03-16-2012, 09:23 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-16-2012, 09:29 AM by godwide_void.)
I'm sure many of us here have bore witness to or interacted with those individuals who stand around offering pamphlets with quaint reading material such as "ARMAGEDDON IS NEAR", "ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE YOU", etc. Jehovah's Witnesses usually, though oftentimes it is simply a person who is a devotee of the teachings of the Christ and attempt to spread this to others in hopes of "saving" our souls, even when the souls they see do not need to be saved or have already been "saved".
I had such a run-in this morning. While in the subway platform waiting for my train to come, a lady came up to the fellow beside me and started lecturing him on how he HAS to give his soul over to Jesus and deem him savior lest he never achieve salvation. Then she came up to me. The conversation went as follows:
Her: "Would you like a bible?" -holds up Holy Bible to me-
Me: "No thank you".
Her: "Do you have one at home?"
Me: "No, I do not need one."
Her: "But why? You must read the words of God or else you cannot be saved!"
Me: "I see God in all things."
Her: "But you must accept Jesus as your savior".
Me: -rolls down sleeve, shows her my prayer beads- "Miss, do you see this? These are prayer beads. I hold spiritual beliefs."
Her: "Prayer beads?"
Me: "Yes, prayer beads. For praying and reciting mantras."
Her: "Oh, but prayer beads will only get in your way! For it is JESUS, the only son of God, which you must pray to who may save you."
Me: "We are all the children of God."
Her: "NO WE ARE NOT, ONLY JESUS IS THE CHILD OF GOD. UNLESS JESUS IS ACCEPTED YOUR SOUL CANNOT BE SAVED EVEN IF YOU PRAY TO GOD. ONLY JESUS IS GOD".
Me: "I believe in one God."
Her: "BUT IF THAT GOD IS NOT JESUS THEN IT IS NOT GOD."
Then the train came, drowning her out. I left her with a "God bless you" and hopped on the train, as she said "I love you and Jesus loves you!" to me.
I was very close to being irked by her, yet I remained unmoving in my comprehension that she and I serve the same being with the common goal of dispersing love and light to others. Synchronistically enough, while on the previous train (I was transferring between trains) I was reading a bit of Carla's "A Channeling Handbook" on my iTouch, then meditated quietly for the remainder of the ride. After my usual prayer I stated that I understand that all individuals I meet and interact with are the Creator's way of testing me, for the Creator is within all beings and thus all words I direct to another are directed to the Creator. It will know if I am true to my intentions and faith by sending teachers and inquisitors in the form of people and situations my way. It will watch me and hear how I respond and carry myself using the eyes of those the Creator sends my way as proxies, ever aware and ever present.
Thus, by thinking these thoughts the Creator sent my way a test, one which involved my simultaneous repression/transmutation of impatience/annoyance into acceptance with this individual who was imposing her beliefs upon me when I was not in need of it, judging me and dictating whether my soul will be saved or not and not losing sight of the fact that it was the Creator testing my acceptance. Heh, if only she was aware of the thoughts within the mind of the one she was talking to she and who exactly I am she would not have been so imposing and quick to make judgements upon my soul. It nearly offended me until I caught myself and understood the true nature of this occurence.
As I'd gotten on the train I turned to the fellow beside me who she'd hounded and said "Well she was certainly imposing, wasn't she?" He replied "Man, that b**** was crazy". I believe this highlights the high ineffectivity of such methods of "spreading the love", given that by attempting to forcefully impose her will and beliefs upon another who has not sought her guidance she instead succeeded in repelling, inciting aversion to the work which she attempts to advocate and essentially smearing the name of the Christ, given that devotees who preach are now being associated with being insane and unpleasant. Even those who would have been willing to listen or begin to ascribe to the beliefs they offered become turned away by the rude and inconsiderate approach taken by them.
Your thoughts?
I had such a run-in this morning. While in the subway platform waiting for my train to come, a lady came up to the fellow beside me and started lecturing him on how he HAS to give his soul over to Jesus and deem him savior lest he never achieve salvation. Then she came up to me. The conversation went as follows:
Her: "Would you like a bible?" -holds up Holy Bible to me-
Me: "No thank you".
Her: "Do you have one at home?"
Me: "No, I do not need one."
Her: "But why? You must read the words of God or else you cannot be saved!"
Me: "I see God in all things."
Her: "But you must accept Jesus as your savior".
Me: -rolls down sleeve, shows her my prayer beads- "Miss, do you see this? These are prayer beads. I hold spiritual beliefs."
Her: "Prayer beads?"
Me: "Yes, prayer beads. For praying and reciting mantras."
Her: "Oh, but prayer beads will only get in your way! For it is JESUS, the only son of God, which you must pray to who may save you."
Me: "We are all the children of God."
Her: "NO WE ARE NOT, ONLY JESUS IS THE CHILD OF GOD. UNLESS JESUS IS ACCEPTED YOUR SOUL CANNOT BE SAVED EVEN IF YOU PRAY TO GOD. ONLY JESUS IS GOD".
Me: "I believe in one God."
Her: "BUT IF THAT GOD IS NOT JESUS THEN IT IS NOT GOD."
Then the train came, drowning her out. I left her with a "God bless you" and hopped on the train, as she said "I love you and Jesus loves you!" to me.
I was very close to being irked by her, yet I remained unmoving in my comprehension that she and I serve the same being with the common goal of dispersing love and light to others. Synchronistically enough, while on the previous train (I was transferring between trains) I was reading a bit of Carla's "A Channeling Handbook" on my iTouch, then meditated quietly for the remainder of the ride. After my usual prayer I stated that I understand that all individuals I meet and interact with are the Creator's way of testing me, for the Creator is within all beings and thus all words I direct to another are directed to the Creator. It will know if I am true to my intentions and faith by sending teachers and inquisitors in the form of people and situations my way. It will watch me and hear how I respond and carry myself using the eyes of those the Creator sends my way as proxies, ever aware and ever present.
Thus, by thinking these thoughts the Creator sent my way a test, one which involved my simultaneous repression/transmutation of impatience/annoyance into acceptance with this individual who was imposing her beliefs upon me when I was not in need of it, judging me and dictating whether my soul will be saved or not and not losing sight of the fact that it was the Creator testing my acceptance. Heh, if only she was aware of the thoughts within the mind of the one she was talking to she and who exactly I am she would not have been so imposing and quick to make judgements upon my soul. It nearly offended me until I caught myself and understood the true nature of this occurence.
As I'd gotten on the train I turned to the fellow beside me who she'd hounded and said "Well she was certainly imposing, wasn't she?" He replied "Man, that b**** was crazy". I believe this highlights the high ineffectivity of such methods of "spreading the love", given that by attempting to forcefully impose her will and beliefs upon another who has not sought her guidance she instead succeeded in repelling, inciting aversion to the work which she attempts to advocate and essentially smearing the name of the Christ, given that devotees who preach are now being associated with being insane and unpleasant. Even those who would have been willing to listen or begin to ascribe to the beliefs they offered become turned away by the rude and inconsiderate approach taken by them.
Your thoughts?