A new perspective on relationships?

[MrWookie]

There was a preacher in Iowa a few years back when the floods were starting to hit the area pretty bad. The preacher didn't live right on the river, but the water was rapidly encroaching on his house nonetheless, and the national guard had ordered an evacuation. The preacher elected to stay, trusting and praying that God would save him from the flood.

As the water came up to his house, the preacher sat on his porch watching it. Along came a Boy Scout troop in rubber boots and such, doing their good deeds and helping the lingering elderly and homebound get out. They called to the preacher to help him get away, but he told them to go elsewhere. "God will save me," he said.

Hours later, the waters had overrun his first floor, and the preacher watched from his second story window. Along came a man in a rowboat, looking for anyone in distress. He called to the preacher in his window, but the preacher answered, "No no, I don't need your help. God will save me."

And the waters continued to rise. Eventually, the waters enveloped the second floor, and the preacher moved to his room. A national guard helicopter came to him to rescue him, but he waved it off. "God will save me," he yelled over the rotor.

Well, the waters rose higher still, and the preacher drowned. He entered the pearly gates, and naturally he had some beef when he finally got to meet his maker. "Why didn't you save me?" he asked God.

"What, I sent you a Boy Scout troop, a rowboat, and a helicopter. What more do you want from me?"

Christians with a head on their shoulders don't pray to God to magically make their troubles go away. They pray to God so that the two of them can get through things togehter, with each doing their part.

[The Stranger]

Guys, I'm not trying to intellectually pick apart theories here. I'm trying to look at parts of my life aren't going the way I like, and to find a way to do things differently. The advice my friend gave to me last night was to take a different perspective. Substitute 'healthier' for 'on a higher spiritual plane,' if these words are pushing your argue button too much.

Anyone have any relevant experience?

[Dave G.]

What the Bleep

You should see this movie. I don't claim it will solve any of your problems, but you wanted a different perspective, a different way of looking things... so there it is. It's really very well done. It makes you think deep thoughts and question just about everything you've taken for granted.

[EricW]

[ QUOTE ]
Guys, I'm not trying to intellectually pick apart theories here. I'm trying to look at parts of my life aren't going the way I like, and to find a way to do things differently. The advice my friend gave to me last night was to take a different perspective. Substitute 'healthier' for 'on a higher spiritual plane,' if these words are pushing your argue button too much.

Anyone have any relevant experience?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well if you want to subsitute "healthier" why don't you just look at what I have been posting? If you want to change, or improve your life, look at what should be changed, realistically access what can be changed, and think of ways to change it.

I think the key part here is being realistic. For example, I have 2 mid terms next week and I'm pretty [censored]. I just started cracking my books open and there's is a lot of material to cover. What should I do? Should I take a spiritual approach and pray to God hoping that he can get me an A?

Or should I realize that I probably won't be getting A's on these two mid terms, not worry about that, and implement ways I can use my remaining time to maximize my chances of getting a decent grade?

I think it's pretty obvious which approach is more realistic and better.

[guids]

To not use people, and (to?) think of them in terms of making us feel good or making us feel bad.

I donr belive in this, other people call it ignorant. If you dont let the feelings of others in any situation, becuase most of the time any "strong" feeling is either irrantional or exaggerated, affect you, there is nothing to bring you down, its only internal not external factors dictate your mood.







woah. stoned. me.

[Dementia]

[ QUOTE ]
Guys, I'm not trying to intellectually pick apart theories here. I'm trying to look at parts of my life aren't going the way I like, and to find a way to do things differently. The advice my friend gave to me last night was to take a different perspective. Substitute 'healthier' for 'on a higher spiritual plane,' if these words are pushing your argue button too much.

Anyone have any relevant experience?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's hard to break bad habits, but ultimately, if you want to change something it's going to be you that has to do it. Getting good advice from others has its place, but you need to really need to make an effort beyond that.

When I was in rehab years ago, there was a guy who had came in to speak to all of us. Big biker type, rough looking guy, someone you never think would mutter something moving. But he did, he blew all of our minds and just said some profound [censored] about where we were, and where we could go if we changed. Having a cigarette outside with a buddy in there, we both commented on how deep that was, but cited it'd "probably be one of those things we forget after a few hours".

You've got to make things work for you, and if it is a higher power or something that sometimes helps comfort you, you've got to meet it halfway. So long as you really keep at it, you'll be fine in the end, man.

[The Stranger]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Guys, I'm not trying to intellectually pick apart theories here. I'm trying to look at parts of my life aren't going the way I like, and to find a way to do things differently. The advice my friend gave to me last night was to take a different perspective. Substitute 'healthier' for 'on a higher spiritual plane,' if these words are pushing your argue button too much.

Anyone have any relevant experience?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well if you want to subsitute "healthier" why don't you just look at what I have been posting? If you want to change, or improve your life, look at what should be changed, realistically access what can be changed, and think of ways to change it.

I think the key part here is being realistic. For example, I have 2 mid terms next week and I'm pretty [censored]. I just started cracking my books open and there's is a lot of material to cover. What should I do? Should I take a spiritual approach and pray to God hoping that he can get me an A?

Or should I realize that I probably won't be getting A's on these two mid terms, not worry about that, and implement ways I can use my remaining time to maximize my chances of getting a decent grade?

I think it's pretty obvious which approach is more realistic and better.

[/ QUOTE ]

But you're picking apart a belief system that I never ever ever not once in my life have tried to advance. Especially not on this website, but seriously never.

I have never said nor thought that faith alone can solve anyone's problems.

but (faith+action)repeat

is very powerful

[madbeetz]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that going out and believing that a "higher power" will work things out for you is pretty asinine

[/ QUOTE ]

Eric, I agree to an extent, but that is based on my own personal beliefs. However, we have to realize not everybody is the same. Not everyone thinks the same way. Different people have different ways of dealing.

[adsman]

[ QUOTE ]
Different people have different ways of dealing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I like to deal from the bottom of the deck.