Flame Out!

Flame Out! refers, in my understanding, to someone when they are dying, and they actually pass the bar with a euphotic expression. I am not sure if it is desirable or not, however, it seems it should be.  It is certain, it would seem, to have positive association but I cannot put my finger on anything definitive. It happened to someone known to me and who was well connected. Looks like I should be in a profitable position, but it is frustrating not to know what it is. All I sense it with would be a SAC aircraft going down.

Attracted Yet Hesitant

Heaven Can Wait?

Doubts and Fears: It is amazing how great an attraction the physical world has on us all. Many seem to really desire and envision the spirit but yet are all totally hesitant. Many pray for healings of their physically deteriorating bodies. Why, I wonder, the hesitancy to fully enter the far more desirable spirit? 

Leaning on the Arm of Flesh

Some say they don't mind entering, it is getting there that bothers them. Yet, especially among the earliest primitive church, there were quite few who actually desired greater suffering in order to gain a more favorable entry to the promised spirit world. Today faith is, from my assessment interlaced with a wariness, actually a hopefulness that it is all true. More see Pulpit Rock

Jesus in the Source is the Source

Digesting Knowledge

The reason some of us give so much attention and devotion to Jesus is that He awakened the world to the world of the full spirit waiting beyond, in all its' promise and beauty, the world of the flesh. 

Yet, there are many who do not relate to the concept of the unseen and their flesh dictates complete awareness of their existence. There are many things we do not know that, had we known, would have understood things quite differently at that time. Again, why? 

Could it be. perhaps, that knowledge figuratively eats itself?

Twisting Paul's Letters Against Himself

Blaming One's Sin on Others

I ran across a group of Christians quite a few years ago who were quite down on Paul. That takes in much of the New Testament. Their view about Paul was that he quoted himself in the Bible saying that he, Paul, explained Jesus Christ to others and if they did not accept it then he, Paul, would let them alone and consign their souls to hell, or some such language.

I haven't heard anything since, so as they say, maybe the flag did not fly on that one. Their basic idea was that it was from Paul that later Christians were inspired to burn people at the stake and torture them during what is remembered as the Inquisition.

I rather think myself that this view is so harsh primarily to move Paul aside and weaken the Christ story. It is true that Paul is "harsh" but he was harsh when he was originally turned aside. He was zealous against Christians and then was equally zealous in favor.

It is mentioned in the Bible that it is quite common for the devil to blame his sins on the Brothern. One should be alert for this and always check their premises.

The Arrow that flies by day

 Metaphorical Jesus

Many, maybe many, do not even think of believing the last entry comment on Mark, without wondering if the Cross is metaphorical as well as in Mark 11:13. There is where the metaphorical Jesus spoke things about faith too hard for many to believe. 

Believing in Jesus 

But Not the Power Thereof

If the devil in doubt cannot dislodge Christians in believing Jesus even existed, the next step would be to question His power. Jesus spoke of rising on the third day metaphorically but then later spoke directly. So metaphorical proceeded literal on those occasions. 

It takes more faith to believe something unbelievable than it takes to believe something easy or especially something proved. 

Figurative Faith

How God Spoke the Universe into Being 

"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Mark 11:23 This is a good test verse to tell me how I believe, either figuratively alone or faithfully with the spirit. 

Jesus spoke figuratively and is quoted as saying He spoke figuratively.  But here I believe He spoke true faith, not just figuratively for illustration. 

I say this because when He spoke figuratively, He spoke figuratively for a reason. For example, He spoke figuratively when He said the reason, was so that those "who heard would not understand and be healed." 

In other words, those that were believers would understand He was speaking spiritually but unbelievers would not understand, otherwise they would be healed. So, I believe this passage in Mark is to be believed literally because if one has enough belief, they can do anything.

This tells us just how powerful the spirit of belief and faith actually are if one has belief enough to see it happen, they can. 

Logic lying in the dark

Morning thoughts 

The only trouble with figuring out whether there is a God or not, is that one is working their analysis backward. I do not trust thinking in reverse. It is mere, maybe good, but essentially mere private speciation. History has good reason not to be held less than in exact trust, since, as they say, it is written by the winners. 

But nevertheless, people like to play God, as I heard an extremely rich may say exactly that, on television. In any event, history is not to be denied, so I engage in it anyway. 

The first thing in the mix, that I notice, is that how could we figure out a beginning with only hearsay proof. Fact as proof cannot be identified if there is no one to hearsay identify it. 

Logic out the window

This is why, perhaps, that Jesus said one can only come to God is God Himself draws him. Jesus lost a lot of followers after saying that, but it did not seem to disappoint Him. Largely because of His record, without having Himself written one line, I believe Him. 

It is so fanatically spectacular, the entire story rides unmatched in history, never yet even slightly duplicated. Apparently too few are willing to die for any sensible reason and believe they are going to rise again. That, in itself, is already a rather incredible idea How wise. compared to all His disaffected followers, is that?

No Matter What

God is

I no longer care what logic says, even as I agree with it.   I bear all things which fail me without question, and I believe all the more in God, no matter how it may appear God is not favoring me, or is not acting in any way that I do not understand.

Who am I to question God? Who I am to call Him to account? Did I create myself? Was this natural world my creation? Do I know all the answers? I do not even know anyway near all the questions!

Did I conceive of my spirit? How were these things placed in my heart? I do wonder at the things which were shown me, all that I was allowed to see. I have wrestled all night with the Holy Spirit to give me answers. He waited, it seemed, until my desire was red hot. His answers then were short and sudden. 

I have, so far, been burdened with the efforts of a witness. And this, for my benefit, not any benefit for others. That would be their concern, and for their credit, not mine. 

My way is clear once the decision is made, if I can hold to it. 

Future of Big Bangs

 from the Quoteblokes

The progress of science is strewn, like an ancient desert trail, with the bleached skeleton of discarded theories which once seemed to possess eternal life. Arthur Koestler

Direction of my remarks

The Mystery Religions

The Mystery Religions are usually grouped together with Christianity as a way of trivializing religions in general. I refer to science as specifically physical science because they appear to place high marks on proof and logic, whereas the spiritual, the unseen, all gain a mystic, mystery rating. 

Koestler 1905-1983

Closer to the beginning they were both considered together but grew apart in succeeding centuries. In this was a tragedy of thought, where I strongly agree with Arthur Koestler in his book entitled The Sleepwalkers.

The atheistic view, which I once rather carelessly adopted myself while in college, favors the specific which some handle roughly the further down the scale, if one takes note. 

Koestler takes a detailed long-term view of the parting of the disciplines, science and the humanities. The scientific views always seem to take a dogmatic final stage attitude, which he decries. 

Each generation typically take a more hostile view of the previous generation than do the current more malleable students of today. Not good, it suggests to me a hiatus in historical progress.

Future of Big Bangs

the Quotebloke Collection

The progress of science is strewn, like an ancient desert trail, with the bleached skeleton of discarded theories which once seemed to possess eternal life. Arthur Koestler

Why time is important?

Time is Binary Two

I am sensitively aware that the physical scientists do not agree with each other on just what time really is. Definitions range all the way from time is a red sail in the sunset, to time is a summer vacation, which sounds like the best I've heard in the mix. 

But it does not matter what definition one uses; it seems to me because time fools us all, even as we admit time is fooling us. Time, since I am not privy to private scientific lingo, is perception. When I, was free to play for the summer, the first generation in my familty to do so, I felt summer was going to last forever. I did not know that summer off was for children instituted to help their parents bring in the harvest.

On the other hand, holding my hand on a scalding hot radiator for a split second was closer to forever than working in the fields all summer. So, there is a host of perceptions that influence time, all perceptions.

So then so what? There is no time in the spirit. We instinctively know that time changes in the spirit to eternal. However, in this life, time is everything. It drags on forever and suddenly it is over  with everyone acting if it is going to continue indefinitely as time dwindles down to a few precious months.

This is not true so I believe the motivation to think that way is the work of doubt, and the devil of error for destructive purposes. We only have so much time and it is unknown. We say time is money, but I always know how much money I have, but I'll never know how much time. Yet I go on acting as if I have indefinite amount of time, merely because I do not know how much time I have. An error is the fruit of error. So is the spirit of doubt and the devil. 

It seems better then to make haste and figure out the most important questions that face ourselves. This is why it is called salvation, because we can clearly see that destruction is in the offing. Someday we will all be as dead people out of mind. We will only be remembered by those who remain, 

I am Crossing the Sea of Forgetfulness

When even they are gone our living memory will be gone and take on a unfamiliar existence. I am reluctant to admit the famous poeple of my time will be forgotten like I will be forgotten. So I want to build the foundation of my salvation as solid as I can, right now. Under construction.

All time to be must be measured....

Time is Binary

Time cannot be witnessed or even exist unless it is comparative. In order to conceive time, there must be two so that one time can exist. One is dominant time so that the respondent time can be compared to it. The dominant has no time of itself, which strongly hints that it is illusional, which in turn means it is eternal.

Time is seen as the effect of change, in a changing physical world, and in this, may be ultimately an illusion in the spirit. It could be called eternal time to physical time since physical time can change. while the dominant time cannot.

Some folks are like drops of water trickling down a hill until they are lost forever in the mists of what others think of as time.  

Therefore, in order for me to be aware of my spirit, I have to think it, dwell on it, so that there will be someone to be remembered. Time is slippery and fools us all. Even as I speak time is fooling me. One day one will wonder where all that time went.                        Unedited

Errata

Correction: Previous Entry Garbled

The final sentences in the previous entry originally concluded: it could be. Writing too fast, the following underlined sentence is what was intended. 

Jesus very strongly talked against many things wrong. Of course, it would not drag Him down, on the other hand: it could me.

 Giving the Devil a Tongue

In Pulpit Rock I somewhat consistently give the Devil a tongue, thereby emulating political reactionaries publicizing negatives against their own views. If one wants to work for the devil, then just point out his tactics and anything else about him. I do it and I shouldn't perhaps, but I do it anyway. I try to tread lightly, not sure if that works.

The reason is I think of it as sort of a warning because I find it difficult to listen to Christians constantly contradicting the Bible. Am I spreading these ideas further around? Possible. Does God really change His mind? Does God really allow evil? Many of these so-called positions of God fall into the hands of demon devils undercutting God. 

On the other hand, it cannot be favorable, at least to the teller to be pointing these things out. Staying positive has advantages. However, Jesus very strongly talked against many things wrong. Of course, it would not drag Him down, on the other hand, I could me.

Camus's quote

Roughly Speaking

How the previous entry, thinking about the quote by Camus, works into my little paradigm is like this: Remember, I still think that if a person does not think logically then they might as well be a street corner propagandist pamphleteer. 

But, since proving God is not acceptable to God, then where does that put the no-God view and all my gorgeous logic? It was through logic that I figured out and proved that we could not actually prove anything for certain, except each to our own satisfaction. That was quite clear.

I believe no-matter what!

So, then I fell back on what was already there, my no-matter what position. We are all forced to believe up or down whatever we believe if we believe anything at all. This means the power is in the belief one musters. I experienced that power, and that is why I have said that a man with an experience is not at the mercy of one with a theory. 

Hither to I have referred to this experience as an epiphany and this is also why epiphanies are not attractive to groups of individuals who seek utopian dreams while Christianity requires an individual decision. That is one of the ways it becomes personal. Person in turn leads us to the individual. 

Something to chew on

 I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is.

Albert Camus

He will be where the lambs are

Where Will the Devil Be on Sunday?

Likely he will be in church, hidden in the first row. He certainly isn't going into any taverns whatever day it is. Those in taverns are set aside already. A popular novel on the idea was written by C.S. Lewis, called the Screwtape Letters.

If he cannot dismember one from Jesus aa God, then he has another plan. He will acknowledge Jesus but deny the power of Jesus. He will offer us a metaphorical Jesus. He will demand proof, he will question Jesus' very existence, He will shuffle contexts to suit his view. 

He will seek destruction, attracted by fire. I have even seen automobile stickers, parked in exclusive neighborhoods, claiming he can heal. He can lurk behind strange and familiar philosophies.

Yearning for more

 Jesus is the Source

Why do Christian's worship and praise Jesus? For my part I am thankful. I just cannot overcome the gratitude in my spirit. It is reflexive, automatic, in a way. I like life, I want to live, but not diminishingly so. I expect0 good things. 

At one time, and way too many times as well, I have spent much of my existence experiencing the world like someone watching a boob tube. The reason I believe that it becomes a boob tube instead of an excellent human communication device, is because it is instinctual for us to watch anything that moves. 

It is when it becomes habitual that "boob" becomes the operative word. I stop thinking and eventually will fall asleep, especially if an advert comes on for, as they inevitably do, so incredibly long. Maybe that is why sleep overcomes me. There used to be only a few sponsors, but eventually they have slivered them up, to squeeze more money in I would expect. 

But even when I participate, by contemplating the importance of Jesus historically in total, it transforms one. But to engender so much praise, gratitude, and worship I have to make everything Jesus did across all time more and more real as it is absorbed continually into my psyche. 

Time slipping away

The little time in this world requires a strong focus on all things positive one possibly can embrace as it says in Philippians. Passion builds up power, and faith is stronger for it. I also yearn for even more worship and praise as it lifts me higher. One could say it is addictive.

Resurrection Redux

When Jesus became as a Man, Like Us

I fear reincarnation will not be an easy way to keep the physical life going in a pleasant manner as many anticipate. To do something over and over (even so as a human or as an animal yet) seems dangerously similar to a definition of hell once one is in it. 

However, to contemplate Jesus as God incarnate is much more attractive to me, even accurate I feel, than the current excessive Christmas emphasis placed on Jesus as a baby, rather than as God incarnate where it is somewhat overlooked.

Root of the word incarnate, or many times as reincarnate is carnal or physical, which is the opposite of spiritual. When Jesus died on the Cross that was no reincarnation, it was resurrection. He conquered death, elevating our focus to the vital importance of spirit.