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Author Topic: A Return, Of Sorts  (Read 2150 times)

ehbowen

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A Return, Of Sorts
« on: November 30, 2016, 05:49:38 pm »
I was active on the old board for a time, but went dormant shortly after the present board went live. To make a long story short, I felt my God wanted me to pull back for a while. My personal quest, however, has never ended; while I have no substantial news to report I still keep seeking an ever-more direct connection with my God...and my Girlfriend.

I still worship with a conservative Southern Baptist congregation, but my personal views are, shall we say, unique. Unique enough to have landed me in a psychiatric ward on a few occasions...doctors have a predictable reaction when you honestly tell them you believe God is communicating with you. Doesn't matter; I have met Whom I have met, experienced what I have experienced, and of my conclusions about those events, I believe what I believe.

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Where's the KABOOM? There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering KABOOM!
Computers are like air conditioning. They become useless when you open Windows—Linus Torvalds.

Chatelaine

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2016, 05:53:53 pm »
Quote from: ehbowen;199559
I was active on the old board for a time, but went dormant shortly after the present board went live.


Welcome back!
'You created us restless, O Lord, and we find no rest until we rest in You.'
~St Augustine~
Whole blog o' nonsense: Are We There Yet?

SunflowerP

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2016, 07:52:06 pm »
Quote from: ehbowen;199559
I was active on the old board for a time, but went dormant shortly after the present board went live.

 
Welcome back, Eric!

Sunflower
I'm the AntiFa genderqueer commie eclectic wiccan Mod your alt-right bros warned you about.
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Vixen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2016, 03:53:52 am »
Quote from: ehbowen;199559
I was active on the old board for a time, but went dormant shortly after the present board went live.  

 

Welcome back.
I would love to hear your views on paganism as one coming from a Baptist community. I have recently started seeing a man from that religious background and I have difficulties understanding his believes.
You're only given a little spark of madness, you mustn't lose it.

ehbowen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2016, 05:29:02 am »
Quote from: Vixen;199593
Welcome back.
I would love to hear your views on paganism as one coming from a Baptist community. I have recently started seeing a man from that religious background and I have difficulties understanding his believes.

 
Hello, Vixen. It's late so I need to be brief, but it's hard to be both complete and brief.

My views on that subject are not exactly orthodox, but the goal is in the same direction. Scripture tells me that, one day, "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." So, to make it short and sweet, I believe that, in the end...we win.

The larger question, though, is what form that victory takes? I believe that it will NOT be one big monolithic church...God likes variety! And while I believe that the sovereignty of the God of the Bible will some day be universally acknowledged, under the umbrella of that sovereignty there will be a lot of room for distinctives in faith, in practice, and in culture in much the same way that Maine is very different from Texas is very different from Hawaii, and so forth. How this specifically relates to paganism is that I believe that there are some very real persons out there "behind the scenes," and that not all of them are malevolent. I believe that God should be able to find a way for them to eventually work with humanity with no fear or deception on either side.

Now, keep in mind I said "eventually." That's long term. For the short run, my advice is much the same as Jerry Falwell's...in the same way that my advice as to whether to go to Europe and what to visit there would change radically were it 1913, 1943, 1973, or 2003. The Scripture and my own experience, not to mention the landscape around me, tells me that we are in the latter stages of a desperately fought war. There are strong Scriptural prohibitions against practicing witchcraft or worshiping other gods, and for good reason. There ARE malevolent forces out there. Your intentions may be pure, the intentions of the being you are reaching out to may be pure, but...there may be something in between you that neither one of you sees the truth of. Think of it as trying to attach to a block of wood which is covered in grease. The glue may be good; the wood may be good, but as long as that grease is there the glue just will not stick. Oh, it may look OK as long as nothing really disturbs it...but when push comes to shove that bond will not hold.

Someday, though, the war will be over and peace will come. When that happens, I'm convinced that a lot of closed doors are going to be unlocked. A LOT of them!
--------Eric H. Bowen
Where's the KABOOM? There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering KABOOM!
Computers are like air conditioning. They become useless when you open Windows—Linus Torvalds.

Vixen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2016, 09:01:23 am »
Quote from: ehbowen;199594
Hello, Vixen. It's late so I need to be brief, but it's hard to be both complete and brief.

 
Thank you. I enjoy hearing your views on the matter, it intrigues me. I won't hog your introduction thread any longer, but I would love to hear more. I'll keep an eye on you. ;)
You're only given a little spark of madness, you mustn't lose it.

ehbowen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2016, 07:16:04 am »
Quote from: Vixen;199598
Thank you. I enjoy hearing your views on the matter, it intrigues me. I won't hog your introduction thread any longer, but I would love to hear more. I'll keep an eye on you. ;)

 
Netherlands, hmmm? You know, where exactly is Delft? In October 1985 I picked up a hitchhiker by the name of Marianne from Delft on the Pacific Coast Highway in the decrepit Plymouth Fury my mother always called, "Christine" (I had a bumper sticker, "This Is Not An Abandoned Car!"). I took her to Hearst Castle and all the way south to San Diego. I've never been to that part of the world; I always wondered how she ended up.
--------Eric H. Bowen
Where's the KABOOM? There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering KABOOM!
Computers are like air conditioning. They become useless when you open Windows—Linus Torvalds.

MadZealot

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2016, 07:31:32 pm »
Quote from: Vixen;199593
I would love to hear your views on paganism as one coming from a Baptist community.

Indeed; I, being one with a foot in both camps, so to speak, am also interested in your perspective on how to 'cross the streams'.  :)

Welcome back, btw.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2016, 07:32:05 pm by MadZealot »
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And my... um... slacks.

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2016, 03:15:48 am »
Quote from: ehbowen;199559



 
Welcome back!
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Vixen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2016, 03:31:06 am »
Quote from: ehbowen;199675
Netherlands, hmmm? You know, where exactly is Delft? In October 1985 I picked up a hitchhiker by the name of Marianne from Delft on the Pacific Coast Highway in the decrepit Plymouth Fury my mother always called, "Christine" (I had a bumper sticker, "This Is Not An Abandoned Car!"). I took her to Hearst Castle and all the way south to San Diego. I've never been to that part of the world; I always wondered how she ended up.


I know the Netherlands is a small place compared to the vastness of the states. But 17 million people is a lot to know personally. ;)
Besides, I am from the inland south of the Netherlands, and Delft is nearer to the coast. But I shall use the powers invested on me by facebook and see if I can track her down. :D:
You're only given a little spark of madness, you mustn't lose it.

ehbowen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2016, 07:34:14 am »
Quote from: Vixen;199778
I know the Netherlands is a small place compared to the vastness of the states. But 17 million people is a lot to know personally. ;)
Besides, I am from the inland south of the Netherlands, and Delft is nearer to the coast. But I shall use the powers invested on me by facebook and see if I can track her down. :D:

 
I'm not seriously asking you to go to any trouble, of course. Just the first time I've heard from anyone in that part of the world, and I thought it might open conversation. And you never know when you might get lucky; what if she was your aunt...?
--------Eric H. Bowen
Where's the KABOOM? There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering KABOOM!
Computers are like air conditioning. They become useless when you open Windows—Linus Torvalds.

Vixen

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Re: A Return, Of Sorts....
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2016, 08:14:25 am »
Quote from: ehbowen;199785
I'm not seriously asking you to go to any trouble, of course. Just the first time I've heard from anyone in that part of the world, and I thought it might open conversation. And you never know when you might get lucky; what if she was your aunt...?

 
That's a mighty long shot, but you're right you never know. I put out a search through facebook, we'll see what it yields.
You're only given a little spark of madness, you mustn't lose it.

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