Pope Francis On Transgender Ideology And Same Sexton Unions

[Peace]

11 minutes ago, Era Might said:

You misunderstood. I believe in happiness in this life. I also believe in rebelling against all that obstructs real happiness. If a certain way of life makes you happy, it's your life, not mine. I don't seek to tell you what happiness is, but I believe in the wisdom of art and literature and sages and philosophers, where man had always rebelled against the world he was born into in search of real happiness, not its shadow.

Tolstoy has a beautiful character in War and Peace, a peasant who was genuinely happy, so simple and really at peace. That was probably Tolstoy's vision of happiness, which was hard for him to attain given all the obstructions he was loaded with from birth.

My ideal is humanity, nothing more, nothing less. Which is to say my ideal is Christ, the New Man, the grain of wheat which dies and bears much fruit.

I think happiness is simple: always be honest with yourself, and strive to live in that honesty.

Again, when you say "Christ" exactly who or what is it that you are referring to? 

This is generally a Catholic website. When people here hear the word "Christ" I think most of us tend to think it refers to Jesus as revealed in the Bible. 

But when you say "Christ" you are referring to something completely different, are you not?

And isn't saying "my ideal is humanity" tantamount to having no ideal at all? Both feeding the homeless and raping and murdering babies are part of the human experience. You believe that both are　equally valid under your "ideal" because both are part of the human experience.

Is this not a correct description of your view?

[Era Might]

4 minutes ago, Peace said:

Again, when you say "Christ" exactly who or what is it that you are referring to? 

This is generally a Catholic website. When people here hear the word "Christ" I think most of us tend to think it refers to Jesus as revealed in the Bible. 

But when you say "Christ" you are referring to something completely different, are you not?

I'm referring to the character of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and secondarily to the Archetype of Christ in the epistles of Paul and others.

[Anomaly]

10 minutes ago, Era Might said:

You misunderstood. I believe in happiness in this life.

 

 

I think happiness is simple: always be honest with yourself, and strive to live in that honesty.

I most certainly misunderstood and apologize.  I hope for you happiness.  

 

I dont find find happiness simple, but I think the search and pursuit of happiness is very much so.   Happiness can be found in many places, but never in one.  

Personally, I find most persons search for happiness in God, Christ, or religion the antithesis of happiness, thogh I know many who have found happiness via this, so apparently , Christ and religion isn't about living in misery. 

[Peace]

Just now, Era Might said:

I'm referring to the character of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and secondarily to the Archetype of Christ in the epistles of Paul and others.

OK. Then if that is your ideal, why do you disagree with what He says concerning sin?

It seems to me that you are selectively picking and choosing what to follow and what not to follow based on your own desires. In effect, you seem to try to use Christ for your own purposes. That does not make you a follower of Jesus, and I think it makes your statements that He is your ideal just empty words without meaning.

[Era Might]

Just now, Peace said:

OK. Then if that is your ideal, why do you disagree with what He says concerning sin?

It seems to me that you are selectively picking and choosing what to follow and what not to follow based on your own desires. In effect, you seem to try to use Christ for your own purposes. That does not make you a follower of Jesus, and I think it makes your statements that He is your ideal just empty words without meaning.

I haven't said anything about sin, that wasn't the topic of the thread.

But I won't argue with your judgment that I use Christ to my own purposes. I think we all do, it's what has made Christianity so flexible, from the catacombs and gladiator matches to the global Christian empires to the back roads of American evangelicalism and the main streets of American suburbanism. Jesus is a man with a thousand faces...maybe someday he'll show us the real one.

[Peace]

16 minutes ago, Era Might said:

I haven't said anything about sin, that wasn't the topic of the thread.

Yes, you did. Please go back and read your first post in this thread, for example.

Quote

But I won't argue with your judgment that I use Christ to my own purposes.　I think we all do...

Perhaps we all do, to varying degrees. When I have done it I recognize that it is wrong, repent, try not to do it again. 

You, however, seem to think that there is nothing wrong with doing that in the first place. You see no need to repent for it. Essentially, you want to do what you want to do, and Jesus is merely a tool or a pawn to help you achieve what you desire. Essentially, you are your own authority. You are your own god. Your only real standard or ideal is that each person should do whatever he wants to do. 

Is this a fair description of your view? 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by Peace

[Anomaly]

16 minutes ago, Not A Real Name said:

Anomaly the life you speak of is religious. The hight of love (a love that doesn't care about/seek reward) is the love saints sang about! It is a love that is supernatural since God likewise loves us in this manner. There is no reward for Him. No benefit. 

St Francis Xavier’s Hymn of Love

Thanks, but I don't think so.  I'm ex-Catholic to atheist and reject the idea of an omniscient judging, loving, aware, God and an afterlife even with a sound religious education and deep involvement in the Church, much to the chagrin of loved ones   

But that is not to say I am against everything religion is about.  The Catholic Church is often very balanced and intelligent in its approach to social issues.  Particularly in this instance ideal sexual behaviors.  We can differ about the consequences and effects of missing the ideals, but I tend to agree on the ideal, if not the purpose. 

[Era Might]

14 minutes ago, Peace said:

Yes, you did. Please go back and read your first post in this thread, for example.

Perhaps we all do, to varying degrees. When I have done it I recognize that it is wrong, repent, try not to do it again. 

You, however, seem to think that there is nothing wrong with doing that in the first place. You see no need to repent for it. Essentially, you want to do what you want to do, and Jesus is merely a tool or a pawn to help you achieve what you desire. Essentially, you are your own authority. You are your own god. Your only real standard or ideal is that each person should do whatever he wants to do. 

Is this a fair description of your view? 

 

 

What I said about sin is that chalking all this up to the devil is not helping the church's morality, because there is a lot more at play here than humans being sinful or evil.

As for my own beliefs, does it really matter? I've made some points in this thread. I don't really have any more to add on the topic. 

[Peace]

5 minutes ago, Era Might said:

What I said about sin is that chalking all this up to the devil is not helping the church's morality, because there is a lot more at play here than humans being sinful or evil.

Who chalked it all up to the devil? I don't think you have any proof of that.

It sounds like a straw man you are arguing against.

5 minutes ago, Era Might said:

As for my own beliefs, does it really matter?

It matters to me. I would approach someone differently who believes that feeding the homeless and raping and murdering babies are equally valid, as long as each is consistent with the desires of the person acting. I would consider such a person dangerous and proceed with caution.

[Era Might]

Just now, Peace said:

Who chalked it all up to the devil? I don't think you have any proof of that.

It sounds like a straw man you are arguing against.

It matters to me. I would approach someone differently who believes that feeding the homeless and raping and murdering babies are equally valid, as long as each is consistent with the desires of the person acting. I would consider such a person dangerous and proceed with caution.

Consider me dangerous and leave it at that.

[Winchester]

On 5/25/2016 at 1:31 PM, Era Might said:

Consider me dangerous and leave it at that.

I've never watched "Bum Fights", but if you're ever in one, I totally will. I would guess you'd get royalties, if you go about the contract the right way.

[Era Might]

35 minutes ago, Winchester said:

I've never watched "Bum Fights", but if you're ever in one, I totally will. I would guess you'd get royalties, if you go about the contract the right way.