Having A Humble Opinion Of Self

[sanctus]

EVERY man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men.
If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds?
Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.
The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?

If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.

from "THE IMITATION OF CHRIST" by Thomas à Kempis​

 

[TenPenny]

Quite real, and they did not invade NA, unless I forget history? The war is over and we won, la de dah. Re-celebrating it every year annoys me. We have enough issues today without re-hashing a long gone war.

Could you take your own advice and shut up then, please? This God and Jesus crap is several thousand years old, not my war, not my problem. Enough about this "god" crap.

 

[sanctus]

Could you take your own advice and shut up then, please? This God and Jesus crap is several thousand years old, not my war, not my problem. Enough about this "god" crap.

This "god-crap", as you elegantly refer to the submission, is posted in, I assume, the legitimate place-"Christian Discussion". Thus, it seems to me if you did not wish to participate in discussions about the "god-crap" you'd best not journey onto this particular area of the site.

 

[Curiosity]

Sanctus

Thank you - both of your posts this morning gave rest to my muddled head.

All kinds of people make up a forum - nobody should be told to shut up.

 

[ottawabill]

I personally don't care what Sactum writes, however he is very one tracked....

But I can understand people getting a bit annoyed after his "not my war" statements as he enjoys the freedom of the battle won...

I am religiuos myself and I try to have my thoughts tempered by what I have been taught but being a complete "groupie" will not transform people to God.

my 2 cents.... 0.5 Canadian

 

[Sassylassie]

I listen to mass for shut-ins on Sundays and the Sermons I endure make me mad, not because I'm evil or a sinner but because of the appalling things that are said by the person doing the preaching. He says things like "If you don't pray and read the bible everyday you aren't a "Real Christian" but a Christian wanna be. Women who work outside of the home are failures as a mother because all she's doing is earning money for game boys (never mind food and medications and education the list is endless). A woman's role is in the home to be subserviant to the husband but she is also his equal (I've throw a can of peas at the radio a few times)" Quite frankly this doesn't sound very Christian to me, if fact I'd say it's another male pontificating his dream of what a true Christian family is i.e. pregnant and bare foot in the kitchen whilst pandering to his every need. It offends me, not all of us who believe in God need to preach or attend Church to me a "Good Christian" is someone who strives to help spread love and kindness by deed or action.

 

[sanctus]

bare foot in the kitchen whilst pandering to his every need. It offends me, not all of us who believe in God need to preach or attend Church to me a "Good Christian" is someone who strives to help spread love and kindness by deed or action.

First off, I am somewhat surprised at the homilies you mention. Is this a Catholic Mass you are watching?

Secondly, it isn't about what "I" think, if you see what I mean. If one desribes oneself as a Christian(follower of Christ) than we are required to follow the traditions of the Church and those found in the Scriptures. In other words, we are required, as Christians, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ and to have communal worship with other members of our fellowship.the Christian faith, as handed down to us through the Church, is not a question, therefore, of choosing which instructions we care to follow, bur rather, of applying the teachings of the Church into our daily lives. To be conformed in Christ, if you will, not to reform Christ to suit us.

 

[sanctus]

I
I am religiuos myself and I try to have my thoughts tempered by what I have been taught but being a complete "groupie" will not transform people to God.

my 2 cents.... 0.5 Canadian

P.S. Would that I was a "groupie", as you put it. This is, in fact, my main interest as it is, in a fashion, my "job".

 

[TenPenny]

This "god-crap", as you elegantly refer to the submission, is posted in, I assume, the legitimate place-"Christian Discussion". Thus, it seems to me if you did not wish to participate in discussions about the "god-crap" you'd best not journey onto this particular area of the site.

In case you couldn't grasp the concept, I was pointing out that YOU used the "not my war, not my problem" line in another discussion. Why you feel you can dismiss a subject in one thread, and then insist that others take you terribly seriously in another, is beyond me. If you feel you can dismiss history in one thread, you should not be surprised or offended when others toss your words back at you elsewhere. Feels good, doesn't it?

 

[the caracal kid]

First off, I am somewhat surprised at the homilies you mention. Is this a Catholic Mass you are watching?

Secondly, it isn't about what "I" think, if you see what I mean. If one desribes oneself as a Christian(follower of Christ) than we are required to follow the traditions of the Church and those found in the Scriptures. In other words, we are required, as Christians, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ and to have communal worship with other members of our fellowship.the Christian faith, as handed down to us through the Church, is not a question, therefore, of choosing which instructions we care to follow, bur rather, of applying the teachings of the Church into our daily lives. To be conformed in Christ, if you will, not to reform Christ to suit us.

do you mean those instructions decided upon by the concil of constinople and the council of nicia? Those men did a good job at creating a wonderful pagan religion designed top-to-bottom to be about dominance and control, the RC religion.

to your original post: place yourself not above or below, but understand how you are defined though everything.

 

[Dalreg]

First off, I am somewhat surprised at the homilies you mention. Is this a Catholic Mass you are watching?

Secondly, it isn't about what "I" think, if you see what I mean. If one desribes oneself as a Christian(follower of Christ) than we are required to follow the traditions of the Church and those found in the Scriptures. In other words, we are required, as Christians, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ and to have communal worship with other members of our fellowship.the Christian faith, as handed down to us through the Church, is not a question, therefore, of choosing which instructions we care to follow, bur rather, of applying the teachings of the Church into our daily lives. To be conformed in Christ, if you will, not to reform Christ to suit us.

I grew up Catholic and would still be considered the same today. However I am not required to do anything. Mankind has the free will to do as each of us believe.

 

[sanctus]

In case you couldn't grasp the concept, I was pointing out that YOU used the "not my war, not my problem" line in another discussion. Why you feel you can dismiss a subject in one thread, and then insist that others take you terribly seriously in another, is beyond me. If you feel you can dismiss history in one thread, you should not be surprised or offended when others toss your words back at you elsewhere. Feels good, doesn't it?

Not offended at all, a bit surprised. I was foolish enough to assume the site as a whole was a place of discussions, not insults.That I dislike war, yes, that is true. That I am tired of hearing about WW2, yes, that is also true. And each point was made in the appropriate discussion/thread. This thread is entitled "Christian Discussion". What i submitted for consideration in this forum does not have anything to do with war or WW2, so posting comments from another thread is not very clever. Rather like you asking me what time it is and I answer you that eggs are $2.00 for a dozen at Price Choppers. I would have assumed even you were clever enough to see that one discussion does not necessarily translate into another.

 

[sanctus]

I grew up Catholic and would still be considered the same today. However I am not required to do anything. Mankind has the free will to do as each of us believe.

But, let me ask you( and please understand I am seeking only to know your thoughts -not to attack your point of view!), can one be a Catholic if one does not follow the rules of the club? Do you see what I mean? It is like bringing bowling shoes to a cricket match, in a way. it seems to me that if one has decided to identify one-self with a particular faith group, that should imply that that the same person attempts to live fully as a Catholic, or whatever.

 

[ottawabill]

But as pointed out, why must we continually listen to your topic of God while you dismiss other's opinions when they don't follow your logic.

 

[ottawabill]

btw the Catholic "rules of the club" seem never to have much to do with the teachings of Christ...but more of how to keep people down and themselves high and mighty.

 

[sanctus]

do you mean those instructions decided upon by the concil of constinople and the council of nicia? Those men did a good job at creating a wonderful pagan religion designed top-to-bottom to be about dominance and control, the RC religion.

to your original post: place yourself not above or below, but understand how you are defined though everything.

Those are two of the 23 Councils of the Church. They are equally dogmatic for the Rc body. I am sorry that your experiences with the Church has given you such a negative perspective of her.

 

[sanctus]

btw the Catholic "rules of the club" seem never to have much to do with the teachings of Christ...but more of how to keep people down and themselves high and mighty.

How so? who is "high and mighty"? The Pope? The priests? And still, that is not at all the point. The point is, if one wants to identify him or herself as belonging to a particular religious group, it stands to reason that membership requires commitment. For example, if i said I was a Hindu, wouldn't that infer I followed the customs and teachings of the hindu faith?

 

[sanctus]

But as pointed out, why must we continually listen to your topic of God while you dismiss other's opinions when they don't follow your logic.

Ah no. Am I missing something here? Was it improper to focus on a Christian discussion list to talk about things of God?You have the option to read, or not read it, as it suits you. I am frankly rather surprised that a post on part of the book "imitation of christ" somehow infers I am forcing you to read it, especially when it is in a specific area of this site which identified itself as being for CHRISTIAN DISCUSSION. That being the case, what sort of post should one put in such a title? A post on the welfare and care of pet gerbils?

 

[the caracal kid]

Those are two of the 23 Councils of the Church. They are equally dogmatic for the Rc body. I am sorry that your experiences with the Church has given you such a negative perspective of her.

when you grow up in the western world....

I just wish more "christians" actually knew the history of their own religion, including its key influences, rather than just parroting the dogma layed down (include in that understanding other religions as well - if only to understand enough to not go around with the "if your not christian you are going to fry" rhetoric)

 

[sanctus]

when you grow up in the western world....

I just wish more "christians" actually knew the history of their own religion, including its key influences, rather than just parroting the dogma layed down (include in that understanding other religions as well - if only to understand enough to not go around with the "if your not christian you are going to fry" rhetoric)

Well, you did specifically mention the Catholic church didn't you? That being the case, we have had 23 General Councils. In the east, they recognize 7. but again, since you specifically indicated the Roman Catholic Church I assumed you'd realize that is who I would answer on behalf of. And I am very well versed in the history of my Church.Thank you