Spiritual Principals

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Oatmeal. Best in oatmeal cookies...

(Chatty hates hot cereals...Chatty will not eat hot cereals AT ALL.)

Or, raw over cold cereal....my personal favorite use of oatmeal.



____________________

On a serious note...

I agree, I found myself unable to play nicely and be a good toadfish representative so I walked away.
What is so great about this monastery is the fact that even when we do not agree-- we do not get ugly, we listen, talk, think, ponder, accept and love.

(emphasis MINE, is the point I'm addressing)

I probabily ought to do the same (re: Topix)  I let myself get too heated up with certain individuals in there, and it's not fun anymore-- and I'm not very nice, when I do that.

I need to remember my hard-learned lessons from when I used to volunteer with abused children:  Ignoring.   It's a most powerful skill, when finely tuned.

To use ignoring technique, you ignore [behaviors] you cannot possibly change or affect, and what cannot possibly affect you.   With kids, that means that if they are not actively destroying the furniture, or actually being abusive (physically or verbally) to someone else, you ignore it.   You totally ignore verbal abuse directed at you.  You treat physical abuse directed at you or others, or verbal abuse directed at other kids with a-matter-of-fact tone, NEVER with emotions, and utilize appropriate punishment (usually time out--occasionally temporary removal from the room to another adult).

The key to ignoring is to let whatever they say/do roll off you like water-- it only touches you if you let it.

I've forgotten that lesson, over in Topix.

So, I may use my 10-hour work days (of late) as an excuse to back off a bit.

Thank you for reminding me of that option [indirectly], anthrobabe-- you're a gem!

[Saranac Otter]

I believe in God but not organized reliigon.

I used to say that I wasn't a member of any organized religion I was a _________ (insert denomination that'll get the biggest laugh, in my locale, Southern Baptist.)

My lack of belief in the structured religions has led me to being a Quaker. (Meeting, not "Church". Even Quakers have their divisions.) Don't worry, I won't try to make you eat oatmeal or wear homespun trousers with buttons and suspenders...
[/quote]I have lived in an area of Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites.  I respect their simple ways, especially because they never tried to inflict them on me, and that is all I ask.

[Opsa]

Hey- my grandparents were Quaker liberals and I really enjoyed going to their meetings with them, sometimes. Very low key.

I'm with Chatty about God vs. organized religion. The subject is much too personal to me to leave in the hands of others.

Loved your post, B-in-a-QSF. I struggle with trying to ignore things all the time. It isn't always easy! The hardest part is trying to just let things go and not continue to imagine scenarios of other outcomes in my head, whether they are better or worse. Sometimes I have to allow things to just fall flat and go untouched and let it be. That is often the wisest way, when a personal affront is perceived.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

I did what Anthro did. I left. I got really tired of the idiotic bigotry and the flame wars.

I'm an atheist/aptheist. I don't think there is a higher power, but I don't really care if there is, anymore. I dislike organized religion, on the whole, though I respect those who have faith, and some of what they believe.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I did what Anthro did. I left. I got really tired of the idiotic bigotry and the flame wars.

I'm an atheist/aptheist. I don't think there is a higher power, but I don't really care if there is, anymore. I dislike organized religion, on the whole, though I respect those who have faith, and some of what they believe.

I can no longer respect faith for just faith.

What I do respect, however, is people who actually live by what they actually believe.   Not just lip service, but day-in-and-day-out live by what their faith actually stands for.

For example, Jimmy Carter (yes, the ex-pres).  He believes that helping people is both an Honor and a Duty.  So-- what to do?  He regularly donates hours of his precious time to Habitat for Humanity.  And he's not one of those gilded-shovel-types, who shows up late, shovels a bit of dirt, takes several photo-ops and leaves.   Mr Carter shows up....and works.

Others who have worked along side him, have often commented that he works as hard [or harder] as people decades younger.   I don't believe as Carter does, with regards to Faith, but I can certainly respect him putting his back-ache where his faith leads him.

Obviously, another excellent example of living by what she believes in is our own Chatty-- I am both amazed and in awe of the doings she reports about.   Here's a person of deep faith, who lives that each and every day.  That is worthy of respect, too.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is I respect people who are internally consistent; their viewpoint matches their life-goings-on.

Something I did learn from Topix, though, is that the louder a person protests her/his faith, the less likely they actually believe it "for real".   It's as if they are trying to convince themselves, most of all.

A person with deep faith that is solid, has no need to babble on about that faith to others-- it speaks automatically through their attitude, their actions, their thoughts.   No need to be all preachy on the corner (or in a forum, for that matter).

One of my favorite examples of a person of deep faith, who felt no need to walk around with a 'faith-chip' on his shoulder, is Ghandi.  Yes, that Ghandi, the pacifist.  He was his faith-- he had no need to blather on about it (although he was more than willing to talk about it, if asked nicely).