Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

        I think that this is related to the larger issues of how one
        approaches life in general.  Is one looking for answers in
        one's life, or is one trying to understand what are the
        questions to ask of life?

        I suspect most people take some mix of the two approaches,
        but the mix probably varies widely from person to person.

        Bob

    I tend to see the questions as having a purpose; I see them as more
    concrete.  A question is pointless to ponder if it cannot be answered. 
    It would be as Solomon called life, a chasing after the wind.  I would
    see this as an exercise in futility.
    
    -Jack

re Note 1247.2 by MKOTS3::JMARTIN:

>     A question is pointless to ponder if it cannot be answered. 
>     It would be as Solomon called life, a chasing after the wind.  

        It may very well be that pondering a question that cannot be
        answered is as pointless as life itself -- but perhaps that
        is the point.

        Bob

        Z    It may very well be that pondering a question that cannot be
        Z    answered is as pointless as life itself -- but perhaps that
        Z    is the point.
    
    While there are certainly questions I feel will never be answered, I
    would see this kind of attitude as kind of a big rock in which to
    conceal my lack of faith.  Sounds like an invitation to skepticism,
    which requires no faith or accountability!
    
    -Jack

    According to Thomas Moore, the soul loves the questions more than it
    does answers.  The soul is drawn to mystery.
    
    Richard
    

    I remember taking tests in a certain math course I took (I had to take)
    in grad school where the questions were designed not to be answered by the
    student in the time allotted.  The prof admitted this.  Class averages on
    the test would almost always be well below 50 (thank God for scaling :-))
    The attempted answeres, the "approach" was what the prof was looking at.
    
    And for those trekies out there, I remember a quote.... "You may find
    that having is not so desirable a thing after all as wanting" (5 points
    if you can name the episode, an additional 5 if you correct the quote :-)).
    
    Point is that maybe the search is what's important.  Maybe the big
    questions cannot be answered by us.  Maybe that's the way it's supposed
    to be.  Maybe, for some, we're supposed to struggle and it's OK if we
    never find the answers.
    
    One last quote (if I may), one I've cited before in this conf...
    
    "God loves two men.  He who serves Him with all his heart for he knows
    Him.  And he who seeks Him with all his heart fo he knows him not"
    - Nikita Ivanovich Pannin
    
    my $0.02
    
    -dave

    re. .6
    
    Dave,
    
    good note.
    
    
    Patricia

  Z  And for those trekies out there, I remember a quote.... "You may find
  Z  that having is not so desirable a thing after all as wanting" (5 points
  Z  if you can name the episode, an additional 5 if you correct the quote 
  Z  :-)).
    
    Ahhh...I believe the title was "Amok Time" 
    
   "Calo....Dupreme is yours.  You may find that having is not so desirable
    as wanting.  It is not logical, but it is often true...."
    
 S:   Dupau...Live long and prosper.
    
 D:   Live long and prosper Spock....
    
 S:   I shall do neither....for I have kill my captain...and my friend.
    
    How dat???! :-)))
    

    A+ Jack.  But wasn't Dupreme's consort called "Ston" (or something like
    that)?
    
    (not intending to turn this string into a Star Trek rathole)
    
    -dave

re.6

>"God loves two men.  He who serves Him with all his heart for he knows
>    Him.  And he who seeks Him with all his heart fo he knows him not"
>    - Nikita Ivanovich Pannin


Not bad. Not bad at all.

ace    

    Hi!  I'm back :-)
    
    I believe the way you journey is more important, in fact the
    whole of the effort, than where you think you are heading.

    If you're running headlong toward "God" and trample a few
    people along the way I'd say you kinda goofed.

    I believe there is a time for questions and a time for answers.
    Questions are useful TOOLS when you have a spare moment, to
    contemplate God for the sake of comtemplating Him.  But in
    times of doubt, darkness and fear, when we don't have the
    luxury of time and mental space, answers are good to have.
    
    Faith must have *some* answers or I fear it will be a fair
    weather friend.

    Tom

    Tom,
    
    I have found that even in time of "doubt, darkness, and fear" that the
    approach to life's journey is more important than the answers
    themselves.  In these hard times, I have learned to let go of the
    useless attempt to control events.  All I can do is respond to the
    events as they happen.  Serenity comes from allowing the Christ within
    to respond.   Taking time to meditate and pray before acting in tough
    times allows me to get in touch with the Spirit of Love inside of me
    and responding out of love and acceptance.  I have come to the
    conclusion that for any one situation there is no one way to respond
    but to respond earnestly out of a spirit of love brings resolution,
    peace and acceptance.

>    times allows me to get in touch with the Spirit of Love inside of me
>    and responding out of love and acceptance.  

Answer/belief #1: that such a Spirit exists

>    I have come to the
>    conclusion that for any one situation there is no one way to respond
>    but to respond earnestly out of a spirit of love brings resolution,
>    peace and acceptance.

Answer/belief #2: about the spirit of love.

I can't believe I just told a UU that she actually has some answers :*) :*)

Yes.  That kind of answer is necessary to have.  Not just questions.

Tom

    Gee Tom,
    
    That's twice  (-;)
    
    I concede!
    
    Perhaps though the difference is the nature of the answers.  The kind
    of answers for me are more open.  There is not a specific, you must do
    X, but a less specific,  "Respond openly and out of love and trust the
    result whatever it may be".

    Dave:
    
    I just found out the correct way of spelling her name was, "Tprene"!
    And you are right.  I believe his name was Ston!  :-)