Seta's Cafe
4 years 2 months ago #57
by Setanaoko
Seta's Cafe was created by Setanaoko
I didn't want to start a whole new journal, because the last one isn't really complete. So instead, I'm reposting the original and keeping the name (I like the "Seta's Cafe" name 
)
by Setanaoko » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:46 pm The name of this journal: I got nothing- XD I just wanted a new name that wasn't so boring and signifies a new book. Holocron was bland...and frankly so was everything else. But I've found myself at cafe's a lot more in the last few years with my laptop. Cafes are also where I meet some really interesting people and talk about all sorts of things from religion to politics. So "Why not?".
Anyways, here's my new journal. Feel free to respond when you feel the opportunity arise.
First real entry:
Last year I connected with a Women's Bible Study group. Ironically, picking up a weekend job did wonders for my spiritual life. It gave me an opportunity to really think about the problems I had with the church I was with, and to focus on some other spiritually related questions I had. Then, with Kai going into school, I was given an opportunity to find a daytime Bible Study that digs into scripture rather than tries to give you a watered down explanation of it. Not saying I don't believe in church, but more to the point it doesn't do anything for me personally. Give me time with God alone, and let's talk a more "academic" approach to studying God's Word, and I will grow. But Church feels like maintaining status quo- not my style.
It's been nice. I think the best part about this Bible Study, is that I don't have to share it alone. My neighbor has been regularly attending with me. Atm we are going through a Beth Moore study called "Believing God". Thus far, it's been a good reinforcement of things I've already come to know and understand. But it's really nice to hear it from a different prospective. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
5 Statements from the Bible Study
1) God is who He says He is 2) God can do what He says He can do 3) I am who God says I am 4) I can do all things through Christ 5) God's Word is alive and active in me
To accompany my Bible Study, we were told to keep a blue piece of yarn with us to remind us of our walk with God during this Bible Study. It goes with a Numbers 15:38-40. My neighbor and I went to get something a bit less likely for her cats to want to play with and ended up with something a little more unique-
by Setanaoko » Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:17 pm Got to meet up with a potential Jedi today ^^. We didn't just talk Jedi though, turns out he's an Anime fan, and a Sailor Moon fan. He's also got a lot in common with my husband, so who knows maybe I can get the two of them to become friends (I think Nathan would appreciate a local friend that can keep up with him about things like Physics and the like).
Though, possibly the most interesting thing that happened today is what landed me with an aching ankle (the same one I sprained in CG Basic :/). I was sitting there at the light just a two hundred yards away from the restaurant with my neighbor and Makai in tow...when I heard a collision behind us. Looking out my window I saw a vehicle from the oncoming lane canted into my lane. I looked at my neighbor, who at this point just knows, and darted out door. Someone was already working on helping the person that caused the accident out of the vehicle, and I went to the vehicle that the car had collided with. As the passenger is getting out of the vehicle, and appearing distressed I asked if she was okay and simultaneously slipped on some loose tree debris on the road (might be an indication I need new shoes with better tread XD). Picked myself up and helped her to sit down on the curb. Her husband rushed to her side, and we made sure she we as well enough to deal with her situation. Looking over I noticed the person who caused the accident wasn't very responsive. So I helped him to sit down at the curb and propped him up seated behind him. Trying to get him to talk with me. Just as I was, one of the vehicles behind the accident stopped and came up telling me she was a nurse. We were there for a good 15 minutes waiting on the police, fire department and ambulance to take full control of the scene.
What was really great about this whole incident is that without thinking three people that never once met jumped into action to take control of the scene while we waited on the police to show up. Nothing else but these people's lives were on their mind.
This last year has had a lot more bickering back and forth about how horrible people are or are not because they voted one way or another. But honestly, the true nature of a people come out when horrible incidents occur. Humans can be terrible, but I'm glad I can see the awesomeness of our species play out in real time. It's just sad that opportunities like these occur.
by Setanaoko » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:02 am Had a great trial run today on the first session of a Bible Study I'm including in the Christian Curriculum at Armonia. The questions were formatted well enough, though I think it will be better when people actually do this week's session at their own pace over the course of a week on their own. Which is the point, but I find that testing the Bible study works best when I'm bouncing it in real time.
Next week's session should be a great deal easier, as it doesn't span 5 chapters of Exodus all at once XD. A lot easier to digest when I'm not reading large portions aloud to someone. ^^
Gabe and I talked about the excitement we have for this year's gathering yesterday. It looks like we'll have a really good mix of people, and my food arrangements are shaping up. ^^ Will have to make arrangements ahead at the nearest Gordon Food Supply for my bulk food.
This is going to be worth every moment of planning, I just feel it. And I love that we'll have a good number of new faces.
by Setanaoko » Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:38 pm A Trial In Patience:
So I'm working on a small (published) book that outlines the 5 Jedi Labyrinths-
Labyrinth of Trials (Knighthood) Matrimony Labyrinth Labyrinth of Parenthood The Master's Labyrinth (Mastership) Labyrinth of Release
While I have the majority of it all figured out, I'm waiting on the Labyrinth of Parenthood to be written out by Gabe; and I have to wait to get photo examples for the Matrimony Labyrinth...It's so close to being done, I can taste it! My excitement grows everyday, but so does my frustration at the timeline that is preventing me from getting it out on the market.
Probably the most difficult part is that although it will be less than 50 pages when it's said and done, is that this is the culmination of almost a decade worth of work trying to create. It should be simple to wait just a little bit longer, but MAN! It's RIGHT THERE!!! I can see the end!!!! XD
by Setanaoko » Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:27 pm What's Seta's most embarrassing BCT story?
So there I am cutting my belt to size when I slice open my hand (the webbing right between the fingers) as I'm being told its time for chow, right? Now I'm known for losing my key to my locker by now, so when I approach the DS, he asks me what happened this time, just completely irritated with me by now I'm sure. I couldn't even say it, so I produce my hand which is still bleeding at Parade Rest. He gives me a look and, well, I don't think he had seen such a thing before. He fumbles over making a decision on what to do, and sends me to Sick Hall just up the street with my battle buddy. We get up there and I'm admitted. The doctor comes in and just laughs at the ridiculousness of this (the medics did too). Calls the medics in and tells them to apply Super Glue to the wound (I learned that day that super glue was actually developed for things like this!). But he quickly learns, no one in the room knows how to apply super glue....
So he calls all of his medics in and uses me for training. Ugh, I had 7 people hovering over me to get taught this...
Well, 15 years later....I'm finding that situation useful....as I sliced into my left index finger...good thing I bought super glue yesterday- actually to help with one of my projects for the Jedi Gathering XD.
Don't let things just slip from you. You never know when they'll come in handy. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
by Setanaoko » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:19 pm One of the things that gets to me, is the Christian cookie-cutter, misinterpretation, "Everything happens for a reason". I know various places where people get that idea from...but let's just use the one most quoted:
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
This quote explicitly states this is the case for those that love God, and tho those who are called according to God's purpose. God won't fail a believer. That's what this whole segment is trying to tell the church. But what it does not say, is that God is intricately in the lives of everyone, working everything in their lives for their good to bring them to Christ.
That's not how it works, even Christ made the statement that we shouldn't cast our pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). God has been known to reveal Himself to non-believers before, but that doesn't mean they'll convert (a point I find often missed by Christians). No, instead, what God will do- is find a way to use what brokenness you've experienced to benefit others.
Let me give you an example of what I mean, and I"m going to tear right into one of the worst situations one can imagine (Thank you SVU episodes XD).
Imagine you're a child that escaped Humans Trafficking. And as an adult you find Jesus. In turn, through your faith in Jesus, you are led to overcome the abuse you were party to and become a counselor specializing in victim advocacy for humans trafficked victims.
So, under the theory "Everything happens for a reason", God specifically made you a slave to others- who in turn were made to take you in as a slave because God made them slave owners, so that you could eventually help more people that He made slaves to preordained slavers- just so they could find Him through your work and cycle in some way continues.
"But Ally, that's not really what we mean"- yes, it's exactly what I hear people saying- might not be what you're saying (I don't actually mean anyone here at FA, or even the Jedi Community at large, just kinda venting, lol). I hear people tell me all the time that the physical child abuse I underwent (fortunately not sexual in nature) was meant to help me become a better advocate for God.
That's not at all what it was. God didn't "put" me in an abusive household. I just happened to be born in one. Like many people throughout the Bible History, God seems to choose (not that I'm chosen, just an observation) people either at random, by virtue of their lineage, or the circumstances He believes best align with what He's trying to do.
Does He know which person will best fit the criteria? Well, if we assume that it is true He is Omniscent, then He'll know the (to borrow a Star Wars term) "Shatterpoint" of a person based on what's already/will transpire because He knows everyone. Not because He preordained everyone for a specific life before birth (it seems very few actually have that particular value in God's plans- Jesus being #1). In fact, it's God's whole schtick to pick some of the lowliest people for His plan.
God Knows, He doesn't cause everything in your life for a reason- absolutely nothing in the Bible supports that belief. He does do it for some, but He doesn't do it for everyone.
So why is this coming up today? Because I watched a video, where this person (who shall remain unnamed) has reduced "their misfortunes" to needing to happen in order to get where they are in life now. That "everything happens for a reason"....and now trying to sell it as some sort of Jedi Wisdom.
Let me tell you what "Everything happens for a reason is"
IT'S THE ULTIMATE EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING SOME REAL SOUL SEARCHING.
That's it, right there. Maybe what happened to you was unfortunate. But that doesn't mean you cannot do some soul-searching to find a way to overcome. It didn't happen to you so you could learn to overcome, any number of things could have happened to you and you might have still reached the same conclusions. But even then, your life circumstances shape who you are and no matter what has happened in your past something can be learned. It doesn't have to be something terrible.
But maybe, just maybe, the real reason something happened is because you caused it, and you're definitely not the victim. You're the reason a victim of circumstances exists. If that's the case, then your soul searching shouldn't be reduced to "happened for a reason", it should be "I messed up, I need to grow from this so I don't do it again. I need to really change, and these are the things I need to change and never return to."
Cause and Effect. Not Preordained Bad Stuff. Cause and Effect.
/Off My Horse
XD I hate cookie-cutter "wisdom". XD
by Darius Moor » Wed Dec 12, 2018 4:12 am “What if”:
We chose our own lives before we were born?
In the full knowledge of what we would go through?
Would then the belief that “everything happens for a reason”, be true, but not “because you messed up”?
Would it then be true that you should discern the lesson, but not “so you don’t do it again” as much as “so it doesn’t happen again”?
And would that not be “cause and effect?”
by Setanaoko » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Pushing aside the fact that I completely disagree with the "contract life" concept. And I feel that anyone who ascribes to it has a really poor view of a person's spirit. The Igbo believe something akin to this concept, and realistically, I see it as a means of coping with their reality rather than actively trying to change what they see around them in favor of their "chi" (not to be confused with Oriental concept of Qi).
I would say that it's not "everything happens for a reason" so much as "everything happens because I told it to happen". That's not a "reason", it's an effect of a singular decision to follow a script.
Going back to my criticism of a "contract life", to what end would it matter if we cannot remember that the "purpose" (to learn so it doesn't happen again), while we're following the script? In truth, the only thing that truly defines humanity well is that we encounter a struggle (be it minor or large) to move forward in anything we do. So, if the lesson is to prevent something from happening again- then experiencing it through the human condition would be pointless as the conflict of forward movement is more important a lesson than never letting something happen again.
Case in point, using the Human Trafficking example. If we are to learn something to prevent it from happening again, then slavery shouldn't be a thing- yet Human Trafficking is a flourishing black market that we are struggling to overcome. Humanity's ability to learn from past mistakes does not negate the fact that Humanity also has the capacity to be terrible to one another.
After a lifetime of experience, a "contract life" wouldn't hold any value because we didn't know we were suppose to be actors while we were actors. And both the best and worst of humanity would follow us into whatever culture asked us to live out the "contracted life" to learn. In this, it would be a failed experiment.
And so, unless this is the first time around that we've tried this with some wealth of history written into the storyline so we could experience it together- then I hope they're reading this so I can say "CALLED IT!!!!" when it backfires [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img]
by Darius Moor » Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:13 am Hi Ally,
Took somewhow longer to finish my reply. Getting busy before Christmas. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/e9e71fc0-1bfa-4a90-a590-eb9e4e31c45f[/img]Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm (...) And I feel that anyone who ascribes to it has a really poor view of a person's spirit. (…) I see it as a means of coping with their reality rather than actively trying to change what they see around them in favor of their "chi" (not to be confused with Oriental concept of Qi).[/i] You mentioned “poor view of a person’s spirit” - can you elaborate?
Also, what is you definition of “chi” vs “Qi”? Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm I would say that it's not "everything happens for a reason" so much as "everything happens because I told it to happen". That's not a "reason", it's an effect of a singular decision to follow a script. But there would still be a “reason” that you made your singular decision, no? Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Going back to my criticism of a "contract life", to what end would it matter if we cannot remember that the "purpose" (to learn so it doesn't happen again), while we're following the script? As far as I understand the model, it suggests a few things: that we run through multiple lives taking in lessons that build up upon each other. That a lesson therefore that is not learned in one life is repeated in following lives until it is. That the soul ergo matures over time. That a “successful end” of the journey would no longer benefit from memory loss. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm In truth, the only thing that truly defines humanity well is that we encounter a struggle (be it minor or large) to move forward in anything we do. So, if the lesson is to prevent something from happening again- then experiencing it through the human condition would be pointless as the conflict of forward movement is more important a lesson than never letting something happen again. I agree that growth requires change. But if a conundrum is an opportunity, a game, a challenge, a struggle or a threat - is down to mindset. My notion is that “something wouldn’t happen again” if the lesson was learned. It wouldn’t happen again as there is no need to repeat the lesson. Learning a lesson although requires decisions and actions. Inaction will always lead to failure unless the value of inaction is the lesson itself. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Case in point, using the Human Trafficking example. If we are to learn something to prevent it from happening again, then slavery shouldn't be a thing- yet Human Trafficking is a flourishing black market that we are struggling to overcome. Humanity's ability to learn from past mistakes does not negate the fact that Humanity also has the capacity to be terrible to one another. That is true. But would make unfortunate sense if not all people were meant to learn the same lesson at the same time. You might have learned already why slavery is wrong. But not everyone is maybe equally old or advanced to have learned that. Also slavery doesn’t only happen because of one “evil individual”. There are financiers that focus on money. There are people in the know afraid to oppose those in power, etc.. Different shortcomings can contribute to sustaining a negative. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm After a lifetime of experience, a "contract life" wouldn't hold any value because we didn't know we were suppose to be actors while we were actors. And both the best and worst of humanity would follow us into whatever culture asked us to live out the "contracted life" to learn. In this, it would be a failed experiment. Again, growth requires change. The desire to change requires dissatisfaction with a status quo. If the status quo was balanced perfection, no desire to change would manifest. That being the one part. But even if people are not on the same page of their overall journey at the same time, it would make sense that humanity overall matures over time as more individuals reach an advanced part of the learning curve. But we also see this: We might think we live in terrible times, but 500 years ago, things were undoubtedly worse: health, welfare, equality, free speech, availability of information. We are slow but we are moving.
I always found this model very different to my own thinking. But there is something in it that resonates for me as true. I observe it, I study it and at times I try to wear it. I can’t say I’ve mastered it. Not by far. And there are still details around it I’m not sure are right. But wearing it, I find it gives a context; it creates… it changes the way my energy works with my environment. Almost as if you were suddenly moving with the universe. I’m still trying to plan out and affect all kinds of things, but I sense that some of it is suddenly easier. Other things seem suddenly less important. And there is peace at the center of it. More peace than I’ve ever found elsewhere.
I’m probably being very vague and strange now here. But I think you will know what I’m saying. Try it on for a few days. Tell me what you see in the world through that shade of glass, that augmentation.
by Setanaoko » Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:28 pm I keep coming in here to answer you, Darius, and then space out. But atm I’m not at a computer- so I’m going to answer the one question you had about Chi vs. Qi.
I specified the Igbo because this is a word they use, similar to a Daemon youngafrikanpioneers.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/chi-in-igbo-cosmology/
by Setanaoko » Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:48 am I'm currently keeping up my gym pass. I've only missed one day I intended to go.
My hammered schedule is to never skip Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Tuesdays and Thursday mornings are for any errands I just absolutely need to get done, but if I have nothing I have made a pack with myself to go to the gym.
It was hard to engage in endurance-specific fitness in the winter prior to the gym membership (I really don't like my trailer). Having the gym has helped me get into a completely different frame of mind to do exercises. But more importantly, even when I'm dead tired, I think about the excuses I have to NOT go to the gym and still choose the fitness anyway.
This morning was a good example, I was up pretty late last night talking with a friend. And I had been up late the day before. Honestly, I would have been absolutely physically justified in -wanting- to come back home after dropping off Makai at school and going back to sleep. But I find that actually having made the decision to go to the gym put me in a much better mood today. And I've even finished one of my projects to submit it for review by other LA members.
In accordance with my New Year's goal to improve my mental health, I think I made the right call in getting the gym membership. I know that there is research which suggests it improves your mood, but in the Army I never experienced that aspect of PT. It was always a pain to get involved with, and I hated it even more if I had to figure out my own schedule. Maybe the real reason it improves your mood is because it's the choice you make? I don't know. But whatever it is, I'm seeing some real differences.
by Setanaoko » Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:54 pm Loudzoo wrote: "I think the idea of this thread was to find evidence of The Force, in scripture. To me that means searching for examples in which love, compassion, empathy, sacrifice and fortitude lead to positive narrative outcomes. On the flip side it means discussing the times when hate, revenge, selfishness and the abuse of power lead to negative narrative outcomes. Whether those narratives make sense scientifically, theologically, magically, morally etc is interesting but sort of misses the point of what we’re trying to find, doesn’t it?" -Loudzoo I don't think it's wrong to search for these things, inherently. But when I look at the topic we were discussing to this point- I feel like there's a massive mistake in believing the Force as a metaphor should be the emotions we associate with Light and Darkness. The quote I preserved in the "Force Realists Quotes" thread is actually from a conversation I was having with Tzall on Discord. But I'm going to expand a bit in here, and as the thread over there evolves, I'll try to figure out a way to feed it into the conversation.
In fact, if there's anything to be gained from Loudzoo's commentary, it's that my belief in the Force (either metaphor or as a real thing) shouldn't have a "will" associated with it - especially in the Christian paradigm. Emotions and what we do with them may be manifestations of the Force, but the Force is still, at it's core, the power we hold within us.
In the final post of the first segment, I mentioned that there is something else of curiousity to be observed in the Plagues. I was going to hold off on putting down what that is, but it add so much to my point that I'll just put up that point here: Setanaoko wrote: If you look at the miracles, you’ll see that Aaron is responsible for the rod to a snake, waters to blood, the frogs and the lice. If you recall, the lice was set off in a less than public display as well. From what we can glean from the text, this is only one of the instances when God does not have Moses go before Pharaoh to make a grandstanding entrance of the plague.
Then we look at the flies and diseased livestock. In these two plagues, we do not see God tell anyone to stretch out their hand and cause something to come about. Moses is just told to deliver a message that it will happen. We know for a fact that these two plagues did not reach Goshen.
In the next set, God switches from Aaron doing this stuff, to Moses being responsible for the ritual. We are not explicitly told that the Boils did not reach Goshen, but it seems implied by the fact that the Hail did not reach Goshen. Though, again, with the Locusts, it is not explicitly stated that Goshen was protected. And finally there was the Darkness, which we do know invaded Goshen, as they specifically had light within their dwellings to combat the darkness.
The final plague is one we can be led to believe was solely executed by God, as He again, does not ask for anyone to stretch out their hand, though He did instruct Moses on what to tell the Israelites to do so they could be saved from the plague.
Although the evidence to suggest a transition between three players may be a mere neglect of the author, there is certainly something to be said of the transition from Aaron to Moses as ritual bearer. As Moses grew in his own faith towards God, he was given more responsibility to enact God’s Will. I once said on the Armonia Hangouts to Miles and Brandel that I feel like the Jedi don't start with the idea that we have power, we have to learn that we have it. Whereas, the Sith seem to start out with the acknowledgement that they do have power, and they have to learn how to harness it for themselves. I somewhat see that idea in Loudzoo's commentary- though, I won't go as far as to pretend to believe he does or doesn't accept he has power. I don't know him well enough to make such an assessment.
In the story of the Plagues, Aaron begins with an acknowledgement that he has power to enact these miracles on God's behalf. But Moses has to learn that he has the power, even after God tells him outright that he will have it. And finally, after he crosses the Red Sea, Moses fully realizes his role as a leader over Israel. Now it's up to Moses to execute everything he's learned, with the wisdom given to him by the King (YHWH).
If we look to the miracles as a means of conveying a metaphor, rather than a real life source that can perform real miracles, then the Force cannot be the emotions or actions which a person takes, but rather the exercise or lack of exercise of power we have.
But even if we DO look at it from the prospective that it is something we can tap into and command the forces of nature, then we are still left with the inner power we have which can transform the playing field of our world.
Thus, a the Force as a metaphor cannot be emotions or actions, but rather inherent power we are all given. The "Will of the Force", in the analogy, would then become the overall mission statement in our lives, a deity, or even the collective of an organization.
by Setanaoko » Sun Feb 24, 2019 4:49 pm Watching this United Methodist Church (UMC)Convention has got me thinking about how we worship.
I use to love being part of worship, singing and even clapping out of sync ( [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/eae960e6-0ff6-4d85-a5f5-6cdbcfeda68d[/img] I don’t have rhythm, I eventually learned proper clapping technique though [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/eb4ea66e-6eaa-402a-82e2-333dea7b0afd[/img] ). As I got exposed to other churches, and even pagan groups, I began to appreciate a myriad of different worship forms: Dance, Prayer, Music, etc.
But as I grew in appreciation, I also grew awareness of the unspoken language present in people’s worship.
Prior to moving to South Carolina I couldn’t connect with a church long enough to make friends. But I eventually did find a church I could communicate with the leadership easily enough. That’s when I was finally exposed to pressured worship. The act of telling the congregation how worship should be performed.
I was good with them asking me to sing, after all, it’s a form of worship I find easiest to communicate my feelings and thoughts to God (though not in crafting the song, more communication through tone). But there were other things I just had difficulty bringing myself to perform- like raising my hands in the air during song or prayer. It was communicated to me that doing such things without forcing yourself proved the Holy Spirit was moving through you- helping you express complete surrender to God. I’ve tried, raising my hands just isn’t a form of expression I feel compelled to. And it doesn’t feel like surrender either, it feels more like asking for something in return. Even in police operations, having one’s hands up isn’t surrender, to me, but a suspect’s need for survival. Again, as though one is asking for something in return.
The idea that I had to worship in a particular form really made me sick. I watched as members of the group excelled in some forms of worship, but when doing other forms, they fell flat. It’s like, they could could have a beautiful voice, but when they weren’t into the song- it fell so flat. The energy is completely missing. They could dance a beautifully choreographed piece, but the finesse is absent when they aren’t seeking to worship, and instead just to dance.
As I watch the Convention, I keep hearing that horrible sound the lack of energy produces, or see the body language of the speaker/singer/dancer, and the worship just isn’t there for many of them. It’s nothing more than going through the motions. As I watch them, I keep asking myself- how many of these people sought to be part of what they are out of sincerity? How many are doing it out of a sense of obligation?
It hurts. It hurts to hear “Come, Holy Spirit, Come”, as though they were pressured to find a way to include it in their speech. It hurts to hear a pre-written prayer spoken as though it was selected only for the words to hopefully match what The a Convention is all about. It hurts to hear song selections sang by various groups from across the UMC worldwide that lack the passion of one trying to reach God’s ears so that He may know Hos value amongst the church. It hurts to watch Church leaders pressure Convention attendees to prayer over one another in pairs of 3.
It hurts to watch this whole convention, because it’s reinforcing the belief that we should express ourselves in a uniform manner. But God never intended for us to be uniform.
So let me ask you to meditate upon this: How do you best communicate your admiration and reverence to Our Father, who art in Heaven? And how will you make this a regular part of your Sabbath? And will you make an effort to be more aware of the way you communicate to Our Father when you use another form of worship?
by Setanaoko » Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:54 pm Today I drew the cards “Responsible” and “Disregard the Law”. I’ve been thinking on it a bit. This combination might normally take me in the direction of looking over case law. In fact, one of my first thoughts was to the demon (I’m sticking by that identifier for now) in New Zealand that took the lives of innocent people in two mosques. He represents the most abhorrent in humanity, having both disregarded the law and being happy to take responsibility for it.
With my blood a bit hot thinking about that, however, my mind wandered to an earlier conversation with a friend. He told me that he was willing to take the heat for everything, because he was use to it. “If you need to blame something on someone, just tell them it was me- I’m more than happy to take the heat for you.” He said.
As my mind wandered, the card “Disregard the Law” became more “Disregard Guidelines”, the kind that most people figure out as they are going through life. There is a healthy degree of doing so, and then there are the extremes. Sometimes they are common-sense laws, sometimes they are social rules and/or boundaries you just don’t cross. Stuff like that.
The conversation my friend and I were having was in regards to a few situations that have occurred over the last couple of months. When we talked about him “taking the heat”, I brought my focus to the problem of taking responsibility for the problems of others. It was more in relation to things I saw in the military.
It always bothered me that I knew some NCOs that would take responsibility for something they simply could not control. That is, if their soldier was a continual blue falcon, their NCO would just take it upon themselves in front of the Commander and then reprimand the soldier later. Certainly there is a degree of latitude that can be afforded to a subordinate, but at some point you knew the problem was the soldier and not the NCO. Especially if you kept handing them over to new NCOs to try and resolve the problem…only to be met with the same results.
This problem of taking responsibility for the bad that happens gives the person who needs to be reprimanded at various levels a scapegoat. It allows the real perpetrator (those disregarding the rules/guidelines/law) to shunt off an opportunity for Personal Growth. Instead, opting in to let someone else take responsibility for their "falconry".
by Setanaoko » Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:21 am I posted this over at ToTJO, thought I’d repost it here [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]“It really sounds like the distinction is a belief in the Force to me, eg a Jediist defines themselves as believing in the Force and uses that Force to act“ -Adder
The realist (I won’t speak to what the Jediist believes) recognizes that the Force cannot be the defining characteristic of the Jedi, for the Sith do exactly this as well. Watch the films , read the fiction(, add Disney canon too!), several other groups believe in the Force and use it to act. Thus, the defining difference cannot be the Force. The belief in and use of it earns us a place simply under the title of “Force Realist”- of which Jediism is a sub-group (a fairly large one at that).
So if the Force cannot be the defining factor, what must define us against the others? The philosophy, but more than that: It -is- the combination of service and adherence to the Jedi Code. The Jedi Code is framed in such a way that it was intended to facilitate the role of the Jedi in the world.
Let’s look over those fictional inspirations again: they were designed with the hero’s journey in mind. And not the personal hero either, but rather the “Epic Hero”. In contrast, the Sith are designed as the “Personal Heroes”, those that conquer their own lives. Personal Heroes need not be villains, but in the case of the fiction, the Sith ended up in this place by virtue of their additional philosophy to obtain power by any means necessary. Their pride and ego defined them against the selflessness and civilization focus of the Jedi.
“Who sets the standards, and who asserts those standards upon others, and how much effort is required to discover that before making a value judgement about it?” -Adder
If the person claiming to be a Jedi isn’t setting it for themselves based on the truth of the tenets laid before them, then we are already at a loss of helping them achieve the standard.
A person always has some value, but they have to define their personal value above the afforded limit. I’ll go on the record and define that a surgeon’s value (even if they are a jerk) would still hold more value than I do based on their skills alone. In many regards, I think THIS is a component missing in the discussions of the Jedi Path, that value is not based on whether or not you live by the Jedi Path. No one that is a Jedi looks down on those which are not. Unlike modern Fundamental Christianity, we recognize that your path in life is a choice and those choices are not for us to force down your throat.
So we get to “how much effort?”. A hierarchal structure is present to reward people for their adherence to the Jedi Path and encourage followers to achieve it. If you aren’t willing to set the standard of what a role model for the path looks like, why pursue a role in the hierarchy? If you pursue it for personal recognition, you are following the path of the Personal Hero (in case it’s completely missed on others- I have nothing but respect for real life Sith, and I am more than happy with helping a person achieve a personal hero’s journey), and not the Epic.
Can someone in the hierarchy know the difference? Sometimes, but it’s not always apparent, and if a few slip through the cracks it’s understandable. Ultimately the structure must be setup with a belief that the path holds value, and that it is something everyone who chooses the path should want to improve. If this isn’t the case, then the Path becomes less and less a belief system and more and more a fan club of personalities enamored with Star Wars.
by Setanaoko » Sun May 05, 2019 8:33 pm From a conversation on FB-
The question: (long rant).....what did you do to honor the Force? What DOES one do to honor it? Just going out and doing something with the Force isn’t a means of Honoring it, but instead using it.
So how did you take yesterday to Honor it?
His Response: Alethea Thompson I helped others with energy related needs that were different and more extensive than normal.
My Response: That’s still just using it. It’s not a form of Honoring.
Let’s take any random deity- I’ll use the Goddess (Wicca). Performing Witchcraft isn’t a form of Honor, it’s working with the energies. To Honor the Goddess, you do so by calling her into a ceremony specifically to allow her to participate in the activities. Make her feel as though she is “part of the family” so-to-speak.
In Christianity, Honoring God isn’t in praying for something- instead it’s dedicating time to God without expectation. Offering songs, dances, reading the Bible, sharing what God has shared with you with others (NOT to be confused with targeted Proselytizing), etc.
Honoring a person is taking time out to show your appreciation of them.
The Force -is- a connective energy to all things. But using it even in new ways isn’t a form of Honoring it. If one truly wishes to Honor the Force, spending time in personal contemplation and gratitude towards what the Force is and means is the first step in learning how to best Honor it.
(name removed), who takes the time to connect with people on a psychological level has perhaps demonstrated publicly the purest form of Honoring the Force in its “we are all connected” form.
Yours isn’t Honoring, it’s using.
I know you won’t see it as such. And that’s fine- I just hope others gain insight from reading what I have said.
by Setanaoko » Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:07 am The IJF Board is toying with an idea for this year's Jedi Gathering: A Surprise Field Trip.
Each Board Member would create a workshop to be done off-site, and we would have the attendees divide themselves evenly amongst the 5 of us. Each one relating our workshop to both the theme, and the element we represent. It kind of started as a "We have all the elements in this group! We're totally the Planeteers." lol (no, I wasn't the one that came up with that one, though I could see how someone might think I did [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] ).
Gabe: Heart (Spirit) Crystal: Earth Ross: Fire Jack: Air/Wind Me: Water
The only rule is that members of a Jedi Chapter can't choose a Board Member in their chapter. We want people to get to know the different board members, plus in theory if you're in the chapter you have an opportunity to do the workshop at another date.
Last night I talked with Ashton about my idea. I'm excited that he would like to see us do a run of the workshop I have in mind. We've even talked about trying to scout Pisgah Forest to find a location before the Gathering next year. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]. I'm going to look into some options, and now that my car is getting the final fixes (today! YAY!) I'll be more mobile than previously.
Outside of Jedi stuff, I got good news last night that I'll be working with a new client. That's helpful news. I also started working with another steady client two weeks ago, so things are looking up, and maybe I can get my weekends back. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/bc576628-be26-4807-81e6-4a71db4a6f89[/img]. If nothing else, the extra money would be helpful.
For some reason, this last month I’ve become hyper-aware of “thoughts and prayers” as it concerns Religious practice.
From a Christian prospective, I’ve been really thinking hard about the idea. If we were to accept that the body of prayer worked in the same manner as Transcendental Meditation is believed to work (a collection of good will bringing about positive outcomes), then asking for “Thoughts and Prayers” presents no issues. However, that’s not the position that the original 3 Abrahamic traditions intended.
Our focus was intended to be placed upon God, which is given in the first Commandment “You cannot have any gods besides me” (LXX Exodus 20:5)/“You cannot have any gods before my face”(LXX Deuteronomy 5:7).
In thinking on the point. There’s more here (in terms of prayer) than simply having others above God. There’s also the component of Glorifying God.
Think about it, when someone asks for “thoughts (, meditations, ) and prayers, they are asking for a collection of energies to help them. So let’s look at it different, let’s substitute “Thoughts, Meditations & Prayers” for “Doctors”. You go to a dozen doctors and receive different forms of treatment for the same problem within the same 48 hours. On the 3rd day, you wake up and you’re suddenly healed. You may have resolved the issue, but now you have no idea which doctor healed you, you don’t even know if it was a combination of doctors that ended up being the reason you’re healed. All you know is that you are healed.
Going back to God- it doesn’t glorify God if He administers the medicine you actually needed to get healed, if you aren’t going to be able to acknowledge He’s the “doctor” that healed you.
“But if God is all good, wouldn’t he do it anyway?”
A few things: 1) Unless the 12 doctors you went to were 100% aware of what you were doing with the previous doctors before you arrived, there’s a real possibility they could do more damage with their own medicines. Especially if they are cross-prescribing pills. So a medical professional wouldn’t want to impede upon another medical professional’s treatment, and more than likely would have rejected you. The same is true of God. Unless you commit to His treatment plan, you might become far more damaged in the long run. (e.g. Christ speaking on a demon being cast out and then bringing 7 friends back when he realizes the house isn’t occupied by the Holy Spirit)
2) God’s plan isn’t just about Him. It’s about the world He created. In order to move the world into its healthiest form, He needs you to know He’s the doctor which cured you. Not only does it bring people to Him, but it gets other doctors to replicate His treatment plan (in terms of other “gods”, a great deal of them have gotten nicer since Christ’s time- we don’t have nearly as many “gods” that demand human sacrifice, for example)
3) The point is to have you become God’s full time patient so that you don’t go to other doctors. He’s the only one He can trust to administer the plan exactly as He intends.
This brings me to another observation. Even if we ask for just prayers, from a body of Christians, we cannot be certain that all whom pray for us are doing so as we intend. That is, we can’t prove they aren’t trying to also send us healing energy when we only wish for our plight to reach God and ask His Will be done. In many respects, we cannot control what others do. I believe that God sees our intent and knows whom we will ultimately credit with our healing of we explicitly ask a Christian body for Prayers.
But, I’m beginning to believe that by the sheer virtue of my own recognition of this Paradox, the answer to it is to find a small body of believers I can personally trust to prayer only to God when I do not feel that I have enough strength to ask on my own (just as the Apostles and Prophets would pray together for a singular believer whom asked for help).
by Setanaoko » Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:47 am Been a while since I wrote in here. Thought I'd tell a story of something that just happened at the table behind me.
A woman and a girl that looks old enough to be her daughter (they actually have some features that make me wonder if they are Mother-Daughter) are reviewing a Christian Book called "Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety: Becoming a Woman of Faith and Confidence" by Elyze Fitzpatrick. I've been listening to them for a good while and every time they were talking about the book, they'd hit the highlights and just say- "it was interesting", "it was freeing", the other nodding and leave it at that. Their voices were very dry, like they were just going through the motions of reviewing the book.
Couldn't help but interject with a sincere and smiling: "Why?"
It was nice to hear their answers. One said they felt like their additions to God's law was actually taking away from their own life and forcing them into a sense of slavery. The other expressed that by adding her own morals and placing them upon her children she was pushing away from God's Freedom.
As I write this, I note that their conversations have become a great deal more lively. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
by Setanaoko » Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:57 pm Every year I’ve had the same answer to “What are you thankful for?” This year, though, that answer didn’t seem the right to me though. I’m thankful for everything I have, including my usual answer. But the reason I’ve been thankful for the Jedi Community these last 8 years hasn’t been necessary to me this last few months. That is, I’m no longer in a place where the only thing that keeps me going is my work in this community. What changed, is that I’m a volunteer with a very legit organization now and I can reclaim my sense of being a useful member of society. Following the events of today, I found that I’m very grateful for things like Google, Facebook and Volunteers in general. Why? Well here’s the story:
This morning I talked with a man that lost his home because of a fire and was living in a tent on his property. He also didn't have a place to go for a Thanksgiving. The only possible hope he had to get a better shelter was a woman offered him a camper for $300.
Well, the organization I volunteer with helped me find him $300 for the camper, and using Google to find a Facebook post about an event, I was able to locate a church in walking distance from his residence giving a free Thanksgiving. Furthermore they are a VERY active soup kitchen, offering 2 meals everyday.
Without Google or Facebook, I never could have found out about this event. And without the volunteers of both my organization and this church, this man might not have been able to enjoy a hot meal, or had a warmer place to sleep at night.
We live in a very connected world, and I for one, am so grateful we can use the things available to us in order to build stronger connections.
)by Setanaoko » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:46 pm The name of this journal: I got nothing- XD I just wanted a new name that wasn't so boring and signifies a new book. Holocron was bland...and frankly so was everything else. But I've found myself at cafe's a lot more in the last few years with my laptop. Cafes are also where I meet some really interesting people and talk about all sorts of things from religion to politics. So "Why not?".
Anyways, here's my new journal. Feel free to respond when you feel the opportunity arise.
First real entry:
Last year I connected with a Women's Bible Study group. Ironically, picking up a weekend job did wonders for my spiritual life. It gave me an opportunity to really think about the problems I had with the church I was with, and to focus on some other spiritually related questions I had. Then, with Kai going into school, I was given an opportunity to find a daytime Bible Study that digs into scripture rather than tries to give you a watered down explanation of it. Not saying I don't believe in church, but more to the point it doesn't do anything for me personally. Give me time with God alone, and let's talk a more "academic" approach to studying God's Word, and I will grow. But Church feels like maintaining status quo- not my style.
It's been nice. I think the best part about this Bible Study, is that I don't have to share it alone. My neighbor has been regularly attending with me. Atm we are going through a Beth Moore study called "Believing God". Thus far, it's been a good reinforcement of things I've already come to know and understand. But it's really nice to hear it from a different prospective. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
5 Statements from the Bible Study
1) God is who He says He is 2) God can do what He says He can do 3) I am who God says I am 4) I can do all things through Christ 5) God's Word is alive and active in me
To accompany my Bible Study, we were told to keep a blue piece of yarn with us to remind us of our walk with God during this Bible Study. It goes with a Numbers 15:38-40. My neighbor and I went to get something a bit less likely for her cats to want to play with and ended up with something a little more unique-
by Setanaoko » Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:17 pm Got to meet up with a potential Jedi today ^^. We didn't just talk Jedi though, turns out he's an Anime fan, and a Sailor Moon fan. He's also got a lot in common with my husband, so who knows maybe I can get the two of them to become friends (I think Nathan would appreciate a local friend that can keep up with him about things like Physics and the like).
Though, possibly the most interesting thing that happened today is what landed me with an aching ankle (the same one I sprained in CG Basic :/). I was sitting there at the light just a two hundred yards away from the restaurant with my neighbor and Makai in tow...when I heard a collision behind us. Looking out my window I saw a vehicle from the oncoming lane canted into my lane. I looked at my neighbor, who at this point just knows, and darted out door. Someone was already working on helping the person that caused the accident out of the vehicle, and I went to the vehicle that the car had collided with. As the passenger is getting out of the vehicle, and appearing distressed I asked if she was okay and simultaneously slipped on some loose tree debris on the road (might be an indication I need new shoes with better tread XD). Picked myself up and helped her to sit down on the curb. Her husband rushed to her side, and we made sure she we as well enough to deal with her situation. Looking over I noticed the person who caused the accident wasn't very responsive. So I helped him to sit down at the curb and propped him up seated behind him. Trying to get him to talk with me. Just as I was, one of the vehicles behind the accident stopped and came up telling me she was a nurse. We were there for a good 15 minutes waiting on the police, fire department and ambulance to take full control of the scene.
What was really great about this whole incident is that without thinking three people that never once met jumped into action to take control of the scene while we waited on the police to show up. Nothing else but these people's lives were on their mind.
This last year has had a lot more bickering back and forth about how horrible people are or are not because they voted one way or another. But honestly, the true nature of a people come out when horrible incidents occur. Humans can be terrible, but I'm glad I can see the awesomeness of our species play out in real time. It's just sad that opportunities like these occur.
by Setanaoko » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:02 am Had a great trial run today on the first session of a Bible Study I'm including in the Christian Curriculum at Armonia. The questions were formatted well enough, though I think it will be better when people actually do this week's session at their own pace over the course of a week on their own. Which is the point, but I find that testing the Bible study works best when I'm bouncing it in real time.
Next week's session should be a great deal easier, as it doesn't span 5 chapters of Exodus all at once XD. A lot easier to digest when I'm not reading large portions aloud to someone. ^^
Gabe and I talked about the excitement we have for this year's gathering yesterday. It looks like we'll have a really good mix of people, and my food arrangements are shaping up. ^^ Will have to make arrangements ahead at the nearest Gordon Food Supply for my bulk food.
This is going to be worth every moment of planning, I just feel it. And I love that we'll have a good number of new faces.
by Setanaoko » Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:38 pm A Trial In Patience:
So I'm working on a small (published) book that outlines the 5 Jedi Labyrinths-
Labyrinth of Trials (Knighthood) Matrimony Labyrinth Labyrinth of Parenthood The Master's Labyrinth (Mastership) Labyrinth of Release
While I have the majority of it all figured out, I'm waiting on the Labyrinth of Parenthood to be written out by Gabe; and I have to wait to get photo examples for the Matrimony Labyrinth...It's so close to being done, I can taste it! My excitement grows everyday, but so does my frustration at the timeline that is preventing me from getting it out on the market.
Probably the most difficult part is that although it will be less than 50 pages when it's said and done, is that this is the culmination of almost a decade worth of work trying to create. It should be simple to wait just a little bit longer, but MAN! It's RIGHT THERE!!! I can see the end!!!! XD
by Setanaoko » Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:27 pm What's Seta's most embarrassing BCT story?
So there I am cutting my belt to size when I slice open my hand (the webbing right between the fingers) as I'm being told its time for chow, right? Now I'm known for losing my key to my locker by now, so when I approach the DS, he asks me what happened this time, just completely irritated with me by now I'm sure. I couldn't even say it, so I produce my hand which is still bleeding at Parade Rest. He gives me a look and, well, I don't think he had seen such a thing before. He fumbles over making a decision on what to do, and sends me to Sick Hall just up the street with my battle buddy. We get up there and I'm admitted. The doctor comes in and just laughs at the ridiculousness of this (the medics did too). Calls the medics in and tells them to apply Super Glue to the wound (I learned that day that super glue was actually developed for things like this!). But he quickly learns, no one in the room knows how to apply super glue....
So he calls all of his medics in and uses me for training. Ugh, I had 7 people hovering over me to get taught this...
Well, 15 years later....I'm finding that situation useful....as I sliced into my left index finger...good thing I bought super glue yesterday- actually to help with one of my projects for the Jedi Gathering XD.
Don't let things just slip from you. You never know when they'll come in handy. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
by Setanaoko » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:19 pm One of the things that gets to me, is the Christian cookie-cutter, misinterpretation, "Everything happens for a reason". I know various places where people get that idea from...but let's just use the one most quoted:
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
This quote explicitly states this is the case for those that love God, and tho those who are called according to God's purpose. God won't fail a believer. That's what this whole segment is trying to tell the church. But what it does not say, is that God is intricately in the lives of everyone, working everything in their lives for their good to bring them to Christ.
That's not how it works, even Christ made the statement that we shouldn't cast our pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). God has been known to reveal Himself to non-believers before, but that doesn't mean they'll convert (a point I find often missed by Christians). No, instead, what God will do- is find a way to use what brokenness you've experienced to benefit others.
Let me give you an example of what I mean, and I"m going to tear right into one of the worst situations one can imagine (Thank you SVU episodes XD).
Imagine you're a child that escaped Humans Trafficking. And as an adult you find Jesus. In turn, through your faith in Jesus, you are led to overcome the abuse you were party to and become a counselor specializing in victim advocacy for humans trafficked victims.
So, under the theory "Everything happens for a reason", God specifically made you a slave to others- who in turn were made to take you in as a slave because God made them slave owners, so that you could eventually help more people that He made slaves to preordained slavers- just so they could find Him through your work and cycle in some way continues.
"But Ally, that's not really what we mean"- yes, it's exactly what I hear people saying- might not be what you're saying (I don't actually mean anyone here at FA, or even the Jedi Community at large, just kinda venting, lol). I hear people tell me all the time that the physical child abuse I underwent (fortunately not sexual in nature) was meant to help me become a better advocate for God.
That's not at all what it was. God didn't "put" me in an abusive household. I just happened to be born in one. Like many people throughout the Bible History, God seems to choose (not that I'm chosen, just an observation) people either at random, by virtue of their lineage, or the circumstances He believes best align with what He's trying to do.
Does He know which person will best fit the criteria? Well, if we assume that it is true He is Omniscent, then He'll know the (to borrow a Star Wars term) "Shatterpoint" of a person based on what's already/will transpire because He knows everyone. Not because He preordained everyone for a specific life before birth (it seems very few actually have that particular value in God's plans- Jesus being #1). In fact, it's God's whole schtick to pick some of the lowliest people for His plan.
God Knows, He doesn't cause everything in your life for a reason- absolutely nothing in the Bible supports that belief. He does do it for some, but He doesn't do it for everyone.
So why is this coming up today? Because I watched a video, where this person (who shall remain unnamed) has reduced "their misfortunes" to needing to happen in order to get where they are in life now. That "everything happens for a reason"....and now trying to sell it as some sort of Jedi Wisdom.
Let me tell you what "Everything happens for a reason is"
IT'S THE ULTIMATE EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING SOME REAL SOUL SEARCHING.
That's it, right there. Maybe what happened to you was unfortunate. But that doesn't mean you cannot do some soul-searching to find a way to overcome. It didn't happen to you so you could learn to overcome, any number of things could have happened to you and you might have still reached the same conclusions. But even then, your life circumstances shape who you are and no matter what has happened in your past something can be learned. It doesn't have to be something terrible.
But maybe, just maybe, the real reason something happened is because you caused it, and you're definitely not the victim. You're the reason a victim of circumstances exists. If that's the case, then your soul searching shouldn't be reduced to "happened for a reason", it should be "I messed up, I need to grow from this so I don't do it again. I need to really change, and these are the things I need to change and never return to."
Cause and Effect. Not Preordained Bad Stuff. Cause and Effect.
/Off My Horse
XD I hate cookie-cutter "wisdom". XD
by Darius Moor » Wed Dec 12, 2018 4:12 am “What if”:
We chose our own lives before we were born?
In the full knowledge of what we would go through?
Would then the belief that “everything happens for a reason”, be true, but not “because you messed up”?
Would it then be true that you should discern the lesson, but not “so you don’t do it again” as much as “so it doesn’t happen again”?
And would that not be “cause and effect?”
by Setanaoko » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Pushing aside the fact that I completely disagree with the "contract life" concept. And I feel that anyone who ascribes to it has a really poor view of a person's spirit. The Igbo believe something akin to this concept, and realistically, I see it as a means of coping with their reality rather than actively trying to change what they see around them in favor of their "chi" (not to be confused with Oriental concept of Qi).
I would say that it's not "everything happens for a reason" so much as "everything happens because I told it to happen". That's not a "reason", it's an effect of a singular decision to follow a script.
Going back to my criticism of a "contract life", to what end would it matter if we cannot remember that the "purpose" (to learn so it doesn't happen again), while we're following the script? In truth, the only thing that truly defines humanity well is that we encounter a struggle (be it minor or large) to move forward in anything we do. So, if the lesson is to prevent something from happening again- then experiencing it through the human condition would be pointless as the conflict of forward movement is more important a lesson than never letting something happen again.
Case in point, using the Human Trafficking example. If we are to learn something to prevent it from happening again, then slavery shouldn't be a thing- yet Human Trafficking is a flourishing black market that we are struggling to overcome. Humanity's ability to learn from past mistakes does not negate the fact that Humanity also has the capacity to be terrible to one another.
After a lifetime of experience, a "contract life" wouldn't hold any value because we didn't know we were suppose to be actors while we were actors. And both the best and worst of humanity would follow us into whatever culture asked us to live out the "contracted life" to learn. In this, it would be a failed experiment.
And so, unless this is the first time around that we've tried this with some wealth of history written into the storyline so we could experience it together- then I hope they're reading this so I can say "CALLED IT!!!!" when it backfires [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img]
by Darius Moor » Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:13 am Hi Ally,
Took somewhow longer to finish my reply. Getting busy before Christmas. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/e9e71fc0-1bfa-4a90-a590-eb9e4e31c45f[/img]Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm (...) And I feel that anyone who ascribes to it has a really poor view of a person's spirit. (…) I see it as a means of coping with their reality rather than actively trying to change what they see around them in favor of their "chi" (not to be confused with Oriental concept of Qi).[/i] You mentioned “poor view of a person’s spirit” - can you elaborate?
Also, what is you definition of “chi” vs “Qi”? Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm I would say that it's not "everything happens for a reason" so much as "everything happens because I told it to happen". That's not a "reason", it's an effect of a singular decision to follow a script. But there would still be a “reason” that you made your singular decision, no? Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Going back to my criticism of a "contract life", to what end would it matter if we cannot remember that the "purpose" (to learn so it doesn't happen again), while we're following the script? As far as I understand the model, it suggests a few things: that we run through multiple lives taking in lessons that build up upon each other. That a lesson therefore that is not learned in one life is repeated in following lives until it is. That the soul ergo matures over time. That a “successful end” of the journey would no longer benefit from memory loss. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm In truth, the only thing that truly defines humanity well is that we encounter a struggle (be it minor or large) to move forward in anything we do. So, if the lesson is to prevent something from happening again- then experiencing it through the human condition would be pointless as the conflict of forward movement is more important a lesson than never letting something happen again. I agree that growth requires change. But if a conundrum is an opportunity, a game, a challenge, a struggle or a threat - is down to mindset. My notion is that “something wouldn’t happen again” if the lesson was learned. It wouldn’t happen again as there is no need to repeat the lesson. Learning a lesson although requires decisions and actions. Inaction will always lead to failure unless the value of inaction is the lesson itself. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm Case in point, using the Human Trafficking example. If we are to learn something to prevent it from happening again, then slavery shouldn't be a thing- yet Human Trafficking is a flourishing black market that we are struggling to overcome. Humanity's ability to learn from past mistakes does not negate the fact that Humanity also has the capacity to be terrible to one another. That is true. But would make unfortunate sense if not all people were meant to learn the same lesson at the same time. You might have learned already why slavery is wrong. But not everyone is maybe equally old or advanced to have learned that. Also slavery doesn’t only happen because of one “evil individual”. There are financiers that focus on money. There are people in the know afraid to oppose those in power, etc.. Different shortcomings can contribute to sustaining a negative. Setanaoko wrote: ↑ Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:38 pm After a lifetime of experience, a "contract life" wouldn't hold any value because we didn't know we were suppose to be actors while we were actors. And both the best and worst of humanity would follow us into whatever culture asked us to live out the "contracted life" to learn. In this, it would be a failed experiment. Again, growth requires change. The desire to change requires dissatisfaction with a status quo. If the status quo was balanced perfection, no desire to change would manifest. That being the one part. But even if people are not on the same page of their overall journey at the same time, it would make sense that humanity overall matures over time as more individuals reach an advanced part of the learning curve. But we also see this: We might think we live in terrible times, but 500 years ago, things were undoubtedly worse: health, welfare, equality, free speech, availability of information. We are slow but we are moving.
I always found this model very different to my own thinking. But there is something in it that resonates for me as true. I observe it, I study it and at times I try to wear it. I can’t say I’ve mastered it. Not by far. And there are still details around it I’m not sure are right. But wearing it, I find it gives a context; it creates… it changes the way my energy works with my environment. Almost as if you were suddenly moving with the universe. I’m still trying to plan out and affect all kinds of things, but I sense that some of it is suddenly easier. Other things seem suddenly less important. And there is peace at the center of it. More peace than I’ve ever found elsewhere.
I’m probably being very vague and strange now here. But I think you will know what I’m saying. Try it on for a few days. Tell me what you see in the world through that shade of glass, that augmentation.
by Setanaoko » Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:28 pm I keep coming in here to answer you, Darius, and then space out. But atm I’m not at a computer- so I’m going to answer the one question you had about Chi vs. Qi.
I specified the Igbo because this is a word they use, similar to a Daemon youngafrikanpioneers.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/chi-in-igbo-cosmology/
by Setanaoko » Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:48 am I'm currently keeping up my gym pass. I've only missed one day I intended to go.
My hammered schedule is to never skip Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Tuesdays and Thursday mornings are for any errands I just absolutely need to get done, but if I have nothing I have made a pack with myself to go to the gym.
It was hard to engage in endurance-specific fitness in the winter prior to the gym membership (I really don't like my trailer). Having the gym has helped me get into a completely different frame of mind to do exercises. But more importantly, even when I'm dead tired, I think about the excuses I have to NOT go to the gym and still choose the fitness anyway.
This morning was a good example, I was up pretty late last night talking with a friend. And I had been up late the day before. Honestly, I would have been absolutely physically justified in -wanting- to come back home after dropping off Makai at school and going back to sleep. But I find that actually having made the decision to go to the gym put me in a much better mood today. And I've even finished one of my projects to submit it for review by other LA members.
In accordance with my New Year's goal to improve my mental health, I think I made the right call in getting the gym membership. I know that there is research which suggests it improves your mood, but in the Army I never experienced that aspect of PT. It was always a pain to get involved with, and I hated it even more if I had to figure out my own schedule. Maybe the real reason it improves your mood is because it's the choice you make? I don't know. But whatever it is, I'm seeing some real differences.
by Setanaoko » Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:54 pm Loudzoo wrote: "I think the idea of this thread was to find evidence of The Force, in scripture. To me that means searching for examples in which love, compassion, empathy, sacrifice and fortitude lead to positive narrative outcomes. On the flip side it means discussing the times when hate, revenge, selfishness and the abuse of power lead to negative narrative outcomes. Whether those narratives make sense scientifically, theologically, magically, morally etc is interesting but sort of misses the point of what we’re trying to find, doesn’t it?" -Loudzoo I don't think it's wrong to search for these things, inherently. But when I look at the topic we were discussing to this point- I feel like there's a massive mistake in believing the Force as a metaphor should be the emotions we associate with Light and Darkness. The quote I preserved in the "Force Realists Quotes" thread is actually from a conversation I was having with Tzall on Discord. But I'm going to expand a bit in here, and as the thread over there evolves, I'll try to figure out a way to feed it into the conversation.
In fact, if there's anything to be gained from Loudzoo's commentary, it's that my belief in the Force (either metaphor or as a real thing) shouldn't have a "will" associated with it - especially in the Christian paradigm. Emotions and what we do with them may be manifestations of the Force, but the Force is still, at it's core, the power we hold within us.
In the final post of the first segment, I mentioned that there is something else of curiousity to be observed in the Plagues. I was going to hold off on putting down what that is, but it add so much to my point that I'll just put up that point here: Setanaoko wrote: If you look at the miracles, you’ll see that Aaron is responsible for the rod to a snake, waters to blood, the frogs and the lice. If you recall, the lice was set off in a less than public display as well. From what we can glean from the text, this is only one of the instances when God does not have Moses go before Pharaoh to make a grandstanding entrance of the plague.
Then we look at the flies and diseased livestock. In these two plagues, we do not see God tell anyone to stretch out their hand and cause something to come about. Moses is just told to deliver a message that it will happen. We know for a fact that these two plagues did not reach Goshen.
In the next set, God switches from Aaron doing this stuff, to Moses being responsible for the ritual. We are not explicitly told that the Boils did not reach Goshen, but it seems implied by the fact that the Hail did not reach Goshen. Though, again, with the Locusts, it is not explicitly stated that Goshen was protected. And finally there was the Darkness, which we do know invaded Goshen, as they specifically had light within their dwellings to combat the darkness.
The final plague is one we can be led to believe was solely executed by God, as He again, does not ask for anyone to stretch out their hand, though He did instruct Moses on what to tell the Israelites to do so they could be saved from the plague.
Although the evidence to suggest a transition between three players may be a mere neglect of the author, there is certainly something to be said of the transition from Aaron to Moses as ritual bearer. As Moses grew in his own faith towards God, he was given more responsibility to enact God’s Will. I once said on the Armonia Hangouts to Miles and Brandel that I feel like the Jedi don't start with the idea that we have power, we have to learn that we have it. Whereas, the Sith seem to start out with the acknowledgement that they do have power, and they have to learn how to harness it for themselves. I somewhat see that idea in Loudzoo's commentary- though, I won't go as far as to pretend to believe he does or doesn't accept he has power. I don't know him well enough to make such an assessment.
In the story of the Plagues, Aaron begins with an acknowledgement that he has power to enact these miracles on God's behalf. But Moses has to learn that he has the power, even after God tells him outright that he will have it. And finally, after he crosses the Red Sea, Moses fully realizes his role as a leader over Israel. Now it's up to Moses to execute everything he's learned, with the wisdom given to him by the King (YHWH).
If we look to the miracles as a means of conveying a metaphor, rather than a real life source that can perform real miracles, then the Force cannot be the emotions or actions which a person takes, but rather the exercise or lack of exercise of power we have.
But even if we DO look at it from the prospective that it is something we can tap into and command the forces of nature, then we are still left with the inner power we have which can transform the playing field of our world.
Thus, a the Force as a metaphor cannot be emotions or actions, but rather inherent power we are all given. The "Will of the Force", in the analogy, would then become the overall mission statement in our lives, a deity, or even the collective of an organization.
by Setanaoko » Sun Feb 24, 2019 4:49 pm Watching this United Methodist Church (UMC)Convention has got me thinking about how we worship.
I use to love being part of worship, singing and even clapping out of sync ( [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/eae960e6-0ff6-4d85-a5f5-6cdbcfeda68d[/img] I don’t have rhythm, I eventually learned proper clapping technique though [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/eb4ea66e-6eaa-402a-82e2-333dea7b0afd[/img] ). As I got exposed to other churches, and even pagan groups, I began to appreciate a myriad of different worship forms: Dance, Prayer, Music, etc.
But as I grew in appreciation, I also grew awareness of the unspoken language present in people’s worship.
Prior to moving to South Carolina I couldn’t connect with a church long enough to make friends. But I eventually did find a church I could communicate with the leadership easily enough. That’s when I was finally exposed to pressured worship. The act of telling the congregation how worship should be performed.
I was good with them asking me to sing, after all, it’s a form of worship I find easiest to communicate my feelings and thoughts to God (though not in crafting the song, more communication through tone). But there were other things I just had difficulty bringing myself to perform- like raising my hands in the air during song or prayer. It was communicated to me that doing such things without forcing yourself proved the Holy Spirit was moving through you- helping you express complete surrender to God. I’ve tried, raising my hands just isn’t a form of expression I feel compelled to. And it doesn’t feel like surrender either, it feels more like asking for something in return. Even in police operations, having one’s hands up isn’t surrender, to me, but a suspect’s need for survival. Again, as though one is asking for something in return.
The idea that I had to worship in a particular form really made me sick. I watched as members of the group excelled in some forms of worship, but when doing other forms, they fell flat. It’s like, they could could have a beautiful voice, but when they weren’t into the song- it fell so flat. The energy is completely missing. They could dance a beautifully choreographed piece, but the finesse is absent when they aren’t seeking to worship, and instead just to dance.
As I watch the Convention, I keep hearing that horrible sound the lack of energy produces, or see the body language of the speaker/singer/dancer, and the worship just isn’t there for many of them. It’s nothing more than going through the motions. As I watch them, I keep asking myself- how many of these people sought to be part of what they are out of sincerity? How many are doing it out of a sense of obligation?
It hurts. It hurts to hear “Come, Holy Spirit, Come”, as though they were pressured to find a way to include it in their speech. It hurts to hear a pre-written prayer spoken as though it was selected only for the words to hopefully match what The a Convention is all about. It hurts to hear song selections sang by various groups from across the UMC worldwide that lack the passion of one trying to reach God’s ears so that He may know Hos value amongst the church. It hurts to watch Church leaders pressure Convention attendees to prayer over one another in pairs of 3.
It hurts to watch this whole convention, because it’s reinforcing the belief that we should express ourselves in a uniform manner. But God never intended for us to be uniform.
So let me ask you to meditate upon this: How do you best communicate your admiration and reverence to Our Father, who art in Heaven? And how will you make this a regular part of your Sabbath? And will you make an effort to be more aware of the way you communicate to Our Father when you use another form of worship?
by Setanaoko » Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:54 pm Today I drew the cards “Responsible” and “Disregard the Law”. I’ve been thinking on it a bit. This combination might normally take me in the direction of looking over case law. In fact, one of my first thoughts was to the demon (I’m sticking by that identifier for now) in New Zealand that took the lives of innocent people in two mosques. He represents the most abhorrent in humanity, having both disregarded the law and being happy to take responsibility for it.
With my blood a bit hot thinking about that, however, my mind wandered to an earlier conversation with a friend. He told me that he was willing to take the heat for everything, because he was use to it. “If you need to blame something on someone, just tell them it was me- I’m more than happy to take the heat for you.” He said.
As my mind wandered, the card “Disregard the Law” became more “Disregard Guidelines”, the kind that most people figure out as they are going through life. There is a healthy degree of doing so, and then there are the extremes. Sometimes they are common-sense laws, sometimes they are social rules and/or boundaries you just don’t cross. Stuff like that.
The conversation my friend and I were having was in regards to a few situations that have occurred over the last couple of months. When we talked about him “taking the heat”, I brought my focus to the problem of taking responsibility for the problems of others. It was more in relation to things I saw in the military.
It always bothered me that I knew some NCOs that would take responsibility for something they simply could not control. That is, if their soldier was a continual blue falcon, their NCO would just take it upon themselves in front of the Commander and then reprimand the soldier later. Certainly there is a degree of latitude that can be afforded to a subordinate, but at some point you knew the problem was the soldier and not the NCO. Especially if you kept handing them over to new NCOs to try and resolve the problem…only to be met with the same results.
This problem of taking responsibility for the bad that happens gives the person who needs to be reprimanded at various levels a scapegoat. It allows the real perpetrator (those disregarding the rules/guidelines/law) to shunt off an opportunity for Personal Growth. Instead, opting in to let someone else take responsibility for their "falconry".
by Setanaoko » Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:21 am I posted this over at ToTJO, thought I’d repost it here [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]“It really sounds like the distinction is a belief in the Force to me, eg a Jediist defines themselves as believing in the Force and uses that Force to act“ -Adder
The realist (I won’t speak to what the Jediist believes) recognizes that the Force cannot be the defining characteristic of the Jedi, for the Sith do exactly this as well. Watch the films , read the fiction(, add Disney canon too!), several other groups believe in the Force and use it to act. Thus, the defining difference cannot be the Force. The belief in and use of it earns us a place simply under the title of “Force Realist”- of which Jediism is a sub-group (a fairly large one at that).
So if the Force cannot be the defining factor, what must define us against the others? The philosophy, but more than that: It -is- the combination of service and adherence to the Jedi Code. The Jedi Code is framed in such a way that it was intended to facilitate the role of the Jedi in the world.
Let’s look over those fictional inspirations again: they were designed with the hero’s journey in mind. And not the personal hero either, but rather the “Epic Hero”. In contrast, the Sith are designed as the “Personal Heroes”, those that conquer their own lives. Personal Heroes need not be villains, but in the case of the fiction, the Sith ended up in this place by virtue of their additional philosophy to obtain power by any means necessary. Their pride and ego defined them against the selflessness and civilization focus of the Jedi.
“Who sets the standards, and who asserts those standards upon others, and how much effort is required to discover that before making a value judgement about it?” -Adder
If the person claiming to be a Jedi isn’t setting it for themselves based on the truth of the tenets laid before them, then we are already at a loss of helping them achieve the standard.
A person always has some value, but they have to define their personal value above the afforded limit. I’ll go on the record and define that a surgeon’s value (even if they are a jerk) would still hold more value than I do based on their skills alone. In many regards, I think THIS is a component missing in the discussions of the Jedi Path, that value is not based on whether or not you live by the Jedi Path. No one that is a Jedi looks down on those which are not. Unlike modern Fundamental Christianity, we recognize that your path in life is a choice and those choices are not for us to force down your throat.
So we get to “how much effort?”. A hierarchal structure is present to reward people for their adherence to the Jedi Path and encourage followers to achieve it. If you aren’t willing to set the standard of what a role model for the path looks like, why pursue a role in the hierarchy? If you pursue it for personal recognition, you are following the path of the Personal Hero (in case it’s completely missed on others- I have nothing but respect for real life Sith, and I am more than happy with helping a person achieve a personal hero’s journey), and not the Epic.
Can someone in the hierarchy know the difference? Sometimes, but it’s not always apparent, and if a few slip through the cracks it’s understandable. Ultimately the structure must be setup with a belief that the path holds value, and that it is something everyone who chooses the path should want to improve. If this isn’t the case, then the Path becomes less and less a belief system and more and more a fan club of personalities enamored with Star Wars.
by Setanaoko » Sun May 05, 2019 8:33 pm From a conversation on FB-
The question: (long rant).....what did you do to honor the Force? What DOES one do to honor it? Just going out and doing something with the Force isn’t a means of Honoring it, but instead using it.
So how did you take yesterday to Honor it?
His Response: Alethea Thompson I helped others with energy related needs that were different and more extensive than normal.
My Response: That’s still just using it. It’s not a form of Honoring.
Let’s take any random deity- I’ll use the Goddess (Wicca). Performing Witchcraft isn’t a form of Honor, it’s working with the energies. To Honor the Goddess, you do so by calling her into a ceremony specifically to allow her to participate in the activities. Make her feel as though she is “part of the family” so-to-speak.
In Christianity, Honoring God isn’t in praying for something- instead it’s dedicating time to God without expectation. Offering songs, dances, reading the Bible, sharing what God has shared with you with others (NOT to be confused with targeted Proselytizing), etc.
Honoring a person is taking time out to show your appreciation of them.
The Force -is- a connective energy to all things. But using it even in new ways isn’t a form of Honoring it. If one truly wishes to Honor the Force, spending time in personal contemplation and gratitude towards what the Force is and means is the first step in learning how to best Honor it.
(name removed), who takes the time to connect with people on a psychological level has perhaps demonstrated publicly the purest form of Honoring the Force in its “we are all connected” form.
Yours isn’t Honoring, it’s using.
I know you won’t see it as such. And that’s fine- I just hope others gain insight from reading what I have said.
by Setanaoko » Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:07 am The IJF Board is toying with an idea for this year's Jedi Gathering: A Surprise Field Trip.
Each Board Member would create a workshop to be done off-site, and we would have the attendees divide themselves evenly amongst the 5 of us. Each one relating our workshop to both the theme, and the element we represent. It kind of started as a "We have all the elements in this group! We're totally the Planeteers." lol (no, I wasn't the one that came up with that one, though I could see how someone might think I did [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/691a7bd0-ac3f-43eb-a215-c0b036d202b5[/img] ).
Gabe: Heart (Spirit) Crystal: Earth Ross: Fire Jack: Air/Wind Me: Water
The only rule is that members of a Jedi Chapter can't choose a Board Member in their chapter. We want people to get to know the different board members, plus in theory if you're in the chapter you have an opportunity to do the workshop at another date.
Last night I talked with Ashton about my idea. I'm excited that he would like to see us do a run of the workshop I have in mind. We've even talked about trying to scout Pisgah Forest to find a location before the Gathering next year. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]. I'm going to look into some options, and now that my car is getting the final fixes (today! YAY!) I'll be more mobile than previously.
Outside of Jedi stuff, I got good news last night that I'll be working with a new client. That's helpful news. I also started working with another steady client two weeks ago, so things are looking up, and maybe I can get my weekends back. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/bc576628-be26-4807-81e6-4a71db4a6f89[/img]. If nothing else, the extra money would be helpful.
For some reason, this last month I’ve become hyper-aware of “thoughts and prayers” as it concerns Religious practice.
From a Christian prospective, I’ve been really thinking hard about the idea. If we were to accept that the body of prayer worked in the same manner as Transcendental Meditation is believed to work (a collection of good will bringing about positive outcomes), then asking for “Thoughts and Prayers” presents no issues. However, that’s not the position that the original 3 Abrahamic traditions intended.
Our focus was intended to be placed upon God, which is given in the first Commandment “You cannot have any gods besides me” (LXX Exodus 20:5)/“You cannot have any gods before my face”(LXX Deuteronomy 5:7).
In thinking on the point. There’s more here (in terms of prayer) than simply having others above God. There’s also the component of Glorifying God.
Think about it, when someone asks for “thoughts (, meditations, ) and prayers, they are asking for a collection of energies to help them. So let’s look at it different, let’s substitute “Thoughts, Meditations & Prayers” for “Doctors”. You go to a dozen doctors and receive different forms of treatment for the same problem within the same 48 hours. On the 3rd day, you wake up and you’re suddenly healed. You may have resolved the issue, but now you have no idea which doctor healed you, you don’t even know if it was a combination of doctors that ended up being the reason you’re healed. All you know is that you are healed.
Going back to God- it doesn’t glorify God if He administers the medicine you actually needed to get healed, if you aren’t going to be able to acknowledge He’s the “doctor” that healed you.
“But if God is all good, wouldn’t he do it anyway?”
A few things: 1) Unless the 12 doctors you went to were 100% aware of what you were doing with the previous doctors before you arrived, there’s a real possibility they could do more damage with their own medicines. Especially if they are cross-prescribing pills. So a medical professional wouldn’t want to impede upon another medical professional’s treatment, and more than likely would have rejected you. The same is true of God. Unless you commit to His treatment plan, you might become far more damaged in the long run. (e.g. Christ speaking on a demon being cast out and then bringing 7 friends back when he realizes the house isn’t occupied by the Holy Spirit)
2) God’s plan isn’t just about Him. It’s about the world He created. In order to move the world into its healthiest form, He needs you to know He’s the doctor which cured you. Not only does it bring people to Him, but it gets other doctors to replicate His treatment plan (in terms of other “gods”, a great deal of them have gotten nicer since Christ’s time- we don’t have nearly as many “gods” that demand human sacrifice, for example)
3) The point is to have you become God’s full time patient so that you don’t go to other doctors. He’s the only one He can trust to administer the plan exactly as He intends.
This brings me to another observation. Even if we ask for just prayers, from a body of Christians, we cannot be certain that all whom pray for us are doing so as we intend. That is, we can’t prove they aren’t trying to also send us healing energy when we only wish for our plight to reach God and ask His Will be done. In many respects, we cannot control what others do. I believe that God sees our intent and knows whom we will ultimately credit with our healing of we explicitly ask a Christian body for Prayers.
But, I’m beginning to believe that by the sheer virtue of my own recognition of this Paradox, the answer to it is to find a small body of believers I can personally trust to prayer only to God when I do not feel that I have enough strength to ask on my own (just as the Apostles and Prophets would pray together for a singular believer whom asked for help).
by Setanaoko » Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:47 am Been a while since I wrote in here. Thought I'd tell a story of something that just happened at the table behind me.
A woman and a girl that looks old enough to be her daughter (they actually have some features that make me wonder if they are Mother-Daughter) are reviewing a Christian Book called "Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety: Becoming a Woman of Faith and Confidence" by Elyze Fitzpatrick. I've been listening to them for a good while and every time they were talking about the book, they'd hit the highlights and just say- "it was interesting", "it was freeing", the other nodding and leave it at that. Their voices were very dry, like they were just going through the motions of reviewing the book.
Couldn't help but interject with a sincere and smiling: "Why?"
It was nice to hear their answers. One said they felt like their additions to God's law was actually taking away from their own life and forcing them into a sense of slavery. The other expressed that by adding her own morals and placing them upon her children she was pushing away from God's Freedom.
As I write this, I note that their conversations have become a great deal more lively. [img]blob:https://www.forceacademy.us/ae6d7ec3-44c7-42f9-8d2f-a187a90c2b4a[/img]
by Setanaoko » Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:57 pm Every year I’ve had the same answer to “What are you thankful for?” This year, though, that answer didn’t seem the right to me though. I’m thankful for everything I have, including my usual answer. But the reason I’ve been thankful for the Jedi Community these last 8 years hasn’t been necessary to me this last few months. That is, I’m no longer in a place where the only thing that keeps me going is my work in this community. What changed, is that I’m a volunteer with a very legit organization now and I can reclaim my sense of being a useful member of society. Following the events of today, I found that I’m very grateful for things like Google, Facebook and Volunteers in general. Why? Well here’s the story:
This morning I talked with a man that lost his home because of a fire and was living in a tent on his property. He also didn't have a place to go for a Thanksgiving. The only possible hope he had to get a better shelter was a woman offered him a camper for $300.
Well, the organization I volunteer with helped me find him $300 for the camper, and using Google to find a Facebook post about an event, I was able to locate a church in walking distance from his residence giving a free Thanksgiving. Furthermore they are a VERY active soup kitchen, offering 2 meals everyday.
Without Google or Facebook, I never could have found out about this event. And without the volunteers of both my organization and this church, this man might not have been able to enjoy a hot meal, or had a warmer place to sleep at night.
We live in a very connected world, and I for one, am so grateful we can use the things available to us in order to build stronger connections.
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