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Deuce

Rapture. I'm ready.

By Deuce, in The Bonfire

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Deuce    1

Deuce
I had a wonderful, very intimate, conversation with another camera flier one night.

It was about fatigue. Fatigue with life and the burdens it puts upon you. About how life can be so burdensome it becomes questionable about the joy of living it.

Trudge. Trudge. Trudge. Struggle and weep.

That camera flier referred to what I was expressing as Rapture. Basically the end of the world when all of us are called up and judged by God.

My feeling on that, often, is "Bring It" I'm ready to be judged by anyone. I"ve been good.

The End Of the World, though, would end really good times for lots and lots of people.

Life is hard. But it's never hard enough to choose to end it for other people.

Rapture will come like the perfect toasted peanut butter sandwich. Yummy and unexpected and "Hey! I've missed you so much!"

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Evelyn    0

Evelyn
Wow JP, that is awesome that you are totally ready. I feel that I'm a good person and have lived a good life but I still am really nervous about the Rapture. I wonder, what if I didn't live a good enough life and have to watch all my friends ascend into heaven while I'm on the ground saying "wait, what about me?"


Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

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AggieDave    6

AggieDave
Quote

what if I didn't live a good enough life and have to watch all my friends ascend into heaven while I'm on the ground saying "wait, what about me?"



You know, if you're talking about Christian theology, its not about "how good of a person you are." Its about accepting God's grace. Paul talks about this extensively.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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Evelyn    0

Evelyn
Quote

Quote

what if I didn't live a good enough life and have to watch all my friends ascend into heaven while I'm on the ground saying "wait, what about me?"



You know, if you're talking about Christian theology, its not about "how good of a person you are." Its about accepting God's grace. Paul talks about this extensively.



Yes, I have accepted God's grace, but I still worry that I did something to screw it up.


Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

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AggieDave    6

AggieDave
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but I still worry that I did something to screw it up.



Ok, you need to spend some time reading up then;), that's the point is (and the very short answer is) to loose God's grace you have to deny it. Its not through screwing up in life, its from denying God. That's all laid out "towards the back" of the book, try reading Romans as well as Hebrews. Romans deals a lot with grace and Hebrews with faith and living. Two of my most favorite books in the new testiment actually.:)
Of course, YMMV depending on what denomination you listen to. My personal belief has come from my personal study of the bible as well as my personal walk with God. I've had people from all across the board tell me I was going to hell for something or other, from the way I dressed to the music I listened to, to other worthless judgements on me and my character. When I read the New Testiment I get that God loves me, he sent his Son to provide for grace and all I have to do is accept it and try. Success in living a "good life" isn't a requirement, just that I try and trying isn't as big of a problem as people set it to be. Read Romans 7 for a good explaination.;)

Atleast that's my take. Take it or leave it, if you're not of the Christian faith, please fill in your own beliefs and continue on with life.:)
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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Elisha    1

Elisha
Dude, aren't you Roman Catholic? You don't believe in this Rapture crap (and neither do I, being Eastern Orthodox).

Actually, what it really comes down to is the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew. You don't want to be the goats.

Besides...shouldn't this thread be in Speakers Corner?

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billo    0

billo
mmmm....toasted PB sandwich...deuce, i got to say this is the one post outside of the photog/video forum of yours that i think i've responded to. bravo! :) everyone gets stuck trudging through the muck at one point or another...just depends how we take it.

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Mockingbird    0

Mockingbird
Hey, Deuce, the only thing better than that would be if it happened while I was skydiving... preferably under canopy; that way, I could take my canopy with me. And since I'll probably still be renting my gear from now 'til kingdom-come, maybe I should leave a little change at manifest to help defray the cost. ;)

As for the trudging, struggling, and weeping, I hear ya'.

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airtwardo    7

airtwardo
Quote

Quote

Mmmmmm...I like Pie.

Pie Pie Pie...

Yup!

I like Pie!:)



Absolutely! A nice raspberry pie would go good about now.




***

Yes indeed!

Everyone should believe in something...




I believe we should have some Raspberry Pie!;)










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Muenkel    0

Muenkel
Hey Deuce, I've had many an oppurtunity to ponder my own death. My earliest memory was at the age of 9 when I was a victim of attempted murder. 9 is too young to think about such things IMO.

There have been many times where I felt "Just bring it", most recently after my head injury. There were too many times when I wished I had just died that night. The truth is, life is a journey that God placed us on. That journey should end when God decides it is over...not before. We never know what tomorrow brings, but God does. There is always something new that God wants us to learn. He will call us when He feels it is the perfect time. After all, He knew the perfect time for our journey to begin.

Have a great Thanksgiving.:)
Chris



_________________________________________
Chris






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nate_1979    9

nate_1979
Quote



Yes, I have accepted God's grace, but I still worry that I did something to screw it up.



I feel like I screw up all the time as far as this subject goes.. Sometimes it seems like I spend more time asking forgiveness than anything else. [:/] ... We are very lucky to have such an understanding God IMO.

As far as that speakers corner comment, I dont see any debates or "speakers corner" material here. Seriously, . :P It was a really cool post IMO.

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

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NickDG    23

NickDG
Rapture, Smapture . . .

Life "is" a struggle. Every living thing on this planet struggles to survive each and every day. Because we are thinking beings when we hit the wall where knowledge ends we invent stuff to make ourselves feel better. Giving yourself over to some higher power is giving up and waving the white flag because you aren't satisfied with what is and are so full of yourself you can’t accept this is all there is . . .

Old timers will remember the fellow during the 80s who bought those full page ads in PARACHUTIST proclaiming the importance of being saved. His tagline was, "You never know which breath will be your last." When he bounced skydiving it almost seemed inevitable as he was way to ready, and willing, to meet his maker . . .

Religion has evolved into a way of controlling people and it's hard to believe after all this time that it still works so well.

If there is a God, I'm sure he prefers those who go kicking and screaming into the night, those who use the gift of life to wonder and be curious, those with the guts to say this is what I am and this is what I know and I'm going to make the most of it. If he doesn't but prefers those who blindly follow, those who are meek and guilt ridden, well no thanks, I'll go to the other place where the cool people are.

The late astronomer Carl Sagen said it best, "Which is more possible," he asked, "is man born of God's imagination, or is God born of man's imagination?

NickD :)BASE 194

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tbrown    26

tbrown
Yes, I have accepted God's grace, but I still worry that I did something to screw it up.



This is the biggest problem I have with the whole thing. They tell you that you're saved and then torment you the fine print for the rest of your life over everything from how you vote to how much money you give, or whether or not you like rock 'n roll. Pat Robertson just damned a whole city to hell because they voted out the "intelligent design" knuckleheads from the school board. Things are hard enough without being told to doubt yourself and live in fear.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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Michele    1

Michele
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Giving yourself over to some higher power is giving up and waving the white flag because you aren't satisfied with what is and are so full of yourself you can’t accept this is all there is . . .


I completely disagree with this, but that's all right. You're allowed your opinion, as am I. But I see it (and have experienced it) completely differently. . . (since we're not in SC, I don't believe I should expand on it too much more, sorry).

Quote

Things are hard enough without being told to doubt yourself and live in fear.


I don't live in fear, and whenever I doubt myself, it's not because of God. Again, the codicil stands about SC.

(Pm me if you want more of an explanation...)


Ciels-
Michele


~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

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