Mike,
I don't have to stroke anything on anyone. I care about people. I care about making the world a better place, by helping people, be BETTER PEOPLE, myself included. I have already said some of the things to Crip that I did, at other times, long before this thread.
I care about Jimmy, Phil, Paul, George, Glen, Ryan and everyone else here. I have pissed them off before... it will happen again. When friends are honest with other friends, or debate touchy subjects with them, things can get heated. I can only hope, that by now, even in spite of times I make mistakes, that they understand my heart is in the right place.
As to Paul or anyone else....
I don't want or need "followers" or "followers of my teachings"
I don't have "teachings"
In MY OWN search for truth, I have learned much, and God has revealed much to me. I share what I know, and I learn from others. Hopefully, it gives us ALL things to think about and reflect upon, and DEEPENS US ALL.
But it is intersting that you immediately assume, someone should have followers, because they have proposed some new ideas, or a new way of looking at old ideas.
I'm not trying to start a cult. Maybe you are though?
As to my suggestions or chastisements of Paul, Ryan or anyone else, I NEVER FORGET that they believe what they believe and live as they live, because they want to serve God, and find themselves on the right side of life. They make sacrifices and stand against opposition from peers and even fans of their music, to do so. That takes courage, and I respect it. If by pushing them a little to what I hope is a better way, or into a higher truth, or closer relationship to God... I hope to enrich them and their relationship with their Father in Heaven... not to hurt them, destroy their faith, or collect a group of followers.
I think if WE ALL help one another, and if WE ALL learn from one another, that this is how the world can be a better place. And when enough people are becoming better personally, then our societies... from families, to nations, to the world, will reflect that, and the WORLD will become a better place. When we accomplish that, ALL OUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS get met, and we would not find the need to SURVIVE... PROTECT OURSELVES... CLIMB ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER, etc... just to live, or "make it" in this world.
Much of what we do, that hurts others, harms society and creates an atmosphere of danger, is simply the instict to SURVIVE and not live in fear ourselves. In other words, children are abused, threatened, neglected... other kids can be cruel... amazingly cruel... and many kids and young adults grow up deciding this will not happen to them any longer. That they will not be victimized any longer, and that they had better look out for number one, or they will get run over or destroyed even more. Sadly, this can easily become exaggerated or habitual, where it becomes our NATURE, to lash out instantly, attack others, control them, etc... Letting them know... DON'T F*CK WITH ME!
It is like a MILD version of what occurs in prison.
And no wonder, because in so many ways, the WORLD is a prison. A prison of the heart, where we get hurt and grow up learning, we had better not show weakness... we had better not just put our true heart and our true feelings out there... or someone will take advantage of it.
Because so many do this, the world reflects that, and if it gets worse, we revert back to an animalistic behavior. Martyrs come along, and endure ALL SUFFERING that anyone can dish out to them, and often die from taking it, without returning it.... Martin Luther King... Gandhi... Jesus, etc...
They pay an ENORMOUS personal price, but this changes the world, piece by piece, and their examples touch the hearts of others, and eventually spread throughout the world. It then MOVES OTHERS to love a little more, trust a little more, take a little more chance... to love, rather than hate.
But my belief is that if WE ALL tried a little harder, just a little, to be better, to love more, to take what others dish out, to care a little more... if WE ALL did "just a little" more, enmasse, the world wouldn't need martyrs any longer.
We would realize PERSONALLY that it really is... the better way.
The world then, rather than resembling a prison yard, full of inmates suspiscious of one another, would begin to resemble something else...
Something Jesus called...
"The Kingdom of Heaven on EARTH"
.
Last edited by CraigMaxim on Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:32 am, edited 1 time in total.