Location: Obama made me join the NRA for 5 years !
Posts: 2,181
I've lost my faith in people
I'm 39 years old. Admittedly, I'm going through a bit of a mid-life crisis of sorts. I have pinned in my breakroom at work my 42 year old friend who died of cancer last year after a 2 year battle with it. I'm 1 year away from the age he was when he got it []My mortality is reality, a fact of life thats inescapable.
A family friend is going through marriage problems. Her husband is extremely verbally absusive. He actually went off on the marriage counselor yesterday. He's a community figure, a Podiatrist of 2 major clinics in Portland. How great is that, the man is a leader in the community, a look up to fellow .... and he's a rotten human at the core.
Another family friend has a husband thats 18 years in the Air Force. He's a Major, an important military person where he's located. He's a deacon in the church. On the surface, a fantastic got it together man. He's also worthless IMO, the behind the scenes treatments of his wife and kids.
The pastor of the church I was in went crazy. Well he always was I guess. A great example of a church leader that in all definitions of the words was a false prophet, anti-Christ in everything he was beneath the surface.
I've lost my faith in people. Its a rare person that is genuine, honest, trustworthy and true. I guess I use to think there were a lot of good people in this world, I don't believe that now. I believe, in fact, almost everyone is NOT good. Oh, that might have a few good qualities but are they TRULY good ?
I don't think they are, not anymore [&o]and it bleeds over into organized religion to the extreme. See, I'm a believer in getting your life in order before you try and help other people get theirs.
I'm not a millionaire, or an investment guru - and because I'm not, I don't try and help hundreds of others with their finances.
I'm not a soccer player, and I don't teach soccer to a bunch of kids because of it.
How can all these "leaders" in churches lead others in spirituality when they don't even have a self concept of what it really is themselves ?
I'm just more self aware now, more than ever, how worthless people are in general
"Place Your Eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith"
Men Will fail you, Christ will not.
Peace Brother
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The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14
פרץ
Yes people are not always as good as we would like them to be. And things are not always like they should be. One of our favorite people is with an abusive man, but she still manages to be cheerful and is raising two beautiful children. One good friend that we really liked passed away last week. He'll be missed.
Okay some people are losers and should be publicly flogged. But there are also an awful lot of good people out there who will go out of their way to give you a hand or a boost in spirits. When I was pregnant and getting so awfully sick, I found I had friends I didn't know of who cared about me.
Look for the good in people. Give them a chance. Some will disappoint you, true, but some will inspire you.
May The Sheep Be With You
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Proud parents of our own "Daddy's Little Girls"
I heard Jesus He drank wine and I bet we'd get along just fine.
It's easy to loose faith in people--that's why we should put our faith in God. We're the same age, and I don't mean this to to diminish what you have been through but I'd trade my bad experiences for the ones you listed in a heartbeat, and be very happy to do so. My wife has been through some times that make mine look like a cake-walk,but today she is the most kind, loving, and generous person I know. Some people cave in under heat and pressure--she became a diamond.
I think those experiences have molded me into the person I am today. At one point I got really down and depressed, my faith was very weak, and it was the low point in my life. I made my worst mistakes ever during that time, mainly because I just felt sorry for myself. God got me back on my feet and made me realize how good my life really is. Like the old saying goes, "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger". I believe that.
You don't have to look far to see someone in much worse shape--often it can be someone that you feel in no way deserves it. It's not our place to make that judgment. Job didn't exactly deserve all the trials and torments he got, but he persevered and was much better off in the end--the same will happen for us, either in this life or the next.
I can also relate to how you feel about organized religion.Seems there's a lot more wolves in sheep's clothing than anything else--but we are told that's the way it is in the Bible. Can't say we weren't warned.
No human is perfect, no church is perfect. You have to focus on the good, and try to help fix the bad. If the bad is so bad you can't deal with it, move on to a different congregation. Youwon't be judged on what 'ol so-and-so does, and they won'tbe judged for what you do.
Chad
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"We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."-- Theodore Roosevelt
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Ecclesiasties 10:2
The last four letters in American..........I Can
The last four letters in Republican........I Can
The last four letters in Democrats.........Rats
Lots of good advice. Peter, take your eyes off of the storm, and focus them on the master of the storm. Where will he be found? In the midst of the storm, He is there to lead you through. A present help in time of trouble.
Duane,
I'm sad to hear of your experience...I've met some bad ones but alos have been blessed to meet some wonderful Christians as well. You my friend..need to be one of those wonderful Christians....make a difference my friend,,
Also , you will never find a better friend than Jesus.He will never leave you nor forsake you,
Location: Obama made me join the NRA for 5 years !
Posts: 2,181
RE: I've lost my faith in people
LBR ah I've lived a very easy life compared to some, I recognize that and am thankful for certain. But lately this going on 40 thing couple with realizations about life in general is, well, depressing !
I graduated with this girl in high school. Nice, smart girl, VERY liberal and a real slut to be honest. What is she doing now? Divorced after having her son, raised him in a single home, broke up at least one marriage I know of ..... she's a high school counselor at one of the largest schools in metro Dallas. SHE is showing young girls how to live their lives ? I've read some articles she's written .... unbelievable as screwed up as she's lived her life she can try to councel others !
examples after examples pop to my mind ............
BD, believe me I understand. If I wanted to waste time thinking about it (vs. wasting time debating a dog), I'd probably get depressed too.
You try to focus on the good, find an outlet to let off steam (like the pollitical board) in a harmless way, and go on with your life. Weigh it out, you should be able to find a lot more good things in your life than bad.
The way I see it, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Seems like everything goes in cycles--I have a teen-ager to raise, and Ihave two choices. Sit around and worry about what might go wrong, or work at making things go right.
Turning 40 isn't so bad--sure beats the alternative! I imagine we all think at one time or another "if only I knew back then what I know now......". Well, like my grandma used to say, no sense in just wishing our lives away. Take advantage of what you have, do the best you can, and thank God for it all. Life here is just a blink in the over-all scheme of things--God can, and will, take care of it.
Read the story of Lot--he and his family were the ONLY people in the entire region who were faithful--he didn't give up. Job went through torment we can't even imagine--but he stayed faithful. We have to try and follow their examples. If we fall, we get back up, and never give up.
Chad
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"We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."-- Theodore Roosevelt
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Ecclesiasties 10:2
The last four letters in American..........I Can
The last four letters in Republican........I Can
The last four letters in Democrats.........Rats
I came up with a saying after my 1st wife left me for someone else, and I lost my children, and everything I believed in......like marraige vows......etc.......
True love never fails ......... people do....
If you put your faith in people, you will be let down constantly ..... but if you put your faith in Christ, you may still be let down by people, but you will not have the heartache and worry over it.
You cannot believe how amazingly helpful it is to say Whatever ... God's Will .... and really mean it. To turn everything over to Him is liberating .... it really lifts the weight of the world off the heart ..... and believe me , B.D., there has really been a lot of the world invading my home and realtionships lately..... and so as not to be too cryptic about it, the truth is that my wife of the last 4 years ( my 2nd marraige ) has told me she doesn't want me around anymore, cause she isn't in love with me anymore.... come to find out, she got married for the monitary security...... In other words , I'm being used..... but it's in the Lord's hands ..... no matter what happens. And thats just one piece of the puzzle in my life..... there is more.... but I can still have the Joy of the Lord all over my life.
I've lost my faith in people
]My mortality is reality, a fact of life thats inescapable.
), I'd probably get depressed too.
