OK, I am almost completely intoxicated.


Not sure what happened, but I'm sure it started with being off from work for 2.5 weeks.



Some things I pondered recently:


1. Is there a God? I grew up thiking there was, but lately I'm thinking this is a big crock of !@#$!

2. Why should I behave? For example, there is a 20 year old exotic dancer that would like to see me. Why should I deny myself this pleasure? FYI, I have been married for 9 years.

3. Work! Am I still contributing to society if working in some corporate beauracracy that is so infected with waste that profit is is an inevitable foresight of the management?

Apologies! more ramblings of a mid-life crisis.

4. Is it possible for a man to be complete with beer, naked women on the web and old Ford trucks?


Thanks,

 

1. Is there a God? I grew up thiking there was, but lately I'm thinking this is a big crock of !@#$!

Yep, and you are part of him/her/it. Keep that in mind when you think bad things...

2. Why should I behave? For example, there is a 20 year old exotic dancer that would like to see me. Why should I deny myself this pleasure? FYI, I have been married for 9 years.

The consequences of not behaving are outrageously expensive... That would be an instant "Nope! Not doin' it..." for me...

3. Work! Am I still contributing to society if working in some corporate beauracracy that is so infected with waste that profit is is an inevitable foresight of the management?

Yep - somehow the money has to be re-distributed so that they can pretend they have all of it again.

Apologies! more ramblings of a mid-life crisis.

4. Is it possible for a man to be complete with beer, naked women on the web and old Ford trucks?

NO. You forgot the barbeque, Harley Davidson, ZZ TOP, and naked women in real life. Overall score: 85%

Congratulations, you passed...

 

Ouch!

Too many cold ones for one night. I still managed to spell most of it correctly :-) I need to stay off the PC when drinking.


I think the deep thoughts came from hanging out (and drinking) with my friend who recently lost his father. He's only 24.

Must find water.....

 

If you find yourself questioning God's existence, maybe it is time to get to know Him again. Take some time and visit your local church, talk to the pastor and rediscover His glory. I know that He has made a big difference in my life. With God in your life, the other questions will be answered.

 

I hope you were not driving that night. Alcohol can make you angry and flustered, so I hope you didn't mean the whole "is there a God" thing. If you did, then take AB's advice.

 

1. yes

2. yes, oops I mean NO

3. unfortunatly

4.yes, but add what Greywolf said plus- cable tv, smoke filled pool halls, fishin, huntin, and Monster Garage!

 

No driving. Thats' part of the problem. If I'm just hangin' in my shop, I don't have the driving concern to stop the beer drinking.

Regarding the faith issue: I have to confess that lately I have a lot less faith than in years past. I consider myself a Chrisitan and have attended a Lutheran Church for most of my life. We even went yesterday. Ironically, the pastor started his Sermon stating that the Big Bang and evolution were facts. Then he followed with a sarcastic "Yeah Right".

I'm having a hard time dismissing all of science for faith.

 

I try to keep my thoughts about the whole thing quiet. Although I can't stand bible thumpers and sometimes I get out of hand with them. Most of the time I just smile and casually say,"believe what you must."
Last time the mormon missionaries stopped by I invited them in for coffee, when they declined I offered them a beer, when they declined I offered them a coke. They ended up drinking warm tap water. I had a good laugh when they left. I was still being semi courteous, it was 95 degrees out and they were walking and my place is air conditioned.

 

When I was young and just out of the service, my dad died of cancer. I was angry and my feelings about God became pretty badly distorted. But later after I had time to think about a few things that happened in my life, it reaffirmed my belief in Him.

Now this might sound hokey to some, but let me relate a few things that happened for me, that I cannot begin to explain, except for some kind of Divine Intervention.

When I was new to aviation mechanics, I was out on the flight line assisting running up a Huey for a test flight after a maintenance session. Now, I knew better than to run around the wrong way, the back side of the Huey... because people have been killed running into the tail rotor, which is nearly invisible when the bird is run up to RPM. Well, for some stupid reason, I did what I wasn't supposed to do and took off running around the back end...straight for the tail rotor! Suddenly, it was as if someone grabbed me by the shirt collar and yanked me backwards, pulling my feet out from under me. There I was, laying on my back looking straight up at the spinning tail rotor! I looked around and there wasn't a soul in sight. I got up and slowly trotted around the FRONT of the bird, so the pilots could see they were "clear". Never did figure out what yanked me back till years later.

Another time, I was flying on a maintenance check flight in Nam. We did some maneuvers to do some tests on the main rotor adjustments we made on a new set of blades. We were low leveling in an area "known to be safe from enemy activity"--- yeah right--- when suddenly it was like my head got pushed to the right... the helicopter flying a nice straight line, so no G forces or nothing.... and I heard a "whack" behind me. I looked around but didn't see anything. I asked the pilot if the transmission gauge was reading ok and he confirmed everything was alright. Well, we got back to the flight line and set down and as the pilot was shutting down, I hopped out, turned around and there right where my head had been, was a bullet hole in the transmission well. I told the pilot and he confirmed that everything was reading perfectly. I pulled the inspection panel off and the bullet had gone into the transmission well, ricochetted off one corner of the transmission and exited somewhere out the top without hitting the blades or anything. And believe me, I checked everything ten times. I was amazed and still trying to figure out what had made my head get shoved to the side.

Ok, now I will finish with this.
One time I was fighting a serious depression and I just didn't know where to turn. So I grabbed my Bible, which I am no expert at finding things in, since Im not a church goer and have never even read the Bible through. I'd been told that for any trouble you have or any question you need answered, the answer is there. Problem was, I didnt have the foggiest of where to look. I held the Bible in my hands and prayed to the Lord to help me... give me the advice I needed so desperately or at least lead me in the right direction to give me the answer I needed as to why I was going through so many trials and so much misery in my life. The Book suddenly fell open to the Book of Job. So I read it all. I was amazed that the story seemed to so well fit what was going on in my life.

Ever since, I have had time to consider all of the above. I am convinced that I have had an Angel with me at different times in my life. Why? I don't know... except for the fact that perhaps He wanted to prove his love for me... or that I have been given a chance to redeem myself and make up for the stupid things I said and did as a stupid kid and young adult. All I know is... yes, there is a God and by golly, He must want me around for some reason. He wants you around too... no matter what your life crisis is or isn't.

As for being married and wanting to fool around... you will hate yourself later and have a heck of a time looking your wife in the eyes. Don't do it.

Now, Im not a religious fanatic, I still don't attend church, but I am a Christian no matter what happens to me. Thanks for taking time to read these ramblings.

 

sorry, double post. message below

 

Everything happens for a reason, 1951. If you are going through some hard times, gtex, just know that everything happens for a reason. Fordlover's dad's death was probably the worst thing that had happened to him, but God uses people in strange ways. It might have a positive effect on someone else, but hurt you. Sometimes your hurt is worth the other persons lessons or expierience.
These trials you are going through now may be a test, or a lesson for the future. Have faith, and just like Job, everything will be alright, and if you have trouble with it, we are all here for you.

 

I'm not convinced that everything happens for a reason. Whats' the point of living for a conscious, choice making being, if the whole story is already written.

I like to think that God has granted us this "Grace" period. In which he has adopted a more hands-off approach.

I hear these stories of miracles, "There was no way he should have survived that accident" type stories. Where was God when the accident happened? If an all-knowing, all -powerful being is active in this world, it seems odd that he would allow a terrible accident to happen to a good person, then grant a miracle for this person to recover.

I can't completely dismiss evolution. It's the same science and methodology that says you can get in your truck and drive somewhere.

It just seems that we use God to explain things that we can't or don't want to understand.


Try this on for size:

A woman in an African jungle in the 19th century, has a brief encounter with a missionary. She hears the word, but is very busy raising 8 children and helping an entire village survive and function. She doesn't give the words of the missionary another thought. She lives out her life, in the most humane of fashions. Being the best mother and friend to all in her village.

She dies. Under most Christian doctrine, she will burn in Hell for all eternity.

Meanwhile, some deviant criminal who once proclaimed Jesus as his savior dies, and get's a season pass to Heaven.

Are any of you really content with that scenario?

 

Ok, how I think about things like this.....how about you go back to Genisis....we were originally created for fellowship with God. He created us in His image. The whole point of eternity is to continually worship Him...so why would someone who doesn't acknowledge Him spend eternity in His presence?

No I dont believe everything happens for a reason, yes God will allow us to go through trials to make us stronger, but He did give us free will. If we chose to disobey (such as the exotic dancer) then we have no one to blame but ourselves. And asking for forgiveness from Him is alot easier than asking it from your wife.

As for evolution, well the fact is everything changes, you change with each new situation you are put it, but telling me I came from a monkey...nope. I was told a month or so ago the over 70% of astronomers are Christians, how can you see all that beauty and not know there is a God?

well just know that many people will be praying for you.

 

There are many more folks more deserving of prayers than myself. If you must pray for somebody, make it my wife, Stephanie. She has some medical issues and she has to put up with me for a husband :-)

Although I have less faith now than in previous years, I did at one time proclaim Jesus as my savior, and have even witnessed that to others. All my wrongdoings are forgiven. I guess some believe that since I don't spend all my time and resources worshipping, that I wil have fewer rewards in Heaven.

I wouldn't be concerned that you came from a Monkey, try an amoeba if you really want to get excited.


Assuming we (our souls) exist forever, all but the most infinitessimal portion of which is spent with God in Heaven (or option B), doesn't it seem odd that we should spend this tiny portion of our existence, this time on Earth, focused completely on the afterlife? If you were given an incredible vacation trip to the destination of your choice for one week, would you spend the entire time thinking about your house?

 

About the free will- I had it explained to me like this. Have you ever watched a movie more than once, and even though you KNOW whats going to happen, you say to yourself, "no, don't run outside, that is where the killer WANTS you to go", thinking that just maybe they will instead go in the basement?? You know that there is now way that the film can change, but you still hope that the character will make a better decision. I think that God is watching us, saying "No, don't cheat on your wife", or "Don't steal that candy bar", even though he knows we will anyway.