Would we want to be a happy robot ...after all, couldn't we be programmed to not have the thoughts that drag us down??
Couldn't we be programmed not to look at ourselves as being inferior, nor looking at others as inferiors?? We could be programmed not to compare, not to have expectations, and therefore not to be disappointed. We would have no desires, we would never get sick or go hungry, and we would feel no pain. We could actually be trained to do tasks, and in a way we could be servants or slaves to who created us.
Could that actually be called true happiness???
I think not.
Could a robot be our best friend?? The impersonal part of having a robot to serve me ...well, it does not really serve my needs. I desire real friendship.
Doesn't God desire the same??
God is in need of nothing, so why does He desire a friendship with us??
It's called ...love.
As we pretend to reach new intellectual levels, we are giving up some of that love. We are often looking for reasons, when He gave reason enough ...by His crucifixion.
Jesus didn't just give us hope, He gave us direction ...and He provided eternity for us. And I look forward to the place God has prepared, as I know it will be managed, not intellectually, but by the heart.
Again, I contend that an actual inferior 'Being' may desire a robot ...yet, a superior 'Being' could create everything to function on its own without needing a robot to do it. Or to phrase it differently, the superior 'Being' would be in need of nothing.
Why would happiness even have to be a concept?? Everything could just be boredom sprinkled with random and meaningless blips, only serving as nonpurposeful acts.
But, does the fact that we have feelings and emotions prove that feelings and emotions exist?? After all, feelings and emotions aren't knee jerk reactions. And just because we often search in the wrong areas and in the wrong ways for happiness ...does not mean that happiness doesn't exist.
Yes, we also very often really mess up the definition of love too ...but, that doesn't mean that love doesn't exist.
How do we define love???
The dictionary defines love in many ways, but a common one is 'deep affection'.
One definition of affection is a gentle feeling of fondness or liking. Too bad we move too far from the concept of fondness and liking when we say deep affection.
With deep affection, we often say we are deeply affected ...perhaps unable to sleep much, restless, and driven more & more with desires expressed through words like: "From the moment I first set eyes upon you, I felt I loved you. When you spoke those kind words to me, I was certain we were meant for each other. And the first time our lips touched, I knew I couldn't live without you."
Perhaps that person feels they can't contain their feelings of love, but I contend that is not love in its truest form.
Certainly, love cannot contain itself ...but, that which I am thinking of, well, it's not just the passion that is expressed from the lips of a romantic sweet talker. Yes, those words are powerful ...as you listen to her kind and gentle voice. And as she is speaking those kind words, perhaps your cheeks touch ...your lips touch, and then she caresses your wallet from you.
No, I don't believe 'love at first sight' is love. And if a person says they love everybody, that does not mean they wish to spend a romantic evening with one person, then with another person the following night. Well, they could mean that ...but, they shouldn't.
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I was not planning for what thoughts were going to come into my head, but as they did, I felt I should write them down, opposed to losing them ...then later deciding if they were relevant, and how I might use them, or perhaps preferably lose them. This is called 'discretion' ...as all thoughts are not good thoughts.
What my mind understands, or where it goes which may be difficult to understand, is even more difficult to express. But, all that jumping around with the previous points was really meant to go along with what I am trying to organize now. But, though it will not be easy ...this next part is supposed to be what all this was leading to.
I think a lot about God ...and this came to me this way, which is not entirely new, though it seemed to fit together better. My hope is that I can communicate it slightly better than I have in previous times.
I don't know if I should call them parallels ...because I don't know if they are. They just seem that way as they came into my head, and I will try to communicate it the best I can, for whatever it's worth. But, I believe that any beauty seen in God's Creation is well worth the heartfelt feeling of His awesomeness. I may not view everything accurately, but I do view His altogether awesomeness, even if I get details wrong. I don't get His awesomeness wrong.
I spoke of freedom. We have the freedom to think. Yet, as thinking humans, we will choose what we believe from a diverse assortment of presentations of truth. Whether we call it a privilege to choose (because some nations don't offer such an assortment), or whether we consider it a responsibility to make wise personal decisions based upon what we feel is best among those presented options.
When I spoke of comparisons, I thought about Cain ...and how God knew where his attitude would lead. It may seem that God used a comparison that Cain was not too fond of. Yet, only God knows where Cain was heading.
When I worked in the prison, I carpooled with Bill, who said he worked with a guy who said he wanted to be more like Bill ...more easy going, more polite, and not cursing at people who made life more difficult. Why did he feel that way?? Bill was not the kind of friend who would point out character flaws, or confront someone about their behavior ...so, why did he say that to Bill?? Is it possible that God was touching his heart, and showing him the example of Bill?? I don't know, but I do know the Bible says God pointed out the example of Abel.
Is it wrong to have role models?? Should we dislike those who are setting good examples?? Or are good examples helpful, as we can see someone doing good, and realize we can do good too?? I really depends upon the character of the person who perceives those setting an example ...doesn't it??
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Let me do a reset ...and let's focus on this: God's righteousness.
We speak of God as being omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent ...and only God has those traits, but let me focus on two parts of God's awesome character. Let's look at God's love & His righteousness.
I've already mentioned a bit about love, but now it's about righteousness ...which is really inseparable from love, with God. We humans separate it at times, but not so with God.
I've heard so many people say that things they've read about in the Bible are not fair or just ...and since I believe in the Bible, they say my belief is based upon things that are not good.
Let me go over this again, for us to have love, there has to be freedom of choice. But, with freedom of choice ...we see things that are very good, and we see things that are very bad. So, for those who feel God is not fair or just ...I'd like to ask, "Would it be fair to let the very bad go on & on & on & on???"
So, then it is asked, "Why doesn't God stop it?"
Well, if God took away all the bad, since we all have occasion to be not always that good ...then in God's righteousness, we'd all have to be excluded from His grace.
But, within His love, there had to be a fair and righteous way to extend His grace without changing our condition of free-acting human beings, and at the same time not expect all of us have to continue for eternity bombarded with evil influences ...which is a condition we would want to be spared, or saved from. This hope of being saved from this unwelcome and undesirable bombardment is what many of us call 'salvation'.
How is this fair and righteous 'way' to extend grace made available to us in such a discretionary manner?? That Way is Jesus.
I've heard some people ask why the angels can't have opportunity to repent, and change their mind ...why do we have so many opportunities to turn to God, but the angels are already determined for eternity.
Yes, we all are eternal 'beings' ...just not in this state that we're now in. And I would say it was not just a one chance decision that a third of the angels turned against God. There had to be much convincing and coercion ...a very deep commitment to go all in for the plan to oppose God.
And sadly, today many people seem also 'all in' for opposing God. In John 20:29, Jesus said, " ...blessed are they who have not seen, and yet do believe." And yet, we have an entire record of God's purpose for us beginning with Adam & Eve, and even a future goal that Jesus gave to His disciples, to go into the whole world and spread the Gospel.
We can see God's fairness of treatment. The angels with God, a third kicked out for going against God ...and Adam & Eve sent from the paradise provided for them because they went against God.
Adam & Eve were tricked ...the serpent lying about God and His motives ...and it seems humans had not developed a full relationship with God, understanding and knowing Him (that was yet to come, in increments ---similar to how a child learns ---and it can come to each of us by reading the Bible, though we should never feel we are unable to improve on our relationship with Him).
The angels had full knowledge and clear relationship with God, is my guess. And it must have taken more than a passing notion to commit to abandoning that relationship.
Those of you who feel you don't have a relationship with God, my recommendation is that you read the Bible to find out the kind of relationship others had ...and decide whether you want that relationship too.
But, in reading the Bible, you are not doing yourself any favors by cherry-picking ...or focusing on negative comments others have made to fog your understanding.
Remember ...there was one who wanted to fog Eve's understanding, by telling her not only that something she was told was not true, but also by telling her that the reason she wasn't told the truth was because she was being deceived for the reason of intentionally withholding something from her ...something she was led to believe she could rightly have.
Providing a statement coupled with the implications of an ulterior motive, packaged doubt in a very clever and deceptive form ...hinting towards a reason to question not only the previous truth, but also making a mockery of a love that was believed as true and now being revealed as laughable.
Being put in a position of being laughed at for what one holds dear, especially when the object of affection appears to be part of the deception ---and that object of affection is not an object, but a person ---well, that doesn't bode well for the person.
And this was known ...so, it was no small thing to lie, to bring about this breach of emotions. The result was a sad experience of having to learn who to trust, and who not to.
I can very confidently say, we have an advantage ...as we can read all about this, and learn. We can know more who to trust. And I trust the Bible as the Word of God to us, providing a very adequate understanding of who He is ...and contend we all let ourselves be vulnerable, to ultimately trust the One who allowed Himself to be vulnerable in loving us to the extent of suffering a horrific crucifixion for that cause of love.
If you want to tell a friend or family member that you love them ...don't wait. Tell them now. It may be misunderstood if you tell a stranger that you love them ...or someone you feel may be 'crushing' on you, but you can tell them Jesus loves them (and you can be kind to them).
If you want to be with God for eternity ...also, "Don't wait!"
Accept Him now ...yes, if you want to be with Him for eternity, why wouldn't you also want to be with Him now???
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