Likely. we all have a slightly different idea of how we'd like to spend a vacation. Before I retired, I drove 61 miles to work, then 61 miles back home. A vacation for me might have been not to drive at all ...but, I was thankful my wife seemed to like to drive. And yes, most vacations are taken by car.
We stressed the importance of family. My wife's Mom had cancer, and I was never privileged to meet her ...but her Dad continued to live in that same house just over 4 miles away, and we saw him often. But, it was considered our vacation when we scheduled a visit to see my parents, nearly 500 miles away.
We had 5 kids (now are all adults), and if you have kids you've probably heard, "Are we there yet?"
If you've been driving for hours and you're tired, you probably don't want to hear, "Are we there yet?" ...especially a dozen times or so. We certainly couldn't fault them though ...as they were excited and eager.
What was helpful though, was creating stops along the way that could be looked forward to ...like favorite ice cream shops, the Mackinac Bridge, the Lake Michigan shoreline and dunes, several hundred steps up & down at the Cut River Bridge, and more ice cream stops. Then it was more like, "Are we to the ice cream place yet?" And we could tell them, "Soon!"
Those were questions that were eagerly asked, and rather easily answered.
There are also questions that we adults ask. Sometimes we go to other adults for the answers. And sometimes we adults are too eager to answer ...feeling a bit validated as the 'go-to' person. And sometimes we are a bit more honest, and admit we don't know ...as we at times doubt the older adults actually know the answer either. The hint of that is often how vague the answer is, or sometimes too detailed also causes doubt. So, though we receive an answer, it still often seems like a non-answer answer.
There are other times questions don't get answered. And though they are not likely as bizarre as the questions in the movie, 'The Sixth Sense', many questions go unanswered and life can be confusing. In the movie, the psychologist couldn't understand why he was having problems within his marriage, but it was particularly troublesome when his wife acted like he didn't even exist. He tried to reconcile their relationship, but she would give him absolutely no recognition, and no reason why. It was as if he didn't even exist. (If you are curious, you can read the synopsis if you haven't seen the movie. I didn't see it, but heard about it ...and read the synopsis.)
I am here at this laptop, and you are not ...but, we can connect. Certainly not the same way as in the movie ...yet, in a sense, you can feel we are on the same page if you are reading this.
I am not a robot ...for certainty, I exist.
And if you are reading this ...for certainty, you exist. If you are a robot, you are not reading, you are searching or scanning ...through the use of an algorithm, certain designated words are searched.
The robot, or 'bot' would designate a concern ...and somewhere in the process, perhaps after someone like me questions the process, an actual person may review the action caused by the process or program set up by an actual person. And then the response I get from an actual person often makes me wish the robot was back ...as they don't have agendas, they only do what they are programmed to do.
I don't know much about that, but I experienced it (not through a sixth sense). But, what I do know ---is that I want to make this easy. Let's start out with the question of a vacation. What do you consider a vacation??
And if you take a vacation, where do you like to go ...and what do you like to do??
So we start out answering three questions:
1) What do you consider a vacation?
2) Where would you like to spend your vacation?
3) What activities do you like to do on vacation?
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Part II
There are times and places where we like to be challenged, and other challenges we may not like. Some people view a career as a challenge, and some view it as a vacation. I think it's good to like your job or occupation, but just personally, there is nothing that I like more than being with my family, so when I have to keep a schedule which warrants time away from them ...I consider that work.
But, I don't want to go on about me ...let's get back to this existence thing. I still contend that I exist, and you exist ...and I think it is safe to say we both believe a whole lot of other people exist (forecasted to be 8 billion people by the middle of next week), most of which we know little about.
Yet, we can get to know each other a bit better by having a bit of a discourse, and sharing answers to questions. So, this question is not about whether you believe 8 billion people exist ...let's just call it 'a whole bunch'.
But, besides you & me, and a bunch of people ...brace yourself, here comes the next set of questions.
Do you believe a Supreme Being exists??
And if you believe in a Supreme Being, what are the limitations?
Do you think the Supreme Being can cook a Thanksgiving Dinner as good as Grandma's??
Do you think a Supreme Being could plant a garden as good as Grandpa's??
Do you think the Supreme Being could water the garden?? And would the Supreme Being prefer to use the water hose connected to the house, or use a pump to get the water from a nearby lake??
Or do you think the Supreme Being could cause it to rain?? And if the Supreme Being could cause it to rain, would there be attention given as to when to make it stop??
I guess I increased the questions this time, by adding a question #4 to this group:
1) Do you believe a Supreme Being exists?
2) Do you feel the Supreme Being has limitations, and if so, what would they be?
3) What kind of personality do you think the Supreme Being has?
4) How do you know? (Did someone tell you ...did you have a dream? Where do you get your ideas from?) What is your source of information for being able to answer the first three questions in this set??
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Part III
Besides the movie I mentioned, there are lots of movies about death. It is not an easy subject. I had to face that reality with my Mom two years ago, and with my Father-in-law at the end of August of this year. And I believe it's an important enough question to warrant a half dozen points of discussion.
Here are the next set of questions (6 of them this time):
1) Do you believe there is life after death?
2) Do you believe the Supreme Being prepared a place for us after we die ---not a place called a cemetery, but called Heaven? Do you believe in Heaven??
3) Do you believe everybody goes to Heaven after they die?
4) Do you believe the Supreme Being wipes out our memory when we die, and sort of programs our thoughts, so we're somewhat like a robot ...making everyone equal?? Or do you believe this freedom of choice that we have on earth, and often insist upon, has something to do with our quality of life after death??
5) Do you believe in angels?? Do you believe angels have a lifespan ...that is, only so (how) long?? Gabriel is considered a 'messenger' angel ...sending word to Daniel, then announcing the birth of Jesus a half dozen centuries later. If you do a similar study on the archangel Michael, you'd find that there seems no limit on his life ...so, do you believe angels are eternal??
6) Do you believe that people live eternally (potentially, in Heaven, with the Supreme Being), and the rest of the people just die and their life ceases to exist? Or do you believe all people also have a certain form of eternal nature ...and that there is another place where people will exist outside of the place the Supreme Being has prepared for us??
(https://myreasonmaynotbeyourreason.blogspot.com/)
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Part IV
This part here, you can't get away with a simple yes, or no.
This takes more thought.
Though it is only one question, it is not designed for anyone to be vague, nor does it allow a person to be wordy (as I usually am). I am asking for everyone to stick to the requested standard of providing an answer limited to 140 characters.
The question is described in the blog, entered here below:
(https://itiswhatitisbutmaybenotwhatyouthink.blogspot.com/)
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Part V
Please answer the exact same question as in Part IV, but expand your answer slightly (actually, you can double it) ...with your answer limited to 280 characters.
(For Parts IV & Parts V, please enter your three-letter name initial (first name initial, middle name initial, last name initial). This will help identify Parts IV & V, to group them together, and it would also be helpful if your church denomination is listed. My initials are SFM, and I go to a non-denominational church. This would also work towards ease of understanding, and for potential follow-up.
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Part VI
Day #6, Genesis 1:27 ---"So, God created humankind in His own image, in the image of God created He humankind, male and female created He them."
If I translate using a so-called gender-neutral word, 'humankind' ---instead of mankind, or man ---it still says He created male and female, so let's not get hung up on that.
I will not limit you to Twitter-length. You can go on ...as long as you want. If some people want to leave after a while, go ahead, I will endure quite long in listening to your perspective. Though it can be a short answer, I would prefer at least some explanation, and you can be assured I will give mine.
The question is:
1) Do you believe we were created, or do you believe humankind evolved?
Basically, if you believe in a Supreme Being, please explain how involved do you believe this Supreme Being was/is involved with our being here. I just revealed that the Supreme Being who I believe in is described in the Bible ...and I could save ten character spaces if I type 'God' instead of Supreme Being, if we agree.
A lot has to do with whether we believe the Bible is true, to what extent, and how we interpret what has been translated for us.
And do we mix evolution, and creation ...and how does that affect our view of the Bible?? By the time I finish my views on this, no one would likely be left in the room.
Speaking of being left ...
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Part VII
Suppose there was going to be a huge family gathering, and since your family lives in many different countries ...well, there is a private charter flight arranged for you to get on tomorrow, then everyone has a connecting flight that is scheduled to leave the following day.
Someone texts everyone that is supposed to be on the charter flight for your area, and says something unavoidable has come up, and can the charter flight be rescheduled for the following day.
Another person texts that if the charter flight is delayed, they will all miss the connecting flight, and they would have to then also make different arrangements for that flight ...missing out on two huge days of all the fun planned activities for those days.
What do you do??
Do you reschedule to accommodate the person??
If it's your own spouse, or children ...would you tell the rest to go on, but you were going to wait for your family and reschedule??
There is no right, or wrong answer ...just like the apostles didn't always agree, they still worked things out.
We do have our own preferred way of doing things, and it is important that we work things out.
We just had a mid-term election earlier this week. I always prefer when people don't gloat when they win, or have a temper tantrum when they lose. But, I'd like to distinguish here between God's will, and our free will.
I saw that one person was saying that it must have been God's will to stand up for women's rights, as it is now the law in Michigan that women can have abortions.
I believe that it is not God's will that someone gets raped, nor do I believe it is God's will that there would ever be a consensual agreement to practice promiscuous behavior. Those relationships happen because of the will of the people. I believe rape is an evil act, and I believe promiscuity is sinful. But, two playful youngsters does not qualify as statutory rape ...and what if it is not clearly taught that certain behaviors are wrong??
Many stories have been told of how young kids would sneak behind the barn or a shed to smoke. They did not want to be seen because they knew it was wrong.
Several years ago, the people of Michigan voted to legalize marijuana. As expressed by the people, it was communicated that it is okay if it's voted into law, as if the will of the people is equivalent to what is okay with God.
And likewise, if children are taught in school about sex, and furthermore aren't taught it is not to be done behind the barn or shed, then planting the thought that it is common and part of natural sexual development will only increase the probability of experimentation ...and kids will even feel pressured to participate, feeling they are the exception if they don't.
Years ago there was a campaign to 'Say no to drugs!' I may be old and out-of-touch, but I've never heard of a 'Say no to sex!' campaign. (And I'm talking about outside of marriage.)
So, is there a preferred way of doing things? And are the parents included in the decisions of what children should be taught? And voting for policies without any real discussion, and deciding upon school curriculum without welcomed parental input is not what I mean by 'working things out'.
Of course we don't want bad things to happen, so when we do feel we want to work things out ...there are groups and individuals eager to address the burden, and seemingly even welcome it. And they are quick to overwhelm us with fear of not complying to their conventional wisdom.
Oftentimes there is no sense that God is in anyway involved. Or our focus may be that we don't see what God is doing about it, and we feel God helps those who help themselves. Or we may react in the same way that a child on a long trip reacts, feeling this has been going on for a long time, and I just want it to be over, "I just want Jesus to return!"
It's kind of like saying, "Are we there yet?"
But, since Jesus has not returned yet, He is obviously not chosen for this to be the time. Could He be waiting for the person who is not quite ready yet, and lovingly waiting for that person to be able to make it ...sort of like the person who is delayed, and can't make the airplane flight for the big family gathering???
If you were wondering whether I was going to participate and give my opinion ...well, I guess I just put that thought to rest.
(At this time I will not address the verses in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, about the virgins and the lamps. Each part of the Bible has its own message, and is telling us something, not to take away from what it says in another part of the Bible. That will sort of be addressed in the next part.)
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Part VIII
The Bible, looked at in its entirety, does not conflict with any other part of the Bible ...the way I see it.
At this point, I am formulating in my mind the last question, but is there ever a last question?? I would like to always improve, and this is certainly not the best it could be ...but, it is a start, and at least some effort.
I believe there is too much effort towards exclusiveness and division. The only exclusiveness I believe in is Jesus, and I believe in a term that is not in the Bible, but which I believe is clearly described. The term shortens the much longer explanation, but it's so much easier just to say, 'the Trinity'.
My last question is: Do you believe that the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit are all God??
It can be phrased many different ways, but that can be part of the discussion.
If during the first part you wondered why I was not participating, you now know I have expressed much of what I believe. Early on, I did not want to influence anyone's answers ...whatever way that could have gone, or if it was even possible.
My view on the divisiveness is discussed somewhat in the blog link below:
(howisnowmuchdifferntthanthepast.blogspot.com)
Thank you again!!
And I am open to any input into how this presentation could be improved. Mostly, my hope is that we improve our relationship with God, and then also with each other without diminishing how we glorify Him ...as I believe the two should go hand-in-hand.
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