Kat4Ever
02-19-2007, 06:45 AM
Since it appears so much time is spent debating my philosophy (at least according to those that THINK they know me)....
how about I impart a little wisdom on you.
This is going to be VERY simplistic, my thoughts are much more complicated, but at least you'll get a little glimpse of why I think a little of the way I do.
I think everybody has a tally sheet.
I think on that tally sheet there are good marks... and there are bad marks.
The good marks are obviously for the things you do in life that are good.. no matter what they are.
While the bad marks are obviously for the 'bad' things.. or sins if you will.
Now much like crime itself... I think there are levels of sins.
If you commit murder in the 1st degree... that's much different than 2nd degree or 3rd degree murder.
In one instance you have done something premeditated.. or you're 'fully aware' of what you're doing.. and therefor should also be fully aware of the consequences of your actions as well.
The other may be in the heat of passion.. or 'accidental' such as manslaughter.
When I talk about 'sins' and the act of sinning... I look at it in that simplistic sort of way.
Everyone sins, we've established that - of course as long as you believe in that sort of thing. The difference is everyone doesn't sin in the same way. And not everyone sets out to intentionally sin.
But in my book, all of those sins have tallies... and all of those tallies have some sort of numerical value depending on how 'serious' the sin is.
But on the other side you have the 'good deeds'... right things that you do in everyday life. Such as opening the door for someone... giving a nice tip at a restaurant... volunteering at a church function. Whatever is is. And each of those 'good marks' has a point value also.
See, I don't believe a sin is a sin is a sin. Just as I don't think you can just be 'saved' and be well... saved. And I also don't think you can go out and sin on purpose thinking that God will forgive... or that you can go out and sin and give $5 at church on Sunday and think you've made up for it.
It's more complicated than that.
I think God knows who is essentially good... and who is essentially bad. He sees how we each live our lives... the good we do and the bad we do. Some bad we do, we know what we're doing.. but the question is how 'bad' is it. Is it a little white lie we tell each day... or is it intentionally going out of our way to do something that we know isn't right... but thinking that it's okay 'cause we have God on our side.
I don't think it's that simple.
For instance, a hot topic... homsexuality. Some people here seem to think it's a 'choice'.. like what you wear when you wake up each day.
I've had 'gay' friends. I've also had friends that I KNEW were gay... but they pretended not to be. In fact I've had a couple come out of the closet after knowing them for years and knowin the whole time they were gay, but I never confronted them about it.
You're very naive if you think that ANY of them choose to be that way. They ARE that way and they choose to be who they are.. while sometimes pretending to not be that way.
We've all heard the stories of the men or women that got married, stayed married for 10 years... only to leave their spouses for someone of the same sex.
I don't think they just all of a sudden woke up one morning and decided they were gay... they had been and were just trying to fit in with society.
It's not a disease. It's not going to 'spread'. You're not going to catch it by hanging around someone that is gay. And they're certainly not going to attack you because they think you're beautiful... although they might compliment you.
But unlike most straight men that harass women, most gay men or women don't harass people of the same sex.
Well.. this has gone on longer than I thought it would when I sat down.. and few of you have probably read through it all.
I was just tired of all the misinformation being thrown out there... and wanted to just say how I felt about some things.
I was brought up Catholic. My mother went to Catholic school her whole life and is a devout religious individual. My dad, ehhhhh not so much.
I went to church when I was young.. and then as I got older was able to make up my own mind. I started visiting other churches to see what they taught.. then I started studying religion... ALL religions as I got older as well.
Most of them have a lot of good things to say and a lot of good philosophies. Most of them also have some serious flaws or things that just plain make you go hmmmmmmmmmm..... and have doubts about their validity.
None of them can be proven to be the right religion... or the ONLY religion... or have the one true God. None of them.
So I personally think it's best just to be the best person you can be each day regardless of your beliefs.
Have faith in yourself. Don't judge others to harshly. Be a positive influence in your community.
And in the end, it's going to sort itself out one way or the other.
I check my tally sheet each day. And each day I try to make sure that I"ve 'cleansed' my soul by doing as much good as I can... not to make up for the 'bad' that I know I will do... but because I KNOW it's the right thing to do.
But I also do it because I know in the end I'll have to answer for what I've done... and not that I want to 'pretend' to be a nice guy or make sure I have more good marks than bad... but it makes me feel good knowing that I do... everyday.
how about I impart a little wisdom on you.
This is going to be VERY simplistic, my thoughts are much more complicated, but at least you'll get a little glimpse of why I think a little of the way I do.
I think everybody has a tally sheet.
I think on that tally sheet there are good marks... and there are bad marks.
The good marks are obviously for the things you do in life that are good.. no matter what they are.
While the bad marks are obviously for the 'bad' things.. or sins if you will.
Now much like crime itself... I think there are levels of sins.
If you commit murder in the 1st degree... that's much different than 2nd degree or 3rd degree murder.
In one instance you have done something premeditated.. or you're 'fully aware' of what you're doing.. and therefor should also be fully aware of the consequences of your actions as well.
The other may be in the heat of passion.. or 'accidental' such as manslaughter.
When I talk about 'sins' and the act of sinning... I look at it in that simplistic sort of way.
Everyone sins, we've established that - of course as long as you believe in that sort of thing. The difference is everyone doesn't sin in the same way. And not everyone sets out to intentionally sin.
But in my book, all of those sins have tallies... and all of those tallies have some sort of numerical value depending on how 'serious' the sin is.
But on the other side you have the 'good deeds'... right things that you do in everyday life. Such as opening the door for someone... giving a nice tip at a restaurant... volunteering at a church function. Whatever is is. And each of those 'good marks' has a point value also.
See, I don't believe a sin is a sin is a sin. Just as I don't think you can just be 'saved' and be well... saved. And I also don't think you can go out and sin on purpose thinking that God will forgive... or that you can go out and sin and give $5 at church on Sunday and think you've made up for it.
It's more complicated than that.
I think God knows who is essentially good... and who is essentially bad. He sees how we each live our lives... the good we do and the bad we do. Some bad we do, we know what we're doing.. but the question is how 'bad' is it. Is it a little white lie we tell each day... or is it intentionally going out of our way to do something that we know isn't right... but thinking that it's okay 'cause we have God on our side.
I don't think it's that simple.
For instance, a hot topic... homsexuality. Some people here seem to think it's a 'choice'.. like what you wear when you wake up each day.
I've had 'gay' friends. I've also had friends that I KNEW were gay... but they pretended not to be. In fact I've had a couple come out of the closet after knowing them for years and knowin the whole time they were gay, but I never confronted them about it.
You're very naive if you think that ANY of them choose to be that way. They ARE that way and they choose to be who they are.. while sometimes pretending to not be that way.
We've all heard the stories of the men or women that got married, stayed married for 10 years... only to leave their spouses for someone of the same sex.
I don't think they just all of a sudden woke up one morning and decided they were gay... they had been and were just trying to fit in with society.
It's not a disease. It's not going to 'spread'. You're not going to catch it by hanging around someone that is gay. And they're certainly not going to attack you because they think you're beautiful... although they might compliment you.
But unlike most straight men that harass women, most gay men or women don't harass people of the same sex.
Well.. this has gone on longer than I thought it would when I sat down.. and few of you have probably read through it all.
I was just tired of all the misinformation being thrown out there... and wanted to just say how I felt about some things.
I was brought up Catholic. My mother went to Catholic school her whole life and is a devout religious individual. My dad, ehhhhh not so much.
I went to church when I was young.. and then as I got older was able to make up my own mind. I started visiting other churches to see what they taught.. then I started studying religion... ALL religions as I got older as well.
Most of them have a lot of good things to say and a lot of good philosophies. Most of them also have some serious flaws or things that just plain make you go hmmmmmmmmmm..... and have doubts about their validity.
None of them can be proven to be the right religion... or the ONLY religion... or have the one true God. None of them.
So I personally think it's best just to be the best person you can be each day regardless of your beliefs.
Have faith in yourself. Don't judge others to harshly. Be a positive influence in your community.
And in the end, it's going to sort itself out one way or the other.
I check my tally sheet each day. And each day I try to make sure that I"ve 'cleansed' my soul by doing as much good as I can... not to make up for the 'bad' that I know I will do... but because I KNOW it's the right thing to do.
But I also do it because I know in the end I'll have to answer for what I've done... and not that I want to 'pretend' to be a nice guy or make sure I have more good marks than bad... but it makes me feel good knowing that I do... everyday.