posted August 15, 2010 09:35 AM         

We can all think of someone we know who strikes us as particularly "dark", or of a "low vibration". There is something conspicuous about these people. They are, in a sense, marked. Some cloud hangs over them, and all our idealistic notions about the workings of higher nature suggest to us that there is some justice in this; that "God" is a friend to the happy person, and an enemy to the melancholy one. And, in fact, it is not difficult to perceive, in the countenance of a depressive, a strong presence of guilt, shame, or self-reproach. Often, the depressive internalizes this assumption themselves, that, if they are unhappy, they must be doing something wrong.

The truth is not very far off, yet it requires a little more subtlety to see. A light heart is, generally, the surest sign of a clean conscience, while a heavy heart is almost always indicative of the presence of guilt. But we should distinguish between actual guilt and the feeling of being guilty. Very often, we are made to feel guilty when we are not particularly guilty, -- at least, in relation to our fellow travelers, who experience no such overwhelming guilt, and tend to exude a pleasant and uplifted sense of themselves. The reasons for this strange sensitivity may vary. Often, the culture, or some parent, has impressed upon us a sense of our own inadequacy or badness. But, also, it is not uncommon to find that it there is some higher authority at work.

We like to think of the consolations of God. We imagine that God is "all goodness", all light, easiness, simplicity, grace and joy. And, yet, there is so much more to the divine than these rosy blossoms. The saints have all testified to a "dark night of the soul". They have all assured us that God sends an affliction to those He has chosen. That he chastens the ones he has singled out for some great work. These are the people whose consciences are felt to be unclean, not because they are more "sinful" than most, but, because they are acutely sensitive to the tiniest spot. God has ordained that their consciences must not merely be clean, but spotless.

Consider it, and you will see the truth of the matter. How often do we find a common person, someone who lives in no exceptional way, and perhaps even engages in various kinds of depravity, and, yet, wears a characteristic smile. A light shines from their eyes, not because they are walking in the light, but, because they are insensitive to the darkness. And we can all think of people who do good works, and stand for noble causes, while yet burdened with some unshakable grief and sense of inadequacy. The fact of the matter is, these are very often the ones whose consciences are the most formidable, the most acute, and the most attuned to the ideal will of God.

posted August 15, 2010 10:13 AM         

quote:

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While Linda grew up as a little girl searching the mysteries of the Uni-verse, she explored several different religions and belief systems; this Forum is dedicated to those diversities of belief that encompass what we call religion (Moderated by SilverStone and BornUnderDioscuri)

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hmmmm

"Those diversities of belief that encompass -religion-"

I wouldn't say that what Valus is writing about here encompasses "religion".
He has not re-written the bible after all.. Just stating his views about the world and the way in which we perceive people. Just because someone has religious beliefs and mentions these beliefs when supporting an IDEA or "argument" for particular opinions he holds... that does not mean the topic of his post is *religion* itself.

posted August 15, 2010 10:13 AM         

http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum25/HTML/001642.html
http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum25/HTML/001636.html

... or not.

Otherwise it just looks like you and Valus are having a private conversation here where you are the only moderator of LLC and he is, well, he is the person that bothers you most, so a single thread of his gets immediately targeted for moving.

posted August 15, 2010 10:21 AM         

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Having said that - I am really sorry to hear about your recent flood troubles and I hope the worst is behind you.

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posted August 15, 2010 10:22 AM         

He's the one who repeatedly posts things here when there are other places for them to go.

Randall supports me completely in my moving posts to where they should go, and has commented that it's nice to see the other parts of LL getting more traffic again.

So I offered Valus a choice to where he wanted it to go.