Topic : Debating Among Different Religious Beliefs

woo!  I am so sorry for anybody who deals with this level of emotionalism.  I used to be bi-polar and took many MANY things as a personal attack.  And used to tell people they had NO RIGHT to tell me I am wrong.  But the beauty is, they do have that right.  When our emotions control our words and our attitude towards others when we are merely tired, this shows where we are in our spiritual/emotional development.  I'm sorry that your husband is overseas because it obviously affects you greatly, but I am also thankful that he is, because due to his willingness we all have the right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.  And you have the right to say "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT" to anybody that you want about anything that you want (whether it is true, or not).  This is the beauty of living in America as an American.

 

There are some at this group who are far too "head" strong and emotional for me (been there, done that - BAD combo)  -it's that unequally yoked theory  So, farewell.

 

May all of you be blessed with peace, patience, love, strength, courage and wisdom.

 

Shalom.

Oh, Marie, Elwin knows who you are. =)  Well, he knows that you mad a bracelet and he's seen pictures of you. LOL  But I think he knows who you are. =)

I didn't know if you saw this....

 

Another thing I wanted to ask you is, why would you ask me if Americans would think Paganism is a good thing?  To be honest, I was a little shocked that you asked that.  Especially when the post you were remarking to was about tolerance and acceptance.  I was talking about us uniting instead of dividing and you only made that clear that you do not want to unite. 

 

Also, you live in Arizona, right?  You do know that there is a large Pagan population down there.  There are Pagan Pride days, and stores and the University of Arizona even has a Pagan student organization.  There is a Wiccan author who lives in Phoenix with her family as well.  I met to bring this up last night, but I ran out of time.

 

You would think that a person who lives near so many Pagans would be more accepting of our beliefs.  You probably meet people who are Pagan, but don't know it. 

 

Take care, Cheryl.

You are way too arrogant.  You act like you have learned all, you seem to believe you are the answer to all.

Well thats the way you came off to me.  I'm sorry but I just had to laugh at this post.

What do you mean.... used to be bi-polar?  Did it just fade away>disappear?

Seems if your unable to listen to others opinions, then you are too 'head' strong yourself.

I myself am bi-polar, I have taken things the wrong way in here, or to heart, when they needn't be, but later realizing what I did, came back and admitted when I went a little overboard.

That happens in life everywhere, that is the way allot of people are. 

I'm sorry if you choose to live in a plastic bubble now, and try to shun yourself from the real world in fear that you may become too emotional anymore.

One thing I have learned living with this disorder, is emotions can get out of control, but they are also necessary in the survival of life, we must be passionate in our beliefs and convictions, at the same time controlling enough to have an open mind of others views, and allowing others to have their own beliefs and not spread lies about others beliefs.

Hopefully one day you too will realize, as I did, it does no good to run from people that may set you off {because this is what you are doing, some of these post got under your skin}.  You have to learn to deal with all kinds of people everyday with their own minds and their own way of expressing their minds.

 

Brightest Blessings to you and yours

Sybil

Did I tell you I like you, I think I did?  I'm glad there are people on here that can keep it togther in the heat of a good debate.  These debates don't need to be resolved, at least I don't feel that way.  They just need to be discussed and understood.  People understanding eachother without angry conflict, it's a healthy thing.  I certainly don't want to convince someone of my beliefs, but at least I can hear what others think and learn.  Thanks for your informative and thoughtful comments. 

Thats how I feel, I seem to enjoy debating now...don't know why I never did in High School^^ lol

Thank you, I really believe I do like alot of what you have posted too, and it goes with what I believe also.

I have gotten a little upset here before, but now, if I read something that kinda tickles my hairs, I'll just walk off and come back later.  

Keep those post coming,  you seem to have to board jumping....lol

I'm not sure if I should be commenting on this subject, especially since I'm not sure if this belongs here..but, I found this subject interesting myself...I heard about that survey or whatever it's called, when I was driving home from work one day...About, how men tested as being smarter...(something like that)...I don't consider myself a feminist...but, since I"m a woman, I do have my own thoughts on this...Actually,  I don't care what the tests say...I don't even feel threatened...this subject on men's vs women's intelligence is very interesting I think...and I don't feel I have to even defend women...I guess because I have confidence in myself, and I don't even consider myself actually 'smart'...I have good common sense though, and I feel I have the qualities in a person that really counts anyway...That being kind and caring...I think that woman for centuries have had to battle for their rights, if you look back...they still do...they are the one's that have the babies, and care for them...Most anyway...So, since I'm a mom, I can say how hard that is...If one is to be the type of mom, that I feel kids need and deserve, then that takes away from other things a woman can achieve for themselves...Like myself, my principal job was being a 'mom' for years...then, also contributing to the income of my family..between all that, and house duties, there left little time for anything else...like,  going back to school...So, is it possible that women can be smarter than men or at least equal to men..IF it wasn't  expected or if we weren't conditioned to have the main responsibility of child rearing?  I'm not sure if I'm saying this right or not...I also want to say, I don't feel most men feel 'men' are smarter than women...and I'm not saying I know Turk really, really well....(Hi Turk!) BUT, I feel I know him well enough to know he's not a sexist...he just likes debating things...bring up subjects, but NEVER to hurt anyone's feelings...so, I think ppl need to really know a person, and not just go by what's typed here, because we may misinterpret them as a human being...      dee

I am relaying what the bible has to say about paganism, not my own personal OPINION

 

Well thats the problem, what the Bible says about paganism has changed drastically throughout the decades.   So you believe the words from today the ones that where translated and changed, or do you believe the words of old, from when paganism was first added into the books?

You don't have to stop believing in the Bible to be able to stop calling other religions that don't share similar beliefs bad or wrong.

The fact is, it IS your opinion, because you are picking one Idea of what Paganism is from the books of the Bible.   You couldn't pick all of them, because the differ through-out time greatly.

Other Christians {some of my friends} believe strongly in the Bible, yet they do not believe that what I follow is Bad or Wrong, they believe God has me on this path for a reason.

But the fact is ...it is a free country, and you are entitled to your own Opinion, good or bad. 

I just wish you would open you heart and mind more to understand all people and all faiths.  That NEVER means you have to change your own Beliefs or Faith.  Its about you growing as a person spiritually and emotionally.  I don't care how old you are, that journey should never end as long as we are here.

 

Blessed Be

 

I just have to throw this out there for people that are strong believers in the bible.  Why do you have your beliefs?  Why did you choose to go that way?  What events transpired to allow you to form your beliefs?  I'm just curious, really.  I'm not asking with anger or malice, I'm asking out of my need to learn why people are the way they are.  I just wonder if these beliefs were just passed down and you believed because it was what you always knew or did you decide one day that the bible was the way to go.  I don't mean to pick on Christians, I would ask this question of anyone if I knew their beliefs better.  Since I was raised to be Catholic, but it was never forced on me, I was able to grasp my own ideas on God.  If anyone wants to discuss this, please, I'm so curious.  I'm not attacking Christians, because I truly believe people of all religions do good things and really understand what their beliefs are.  I just want to know if it's just easier to follow something or to break off and think out-side the box.  Thanks

Yet another feeling personally attacked.  I am only sorry that you live in that frame of mind.  I do remember being there.  As I said,  I USED to be bi-polar.  You can't believe that I USED to be, because you don't believe in being healed.  You are cursed with that disorder forever in your mind and that is sad.  I don't act, love.  And I have never said I learned everything.  But I am open-minded enough to learn.  Which is more than I can say for somebody who has the curse of being head-strong and over emotional.  I know because I used to be that person, or more appropriately, I used to be controlled by that spirit.

 

I have not displayed anything that says I am unstable.  I just have no desire to commune with those who refuse to see past their own "self"-created realm.  When one is inclined to believe that everything is a personal attack toward them and not of their beliefs it reveals that they are trapped in their own little universe where everything is about them.  People of this mindset do not want to share anything.  They busy themselves more with tearing others down with sarcasm and emotional outbursts of "I KNOW you aren't talking to me" attitude (misery loves company - and misery doesn't even know who he/she is).  That I do not care to participate in a group which has more than one of these individuals is a personal and wise choice, because not only is there nothing I can learn from individuals with this spirit, but they cannot learn from others either.  Their mind is set and that's all there is to it.  Although I have been blessed with Truth that Clockers has shared here, I trust in my heart that I have learned here what I needed to learn and it is time to go.  If anybody takes what I say personally I would ask them to ask themselves why.  Is there something within them that is weak and needs strengthened.

 

I do not live in fear of my emotions any longer, dear.  This is what my earlier posts were explaining.  I am not saying I do not cry.  I do.  I love a good cry from time to time, but I no longer allow my emotions to control me (and when I have very rare moment of weakness I know I can call my head - that is, my husband, and he will talk to me until emotion is put back in check).  I have my emotions under control enough to know that feeling when emotion is beginning to bubble over and I call him.  If I am not able to call him, I go to pray.)  That you are not able to receive that knowledge and be blessed by it is sad to me because you suffer from a very serious disorder that can really control a person at times. 

 

You said:

 

we must be passionate in our beliefs and convictions, at the same time controlling enough to have an open mind of others views, and allowing others to have their own beliefs and not spread lies about others beliefs.

 

May you, too, live by these words.  And please understand that even though it may appear to be a lie to you when somebody uses freedom of speech and freedom of religion to say that what you believe is evil it is not a personal attack toward you, it is what they believe.  And if a person says that what you practice is evil, they are not saying that you are evil, but that the way you follow is evil.  It is an attack against what you believe and not you - so please don't take it personally.  The fact that anybody would take something like that personally reveals their insecurity in ther beliefs.  If you are certain you are right, then it would not matter if others thought what you do is evil.  The matters of the heart should be rooted far deeper than the thoughts of others can reach.

 

I am told all of the time that I am in a cult because of my practices.  I do not lash out at these people and tell them they are wrong.  I do not tell them they have no right to say what I do is evil.  If it is evil in their eyes then so be it.  It is where they are in their life.  Me telling them they have no right to say that it is evil, and trying to force my way on them is not going to change their understanding.  I go and pray for them in silence to understand where I am and how blessed this place is emotionally and spiritually.

 

Please I pray you don't try to read me.  None of these posts have gotten under my skin.  It is just sad to be a witness to this behavior.  That I choose not to be a witness to this is a very sound decision.  Sometimes the best way to deal with somebody is not to deal with them at all.  And it took a long time and a lot of strength for me to learn to remove people from my realm who worked constantly to tear me down emotionally to their level via sarcasm.  I dont' join those kind of groups anymore.  I would rather go to eliyah.com or reluctant-messenger.com or kabbalahconcepts or some other groups where they have removed themselves from the realm of over-emotionalism and have an earnest desire to learn and to teach. 

 

If one uses sarcasm to tear another down it is because they do not have enough of the Truth to do this properly.  I have been torn down and put back together so many times via Truth from others.  This is a healthy means of becoming a new creation.  But to watch others try to tear down people with sarcasm, which has absolutely no spriitual value at all, is sad.  And so it is my prayer for those here who are at the other end of this that they turn from it and not fall victim to it.  None of us need to subject ourselves to such spiritual abuse.

 

And to you Sybil, may peace fill your heart and you be healed of this life-altering disorder.

 

Shalom to you Sybil and to all and thanks to the ladies for their info on Paul and thanks to Clockers for your wisdom on the male and female (it was lovely what you all shared).

 

Yes, it is right for me to go and if any of you are interested in sharing what you know or learning what I know please email me at kathybyers2000@yahoo.com