I have sort of felt Compelled by one of my Commenters to do this Post, so as not to Appear a Coward if I do not Post and Respond to all that she says. In what Follows, I've decided to Post and Respond to her Comment, One Paragraph at a Time.
This First Paragraph is in Response to something I had said in relation to someone's Idea that Krishna and Jesus are the same Person:
Paragraph #1
Satyavati Said - "oh no... Krishna and Jesus are NOT the same person. Srila Prabhupada
said: 'Jesus is our Guru.' ...did you not get the comment I tried to
post several days ago when you were talking about how reincarnation is
meaningless? (It isn't.) Krishna, if you'd like to put this into
Christian terms, is the Father. Jesus is His son. No conflict there."
Response: No, I did not get the Comment you Posted a Few Days ago about Reincarnation. If Jesus is Teaching something different than Lord Krishna, there is a Conflict.
Paragraph #2
Satyavati Said - "Jesus also said, as I mentioned in my comment (the one that I guess you
didn't get), that He had not told His disciples everything, because they
weren't ready for it. Paul essentially said the same thing when he
said he was giving the Christians milk and not meat because they weren't
ready for it. So right there you've got essentially a double-dilution
of teachings. Jesus Himself said there was more that He wasn't telling."
Response: We can Debate about what Jesus meant when He said that He was not telling them everything, yet what Christians believe is that these things were Revealed later to the Disciples after Christ's Resurrection and then Written about by them in the the rest of the New Testament, including the Letters Written by Paul. Here is the Verse you are Speaking of...
"12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13) Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come." (John 16:12-13, KJV)
The Context of the John Scripture is the Guidance and Revelation of the Holy Spirit, which was Received by the Apostles at Pentecost, which Occurred shortly after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, yet there were no such Revelations about Reincarnation and the Like given later to the Apostles. What was Revealed to them instead was the Meaning of Christ's Death and Resurrection, which the Disciples did not fully understand Prior to the Occurrence of these two events. There were also things revealed to them about the Christian Life and about Christ's Return.
The other Scripture that you are Referring to is in 1 Corinthians and Refers Specifically to the Corinthians, which was a rather immature Church that Paul was having Trouble with. In fact, this was the Church that was involved in all that Disunity and Quarrels, which is even evidenced within the Context of the Milk and Meat Passage that you were referring to. In 1 Corinthians 3:1, Paul does not even Address the Corinthians as Spiritual, but as Carnal "Babes in Christ". The NASB and the NIV versions of the Bible translates this as "Infants in Christ" and "Mere Infants".
"1) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2) I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye' were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye' able. 3) For ye' are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye' not carnal, and walk as men? 4) For while one saith, 'I am of Paul'; and another, 'I am of Apollos'; are ye' not carnal? 5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye' believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7) So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:1-7, KJV)
You are Taking Verses Out of Context, Satyavati, in order to make your Points.
Paragraph #3
Satyavati Said - "Now, as far as 'your scriptures and mine would be the same'.... the
Vedas are the oldest scriptures on earth. Everything else comes after
them; so you can take that for what it is. And as far as God being
consistent... you don't need to be a Biblical scholar to see the glaring
and overwhelming difference between the God of the OT and Jesus in the
NT. I don't know if 'consistency' is a good word in this case."
Response: The Reason why there appears to be inconsistencies between the God of the Old Testament and Jesus is because they represent an Old & a New Covenant. In fact, that is what the Word Testament means; Covenant. In the Old Testament, they were Under the Law, but in the New Testament, we are Under Grace.
When I made the Statement about our Scriptures being the same, I was not actually making a Validity of Scripture argument. I'll get to that later. Instead I was making an argument against your God and the God of Christianity being the same Person. Without Pointing out too large a number of Contrasts, I'll just start with one. If I understand it right, Hare Krishna is a Vegetarian and does not approve of Animal Sacrifices. Ok, just based on that One alone, how can the Yahweh/Jehovah of the Old Testament, that instructed the Jews to Sacrifice Bulls, Lambs and Goats, Possibly be Lord Krishna? Yet the God that Jesus continually spoke of was none other than the God of Abraham. That is the God of the Old Testament.
"31) But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32) I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matthew 22:31-32, KJV)
Paragraph #4
Satyavati Said - "Now, as far as this goes: 'If your Scriptures say one thing and mine another, then one of them is Inaccurate. There can not be two Truths. What is True is True and what is False is False.' ...haven't we just finished a discussion on how two things can be perceived differently and yet both be true? Or was I asleep during that whole conversation? Either way, if we want to get into denying one in favor of the other (which I am not personally advocating), it still comes back to the Vedas are oldest, and everything else came as an afterthought."
Response: In the Discussion that you are Referring to, we were talking about the Reality of both Relative Truth and Absolute Truth, not just the Reality of Relative Truth. Apparently you were only asleep during the half of the conversation that you were not in agreement with. :) You are making it sound as if Scripture is about Perception and Relative Truth and not about Absolute Truth and this is something that I can not Agree with.
As to the Validity of the Scriptures Issue, Accuracy can not be established simply based on something Age and nothing else. If it could, then it would be well established that the World is Flat and that the Earth is the Center of the Galaxy, rather than the Sun, and any Further Knowledge that we have Accumulated on the Subject would be disregarded as an "After Thought".
Paragraph #5
Satyavati Said - "Did you know that in the Vedas, at the end of Kaliyuga, the fourth age (the one we are now living in, which will go on for another 427,000 years), it states that Lord Kalki will come, on a white horse and with a sword, to devastate everything? Does that sound the least bit familiar to you? And yet there it is, in the Vedas, thousands of years prior to any Hebrew, Jewish, Christian scripture. I'm not knocking the Bible. We respect all scripture; the Bible, the Quran, and so on. I'm just pointing out, there it is."
Response: To Compare these two Scriptures in more Detail, would require more Study, yet even if they did sort of Match, that doesn't Matter because there are other forces out there besides God that may be privy to Future Events. At first Glance, though, it would seem that since there are 4 Horsemen Listed in Revelation, not only one, that in order for all four to do their Part, the First one is not going to be able to Devastate and Destroy everything.
As to the Koran, there is a Conflict here because the Koran says "Allah Forbid that He Bore a Son." Well, the Bible says that Jesus is God's "Only Begotten Son". Both of these Statements can not be True. One of them is False. You can respect all of the Scriptures if you want to, Satyavati, but my Point is that since they do not agree with each other, they can not all be true.
Paragraph #6
Satyavati Said - "Also, your comment that Jesus said 'no one comes to the Father except
through Him'; we understand Jesus to be Guru (which means teacher, which
is the same as Rabbi, which is what the disciples called Him), and true
enough, no one comes to Krishna except through Guru. So I don't see a
problem there."
Response: Well, Ok. Though I don't agree with the Argument, at least you do have one besides just that Jesus is a Liar. There is one other Statement that He made, though, that goes against the "All Paths Lead to God" Idea and that is...
"13) Enter ye' in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat, 14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13-14, KJV)
The Biggest Problem, though, is simply that since the various different Scriptures do not agree with each other, they can not all be True.
Paragraph #7
Satyavati Said - "We are not sectarian. We don't tell people to stop being Christian, or Muslim, or whatever they are. There is no difficulty. You can very happily be Christian and chant Hare Krishna. Is it a problem? Does it impose? It's a very simple thing. No one has to 'stop' being whatever it is they are...why should they? The goal of all religions is the same."
Response: "Why Should They?" Well, now let's see. Since the Scriptures do not match each other and therefore, can not all be true, those who are True Seekers of the Truth are going to have to Leave or "Stop" that which is not True. Is it really such a great Value to Prevent the Truth from "Imposing" on our Lives?
The Goal of all Religions, Satyavati, is NOT the same. The Goal of Christianity is Heaven. The Goal of Buddhism is Nirvana, which in it's Original Form involved a Reuniting with the Cosmos and achieving a State of Nothingness.
Paragraph #8
Satyavati Said - "I'm not about this 'it must be yours or mine and thus one must be real
and one must be false' mentality. I don't see any problem whatsoever. It's not a 'religious' thing. Krishna says to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita,
'Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.'
'Religion' is an external concept. Just surrender, that's all. Is it
difficult?"
Response: The Only Way to Escape the "This is True and This is not" Mentality is to not Believe in the Existence of any Absolutes. If we were to walk up to a field of Grass and one Person says that the Grass is Green and the other says that it is Hot Pink, sure Both People have the Right to their Opinion, but only one of these Opinions is a Reflection of what is True.
Christians will also tell you that their Faith is really more of a Relationship than a Religion and those who are the most Connected to the Relationship, rather than to the Religion, or any of the Rituals, are the ones who are the True Believers. This does not change, however, the fact that there is such a thing as Absolute Truth and therefore, when Various Religious Texts do not Agree with each other, they can not all be True.
I guess what it comes down to is what is it that we should Value more. Unity or Truth. Yes, Truth can be Sacrificed for the Sake of Unity, yet what Good is Unity if the Final Destination ends up being something other than Heaven? I will Give you One Last Verse and then I'll Close and this may seem like a rather difficult one to Ponder, but here it is... Jesus said...
"34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37) He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:34, KJV)
As odd as it may seem to some of my Readers, Peace and Unity with all of the Various Religions of the World was not Christ's Goal. That is not what He was about. He Believed in Truth and felt that it was of even Higher Value than Peace. In fact, He Believed in Truth so Strongly, that He Stirred up enough Conflict (No, not Peace, but Conflict) to cause Himself to be Crucified and in doing so brought Salvation to the World.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
When to Think & Reason & When to Seek God's Voice
I Guess I have been Picking up the Pace of my Blog and maybe I should and maybe I shouldn't. It's just that the Blogging World in General seems to have slowed down so much, that I actually have extra Computer Time that I don't know what to do with.
Lord Please Guide and Direct my Blog and Please Guide and Direct what I Read.
Maybe I'll just make this Post a Short One. Pentecostals and Charismatics are even more into Following the Inter Voice of God's Spirit on a Moment by Moment Basis than the rest of the Church. I have this One Girl Friend that even so much as Asked God to help us in our Decision of whose house to meet at in order to rehearse our Music for the leading of the worship at an Aglow Meeting. This is a meeting of Intercessors that Occurs once a Month and I was asked to Lead the Worship. God was Slow in Answering it, yet right at the Last Minute, I said, "Oh Come on up. We'll do it here at my house."
Then when she arrived, she asked me where I wanted her to sit and I said "I don't care. We can either pull some chairs together over here, or we can both sit over there on the Couch." When she realized my Indecision, she immediately Prayed and Asked God where He would like us to sit. I just sort of Chuckled as I was Wondering if this person actually asks the Lord each morning what Cloths she should put on.
Should we actually Ask the Lord to Help us with every single decision in our lives, no matter how Small? She has challenged me, though, for the whole idea sort of Makes me Pause and I do Wonder if I should be seeking the Lord's Direction even more often then I do, so I asked God if I should actually do this Post and what He said was "You may if you wish, but Keep this one Short." So here it is. Now give me your thoughts on the Matter.
Lord Please Guide and Direct my Blog and Please Guide and Direct what I Read.
Maybe I'll just make this Post a Short One. Pentecostals and Charismatics are even more into Following the Inter Voice of God's Spirit on a Moment by Moment Basis than the rest of the Church. I have this One Girl Friend that even so much as Asked God to help us in our Decision of whose house to meet at in order to rehearse our Music for the leading of the worship at an Aglow Meeting. This is a meeting of Intercessors that Occurs once a Month and I was asked to Lead the Worship. God was Slow in Answering it, yet right at the Last Minute, I said, "Oh Come on up. We'll do it here at my house."
Then when she arrived, she asked me where I wanted her to sit and I said "I don't care. We can either pull some chairs together over here, or we can both sit over there on the Couch." When she realized my Indecision, she immediately Prayed and Asked God where He would like us to sit. I just sort of Chuckled as I was Wondering if this person actually asks the Lord each morning what Cloths she should put on.
Should we actually Ask the Lord to Help us with every single decision in our lives, no matter how Small? She has challenged me, though, for the whole idea sort of Makes me Pause and I do Wonder if I should be seeking the Lord's Direction even more often then I do, so I asked God if I should actually do this Post and what He said was "You may if you wish, but Keep this one Short." So here it is. Now give me your thoughts on the Matter.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Easter 2, Jesus Knew in Advance, He would Suffer.
I don't Know why I'm up at this Hour. I just don't feel all that Tired somehow. The Blogs have all been Pretty Quiet, including this one. Do you know that out of the 20 Blogs that I used to Follow, just before I stopped Blogging for awhile between March 5 of last Year and February 18 of this one, there are Only 7 of the 20 that are Still Active.
I was Reluctant at First to Venture Out much in Commenting on the Blogs because I've found some of the Arguing that Takes Place on the Blogs to be quite Tiring. Even on my Own Blog, it can be Tiring being continuously Challenged to Defend every singly thing that I say. I Lament about it, yet you know what? Feeling a little Tired at times is nothing compared to what Christ Suffered.
I'm still thinking about Easter, since that is what my Last Post was about and somehow Easter is still on my Mind. Christ Suffered quite a lot for our sakes and I really wonder at times how People can miss realizing that. As I am now Thinking about the Gospels and what can be said from Jesus' own Words that Explains what He did, Right now the Scriptures that come to Mind are...
"19) Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' 20) Then said the Jews, 'Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?' 21) But He spake of the temple of His body. 22) When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." (John 2:19-22, KJV)
"39) But He answered and said unto them, 'An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. 40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'" (Matthew 12:39-40, KJV)
"Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye' shall seek Me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 13:33, KJV)
And...
"Simon Peter said unto Him, 'Lord, whither goest thou?' Jesus answered him, 'Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.'" (John 13:36, KJV)
In all of these Verses, Christ is Talking about His Death and Resurrection. He Knew what was going to happen before it actually took Place. He even knew how Peter was going to Respond.
"Jesus answered him, 'Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 'The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.'" (John 13:38, KJV)
And here is Evidence that He did it Willingly.
"Saying, 'Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.'" (Luke 42:22, KJV)
And you know what? This is another Evidence of His Suffering that is not Mentioned quite as Often as the Crucifixion on the Cross...
"43 And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44) And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45) And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping." (Luke 22:43-45, KJV)
Wow!! I don't Know why this Message came to me after Easter, but here it is.
I was Reluctant at First to Venture Out much in Commenting on the Blogs because I've found some of the Arguing that Takes Place on the Blogs to be quite Tiring. Even on my Own Blog, it can be Tiring being continuously Challenged to Defend every singly thing that I say. I Lament about it, yet you know what? Feeling a little Tired at times is nothing compared to what Christ Suffered.
I'm still thinking about Easter, since that is what my Last Post was about and somehow Easter is still on my Mind. Christ Suffered quite a lot for our sakes and I really wonder at times how People can miss realizing that. As I am now Thinking about the Gospels and what can be said from Jesus' own Words that Explains what He did, Right now the Scriptures that come to Mind are...
"19) Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' 20) Then said the Jews, 'Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?' 21) But He spake of the temple of His body. 22) When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." (John 2:19-22, KJV)
"39) But He answered and said unto them, 'An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. 40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'" (Matthew 12:39-40, KJV)
"Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye' shall seek Me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 13:33, KJV)
And...
"Simon Peter said unto Him, 'Lord, whither goest thou?' Jesus answered him, 'Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.'" (John 13:36, KJV)
In all of these Verses, Christ is Talking about His Death and Resurrection. He Knew what was going to happen before it actually took Place. He even knew how Peter was going to Respond.
"Jesus answered him, 'Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 'The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.'" (John 13:38, KJV)
And here is Evidence that He did it Willingly.
"Saying, 'Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.'" (Luke 42:22, KJV)
And you know what? This is another Evidence of His Suffering that is not Mentioned quite as Often as the Crucifixion on the Cross...
"43 And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44) And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45) And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping." (Luke 22:43-45, KJV)
Wow!! I don't Know why this Message came to me after Easter, but here it is.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Easter Post - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Is there any way for me to Make my Blog more Peaceful. I don't feel like Debating right now. It's Easter. Christ Loves you and has Died for your Sins. That's What Christians Teach. It is a Very Special and Meaningful Message that can Change the Lives of those who Believe it. Perhaps I will one day be willing to Debate with the Non-Believers who wish to Discredit this message, but that is not the Reason for this Post. It's Easter. It's a Holiday. It's Time for a Truce.
Here is a Passage about Christ's Love that is a Little Different than just the General Easter Message that He died for you...
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37, KJV)
Or do you Prefer it in the NIV?
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37, NIV)
I'm even going to allow you to Read the Entire Chapter if you Like and in Three different Translations, so Take your Pick which of the three you wish to read. Matthew 23 NASB, NIV, KJV.
Interestingly, the First Part of this Chapter is about Religious Hypocrisy. It's not Actually just about those who do not Believe, but also about those who are already Religious, but do not really Know God. These are Like Wolves in Sheep's Clothing. They are Religious, but not really Followers of God. This Same Phenomena Exists in the Current Christian Churches and Unfortunately, is the Reason Why some of you Have Chosen not to believe in Christ.
Huh. I was just reading this Passage just now and Thinking about how it is Perfect for at least one of the Things that I have been Wanting to say to those who Follow my Blog. No Wonder God Brought it to my Mind.
You see there are Eight Woes, in which Jesus is coming down very Hard on the Religious Leaders of His Day. One of my Favorite of the Verses is...
"You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (Matthew 23:24, NASB)
And there also is a Warning...
"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how [y]will you escape the [z]sentence of [aa]hell?" (Matthew 23:33, NASB)
All This Strong Language spoken to the Religious Leaders of the Day. No Not to the Basic Every Day Sinner, but to the Religious Leaders, yet after this comes the Lament...
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." (Matthew 23:37, NASB)
Don't you see? Jesus Loves all People and wants to save all People, including the Hypocrites that have Hurt some of you and He also Loves You. Please Remember, though, you have not been Hurt by Jesus, but by Hypocrites, much like those that Jesus is Speaking out against in this Passage.
Here is a Passage about Christ's Love that is a Little Different than just the General Easter Message that He died for you...
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37, KJV)
Or do you Prefer it in the NIV?
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37, NIV)
I'm even going to allow you to Read the Entire Chapter if you Like and in Three different Translations, so Take your Pick which of the three you wish to read. Matthew 23 NASB, NIV, KJV.
Interestingly, the First Part of this Chapter is about Religious Hypocrisy. It's not Actually just about those who do not Believe, but also about those who are already Religious, but do not really Know God. These are Like Wolves in Sheep's Clothing. They are Religious, but not really Followers of God. This Same Phenomena Exists in the Current Christian Churches and Unfortunately, is the Reason Why some of you Have Chosen not to believe in Christ.
Huh. I was just reading this Passage just now and Thinking about how it is Perfect for at least one of the Things that I have been Wanting to say to those who Follow my Blog. No Wonder God Brought it to my Mind.
You see there are Eight Woes, in which Jesus is coming down very Hard on the Religious Leaders of His Day. One of my Favorite of the Verses is...
"You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (Matthew 23:24, NASB)
And there also is a Warning...
"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how [y]will you escape the [z]sentence of [aa]hell?" (Matthew 23:33, NASB)
All This Strong Language spoken to the Religious Leaders of the Day. No Not to the Basic Every Day Sinner, but to the Religious Leaders, yet after this comes the Lament...
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." (Matthew 23:37, NASB)
Don't you see? Jesus Loves all People and wants to save all People, including the Hypocrites that have Hurt some of you and He also Loves You. Please Remember, though, you have not been Hurt by Jesus, but by Hypocrites, much like those that Jesus is Speaking out against in this Passage.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Black and White Thinking, Seeking Unity
I've been trying to Pray and Ask God what I should do with my Blog and for some reason thought for awhile that I was going to be writing more Exclusively about Christian Topics, instead of some of the Things that I used to write about. I think that this train of thought, though, was more based on my own Fears because of some of the Conflict that Occurs when I write about some of the Broader Subjects that I have Chosen in the Past, not at the Exclusion, though, of my Christian thoughts, that always do seem to eventually find some form of Expression on my Blog.
At the Moment, I've been more led to just Review some of my Older Posts, especially those which my Hit Counter says are Visited Often. Surprisingly, One such Post is the One in which I was Attempting to Define what is meant by the Subject of "Black and White Thinking". I wonder if some of my Newer Followers would Find this Post Interesting.
I suppose I should add to my thoughts on the Matter, by highlighting a few things that were said in the Comment section of that Post. Here is a Comment by BB-Idaho from Below that Post. Bold Print Added by me...
"So, let us say it is 40 degrees at the airport. An Eskimo deplanes and observes 'Gee, it's hot'. A Sudanese just in from the Sahara complains 'Gosh, its cold'. The temperature is a simple fact... perception of it may be black or white? And from the perspectives of their two backgrounds-both may be true." BB-Idaho February 2, 2011, at 3:20 PM
In this Comment, BB has Illustrated how the Number 40 is Definitely an Absolute (Black & White), but the Perception of it as Hot or Cold is Relative (Gray).
My Favorite Illustration was Mentioned in the Comment section as well, by me...
"Another Example of this that I like is when Two People from Different Places on the Globe are on the Phone Arguing about whether or not the Sun is Rising or Setting, yet Both of them are Right, because the Sun is, In Fact, Both Setting and Rising at the Some Time, Depending on where you are on the Globe, so that Fact is Relative, yet the Absolute is that the Earth Rotates and Circles the Sun."
So you see, there are Definite Absolutes, yet there are also things that are Relative.
Perhaps some of my New Followers may be Wondering why I am Blogging in this way. Well, as it Turns Out, One of the Main Themes that has always run through my Blog is the Balance between the Extremes and our Tendency to Judge each other if we are not willing to try and Find that Balance and while doing so Reach Out to those who have Slightly different Opinions then ourselves.
Since some of my Newer Followers are Christians, Perhaps I should address the subject of Black and White Thinking in Relation to Christianity. There are some Things that we believe in that are Clearly Black and White, that is Absolute. We Believe that the Bible was Written for everyone and not just for some and that there are definitely some Absolute Truths that are written there. Where the Problem comes in is when People Add to the Bible and Make somethings Absolute that are not Really absolute at all, but instead Relative to a Certain Group.
For Example, there are Churches that Forbid Dancing, yet there are others who Dance unto the Lord. Along this same line, some people enjoy Singing Hymns and others more Contemporary Music. Some People Enjoy Worship Services that are more Spontaneous and others Prefer more Structure. Some are Highly Emotional in their Worship and others are more Reserved. What is Important is that we love and do not Judge each other for what ever it is that we choose, as long as it is Biblical and Glorifying to God.
I guess that it is not True that this Message is not a Christian One, for it has to do with the Unity that is needed within the Over All Church, even between Denominations. What is Truly Absolute, we all need to Embrace, yet we also need to be careful not to expect everyone to be Exactly like ourselves, for I truly believe that there is room for Considerable Diversity within Christianity.
At the Moment, I've been more led to just Review some of my Older Posts, especially those which my Hit Counter says are Visited Often. Surprisingly, One such Post is the One in which I was Attempting to Define what is meant by the Subject of "Black and White Thinking". I wonder if some of my Newer Followers would Find this Post Interesting.
I suppose I should add to my thoughts on the Matter, by highlighting a few things that were said in the Comment section of that Post. Here is a Comment by BB-Idaho from Below that Post. Bold Print Added by me...
"So, let us say it is 40 degrees at the airport. An Eskimo deplanes and observes 'Gee, it's hot'. A Sudanese just in from the Sahara complains 'Gosh, its cold'. The temperature is a simple fact... perception of it may be black or white? And from the perspectives of their two backgrounds-both may be true." BB-Idaho February 2, 2011, at 3:20 PM
In this Comment, BB has Illustrated how the Number 40 is Definitely an Absolute (Black & White), but the Perception of it as Hot or Cold is Relative (Gray).
My Favorite Illustration was Mentioned in the Comment section as well, by me...
"Another Example of this that I like is when Two People from Different Places on the Globe are on the Phone Arguing about whether or not the Sun is Rising or Setting, yet Both of them are Right, because the Sun is, In Fact, Both Setting and Rising at the Some Time, Depending on where you are on the Globe, so that Fact is Relative, yet the Absolute is that the Earth Rotates and Circles the Sun."
So you see, there are Definite Absolutes, yet there are also things that are Relative.
Perhaps some of my New Followers may be Wondering why I am Blogging in this way. Well, as it Turns Out, One of the Main Themes that has always run through my Blog is the Balance between the Extremes and our Tendency to Judge each other if we are not willing to try and Find that Balance and while doing so Reach Out to those who have Slightly different Opinions then ourselves.
Since some of my Newer Followers are Christians, Perhaps I should address the subject of Black and White Thinking in Relation to Christianity. There are some Things that we believe in that are Clearly Black and White, that is Absolute. We Believe that the Bible was Written for everyone and not just for some and that there are definitely some Absolute Truths that are written there. Where the Problem comes in is when People Add to the Bible and Make somethings Absolute that are not Really absolute at all, but instead Relative to a Certain Group.
For Example, there are Churches that Forbid Dancing, yet there are others who Dance unto the Lord. Along this same line, some people enjoy Singing Hymns and others more Contemporary Music. Some People Enjoy Worship Services that are more Spontaneous and others Prefer more Structure. Some are Highly Emotional in their Worship and others are more Reserved. What is Important is that we love and do not Judge each other for what ever it is that we choose, as long as it is Biblical and Glorifying to God.
I guess that it is not True that this Message is not a Christian One, for it has to do with the Unity that is needed within the Over All Church, even between Denominations. What is Truly Absolute, we all need to Embrace, yet we also need to be careful not to expect everyone to be Exactly like ourselves, for I truly believe that there is room for Considerable Diversity within Christianity.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
God Guides through Rational Thought & also People
Hi you guys,
Do you Know that at Times I Write Best in Letter Form? Perhaps I shouldn't be starting a Post out this way, yet this is how so many of my Posts begin. I Start Writing to Individuals and then later Change what I have Written into a Post. My Previous Post was about God's Guidance, yet quite Often God Guides me through my Interaction with others, so in a since, you could say that I am guided, at least in part, by you guys, my Commenters. That is not to say that if you tell me or suggest that I write about a certain thing that I will do so, yet if you say just the Right Thing to me, you will likely Inspire me.
This Post is, at least in Part, a response to the two Last Commenters who Wrote below my Previous Post, as of the Date and Time in which this Post was Posted. Among other Things, Z-man has Expressed that he has become Tired of his own Blog because he is not only Disagreed with, but also Misinterpreted because his Style is to "Think Out Loud". From that, I was inspired to write about how so many People are quite set in their own Way of Thinking and are not Persuadable.
I just don't have the Interest in Arguments that Lead no where any more. I just don't and though I really do not want to Abandon the Original Audience that used to Follow my Blog, my Interest in Arguing has Changed and I want to Figure out a Way to Draw an Audience that is Truly interested in what I have to say.
This got me Talking all about the Question of who my Target Audience should be if I choose again to Blog, which I will get into in just a Minute.
Aside from this, Z also brought to my mind a couple of other interesting Questions in relation to what should be our Approach to Blogging. The first of which is "Should we really 'Think Out Loud' on our Blogs, or should we do that with a Pen Pal and then write something on our Blogs that is a little more Polished?" I have Struggled with this Question quite a lot myself and am not sure if I know the Answer.
Another Question that I have been Asking is whether or not I should Still Blog about Politics and as I was responding to Z-man, I got thinking about how so many People, just as I mentioned above, are quite set in their own Way of Thinking and are not Persuadable and you see, here is the thing.... There are such a large Number of Obama Supporters on the Web that are not Persuadable that I'm feeling led away from discussing it. To those who do not Agree, it just sounds like Obama Bashing and that's not what I want my Blog to be. Perhaps there will come a time in which the Political Harvest will be more Ripe for Reaping, yet I do not feel that now is that time.
The other person that has recently Commented in the Below Post is Satyavati. From her, I have felt Inspired to Think and Write about another Question relating to "Feeling Led", or more precisely, the Idea of just Waiting for God's Voice or Well, more Actively Pursuing the Answers to the Questions that are in my Mind. This is what Led me to the Title of this Post in that God Guides through "Rational Thought" and not just the Act of Waiting for Him to Answer.
In the End, I know that it will be, at least in part you, the Commenters, who are going to help me to Find the Answers to what it is that I should be Blogging about. I've never felt that God Communicates that Often in a Crystal Clear way within a total Vacuum of our own Thoughts and the Thoughts of others. I've always felt that we find our Answers, at least in Part, through the Information that we Acquire from our interaction with those who we Communicate with and this is why God's Voice is so Rarely ever Immediate.
The Impatient do not make very good Christians because God has a Tendency to Take His Time. When He does Speak, it can be quite clear what He is saying, yet this Clarity is often quite Long in Coming and that is just the Way it is at times.
Here is my Dilemma...
A lot of Christians do not Understand the Intellectual. They are able to Accept Things just based on Faith and will often present as their Argument, nothing more then "Well, because the Bible Says so". This is not enough for some people.
There are actually times in which I feel like a Half Breed, for if I take an Intellectual, Thinking, sort of Approach to my Interactions with Non-Christians, there are Actually quite a lot of Christians who will tell me that I am Wasting my Time, yet if I take the Approach of just Talking about the Scriptures, though this will Draw more Christians to my blog, I also know for a Fact that I will lose a good part of my Non-Christian Audience.
It is really Hard to reach both Audiences at Once and, In fact, very Possibly, it is not even Possible. So the Question that I have to Answer is "Do I want to Lose a good Portion of my Non-Christian Audience, or a Portion of my Christian Audience?" and in Truth, I am leaning towards the Later, instead of the Former.
Yeh, here I go "Thinking Out Loud" again and in all reality, sometimes the more Polished is a long time in Coming, just as also is God's Guidance. I have problems with the Idea that is pushed by some Christians, which is "Don't Think About it, just Pray and Wait for God's Guidance." What I am trying to Illustrate in this Post, however, is how aside from just the Waiting on God for the Answers, there is also a Thought Process that goes on that will lead to our eventual Conclusions and God's Guidance will come in the Midst of that Process.
Do you Know that at Times I Write Best in Letter Form? Perhaps I shouldn't be starting a Post out this way, yet this is how so many of my Posts begin. I Start Writing to Individuals and then later Change what I have Written into a Post. My Previous Post was about God's Guidance, yet quite Often God Guides me through my Interaction with others, so in a since, you could say that I am guided, at least in part, by you guys, my Commenters. That is not to say that if you tell me or suggest that I write about a certain thing that I will do so, yet if you say just the Right Thing to me, you will likely Inspire me.
This Post is, at least in Part, a response to the two Last Commenters who Wrote below my Previous Post, as of the Date and Time in which this Post was Posted. Among other Things, Z-man has Expressed that he has become Tired of his own Blog because he is not only Disagreed with, but also Misinterpreted because his Style is to "Think Out Loud". From that, I was inspired to write about how so many People are quite set in their own Way of Thinking and are not Persuadable.
I just don't have the Interest in Arguments that Lead no where any more. I just don't and though I really do not want to Abandon the Original Audience that used to Follow my Blog, my Interest in Arguing has Changed and I want to Figure out a Way to Draw an Audience that is Truly interested in what I have to say.
This got me Talking all about the Question of who my Target Audience should be if I choose again to Blog, which I will get into in just a Minute.
Aside from this, Z also brought to my mind a couple of other interesting Questions in relation to what should be our Approach to Blogging. The first of which is "Should we really 'Think Out Loud' on our Blogs, or should we do that with a Pen Pal and then write something on our Blogs that is a little more Polished?" I have Struggled with this Question quite a lot myself and am not sure if I know the Answer.
Another Question that I have been Asking is whether or not I should Still Blog about Politics and as I was responding to Z-man, I got thinking about how so many People, just as I mentioned above, are quite set in their own Way of Thinking and are not Persuadable and you see, here is the thing.... There are such a large Number of Obama Supporters on the Web that are not Persuadable that I'm feeling led away from discussing it. To those who do not Agree, it just sounds like Obama Bashing and that's not what I want my Blog to be. Perhaps there will come a time in which the Political Harvest will be more Ripe for Reaping, yet I do not feel that now is that time.
The other person that has recently Commented in the Below Post is Satyavati. From her, I have felt Inspired to Think and Write about another Question relating to "Feeling Led", or more precisely, the Idea of just Waiting for God's Voice or Well, more Actively Pursuing the Answers to the Questions that are in my Mind. This is what Led me to the Title of this Post in that God Guides through "Rational Thought" and not just the Act of Waiting for Him to Answer.
In the End, I know that it will be, at least in part you, the Commenters, who are going to help me to Find the Answers to what it is that I should be Blogging about. I've never felt that God Communicates that Often in a Crystal Clear way within a total Vacuum of our own Thoughts and the Thoughts of others. I've always felt that we find our Answers, at least in Part, through the Information that we Acquire from our interaction with those who we Communicate with and this is why God's Voice is so Rarely ever Immediate.
The Impatient do not make very good Christians because God has a Tendency to Take His Time. When He does Speak, it can be quite clear what He is saying, yet this Clarity is often quite Long in Coming and that is just the Way it is at times.
Here is my Dilemma...
A lot of Christians do not Understand the Intellectual. They are able to Accept Things just based on Faith and will often present as their Argument, nothing more then "Well, because the Bible Says so". This is not enough for some people.
There are actually times in which I feel like a Half Breed, for if I take an Intellectual, Thinking, sort of Approach to my Interactions with Non-Christians, there are Actually quite a lot of Christians who will tell me that I am Wasting my Time, yet if I take the Approach of just Talking about the Scriptures, though this will Draw more Christians to my blog, I also know for a Fact that I will lose a good part of my Non-Christian Audience.
It is really Hard to reach both Audiences at Once and, In fact, very Possibly, it is not even Possible. So the Question that I have to Answer is "Do I want to Lose a good Portion of my Non-Christian Audience, or a Portion of my Christian Audience?" and in Truth, I am leaning towards the Later, instead of the Former.
Yeh, here I go "Thinking Out Loud" again and in all reality, sometimes the more Polished is a long time in Coming, just as also is God's Guidance. I have problems with the Idea that is pushed by some Christians, which is "Don't Think About it, just Pray and Wait for God's Guidance." What I am trying to Illustrate in this Post, however, is how aside from just the Waiting on God for the Answers, there is also a Thought Process that goes on that will lead to our eventual Conclusions and God's Guidance will come in the Midst of that Process.
Monday, February 25, 2013
To Blog or Not to Blog, Waiting on God's Guidance
I don't have any real Clear Direction in my Blog yet, but that's Ok. Sometimes when we Wait on God, it takes a little time before we know all of the Answers. So Far, I'm sensing that I should be writing about Spiritual Things, rather than Politics, at least for now, but I do not want to do so in a way in which Drives Non-Believers Off.
Two Posts Down I was having a Discussion with probably the most loyal of all my Followers, BB-Idaho. We were discussing how the Blogging World can be Hostile at Times and the Discussions can appear to be quite Futile and because of this, I am Reluctant to Pursue some of my Old Followers by Visiting their Blogs. Peace of Mind is a worth while thing to Preserve and I'm not so sure that Pursuing Lots of Hits is really what this is all about. There has been a Slight Increase in comparison to the Hits I was getting when my Blog was Totally Inactive, but it's not enough to really brag about.
Anyway, as BB and I were discussing, "Whether 'tis easier on the mind to agonize over the darts and arrows of written argument or to press the 'escape' button and from the sea of troubles, by deleting, end them?" (Words of BB-Idaho) I guess he was Paraphrasing Hamlet because of my Chosen Title, though I'm certainly not as Depressed as all that and I assure you that my life will continue to go on quite Contently, whether I decide to Blog or not. Poor Hamlet. If only he had known that Jesus and the Indwelling Spirit could have helped him through all of his Troubles.
Here's my Response, though, to BB and to all others who might be listening....
I'm not as Concerned about Injury as I am about Outcome. If I could feel confident that the End Result would be that someone might actually be persuaded of at least a little something, then I will take "the Darts and Arrows", yet when it seems Fruitless, that is worse than any Dart or Arrow that is slung at me, so let's just find a way to not make it Fruitless, shall we.
This is why I want to be sure that God is truly the one Calling me to do this, for it is my Belief that He is the only one who can make anything that we do actually matter and this is why I simply will not Proceed with any Post until I feel sure that that's the Direction that God wants me to go in. I feel at Peace about this Post, yet my Efforts to Pursue Followers is in Slow Motion, until I can sense some further Direction from the Lord.
I have Often heard it said that "God's Word will Never Return Void", yet how can this be if the one who we are Quoting Scriptures to does not Believe in the Validity of those Scriptures?
Just so that I could be sure that what I am saying is actually what the Scripture says, I looked it up.
"10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 11) So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth. It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV)
Ok, now that I've read it directly out of the Bible, a Question comes to mind. Does the Phrase "My Word....that goeth forth out of My Mouth" and "in the thing whereto I sent it" refer to any Scripture spoken at any time, or just to that which the Lord has Specifically Directed, Guided and Sent Out.
You see, there is a difference between a Christian that is simply going through the motions and another Christian that is actually Following the Direction and Specific Guidance of God and this is the Reason Why so many Christians are not Effective in what they set out to do, for even though the Bible says...
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)
It also says....
"I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me, ye can do nothing." (John 15:5, KJV)
So Often when we Hesitate and are Reluctant, people think of things such as "Agony" and Fear, yet to Press On or to "Escape" is so much more Complicated than just the Question of Fear or Agony or of Considering what is "Easiest on the Mind". The Appropriate Question to Ask is not "Will it be Hard?" or "Will I be Injured?", but instead, "Will it be Fruitful?", "Will there be a Positive Outcome?", "Will it be worth it?" or more Pointedly, "Is this what God Wants me to Do?"
To Truly be Effective, we have to "Abide in Christ" and Wait for His Direction, for the Bible also says....
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)
So you see, being Hesitant and Reluctant is not a Negative Thing. Quite the Contrary. It is the Right Thing to do.
As I was Looking for that last Verse, I found three others that are encouraging in relation to Waiting on the Lord and then I thought of One More...
"Wait on the LORD. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalms 27:14, KJV)
"Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." (Psalm 37:34, KJV)
"Say not, thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee." (Proverbs 20:22, KJV)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9, KJV)
In Closing, I just want to Pray that these Words will not Return Void and that God will Draw those to my Blog who Need to be Encouraged by these Words. I also Pray that He will give me Direction as to whether or not I should Pursue anyone, by Visiting the Blogs that they Frequent.
Two Posts Down I was having a Discussion with probably the most loyal of all my Followers, BB-Idaho. We were discussing how the Blogging World can be Hostile at Times and the Discussions can appear to be quite Futile and because of this, I am Reluctant to Pursue some of my Old Followers by Visiting their Blogs. Peace of Mind is a worth while thing to Preserve and I'm not so sure that Pursuing Lots of Hits is really what this is all about. There has been a Slight Increase in comparison to the Hits I was getting when my Blog was Totally Inactive, but it's not enough to really brag about.
Anyway, as BB and I were discussing, "Whether 'tis easier on the mind to agonize over the darts and arrows of written argument or to press the 'escape' button and from the sea of troubles, by deleting, end them?" (Words of BB-Idaho) I guess he was Paraphrasing Hamlet because of my Chosen Title, though I'm certainly not as Depressed as all that and I assure you that my life will continue to go on quite Contently, whether I decide to Blog or not. Poor Hamlet. If only he had known that Jesus and the Indwelling Spirit could have helped him through all of his Troubles.
Here's my Response, though, to BB and to all others who might be listening....
I'm not as Concerned about Injury as I am about Outcome. If I could feel confident that the End Result would be that someone might actually be persuaded of at least a little something, then I will take "the Darts and Arrows", yet when it seems Fruitless, that is worse than any Dart or Arrow that is slung at me, so let's just find a way to not make it Fruitless, shall we.
This is why I want to be sure that God is truly the one Calling me to do this, for it is my Belief that He is the only one who can make anything that we do actually matter and this is why I simply will not Proceed with any Post until I feel sure that that's the Direction that God wants me to go in. I feel at Peace about this Post, yet my Efforts to Pursue Followers is in Slow Motion, until I can sense some further Direction from the Lord.
I have Often heard it said that "God's Word will Never Return Void", yet how can this be if the one who we are Quoting Scriptures to does not Believe in the Validity of those Scriptures?
Just so that I could be sure that what I am saying is actually what the Scripture says, I looked it up.
"10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 11) So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth. It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV)
Ok, now that I've read it directly out of the Bible, a Question comes to mind. Does the Phrase "My Word....that goeth forth out of My Mouth" and "in the thing whereto I sent it" refer to any Scripture spoken at any time, or just to that which the Lord has Specifically Directed, Guided and Sent Out.
You see, there is a difference between a Christian that is simply going through the motions and another Christian that is actually Following the Direction and Specific Guidance of God and this is the Reason Why so many Christians are not Effective in what they set out to do, for even though the Bible says...
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)
It also says....
"I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me, ye can do nothing." (John 15:5, KJV)
So Often when we Hesitate and are Reluctant, people think of things such as "Agony" and Fear, yet to Press On or to "Escape" is so much more Complicated than just the Question of Fear or Agony or of Considering what is "Easiest on the Mind". The Appropriate Question to Ask is not "Will it be Hard?" or "Will I be Injured?", but instead, "Will it be Fruitful?", "Will there be a Positive Outcome?", "Will it be worth it?" or more Pointedly, "Is this what God Wants me to Do?"
To Truly be Effective, we have to "Abide in Christ" and Wait for His Direction, for the Bible also says....
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)
So you see, being Hesitant and Reluctant is not a Negative Thing. Quite the Contrary. It is the Right Thing to do.
As I was Looking for that last Verse, I found three others that are encouraging in relation to Waiting on the Lord and then I thought of One More...
"Wait on the LORD. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalms 27:14, KJV)
"Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." (Psalm 37:34, KJV)
"Say not, thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee." (Proverbs 20:22, KJV)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9, KJV)
In Closing, I just want to Pray that these Words will not Return Void and that God will Draw those to my Blog who Need to be Encouraged by these Words. I also Pray that He will give me Direction as to whether or not I should Pursue anyone, by Visiting the Blogs that they Frequent.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Oh How Blogger.com has Changed.
Perhaps I will Change my Subject Matter Soon to Religious Topics, rather than Political Ones. Hopefully I will find followers who have that Interest. Feel Free, though, to Click on my Labels and Read whatever you choose to, for I have actually Posted on quite a large number of Subjects and Categories.
Before I Change Directions, though, I think that I will talk just a little more about the Subject of Blogging. The whole Look of the Blogger.com set up has Changed since I stopped my Blogging on March 5 of 2012. It is not as easy to Find Things. When I'm Logged in, which I usually am while on my Own Personal Computer at home, all I see in the Right Top Corner of my Blog is "New Post", "Design" and "Sign Out". There is no Link to my "Dash Board", which of course, includes my Feed to all the Blogs that I used to Follow. In Fact, I no Longer know how to get to this Feed. I Suppose that I'll Figure it out eventually, yet if anyone happens to Wonder by my Blog and knows how to help me, that would be really Appreciated.
The other thing that is weird is the Absence of the Tabs that use to be at the Top of the Screen when I'm on the "New Post" or "Design" Pages. I actually have to Click on Close, in order to find my way to "Comments" and then "Comment Moderation". Why so many Steps? We used to be able to just click on the Tabs across the Top. If you ask me, they have made their Program less User Friendly while I was away.
And as to how to Find the "Dash Board", I have yet do Discover that one.
Here's one other Thing.... I Understand that if someone decides to Follow my Blog, I can just Click on the Avatar and find my way to their Blog. It is interesting if the New Trend is to ask people to "Please Follow Me", for it used to be "Please Add me to your Blog Roll". I, personally, like to Limit the Number of Blogs that I Follow because if I don't, my Feed becomes so Cluttered that it is hard for me to make sense of it all. But then again, it would be Nice if I could even find my Feed, now wouldn't it?
The Blog Roll Works just as well as the Avatars of those who are Following us, for the Blog Roll is made up of Links to People's Profiles and Blogs, just as the Avatars are a Similar Link. The Difference is that we can Create these Links ourselves and do not have to Rely on someone else to Provide those links for us by becoming a Follower.
Yes, all that I just now wrote in the Two Previous Paragraphs was in response to someone who made the above mentioned Request of me. I hope that this will help him, if he decides again to Drop by.
Meanwhile, can anybody tell me how to find my Dash Board Feed? Thanks.
Before I Change Directions, though, I think that I will talk just a little more about the Subject of Blogging. The whole Look of the Blogger.com set up has Changed since I stopped my Blogging on March 5 of 2012. It is not as easy to Find Things. When I'm Logged in, which I usually am while on my Own Personal Computer at home, all I see in the Right Top Corner of my Blog is "New Post", "Design" and "Sign Out". There is no Link to my "Dash Board", which of course, includes my Feed to all the Blogs that I used to Follow. In Fact, I no Longer know how to get to this Feed. I Suppose that I'll Figure it out eventually, yet if anyone happens to Wonder by my Blog and knows how to help me, that would be really Appreciated.
The other thing that is weird is the Absence of the Tabs that use to be at the Top of the Screen when I'm on the "New Post" or "Design" Pages. I actually have to Click on Close, in order to find my way to "Comments" and then "Comment Moderation". Why so many Steps? We used to be able to just click on the Tabs across the Top. If you ask me, they have made their Program less User Friendly while I was away.
And as to how to Find the "Dash Board", I have yet do Discover that one.
Here's one other Thing.... I Understand that if someone decides to Follow my Blog, I can just Click on the Avatar and find my way to their Blog. It is interesting if the New Trend is to ask people to "Please Follow Me", for it used to be "Please Add me to your Blog Roll". I, personally, like to Limit the Number of Blogs that I Follow because if I don't, my Feed becomes so Cluttered that it is hard for me to make sense of it all. But then again, it would be Nice if I could even find my Feed, now wouldn't it?
The Blog Roll Works just as well as the Avatars of those who are Following us, for the Blog Roll is made up of Links to People's Profiles and Blogs, just as the Avatars are a Similar Link. The Difference is that we can Create these Links ourselves and do not have to Rely on someone else to Provide those links for us by becoming a Follower.
Yes, all that I just now wrote in the Two Previous Paragraphs was in response to someone who made the above mentioned Request of me. I hope that this will help him, if he decides again to Drop by.
Meanwhile, can anybody tell me how to find my Dash Board Feed? Thanks.
Monday, February 18, 2013
To Blog, or not to Blog, That is the Question?
I've been asking myself lately whether or not I should start up my Blog again and the Answer has not been Clear. I wonder how many of those who are listed in the Column to the Right as my Followers are still around and are actually watching their Feeds. The only reason why I know that there is a possibility that at least some of them are not is because I have listed myself as a follower on quite a number of Blogs and yet when I quit Blogging, I also stopped looking at the Feed that reports to me the Activity on the Blogs that I Follow. So you see, I'm not really following those that I "Follow".
Anyway, I have found the Blogging World to be Hostile at times. The Debates are often quite Futile and when I search my Mind and Heart for reasons to continue this Craziness, I am often at a loss for any Clear Direction. It's just that I've began to Comment again on the Blogs of a few others and when they come to my Blog to check me out, I wish that I could come up with something fresh for them to read.
Not only that, but I also wish that I could offer them a Forum in which to Talk to Me and maybe that is all that this Post is. It's a place to say hello and to talk about whatever. Even if my Visiting of and Commenting on other Blogs is Minimal, I still Wonder if anyone is out there simply because they have decided to "Follow" my Blog. Perhaps there is someone out there who is watching his or her feed who would like to show up again and talk to me.
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