Think Positive

[Muhammad]

I'm hoping for judgement free responses on this topic.

The question is:

What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?

--

And, I don't simply mean, God.

I hope GB and Madhu too can get involved.

I'll start:

Having grown-up in a neighbourhood where my contact with 'black' people
was non-existent. All my info' was from media (when I got to see
anything) and news, I was slightly prejudiced and held false
stereotypical views. However, in secondary school (slightly further away
from home), where the 'black' populous was significantly higher. A
'black' kid (my friend, but not at this point) sitting not far from me,
was being a bit naughty, the teacher told him off, but when he
persisted, she said “I'm gonna have to talk to your mom”. The look of
horror on his face, he didn't make another sound the whole lesson. I
looked at him and saw myself.

That is my first recollection, of a false view, that I developed through
media, fell apart. This was further emboldened by learning Islam in a
similar period, albeit not at that point where I was practising.

I learned that the Quran states "O humanity! Indeed, We created you from
a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you
may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight
of Allah is the most righteous among you" (49).

I don't think I fully understood the meaning then, as I do now. However,
it is something I have built up. It has changed me. I don't believe that
I have any in-built prejudices. I have learned through this, to reason
with others, see others opinions. It has facilitated me broadening my
'religious filter' in the sense that, we all don't have to be alike, in
eating the same, dressing the same, talking the same... Obviously, I
hope everyone would be Muslim.

[this has a wider context which will lengthen the post, but that is the
crux of it]

I know Christianity espouses the same ideals.

Would be interested to read the experience/change in others.

[Timreason]

On 01/01/2024 20:28, Muhammad wrote:
> I'm hoping for judgement free responses on this topic.
>
> The question is:
>
> What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?
>
> --
>
> And, I don't simply mean, God.
>

I can give so many examples! But I will mention just some that come to
mind at the moment.

(1) My growing faith helped me through the times when I was bullied at
school. The feeling that, although He didn't 'solve' my problems, God
was my companion through those times. So I came to a personal faith in
Christ at age 16.

(2) I've learnt that everybody's personal faith is very different. So,
for me it is the belief that God is loving, forgiving and merciful -
just as long as we turn to Him and follow Him in genuine faith.

(3) My faith has grown and evolved over the years, as God has taught me
more, not just from sermons and other Christians, but also from the
'University of Life', by which God has shown me so much and I have
learnt much, but continue to learn.

(4) I've learnt that God is full of surprises, and whereas the Christian
life isn't the easy life, it is certainly most fulfilling.

Is it terribly 'Liberal' of me to believe it's about (godly) love? I
don't think so - I think it's biblical. We are commanded first of all to
love God with all that is in us, and equally to love our neighbour as
ourselves. Jesus told us that those are the prime commandments. We are
commanded to love, and that is also why I believe we were created. We
are made to love and be loved. As Christians we believe that God loved
us so much that He even experienced death for us through the Person of
Jesus. He spread out His hands on the Cross to tell us, "I love you THIS
much."

Tim.

[Madhu]

* Muhammad <umv791$2atpn$1 @dont-email.me> :
Wrote on Mon, 1 Jan 2024 20:28:16 +0000:

> I'm hoping for judgement free responses on this topic.
> The question is:
> What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?

[snip]

> That is my first recollection, of a false view, that I developed
> through media, fell apart. This was further emboldened by learning
> Islam in a similar period, albeit not at that point where I was
> practising.

Sorry this may be a damper -- I was seeking out (hindu) religious
instruction even when I was seven but it was only relatively recently
that I came to terms with the depth of my own lib brainwashing and our
slavery to satan. From there it was easy enough to re-read the bible
and have faith in Revelation, which follows from a belief that a good
God will redeem the world.

[Kendall K. Down]

On 01/01/2024 20:28, Muhammad wrote:

> What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?

Hope.

When one's beloved wife is suffering terminal cancer, the prospect of
being reunited in a better world gives me courage to carry on.

God bless,
Kendall K. Down

[Muhammad]

On 02/01/2024 16:30, Kendall K. Down wrote:
> On 01/01/2024 20:28, Muhammad wrote:
>
>> What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?
>
> Hope.
>
> When one's beloved wife is suffering terminal cancer, the prospect of
> being reunited in a better world gives me courage to carry on.
>

Yes. IMO, something that only faith can bring.

[GB]

On 02/01/2024 16:30, Kendall K. Down wrote:

> On 01/01/2024 20:28, Muhammad wrote:
>
>> What positive aspect has faith brought to your life?
>
> Hope.
>
> When one's beloved wife is suffering terminal cancer, the prospect of
> being reunited in a better world gives me courage to carry on.

I can't really imagine how difficult things must be for you both. I hope
that Shirley is back home again?

[Kendall K. Down]

On 02/01/2024 21:48, Muhammad wrote:

> Yes. IMO, something that only faith can bring.

And such a precious thing that even if I was certain that there was no
God, I would wish to continue to believe in Him.

I hope I don't shock anyone, but I would say that I am 90-98% sure that
there is a God, but recognise that 2-10% of doubt - I could be
self-deceived.

Yet even if the proportion of doubt and belief was reversed, I find
belief so helpful and so encouraging that I think I would still believe.
The bleakness expressed by some atheists is not at all attractive.

[GB]

I asked a very dear, and very learned, friend why he believed in God,
and he said much the same as you, ie the alternative of this all being
random and purposeless didn't appeal.

[Timreason]

On 03/01/2024 10:00, Kendall K. Down wrote:

Thanks for your honesty there. I certainly believe there is Something
behind it all, the ultimate source and purpose of all existence. For
convenience humanity has chosen to refer to It/He/She/Them as 'God'.

For me personally, Christianity is the best fit to what I believe - but
how much is literal and how much is allegorical in the Bible is where
I'm unsure. However, the overall picture of perfection marred by our
rebelliousness, and God's offer of a route to reconciliation, makes sense.

Tim.

[Kendall K. Down]

On 03/01/2024 10:26, GB wrote:

> I asked a very dear, and very learned, friend why he believed in God,
> and he said much the same as you, ie the alternative of this all being
> random and purposeless didn't appeal.

Yes, but in my case, at least, there is sufficient evidence for the
existence of God that belief in Him is not mere wishful thinking.

[Kendall K. Down]

On 03/01/2024 09:19, GB wrote:

> I can't really imagine how difficult things must be for you both. I hope
> that Shirley is back home again?

After a lot of needless delay they finally took her bruised leg
seriously and x-rayed it. A badly broken ankle!

So yesterday she had surgery to fit plates and screws, I spoke to the
surgeon who seems happy with the result, but who warned that she must
not put any weight on that leg for at least four weeks, otherwise the
bone could "explode" and she would lose the foot.

So that means another four weeks (at least) in hospital before she can
come home. However she is not in pain (no doubt being given pain meds)
and is much brighter than she has been since all this started. Things
are looking up - a bit.

God bless and thanks for asking,
Kendall K. Down

[GB]

The available evidence is the same for more or less everyone in this
country, but how you evaluate that evidence matters.

[Kendall K. Down]

On 04/01/2024 08:38, GB wrote:

> The available evidence is the same for more or less everyone in this
> country, but how you evaluate that evidence matters.

Agreed - with this caveat: many people are unaware of the evidence,
sometimes deliberately.

[Robert Marshall]

That's a lot to bear - for you both, my sympathies. And the travel for you..
Is that Shrewsbury or am I mis-remembering?
Our eldest daughter's partner died at the hospital there over Christmas.
:(

Robert
--
I do not want a God whose love is less generous than my own pale
imitations of it. Sara Maitland
Robert Marshall he/him twiX:@rajm https://mastodon.world/@rajm

[Kendall K. Down]

On 05/01/2024 14:59, Robert Marshall wrote:

> That's a lot to bear - for you both, my sympathies. And the travel for you..
> Is that Shrewsbury or am I mis-remembering?

No, we live just 5.3 miles away from the hospital, so the travel is
minimal. (God be thanked.) However there is talk of transferring her to
a community hospital and she will go to whichever has a free bed. We are
praying that it will be to Abergele, as other options are either further
away or more difficult to reach or have parking problems.

> Our eldest daughter's partner died at the hospital there over Christmas.

I am sorry to hear it, particularly as Shrewsbury hospital does not have
a sterling reputation.

[Robert Marshall]

On Fri, Jan 05 2024, "Kendall K. Down" <kendal...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> On 05/01/2024 14:59, Robert Marshall wrote:
>
>> That's a lot to bear - for you both, my sympathies. And the travel for you..
>> Is that Shrewsbury or am I mis-remembering?
>
> No, we live just 5.3 miles away from the hospital, so the travel is
> minimal. (God be thanked.) However there is talk of transferring her
> to a community hospital and she will go to whichever has a free
> bed. We are praying that it will be to Abergele, as other options are
> either further away or more difficult to reach or have parking
> problems.
>

That would be very helpful!

>> Our eldest daughter's partner died at the hospital there over Christmas.
>
> I am sorry to hear it, particularly as Shrewsbury hospital does not
> have a sterling reputation.
>

His mother said that it was far better than Wrexham (don't know if that
says anything!!) and spoke very warmly of the care he received - he was
only there for a matter of hours - a heart attack and by the time he was
take to hospital (by car) the damage was done, they thought about
transferring him to a more specialist heart hospital but there wasn't
time. Funeral is at Pentrebychan Wrexham, I shall wave virtually at John when we go.

[Kendall K. Down]

On 07/01/2024 19:50, Robert Marshall wrote:

> His mother said that it was far better than Wrexham (don't know if that
> says anything!!) and spoke very warmly of the care he received - he was
> only there for a matter of hours - a heart attack and by the time he was
> take to hospital (by car) the damage was done, they thought about
> transferring him to a more specialist heart hospital but there wasn't
> time. Funeral is at Pentrebychan Wrexham, I shall wave virtually at John when we go.

I think it is mainly in obsterics that Shrewsbury fell down.

Sorry to hear of the sad occasion for your visit to this part of the
world. Under happier circumstances I would suggest various sites to
visit, but this is not the time.

[John]

On 07/01/2024 19:50, Robert Marshall wrote:

Funeral is at Pentrebychan Wrexham, I shall wave virtually at John
when we go.

Sorry to read of your daughter's partner passing away.

If you meant me I don't live in Wrexham. I said to Ken that I had
travelled to Shrewsbury from Wrexham, as that was the way the satnav had
taken me, having set off from North Yorkshire. My apologies if I
inadvertantly misled anyone and thanks indeed for the intention.

If you are ever up in North Yorkshire please do give me a shout, as it
would be great to meet you in person. The same goes for anyone else on
the group.

[Robert Marshall]

On Mon, Jan 08 2024, "Kendall K. Down" <kendal...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> On 07/01/2024 19:50, Robert Marshall wrote:
>
>> His mother said that it was far better than Wrexham (don't know if that
>> says anything!!) and spoke very warmly of the care he received - he was
>> only there for a matter of hours - a heart attack and by the time he was
>> take to hospital (by car) the damage was done, they thought about
>> transferring him to a more specialist heart hospital but there wasn't
>> time. Funeral is at Pentrebychan Wrexham, I shall wave virtually at John when we go.
>
> I think it is mainly in obsterics that Shrewsbury fell down.
>

My memory too!

> Sorry to hear of the sad occasion for your visit to this part of the
> world. Under happier circumstances I would suggest various sites to
> visit, but this is not the time.
>

Though we did have an interesting walk in the grounds of Gredington Hall
on Sunday. The service of thanksgiving being at a local church to there.

[Robert Marshall]

On Mon, Jan 08 2024, John <mega...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 07/01/2024 19:50, Robert Marshall wrote:
>
>
> Funeral is at Pentrebychan Wrexham, I shall wave virtually at John
> when we go.
>
> Sorry to read of your daughter's partner passing away.
>
> If you meant me I don't live in Wrexham. I said to Ken that I had
> travelled to Shrewsbury from Wrexham, as that was the way the satnav
> had taken me, having set off from North Yorkshire. My apologies if I
> inadvertantly misled anyone and thanks indeed for the intention.

I was clearly confused!

[Kendall K. Down]

On 11/01/2024 19:57, Robert Marshall wrote:

> Though we did have an interesting walk in the grounds of Gredington Hall
> on Sunday. The service of thanksgiving being at a local church to there.

I don't know that on. Erddig?

[Robert Marshall]

On Fri, Jan 12 2024, "Kendall K. Down" <kendal...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> On 11/01/2024 19:57, Robert Marshall wrote:
>
>> Though we did have an interesting walk in the grounds of Gredington Hall
>> on Sunday. The service of thanksgiving being at a local church to there.
>
> I don't know that on. Erddig?
>

Rather further away from Wrexham, in Hanmer , grounds not generally open
to the public