This morning, someone messaged me, attempting to give me a raft of shit; for my lack of belief in God and accusing me of leading people into hell; finding things I've said offensive. Me? Saying things that could offend one's deeply held and cherished beliefs? Nooooo! Not me! Shut the front door!
That said, I literally laughed at the idea, explaining that America often thinks and feels like a hell realm already. The truth is we're not actively addressing any real problems society faces. In fact, conservatives are doing everything they can to do "big dominance..." even trying to fix, manage and control people's beliefs and actions AKA codependency run wild. That said I told them, I'm not as influential on social media as some people give me credit for, and invited them to let go of that idea.
On the other hand, I did offer them what I call the "Barack Obama Response." They asked, "What's that?" I explained it's the tendency to argue both for and against oneself at the same time, which was his way of saying, "Figure it out for yourself; I know where I stand." This can be quite confusing, as most people, whether they admit it or not, prefer to be told what to do, which is why so many would get frustrated with him.
The person said, "Okay, give me your Obama response," So here it is...
While I tend to point out that there's 0.00000000% evidence of God, I'm mature enough to say we might want to consider that our current scientific tools might be too primitive to detect Its Presence. From that perspective, there's definitely space... no pun intended... for the existence of a deep and powerful underlying Force that the Universe not only rides on but the totality of existence Itself.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the idea of a "Sky Daddy," as it seems to me like "Sky Patriarchy" trying to peddle ways of controlling people. It comes off as pretty odd and limiting. But that's my perspective, and it doesn't have to be yours. No one is living your life but you. So now, just to let you know, I've answered your question, and I'm also blocking you. I'm a monk, not a punk. I wish you well in your life.
Welcome to my morning.
That said, I do want to add a follow-up. In the Twelve Step Recovery community, we're invited and encouraged to develop an understanding of a Higher Power that's personally relatable. In fact, if someone is seeking an understanding of God and they come to me for guidance, I encourage them to invite a sense of "Higher Power" to give an understanding of Itself to them. That's the point of Step Two and Three. Also if your in NA the front-end of chapter five explicitly states... "Developing an understanding of a Higher Power is a project" not an event we can undertake.
No one and nothing enjoys being arbitrarily defined. In my experience, it's better to ask, as it helps maintain a friendly relationship. For me, what emerged when I asked was my "Values" as my Higher Power. It's the compass that helps me navigate my present-moment experiences, and it works for, and the foundation I've placed the weight of my life on... and pretty damn free despite the hell realm sensation.
一Appreciation and Respect
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