definition of Reincarnation

Over and over and over

Key word is same

Reincarnation is the repetitive  birth of the same soul in a different body. The definition of insanity is similar. Insanity is the repetition of the same event and expecting a different result.

"Same" is our operative word here, in both instances. Repetition soon degenerates, into not only insanity, but is a vital thread in any definition of full blown hell. 

Resurrection 

Resurrection has no connection to repetitiveness in any manifestation. It is a single, one time event for all time. Resurrection has no connection to birth, the connection is to death. Resurrection was a final sacrifice for our freedom from sin. There is no rational justification for comparing of either one of them in the same sentence. 

Persuasion in the pulpit

Whiffle Waffling Wafflers

Trip the Light Fantastic 

If anyone makes me think they are in any way giving me the credit for their seeing the light in any matter, they are actually giving me the responsibility for their own decisionless decisions. 

It is a responsibility that is not theirs to give. It is their own and not mine in any manner. I cannot persuade anyone, everyone persuades themselves. And they should take good credit for it, for themselves.

 I have learned that talking, like a puff of wind,  is not effective if one wants to advocate a position anyway. It is just a release for the talker. It usually hardens them into a incompletely thought out decision.  

It also is not a decision for anyone who agrees in a group. But they, there as well, will also refuse responsibility for a group decision. Often this after every cruel and disgusting position they find themselves were a part, all of course, in hind sight. 

Writing opinions down is more lasting, than talking. Writing your opinions down is harder than explaining them vocally. Writing objectifies my thinking, potentially permanent, like working an idea out in my own mind, only better. 

My ideas do work themselves out, sort of like climbing a ladder, I tend, by writing, not to fall behind into the sea of forgetfulness. But as opinions evolve and progress I date them since that is my thinking as of that date. My opinions are alive and as I grow they could grow. 

As one becomes older we should be able to change our minds instantly when we find we are wrong. Each dated idea is frozen in time while I myself move flexibly on, either the same or differently. It is a characteristic of the seen opinion that it can, and often enough does, change. When my seen time is over, I only hope my unseen will be happy with the previously seen. 

My third great quote, I stole

"The truth cannot be told by those who know." 

This was said by Jesse Livermore. He participated in stock trading pools, now illegal I strongly believe, prior to the great crash that ushered in FDR. 

I adapted it just as it is however, because it spoke to me on a larger plateau. I think it wonderful since it fulfills one of my deep convictions. No one can tell anyone the truth except themselves. Everyone persuades themselves, particularly when they try to persuade others. 

Every time we expand our awareness of the truth, we find the truth is more illusive than we ever conceived,  always keeping just ahead of ourselves. 

This is just another reason we all constantly proceed with faith and without proof. Proof can only be achieved to our own individual satisfactions. It cannot be achieved by any freestanding independent proof itself. This is largely because all things seen came from the unseen, which is to say everything in the seen is registered from many different "projectives". 

The seen is always changing while the unseen is unchanging. This is why I believe Jesus could say if you kill-wish someone in your heart, you are guilty of murder already. This is teaching, a teaching about the inside of the cup, our spirit.

Like the wind

If one does not understand the spirit, then the truth cannot be told to them since they cannot see it spiritually, or otherwise understand where the truth comes from, or where it goes. 

My second favorite quote I own

 "Which man is worse off? The one who tells a lie or the one who believes it?" Because I cannot control what anyone says I never think about that.

I am not really moved by anyone telling a lie about me, but I take strong exception anyone knowing me would believe it. Am I taking an offense? Maybe so, but I suddenly know I do not really have a good reason to trust them further. Definitely disappointed particularly at the my loss. But silently, under my hat, not woundedly so. Stronger? Absolutely! 

I love a good quote

.....no matter that so many great quotes are each credited to literally thousands of different people.

The first personally original quote that simply jackboxed out of me was during a friendly but excited discussion among relatives as a teenager.

"Only offensive people take offense."

It was suggested that my remarks were assuming an offense against a cousin. I chipped back that no, he would not be offended because only offensive people take offense. Did not think about, it was suddenly just there. 

Since then I've came to love it, and repeat it often as I possibly can. Who knows? Maybe I heard it before and could not remember it? Always seemed unlikely to me because it reflects an outlook I was born with since I can recall much earlier, in the fourth grade, a childhood acquaintance saying to me that, don't you know I am calling your mother a dog? To which I responded, so what? your saying it does not make it so. 

I always wondered why anyone could become so animated by anyone else just saying such and so. Honor? How did anyone assume they had control of my respect? I do not need anyone's respect. I respect myself.  I never felt responsible for what others said, about me or not about me. I am not going to waste time denying speech I do not seek to control, cannot control, or more likely never even hear.

But, forgetting all that, quotes are wonderful because they are so brief, so concise, and the best ones so darned true. The more words one employs explaining anything is just so much accumulation of muddy water. It specifically means to me that one is not clear of what they are talking about. 

By virtue of taking an offense, 

Exposes ones' offensiveness

Taking an offense indicates a weakening, having taken it. It advertises ones' resulting vulnerability. Like anger, it tells everyone they are wounded. This highlights them as a perfectly clear target for attack. The sense of blood in the air tells all rivals, instinctive among males, this weakened state is a good time to strike. 😋

The sweet chariot

Flying Low

My spirit is clearly seen flying quite low lately. Reading in Ecclesiastes can do that for one I suppose with everything reflected as meaningless. But while toil is meaningless, the writer does say our only hope for meaning comes in enjoying our toil. First glance seems to me dangerously close to a logical pattycake. But, he says the toil is meaningless while the enjoyment of it is another thing.

If the seen is beautiful
what about the unseen?

However the best verse in this book for my attention is found in the early going. It confirms my suspicion that God has placed eternity in our hearts. I am taken by this, since it is universally good to exist, by definition. This contrasts with the observation of the writer of Ecclesiastes that it is better to never have been born. There is much grief in wisdom, also my underline. As recently mentioned, I have been captured by the idea that merely the passage of time itself, good or bad, is intrinsically sad.    

Phony Sermon Redux

No blinkies for  

second pulpit talk

I witnessed this sermon. I've heard it twice. Once, and then a second time, around fifty years later, by a different pastor. Same thing in a reworked format, sad as sad any emotion can be, but in it, no mention of Jesus Christ whatever. Then like a cold shower, inexplicably,  an invitation to give your heart to Jesus. 

The first was to children, as the 11th and 12th grades were ushered out of the chapel, so they could freely vent I guess. The second, much later, was to comfortably advanced retired people. The first sermon was well responded to by the children, but the oldsters, about to enter the glorious gold mansions, never blinked an eye.

My Three Churches

Church for Sale

Shooting the Shepherds

I was born into one church. I was married in another church. I will likely die in my current church. While I was attending,  in all three churches,  contentious members voted their pastors out of office. 

Healing only for believers?

We are what we believe

Pulpit Talk at Pulpit Rock

Can one believe Jesus rose from the dead but find healing too hard a miracle feat to ever mention healing? I always thought they felt if they were not healed, then they would not be believers nor else not enter heaven. But I was never specifically told this by anyone. 

All I found is, not only in the denomination I was born into, but in many Protestant denominations, they never mention healing. All without saying exactly why. Since I was baptized in church on Pentecost Sunday, I feel licensed to speak about myself on the subject, whether anyone thinks I am right or wrong. 

Something for the kids...

Healing was an integral part of Jesus' ministry, and quite a contentious part at that. Jesus' theme, it must be resaid however, was about the Holy Spirit and being born again. Something that was not ever mentioned in the church I was born into. I was told the stories in the Bible were not true, only the meaning was true. You know, something like Santa Claus, something for the kids. I learned, overheard form the adults, what the meaning was of pulpit talk. 

I was surprised to learn of the lack of healing emphasis much later, after graduating from a Christian high school of the numerous connections to the New from the Old Testament, with healing, being just one. 

Prediction prespoken

If one is young they will change their mind. If they are old they will lose it. This is when one finally realizes, if they haven't already, is all they have is their spirit. The only time to build one's spirit is in the changing seen world. What they fed their spirit then is the foundation of what they will know in the unseen world forever, outside time.

Building faith

Healing verses are comforting to consult and carry with you at all times. After all, one never knows when the blow may fall.  Often in the struggles we encounter are victories of faith. I found it wise to watch closely what Jesus said prior to healings. Those who neglect this endeavor are at times heard trying to convince God to heal them, long after God already healed them when Jesus endured stripes on the Cross. These pleaders reveal their ignorance of the Cross.  God sent Jesus and now they expect Jesus to believe for them. He said, we must recall, that they would be healed according to their belief.   

Be careful what you hear

"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured out to you, and to you who hear more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  

 Mark 4:23, 24-25.

The only reliable rule in psychology I trust is "projection". From out of the heart the mouth speaks. One reveals more about themselves in talking about another than they realize. And if anyone takes an offense, they are offensive by reason of having taken it.