Council Member
Posts: 1,926 
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 28th, 2007, 06:34 PM
What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns, sickness, diseases, wars, catastrophes and suicides.
I mean look at the animals, they exist to die by predators and or all of the things mentioned above.
What hope then is there in life?
Repeat this cycle over and over again, generation to generation each with all the same conditions, yet what purpose is all of it?
What about the spirit of mankind, is there hope in that?
Something has to have some worth, value, to make this life worth living, worth sacrificing if need be.
What is at the end of it all, life?
To those who believe in God and those who don't, the conditions are still the same.
What then makes the difference?
Your comments?
Peace>>>AJ
What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns, sickness, diseases, wars, catastrophes and suicides.
I mean look at the animals, they exist to die by predators and or all of the things mentioned above.
What hope then is there in life?
Repeat this cycle over and over again, generation to generation each with all the same conditions, yet what purpose is all of it?
What about the spirit of mankind, is there hope in that?
Something has to have some worth, value, to make this life worth living, worth sacrificing if need be.
What is at the end of it all, life?
To those who believe in God and those who don't, the conditions are still the same.
What then makes the difference?
Your comments?
Peace>>>AJ
NHL Hockey Insider
Posts: 3,581 
Location: Vancouver Island
Location: Vancouver Island
June 28th, 2007, 06:39 PM
One's individual 'zest' and 'strong' positive love of life, , 'just to be alive', without condition.
One's drive, each day, when arising, to live the whole day with complete fullness, enjoyment, and
satisfaction of a job well done, without any outisde influence, especially religion.
One's individual 'zest' and 'strong' positive love of life, , 'just to be alive', without condition.
One's drive, each day, when arising, to live the whole day with complete fullness, enjoyment, and
satisfaction of a job well done, without any outisde influence, especially religion.
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 28th, 2007, 07:42 PM
Both responses are good responses based on your own life's experiences and knowledge. Truly no one could understand it better than you.
But what if you were born say, 300 years ago, would you still feel and think the same way?
To exist and then not to exist somewhere else would be a total waste of time, and suffering.
Truly, the design was for humanity to experience these things so that good fruit may be produced from it.
But good may not only come from propagating it's own specie, but honor, praise and good will for the propagator as well.
Those good efforts should not be gone without reward of a good life and an after life.
Thus making life worth the pain, the sacrifice and the time done in the flesh.
A life lived victorious over the desires of the flesh and giving the next generations a better chance to suffer less.
Peace>>>AJ
Both responses are good responses based on your own life's experiences and knowledge. Truly no one could understand it better than you.
But what if you were born say, 300 years ago, would you still feel and think the same way?
To exist and then not to exist somewhere else would be a total waste of time, and suffering.
Truly, the design was for humanity to experience these things so that good fruit may be produced from it.
But good may not only come from propagating it's own specie, but honor, praise and good will for the propagator as well.
Those good efforts should not be gone without reward of a good life and an after life.
Thus making life worth the pain, the sacrifice and the time done in the flesh.
A life lived victorious over the desires of the flesh and giving the next generations a better chance to suffer less.
Peace>>>AJ
Time Out
Posts: 3,867
Videos: 1
Location: Honour our Fallen
Videos: 1
Location: Honour our Fallen
June 28th, 2007, 10:14 PM
look347 yer just a barrel of laughs.....
Life is good.
It was meant to be enjoyed to the fullest
We live forever so get used to it.
The doom and gloom waiting for an afterlife was this thing the rich and powerfull made up for the poor to keep them at bay...along with sayings like money isn't everything and it is the root of all evil
look347 yer just a barrel of laughs.....
Life is good.
It was meant to be enjoyed to the fullest
We live forever so get used to it.
The doom and gloom waiting for an afterlife was this thing the rich and powerfull made up for the poor to keep them at bay...along with sayings like money isn't everything and it is the root of all evil
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 28th, 2007, 10:50 PM
True, life is nice to enjoy, but many times to many people life is hell. So the object of life is to live it in such a way that it can be good and yet be helpful to others.
And what motivates me to do so is a love for the God I believe in. An understanding and experience I've gotten about Him and from over the years of my life that make for my life a
a complete and satisfactory mission of which my rest from it all is in Heaven.
Life is but a journey for determined end results of which if we do right, life will be a joy even in suffering because of the promised rest afterlife.
I may be a strong believer in God, yet without ill will towards unbelievers.
This attitude could only have happened with a strong desire to know the mind of God.
Not that I know the mind of God, but what His hopes for us are.
Understanding that, releases me from finding fault with anybody.
Everybody has some idea of what they want to believe in, not necessarily things of God.
What I understand is that God is aware of all situations mild or extreme to His recognition as God and has taken appropriate steps to ensure that not one soul is lost to infinite nothing.
I agree with the doom and gloom thing as mans creation, but the recipe for godliness is genuine and worthy of all consideration.
So say I.
Peace>>>AJ
Quoting DocDred
Laughter is good for the soul, I agree. I believe life is to be lived not so much unto myself, but for others.
look347 yer just a barrel of laughs.....
Life is good.
It was meant to be enjoyed to the fullest
We live forever so get used to it.
The doom and gloom waiting for an afterlife was this thing the rich and powerfull made up for the poor to keep them at bay...along with sayings like money isn't everything and it is the root of all evil
Life is good.
It was meant to be enjoyed to the fullest
We live forever so get used to it.
The doom and gloom waiting for an afterlife was this thing the rich and powerfull made up for the poor to keep them at bay...along with sayings like money isn't everything and it is the root of all evil
True, life is nice to enjoy, but many times to many people life is hell. So the object of life is to live it in such a way that it can be good and yet be helpful to others.
And what motivates me to do so is a love for the God I believe in. An understanding and experience I've gotten about Him and from over the years of my life that make for my life a
a complete and satisfactory mission of which my rest from it all is in Heaven.
Life is but a journey for determined end results of which if we do right, life will be a joy even in suffering because of the promised rest afterlife.
I may be a strong believer in God, yet without ill will towards unbelievers.
This attitude could only have happened with a strong desire to know the mind of God.
Not that I know the mind of God, but what His hopes for us are.
Understanding that, releases me from finding fault with anybody.
Everybody has some idea of what they want to believe in, not necessarily things of God.
What I understand is that God is aware of all situations mild or extreme to His recognition as God and has taken appropriate steps to ensure that not one soul is lost to infinite nothing.
I agree with the doom and gloom thing as mans creation, but the recipe for godliness is genuine and worthy of all consideration.
So say I.
Peace>>>AJ
Electoral Member
Posts: 241
Location: kelowna bc
Location: kelowna bc
June 28th, 2007, 11:30 PM
What makes life worth living is our individual approach to it. The old saying applies, the only two things for sure, death and taxes.
It is what we do with our lives that makes the difference though, as each of us only has so much time in the cab of life and the meter is always running.
Each generation teaches the next, about values, goals and the joys of life. No one, religious or otherwise can claim a monopoly on morals or values, goals or dreams.
I think the whole thing comes down to, can I look at myself in the mirror at the end of each day,
if you can do that, then life is worth living
What makes life worth living is our individual approach to it. The old saying applies, the only two things for sure, death and taxes.
It is what we do with our lives that makes the difference though, as each of us only has so much time in the cab of life and the meter is always running.
Each generation teaches the next, about values, goals and the joys of life. No one, religious or otherwise can claim a monopoly on morals or values, goals or dreams.
I think the whole thing comes down to, can I look at myself in the mirror at the end of each day,
if you can do that, then life is worth living
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 28th, 2007, 11:49 PM
That God would love even the unbeliever just as much as the believer and would give life freely and willingly.
To look at us with such love that He overlooks all our faults and sees our needs, and supply's them.
To not recognize Him for that to me is missing out in one of the worlds greatest experiences in the flesh.
To know without a doubt that He is real and true and ever cognizant of my every need.
How can I not love and trust with my whole life and soul the God of my Salvation.
How can I not love my neighbor and my enemy whose very soul Jesus died for?
Love animates from within as He works through me as an instrument of Good.
Thus suffering is nothing compared to what is waiting for us at the end of this one, which is the hope of all that we do as a token of His goodness towards all mankind.
Peace>>>AJ
Quoting damngrumpy
All that you said it correct and true to life. But what is so endearing to me is that God has such power and might that He would give and gives the insignificant me the time of day for the even the smallest request of mine.
What makes life worth living is our individual approach to it. The old saying applies, the only two things for sure, death and taxes.
It is what we do with our lives that makes the difference though, as each of us only has so much time in the cab of life and the meter is always running.
Each generation teaches the next, about values, goals and the joys of life. No one, religious or otherwise can claim a monopoly on morals or values, goals or dreams.
I think the whole thing comes down to, can I look at myself in the mirror at the end of each day,
if you can do that, then life is worth living
It is what we do with our lives that makes the difference though, as each of us only has so much time in the cab of life and the meter is always running.
Each generation teaches the next, about values, goals and the joys of life. No one, religious or otherwise can claim a monopoly on morals or values, goals or dreams.
I think the whole thing comes down to, can I look at myself in the mirror at the end of each day,
if you can do that, then life is worth living
That God would love even the unbeliever just as much as the believer and would give life freely and willingly.
To look at us with such love that He overlooks all our faults and sees our needs, and supply's them.
To not recognize Him for that to me is missing out in one of the worlds greatest experiences in the flesh.
To know without a doubt that He is real and true and ever cognizant of my every need.
How can I not love and trust with my whole life and soul the God of my Salvation.
How can I not love my neighbor and my enemy whose very soul Jesus died for?
Love animates from within as He works through me as an instrument of Good.
Thus suffering is nothing compared to what is waiting for us at the end of this one, which is the hope of all that we do as a token of His goodness towards all mankind.
Peace>>>AJ
Council Member
Posts: 1,918
Location: china
Location: china
June 29th, 2007, 04:31 AM
look3467
What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns..................................What hope then is there in life?
What hope ..............
Hope in what ? ....what fore?
look3467 What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns..................................What hope then is there in life?
What hope ..............
Hope in what ? ....what fore?
NHL Hockey Insider
Posts: 3,581
Location: Vancouver Island
Location: Vancouver Island
June 29th, 2007, 01:34 PM
The word 'hope' implys - needing and wishing for something better, as, what you have is not good enough, and you are not satisfied.
In the western world, we have quite a normal, free existence, and can have a good quality life, with a
little incentive and work, and desire, so, knowing how much of the world has to try to do the same,
while having other forces holding them down, then, should show us how 'hope', need not be a word
needed in our lives, but the knowledge of how good our lives really are, and will continue to be, if
we apply ourselves in a positive way.
And, when we are 'down', for whatever reason, there are many resources we can reach out to, for
assistance, to help us back to our normal state.
I will use the 'hope' word in my way. I hope we never have to struggle and hurt like many many
others in the world have to, as there are no other choices for them, just a little help from us, and
even then, they don't have much 'hope' for their future.
The word 'hope' implys - needing and wishing for something better, as, what you have is not good enough, and you are not satisfied.
In the western world, we have quite a normal, free existence, and can have a good quality life, with a
little incentive and work, and desire, so, knowing how much of the world has to try to do the same,
while having other forces holding them down, then, should show us how 'hope', need not be a word
needed in our lives, but the knowledge of how good our lives really are, and will continue to be, if
we apply ourselves in a positive way.
And, when we are 'down', for whatever reason, there are many resources we can reach out to, for
assistance, to help us back to our normal state.
I will use the 'hope' word in my way. I hope we never have to struggle and hurt like many many
others in the world have to, as there are no other choices for them, just a little help from us, and
even then, they don't have much 'hope' for their future.
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 29th, 2007, 03:07 PM
Hope can only be had while inhabiting the flesh, because after the flesh, hope ceases.
So, while in the flesh, God gives us hope of a better world to come, let alone giving us victory over the flesh in this one.
The promise is to all those who would posses the gift of life by simply accepting it.
Peace>>>AJ
Quoting china
look3467
What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns..................................What hope then is there in life?
What hope ..............
Hope in what ? ....what fore?
Are you the same china of awhile back? If you are, then your question should have been evident, but if your not, then it begs my response. look3467 What hope hath the flesh if everything in life is against it?
I mean, as long as humanity has existed, death reigns..................................What hope then is there in life?
What hope ..............
Hope in what ? ....what fore?
Hope can only be had while inhabiting the flesh, because after the flesh, hope ceases.
So, while in the flesh, God gives us hope of a better world to come, let alone giving us victory over the flesh in this one.
The promise is to all those who would posses the gift of life by simply accepting it.
Peace>>>AJ
Council Member
Posts: 1,918
Location: china
Location: china
June 29th, 2007, 05:55 PM
Originally Posted by china
look3467
Are you the same china of awhile back? If you are, then your question should have been evident,....._____________________________________ ________
Yes I am China from "a while" back.
My question is ..."why believe in anything"?
how do you understand the word "believe"?
Originally Posted by china
look3467 Are you the same china of awhile back? If you are, then your question should have been evident,....._____________________________________ ________
Yes I am China from "a while" back.
My question is ..."why believe in anything"?
how do you understand the word "believe"?
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 29th, 2007, 07:42 PM
I choose to believe in God and based on my life's experiences, I know God has been and is with me everyday.
If my life is blessed, why not share the experience with someone else so that maybe they too may experience the same thing?
The motive for all of it is love.
Peace>>>AJ
Quoting china
Why believe in anything? Well, one doesn't have to believe in anything if that is what one wants.
Originally Posted by china
look3467
Are you the same china of awhile back? If you are, then your question should have been evident,....._____________________________________ ________
Yes I am China from "a while" back.
My question is ..."why believe in anything"?
how do you understand the word "believe"?
look3467 Are you the same china of awhile back? If you are, then your question should have been evident,....._____________________________________ ________
Yes I am China from "a while" back.
My question is ..."why believe in anything"?
how do you understand the word "believe"?
I choose to believe in God and based on my life's experiences, I know God has been and is with me everyday.
If my life is blessed, why not share the experience with someone else so that maybe they too may experience the same thing?
The motive for all of it is love.
Peace>>>AJ
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,995
Location: Florida, Hurricane Central
Location: Florida, Hurricane Central
June 29th, 2007, 07:47 PM
Life is wonderful and awesome.
Go back 300 years and tell me you'd rather live then than now.
Of course, if you're over 40, you probably wouldn't be alive back then.
Romanticism is for poets, not real life.
Life is wonderful and awesome.
Go back 300 years and tell me you'd rather live then than now.
Of course, if you're over 40, you probably wouldn't be alive back then.
Romanticism is for poets, not real life.
Council Member
Posts: 1,926
Location: Northern California
Location: Northern California
June 29th, 2007, 08:22 PM
The difference is the increase of knowledge today verses then.
The body is a vessel that is host to a spirit which enables it to survive, yet within that same spirit is an element that supports a different spiritual element that seeks to motivate the bearer to believe or have faith in something
Is there anybody (sane) totally void of any thoughts of a possible spiritual entity higher than itself?
If it were not so, then all the stories of all the different gods were just not real.
As history points out, that there were many gods of whose influences guided the thoughts and actions of it's believers.
But the true God of creation has made Himself known at a predetermined time to mankind of which all souls who ever lived would know who He is until the present.
God is life, and without Him there exists infinite nothing.
The life you have is not your own for it was given to you to proper there with. Though we may call it our own, we have no control over its determined course, meaning death.
Therefore, God may mean different things to different people all based on time and education.
So it happens.
Peace>>>AJ
Quoting Toro
I believe the times dictates to us what we may find to believe. Back 300 years ago, life may not have been as easy as it is now, but God was and is still the same as is now.
Life is wonderful and awesome.
Go back 300 years and tell me you'd rather live then than now.
Of course, if you're over 40, you probably wouldn't be alive back then.
Romanticism is for poets, not real life.
Go back 300 years and tell me you'd rather live then than now.
Of course, if you're over 40, you probably wouldn't be alive back then.
Romanticism is for poets, not real life.
The difference is the increase of knowledge today verses then.
The body is a vessel that is host to a spirit which enables it to survive, yet within that same spirit is an element that supports a different spiritual element that seeks to motivate the bearer to believe or have faith in something
Is there anybody (sane) totally void of any thoughts of a possible spiritual entity higher than itself?
If it were not so, then all the stories of all the different gods were just not real.
As history points out, that there were many gods of whose influences guided the thoughts and actions of it's believers.
But the true God of creation has made Himself known at a predetermined time to mankind of which all souls who ever lived would know who He is until the present.
God is life, and without Him there exists infinite nothing.
The life you have is not your own for it was given to you to proper there with. Though we may call it our own, we have no control over its determined course, meaning death.
Therefore, God may mean different things to different people all based on time and education.
So it happens.
Peace>>>AJ
Council Member
Posts: 1,918
Location: china
Location: china
June 30th, 2007, 09:25 AM
look3467 I choose to believe in God and based on my life's experiences, I know God has been and is with me everyday___________________
One of the things that most of us eagerly accept and take so totally for granted is the concept of "Belief". I am not attacking beliefs. What I'm trying to do is to find out why we accept "belief" and if I can understand the motives, the cause of that acceptance, then perhaps I may be able to understand why I do it, and perhaps be free of it. One can see how political, national, cultural and religious beliefs do separate people, do create conflict, confusion and antagonism- this is an obvious fact - yet we are unwilling to give them up.There is the Hindu belief, the Christian belief, the Muslim belief, innumerable sectarian and various political ideologies, all contending with each other, trying to convert each other. One can see, obviously, that "Belief" is separating people, creating intolerance. Is it possible to just live without belief? One can find that out only if one can study oneself in relation to a 'belief'. Is it possible to live in this world without a belief - not change belief, not substitute one belief for another, yet be entirely free from all belief? So that one meets life anew each minute?This, after all, is the truth: to have the capacity of meeting everything anew, from moment to moment, without the conditioning-reaction of the past, so that there is not the accumulative effect which acts as a barrier between oneself and that Which Is. Can you do it?
look3467 I choose to believe in God and based on my life's experiences, I know God has been and is with me everyday___________________
One of the things that most of us eagerly accept and take so totally for granted is the concept of "Belief". I am not attacking beliefs. What I'm trying to do is to find out why we accept "belief" and if I can understand the motives, the cause of that acceptance, then perhaps I may be able to understand why I do it, and perhaps be free of it. One can see how political, national, cultural and religious beliefs do separate people, do create conflict, confusion and antagonism- this is an obvious fact - yet we are unwilling to give them up.There is the Hindu belief, the Christian belief, the Muslim belief, innumerable sectarian and various political ideologies, all contending with each other, trying to convert each other. One can see, obviously, that "Belief" is separating people, creating intolerance. Is it possible to just live without belief? One can find that out only if one can study oneself in relation to a 'belief'. Is it possible to live in this world without a belief - not change belief, not substitute one belief for another, yet be entirely free from all belief? So that one meets life anew each minute?This, after all, is the truth: to have the capacity of meeting everything anew, from moment to moment, without the conditioning-reaction of the past, so that there is not the accumulative effect which acts as a barrier between oneself and that Which Is. Can you do it?
NHL Hockey Insider
Posts: 3,581
Location: Vancouver Island
Location: Vancouver Island
June 30th, 2007, 12:58 PM
I am truly 'free' of all the religious beliefs of the world, as I see them also as mostly political and
narrow, without tolerance of other's beliefs, with some exceptions.
I do not believe in a 'god', or any other higher being who watches over us in any way.
But, that still leaves me with 'my' belief, for somewhere in all of us is a spiritual self, who must see
our existence in 'one way or another'.
I am truly 'free' of all the religious beliefs of the world, as I see them also as mostly political and
narrow, without tolerance of other's beliefs, with some exceptions.
I do not believe in a 'god', or any other higher being who watches over us in any way.
But, that still leaves me with 'my' belief, for somewhere in all of us is a spiritual self, who must see
our existence in 'one way or another'.
