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I thought this was an interesting analogy. I know that it’s not either/or – black/white, and that my body requires both painkillers and antibiotics. Because sometimes painkillers aren’t masking problems or leaving infection untreated, but actually providing relief while the body heals itself. ….Or making it possible for a person with a chronic, untreatable problem to function. But, anyway, I liked the post. Thanks for posting this Ann, I liked it too. I like the analogy too. There is a place for painkillers. If everything was treated with antibiotics, you actually build tolerance levels for it. Wisdom is to know when to take which kind of treatment. There is no one pill for all situations or all people.
Quote:Wisdom is to know when to take which kind of treatment. There is no one pill for all situations or all people.
This.
I also would add that my faith is all kinds of substances: entrees, appetizers, desserts, snacks, liquids, painkillers, antidotes, vitamins, nutritional supplements, some junk foods, some fast foods, etc. – and, at different times, I need each of those things, to some degree. “Man shall not live by bread alone” has application to faith, as well.
Just like my physical health and what I eat, the key is finding the balanced faith that produces the healthiest outcome for me – while understanding that different diets work for different people. In general, however, it’s as simple as ingesting more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff, then making sure I burn as much as I consume. It’s when things get out of whack and imbalanced, whatever that looks like for each individual, that things get wonky and unhealthy.
Old-Timer wrote:Quote:Wisdom is to know when to take which kind of treatment. There is no one pill for all situations or all people.
This.
It’s when things get out of whack and imbalanced, whatever that looks like for each individual, that things get wonky and unhealthy.
So much to like about this statement I don’t know where to begin.
🙂 That applies to both sides or even all sides, religious or not. Thank you, Ray.
I see that as my own interpretation of the wisdom of moderation in ALL things.
When you are doing or taking something to the point it makes your life out of whack, then it has passed moderation and needs to be put in check. I imagine and witness it throughout my own life as different for different people. It’s why one human can help another but cannot ultimately make the decision or choice. As we are honest with ourselves and others, we can seek to know thyself and when our lives have gone out of whack in any direction.
Thank you for sharing this.
:thumbup: Thanks for the link, I enjoyed the post and the analogy. It reminds me of another topic: As we see and enjoy some steps in the church toward compassion for those members who struggle, I am also beginning to realize the shift – however small – away from “the old” (whatever that is) can cause some real pain and distress for some members who hold in their mind an image of complete immovability in their faith/church. Some members have have the potential to experience great pain from the smallest change. I feel I should remember that my comfort will come at the expense of some other, even if the number of members that will be helped is growing and the number that will be harmed is shrinking.
This realization has come to me from several sources over the past few weeks. Shortly after conference I overheard a small group discussing the talks and a comment was made how the speakers made it crystal clear that things are BLACK and WHITE and that there is no gray. These are the exact words used, I was a little shocked but I realize this comment comes from a place of personal significance. My trying to tell them they have the wrong idea would be as effective as them telling me I’m getting it wrong. I have to act the stronger part and take confidence without validation.
That’s interesting, Orson. I do think many people find certainty a nice warm blanket. There is something to be said for simplicity. Most people have a whole lot of things to worry about in their lives. They neither want nor need to have to worry about their faith and/or religion. I’m totally cool with that.
Orson wrote:Thanks for the link, I enjoyed the post and the analogy. It reminds me of another topic:
As we see and enjoy some steps in the church toward compassion for those members who struggle, I am also beginning to realize the shift – however small – away from “the old” (whatever that is) can cause some real pain and distress for some members who hold in their mind an image of complete immovability in their faith/church. Some members have have the potential to experience great pain from the smallest change. I feel I should remember that my comfort will come at the expense of some other, even if the number of members that will be helped is growing and the number that will be harmed is shrinking.
This realization has come to me from several sources over the past few weeks. Shortly after conference I overheard a small group discussing the talks and a comment was made how the speakers made it crystal clear that things are BLACK and WHITE and that there is no gray. These are the exact words used, I was a little shocked but I realize this comment comes from a place of personal significance. My trying to tell them they have the wrong idea would be as effective as them telling me I’m getting it wrong.
I have to act the stronger part and take confidence without validation. I hope I can do this. It’s kind of lonely.
(Amazing to me how people take such different messages from the same words.)
Ann wrote:Amazing to me how people take such different messages from the same words.
That…to me…is HUGE in realizing the issues we face in life and how we work together as humans, despite how different we see things. Hence the prism in my avatar.
Ann wrote:I hope I can do this. It’s kind of lonely.
Yes it is. As they say “success is a lonely road” or the high road is the road less traveled, etc.
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