How much do you agree with this statement?

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RosieMoonflower
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How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by RosieMoonflower »

“It’s not your beliefs that make you a good person, it’s your actions.”


I’ve been having some difficulty lately dealing with Christian relatives sort of spewing their faith at me as good advice and even more difficulty dealing with their disappointment and questions when I don’t feel the same, as I have a very eclectic belief system that they could never understand.

I was watching a Stephen King movie, and I rarely watch scary or horror movies, and this quote was given by the main character. It immediately resonated with me. That’s exactly how I feel. I’ve been having some complications with my pregnancy and so many people have said things like “if you put your faith in God, everything will be okay”.

That’s not something I agree with. I feel like that’s is also saying children whose parents do not have faith in God stand no chance against their illnesses, which is so messed up. My son has been showing improvements and they say it’s because so many people are praying for him and have faith. Well, I don’t have undying faith, but I’m a good person in my actions. I go out of my way to my spend time and money helping people, children, and animals all the time. I get poked fun at for being like that from others. Maybe it’s my good Karma that’s helping my son improve and not others faith.

Anyways, know I don’t have the answers on how God/the universe works, I found this quote comforting. I’ve yet to get to use with anyone yet, but I’m holding it in my back pocket for when I need it. Does this resonate with anyone else?

Rosie
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Mr Crowley
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Mr Crowley »

I have made it clear how I view religions, even atheistism because it's another branch of religion.

>so many people have said things like “if you put your faith in God, everything will be okay”<

I would thank them for their love, kindness, and generosity.

Lost track! What's the topic?
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Firebird »

Little ADD there Crowley? Seriously...where's your empathy ?

It's all about walking your talk so it seems in the same vein.

Do these same xtians have an explanation for when something goes wrong to the faithful? I'm sorry you are having to listen to this Rosie, keep on being a good person, that's what matters.
Bb, FF
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by SpiritTalker »

It resonates for me too, however i see it as an outward observation of how actions appear to others. Id have to say that Inwardly our actions result from our beliefs. Meh - 6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of the other.

As for prayers healing - IMO, prayer brings folk closer-in-spirit to the divine but it’s God’s grace that acts. How dare anyone take smug credit for that!🤭
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Mr Crowley »

"where's your empathy?"

For whom, the athiests?

My religious-free mind doesn't dwell on things like that, and I apologize if I don't think correctly.

Like I don't have Christian people in my extended family?
They go yada yada, I go yeah yeah, and never gave it a thought about getting upset over it. When I visit them, they always give grace before meals. I bow my head along with everyone else.
“It’s not your beliefs that make you a good person, it’s your actions.”


Things like this are part of life, and when one can accept this as part of life, life gets much better.

I was just trying to help, but I should know better because I'm not dealing with like minded people.

Again, I'm sorry, and I wish the best for you.

Fbf: I thought this board was about sharing points of views. So what's up with the slam? Isn't that out of line to slam someone because they have a different point of view?
“It’s not your beliefs that make you a good person, it’s your actions.”
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Firebird »

I'm having a really bad day Crowley. You just came off as flippant, so I flipped out. It happens.
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
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“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by RosieMoonflower »

I assumed FF meant where’s your sympathy for my situation. Your comment did seem a little uninterested in the source of my struggle. I suppose I should have mentioned I have absolutely thanked people for their kindness and caring. But, it’s not enough, I feel that they still judge me. I can see it in their eyes when I’m not spouting back that I had faith in God this whole time and so I’ve never been afraid of what could happen. I can hear it in their voice when they ask me if I have faith and I explain to them it’s not the same as theirs. They give this disappointed “oh”.

Anyways I know they can’t help it. They’re worried for my soul, which ultimately is caring. But, for the most part, I’m a better person than a lot of them. Again, I’m basing that off the fact that I give so much of myself to helping others and they don’t. They think their faith will make everything better so they don’t actually have to do anything to help that homeless person. Or, that pregnant teen. Or that stray skinny dog.

But, Spirit is still right. They are basing their action (or lack of) on their beliefs. And I’m basing mine on my beliefs I suppose. The belief that somebody should do something and that I am SOMEBODY.

Rosie
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Corbin »

(bit of a flow)

Belief isn't Faith but people use them like they are interchangeable. Anyone who says this has never felt true faith or has become too invested in belief. Faith doesn't bear a Christian trademark. It isn't faith that spoils our worldview, or creates rules and the earthly misuse of worldly institutions by earthly people.

Faith, while often attributed to religion, really isn't - it surpasses it - it has no denomination. Its what religion was supposed to point those without gnosis toward. It's why the practice of mysticism has no real denomination, only a remarkably common shared experience. It's a million miles away from dogma. Belief isn't gnosis.

Beliefs change and evolve all the time (and should if we are really paying attention), because they are knowledge, not understanding, faith can't be explained, only felt with certainty. In this Chaos magicians are right, belief is a tool. Faith however is something profound... Intimate... and different entirely. Something in the marrow of the bone.

Always listen to the songs and phrases which make you feel things, that you emotionally react to. These are the things that are real that open secret pathways to things that are true.

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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Mr Crowley »

"Always listen to the song"
That's what I do.

"Beliefs change and evolve all the time"
For the first 30 something-years of my life, I didn't believe in magic. Thought it was hogwash!

FBF: "I'm sorry" isn't part of your vocabulary? After all, you could have accomplished a thousand times more with 2 words, rather than 19 words, of self justification, which accomplishes nothing, other than prove my point.
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by SapphireRoad »

RosieMoonflower wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:16 pmBut, it’s not enough, I feel that they still judge me.
...
But, Spirit is still right. They are basing their action (or lack of) on their beliefs. And I’m basing mine on my beliefs I suppose. The belief that somebody should do something and that I am SOMEBODY.

Rosie
I envy you how well can you write your stories, in a very comprehensive manner & such.

I guess we need to persevere in self-love & by holding on the magical recalibration occurs, releasing emotional ties, rendering little disagreements unimportant & so on.
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by Firebird »

Actually I can apologize, the ADD comment was not cool, and for that I am sorry.
(@ Mr. Crowley I've sent you a pm.)

Back to the flow
Corbin wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:41 am Faith, while often attributed to religion, really isn't
My mother who is strictly non religious, has a faith unlike anyone I know. She feels all will work out as it should, probably attributing that to her lack of belief, in that the Universe works on it's own accord and in it's own time. While we may have some influence over the outcome through prayer and energy work, it is our perfect love and "trust" that will get us to the other side. Faith is that trust.
We can only do what we can do in the moment, beyond that it is largely out of our hands, and comes back to our reaction of it, whatever it is. How does one deal with outcomes good, bad or indifferent? We can be grateful, understanding or disappointed and angry.
Much of the effect of Faith is upon the brain and how ritual action (like a prayer or meditation) creates Neural pathways and that is where the magic happens.
BB, FF
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
― Jim Morrison
“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
― RWEmerson
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RosieMoonflower
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Re: How much do you agree with this statement?

Post by RosieMoonflower »

Corbin wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:41 am Faith, while often attributed to religion, really isn't
firebirdflys wrote:
My mother who is strictly non religious, has a faith unlike anyone I know. She feels all will work out as it should, probably attributing that to her lack of belief, in that the Universe works on it's own accord and in it's own time. While we may have some influence over the outcome through prayer and energy work, it is our perfect love and "trust" that will get us to the other side. Faith is that trust.
Yes to all of this above! Thank you for both pointing out faith and religion are not synonymous. I was using it in the terms of the people who I was referencing who do use it synonymously, but yes you’re correct that it is not. I guess I could say I have faith in myself. If I have a problem I’m going to search for an answer. And, usually that means I will have to take action. I’m not one to wallow in my struggles.

So much of what you said about your mother resonated with me FF, about my own mother. She use to be religious but is more “spiritual” these days. I could see her saying something similar to what you said. She doesn’t talk about those things much and never tries to push any beliefs on me, unlike the family members I was referring to in my OP. I need to try to remember that and look to her for advice and guidance on the subject.

Having had more time to think about it I realize now why some of what was being said was bothering me and I was less able to just say thank you for the prayers. Since I recently spelled that out in a message in the forum, I’ll copy and paste that bit here:

“Please send all the reiki you can muster! We'll take anything we can get. That's what I wish my family understood also. I don't resent their prayer, I welcome it! It's just the "If you believe like me, God will take care of everything" that bugs me. When we originally got bad news, they would say "I know God is going to take care of you and that baby and everything is going to be alright" and while I'm so grateful and happy that so far they have been right, in the moment what they said didn't make me feel better. It felt like false hope. In a way it also made me feel like they weren't taking the situation that seriously if that makes sense at all. I wish they had just said, "we will pray for you and your baby and whatever happens we will be here for you."

So maybe they were taking it seriously and dealing with it in their own way. I just didn’t see that at the time.

Rosie
Last edited by Firebird on Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: fixing quote
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