The Bible Isnt the Only Place to Walk with God

This started as a reply to comments on a post on G+.

I want to thank each person who participates in the "Bible Study for Atheists" & "Christian vs Christian" posts. The ability to post your opinions freely without fear of attack is really something special in today's virtual world.

When I briefly attended an Evangelical Church, I was at an incredibly low time in my life. It was so different than the Catholic Church I was used to. The pastor spoke about the Bible, not only from a Christian view,  but from an academic view. He spoke about how there are different Christians. That the devil can come in many forms... including Christian. That the Bible is capable of healing many people and the world.

Whether someone reads the Bible literally, or figuratively, makes no difference to me, or how I use the Bible. The Bible is just one tool in my massive tool bag of life training.  

The Bible is not the only place I have found salvation, from myself, from my demons, from my devil. The Bible is just one place. Salvation doesn't automatically mean that only GOD can save me. Salvation is a word. I can save myself.

The Bible is not the only place where I can mentally slow myself down enough to relax. The tension leaves my body, and I let go of all the stress around me (meditate). The Bible isn't the only place that I allow myself to love myself and allow others to love me too.

I enjoy meditating, to find my demons, to love myself and to figure out, how, to allow, others to love me when I don't love myself. I can go to this place within my mind, when I read other authors, like Rumi, listen to music, or exercise on the beach, or catch the scent of a dewy summer morning. My body is my temple. My body is my church.

A person can also bring me to this same peaceful and centered place. When a person opens up to me, and shares the truths they have locked inside; I instantly feel that connection. That acknowledgement, that I have heard this person's story before, from other peoples lips. That I know the struggles and pain that they go through. That they are lost. That they need tools to help them. I would love to offer them the Bible, as a start. However, so many people have trapped the Bible in a tower so far away from us. It is too far away from us, and I don't know if anyone has the patience to travel with me to get it. 

The Bible lives deep in the pits of Hell, in a tower that is constantly glowing from the heat of the anger that surrounds it. People try to get to it by normal means, but their physical bodies cannot travel through the Earth to see it. We know that it is guarded by millions of people. Some of those people are standing watch at empty towers. They do not know where the Bible really is. This was done intentionally to hide the Bible from those who want to destroy it. Those millions of people stand watch at an empty tower because they were told to do so. The heat and stress from standing in Hell has impaired their judgement. They do not have the strength to stand, much less question why they are standing there. When they see minds start to enter Hell, looking for the book, every person at every tower cries out trying to help them find the book. They are crying out with desperation, that the Bible is found, and they believe they are guarding it. There is no book in of any of the towers. 

For my lost friends, I often turn to other tools that have less objections to their use. I am not a Christian, but I value the stories in the Bible. I value the way that I can use this book to understand other people. It is not about knowing the lineage of each human being, and expecting this book to answer it. It is not about proving someone wrong. Sure some people truly believe that they are guarding the book in the tower. They have not discovered that the Bible is a tool!

I believe that we are all connected. I do not know how I can explain it, or make someone believe it. I suppose the same way that someone else cannot convince me that there was a speaking serpent in the Garden of Eden. I don't know how a seed has all the information to grow into a complex plant without someone "programming" it to do so. I don't know which came first the chicken or the egg.

I do know, that I use the Bible as a tool. Because so many people are influenced by it, or quote from it, or act because the "Bible Told" them so . . . I feel it should be something that people choose to read and to understand. 

The Bible is a great tool, and currently doing exactly what I hoped would happen. Presenting the Bible from an academic point of view, and reading it as a story, has allowed people to comment and share their beliefs in a safe environment. I didn't plan on hosting a Bible study series. I love interacting with people and helping people achieve a greater understanding of each other. We live on one Earth. There are many people who live here who have the capability to destroy our planet. Some can do it with just a push of a button, while others need massive numbers of people to achieve world destruction. Each of us has the capability to help destroy or save our world.

I try to do my part the best I can from my little corner of Earth. Please . . . anyone who shares in my dream of world peace . . . please share me with those who follow you and the public. Help ignite a generation of understanding and peace. Heck . . . even share me on Facebook and Twitter. . . it is that important.

MTFBWU

The New American Bible - Chapter 4 & 5 Cain

Chapter 4

1

¹ The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD."

2

Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.

3

In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil,

4

while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

5

but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.

6

So the LORD said to Cain: "Why are you so resentful and crestfallen?

7

² If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master."

8

Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9

Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

10

The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!

11

Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12

If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth."

13

Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear.

14

Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight."

15

³ Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.

16

⁴ Cain then left the LORD'S presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17

⁵ Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain also became the founder of a city, which he named after his son Enoch.

18

To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael; Mehujael became the father of Methusael, and Methusael became the father of Lamech.

19

Lamech took two wives; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.

20

Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who dwell in tents and keep cattle.

21

His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.

22

Zillah, on her part, gave birth to Tubalcain, the ancestor of all who forge instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

23

Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance: I have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me.

24

If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

25

⁶ Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. "God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel," she said, "because Cain slew him."

26

To Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the LORD by name.

Chapter 5

1

¹ This is the record of the descendants of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God;

2

he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and named them "man."

3

Adam was one hundred and thirty years old when he begot a son in his likeness, after his image; and he named him Seth.

4

Adam lived eight hundred years after the birth of Seth, and he had other sons and daughters.

5

The whole lifetime of Adam was nine hundred and thirty years; then he died.

6

When Seth was one hundred and five years old, he became the father of Enosh.

7

Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after the birth of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters.

8

The whole lifetime of Seth was nine hundred and twelve years; then he died.

9

When Enosh was ninety years old, he became the father of Kenan.

10

Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after the birth of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters.

11

The whole lifetime of Enosh was nine hundred and five years; then he died.

12

When Kenan was seventy years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.

13

Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after the birth of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters.

14

The whole lifetime of Kenan was nine hundred and ten years; then he died.

15

When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Jared.

16

Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after the birth of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters.

17

The whole lifetime of Mahalalel was eight hundred and ninety-five years; then he died.

18

When Jared was one hundred and sixty-two years old, he became the father of Enoch.

19

Jared lived eight hundred years after the birth of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.

20

The whole lifetime of Jared was nine hundred and sixty-two years; then he died.

21

When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah.

22

Enoch lived three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

23

The whole lifetime of Enoch was three hundred and sixty-five years.

24

² Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.

25

When Methuselah was one hundred and eighty-seven years old, he became the father of Lamech.

26

Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after the birth of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.

27

The whole lifetime of Methuselah was nine hundred and sixty-nine years; then he died.

28

When Lamech was one hundred and eighty-two years old, he begot a son

29

³ and named him Noah, saying, "Out of the very ground that the LORD has put under a curse, this one shall bring us relief from our work and the toil of our hands."

30

Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after the birth of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters.

31

The whole lifetime of Lamech was seven hundred and seventy-seven years; then he died.

32        When Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

A) There seems to be a weird sense of time here. I am curious if people actually believe that these are human years that they mention. 

B) I do not believe that the God character is "All knowing." He has to listen for them.  

C) Does this mean that these are ALL the people on the planet, or just the people in their immediate area?

D) Cain and Able - It bothers me that I don't know why God did not show favor to Cain's offering. Possibly that is the point, that we don't always know. Still God speaks to Cain and asks him, why he feels that way, and that although he feels bad, he has the power to control his feelings. Other than this part, I get very confused about what the intentions for the reader are.

I welcome all comments from ANY background or belief or non-belief system. Please be kind when speaking to each other. Remember that this is only the very first pages of a very long piece of work. Don't be a spoiler quoting from sections we have not entered yet. We are trying to see, what is it about this book :) 

MTFBWU

The New American Bible Genesis - Chapter 1, 2 & 3

I have selected to use passages from the New American Bible, because this bible is used by the Catholic Church. I encourage anyone to comment about differences in text from what they know. 

Now I approach the Bible with the understanding that there are two halves. The Old Testament was written before Jesus. The New Testament was written after Jesus to clarify teachings in the Old Testament. 

Chapter 1

1

¹ In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,

2

² the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

3

Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

4          God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness.

5

³ God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." Thus evening came, and morning followed - the first day.

6          Then God said, "Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other." And so it happened:

7

God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.

8 God called the dome "the sky." Evening came, and morning followed - the second day.

9

Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear." And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared.

10 God called the dry land "the earth," and the basin of the water he called "the sea." God saw how good it was.

11

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it." And so it happened:

12 the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was.

13

Evening came, and morning followed - the third day.

14 Then God said: "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,

15

and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth." And so it happened:

16 God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars.

17

God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth,

18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was.

19

Evening came, and morning followed - the fourth day.

20 Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened:

21

God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was,

22 and God blessed them, saying, "Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth."

23

Evening came, and morning followed - the fifth day.

24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds." And so it happened:

25

God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was.

26 ⁴ Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."

27

God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth."

29

God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;

30 and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened.

31

God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed - the sixth day.

Chapter 2

1

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.

2

Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.

3

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

4

¹ Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation. At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens - 

5

while as yet there was no field shrub on earth and no grass of the field had sprouted, for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil,

6

but a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surface of the ground - 

7

² the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.

8

³ Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he placed there the man whom he had formed.

9

Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.

10

⁴ A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches.

11

The name of the first is the Pishon; it is the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

12

The gold of that land is excellent; bdellium and lapis lazuli are also there.

13

The name of the second river is the Gihon; it is the one that winds all through the land of Cush.

14

The name of the third river is the Tigris; it is the one that flows east of Asshur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

15

The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.

16

The LORD God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden

17

except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die."

18

The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him."

19

So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name.

20

The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.

21

So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

22

The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man,

23

⁵ the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."

24

⁶ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.

25

The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.

Chapter 3

1

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?"

2

The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

3

it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"

4

But the serpent said to the woman: "You certainly will not die!"

5

¹ No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad."

6

The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

8

² When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

9

The LORD God then called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?"

10

He answered, "I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."

11

Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"

12

The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me - she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."

13

The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."

14

Then the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.

15

³ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel."

16

To the woman he said: "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."

17

To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.

18

Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.

19

By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return."

20

⁴ The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

21

For the man and his wife the LORD God made leather garments, with which he clothed them.

22

Then the LORD God said: "See! The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad! Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the tree of life also, and thus eat of it and live forever."

23

The LORD God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken.

24

⁵ When he expelled the man, he settled him east of the garden of Eden; and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.

______________________________________________________

A - I read this and am struck by a few things. First I notice how God is referred to in a plural. They made us in their own image. 

B - They are told specifically that if they "eat from the tree of knowledge" they will die. I see a metaphor that says to me "you better be prepared for the answer if you ask the questions." Or possibly the author is stating that "seeking the meaning of life will remain unanswered until your death."

C - On the sixth day God created man, male and female.

D - On the seventh day God rested. God sounds like a man.

E - In Chapter 2 the author plants the man from Chapter 1 into the Garden of Eden. His female counterpart is no where to be found. It is as if man has no partner. Then God creates woman from his rib. The author has created woman twice so far. The author makes a statement that the man clings to his woman, and they make one body.

F - Eat anything, explore anything, but do not question what is good and evil, or you are doomed to die. Sounds like ignorance is bliss. We would have lived like happy animals on this planet if we just weren't so curious about right and wrong. 

G - God made the serpent, and put him in the garden because he wanted to see if man would be satisfied living a life without knowledge of good and evil.

H - Woman was punished for making the wrong decision and not listening to god. She is now a servant to her man. Man is going to live a terrible life. Man is dirt and will return to dirt. Sounds pretty no-heavenish to me. 

I - The tree of life? If man eats from the tree of life he lives forever with the knowledge of good and bad. He would be a God too.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Be NICE, Be Respectful . . . Be a Jerk and Be Blocked

What if The American Heart Association Is A Scam?

What IF the American Heart Association is a SCAM?
Just a thought . . .what if the recommendations they make are out dated and just plain wrong?
Marketers make the world go round . . . just something to think about . . .


Google American Heart Association Scandal and see what you find. Here is one article to start you off.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Heart_Association

Healthy Body Everyday

No one really noticed I was losing weight until the first 40 lbs were gone. Then when I was finally at that 50 lbs mark people stopped cheering me on. The voices moved from encouragement to things like "you are going to be too skinny, you look sick."

People liked me the way I was. I did not. I could live my life for them, or I could live it for me. I choose to live for me everyday. Call me an Survivalist! I live for me because it starts and ends here with me. If I am not connected to myself, and know myself, then I cannot connect with anyone else. If I do not understand myself how can I expect anyone else to?

Accept that the constants in life are this:

Life changes.

Life ends (as we know it as far as we know).  

Life is hard.

Learning to love can be harder.

Trusting can be the hardest lesson of all.

 

The list above applies to you!  

Today people want to know how I lost the weight. There are so many details, but I want to start from the beginning. I was HUGE. I was GINORMOUS for my frame. I could eat a small pizza on my own. I loved buffets. I loved dairy, cheese, comfort foods and starches. I was living to eat. 

This has been a life long struggle for me. I guess I was naive to assume that the struggle would end at some point. I would naturally slim out. I would nurse after the baby and run a higher metabolism. None of my friends stopped me to say, "You are really unhealthy."   

Every time I went to the doctor for a physical they told me I was obese but not to worry too much about it. They suggested I eat a balanced meal with more vegetables. I felt ugly and hated myself.

You can't break 30 years of bad habits in a day, or a week, or a month . . . it took me around 2 years, and I am still working on it every day.

I made a commitment to myself, that no matter how long it takes, no matter how much weight I lose, I am striving for a healthier me! I started with penny investments in myself. Small tiny changes that grew over time. I didn't rush myself. I have my entire life to be thin!

STARTER TIPS
Word Association: If I want CAKE I touch my neck and say Collar Bone. I didn't have a visible collar bone EVER! I thought my body just wasn't made the same as other people. In my second year my collar bones had a coming out party. BREAD/BUTT, PASTA/POSTURE, BEER/BELLY

Positive Thinking: Visualize a healthy, fit, active and loving life YOU. Immerse yourself in everything about fitness. I even used hypnotism tapes while I slept for about 5 months.

Baby Changes in How & What I Eat: I couldn't change everything right away. It wouldn't stick with me then. I needed to make tiny changes. Some days I can only exercise for 2 minutes, and I always remember that is more than all the people who aren't exercising at all. Work out during commercials at night. Walk in place in front of the TV. Switch it up with squats. Do it so it is just enough to get your body moving. Some people are wildly successful with these rush transformation systems. They just weren't for me. I changed at a snails pace, but I changed.

Who Gives You Advice: Never take advice from someone projecting their fitness struggles on you.

MTFBWU
KrisTen

Recognize who you are, accept those parts of you that you try to hide. Stop pulling and grabbing and keeping your hands clenched on the things you have known. Instead open your hands to the unknown, and once you get pushed out from the shelter of your Ego, you will be born into the world of the Soul, and you will transform again into a new person.

www.Kris10.us