From: jsledd@ssdc.sas.upenn.edu (James Sledd)
Subject: intolerance - eternal life - etc
Organization: Social Science Computing
Lines: 89

Hi Xian Netters,  God bless you

CONTENTS
1. intro
2. love your neighbor
3. reaction to posts
   a. purpose
   b. eternal life

I've been reading this news group religiously =) for about a month. 
Sometimes It really gives me what I need, spiritually.  At other times I
get a little IRATE.  

There are all kinds of people in every group and I take offense at
intolerance.  It's awfully hard to tolerate such people. =) ( OOPS! I've
gone over my smiley quota already and it's only the second paragraph =(. 
IMHO they should follow the commandment to love thy neighbor and leave
the judging up to GOD.  

SPECIFICALLY:
one's sexual orientation is part of one's self
love the sinner hate the sin DOES NOT APPLY

Pay attention fundaligionists.  Love your neighbor wether you like it
or not.  I'd be happy to get flamed endlessly and loose scripture
quotation contests galore to defend this point.  I beleive this is
correct. 

BTW Love the sinner hate the sin is a slippery slope, with hatred at the
bottom. 


INCREDIBLY CHOPPED UP POST
I won't even try to tell you where the deletions came out
> means Jayne
>> means Dan Johnson
>>> means Eric

In article 28388@athos.rutgers.edu, jayne@mmalt.guild.org 
(Jayne Kulikauskas) writes:
>gsu0033@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Eric Molas) writes:

>No free gifts of meaning. (I never quite understood how any
>God can just "give" your life meaning, actually. If he
>says you exists to do or be X, that gives you a purpose
>if you care to accept it, but is that the same thing? But
>I digress...) 

I find that I am dissatisfied with the little purposes that we can
manufacture for ourselves.  Little in the cosmic sense.  Even the
greatest of the great pharos are long gone, the pyramids historical
oddities being worn down by the wind, eventually to be turned into dust.
Mankind itself will one day perish.  Without some interconnectedness
that transcends the physical, without God, it is all pointless in the
end.  Most people are able to live with that, and for them little
purposes (success, money, power, effecting change, helping others)
suffice.  I suppose they never  think about the cosmic scale, or are at
least able to put it out of their minds.

To me, it is comforting to know that reality is an illusion.  That the
true reality underneath the the physical is spirit.  That this world is
a school of sorts, where we learn and grow, and our souls mature.  That
gives a purpose to my little purposes, and takes some of the pressure
off.  It's not so necessary to make this life a success in human terms
if you're really just here to learn.  It's more important to progress,
grow, persist, to learn to love yourself and others and to express your
love, especially when it's dificult to do so.  Honest effort is rewarded
by God, he knows our limitations.


>> I will live forever with God.
>
>Ah, now here we begin to diverge. I will not live forever
>with anyone.
>
>(I don't think you will either, but you are welcome to your
>opinion on the matter.)

Interesting theological question.  I have a feeling that most common
perception of eternal life is WAY off base.  If I were to be imprisoned
in the limited ego/mind I am in now I doubt I would choose imortality. 
It would get awfully boring.  

TWO SERIOUS QUESTIONS/INVITATIONS TO DISCUSSION
1. What is the nature of eternal life?
2. How can we as mortals locked into space time conceive of it?

Possible answer for #2: The best we can do is Metaphor/Analogy
Question 2A  What is the best metaphor?