Random thoughts...

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Re: Random thoughts...

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“The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

This world - people - are so easily deceived by flattery and mental games. This is why people with cruel habits are often sought over nicer people. Partly it could be “nicer” people carry passive-aggressive baggage of not being nice to themselves & unrealistically expecting others to instead. So it may be a more complex issue, & good to remember to love God, others as well as ourselves, to prevent looking for love in all the wrong places. But I have seen so many times when a caring person is attracted to an uncaring person - maybe because the caring person projects their own love, etc, or is familiar with the challenge of earning or winning love from others. They generally see through superficial & distorted lenses & not so much as the God of truth sees.

People with mean habits can be good actors & appear great, but they do tend to get back what they dish out… it may be years down the road, or even another lifetime. I believe in a spiritual law of cause and effect. Many may see it as punitively horrible & thus favor the Constantine/Eusebius/Saul evil of pretending to drink blood & eat a body for human sacrifice scapegoating to somehow magically pretend another does our spiritual exercising for us. Ridiculous! Nobody can exercise for me! A deceptive pipe dream to shift responsibility to make another pay - the epitome of evil. From a higher perspective, the spiritual law of cause and effect - is beautiful in that it helps us accomplish one of our main purposes in life: to learn and grow.

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Re: Random thoughts...

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Thinker wrote: February 8th, 2023, 2:25 pm I’m really grateful for different friends.
1 friend is my bestie, my “go too” to joke with or when I can’t carry it on my own.
1 is like a spiritual parent & therapist.
2 are my ties to my childhood.
1 is my ties to my party days.
Several are my ties to Mormonism. :)
2 are family, though not genetically.
1 is my meditation buddy.
1 keeps me grounded with facts.
3 are my birthday/Christmas package-exchange friends.
Some remind me that there are very different ways of looking at things.
Others test me, as I probably test them.
I feel rich - blessed to connect with people like this.
That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks 👍👍

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Re: Random thoughts...

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Cruiserdude wrote: March 3rd, 2023, 4:56 pm That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks 👍👍
Thank you. True - I’m trying to keep that in mind.

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Re: Random thoughts...

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Thinker wrote: March 7th, 2023, 1:44 pm
Cruiserdude wrote: March 3rd, 2023, 4:56 pm That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks 👍👍
Thank you. True - I’m trying to keep that in mind.
Is it possible to do nothing. :?:

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BeNotDeceived wrote: March 7th, 2023, 1:47 pm Is it possible to do nothing. :?:
No, not really. Our intelligently designed bodies work 24-7 - always doing lots!

But, we can try to allow a still space for God to abide within us. Maybe this is why kids tend to be so close to angels and the like - they’re good at doing nothing.

Whinnie the pooh (ignore the colorful title - the video itself is sweet/innocent)
https://youtu.be/PSWIJcuj9vY

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Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more. But it’s often unpleasant - like a TBM having to sit through Islam services or something.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god. Maybe this is a universal weakness - the carnal side that we feed most - & why so many follow (political, religious..) herd mentalities.
Last edited by Thinker on March 20th, 2023, 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Thinker wrote: March 20th, 2023, 9:25 am Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god.
Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though 😉😁) .... We've found home 😁
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)

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Re: Random thoughts...

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Thinker wrote: March 20th, 2023, 9:25 am Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more. But it’s often unpleasant - like a TBM having to sit through Islam services or something.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god. Maybe this is a universal weakness - the carnal side that we feed most - & why so many follow (political, religious..) herd mentalities.
Spoken like a true INTJ. Love it!

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Re: Random thoughts...

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Cruiserdude wrote: March 20th, 2023, 9:31 am Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though 😉😁) .... We've found home 😁
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)
Thanks, CruiserDude. I appreciate this pond that makes me feel slightly less odd. 😁

Imagine how different we’d all live if we didn’t put so much stock in other’s opinions! I mean it’s good to be considerate of others etc., but to not let it prioritize above integrity & living life to the fullest - would realize much more potential.

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Thinker wrote: March 20th, 2023, 11:37 am
Cruiserdude wrote: March 20th, 2023, 9:31 am Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though 😉😁) .... We've found home 😁
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)
Thanks, CruiserDude. I appreciate this pond that makes me feel slightly less odd. 😁

Imagine how different we’d all live if we didn’t put so much stock in other’s opinions! I mean it’s good to be considerate of others etc., but to not let it prioritize above integrity & living life to the fullest - would realize much more potential.
You nail it 👍

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Original_Intent wrote: March 20th, 2023, 9:53 am Spoken like a true INTJ. Love it!
😁🧐 Oh, Man! I think way too much - I’ve been practicing “clear your mind” meditations - but even then my thoughts are like a squirrel on expresso.

They say woman INTJ is the rarest personality. Definitely odd 🦆.
But thanks, OI.

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Re: Random thoughts...

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💡Just had a kind of overdue lightbulb moment. For years, I’ve realized not only is Mormonism not as marketed, the same is with Christianity. I LOVE true aspects of Christ, but I see how so much of the NT is mixed with distracting lies. So, for years, I’ve searched or yearned for a church or uplifting words which worships God without all the Mormon or Christian dogmatic lies mixed in.

Well, I had it right under my nose the whole time. Parts of the Old Testament! Yes, it has its own dogma, but at least it’s not so saddled with Saul’s/Constantine’s/Eusebius lies, yet it still praises God. I especially love bits of Psalms, ie:

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” - Psalm 91:2

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Legally & by God’s higher law of free agency, temple “covenants” are not binding because there was no informed consent.

Still, I occasionally think about some words in the Freemasonry-adapted endowment ceremony…
  • “… consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you … for the building up of the kingdom of God…”
Consider how CHRIST defined kingdom of God…
  • “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” - Luke 17:20-21
How do we each build up the kingdom of God within us?

It is said that religion suppresses TRUTH which for a truth seeker causes faith crisis & the church “blocks all avenues that might help” & then abandons those suffering a faith crisis. (Carl Jung explaining his Dad’s struggle :48 https://youtu.be/qE262Bt40SI )

So how can I build up the kingdom of God within me? Not by starting to build up in the air, but by building a strong foundation of truth, of humility & gratitude.

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The note is funnier than the prank.
Yet, how many people have shamed others similarly?
Gotta remember this. Like calling damnation to their souls for daring to… ie not falling for… bla bla bla… or for mixing Reece’s, m&m’s & skittles.
And to add to the metaphor - ^those things are banned in some countries as unhealthy poison. The concern isn’t that though, but rather being “unorthodox” by mixing what is usually not mixed.

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Thinker wrote: April 1st, 2023, 10:29 pm Image
The note is funnier than the prank.
Yet, how many people have shamed others similarly?
Gotta remember this. Like calling damnation to their souls for daring to… ie not falling for… bla bla bla… or for mixing Reece’s, m&m’s & skittles.
And to add to the metaphor - ^those things are banned in some countries as unhealthy poison. The concern isn’t that though, but rather being “unorthodox” by mixing what is usually not mixed.
I thought the note was meant to be funny so I lol'ed pretty good at it! But if that is a serious note.........That's just ridiculous to me.
I have pity for folks that feel that way about things so trivial.

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Cruiserdude wrote: April 2nd, 2023, 11:28 am I thought the note was meant to be funny so I lol'ed pretty good at it! But if that is a serious note.........That's just ridiculous to me.
I have pity for folks that feel that way about things so trivial.
Just imagine picking up a handful of M&Ms, throwing them in your mouth. But some are peanut butter (not good if one is allergic to peanuts) and some are - ick - Skittles. Travesty! That person may have been seriously butt-hurt that they got Skittles. 😁

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Silver Pie wrote: April 2nd, 2023, 11:38 am
Cruiserdude wrote: April 2nd, 2023, 11:28 am I thought the note was meant to be funny so I lol'ed pretty good at it! But if that is a serious note.........That's just ridiculous to me.
I have pity for folks that feel that way about things so trivial.
Just imagine picking up a handful of M&Ms, throwing them in your mouth. But some are peanut butter (not good if one is allergic to peanuts) and some are - ick - Skittles. Travesty! That person may have been seriously butt-hurt that they got Skittles. 😁
That people get butt hurt over stuff like that CRACKS ME UP! 😂😂😂

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Cruiserdude wrote: April 2nd, 2023, 11:28 am
Thinker wrote: April 1st, 2023, 10:29 pm Image
The note is funnier than the prank.
Yet, how many people have shamed others similarly?
Gotta remember this. Like calling damnation to their souls for daring to… ie not falling for… bla bla bla… or for mixing Reece’s, m&m’s & skittles.
And to add to the metaphor - ^those things are banned in some countries as unhealthy poison. The concern isn’t that though, but rather being “unorthodox” by mixing what is usually not mixed.
I thought the note was meant to be funny so I lol'ed pretty good at it! But if that is a serious note.........That's just ridiculous to me.
I have pity for folks that feel that way about things so trivial.
Yeah, it’s funny either way.
I took it on a kinda serious comparison - but it can be funny too when people get all freaked out because someone doesn’t stick with their ideas of tradition.

Eg., Wouldn’t a Mormon think it ridiculously trivial if a Skartas Hindu argued with a Saivite Hindu about which ritual for which diety… Ganesha, Siva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda. If one Hindu said, “How dare you mix them all together - you will be damned for that!” Maybe the other Hindu will argue, but outside that, since we/LDS are not personally invested, it seems trivial to us.

Some lds trivia traditions feel similar sometimes. ;)

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Herd mentalities feel like a mentally secure place to hang beliefs but in reality, they are often not based on truth so will inevitably fail. We have such a strong yearning to feel connected as we have spiritually been for eons - so this yearning to belong tends to override integrity. It’s interesting how God designed for us to begin life 100% connected to our mothers. Maybe that eases the transition. Yet, to grow, we need to mentally leave the comfort of the ignorant-bliss “Garden of Eden.” But growing pains hurt so again, we tend to prioritize belonging above everything else - this is why mob mentality is almost always more insane than an individual thinking for themselves.

“What do I need to believe to belong?
Pretend to drink blood & eat a body & believe in human sacrifice scapegoating? Ok! Anything! I just want to feel belonging!”
And like any insane herd mentality, deep down some KNOW it’s insane but rather than question that, they make anyone who does question that, be the bad guy. They shoot the messenger, they blame truth-tellers.

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Strange when one is less safe not knowing of threats but feels more safe out of ignorance… Then once realizing threats becomes more safe by knowing, but feels less safe because the illusion of “all is well” is gone.

Ce la vie - the story of us, who are represented by Adam & Eve. Like a spider living close by you for days, maybe months, but only freaking out once you become aware of it. But this type of spider (evil in all) is not the type you can just kill or pick up to place outside. Is there a way to acknowledge the “spider” & taking precautions not to get bitten while feeling safe? Maybe seeing any potential good growth or grateful for its message?

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Someone referred to this forum as “The sky is falling forum.” Look at the thread subjects - how many are positive? Of course it’s good to be aware of threats, or deception but focus on it too much & life feels that way.

Why are many of us drawn to negativity - violent movies, bad news, etc? Why does that sell more? Do some religious symbols sometimes resonate for similar reasons?


“Why is the suffering body of Christ, his face distorted in agony & his body bleeding from countless wounds, such a significant image…? [It is] recognized as an outer representation of an inner reality - the pain body…
The pain-body is an addiction to unhappiness… To the pain-body, pain is pleasure. It eagerly devours every negative thought…
Due to a lack of self awareness, they cannot tell the difference between an event & their reaction to the event. To them, the unhappiness & even the pain itself is out there in the event or situation.
(How disempowering! This sad lack of self awareness blinds us to the healing balm we so desperately need!)

…Spiritual practices that involve the physical body… are helpful in weakening the pain-body…
There is only 1 perpetrator of evil: human unconsciousness. That realization is true forgiveness. With forgiveness… your true power emerges… Instead of blaming the darkness, you bring in the light.” - E Tolle


I’m not suggesting this is an easy quick fix. No, this shedding light on dark/hidden/subconscious things may be the main purpose of our entire lifetimes.

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On a more personal note, at Zumba a song about someone’s wonderful mother was played & it made me think of how abusive & even recently how cruel my mother has been to me. The harm she has caused me & all of the love, support & protection she never gave me over the years cannot be atoned for.

I don’t believe in human sacrifice scapegoating - as if an innocent person could go to jail for a mass murderer. Our legal system doesn’t work that way & if it did, we would have hell with murderers continuing to freely murder knowing another would pay. Christ is about taking responsibility - so as followers we are to as well, if we take Christ seriously.

What I believe is in a spiritual law of cause & effect & that hellish people gravitate to hell. God doesn’t send them there - they choose it because truth is too painful to them & lies feel much better. I can see it already in this life. But when we are pure consciousness it’ll probably be 100x more.

Maybe a big part of forgiving (giving self to go forward) is ACCEPTING that life, & many people are simply unjust.
“DON’T KEEP MESSING WITH THE WOUND - LET IT HEAL & ACCEPT THE SCAR.”

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Thinker wrote: May 13th, 2023, 11:46 am On a more personal note, at Zumba a song about someone’s wonderful mother was played & it made me think of how abusive & even recently how cruel my mother has been to me. The harm she has caused me & all of the love, support & protection she never gave me over the years cannot be atoned for.

I don’t believe in human sacrifice scapegoating - as if an innocent person could go to jail for a mass murderer. Our legal system doesn’t work that way & if it did, we would have hell with murderers continuing to freely murder knowing another would pay. Christ is about taking responsibility - so as followers we are to as well, if we take Christ seriously.

What I believe is in a spiritual law of cause & effect & that hellish people gravitate to hell. God doesn’t send them there - they choose it because truth is too painful to them & lies feel much better. I can see it already in this life. But when we are pure consciousness it’ll probably be 100x more.

Maybe a big part of forgiving (giving self to go forward) is ACCEPTING that life, & many people are simply unjust.
“DON’T KEEP MESSING WITH THE WOUND - LET IT HEAL & ACCEPT THE SCAR.”
I'm kinda all over the place regarding the atonement and what it really means. Often, I feel exactly as you do, but I did have another thought as I read your post. (Sorry, INTJ here also, can't leave well enough alone.)

I do think in the path to godhood that we eventually must learn to take responsibility for our own mistakes.
However, as a father, I understand the concept of being willing to step in and pay the price for your kids' mistakes. NOT so they never learn, not to rob justice, but 1) if I feel they really did learn (repent) and 2) I think it is very healthy for a developing child to understand that someone loves them that much that they literally would step in and take the pain for them if they would truly repent.

The atonement for sure is not an infinite get out of jail free card - again, I think that would actually thwart the purpose of making gods of us all.

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You'll find that those who think they can repent without the blood of the Lamb also think their nature is not a sinful state.

They'll die in the gap.

Like Judas, instead of running to the Son , they run to Mammon and try to unburden themselves by throwing their silver at the feet of the Beast in shame and disgust

It's not enough. When they understand this reality....the only thing left is the rope

It's better to never have know Him...

HEADS UP

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nightlight wrote: May 14th, 2023, 12:48 am You'll find that those who think they can repent without the blood of the Lamb also think their nature is not a sinful state…
The God I believe in considers blood from human sacrifice and scapegoating EVIL.

It seems to be the way of reality that few are chosen… from only 1 out of 200 million sperm… to this earth that seems like the only life-sustaining planet for light years around.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, & broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, & many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, & narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, & few there be that find it. - Christ

“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, & aspire to the honors of men…” - D&C 121:34-35


People who go along with evil false traditions like blood from human sacrifice as needed to be good to God - are part of the massive herds that go through the wide gate, aspiring to honors of men. If they really cared most what God thinks, they’d quickly see how evil human sacrifice scapegoating is. But alas, it would make them feel unpopular, going against such a massive peer pressured herd mentality. So they take the easier way where the masses herd practically carries them along in their unthinking stampede.

Would a perfect God ask us to accept the punishment of the innocent instead of the guilty or is that something that a Satan would ask us to do?
I think only a Satan would be that immoral.

Another reason why some buy into this human sacrifice scapegoating LIE, is because they cannot handle the paradox of God creating us perfectly imperfect… and the constant challenge to accept our inherent imperfection while striving to improve.

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