Did you have a Spiritual Awakening?

dyslexia wrote:

spendius wrote:
That's right ros-it doesn't matter.One respects everybody's way of dealing with these things.
NO "one" doesn't, some things deserve respect and some things don't.

I'm sorry you feel that my experience doesn't merit any respect dyslexia. I've always found you in the past to be a decent person, I really didn't expect you to show such dismissive disrespect to someones comments so offhandedly.

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Fedral wrote:

dyslexia wrote:
spendius wrote:
That's right ros-it doesn't matter.One respects everybody's way of dealing with these things.
NO "one" doesn't, some things deserve respect and some things don't.

I'm sorry you feel that my experience doesn't merit any respect dyslexia. I've always found you in the past to be a decent person, I really didn't expect you to show such dismissive disrespect to someones comments so offhandedly.

Well, first of all, I've never pretend to be a "decent person" and prefer to be an honest one. Sorry you're disappointed. On the other hand, offering respect simply because it's expected I regard as the most primitive of reasoning and social harmony that allows for lynchings, barn burnings and holocosts.

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dyslexia wrote:

Fedral wrote:
dyslexia wrote:
spendius wrote:
That's right ros-it doesn't matter.One respects everybody's way of dealing with these things.
NO "one" doesn't, some things deserve respect and some things don't.

I'm sorry you feel that my experience doesn't merit any respect dyslexia. I've always found you in the past to be a decent person, I really didn't expect you to show such dismissive disrespect to someones comments so offhandedly.

Well, first of all, I've never pretend to be a "decent person" and prefer to be an honest one. Sorry you're disappointed. On the other hand, offering respect simply because it's expected I regard as the most primitive of reasoning and social harmony that allows for lynchings, barn burnings and holocosts.

I wasn't asking for respect, or even acceptance from you, but I feel that coming onto a thread, who's very title asks people to relate their spiritual awakening stories, for the express purpose of showing disrespect is not being honest. It's just being a troll. If you don't care about other people's stories of faith and such, why the heck did you come to such a thread. It's like being a vegetarian and walking into a steakhouse for the purpose of yelling ho much you hate meat and annoying those who enjoy a good NY Strip.

As I said, I believe that your kind of attitude has much less to do with being honest and more to do with busting the balls of those who might have the kind of Faith that you seem to lack in your life.

I used to be you, I had a lot of anger and other issues that made me an unpleasant person to be around. Once I found my Faith, I wasn't that person anymore. Faith helped me change myself into the person I am today. My friends, family and I all prefer the me I grew into when I grew up and stopped being such an incredible a***ole.

Try growing up and being more accepting of views that are not your own, it opens up a whole new world of friendship possiblities.

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Fedral wrote:

dyslexia wrote:
Fedral wrote:
dyslexia wrote:
spendius wrote:
That's right ros-it doesn't matter.One respects everybody's way of dealing with these things.
NO "one" doesn't, some things deserve respect and some things don't.

I'm sorry you feel that my experience doesn't merit any respect dyslexia. I've always found you in the past to be a decent person, I really didn't expect you to show such dismissive disrespect to someones comments so offhandedly.

Well, first of all, I've never pretend to be a "decent person" and prefer to be an honest one. Sorry you're disappointed. On the other hand, offering respect simply because it's expected I regard as the most primitive of reasoning and social harmony that allows for lynchings, barn burnings and holocosts.

I wasn't asking for respect, or even acceptance from you, but I feel that coming onto a thread, who's very title asks people to relate their spiritual awakening stories, for the express purpose of showing disrespect is not being honest. It's just being a troll. If you don't care about other people's stories of faith and such, why the heck did you come to such a thread. It's like being a vegetarian and walking into a steakhouse for the purpose of yelling ho much you hate meat and annoying those who enjoy a good NY Strip.

As I said, I believe that your kind of attitude has much less to do with being honest and more to do with busting the balls of those who might have the kind of Faith that you seem to lack in your life.

I used to be you, I had a lot of anger and other issues that made me an unpleasant person to be around. Once I found my Faith, I wasn't that person anymore. Faith helped me change myself into the person I am today. My friends, family and I all prefer the me I grew into when I grew up and stopped being such an incredible a***ole.

Try growing up and being more accepting of views that are not your own, it opens up a whole new world of friendship possiblities.

How very pretencious of you. You have zero knowledge of my life experiences but don't lack the ability to make judgements.

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dyslexia wrote:

How very pretencious of you. You have zero knowledge of my life experiences but don't lack the ability to make judgements.

No, I just see the end product of that life experiences.

If I stand near a toilet bowl, I don't need to know all the processes that went into making the turds that you spew forth, all I need to know is that they are crap and they stink.

I was merely pointing out that a person who stalks around on threads for the purpose of mocking and deriding others has more than a few issues.

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Some folks bring their ball down to the playground, toss it out onto the lawn, holler "Hey, kids - look what I brought", then get upset when the ball gets kicked around some.

Fedral, nobody insulted you, nobody "disrespected" your right to hold and espouse any belief you care to. Your response to an other-than-adulatory comment, however, brings disrespect on you, and seriously weakens the position you attempt to represent. This is an open discussion forum, free to read, free to participate in, free of any restrictions not imposed by The Terms or applicable law. What is to be respected here is anyone's right to pretty much say, within the lines, whatever anyone cares to. What is to be expected here is that not everyone will agree with everyone else, and will say so. As long as disagreement is presented civilly, its fine; refute it, accept it, or ignore it, but accept that its part of the game.

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timberlandko wrote:

Some folks bring their ball down to the playground, toss it out onto the lawn, holler "Hey, kids - look what I brought", then get upset when the ball gets kicked around some.

Fedral, nobody insulted you, nobody "disrespected" your right to hold and espouse any belief you care to. Your response to an other-than-adulatory comment, however, brings disrespect on you, and seriously weakens the position you attempt to represent. This is an open discussion forum, free to read, free to participate in, free of any restrictions not imposed by The Terms or applicable law. What is to be respected here is anyone's right to pretty much say, within the lines, whatever anyone cares to. What is to be expected here is that not everyone will agree with everyone else, and will say so. As long as disagreement is presented civilly, its fine; refute it, accept it, or ignore it, but accept that its part of the game.

It's only "part of the game " because some of us make it "within the lines". You and dys and rosborne have no experiences you yourselves deem spiritual, so you come to this thread to deride others.

Sure you're able - no one can stop you - you're "free" to do whatever you want. But Fedral's analogy is perfect - you who come to a thread that askes for the spiritual experiences of others just to find fault and criticize, is exactly like a vegetarian going to a steakhouse to hector those who enjoy grain-fed angus.
I suppose they could get away with it, but that doesn't make them look any less bitter and low.

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Every "spiritual" thread attracts people of every stripe. This is not the only thread in which dissenting opinions appear. In the atheist/agnostic thread (for example), we could have termed some of the "religious" participants hecklers and disrupters and become hostile if we were thin skinned enough to get that disturbed. If you don't like dissenting opinions to appear on a thread, that is tough cookies.

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Reading along..

The question is, Did you have a spiritual awakening?

The answer could be yes, or maybe, or no.

In my own case, I had whole batches of awakenings when I was younger, and none for several recent decades. Most followers of these threads know that already, so I've not responded to the thread before now; tune in primarily to see how people discuss all this. That doesn't mean I don't get to pipe in if I want, relative to the question.

Opinions don't have to be respected. I'll go so far as to say they don't have to be defended either, though that is a good next step. Elucidating what one thinks is a step in itself for many a poster. And the step after that is absorbing that people disagree.

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edgarblythe wrote:

Every "spiritual" thread attracts people of every stripe. This is not the only thread in which dissenting opinions appear. In the atheist/agnostic thread (for example), we could have termed some of the "religious" participants hecklers and disrupters and become hostile if we were thin skinned enough to get that disturbed. If you don't like dissenting opinions to appear on a thread, that is tough cookies.

edgar -

I see disagreements in all the religious and spiritual threads, its true. A couple of things...
You're not seriously saying there haven't been displays of thin-skinnedness in, say, the atheists vs. agnostics thread? It sounds like you're saying the disagreements there are all taken in stride, and good-natured, or something - surely that's not what you meant.

Also, I have seen threads started several times, for instance one recently in which the first post read, in part - "creationists, leave now" - that have a certain vein they want the discussion to take. I haven't posted on that thread at all. Why would I go there, except to start a fight? And if I do go there and someone points out to me that I was asked not to, how can I protest that I was doing anything but trying to start some mess?

Let's just be honest - if most who don't believe in spiritual phenomena have any reason for showing up on a thread expressly asking people to share spiritual phenomena, it is to scoff. Well, scoff away - but let's call a scoff a scoff.

Osso:

Quote:

Reading along..

The question is, Did you have a spiritual awakening?

The answer could be yes, or maybe, or no.

In my own case, I had whole batches of awakenings when I was younger, and none for several recent decades. Most followers of these threads know that already, so I've not responded to the thread before now; tune in primarily to see how people discuss all this. That doesn't mean I don't get to pipe in if I want, relative to the question.

Opinions don't have to be respected. I'll go so far as to say they don't have to be defended either, though that is a good next step. Elucidating what one thinks is a step in itself for many a poster. And the step after that is absorbing that people disagree.

Osso -
If it was simply a matter of a bunch of people expressing opinions, and neither respect for others' opinions, nor the need to defend one's own opinion was necessary, then we'd be either all ascended to some higher state of being, or else we'd all be robotic.

There isn't any argument here. There isn't any meat for a disagreement - either you've had experiences that you yourself consider spiritual, or you haven't. If one hasn't, and one still finds it compelling to stop by here just to ridicule those who have - then that person isn't doing anything but trying to start trouble.

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Ridiculing opinions is ok, if tough to hear, certainly for me too.
In the heat of the comments sometimes people get ridiculed along with the opinions, which I think is not smart for carrying on an argument, nemmind the t.o.s. But... very human to do.
Usually when that gets going I tune out.

On power of prayer, I used to believe that fully. My family were big supporters of the famous to us Rosary Crusade in the fifties. In contrast to many, I don't think people who believe are by definition fools. Not that they are right re their beliefs to me, but not that they are all fools. (hmmmm, All Fools Day coming right up in the Fall).

On the near culture of insulting each other here, people get burrs on their saddles because of past jeers to themselves. Hard to, indeed impossible to, isolate any one set of posts, they fall within a context of jeer from side to side, though moderators guage all that. But back to insulting an opinion or jeering a fervent description - all within realm of ok here.

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dyslexia wrote:

spendius wrote:
That's right ros-it doesn't matter.One respects everybody's way of dealing with these things.
NO "one" doesn't, some things deserve respect and some things don't.

How do you decide what deserves respect and what doesn't?

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Interesting thread, snood.

I am a Christian.

As a description, 'A spiritual awakening' may tend to be a little more restrictive than is useful.

Yes, there was a beginning when I became a Christian, but I am continually 'awakening' to see, understand and be more of a Christian than before.

Many times I have prayed and received answers to prayer in situations that were far beyond my control or influence. When it happens often enough, you lose the use of the word 'coincidence' and you realize that God is answering your prayers after all. That's a real 'awakening' too.

Some have scoffed at this idea of answered prayer. That's ok, I believe them when they say God has never answered any of their prayers. I can well believe it.

My 'awakening' life comes from the realization that I am a sinner, and I cannot deserve or earn anything from God. Can't earn forgiveness or answered prayer, ever.

But I've received both.

Don't know if this is the type of input you are looking for, but there ya go.

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snood wrote:

It's only "part of the game " because some of us make it "within the lines".

Nonsense - no special rules, no special folks here; game's the same for all.

Quote:

You and dys and rosborne have no experiences you yourselves deem spiritual, so you come to this thread to deride others.

Criticizing, countering, challenging, or disagreeing with an assertion, statement, or position does not equate to any attack on or allusion to the presenter of that assertion, statement, or position.

Quote:

Sure you're able - no one can stop you - you're "free" to do whatever you want. But Fedral's analogy is perfect - you who come to a thread that askes for the spiritual experiences of others just to find fault and criticize, is exactly like a vegetarian going to a steakhouse to hector those who enjoy grain-fed angus.

Nonsense again - no one is hectoring anyone (well, except for a couple examples, not offered by anyone of perspective not congruent with your own); alternate views and differering perspectives are being presented ... civilly and with all respect for the persons whose perspectives are being confronted.

Quote:

I suppose they could get away with it, but that doesn't make them look any less bitter and low.

I would say playing the victim card, when it hasn't been dealt, is pretty bitter and low, and ethically dishonest as well.

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The whole thing comes down to grace. There is no denying that we are all sinners. There is no denying that we are undeserving of having most of our prayers answered. When we do have them answered, the naysayers chalk it up to coincidence or luck or some other thought that comes into their head.

If one does not have remorse for the things that they do. If they do not want change and a move to a higher spiritual level, then they will never know whether they have prayers answered. They will consider their plight just bad luck.

It is indeed sad that there are people who will scoff and ridicule others simply because they have a belief in a higher power (God). Does it matter why we have this belief? If somebody does not share that belief, why not just let the other person have it without ridicule? Are some so arrogant or self-centred or terrified that they must pounce at every opportunity?

I have spent this evening reading this thread from page one and I find it a very sad commentary of the human psyche. Very little has been written that is pertinent to the thread. I would suspect that many did not respond because they would rather not suffer the cajoling by a few posters who have dominated this thread. What is wrong with people having a belief in something just because they want to. Is that so frightening for those who disagree with them?

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It's really good to hear from you Intrepid.

I am finding the easiest method for dealing with posters who become abusive is to simply ignore them.

Serial abusers simply crave attention any way they can get it.

A2K has far too many interesting people to talk with for me to spend time enabling someone who cannot hold a civil conversation.

I am a sinner too, and it is far too easy to get pulled into a ridiculous argument that goes nowhere.

It's a weakness of mine to want to carp back. (Did it earlier tonight, matter of fact.) I told you I'm a sinner too.

So I will usually simply ignore abusive posts.

If someone ignores me, I'll know why too, and I probably deserve it.

It's part of my awakening life. Overcoming is what it's all about.

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People can have remorse without being spiritual, much less christian. Though this matter is off topic re awakenings, 'less of course remorse woke one up. Still, remorse is not owned by the spiritual amongst us.

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ossobuco wrote:

People can have remorse without being spiritual, much less christian. Though this matter is off topic re awakenings, 'less of course remorse woke one up. Still, remorse is not owned by the spiritual amongst us.

Nobody is suggesting that it is. However, the author of this thread was asking specifically for comment on spiritual experiences.

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snood wrote:

Al-righty then! We can easily see that neither Timber or Frank have had experiences they would in any way characterize as spiritual. Okeedokee - well, that's that.

I occasionally feel sensations similar to yours and Lash's during moments of extreme concentration -- piano playing and computer programming, usually. Suddenly everything is coming together and everything goes right without any conscious effort. I see no reason to believe that such experiences indicate the existence of a god, but it might count as `spiritual' for you.

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The author of the thread was asking if anyone had spiritual awakenings.

He didn't get around - with good reason, since he was just asking the question - to grace and remorse. Your post on grace and remorse, which I admit to understanding, talks to a select group that understands your terms, that is, the awakened. But, this is a worldwide web site here. If indeed you only want to speak with awakened folk, you might start a separate website with closed membership.

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Did you have a Spiritual Awakening?

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