"Dennis, You Are a Satan Led Anti Christ. It is The True Christ Who Will Judge You, You Foul Mouth Pervert."
Anonymous
Somehow... I feel better in sharing with those who might understand the process of maturing in youthful naivete, searching out a matter and drawing conclusions from information not available when it might have been more able to lead to better informed decisions in life.
Never needed to offend beliefs
Always hoped to stimulate thinking
I am so grateful to live in a time where knowledge actually is increased and available and where I don't have to take the ideas of others as the way things actually are. It is no coincidence the Dark Ages were dominated by the ignorance of literalism and those ahead of their times in science who feared for their lives bringing reality to their attention.
Never needed to offend beliefs
Always hoped to stimulate thinking
I am so grateful to live in a time where knowledge actually is increased and available and where I don't have to take the ideas of others as the way things actually are. It is no coincidence the Dark Ages were dominated by the ignorance of literalism and those ahead of their times in science who feared for their lives bringing reality to their attention.
I'd rather be authentic and true to self in this life than merely and outwardly religious....
Definition of catharsis
catharses
pla- 1: purgation
- 2a : purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through artb : a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension
Examples of catharsis in a sentence
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She has learned to have her catharsis, take a deep breath and move on. … she does not dwell on the negative anymore. —Selena Roberts, New York Times, 24 June 2001
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… malevolence is expressed in his decision to absent himself from the courtroom, thereby denying some victims of his torture the catharsis of compelling him to hear their stories of survival. —George F. Will, Newsweek, 25 May 1987
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… there's the need for catharsis. If you play it all back a second time, you may wear away some of the pain, as you wear away a record with replaying. —Anatole Broyard, New York Times Book Review, 14 Nov. 1982
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As soon as we emerged from the gates of the White House, I became aware of that sea of faces. … I wanted to cry for them and with them, but it was impossible to permit the catharsis of tears. —Lady Bird Johnson, 24 Nov. 1963, in A White House Diary, 1970
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Acting is a means of catharsis for her.
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Painting is a catharsis for me.
- She has learned to have her catharsis, take a deep breath and move on. … she does not dwell on the negative anymore. —Selena Roberts, New York Times, 24 June 2001
- … malevolence is expressed in his decision to absent himself from the courtroom, thereby denying some victims of his torture the catharsis of compelling him to hear their stories of survival. —George F. Will, Newsweek, 25 May 1987
- … there's the need for catharsis. If you play it all back a second time, you may wear away some of the pain, as you wear away a record with replaying. —Anatole Broyard, New York Times Book Review, 14 Nov. 1982
- As soon as we emerged from the gates of the White House, I became aware of that sea of faces. … I wanted to cry for them and with them, but it was impossible to permit the catharsis of tears. —Lady Bird Johnson, 24 Nov. 1963, in A White House Diary, 1970
- Acting is a means of catharsis for her.
- Painting is a catharsis for me.
For anonymous (the most prolific writer in history): Prove Christ existed; prove Satan exists. Prove you exist.
ReplyDeleteThere.
That felt cathartic.
The problem is that Dennis presents his readers with a package deal of combining the Godly trait of independence (prove all things) and self actualisation (overcoming), with rejecting God and His inspired bible. The two are in fact distinct.
ReplyDeleteOne can grow in autonomy, independence, understanding, mental wholeness, and still be a devout Christian. One can shrug off the lies, distortions and tyranny of the Herbie slivers, and still be a follower of Christ.
One can grow in autonomy, independence, understanding, mental wholeness, and still be a devout Nazi. One can shrug off the lies, distortions and tyranny of the Hitler slivers, and still be a follower of Adolph.
ReplyDeleteBack when a bunch of us were leaving in 1975, I had a buddy that thought he had all the new answers, and that became the only basis for his conversations with us. He had gone from being one of HWA's people to being one of Dr. Martin's people. I never quite figured out what his motives were in sharing, but he had been a collector type teacher, and always had his entourage. I believe he had missed his calling, and really had a need to be some sort of life coach. It seemed to bother him that although I had been a church member, at core I was not a joiner. Best validation I could provide for him was picking and choosing when I would participate in his entourage, and although they all liked me, those occasions were rare.
ReplyDeleteI believe we do have a substantial number of people blogging here that are no longer joiner types. And the visitors who are still in Armstrongism are what we might call one-time joiners. In being different, we are also somewhat he same in that we tend to be uncollectible, capable of perhaps endorsing a shared idea here and there, or part of an idea, but that's the extent of it.
That ties into my idea of catharsis. It's a regaining of the ability to evaluate people, particularly authority figures, incoming information, ideas, and the things that are constantly happening around me. I personally believe that that return to form is what God intended as the interactive component of being Christian. Church was never intended to be the police, nor is it intended to be an entirely monolithic institution. In all too many cases, when you have a conversation with a cultie, you are really having a conversation with their church's programming.
BB
Personal authenticity is based on personal experiences, perceptions of what is real and what is not, present truths, lessons learned and conclusions draw outside of group think and community beliefs and expectations.
ReplyDeleteIt can be costly but also a relief regardless of losses
9.48 AM
ReplyDeleteYou have used this little ploy of yours, over and over and over. Reading it, it doesn't make sense. How about doing some heavy lifting by really thinking, and then posting your conclusion for discussion?
Dennis
ReplyDeleteThe bible agrees with your 11.26 AM comment. It's expressed as 'you shall know them by their fruits.' This observation and reason is today called the scientific method. It's a individual responsibility as you say. Many church members default on this responsibility and sub contract it out to the ministry. The result is disastrous. People end up being enslaved and robbed blind by these ministers.
Members who have lost their life savings to Dave Packman is one example of this.
BB, you used the phrase "a collector type teacher." I never heard that term before, but it's a good one. I've seen several such college teachers. They're the ones who leave a conference as soon as they finish their presentation, and six or eight grad students follow them--obviously the collector's entourage. I have taken courses from such teachers and generally learned a lot because they were charismatic and presented their ideas in stimulating ways. However, I never felt inclined to join their entourage. Like you, I am not a joiner. I declined to join a trap club even though I like shooting a shotgun; I could never shake the feeling the fish might be biting on the night the club met, and I would miss out. Similar with baptism, either as a Baptist at 13 or as an Ambassador College student five years later--didn't want to limit my options.
ReplyDeleteAfter I became a teacher, I would notice sometimes that a student was becoming attached to me or my way of thinking. Very flattering. However, such connections made me nervous. If a student seemed to be waiting to take a particular course in the curriculum till I was the one assigned to teach it, I would suggest that he or she should take it sooner in order to profit from exposure to another approach, a different set of biases.
HWA certainly inspired the type of "collector" devotion from students that you identifies. It seems to be what he exploited in turning some members of his various entourages into ministers. I wish more of them had been as wary of such an attachment as you and I were. Certainly there was no hope he would ever encourage his adherents to explore another approach or different biases.
Dennis, you wrote, "Always hoped to stimulate thinking". IMO, you clearly have. Some aren't ready to awaken, but that does not mean you should stop trying.
ReplyDeleteYou may offer controversial issues, but perverted or foul-mouthed, no way Jose!
The current simple "ploy" is merely to share the venom and judgement of those given to it as an expression of their faith so I don't have to just sit alone with it. It's cathartic to share. Probably a mistake but none the less cathartic. Perhaps you can explain the nature of my little ploys? That does imply a certain devious insincerity.
ReplyDeleteBare with me. I, 54.36% - 76.94% of the time, live to regret posting lol. Almost there!😉
ReplyDeleteNeed some others to step up and write for Banned and share your journey and points of view through it all.
Bob Dylan was once asked how it felt to yank the rug out from under whatever was the current musical trend, and to single-handedly start an entirely new trend, and to do this not just once, but multiple times.
DeleteParaphrasing, of course, his answer was that at the times these new trends were being started, he really did not know that that's what was happening. On the ground, imminent success didn't always seem as certain to him as now appears to be the case in retrospect.
I believe that because life is a constant learning experience, current state is simply a snapshot in time, much the same as is each individual frame of a movie. We can relate the frames that have already been projected, but until the screen says "The End" and the credits roll, like Bob Dylan, we do not know the final outcome. It's difficult to share the journey until it's over and can be seen as having been successful.
BB
Collectors are also on a variable scale, RP. Some are satisfied with an entourage, but if you add some steroids, you get the full-blown messianic guru types. Not all of the people in the collector's collection are the types to surrender to group think, either. Some just like to be in the presence of the vortex generated by high energy, creative people, and they do what they need to do to orchestrate a symbiotic relationship. In many cases this relationship is for limited purposes, and for a finite amount of time. A permanent, unlimited, one way relationship in which the guru realizes all of the benefits ultimately ends up either very stifling or downright damaging to the follower. It also opens the door to betrayal.
ReplyDeleteBB
Aww! I wanted to be the satan-led anti-christ! You mean that award goes to Dennis? Geez louise, I guess I'm going to go back to the drawing board, because my current strategies for achieving this have clearly been ineffective so far.
ReplyDeleteDennis, you are the reason why I have lurked and then decided to interact with this blog. You have bravely said things that I would have never said. I've learned alot from you. But it seems that most of the people that interact in the comment section are stuck with a 2 dimensional picture of Gauwd. They just don't get it, yet. "Pictures of You" is my catharsis of religion. Now I see more clearly what the Universe has to offer. Welcome to reality.
ReplyDeleteDBP
BB, I thought you may be referring to Bob Dylan's Ballad of a Thin Man.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, maybe not, but here's a good performance of it-
click here to listen
(When I saw Bob Dylan Dylan with a good backup band at Giant's on 7/12/87, I thought that version of Ballad of a Thin Man was better, but youtube versions didn't deliver nearly as good as the in-person acoustics did.
Happily and of course, Bob Dylan's repertoire extends widely- and far beyond concepts that us as mere mortals commonly consider :)
7:51, he went electric from folk, he went country, basically, like Neil Young, Dylan explored and followed the music. His last few CD's are seasoned musicians, a tight band, just having sonic fun.
ReplyDeleteI also like what the Dead did when they covered Dylan songs in their concerts. Awesome insights into life that totally goes over the culties' heads.
BB
OK, then. Here's my life experience to share with all: The Armstrongists have no accountability.
ReplyDeleteOr a short bedtime story: Once there was a man who lived and then he died.
ReplyDeleteLOL
BB
Catharsis is realized when one realizes that the internet dreams about itself!
ReplyDeletenck