although you know it's only ten to one
her eyes are just like a wild cat
and where's the summer gone.
She's been working on the ships for easy money
it's a bigger kind of tip and that may be because
you run a bigger kind of risk
she's got the dedication written in a kiss
in the promise of intoxicated bliss.
She's misunderstood for all the lonely people
living in the world and getting nowhere,
something always just goes wrong.
why should they try to hold on
to the dreams of this world
where they never quite belonged.
Gina says she's gonna stop,
settle down, you know, give it all up,
but it's so hard to give it up
when all your friends say they just can't
stop.
They beat up a girl on the ford estate with a baseball
bat
last night the vigilante city fathers tried to get
their daughters back.
they didn't understand
a different kind of smack was needed
than the back of the hand
yeah, something else was always needed.
This is for all the misunderstood lonely people
living in the world and getting nowhere
something always just goes wrong.
why should they try to hold on
to the dreams of this world
where they never quite belonged?
where they never quite belonged.
Yeah. There are a lot of people out there that struggle with life in general everyday. I used to be one. I found the Love of God through prayer. Most religions don't spread the Love like they should. It's often overlooked by congregations fearing over who is or isn't going to hell or who is or isn't saved. It's not about any of that. We should spread Love throughout the world so that the fallen can rise up again and never be forgotten. Give a smile and helping hand while passing by a stranger. Give a hug when you don't know what to say in tragedy. Give thankfullness when all we have is the shoes on our feet. Begin building courage by stepping away from the norm. We never know whats out there until we give it a try.
There are a lot of people suffering in the world. Religion often isn't enough. She certainly had grown up a Catholic (I live in Italy), and she certainly knew the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
But sometimes people aren't "reached" by religion. What people need is to be reached by other people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverend1111
Most religions don't spread the Love like they should. It's often overlooked by congregations fearing over who is or isn't going to hell or who is or isn't saved. It's not about any of that.
I was grateful to see this thread and these posts this morning. It gives me hope. Yesterday, I popped in on a thread in this forum that was discussing wether it's works or faith that are necessary for getting into heaven. It's a discussion I've seen upmteen times here and on other Christian boards.
But someone had posted such a poignant post about how they'd grown up with parents who claimed that faith in Jesus was what was going to get them to heaven. In the meantime they were abusive and hateful to each other, to their child (the poster) and to everyone around them ... truly miserable people, in every sense of the word. They had left the person posting with a view of Christianity that left that person unable to continue to embrace it.
Not a single person involved in that thread has responded to that poster. They are too busy debating just how they are getting in to heaven, to be able to see the hurting person who had lived through hell right in their midst.
The poster had related a story of how the mother and this poster, when she was a young child, had been driving to a Lenten service when they witnessed a car with a woman and her young daughter in it drive off the road . The poster's mother kept driving in spite of her child's pleas for her to stop and help since no one else was around. She said they would miss Lenten service if they stopped. The next day, they found out that that woman in the other car had died of a heart attack, but the mother had no remorse for her lack of action.
The irony of this was so unmistakable but I sincerely doubt anyone in that thread caught it. Here they all were, "driving by" this post filled with hurt and a shipwrecked faith and they were all too intent, not on getting to a Lenten service, but to their same old tired debate about how they were getting to heaven that none of them could stop to take the time to see if perhaps they could help to bind some wounds.
It seemed like they were all players in a sad, sad version of Jesus' Good Samaritan story. Hopefully I'm wrong. Maybe, behind the scenes, each of them DM'ed that person but there was no care or concern displayed openly. When I see things like that, it breaks my heart and makes me think that Christians will just never get it. But then I see a thread like this one, and it gives me hope.
I was grateful to see this thread and these posts this morning. It gives me hope. Yesterday, I popped in on a thread in this forum that was discussing wether it's works or faith that are necessary for getting into heaven. It's a discussion I've seen upmteen times here and on other Christian boards.
But someone had posted such a poignant post about how they'd grown up with parents who claimed that faith in Jesus was what was going to get them to heaven. In the meantime they were abusive and hateful to each other, to their child (the poster) and to everyone around them ... truly miserable people, in every sense of the word. They had left the person posting with a view of Christianity that left that person unable to continue to embrace it.
Not a single person involved in that thread has responded to that poster. They are too busy debating just how they are getting in to heaven, to be able to see the hurting person who had lived through hell right in their midst.
The poster had related a story of how the mother and this poster, when she was a young child, had been driving to a Lenten service when they witnessed a car with a woman and her young daughter in it drive off the road . The poster's mother kept driving in spite of her child's pleas for her to stop and help since no one else was around. She said they would miss Lenten service if they stopped. The next day, they found out that that woman in the other car had died of a heart attack, but the mother had no remorse for her lack of action.
The irony of this was so unmistakable but I sincerely doubt anyone in that thread caught it. Here they all were, "driving by" this post filled with hurt and a shipwrecked faith and they were all too intent, not on getting to a Lenten service, but to their same old tired debate about how they were getting to heaven that none of them could stop to take the time to see if perhaps they could help to bind some wounds.
It seemed like they were all players in a sad, sad version of Jesus' Good Samaritan story. Hopefully I'm wrong. Maybe, behind the scenes, each of them DM'ed that person but there was no care or concern displayed openly. When I see things like that, it breaks my heart and makes me think that Christians will just never get it. But then I see a thread like this one, and it gives me hope.
Wow. This post really touched me. You are so, so right. We all need to look around us and love our neighbor as ourself. When are we going to start doing that? Pleroo, your posts are full of insight, love, patience, and kindness. It's my feeling that you left Christianity, the religion, but not God, who is love.
Wow. This post really touched me. You are so, so right. We all need to look around us and love our neighbor as ourself. When are we going to start doing that? Pleroo, your posts are full of insight, love, patience, and kindness. It's my feeling that you left Christianity, the religion, but not God, who is love.
Yes Pleroo, agreed. You prompted me to go read that other thread. Wow.
Pleroo, you were the only one that contacted me. Thank you for that.
I found this thread and cried for about 10 minutes.
At this point in time I am now agnostic, although it took about 47 years to get here. I believed for about as long as I could hold on.
A very, very small part of me still believes in something.
But I also think that most people are getting it wrong. Really, really wrong.
I think there are a lot of people in the world that are reading The Bible and they are just not getting it. And I wonder about that. And what will become of them.
I knew a lady in my town who ran a shop of natural products: creams, soaps, etc.
One day, I stopped to have coffee in a cafe and she happened to stop in for coffee, too. We said hi and chatted for a few minutes, and then I said goodbye and headed off to catch the train.
The next day I found out that she hanged herself. She was found by her son who went to the shop to see why she hadn't come home, and found her there.
There are a lot of people suffering in the world. Religion often isn't enough. She certainly had grown up a Catholic (I live in Italy), and she certainly knew the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
But sometimes people aren't "reached" by religion. What people need is to be reached by other people.
Blessings!
brian
So true, Brian. I cringe every time I hear so-and-so "just needed Jesus" as if that in and of itself would have stopped it. It's a nice platitude that placates our guilt when we don't truly minister as Jesus commands us to do.
Pleroo, you were the only one that contacted me. Thank you for that.
I found this thread and cried for about 10 minutes.
At this point in time I am now agnostic, although it took about 47 years to get here. I believed for about as long as I could hold on.
A very, very small part of me still believes in something.
But I also think that most people are getting it wrong. Really, really wrong.
I think there are a lot of people in the world that are reading The Bible and they are just not getting it. And I wonder about that. And what will become of them.
Pleroo, I will not wonder about you.
I just read that thread and I too am saddened that you were overlooked. Most fundies do like to overlook those who don't believe the way that they do.
Jesus made it so plain and simple yet most say it's irrelevant but it's the most important. " Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself". Apparently, most religious folks don't love themselves enough to love others. Too mauch believing that someone else is paying their bills for them so they must think they can do and act any way they please. I'm truely sorry about being in that home and having to live with parents like that. I know exactly what it feels like. My father mentally, sexually and physically abused us and my mother just sat tere like he wasn't doing anything wrong. When I try to talk to her about it, she blames it all on my dad. Her day of reconing will come.
I have forgiven my father but it's a lot harder with my mother. It's a work in progress. My father is now praying for Divine Love and is progressing. He said if it wasn't for my love and forgiveness, he would still be in darkness. (He passed away about 15 years ago. I received a message from him about 5 years ago and that was what he told me. And yes, it was really him.)
When we love each other and forgive, we are better off than just believing in a man and having faith that that man will make us whole. It's in the Love. Just Love. Be love to each other and all will fall into place as it should.
I just read that thread and I too am saddened that you were overlooked. Most fundies do like to overlook those who don't believe the way that they do.
Jesus made it so plain and simple yet most say it's irrelevant but it's the most important. " Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself". Apparently, most religious folks don't love themselves enough to love others. Too mauch believing that someone else is paying their bills for them so they must think they can do and act any way they please. I'm truely sorry about being in that home and having to live with parents like that. I know exactly what it feels like. My father mentally, sexually and physically abused us and my mother just sat tere like he wasn't doing anything wrong. When I try to talk to her about it, she blames it all on my dad. Her day of reconing will come.
I have forgiven my father but it's a lot harder with my mother. It's a work in progress. My father is now praying for Divine Love and is progressing. He said if it wasn't for my love and forgiveness, he would still be in darkness. (He passed away about 15 years ago. I received a message from him about 5 years ago and that was what he told me. And yes, it was really him.)
When we love each other and forgive, we are better off than just believing in a man and having faith that that man will make us whole. It's in the Love. Just Love. Be love to each other and all will fall into place as it should.
Aisi, this is what the Kingdom of God is all about. Forgiving, loving, listening to each other, suffering with each other, "bearing each other's burdens," supporting each other. It's not about doctrines, but rather Love.
This is the Kingdom, folks! It's not what you know or what church you go to; it's about learning to love.
Blessings of His Love within us and towards one another,
brian
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Hopefully I'm wrong. Maybe, behind the scenes, each of them DM'ed that person but there was no care or concern displayed openly. When I see things like that, it breaks my heart and makes me think that Christians will just never get it. But then I see a thread like this one, and it gives me hope.
You prompted me to go read that other thread. Wow.
