89% of UK Youth Feel Their Life Is Meaningless

@philokalia said
I believe that there should be some amount of liberality between sects and that we should celebrate the aspects in Christ that we do share with others.

You do have a point. Indeed, many are led away from Christ, or stunted in their growth in Christ, because of the in-fighting between churches. Many very regular people just trying to live life right and to have a good r ...[text shortened]... ut I will say this.... I think it is important for people to stick to their principles and doctrine.

Indeed.

I saw once in a vision . all the churches arguing back and forth. like a large family. "I know God, you don't. " , it was shown to me that many, many, many ppl in these churches love God, and God loves them all.

@philokalia said
It's not a useful question or piece of logic.

It's also not a response to what I had posted.

You stated:

The problems and lack of credibility start where someone believes that their god is the only god, not only because it's intellectually unsustainable but because it causes conflict, as is amply historically demonstrated.

And I wanted to point ...[text shortened]... t that this was a problem that is just as often caused by atheism that attempts to destroy religion.

And I take your point, to which I replied that atheists should be tolerant and tolerated, I don't know how much clearer I can make it. I don't believe I said that atheists are morally or actually any better than anybody else; I wouldn't say that, because I don't believe that they are.
'I'm an atheist therefore I am going to kill you because you believe in god.' is as bad as 'I'm a Christian/Muslim/anything else and I'm going to kill you because you aren't.'
I would merely advocate tolerance between believers and non - believers and between different religions.

@indonesia-phil said
And I take your point, to which I replied that atheists should be tolerant and tolerated, I don't know how much clearer I can make it. I don't believe I said that atheists are morally or actually any better than anybody else; I wouldn't say that, because I don't believe that they are.
'I'm an atheist therefore I am going to kill you because you believe in god.' is as ...[text shortened]... uld merely advocate tolerance between believers and non - believers and between different religions.

Wouldn't it be better to say people should be respected? Just saying I'll tolerate you seems more like a put down than something to inspire to be. I read some posts today about protesters yelling stop the hate, as they were expressing their hate. We can get a little blind now and then.

@pudgenik said
Indeed.

I saw once in a vision . all the churches arguing back and forth. like a large family. "I know God, you don't. " , it was shown to me that many, many, many ppl in these churches love God, and God loves them all.

Many Christians just need to get back to following Jesus, instead of giving Him "lip service".

Saying that you are Christian without actually being a Christian is worthless.

@divegeester said
This seems pretty rich coming from a proclaimed Christian who admits to fornication with his girlfriend and drinking bottles of vodka in session.

Well hey, the greater the sin, the greater the grace.

Now let's talk about you. If you are really a Christian, why are you judging?

@divegeester said
I have one friend, who is more of a close associate.
“Friends” are generally a pain in ass.
I have work associates and family.

We're similar in that regard. Sorry for my part in the difficulties between us. But if you want to hold on to your suspicion that I am some former RHP member under a different name, then I'm not really motivated to look for historical (and probably untrustworthy) evidence that you really are a Christian of some sort.

@philokalia said
Pretty startling.

[quote] A new poll out of the UK reveals that a staggering 89 per cent of young people aged 18-29 feel their lives are meaningless and without purpose.

30 per cent of youngsters complain about being “stuck in a rut,” while 84 per cent say they are failing to “live their best life.”

One of the primary reasons cited for failing to achieve happiness ...[text shortened]... ut people who are without God can feel despair even when wealthy, and that's what we're seeing here.

Dear Philokalia, now I am ready to respond to this. 😉

Startling? Staggering? I hope everyone can find their center and regain some modicum of calm, because there seems to be quite a dash of sensationalism going on here, upon such a meager pretext.

Maybe there is just some major friction between different worldviews involved.

I think the problem might be conceptual and arbitrary rather than either secular or spiritual.

I think there is a misfiring or misapplication of our narrative functions involved.

Isn't it an unprovable assertion to say that people "need" meaning or purpose in their lives, with "need" having the sense of requirement rather than a mere lack or non-occurrence?

Has some kind of social marketing gone awry, where people might be induced to feel some unhealthy deficiency for some abstract notion that they don't really require to survive and thrive?

Another view could be that there is a lack of personal fictional imagination involved. That is, if purpose or meaning really is required for a healthy life -- well, sometimes one has to make one's own meaning, no matter what anyone else says.

@pudgenik said
Indeed.

I saw once in a vision . all the churches arguing back and forth. like a large family. "I know God, you don't. " , it was shown to me that many, many, many ppl in these churches love God, and God loves them all.

I like that. Love other people just as they are, because that's how God loves us. [Just postulating in the Christian framework.]

Or if you can't stomach that, at least try to behave lovingly toward other people, even if grudgingly, because God loves them just as much as He or It does us, even if we don't. That is, take a cue from the One Above, The Transcendent, the same way we do in real life when we follow a respected someone else's cue.

I'm sure Dive will be along shortly to propose eternal enmity and love-brothership. 😉

@caesar-salad said
I like that. Love other people just as they are, because that's how God loves us. [Just postulating in the Christian framework.]

Or if you can't stomach that, at least try to behave lovingly toward other people, even if grudgingly, because God loves them just as much as He or It does us, even if we don't. That is, take a cue from the One Above, The Transcendent, the ...[text shortened]... lse's cue.

I'm sure Dive will be along shortly to propose eternal enmity and love-brothership. 😉

How do you know that God loves us just as we are? Serious question, not attempting to belittle you, do you just believe that, or you have a cause?

@kellyjay said
How do you know that God loves us just as we are? Serious question, not attempting to belittle you, do you just believe that, or you have a cause?

Kelly, thank you for the kind way you posed that.

Of course I'm not really in a position to know, and it's possible that I have misunderstood the Terran Christian framework or worldview, but I think the parable of the prodigal son would support such a view.

Beyond that, if Love is an inherent and primary property rather than an accidental emergent property of the Cosmos, it makes more sense to believe that the Grand Sprouter is fond of all the various little sprouts, maybe especially because of the difficulties and crooked roads of their (our) tiny incarnations.

@caesar-salad said
Kelly, thank you for the kind way you posed that.

Of course I'm not really in a position to know, and it's possible that I have misunderstood the Terran Christian framework or worldview, but I think the parable of the prodigal son would support such a view.

Beyond that, if Love is an inherent and primary property rather than an accidental emergent property of the C ...[text shortened]... ts, maybe especially because of the difficulties and crooked roads of their (our) tiny incarnations.

The reason I asked is I have been doing a study on that and actually am a little shocked by what I've come with, it runs counter to that statement and I was totally behind what you said, but now I don't think it is true.

The thing is in the Book of Acts, no one did any evangelism preaching God is love, what they taught about was God's righteousness, goodness, and mercy which lead to repentance. While when we take the gospel message today and say God loves you as you are, as you are doesn't require us altering our lives towards righteousness, goodness, or sharing mercy to others being loved. The difference in message, and I think it's truth is huge.

The Father let the son go when the son wanted to leave, He welcomed Him back which is when the son repented. Even the verse John 3:16 when in context shows that when the serpent staff was lifted up in the old testament to prevent death by snake bites, the snakes and death were not removed from the camp during that time. Jesus being lifted up like the snake on that staff brings life to those to look to Him, death is still taking place around for those that don't look to Him. The love I believe is given, but must be accepted without that repentance or acceptance I don't believe it is offered just as we are.

I'm picking and example of something I think we would all hate to give an example of what I'm saying. To say God loves us as we are means He accepts us as we are so there is no need to change, but I cannot see anyone of walking up to someone who abused little children, and honestly say I love you just as you are. After repentance and accepting God's gift of salvation yes, they become a new creature in Christ so there is hope for them, yet without repentance they are what they are.

You just happen to bring up the topic I've been looking at not singling you out, trust me.

@caesar-salad said

Now let's talk about you. If you are really a Christian, why are you judging?

Yes I am a Christian. I judge philokalia’s hypocrisy not his grotty lifestyle.

@caesar-salad said
We're similar in that regard. Sorry for my part in the difficulties between us. But if you want to hold on to your suspicion that I am some former RHP member under a different name, then I'm not really motivated to look for historical (and probably untrustworthy) evidence that you really are a Christian of some sort.

I think you need to take all this and present it to someone who might be interested.

@caesar-salad said
I'm sure Dive will be along shortly to propose eternal enmity and love-brothership. 😉

If I new what either of those things were then I’m sure I would be able to have some fun with them.

@kellyjay said
How do you know that God loves us just as we are? Serious question, not attempting to belittle you, do you just believe that, or you have a cause?

'But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'

Romans 5:8