My Weekly Devotional

[revsdd]

I agree with you, but how does this translate to the many families in Syria who have watched their families being butchered on a continuous basis? I quite frankly would find this story empty in some regards if I were in the midst of these atrocities. How does one speak to this?

It doesn't speak to them. If you have some magic solution to violence in the Middle East or anywhere I'd love to hear it. My purpose is to encourage and nurture people's faith in the hopes that they will encourage and nurture others and hopefully, eventually, there will be enough to make a difference. I quite confess that, as an individual, sitting in my comfortable office in affluent Ajax, Ontario, I cannot solve the problems of Syrian families in a war zone through anything that I as an individual do, write or say.

 

[Waterfall]

It doesn't speak to them. If you have some magic solution to violence in the Middle East or anywhere I'd love to hear it. My purpose is to encourage and nurture people's faith in the hopes that they will encourage and nurture others and hopefully, eventually, there will be enough to make a difference. I quite confess that, as an individual, sitting in my comfortable office in affluent Ajax, Ontario, I cannot solve the problems of Syrian families in a war zone through anything that I as an individual do, write or say.

One never knows who is listening, perhaps we should encourage those who do have the ability to write and be heard on a broader basis and change us into a larger voice.

 

[revsdd]

One never knows who is listening, perhaps we should encourage those who do have the ability to write and be heard on a broader basis and change us into a larger voice.

Which is exactly what I said: "My purpose is to encourage and nurture people's faith in the hopes that they will encourage and nurture others and hopefully, eventually, there will be enough to make a difference."

 

[Luce NDs]

Maybe someday the strong will begin to care about weaker motives and crazy thoughts!

 

[Seeler]

Some really good discussions going on. This week, I'm going to throw into the mix some thoughts about religious hatred and/or violence how Jesus responded to an example of those who were tempted in that direction:
My Faith Thoughts: A Thought For The Week Of May 29, 2017

A great reading to introduce the topic of religious violence and war in a workshop or discussion group. Jesus both preached and practiced non-violence yet even his closest followers had a hard time understanding and accepting it. How easy it is to justify violence - the childish 'he started it' and the often excuse for torture in wartime 'they do worse to our people'. And 'My God is better than your God'.

 

[Luce NDs]

"He started it" is cause for continuum ... envision the mother of wisdom there ... cosmologically augured or bored with bonding to her man-god that she found to be incessantly tending to greed, hostility, and violence ... dear! the book said only a little whine ... don't get carried away with extremes ... and the fringe riffled with cussed giggles ... they hadn't fallen into that state yet ... so IT appeared unreal where is Ra eL was ... dissonant nature! Ra being a hole in the tree --- some carpenter on stage!

This happens with outsiders, strangers and love when looking in on a world based on hate ... and wisdoms children were advocated to experience this .. which then had empiric attached ... as all things must be labelled.

Of course in the game there are the norms ... sometimes dissociated from where they're at due to aspirations ... mental drift?
Tis beyond the bulk ... sometimes known as the bode an thingy that's mostly green ... vert egos?

 

[revsdd]

Sometimes it's not a bad idea to just go back to pretty basic stuff - like humility and authenticity. That's what I've done this week, thinking about Matthew 6:3-4.

My Faith Thoughts: A Thought For The Week Of June 5, 2017

 

[Mendalla]

Some good thoughts and I think that kind of humility about good works should be an ideal for everyone, not just Christians. Doing good for the sake of doing good rather than to polish our own tarnished facade. But ... does society not sometimes effectively, though not always explicitly, ask us to demonstrate our "goodness" with our works? We may want to lie low and be humble but society wants to "keep score" and those who aren't seen doing "the right thing" might actually be seen as bad people or not pulling their weight or something? IOW, we may not want to benefit personally from our good works, but we can actually be hurt by not calling attention to them. Maybe I'm wrong. It's Just a thought to explore.

 

[revsdd]

Some good thoughts and I think that kind of humility about good works should be an ideal for everyone, not just Christians. Doing good for the sake of doing good rather than to polish our own tarnished facade. But ... does society not sometimes effectively, though not always explicitly, ask us to demonstrate our "goodness" with our works? We may want to lie low and be humble but society wants to "keep score" and those who aren't seen doing "the right thing" might actually be seen as bad people or not pulling their weight or something? IOW, we may not want to benefit personally from our good works, but we can actually be hurt by not calling attention to them. Maybe I'm wrong. It's Just a thought to explore.

Indeed it does. And I didn't say it was wrong to be noticed. I was speaking of the underlying motive. Being noticed while doing good is fine; doing good in the hopes of being noticed is a bit different.

 

[Mendalla]

Indeed it does. And I didn't say it was wrong to be noticed. I was speaking of the underlying motive. Being noticed while doing good is fine; doing good in the hopes of being noticed is a bit different.

I think it may be more nuanced than that, though. Knowing that society expects good works, it is conceivable that the underlying motive becomes one of duty to society and being seen to do that duty rather than simply doing it "for the other". You're not necessarily doing it for yourself, but you're not necessarily doing it for the other, either.

 

[Jaebius]

I think it may be more nuanced than that, though. Knowing that society expects good works, it is conceivable that the underlying motive becomes one of duty to society and being seen to do that duty rather than simply doing it "for the other". You're not necessarily doing it for yourself, but you're not necessarily doing it for the other, either.

Isn't doing something for one's society doing something for others?

 

[revsdd]

I think it may be more nuanced than that, though. Knowing that society expects good works, it is conceivable that the underlying motive becomes one of duty to society and being seen to do that duty rather than simply doing it "for the other". You're not necessarily doing it for yourself, but you're not necessarily doing it for the other, either.

Doing for society is doing for others.

 

[Waterfall]

Some good thoughts and I think that kind of humility about good works should be an ideal for everyone, not just Christians. Doing good for the sake of doing good rather than to polish our own tarnished facade. But ... does society not sometimes effectively, though not always explicitly, ask us to demonstrate our "goodness" with our works? We may want to lie low and be humble but society wants to "keep score" and those who aren't seen doing "the right thing" might actually be seen as bad people or not pulling their weight or something? IOW, we may not want to benefit personally from our good works, but we can actually be hurt by not calling attention to them. Maybe I'm wrong. It's Just a thought to explore.

I'm sure the one's that received the good deed would notice and that's all the matters. They may tell others or do something kind for another some day. Or they may say nothing, especially if it was an embarrassing situation....not everyone wants others to know they needed help.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Is a good deed done with 'bad' intentions any less a good deed? Is the once-starving person any less fed because the giver gave from an ulterior motive?

 

[Seeler]

I think it may be more nuanced than that, though. Knowing that society expects good works, it is conceivable that the underlying motive becomes one of duty to society and being seen to do that duty rather than simply doing it "for the other". You're not necessarily doing it for yourself, but you're not necessarily doing it for the other, either.

I'm imagining a resume, or a news story, or an obituary reading something like: she coached little league; she organized a campaign for a kidney machine at the local hospital; she championed the cause of _______.
While for someone else the most they could claim, if they were so inclined, which they probably wouldn't be, would be: she was a good neighbour; all the kids liked her; she knit socks for the men's shelter; or she spent hours at the library behind the scenes recording books for the blind.

 

[Waterfall]

Is a good deed done with 'bad' intentions any less a good deed? Is the once-starving person any less fed because the giver gave from an ulterior motive?

Good point.

 

[Mendalla]

Is a good deed done with 'bad' intentions any less a good deed? Is the once-starving person any less fed because the giver gave from an ulterior motive?

How about the Roman bread & circuses? Wealthy Romans buying food and entertainment for the masses to gain their support on the rise to power. The people were fed but the system that made them hungry and powerless was perpetuated. Can a deed done for that kind of manipulation ever be "good"?

 

[Waterfall]

Many good thoughts, it seems doing good is complicated. Sigh.....

 

[Luce NDs]

How about the Roman bread & circuses? Wealthy Romans buying food and entertainment for the masses to gain their support on the rise to power. The people were fed but the system that made them hungry and powerless was perpetuated. Can a deed done for that kind of manipulation ever be "good"?

Key word ... the masses must be manipulated ... reason for underlying myths ... so you can speak to their core parts ... the unknown mind as an ideal ... a kind 've god ... that have generally been rejected, displaced and denied ... as previously thought!

The mine d' god requires a good story ... intellect alone won't do ...

 

[Seeler]

How about the Roman bread & circuses? Wealthy Romans buying food and entertainment for the masses to gain their support on the rise to power. The people were fed but the system that made them hungry and powerless was perpetuated. Can a deed done for that kind of manipulation ever be "good"?

I just substituted a few words in my mind as I thought about the circus atmosphere and the big tent of Trump's rallies.