tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12508976.post112183685904632855..comments2008-12-21T16:03:49.243-05:00Comments on Sapphire Soul: God, Guilt, and AbsolutionSapphire Soulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01697943118243097974noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12508976.post-1122089787309209992005-07-22T22:36:00.000-05:002005-07-22T22:36:00.000-05:00Oh my goodness, I started tearing while reading yo...Oh my goodness, I started tearing while reading your post. I have so been there. I myself am a daughter of a minister. <BR/><BR/>Being in the church, it's so hard to belive when you see the corruption of those who stand right in the pulpit. It's also hard when you go home with those who stand in the pulpit or in leadership and see what you think is the bride of Satan himself. <BR/><BR/>I had such a hard time with faith until I moved out of my parents house. I stopped going to church, and just <I>breathed</I>. <BR/><BR/>I never really leaned towards atheism, but I did lean toward a diest belief that God made the world and all in it, and left it to run naturally, without any interference. I guess to a certain extent I still believe that, but not I do feel God is more real in my life, because I stopped looking at the God of my parents, but the god with whom I began to forge a relationship personally. <BR/><BR/>The God I read about for myself in my own Bible. I am not sure if he interacts, but since I began attending Lakewood Church two years ago, I have found more peace in starting my day with God. <BR/><BR/>Today was a terrible day for me, and this was the first day in a while that I have not started it with my personal devotion time with God. Starting in a positive, God has something better in store for me outlook everyday just makes the day easier. I accept that bad things happen because God in his greatness did give us the power of choice, and unfortunately some people make bad choices which in turn negatively affect others.<BR/><BR/>And I have taught myself that the bad things through which I have gone in my life, have greatly prepared me to be an effective positive light in someone else's life who may be going through the same things. <BR/><BR/>Sorry my comment was so long, but I had to share it, because I totally felt your frustration, and I lived with it for many years and I still resort to it on occassion.Miss Kryshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09916592540988136264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12508976.post-1122088640621460712005-07-22T22:17:00.000-05:002005-07-22T22:17:00.000-05:00Believing in something that cannot be seen/touched...Believing in something that cannot be seen/touched/felt/heard/tasted is one of the hardest things to do in the world.<BR/><BR/>God/s is not included in these things.<BR/><BR/>It is literaly a "LEAP" of faith. It's like jumping off a building without any idea how high you are or if there is a soft cushion waiting under you. <BR/><BR/>It takes courage to believe in something. Believing in nothing is a belief in itself. Atheism, Agnoticsm, Satanism, etc. are beliefs. <BR/><BR/>It's ok to be confused dear. From chaos will come forth order and vice versa again. Light needs dark and vice cersa. Confusion and non-confusion is needed. <BR/><BR/>Let's suppose someone is a zealot of a particular belief. He becomes deranged to the point of pushing his OWN belief into someone else's throat. He doesn't even stop and think whether he is doing anything wrong. Or he blows people up. Have his other believers drink poison. Put poison gas in the subway. <BR/><BR/>Confusion has it uses. It makes us think in other ways.<BR/><BR/>You are now thinking of other ways.The Taoristhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03793689695203773009noreply@blogger.com