How do you know if you are blessed?

[Nathan]

I was fooled and I don’t like the effect chrisitianity had on me.

I am sad that your experience with Christianity was a negative one. But, just for the record- your negative experience was not from contact with Jesus or God, but a man-made religious group, pushing the particular social constraints the group stood for, rather than focusing on the sacrifice of Jesus, and his and God's love of the world.

 

[Been There]

Ok I have to say I do not believe the Bible and historically Jesus is said to have lived back whenever. But for me that does not prove Jesus god relationship nor is it proof Christianity is and does exactly what it is alleged to do. I was fooled and I don’t like the effect chrisitianity had on me. Haveing a close relationship with church, Chrisitianty I am aware of discrepencies that go unnoticed by the general public.

Somethings are very petty, but still noticeable to me.

You kind of remind me of a former comedian, Sam Kinison. He was raised in a Christian environment with a pastor for his dad. Kinison himself becomes a Pentecostal preacher. He had issues with many parts of the Bible as you do. Maybe, if you haven’t already, take up reading about him and comparing his life to yours.

Unfortunately, Kinison was killed at an early age while driving his car and being hit head on by a pickup truck attempting to pass another vehicle. He was 38 years old. His new wife of only 1 week was traveling with him and was only injured. Many women and homosexuals protested his comedian routines because he ridiculed them.

There are many very funny YouTube videos of him.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Unfortunately, Kinison was killed at an early age while driving his car and being hit head on by a pickup truck attempting to pass another vehicle. Reincarnation?

 

[Mr. Ed]

I am sad that your experience with Christianity was a negative one. But, just for the record- your negative experience was not from contact with Jesus or God, but a man-made religious group, pushing the particular social constraints the group stood for, rather than focusing on the sacrifice of Jesus, and his and God's love of the world.

Christianity is based on faith, I choose not to support an idea that cannot be proven without believing it is true. The key word is belief and I choose not to believe based on personal experience. I wanted to join the Christian club for most of my life but it didn't feel right even though I tried to be something I wasn't.
In 2005, I was in a different state of mind hallucinating from medication overdose and accumulated doses of various herbal supplements. I thought Jesus was calling me to become a Christian.
That misunderstanding led me to believe and I finally earned my wings. So I played Christian role even to the point of enrolling into bible college. I worked at drug/alcohol halfway house, sometimes I offered to pray with a few clients. Funny I was employed by Catholic Charities.

Nobody told me what to believe I did that on my own. I stopped believing Christianity and the Bible because other than faith neither is believable .

 

[Jamala]

At the risk of sounding like a Polyanna, I say we are all "blessed" , We wake up, we have hopefully, a shelter and something to eat.

 

[Lara]

I choose not to support an idea that cannot be proven without believing it is true.
I choose not to believe based on personal experience.
Nobody told me what to believe I did that on my own.
I stopped believing Christianity and the Bible because other than faith neither is believable.

Okay. Now we're getting somewhere.
You have made your "choice on your own not to believe in Christianity". Okay.
So go forth and let go of searching if you feel the emptiness inside of you has now been filled.
Or are you second guessing your choice and still have that emptiness inside you based on what Nathan said?

.....your negative experience was not from contact with Jesus or God, but a man-made religious group, pushing the particular social constraints the group stood for, rather than focusing on the sacrifice of Jesus, and his and God's love of the world.

 

[SeniorBen]

I sneezed the other day and someone said "bless you," so yes... I am blessed.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I sneezed the other day and someone said "bless you," so yes... I am blessed.

Is your avatar from Pink Floyd album cover. Animals?

 

[Mr. Ed]

Okay. Now we're getting somewhere.
You have made your "choice on your own not to believe in Christianity". Okay.
So go forth and let go of searching if you feel the emptiness inside of you has now been filled.
Or are you second guessing your choice and still have that emptiness inside you based on what Nathan said?

I’m not empty, I derive great joy in disputing Christianity based on years of false information.
I wanted to believe and when I thought I was there,I wasn’t because I found fault in the teachings and the church. I realized I was better off without the lie.

 

[SeniorBen]

Is your avatar from Pink Floyd album cover. Animals?

It is, indeed!

 

[Lara]

I’m not empty, I derive great joy in disputing Christianity based on years of false information.
I wanted to believe and when I thought I was there,I wasn’t because I found fault in the teachings and the church. I realized I was better off without the lie.

Wait. "You found fault in the teachings and the church". What teachings...sermons? What fault in the church...people?
Churches are flawed because they are filled with people and all people are flawed... you, me, and them.

One must enter in with an attitude of humbleness, forgiveness. and willingness to build the church up, be a helpful part of the community prayerfully reading God's word along with the help of the Holy Spirit to reveal it's real truth...and then being a good example of obedience to what is God's will.

It's not to your's or anyone's benefit to enter with an attitude of arrogance and criticism

 

[dseag2]

I'm not religious but I absolutely feel blessed. The fact that I can enjoy life now is largely the result of decisions I made early on, but there are days when the stars just align and everything goes right. Those are the days that I think there is a greater power guiding my life. I've heard people mention Guardian Angels and sometimes I believe in them.

 

[Aneeda72]

Somewhere inside, somehow you know that there’s a purpose for you on this day. Let that purpose come to the surface and bring it fully to life.
If so, you are blessed.

So my purpose, for today, was to vacuum the apartment, mop the floors, clean the bathroom, sweep and wash the patio, and perform all the other housekeeping duties whose purpose came to the surface before the surfaces of those objects came fully to life with unwelcome critters.

My lazy husband, who does not lift a finger unless threatened with eviction , must be truly blessed to have such a wonderful wife, who, in turn, is blessed to have such a small apartment to clean-750 square feet.

 

[Aneeda72]

Wait. "You found fault in the teachings and the church". What teachings...sermons? What fault in the church...people?
Churches are flawed because they are filled with people and all people are flawed... you, me, and them.

One must enter in with an attitude of humbleness, forgiveness. and willingness to build the church up, be a helpful part of the community prayerfully reading God's word along with the help of the Holy Spirit to reveal it's real truth...and then being a good example of obedience to what is God's will.

It's not to your's or anyone's benefit to enter with an attitude of arrogance and criticism

Interesting that @Mr. Ed finds fault with the teaching and the church but not with himself. I agree with @Lara. In fact, as I look over my last 75 years of life I find so much fault that it’s embarrassing.

 

[Aneeda72]

I have four wonderful children, some grandchildren, and some great grandchildren who despite all my flaws and miscalculations still love me. Am I blessed? YUP.

 

[jujube]

Well, my great-granddaughter explained it to me. We had gone on a water ride at Legoland and both of us had soggy bottoms from the wet seat. I was complaining about it as I had on khaki shorts and it looked like I had had an "accident".

She said, "God blessed me today by having me wear tie-die shorts so my bottom doesn't look wet. Meemaw, God wasn't good to you today!" I guess I missed out on the blessing. He did, however, provide hot weather and bright sun so they dried pretty quickly. I'll count that as a blessing, after all.

 

[Aneeda72]

Christianity is based on faith, I choose not to support an idea that cannot be proven without believing it is true. The key word is belief and I choose not to believe based on personal experience. I wanted to join the Christian club for most of my life but it didn't feel right even though I tried to be something I wasn't.
In 2005, I was in a different state of mind hallucinating from medication overdose and accumulated doses of various herbal supplements. I thought Jesus was calling me to become a Christian.
That misunderstanding led me to believe and I finally earned my wings. So I played Christian role even to the point of enrolling into bible college. I worked at drug/alcohol halfway house, sometimes I offered to pray with a few clients. Funny I was employed by Catholic Charities.

Nobody told me what to believe I did that on my own. I stopped believing Christianity and the Bible because other than faith neither is believable .

So you became addicted to drugs, hallucinated a personal relationship with JC, and became a Christian. At some point, you thought you had “earned” your belief system-wings? Then, with a false drugged induced believe in Christianity you enrolled in Bible college.

Btw, it is not necessary to be Catholic to work for Catholic Charities; it is not necessary to believe in religion/God to work for Catholic Charities; it is not nessary to believe in a deity in order to join in a prayer.

Then you stopped believing. .

Or did you just become sober? Because it seems to me you didn’t believe as much as you just needed to conform to some group in order to receive help and support for your own issues. You needed other struggling recovering drug addicts to valid your recovery. You played a role. When that role no longer worked for you-you chose a different role.

There are many religions available besides Christianity. Perhaps whatever “obsession“ you have is just a pretense for needing to be seen and heard, again. To gain attention.

Or, I could be wrong. . In any event, it does not matter. Believe or don’t believe.

 

[Mr. Ed]

So you became addicted to drugs, hallucinated a personal relationship with JC, and became a Christian. At some point, you thought you had “earned” your belief system-wings? Then, with a false drugged induced believe in Christianity you enrolled in Bible college.

Btw, it is not necessary to be Catholic to work for Catholic Charities; it is not necessary to believe in religion/God to work for Catholic Charities; it is not nessary to believe in a deity in order to join in a prayer.

Then you stopped believing. .

Or did you just become sober? Because it seems to me you didn’t believe as much as you just needed to conform to some group in order to receive help and support for your own issues. You needed other struggling recovering drug addicts to valid your recovery. You played a role. When that role no longer worked for you-you chose a different role.

There are many religions available besides Christianity. Perhaps whatever “obsession“ you have is just a pretense for needing to be seen and heard, again. To gain attention.

Or, I could be wrong. . In any event, it does not matter. Believe or don’t believe.

To clarify I wanted to be a Christian for several reasons, 1) gain favor with dad, 2) join the Jesus movement and be accepted, 3) thought it was the thing to do to find happiness and contentment, the things Christinaity promised for joining.There is also something about being chosen by god full fledged membership.

I was lost for 34 years, until by accident I overdosed and went into stupor, not within my control. I was enlightened by a spiritual presence I assumed was god while giving the credit to Jesus because I knew no better. I was committed to 30 days in the hospital psych ward where I underwent multiple changes in medications and later released into my wife’s carte.

Something was different about me, it was if a mighty curtain was drawn to show a magnificent world stage where my performance might be remembered by people I meet and know.
Shakespear's
“All the world’s a stage,
and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Some say, we are born to play the parts we are given and right that may be but there is no compensation great enough to repay the identity years that so blatantly taken away from me. (Identity years in life are when a person establishes his/her identity by exploring likes and dislikes. Not having this opportunity I missed this crucial part of developent, hence complicating the art of living.

I’ve often wondered about my spiritual experience, did it have to be based on Chrisitinaty or did I have a choice? I am told there are many ways to get where you are going and is everyone going after the same prize?

 

[Blessed]

The word blessed does not only apply to your religious beliefs. It means that you can see and appreciate the gifts in life you have been given. I am a
Christian but I also believe that your life turns out by the feelings you have about hard work, love and commitment, sacrifices you may make to make others have a good life. I do not go to church, I do not read the bible. Whoever God is , he or she, lives in your heart and your home. You may talk to him/her whenever or where ever you are. He does not question or condemn, he listens, he offers comfort when he can and we can hear him when he answers. That is the hard part to listen, to really think about the struggle and our purpose here, to understand what he is trying to help us make peace with. When and if we can figure that out we have some kind of our place on the earth.

You may want one thing but you know the right thing to thing to do is the other. The world would go to hell in a hand basket if your only thoughts are about what you want, what you need and how far you are willing to go the achieve the only things that benefit only you.

We all suffer through loss of loved ones, through illness we can't control or avoid. In my own mind I think I have suffered, when in truth it is just a drop of water in the big scheme of things. That is why I chose my avatar name to remind myself that I have had so much happiness, the bad things were bad but others have gone thru so much more. Those of us that struggle everyday, in pain, in loss, and fear. I know things could be so much worse.

I have been blessed even with all the heartache and struggle, I have been blessed and I hope I can look back and see those blessings and they give me strength to carry on. Don't worry about your faith, your religion, worry about being a good person. If that day comes where we have to be accountable for our actions, there is no reason for concern. We all need to help those who suffer, who need support, who need food, housing and medical care. I just want to die knowing that I did the best I could with what I was given.

 

[Aneeda72]

To clarify I wanted to be a Christian for several reasons, 1) gain favor with dad, 2) join the Jesus movement and be accepted, 3) thought it was the thing to do to find happiness and contentment, the things Christinaity promised for joining.There is also something about being chosen by god full fledged membership.

I was lost for 34 years, until by accident I overdosed and went into stupor, not within my control. I was enlightened by a spiritual presence I assumed was god while giving the credit to Jesus because I knew no better. I was committed to 30 days in the hospital psych ward where I underwent multiple changes in medications and later released into my wife’s carte.

Something was different about me, it was if a mighty curtain was drawn to show a magnificent world stage where my performance might be remembered by people I meet and know.
Shakespear's
“All the world’s a stage,
and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Some say, we are born to play the parts we are given and right that may be but there is no compensation great enough to repay the identity years that so blatantly taken away from me. (Identity years in life are when a person establishes his/her identity by exploring likes and dislikes. Not having this opportunity I missed this crucial part of developent, hence complicating the art of living.

I’ve often wondered about my spiritual experience, did it have to be based on Chrisitinaty or did I have a choice? I am told there are many ways to get where you are going and is everyone going after the same prize?

Lots of people, even adults, do things to try and please their parents. Unfortunately some never learn that dysfunctional parents can never be pleased. As a child I attempted to “please” my parents in order to stay alive. As a teenager, I stayed out of their way as much as possible. Wishing myself invisible.

But I always was a believer, a Christian. In elementary school a trailer was parked off site in an orange grove and those that wanted went there after school and received the WORD of GOD. I went, , we got crayons and religious color books. Plus my grandmother took me to every revival possible. I loved revivals.

At no time was happiness and contentment promised, the exact opposite in fact. Life was hard, JC acknowledged that life was hard. After all he died for our sins, on a cross, after being beaten. The promise was forgiveness of our sins; as we were all joined together, in church, as sinners. All seeking forgiveness.

I wonder if you have ever had any understanding of what Christianity was or is. I think you had a drug induced experience, accidentally or not. But I don’t think you’ve ever had a spiritual experience. But that’s my opinion, worth nothing.

Everyone always has a choice; and as I have said many times-sometimes all the choices are bad and we must chose the least harmful.

As for the prize , the prize is death.

You get the prize whether you believe or not. Every living thing dies. Yes, there are many ways to get there, many roads to travel, some roads are long, some short, many have wrong turns, some are straight and narrow; but in the end we all achieve the prize.

I am surprised you didn’t know what the prize was.

As for being chosen by God, as far as I know only one human was chosen by God and it didn’t end very well for him, for Jesus Christ. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Interesting that @Mr. Ed finds fault with the teaching and the church but not with himself. I agree with @Lara. In fact, as I look over my last 75 years of life I find so much fault that it’s embarrassing.

I do find fault with myself, I just don’t post everything on line. Chrisitianty in my opinion, including the church is riddled with inconsistencies and msconception based on the reality no one truly knows what or how another person understands scripture, church bylaws or religious tradition. Who does a person know if you are connected to That Great Gig in the Sky? I thought I was but in retrospect I wanted it to be real but was fooled my own desire.

I am convinced faith is something that cannot be seen or touched but felt inside. Imagination is no different to me; without tangible evidence regarding the Chrisitian faith I must disagree based on inconclusive testimony. If by chance you refer to the Bible, gods word, as the primary source for attaing Christian faith, either I was never called or perhaps for me, it is nonexistent.

A third possibility is growing up surrounded by the church, preachers & Christianity I view these things differently than you, meaning there is no right or wrong way to achieve the place we are striving for as long as it provides the answers we seek.

I question what cannot be answered.

 

[hollydolly]

I'm not @Blessed ...I'm Holly

 

[Georgiagranny]

Why don't we just change the header from "blessed" to "fortunate"? Et voilà! @Mr. Ed is no longer obsessed

 

[Aneeda72]

I do find fault with myself, I just don’t post everything on line. Chrisitianty in my opinion, including the church is riddled with inconsistencies and msconception based on the reality no one truly knows what or how another person understands scripture, church bylaws or religious tradition. Who does a person know if you are connected to That Great Gig in the Sky? I thought I was but in retrospect I wanted it to be real but was fooled my own desire.

I am convinced faith is something that cannot be seen or touched but felt inside. Imagination is no different to me; without tangible evidence regarding the Chrisitian faith I must disagree based on inconclusive testimony. If by chance you refer to the Bible, gods word, as the primary source for attaing Christian faith, either I was never called or perhaps for me, it is nonexistent.

A third possibility is growing up surrounded by the church, preachers & Christianity I view these things differently than you, meaning there is no right or wrong way to achieve the place we are striving for as long as it provides the answers we seek.

I question what cannot be answered.

I agree. Christianity is riddled with inconsistencies and misconceptions as is every single religious organization; even the non-Christian ones. So what? Religion mirrors real life which is filled with inconsistencies and misconceptions. This is the human experience.

It seems you are really “hung up” on Christianity instead of considering another religion which might meet your spiritual needs-same God, there is only one God-but a different interpretation of how to worship God. Christianity is a belief in Jesus Christ-thus the name Christianity. . Millions of people do not believe in JC.

Faith is, of course, something that can not be seen, or heard, or touched, or truly explained; because faith is an individualized experience. My faith, my belief is not the same as someone’s else. It was never meant to be. Everyone receives the Word of God as best they can. Believing in God is not the same as believing in JC.

The Bible is a story written by men. Like various books of history written by different people. All books of fact are riddled with inconsistencies and misconceptions. The Catholic Church, and I am Catholic, burned many of the early books of the Bible that church leaders, of the time, disagreed with. The Catholic Church, itself, is greatly flawed.

You keep referring to the place we are all striving, what place is that? I have no ideal what you are talking about.

 

[StarSong]

I do find fault with myself, I just don’t post everything on line. Chrisitianty in my opinion, including the church is riddled with inconsistencies and msconception based on the reality no one truly knows what or how another person understands scripture, church bylaws or religious tradition. Who does a person know if you are connected to That Great Gig in the Sky? I thought I was but in retrospect I wanted it to be real but was fooled my own desire.

I am convinced faith is something that cannot be seen or touched but felt inside. Imagination is no different to me; without tangible evidence regarding the Chrisitian faith I must disagree based on inconclusive testimony. If by chance you refer to the Bible, gods word, as the primary source for attaing Christian faith, either I was never called or perhaps for me, it is nonexistent.

A third possibility is growing up surrounded by the church, preachers & Christianity I view these things differently than you, meaning there is no right or wrong way to achieve the place we are striving for as long as it provides the answers we seek.

I question what cannot be answered.

A dear friend of mine was raised Catholic but began following Buddhism many years ago. She is probably the most peaceful, calm, accepting (of people and situations) person I know.

You may want to investigate Buddhism for the answers you seek, @Mr. Ed.