心神 ~ Posted 16 hours ago (edited) On 9/14/2025 at 4:05 AM, Sanity Check said: The only item God left behind for christians to inherit is a book. 6 hours ago, Nungali said: * if you have the cup, the lance , the book .... then you need the dagger too or a sword would do ( Matthew 10 : 34 -36 ) Potential symbolic aspects of the texts that speak to this idea: 1. Book as Knowledge / Inheritance: Continuity, text, the Word made flesh; Pentacles as inheritance: tangible, codified, spirit in matter. - Jesus quotes scripture constantly: “It is written.” - His identity in John’s prologue: “In the beginning was the Word.” - Matthew: Incarnation in Jewish lineage; teaching discourse; “God-with-us” Book. Most text-structured: genealogy, law/fulfillment formulae (“it is written”), Sermon on the Mount, grounded inheritance and order. 2. Cup as Emotion / Spirit: Communion, covenant, surrender. - The chalice at the Last Supper: blood poured out, covenant sealed. - “Let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39) - Luke: Priesthood, temple scenes, sacrifice/mercy for the marginalized. Eucharistic accents (Emmaus), compassion parables, sacrificial/serving tone, receptivity and grace. 3. Wand / Staff as will, action, life-force. Lance directs divine power and reveals hidden truth (blood and water flowing out). - Moses’ staff as sign of divine authority. - Christ pierced by the lance, his body literally opened by a spear. - Mark: Urgent action; authority; wilderness voice; passion fast-track. Kinetic, miracle-heavy, “immediately” pacing, will, initiative, prophetic force. 4. Sword as intellect, clarity, discernment, cutting between falsehood and truth. - “I came not to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). - “The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). - John: High Christology; Logos; piercing discernment; separation of light/dark. “Word” that divides belief from unbelief; sharp dialogues; theological clarity, discernment/cutting truth. Mastery of the four aspects could include developing a heart open to suffering and grace (Cup), the courage to act in the world (Lance/Wand), grounding in the Word (Book/Pentacle), and sharp discernment that divides truth from falsehood (Sword). Edited 16 hours ago by 心神 ~ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanity Check Posted 16 hours ago (edited) 2 hours ago, Lala Nila said: Stop playing video games, guns are not the most valuable item in the game. Reason, discernment, and rationality are the most important "weapons" one can procure and hone. I haven't thought of reason or the mind as weapons in 20 years. For those who feel they need weapons. Or even to develop their mind as a weapon. What's your motive for fighting. What's the point. This matters a lot more than some might think. In the old world a certain degree of militancy was necessary for basic survival. But the world has changed. People have changed. There is a new world coming. Rather than repeat old world behavior, it might be better to ask what type of place our future will be and plan around that eventuality. Quote Public Opinion has also become weaponized, the minds of the masses are easily led and managed. A few minutes watching t.v can easily prove this point. Algorithms, echo-chambers, social media all serve to constrict you-shaping your opinion and perspective-keeping it in check and keeping it from discovering the "man behind the curtain." I would recommend watching this documentary, gives a good overview on how the minds of men/woman are shaped by those in power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3RzGoQC4s&t=133s **** If you're interested in Christianity read the bible, fully digest it. Then read the Old Testament, move on the writings contained in the Nag Hammadi library, gospel of Thomas and Mary Magdalene, finally the writings by Christian mystics. Read about the history of Christendom. How it came to be. Study all of it. Yeah- you are gonna have to read. Don't "study" through the lens of someone else's perspective. Pick up a book and by using discernment, reason and rationality see how various ideas move within you. Finally I would examine why you believe you are bing called to this. Is it about faith, politics, identity, belonging? Who or what is influencing your perspective (family, media, leaders, social circles). Are you adopting it because you feel called by the Holy Spirit, or because it makes you feel safe, powerful, or accepted in a group? Its mainly middle age to elderly who are susceptible to TV influence. But they didn't grow up in a world being constantly bombarded by ads and scams the way youth in the digital age were. And so they are disadvantaged. The world is changing. People are changing. They are not as easy to influence as they once may have been. There is something that needs to be said about christianity and the bible. People flock to it, as it is the realest and most legit thing that exists in this world. Period. Look at celebrities claiming they "manifested" something. They're all trying to be like Jesus turning water into wine. Emulating the christian faith, hoping to derive some legitimacy from it. I've seen buddhists claim that Mother Teresa and Jesus were great "buddhists". They claim historical figures of other religions more than they claim those involved with their own religion. Listening to most smart things mindset or life coaches try to say. High percentage of it is content borrowed from christianity and the bible. All roads lead to the christian faith. A foundation upon which modern society is built. Also thanks for your reading recommendations. I wrote them down and will look them up later. Edited 15 hours ago by Sanity Check Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
心神 ~ Posted 15 hours ago (edited) 31 minutes ago, Sanity Check said: All roads lead to the christian faith. A foundation upon which modern society is built. Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16 The roads reach back much further, to Ancient Sumeria and beyond. Here are a few parallels worth exploring: Creation / Early Humanity Creation from watery chaos. Genesis 1 vs. Enuma Elish (Akkadian, Mesopotamian): order from primordial waters. Goddess Tiamat vs. impersonal “deep/tehom” in Genesis Humans formed from clay Genesis 2 vs. Sumerian/Akkadian motifs (e.g., Atrahasis, Enki & Ninmah): humans fashioned from clay; in Atrahasis, mixed with divine blood. Divine council language Genesis 1:26; 3:22; Psalm 82 vs. Mesopotamian divine assembly scenes: plural deliberation at creation/cosmos governance. Paradise / Garden Imagery Blessed garden with rivers. Genesis 2 (Eden, four rivers) vs. Enki and Ninhursag set in Dilmun (a pure, water-abundant land). Life-giving waters. Flood / Preservation of a Righteous One Cataclysmic flood, chosen survivor, boat, animals, landing, sacrifice Genesis 6–9 (Noah) ↔ Eridu Genesis (Sumerian Ziusudra), Atrahasis (Atrahasis), Gilgamesh XI (Utnapishtim). Shared plot skeleton; differences in cause (human noise vs. moral evil), gods’ motives, and theology of covenant. Long Lifespans / King Lists Extraordinary lifespans before/around the flood. Genesis 5; 11 ↔ Sumerian King List (antediluvian kings ruling for immense spans). Both show a drastic drop after the flood; functions differ (genealogy vs. royal historiography). Law and Covenant Forms Law codes and casuistic formulas Exodus 21–23 (Covenant Code) vs. earlier Mesopotamian codes (e.g., Ur-Nammu, Lipit-Ishtar, Hammurabi). Treaty/covenant pattern & curses Biblical covenant forms (e.g., Deut 27–30) show overlap with ANE treaty formats and curse lists common in Mesopotamian inscriptions. Wisdom / Instruction Proverbial instruction genre. Proverbs ↔ Sumerian Instructions (e.g., Instructions of Šuruppag): father-to-son counsel, practical ethics, terse maxims. Theodicy / suffering dialogues Job ↔ Mesopotamian dialogues/laments (e.g., Ludlul bēl nēmeqi—Akkadian). Shared problem of righteous suffering; differing conclusions about deity. Laments City/destruction laments. Lamentations ↔ Sumerian City Laments (e.g., Lament for Ur): communal grief over a city’s fall, theological framing of devastation. Birth/Foundling Motif Exposed infant rescued, rises to leadership. Exodus 2 (Moses) ↔ Sargon of Akkad legend: set adrift in a basket, found and raised to greatness. Motif-level parallel; narratives serve different ends. Towers/Temples and Language Ziggurat culture vs. Babel. Genesis 11 (Babel) vs. Mesopotamian ziggurats and city-building ideology. Shared backdrop of stepped temples; Genesis critiques human hubris/unified speech project. Timekeeping / Sevens Seven-day patterns & sacred time. Biblical week/Sabbath alongside Mesopotamian heptadic patterns (planetary days, seventh-day taboos) Edited 15 hours ago by 心神 ~ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cobie Posted 12 hours ago 2 hours ago, 心神 ~ said: … Creation from watery chaos … amniotic fluid Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted 7 hours ago 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: I haven't thought of reason or the mind as weapons in 20 years. Then think of them as tools 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: For those who feel they need weapons. Or even to develop their mind as a weapon. What's your motive for fighting. What's the point. This matters a lot more than some might think. I have a variety of weapons that I train with and use . Many are based on tools . Of course, most of the time I do not need them . I thought you had a family ? Do you know what a 'home invasion ' is ? My teacher ( now passed ) explained why we should study martial arts ( him and his style were very traditional ) ; '' Number one , to protect your parents, two , to protect your family and household, 3 to protect yourself so you can keep doing 1 and 3 . The warrior spirit is something you may not understand , but a good warrior spirit enables one to eg. ; Guy running amok with a large knife , he has already slashed a poor innocent elderly lady fleeing him , across her back - people are running away in panic although they outnumber him at least 5 to 1 . One guy says stuff this, who is with me, another volunteers , they both pick up a chair from an outside cafe ( thats a weapon ! ) and subdue him . The motive for fighting is to protect the old, young, infirm etc . The point is , if we all band together ... or even a few of us , we dont need to have this often minority 'mass social bullying ' of the majority . - then again , I am not sure of your location. Maybe people parade up your street toting guns ? That would change one's perspective .. 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: In the old world a certain degree of militancy was necessary for basic survival. But the world has changed. People have changed. There is a new world coming. that has a greater degree of militancy ! You aren't one of those 'eternal optimists' in the face of obvious looking negativity are you ? 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: Rather than repeat old world behavior, it might be better to ask what type of place our future will be and plan around that eventuality. Move to a higher non coastal location , I'd say . . . for a start 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: Its mainly middle age to elderly who are susceptible to TV influence. But they didn't grow up in a world being constantly bombarded by ads and scams the way youth in the digital age were. And so they are disadvantaged. The world is changing. People are changing. They are not as easy to influence as they once may have been. Super duper evil tech has advanced .... you may not realize how much you are being influenced ..... ? 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: There is something that needs to be said about christianity and the bible. People flock to it, as it is the realest and most legit thing that exists in this world. Period. People flock to it, as it is the realest and most legit thing that exists in this world. ...... that exists for them . 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: Look at celebrities claiming they "manifested" something. They're all trying to be like Jesus turning water into wine. Emulating the christian faith, hoping to derive some legitimacy from it. Ahhhmmm .... or was Jesus trying to show his hand that he could do it too .... 'manifest' as you put it ,even in the Bible, goes way back , the Egyptians doing magic with sticks and snakes , Moses parting seas , Jesus contemporary Simon Magus that flew through the air , etc etc . Its common though for some Christians to be unaware of a lot of history and then claim Christianity of Jesus was the origin of these things and everyone copied them . 7 hours ago, Sanity Check said: I've seen buddhists claim that Mother Teresa and Jesus were great "buddhists". They claim historical figures of other religions more than they claim those involved with their own religion. Listening to most smart things mindset or life coaches try to say. High percentage of it is content borrowed from christianity and the bible. Maybe they are Christians in a 'Christian' country ? Just like some Muslims do , citing the Quran or basing their society on its teachings . Nothing strange there . The other thing to consider is that the Bible in many aspects is a hotch potch of borrowings itself . Not a lot of 'original' stuff there . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lala Nila Posted 5 hours ago (edited) 10 hours ago, Sanity Check said: Its mainly middle age to elderly who are susceptible to TV influence. But they didn't grow up in a world being constantly bombarded by ads and scams the way youth in the digital age were. And so they are disadvantaged. Most certainly not. Both generations are vulnerable for different reasons. Haven't you noticed everyone constantly looking at screen consuming mindless and useless media? The tiktoc reels, YouTube shorts, Instagram models, INFLUENCERS, lol. Give me a break if you think the younger generation is shielded! The attention span of most individuals has been severely reduced when compared to in times past. What type of content are they consuming? How do algorithms work? Please.. Quote They are not as easy to influence as they once may have been. False. The Machine is far more sophisticated than it once was....kindly watch the Century of Self...Or read Propaganda, by Edward Bernays, Manufactured Consent, By Noam Chomsky is also a good one. If you can't do that perhaps watch a few Chris Hughes vids on YouTube. (the irony) Yes, the world is changing, people are changing. Yep, no doubt about it. But, you know what remains the same? People want freedom, safety, stability, and fairness. Most people abhor corruption, endless wars, corporate power, surveillance states, and a justice system that bends for the elites, but breaks for everyone else. Older generations might be more easily swayed by tv preachers and talk radio rhetoric, but the younger generation is more susceptible because they live 24/7 influence machine. Propaganda can now flow directly into the household cloaked as entertainment, lifestyle advice, Life coaches or even spirituality. The vast majority of it is based around consumer culture- Buy crap you don't need, with money you don't have to impress people you don't know or even like. It's ridiculous. I'm not even going to bother touching the political spectrum of the matter..it should be obvious by now...in case it's not.. Spoiler I would suggest stop falling for the illusion of left vs. right-it's a distraction meant to pit us against each other. This is what those media outrage loops and algorithmic echo chambers do. It's deliberate manipulation. Cause once we stop pointing fingers at each other, then we start pointing our fingers at the jet setting in men wearing bespoke silk suits, hiding behind the curtain, running the machine. "The mind"-your opinion, what you consume has be weaponized and it is also a commodity. Yes, you can use your mind as a weapon or a tool...you're fighting against people who want to mold you and make you a good little complacent consumer, to follow this fad or that fad, buy this, believe this! yes, I hate to quote fricking Alex Jones, but here I go "There is a war on for for mind." Quote But the world has changed. People have changed. There is a new world coming. I do and one that's based on Christian Nationalism is not it. Nor any other kind or flavour or religious fanaticism for that matter. While I agree that Christianity has heavily influenced Western Culture, but by no means do I believe that cultural dominance is equal to universality or truth. The concept that "all roads lead to Christianity" is all also not quite true. our modern society has been influenced by many factors , Remember the saying "All roads lead to Rome" yeah...it started there (actually before that In Ancient Greece). lol. While Ancient Rome absorbed and rebranded Christianity, the legacy of Ancient Roman law, public works, architecture, military strategy still live on through that absorption. Yes, I fully recommend you start reading a few books. Just a simple Western Civilization text book would be advisable. nungali also had a few great points worth considering. Edited 5 hours ago by Lala Nila Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lala Nila Posted 5 hours ago (edited) 10 hours ago, Sanity Check said: Its mainly middle age to elderly who are susceptible to TV influence. But they didn't grow up in a world being constantly bombarded by ads and scams the way youth in the digital age were. And so they are disadvantaged. Most certainly not. Both generations are vulnerable for different reasons. Haven't you noticed everyone constantly looking at screen consuming mindless and useless media? The tiktoc reels, YouTube shorts, Instagram models, INFLUENCERS, lol. Give me a break if you think the younger generation is shielded! The attention span of most individuals has been severely reduced when compared to in times past. What type of content are they consuming? How do algorithms work? Please.. Quote They are not as easy to influence as they once may have been. False. The Machine is far more sophisticated than it once was....kindly watch the Century of Self...Or read Propaganda, by Edward Bernays, Manufactured Consent, By Noam Chomsky is also a good one. If you can't do that perhaps watch a few Chris Hughes vids on YouTube. (the irony) Yes, the world is changing, people are changing. Yep, no doubt about it. But, you know what remains the same? People want freedom, safety, stability, and fairness. Most people abhor corruption, endless wars, corporate power, surveillance states, and a justice system that bends for the elites, but breaks for everyone else. Older generations might be more easily swayed by tv preachers and talk radio rhetoric, but the younger generation is more susceptible because they live 24/7 influence machine. Propaganda can now flow directly into the household cloaked as entertainment, lifestyle advice, Life coaches or even spirituality. The vast majority of it is based around consumer culture- Buy crap you don't need, with money you don't have to impress people you don't know or even like. It's ridiculous. I'm not even going to bother touching the political spectrum of the matter..it should be obvious by now...in case it's not.. Spoiler I would suggest stop falling for the illusion of left vs. right-it's a distraction meant to pit us against each other. This is what those media outrage loops and algorithmic echo chambers do. It's deliberate manipulation. Cause once we stop pointing fingers at each other, then we start pointing our fingers at the jet setting in men wearing bespoke silk suits, hiding behind the curtain, running the machine. "The mind"-your opinion, what you consume has be weaponized and it is also a commodity. Yes, you can use your mind as a weapon or a tool...you're fighting against people who want to mold you and make you a good little complacent consumer, to follow this fad or that fad, buy this, believe this! yes, I hate to quote fricking Alex Jones, but here I go "There is a war on for for mind." Quote .it might be better to ask what type of place our future will be and plan around that eventuality. I do and one that's based on Christian Nationalism is not it. Nor any other kind or flavour or religious fanaticism for that matter. While I agree that Christianity has heavily influenced Western Culture, but by no means do I believe that cultural dominance is equal to universality or truth. The concept that "all roads lead to Christianity" is all also not quite true. our modern society has been influenced by many factors , Remember the saying "All roads lead to Rome" yeah...it started there (actually before that In Ancient Greece). lol. While Ancient Rome absorbed and rebranded Christianity, the legacy of Ancient Roman law, public works, architecture, military strategy still live on through that absorption. Yes, I fully recommend you start reading a few books. Just a simple Western Civilization text book would be advisable. nungali also had a few great points worth considering. my quotes are all messed up, sorry, fixed it. Edited 5 hours ago by Lala Nila Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanity Check Posted 2 hours ago 1 hour ago, Lala Nila said: Most certainly not. Both generations are vulnerable for different reasons. Haven't you noticed everyone constantly looking at screen consuming mindless and useless media? The tiktoc reels, YouTube shorts, Instagram models, INFLUENCERS, lol. Give me a break if you think the younger generation is shielded! The attention span of most individuals has been severely reduced when compared to in times past. What type of content are they consuming? How do algorithms work? Please.. False. The Machine is far more sophisticated than it once was....kindly watch the Century of Self...Or read Propaganda, by Edward Bernays, Manufactured Consent, By Noam Chomsky is also a good one. If you can't do that perhaps watch a few Chris Hughes vids on YouTube. (the irony) Yes, the world is changing, people are changing. Yep, no doubt about it. But, you know what remains the same? People want freedom, safety, stability, and fairness. Most people abhor corruption, endless wars, corporate power, surveillance states, and a justice system that bends for the elites, but breaks for everyone else. Older generations might be more easily swayed by tv preachers and talk radio rhetoric, but the younger generation is more susceptible because they live 24/7 influence machine. Propaganda can now flow directly into the household cloaked as entertainment, lifestyle advice, Life coaches or even spirituality. The vast majority of it is based around consumer culture- Buy crap you don't need, with money you don't have to impress people you don't know or even like. It's ridiculous. I'm not even going to bother touching the political spectrum of the matter..it should be obvious by now...in case it's not.. Reveal hidden contents I would suggest stop falling for the illusion of left vs. right-it's a distraction meant to pit us against each other. This is what those media outrage loops and algorithmic echo chambers do. It's deliberate manipulation. Cause once we stop pointing fingers at each other, then we start pointing our fingers at the jet setting in men wearing bespoke silk suits, hiding behind the curtain, running the machine. "The mind"-your opinion, what you consume has be weaponized and it is also a commodity. Yes, you can use your mind as a weapon or a tool...you're fighting against people who want to mold you and make you a good little complacent consumer, to follow this fad or that fad, buy this, believe this! yes, I hate to quote fricking Alex Jones, but here I go "There is a war on for for mind." I do and one that's based on Christian Nationalism is not it. Nor any other kind or flavour or religious fanaticism for that matter. While I agree that Christianity has heavily influenced Western Culture, but by no means do I believe that cultural dominance is equal to universality or truth. The concept that "all roads lead to Christianity" is all also not quite true. our modern society has been influenced by many factors , Remember the saying "All roads lead to Rome" yeah...it started there (actually before that In Ancient Greece). lol. While Ancient Rome absorbed and rebranded Christianity, the legacy of Ancient Roman law, public works, architecture, military strategy still live on through that absorption. Yes, I fully recommend you start reading a few books. Just a simple Western Civilization text book would be advisable. nungali also had a few great points worth considering. my quotes are all messed up, sorry, fixed it. Middle aged to elderly demographics are the largest consumers of CNN legacy media. They are also the demographic most targeted by conmen and scammers. If someone in the world is being scammed by nigerian princes. Its almost always an unfortunate elderly person being scammed out of their retirement funds. I believe youth of today, on average, are far less susceptible to nigerian princes. Their guard is up, they're more aware of the need to filter legitimate information from scamful disinfo. Youth aren't able to trust everything they see on TV the way boomers were privileged to. It has triggered something like an infowars arms race where marketers and influencers are seeking to devise better methods of influencing minds. While on the flipside, people are striving to arm themselves with better defenses, as to not embarrass themselves or diminish their own perceived societal value through sharing inaccurate views on social media. I would contend the media machine is regressing and becoming simplified over time. There is a list of verifiable reasons to support this. Bottom line, if Noam Chomsky wrote a book claiming the media machine is bigger, better and more sophisticated with $1,000 bucks on the line for me to debunk his claims. It might be easy money $$. I haven't read his book but its not hard to conceive of ways in which he and others could be exaggerating. I'm not convinced people know what they want. Observe my example. I lived during a time of peace and prosperity and was not able to appreciate what I had, at all. Others may have been even worse. They believed peace and prosperity were entitlements they would always have, no matter what choices they made. If I can live during a golden age and not recognize it. How could I know what I want, if I had not realized it, when I had it? In terms of youth, I think we need to remember our own state of affairs when we were young. Can you remember what you were like when you were 6 years old? 12 years old? At 12 years of age I knew nothing about anything. The only thing I might have known about were cartoons with very simplistic plots and character development. Now look at 12 years old growing up on their phones. They have some idea what dogecoin and bitcoin are. They know who Andrew Tate is. They know a lot of things. They know a lot more than I did at their age. Which could mean their overall ceiling & potential for growth is much higher than my own. Maybe they are all being indoctrinated and influenced. But so was I. We were all influenced. People can change and outgrow their influences and indoctrination, sometimes, if they choose to. Whatever consumerism is running rampant influencing youth, it does not represent an end game. When I say old world and future world. It goes like this. The old world revolved around brutality and force of might. It was a place of conquerors and kings. Those with the DNA to be a great conqueror or king today might wind up in prison. Or working a minimum wage labor job. Society no longer rewards or recognizes their contributions or value as much as it did in past eras. Our culture has moved on to some extent. Even those who are famous, making a good living as a modern day gladiator in MMA or boxing aren't so celebrated. Some say they are merely spreading "toxic masculinity" or whatever it is. So it seems gladiators and kings aren't as cool as they used to be. Much of what represents the old world isn't trendy anymore. Circumstances have changed. People have changed. In the modern world whose value and contributions are recognized? Maybe a case could be made for the Elons, Jeff Bezos and Jack Mas. Now its trendy and cool to be a CEO, real estate mogul or business magnate. If what I'm saying is accurate, than what will the future be like? Some of what people do today. Seems like a selective attempt to resurrect old world values. There is a conflict between old world and new world going down. Immigrants from middle eastern nations have old world values and traditions. Which conflict with new world values & lifestyle of places they immigrate into. The old world and new worlds are colliding. But why? Why would anyone want to live in a nation built on christian morality and principles. Rather than nations built on other ideology? ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanity Check Posted 2 hours ago (edited) 5 hours ago, Nungali said: Then think of them as tools I invest some time & energy into trying to sharpen mind. There is no practical use or application for it. Maybe its simply what I'm best at. "Play to your strengths." Isn't that what they say. Quote I have a variety of weapons that I train with and use . Many are based on tools . Of course, most of the time I do not need them . I thought you had a family ? Do you know what a 'home invasion ' is ? My teacher ( now passed ) explained why we should study martial arts ( him and his style were very traditional ) ; '' Number one , to protect your parents, two , to protect your family and household, 3 to protect yourself so you can keep doing 1 and 3 . The warrior spirit is something you may not understand , but a good warrior spirit enables one to eg. ; Guy running amok with a large knife , he has already slashed a poor innocent elderly lady fleeing him , across her back - people are running away in panic although they outnumber him at least 5 to 1 . One guy says stuff this, who is with me, another volunteers , they both pick up a chair from an outside cafe ( thats a weapon ! ) and subdue him . The motive for fighting is to protect the old, young, infirm etc . The point is , if we all band together ... or even a few of us , we dont need to have this often minority 'mass social bullying ' of the majority . - then again , I am not sure of your location. Maybe people parade up your street toting guns ? That would change one's perspective .. The founder of special forces SEAL team 6 is an author. I read some of his books. The impression I got is special forces units spend many years training for war. In most cases, all of that training is for nothing, they never see a single deployment where they engage in actual combat. Of course, this was published in a book he wrote before 2001, before the iraq invasion, before a lot happened. If the founder of SEAL team 6 says SEALs spend years training for war and never see actual war, then what practical use or application am I likely to have for actual combat? Don't get me wrong. I spend time training on my own. Trying to improve and refine technique. I just don't think militancy and combat are as much of a focus today as in past eras. Even Putin does not appear to be having much success with his wartime goals. Not to mention war in this day and age being so expensive as to be practically unaffordable. I'm from hawaii. There were always a lot of tough guys, everywhere. Maybe not as much these days. Things have changed a little. Its good having a lot of tough guys around, people tend to be more respectful. Quote that has a greater degree of militancy ! You aren't one of those 'eternal optimists' in the face of obvious looking negativity are you ? Hopefully, people see me in the yard digging a hole 20 feet long, 10 feet wide and 4 feet deep with a pickaxe and shovel to plant crops. And decide there are easier targets to be had elsewhere. Quote Move to a higher non coastal location , I'd say . . . for a start I'm at high enough elevation to be safe from tsunamis. While being near enough to the coast to be able to reach it easily for fishing purposes if needed. Are there other reasons for coastal locations being bad I missed? Quote Super duper evil tech has advanced .... you may not realize how much you are being influenced ..... ? If I know I'm being influenced. That makes it easier to defend against. Quote People flock to it, as it is the realest and most legit thing that exists in this world. ...... that exists for them . Everyone has their opinion. That's mine. Quote Ahhhmmm .... or was Jesus trying to show his hand that he could do it too .... 'manifest' as you put it ,even in the Bible, goes way back , the Egyptians doing magic with sticks and snakes , Moses parting seas , Jesus contemporary Simon Magus that flew through the air , etc etc . Its common though for some Christians to be unaware of a lot of history and then claim Christianity of Jesus was the origin of these things and everyone copied them . I should have said Jesus manifesting fish and bread to feed the multitude. That is a better example. Transforming water into wine might be more transfiguration than manifesting. The same with Moses vs egypt transforming rods into serpents. Quote Maybe they are Christians in a 'Christian' country ? Just like some Muslims do , citing the Quran or basing their society on its teachings . Nothing strange there . The other thing to consider is that the Bible in many aspects is a hotch potch of borrowings itself . Not a lot of 'original' stuff there . That is an argument I have heard from atheists in the past. They claimed the story of Jesus was derived from Mithras, etc. I never found that argument compelling but they seemed to enjoy it. Edited 2 hours ago by Sanity Check Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanity Check Posted 1 hour ago 5 hours ago, Nungali said: I thought you had a family ? Do you know what a 'home invasion ' is ? My teacher ( now passed ) explained why we should study martial arts ( him and his style were very traditional ) ; '' Number one , to protect your parents, two , to protect your family and household, 3 to protect yourself so you can keep doing 1 and 3 . The warrior spirit is something you may not understand , but a good warrior spirit enables one to eg. ; Guy running amok with a large knife , he has already slashed a poor innocent elderly lady fleeing him , across her back - people are running away in panic although they outnumber him at least 5 to 1 . One guy says stuff this, who is with me, another volunteers , they both pick up a chair from an outside cafe ( thats a weapon ! ) and subdue him . The motive for fighting is to protect the old, young, infirm etc . The point is , if we all band together ... or even a few of us , we dont need to have this often minority 'mass social bullying ' of the majority . - then again , I am not sure of your location. Maybe people parade up your street toting guns ? That would change one's perspective .. Here is a good example. Have you ever seen David Lynch's 1984 classic Dune? In the movie, Paul Atreides was born and bred to be the perfect warrior. Have you seen the recent reboot of Dune? In the reboot, Paul Atreides is a skinny and weak looking kid. He looks like he was born and bred to be the perfect accountant. Maybe this reflects how militarism and warrior philosophies have come to define our culture and society less. Don't get me wrong I love "The Book of 5 Rings", Shaw Brothers kung fu flics. I love all of that stuff. But it is possible the future will be defined more by things other than force of might. Or maybe I'm just being regressive in some way without realizing it. Personally, I just think I'm better at abstracts and rationalizations than I am @ athletics. I don't think I weigh more than 160 lbs and I think I did bench press 240 lbs when I was younger. But its not what I'm best at. So I'll leave the warrior stuff to the pros. Unless I'm forced to go that road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanity Check Posted 1 hour ago 14 hours ago, 心神 ~ said: Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16 Long Lifespans / King Lists Extraordinary lifespans before/around the flood. Genesis 5; 11 ↔ Sumerian King List (antediluvian kings ruling for immense spans). Both show a drastic drop after the flood; functions differ (genealogy vs. royal historiography). Good write up. Given that many of these stories predate written records. Dating back to a time when oral traditions were copied word for word. Its hard to imagine a scenario where carbon dating or empirical evidence can be used to determine the actual age or historicity of these epic tales. One thing that stands out is the number of stories of global flooding in eras where ice ages ended. Might fllood tales stand independently as individual works, rather than being necessitated to be copies of one another. Melting glaciers and ice leading to floods of water isn't the largest leap of imagination. While I still haven't read the epic of gilgamesh. I don't know that controversy is necessary with any of it. Extraordinary lifespans are an interesting puzzle to ponder. I guess the most obvious theory is to say reduced population density fuels lifespan extension. Agriculture difficulty rises proportionally to cold weather in ice ages. Less food, reduced population. The lifespan of humans must extend proportionately to perpetuate species. There may be similar precedents present with the greenland shark which can live 250 to 400 years. This doesn't mean depopulation will necessarily lead to longer lifespans. There are other theories for what might have caused human longevity to extend. Still, I think its an interesting puzzle to think about. Even if there is no real world application for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
