tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post2227733833750521027..comments2023-11-05T06:11:01.162-06:00Comments on Blindbeard's Multiple Sclerosis Blog: When Your Belief Systems Don't Believe In YouUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-55578341349604321082008-10-06T21:03:00.000-05:002008-10-06T21:03:00.000-05:00Correct the ending to : NOT give up on HIM.Correct the ending to : NOT give up on HIM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-59037687570343932272008-10-06T20:56:00.000-05:002008-10-06T20:56:00.000-05:00Katy, I don't know if you remember me, Jennifer Ki...Katy, I don't know if you remember me, Jennifer King (now Boylan). Friend of Melanie's from highschool. Anyway, my mom battled MS for many years and passed away this past spring. Who knows, maybe something of her dealings can be of help to you. I will tell you that the blog you wrote on spirital issues you are facing was very dear to my hear.<BR/><BR/>Mom's saying was "I am waiting for my miracle" "It will come whether here or heaven, It will come". I really think her faith in God is what helped her to get through. <BR/><BR/>Church is a great place if used in the right fashion. If you are building relationships with other christians, living, learning, sharing, helping, praying, crying with or for each other, etc, that it where the Church comes into play. The important part is that you are building YOUR persoanl relationship with Him. And that takes time. There is music and books, cd's and radio talk shows. If you are feeling forced to go to church, then likely you ought to approach some other avenues at first. I would just SO encourage you to give up on Him. You will have lots of feelings, thoughts questions...that is ok. Just don't give up. It is just too important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-18067346650199918122008-10-01T00:36:00.000-05:002008-10-01T00:36:00.000-05:00Hmmm...seems you are getting a lot of advice here....Hmmm...seems you are getting a lot of advice here.<BR/><BR/>I can't "go all God on ya" or talk religion, except in historical and sociological terms (used to study religions *religiously*. LOL). What I CAN say is this: I believe in YOU and I know *goodness* (not to be confused with Godness) when I see it.<BR/><BR/>Here's looking at you, kid.<BR/><BR/>Linda D. in SeattleBRAINCHEESEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04478852688645497036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-23431011055273259902008-09-30T19:29:00.000-05:002008-09-30T19:29:00.000-05:00I hear ya sister. On bad days I still ask, why me...I hear ya sister. On bad days I still ask, why me? Why do I deserve this? I am a good person who has lived a healthy life and always put others first but here I am. I move between anger, denial and grief. There are days where I accept but I'm not ready to accept losing my job, my home and my marriage even if that is what the future holds. Frankly, I'm a little pissed!Denver Refashionistahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681030016057155728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-39357830932988600982008-09-29T14:47:00.000-05:002008-09-29T14:47:00.000-05:00So I'm pretty stoked at the prospect of your being...So I'm pretty stoked at the prospect of your being able to blog from beyond the grave. Not that I'm wanting you to die anytime soon, but if you do I'll still be expecting regular posts!<BR/><BR/>Denial - Anger- Depression - Acceptance. That is the grief cycle but a lot of people are not aware that's it's a CYCLE. You can expect to go round and round through it a few times. Hopefully some day you'll stop at acceptance, but if not, anger can keep you frisky for a long time!@whiskey.xray.yoga.zulu https://www.blogger.com/profile/13486715100955603014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-81804640787769717372008-09-29T13:59:00.000-05:002008-09-29T13:59:00.000-05:00I am not one of those: "Now I am sick and God save...I am not one of those: "Now I am sick and God save me." people. My feelins about religion is same as ot has always been. 18 years post MS DX, I have neve been angry about MS and me, or AIDS or any other bad event, these are not in our control. I lead a good life. I do good. In that I am good with "God". Do I curse when MS attacks me? Sure, sometimes. But I know that an angry life is a miserable way to spend the short time we have with "life." I am NOT that disabled/sick/weakened person YOU don't want to be. I'm saying, you can have both. MS is now as much me as my hair on my head and I don't hate that, WHY? A waste of my hate/anger---so much more to dislike---look at our politics! Our health care system! You will have a stronger, more focused anger, once you stop being angry at what you can't change---so much you CAN change. You go! Believe in yourself first, the rest will come.Diane J Standifordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11862850657925658079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-23699447767003613822008-09-29T13:04:00.000-05:002008-09-29T13:04:00.000-05:00Anne rocks! I haven't been to church regularly si...Anne rocks! <BR/><BR/>I haven't been to church regularly since I was 14. I was raised Catholic, and when I did my confirmation, we stopped going. My dad and my husband both went to Catholic school, and now neither attends church. I would consider going to church with my mother, but I still wrestle with the idea that if you don't accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you're going to hell. My mom doesn't wholly believe this; she just takes comfort in going to church and believing in Jesus. But I just can't commit to a Christian religion because there are so many other older faiths (far East)where Jesus isn't even part of the picture. I like to think of Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Moses, and any other spiritual leaders as companions, working together to bring enlightenment. Maybe they are sitting somewhere playing 7 card stud. No one leader is greater than the other. No one is going to hell because they don't believe in a certain god.<BR/><BR/>I believe in a higher power---God,if you will---- that is for everyone. No exclusions. And I don't believe sitting in church and repeating the same gospel each week works for me. I'd like to think a higher force would be more honored by daily good deeds and helping others as a true commitment to faith.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17421022098477662697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2549590948850807878.post-58759027192244836772008-09-29T09:35:00.000-05:002008-09-29T09:35:00.000-05:00You write that you have been having a spiritual cr...You write that you have been having a spiritual crisis....I think you are on your way to solving that crisis.<BR/><BR/>Why? Because you already went through the anger part with God, made efforts to go to church (God never said He REQUIRED that - it is a man-made law) and now you are in the questioning phase and actively looking for solutions/resolves.<BR/><BR/>Attending church should be a personal decision - not someone else's decision FOR you. Studies have shown that young people who have been FORCED into certain religious rites, often turn away from them as adults. I am one. I have turned away from Catholic religion and their rites, but I still maintain I am a Christian.<BR/><BR/>People with MS often bond with God more after diagnosis than before, and believe it or not, they don't just convert to a religion or a religious practice because of diagnosis.<BR/><BR/>Many of us get damn mad at God and stay that way for a long long time. It is only after we experience life with MS, acceptance and rejection, epiphanies and failures, that either we decide to turn to God or not. Surprisingly, many do not.<BR/><BR/>Having been raised a Catholic, and now not a practicing one, I have attended many other denominations of churches, and although it may not come as much of a surprise to anyone, it did to me because I have been a Christian since I was six years old (and not the Catholic kind of Christian either). <BR/><BR/>It took me awhile to know that God did not desert me - I deserted Him because I was mad. God is inside of me - not inside of any of these "buildings." <BR/><BR/>I have always said I will not blog on religion, but your post hit a nerve with me (as I am sure was its purpose!)<BR/><BR/>My take on my children's questions about churchgoing - if they want to go, I drop them at the church door of their choice and come back and pick them up after the service. I usually knew someone who attended and matched them up with my child. I have had alot of foster children in my married life and dang if everyone of them attended a different church. So dropping them at the door was nothing new in our house.<BR/><BR/>Consequently I ended up with two sons who are very spiritual but not churchgoers. They believe in God and talk to Him all through their day about everything. Every so often, they get an urge to "try out" a new church they heard of - and they go - usually with friends who told them about it. As soon as they hear something they consider against their beliefs, they hit the road.<BR/><BR/>I have attended many non-denominational churches in my years, and if a pastor or speaker tries to push something down my throat (by constant repetition), I am gone. If they harp on money, I am gone. If they harp on one subject from the Bible and it becomes their central focus for months, I am gone.<BR/><BR/>So you can see you are not much different than other folks. The fact that you even still believe that there is a God is a positive.<BR/><BR/>It takes time to work out of differences with God. But I know our God to be patient and He will always be there waiting for you with open arms.<BR/><BR/>Take care,<BR/>Anne<BR/><BR/>PS - hate that preachy sound; I didn't mean anything hurtful by it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com