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I guess this old geezer just looks at the above subject kinda' like this:
SOME folks 'believe' the Chicago Cubbies will WIN a World Series soon. SOME folks 'dream' they will. Some BOTH 'dream' and 'believe'.
To My simpleton thinking, what HARM does it do to OTHERS if SOME folks so 'dream' or 'believe'?
TallPockets TRIES not to get TOO EXCITED about those who 'dream' or who 'believe' or do NOT do EITHER.
To EACH THEIR OWN, he says. And, he wishes the BEST for ALL such described above.
GO HOOSIERS! ....
My BEST to you and yours, Toadie ....
What's in your GARDEN this year???
TallPockets.
As to the Cubbies it's a daunting challenge dreamin' or believin'!!
There is no harm in believing as long as believers don't try to impose their beliefs on others, especially through legislation and judicial activism. The problem arises when many claim they "see" the same vision. Mass belief always seems to start conflicts. The "god thing" is a private matter and can never be shared.
My garden is "splendiferous" this year. Many varieties of flowering cacti, annuals, perennials, vines and semi-tropical shrubs and trees. Cotton farmers out-lawed morning glories because they clog their machinery but I planted them and have hundreds of Heavenly Blues and Pinks each morning. I feed the birds and each morning there are a hundred doves, quail, finches, cardinals, hummers and too many other species to mention. I love to read the morning rag and have a cuppa joe with the critters. Life is good.
Hope all is well in the great Heartland and that you are feeling fine. Best wishes, Toadie.
GO HOOSIERS!!!
TOADIE: HELLO again. TallPockets will give ya' a big AMEN to that statement. WINK.
Man, your garden sounds like you should CHARGE for admission to it!
What is the STATE FLOWER of Indiana??? Do you grow them?
My BEST to you and yours,
May your ''GREEN'' thumb always be the ''ENVY'' of all around you. GRIN>
TallPockets.
I'm definitely going to have to give that one some thought.....it's almost like a tongue twister but for the brain to untangle! Hope your day is going well!
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Thank you for stopping by. Perhaps I can clarify my post. The major problem with understanding "god" arises when we conflate the "law-giver" with the "creator". Some see them as one. They are not. The creative force is not a being. It is pure energy and matter, a force even science cannot fathom. Are we then to rely on a shaman, prophets, and "wise men" who claim communion with this force and insist we are made in its image and that it speaks to us and issues laws? We are like the creative force in so far as we are energy and matter. "God", the law-giver, is purely man conceived and man made. This "being" is made in the image of the image maker, from the mind of man, solely imagined like all specters of the mind and has no link to the "creator" whatsoever. Saying that they are one in the same doesn't make it a fact. Hence we have "faith".
In short, "god" is imagined with the purpose of imposing and maintaining social order. Skip the "middle man" and know yourself, the only "god" you will ever know. Don't bother praying to a phantasm that has no ears to hear or power to assist, look inside for the strength and understanding you desire.
Indiana State Flower is the Peony. They
might grow in the higher elevations but here they would be peony fajitas in no time!!
I have considered augmenting my income with garden tours but I cherish the serenity too much. This summer's project is to expand west and add an 800 sq. ft. addition. I have a koi pond but the varmits are growing so fast I need a 12ftx8ftx3ft home for them. Even though I have an acre and a quarter I must fence in my garden to keep out the rattlers, bunnies, rodents and coyotes Stayin' cool at 104 degrees this weekend. Best wishes, Toadie.
Happy Monday to ya'
Very interesting - I like the part about people not trying to push their beliefs on others.
My head is quite scrambled on this one.......I can't get my brain around it.......it's like a tongue twister. I'll stay here for awhile and keep trying!
Thanks for your comment. Attempts to force faith is a rude, disrespectful action towards others. If it's real and vital, you don't need to push it.
I hope I am not God; I don't want to be responsible for this insanity.
It's not so hard to understand if you will understand that the "gods" people worship are spooks of human origen. Don't confuse "gods" with the creator, which is not a being but a force. You can't petition the creator with prayers, it is pure energy, unmindful of our progress through existence. "God" is an imaginary friend people embrace to quell their fears...it doesn't exist beyond the bounds of the imagination.
Not to worry. Gods are not responsible for this insanity, man is. Your godhead is inviolable and innocent. Cheers, Toadie
An example: I don't believe in Barack Obama, does that mean that i don,t believe he exists?NO. It means that i don't believe in his lies,racism,and hypocracy!
A really bad example. We know Obama exists. He can be seen, touched, speak etc, etc. You only believe that god exists, you have absolutely no proof. God, like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus exist only in your mind. I am the only god I will know. Do confuse my godliness with your notion of a loving, caring creator with whom you think you have a relationship. That creature does not exist. You have fooled yourself with your imaginary diety. Pure smoke and mirrors.
I cant stoop to that level of hypocracy by saying i have...
And the proof that there is a God, is this planet ! it had existed for million of years virtually in the same condition until these GODS arrived. "humanity, homo sapien."
And if you consider humanity as Godly, take a look around you at this beautiful place that the true Gods gave us " they were here many millenniums before us" and as you see, in very short time the slugs that would claim Godhood have poluted the atmosphere, poisoned our lakes and streams, in general they have raped this planet and soon will destroy it in their oil wars,and all the nations of the world are in competition for that commodity and will destroy eachother, all for greed. and the politicians are the ones with the smoke and mirrors.
Excuse me if I inferred that you were a christian. How refreshing to know you are not. This planet's existence does not prove the existence of any god. It proves that there is creation and evolution and nothing more. Man is part of this evolution and as natural as anything before his existence. Man has the ability to comprehend godliness. Unfortunate;y far too many choose to worship a phantom rather than examine human capabilities and possibilities. Unevolved humans are destructive and they are usually associated with one of the three "great" religions. Belief in gods is always associated with war, death and destruction. These gods are little more than their blood-thirsty alter-egos, mere extensions of a primative urge to control and dominate. The possibility of attaining a more expansive consciousness is what I term godliness. As Ghandi said, be the change you want to see, attend to you own evolution and manifest the godliness you envision. The smoke and mirrors of the greedy and politicians only confounds the believer, not the knower.
Ever since the first century there has been a conspiracy to deceive would-be Christians about the meaning of the gospel. Shocking as it seems, this has happened.
Most believe that the gospel is about the Person of Jesus Christ. Certainly, Christ’s role is enormous, but He is not the gospel. The Bible shows that Jesus Christ is preached in conjunction with the gospel.
Others proclaim a “gospel of salvation” or “gospel of grace.” Still others believe a “gospel of miracles” or a “social gospel” or a “gospel of foods” or of “healing” or “faith.” These are all man-made ideas that are not what the Bible says!
Since Christ said the gospel was about the kingdom of God, and men do not know what the kingdom of God is, they have concluded that the kingdom may be a particular church denomination or Christianity collectively. Others reduce it to a “warm feeling” in the “hearts of people.” ....... What incredible ignorance!
The masses are deceived by the gods of this world , who uses those ministeries as instruments to spread the most popular false gospel, about the Person of Christ, instead of the actual gospel, being defined as the (heralded truth) which Christ brought.
He called the lawyers,politicians, and church leaders, liars and hypocrites, which in fact is the most profound truth that there is.
Mankind likes to present his own versions of civilization and the gospel in the best possible light.
It has been said that all nations are either preparing for war, at war or recovering from war. It has also been noted that history has recorded over 14,600 wars. And this figure was derived in the mid-1960s. Men seem to invariably go to war in search of peace. But, the outcome of war usually involves a truce, but always fails to yield permanent peace. This is because men cannot, and never will, find the way to peace on their own without outside help. In reality, they have no chance to achieve world peace.
The governments of men simply do not work. They have never succeeded in finding permanent solutions to what are, for them, insoluble problems. They do not have the answers to mankind’s biggest questions, the way to abundance, happiness, health and prosperity. No wonder the greatest thinkers, leaders, educators and scientists have failed miserably in their quest for peace on earth!
Then there are those who think they can vote their way to these things, that my friend is the epitome of absolute ignorance!
Thank you for your commentary, especially concerning the nature of the "gospel". As I understand it, gospel is from the Old English godspell, from the Greek meaning "good news". Un fortunately the good news has been twisted and misconstrued for centuries. I would agree that the bible is a compendium of prophesy but I don't think it is necessarily factual. I think of the stories as tales and legends, not verbatim fact. Those who do often make unsubstatiated pronouncements without much factual basis. The notion of the Christ predates Jesus and is found in several ancient cultures. I see the gospel as "Christ consciousness" attainable by all who seek it. The good news is that the individual holds the key to peace and happiness. The kingdom of god is within each of us and we must discover it individually.
IF YOU KNEW THAT GOD EXISTED YOU WOULD NOT BE A BELIEVER,
YOU WOULD BE A KNOWER AND KNOW THAT WHAT YOU BELIEVED TO BE GOD, YOU've experienced as not you.
YOU WOULD THEN BE humbled AND REALIZE THAT YOU ARE not GOD AND know the truth foreverMORE.
Perspectives are oft times sources of conflict yet all perspective is indeed based upon unique personal experience. It is not a this or that , up down world but rather a "spectrum" as wonderful and round as a marble in space extending from here to there and back again. As I recall the God no God thing can be like the flip of convience when lacking the truth and beauty of a spectrum... time and experience has taught me my perspective. I suspect you got yours there too, right? ....Peace out Hommie
PoP,
Thanks for stopping by. Everything that I have experienced is me. I have not experienced anything that is not me. I am humbled by the grandeur and mystery of creation, not gods. Perspective is , indeed, the basis of our "reality". But beyond perspective is perception. You and I could experience the same thing and perceive totally different realities. The spectrum is a good analogy for the complexities we humans experience. I maintain that gods are man made. The creative force is not god as some would have it. There is no being in the ethers looking out for us or who will receive us in its loving arms when this mortal coil dissolves. Human love is human love and only godly as far as humans experience and transmit it. Creation is not emotional, not human as too many would believe. Man has animated their dieties to fit neatly into their perceived perspective. Worshipping the creative force in hopes of garnering favor is folly.
There is a great differnce between the real and the imagined. Perspective may not reveal the difference but perception will.
I agree that time and experience are the best teaching aids. They shape perspective but may do little to resolve perception. That requires a great deal of effort and the suspension of preconceived ideas. Best wishes, Toadie.
"Everything that I have experienced is me" and it is for that very reason that each of us shares a different perspective. As far as perception goes, that which sees not only self but one's position relative to others is perceiving what "is" and if that is what u're referring to by "resolved perception" I would have to tie that into just "time in service". That's why I put the God greater than I and I Gods "minnie me"... by choice because I know I needed that "Time in service" that creation already had going on. Words can get in the way Todie as you must know but I hope u enjoy our meetings as much as I do. Being simple enough to see past the apparent complexities is only half the battle while hearing the words to communicate them simply, the other half. I wouldn't wish my "trip" on anyone but I sure do like to try and share the destination the best est I can. oooooh I've just been bum rushed by a bunch of fathers day revelers...Keep up the good work, there are lots of those "preconception" to be burned up in the fires of the undeniable truth!
It's always a pleasure to share perspectives with you. I know I will get an honest and thoughtful response. I can relate to the "mini me" concept and the complexities of verbiage in an attempt to put the ethereal into words. I agree, I don't wish my burden on anyone but I do enjoy swapping view points while I "ease on down the road!" Best wishes always, Toadie
I see that I.U. has only ONE 'scholarship' player left on it's basketball squad this upcoming season. Might take a year or two to restock the pond, as it were. SIGH.
My BEST to you and yours!
Btw: As to my "CUBBIES" remarks above about 'dreams' .... They MIGHT just DO it this year! WINK.
TallPockets. PEACE.
So good to hear from you. Yes,it's rather disconcerting to realize I.U. has such a diminished roster this year and it may take a couple of mediocre seasons to get back on track. The new coach may have some magic up his sleeve.
I.U's situation pales when we consider your withdrawal from the race for the Presidency. I always considered you a dark horse not unlike the prospects for Big Brown and the Triple Crown. We will try to carry on with lowered expectations.
All is well in the desert. We had a robust 112 today and are awaiting the monsoon that will bring us great lightening shows and torrential downpours. I love the monsoon.
Stay well and Go Cubbies!!!...until they play the D-Backs. Cheers, Toadie
Got the annual/yearly RAINS yet? We've had a pretty good summer so far in Michigan. A couple o' HOT weeks/muggy! But, cooler for the most part. Missed the bad STORMS so far, also, that have hit HARD NORTH of me a few counties up.
Hope your garden is growing, sans WEEDS. WINK.
My BEST always .... In a few more months those I.U. roundballers will give it a go .... looking for a couple of down years until the new coach can get his recruits in.
TallPockets/brian.
Thanks for dropping by and for your comment The "god thing" is a puzzlement, to quote the King. I must drive 80 miles a day to and from work, but I am trying to lessen my carbon footprint. Best wishes, Toadie.
Late,
theblaast
So good to hear from you. I have noticed with a tinge of sadness that you have been absent. We miss your passion, wit, and enegetic assaults on all that is wrong with America. Hope to see you up and running soon. Dest wishes, Toadie.
Great to hear from you. We have had a couple of ripping storms, one delivering 4 inches of rain, and for the desert that is a lot of water in an hour or two. The temps have mellowed to a livable 104 or 5. The evening thunderheads are spectacular rising thousands of feet turning orange and red in the sunsets. I love the monsoon season. All the desert critters delight in the rains. Frogs emerge for a brief mating season and then return to the earth. What a life. And my garden is splendid. I have mounds of morning glories(illegal in Arizona because they clog the cotton-picker machines). Currently digging a new 2500 gallon koi pond.
Yes, roundball is just around the corner and I think the team may surprise some although I agree with you that it will take some time to regain those glory days. Best wishes to you and thanks for coming by. Toadie
Thanks for dropping by. Gore's suggestion that we could be weened from suckling oil within ten years has merit. Oil prices rose not because of supply and demand but because of unregulated greed, the hallmark of republican/conservative policies. It's time to bust up the large corporations, break up monopolies, tax goods made cheaply in foreign countries and reward manufacturers who start new business and build new factories in this country. If it costs a dollar to make a pair of shoes in China and 8 dollars to make the shoe here, place a 7 dollar tariff on the China made shoes. There are so many this wrong with this country that are a direct result of 30 years of republican rule. Lower middle income taxes and raise dramatically the taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Increase the capital gains tax rate. Sitting around the pool waiting for the dividend check should require a higher tax rate that for a man working 9 to 5.
A pox on the naysayers!! Negativity is the only weapon conservatives have left. They abandoned truth 40 years ago. Cheers.