Please, does anyone else lose all hope?

The 'Ten Commandments' outlines for Christians what is expected.

Everyone breaks some of these commandments.

The good Lord knew that would happen, but he also knows, from the commandments we all know what is expected.
 

StarSong said:
My strategy: avoid situations that drain me of my joy. Yes, I keep up on the news, but I read it rather than watch it. No longer do news producers decide the content and imagery that will spill into my brain, nor do I welcome the spin of that news by talking heads and "expert" panelists.

A little quiet time with God, revisiting happy memories of some who have passed on, and frequent visits with my children, grandchildren and close friends all restore my soul. I cannot solve the problems of entire world, but from time to time I can improve my little corner of it.

When one of my sons was a teenager he broke up with his HS girlfriend. When I asked him why, he told me "L's favorite thing in the world was to be happy. Her second favorite thing was to be miserable."

I don't like being miserable or being around negative people who thrive on misery. They're far down on my list of favorites.
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Good strategy and similar to my own. i watch YT clips of news things when i want to see/hear for myself what someone said and what context they said it in---rather than let any media print or broadcast 'direct' how i will feel about something.

Formally meditate minimum of twice daily, but also do 'quickies' that help me remember things and stay focused on what i need to do each day.

But i also actively look for things that inspire hope. Animal videos, genuine moments of kind human interactions. There is a young content provider on FB and YT and probably elsewhere called 'Daniel D.' He posts some awesome things. On top of that he's one of those i call 'inner light' people: These are folks who have a wholesome positivity (without ignoring the realities of life) that just radiates from them---you can see it in their eyes before they even speak. i tend to seek out those folks. Have a couple of cyber friends who i suspect are such---so it took a bit of interactions to realize.
 
I think we get the murders and wars in the Bible, the same way newspapers and history books give us the murders and wars. The writers seem to think those are the things we need to record and remember. That's why we don't see nearly as many women in the Bible, the newspapers, and history books. We were living out our own dramas bearing children, trying to keep them alive before modern medicine, keeping everyone clean and fed. Nope none of that's going to be in the big books the men wrote.
 
Timewise 60+ said:
PP...

What's your point? The Ten Commandments set expectations. Knowing full well that we all are and have been "sinners"!

Maybe you missed that part?
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My point is that it’s a famous book showing people how to live a righteous life and God is commanding his followers to kill. The brutality surprises me and I’m ‘allowed’ to be surprised.
Della said:
I think we get the murders and wars in the Bible, the same way newspapers and history books give us the murders and wars. The writers seem to think those are the things we need to record and remember. That's why we don't see nearly as many women in the Bible, the newspapers, and history books. We were living out our own dramas bearing children, trying to keep them alive before modern medicine, keeping everyone clean and fed. Nope none of that's going to be in the big books the men wrote.
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But newspapers and books aren’t teaching us how to be a better person.
 
The Bible was written when most people were uneducated and they used stories to explain morals to people, natural phenomenon, etc. It’s definitely a book of many contradictions because it’s written by so many different men.

When I was attending confirmation classes at the Lutheran church the minister said not to take the stories at face value as things that actually happened. My mom wasn’t happy about that 🤣.

Many Christian traditions have roots in Pagan religions. Religion is also a great way to control people and get their money. The number of wars and murders due to religion is astounding. As John Lennon sang in the song Imagine a world without religion and it would be a better world.
 
Teacher Terry said:
Many Christian traditions have roots in Pagan religions. Religion is also a great way to control people and get their money. The number of wars and murders due to religion is astounding. As John Lennon sang in the song Imagine a world without religion and it would be a better world.
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I don't really agree with John Lennon. I think most of those wars were about power and land grabs, like Putin is trying to do today and the Kings and Queens were just using religion as a motivational tool to get peasants to fight for them. That and a compulsory draft.

Lots of countries are largely without religion now and they're still going to war and the leaders are still controlling the people and getting money for themselves. North Korea has everything Lennon thought would be wonderful and I don't think they're in Utopia.

Humanists believe we are all naturally good, but we don't know how much of that moral conscience was inborn or learned from growing up in a Christian world. The cave men did a lot of killing each other and raping women, it all came down to whoever happened to be strongest.

PeppermintPatty said:
My point is that it’s a famous book showing people how to live a righteous life and God is commanding his followers to kill. The brutality surprises me and I’m ‘allowed’ to be surprised.

But newspapers and books aren’t teaching us how to be a better person.
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I look at the Old Testament as the beginnings of religion, the commandments were given and then the people sort stumbled along with it for a few thousand years.

For me, the "teaching us to be better" part doesn't really get going until the New Testament when Jesus was sent to refine the law from simple rules like, "don't murder," into. "don't even get angry, forgive instead." From "don't commit adultery" to "don't even lust after other women."
 
Della said:
I don't really agree with John Lennon. I think most of those wars were about power and land grabs, like Putin is trying to do today and the Kings and Queens were just using religion as a motivational tool to get peasants to fight for them. That and a compulsory draft.

Lots of countries are largely without religion now and they're still going to war and the leaders are still controlling the people and getting money for themselves. North Korea has everything Lennon thought would be wonderful and I don't think they're in Utopia.

Humanists believe we are all naturally good, but we don't know how much of that moral conscience was inborn or learned from growing up in a Christian world. The cave men did a lot of killing each other and raping women, it all came down to whoever happened to be strongest.




I look at the Old Testament as the beginnings of religion, the commandments were given and then the people sort stumbled along with it for a few thousand years.

For me, the "teaching us to be better" part doesn't really get going until the New Testament when Jesus was sent to refine the law from simple rules like, "don't murder," into. "don't even get angry, forgive instead." From "don't commit adultery" to "don't even lust after other women."
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:) We are not all combative, but those who are will never stop, it's wired into their DNA.
 
Teacher Terry said:
Men have been in charge for too long and in general are much more violent than women. I wish women had a chance to be in charge in every country. I think there would be less wars. A few of you do have a point about North Korea.
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I believe the probability is that women would be instantly enslaved, just my opinion.
 
Pepper said:
@Della
"North Korea has everything Lennon thought would be wonderful and I don't think they're in Utopia."
PREPOSTEROUS!
Listen to the words re: Chairman Mao
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LOL I don't believe I had to listen to that whole thing to get, "If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow." I much prefer, "Tell Chairman Mao, I can't talk to him right now. I got the apolitical blues." I sometimes say that when the phone rings.
 
Della said:
I don't really agree with John Lennon. I think most of those wars were about power and land grabs, like Putin is trying to do today and the Kings and Queens were just using religion as a motivational tool to get peasants to fight for them. That and a compulsory draft.

Lots of countries are largely without religion now and they're still going to war and the leaders are still controlling the people and getting money for themselves. North Korea has everything Lennon thought would be wonderful and I don't think they're in Utopia.

Humanists believe we are all naturally good, but we don't know how much of that moral conscience was inborn or learned from growing up in a Christian world. The cave men did a lot of killing each other and raping women, it all came down to whoever happened to be strongest.




I look at the Old Testament as the beginnings of religion, the commandments were given and then the people sort stumbled along with it for a few thousand years.

For me, the "teaching us to be better" part doesn't really get going until the New Testament when Jesus was sent to refine the law from simple rules like, "don't murder," into. "don't even get angry, forgive instead." From "don't commit adultery" to "don't even lust after other women."
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There are many nice verses in the Bible. I know at least 3 of them off by heart which are long ones. I’ve also been told by many just to read the New Testament. Most people claim that it’s a lot more enjoyable reading than the Old Testament which is basically what you’re saying. I’m 1/3 finished and actually enjoy reading it first thing in the morning. It’s helping me become more spiritual which is my motive for reading it in the first place.
 
Pepper said:
I think she meant men would revolt and enslave women. Am I right, gruntlabor?
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Right, Pepper. They wouldn't even have to revolt, just look a little threatening, and the women would cave. They do not yet have the experience or the wherewithal or the muscle to lead.
 
The problem is not the religion itself, but that bad leaders can use any religion as every other mass movement for their own horrendous goals. Therefore ideologies like Nazism, Fashism and Communism, which are mass movements too can be used in the same bad ways.
 
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Pepper said:
Women's rights could end at any moment, depending upon circumstances. If wombs were needed to increase population in a dystopic situation? No birth control would be allowed and men would take over again. Women's rights depend on a stable environment.
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The Handmaid's Tale resonates for most women because we know that dystopian account of women as breeders and chattel could (again) become a terrifying reality.
 

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