Posted by leeran on April 18, 2003, at 1:05:54
In reply to Re: Re war et al--lil' james marshel l, posted by lostsailor on April 18, 2003, at 0:34:03
What a line:
bill won one for the zipper, while ron the gipper...
I can only hope my husband is still awake when I go upstairs so I can repeat this to him. We had a lengthy discussion over dinner about Bill Clinton so your remark is particularly timely.
Lostsailor, I am lost as well. I want to believe that all is well but I know it isn't. Or is it?
I've read one "essay" since the war started (on another message board) that really made me feel better (momentarily) about everything. I'm going to copy and paste it here with the caveat that it's just a copy and paste! Not meant to be controversial in the least. Somehow, it gave me a measure of hope.
The words "man/men" could have been replaced with "people/human/mankind" but I am not the author so I won't toy with (or criticize) his words, which are (IMHO), for the most part, profound. Oh yeah, some of the expressions in this guy's essay are taken from other speeches (I had to do a little research the day I read it).
EVERY ACT OF MAN IS GOOD FOR MAN.THE EXPERIENCES OF FEAR, ANGER, HATE, CHAOS, PAIN–ALL SUFFERING–AND DEATH, ARE GOOD FOR MAN. THE WORLD, AS IT IS, IS PERFECT FOR MAN, AND ALL THINGS ARE WORKING EXACTLY AS THEY MUST FOR THE GOOD OF MAN. NOTHING WRONG.
Consider life:
Every choice has a consequence; every consequence teaches a lesson; every lesson learned takes man closer to the reason he IS: "Man IS that he might have joy," or, using other words: This truth is self-evident, that all men are endowed by their creator with the desire to be happy.
So why aren't men happy all the time? Because men make choices that don't result in happiness.
The bad choices men make prove they need the consequences--the lessons that result from the choices. And the events that result from decisions, is evidence they need the lessons.
Life is a school, and the purpose of life is fulfilled in the living.
Men ARE that they might have joy, and when men learn to choose the things the bring joy, and avoid the things that bring sorrow, then are men perfect in the sphere they inhabit, and the purpose of life–gaining the wisdom needed to be happy – is fulfilled.
These are indeed the times that try men's souls–but not these times only – it is man's history. No age is exempt from trials, pain and tears, for this is a world of tears, and all men play their part, the angry, the happy, the ignorant, the wise, those that seek honor, power, wealth and glory at the expense of others, those that are content, and those that seek to serve unselfishly, yes, every nation, every people, every person fulfills the purposes of life – "all for one, and one for all."
In this world we spend a few years and then depart. Some say we come many times, others say we come but once, but what matters it, we know the life we live, and it has an end, and how we spent our time is judged by others as good or bad, but if the truth were known, IT IS ALL GOOD.
If we would – and we can – see into eternity, know the past, present and future of man, then our judgements would be wise, but many choose to be imprisoned in the matrix, judge in an instant, and thus they and we create our world, yet it fulfills the purposes of He who sees into eternity, and knows all things are good.
IF WE REALLY BELIEVED AND TRUSTED IN GOD, TRUSTED HIS PURPOSES FOR MAN, then we would TRULY be at peace in these troubled times. That's my point: Trust the plan of He who created all things, just flat-out trust Him, because to do less, while we know less, is the cause of our fears, our anguish and our tears – yet . . . even THAT, is good – for through fear we learn to trust; by anguish we gain knowledge; and in tears, we cleanse the soul and awaken to a new dawn of hope.
Where is the man of one-hundred years ago? His body is earth again, and his eternal being is not here. If he were to visit you and speak to you of things eternal, you would know that all things are perfect, going as they must -- fulfilling life's purposes.
Men suffer, and by suffering learn wisdom. The world is chaos, and by chaos men learn to cherish order. The world is at war, and by war men learn to cherish peace. Men are slaves, and by slavery men learn to value freedom. Men live and die, and by living they learn of death, and by dying they learn to live.
Life is one eternal round of progression for eternal spirits that are in the school of mortality – a dark and light world of opposites that teach man all he needs to know to move beyond this reality and embrace his eternal future – and is the wiser for it.
Men need neither know the words here written, nor believe them, it matters not, for the plan works in spite of men's beliefs, YET, when a man believes, knows THESE truths, that life is perfect, is going as needed, is good -- then THAT man truly walks in peace in a world that has always been at war.
The trials and tribulations that are inherent in living are not inconsequential, are not sideshows, are not accidents, but are absolutely necessary, the main show, the purpose of life.
Today we are here and tomorrow we are gone, and in all this, life's purposes are fulfilled, and it is good, AND, if you will TRUST GOD, you will walk this world in peace, even as the world marches to war.
-----------------------------Nemesis lives in a small "cabin" without electricity or running water–1800's style–in the western hills on the Nevada/Utah border, and will soon have a book available called: "DON'T SPIT INTO THE WIND IF YOU DON'T WANT A SPIT BATH."
poster:leeran
thread:220134
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030414/msgs/220291.html