The Average Life Questionnaire

Tell me when you see this picture, does it make you think this family is happy? Does it seem like the mom or the dad got to live their full potential and become whatever they dreamed of as kids, but now they are passing the lost hopes to their new offspring? Do you think that the family will even have enough money to give their kids the potential for a future they want them to have? (I'm going to be asking a lot of questions lol)

Well here are the general ones:

• What is it exactly that sets someone apart in the way they live? (What factors consider someone living a better life than another)
• Don't we all long for the same thing in the end which is security, love, and a sense of being passed on no matter how small or great?
• Why do people get married if they can live the same way without a ring on their finger?
• Is there a point in all of our lives where we secretly give up what we had planned to do because "life gets in the way?"
• Why don't we deserve the money we want, or the career we most truly desire?
• Would anyone agree that we strive to be boring, thinking of it in a long term view?

It seems as if people follow a pattern. It may start differently, but through adulthood certain things (settling down, having a steady job until retirement, and maybe a kid or two) are secretly embedded in our growth of sophistication and maturity. I have heard from some people that desires change as we grow older, but I don't understand why there has to be hidden ultimatums as we change our choices. Why do I have to be lonely if I want to be a big business man who wants to earn a lot of money? Why is it that if I decide to start early on a family that I have to live with what I got and make the best of things, even though I know I could've been more financially secure if I waited? This world creates such confusing paths, each withholding some sort of balance that we will never understand.

I am not trying to confuse anyone with all these random questions and ideas, but whenever I hear someone tell me "Live your life to the fullest," all these things pop in my mind. Also, everything I am asking is going towards a bigger question which is what factors must be in someone's life to be considered living to the fullest? Does my life completely suck compared to someone else's? What is the difference between a life lived to the fullest and an average life lived?

I guess all my questions cannot be answered, but I'll leave you with this (somewhat irrelevant):

Why are we told to reach for our dreams when we are also told that dreams are not real..?

F-A-I-T-H continued

I guess this is the time where an opinion must be made. And because I'm "on the rocks" with religion let's assume I'm not religious whatsoever for now. So here it goes..

I don't believe that I should have to believe in God to go to a good place after I die. I know deep down I am a good person. I can account for my own actions. Whatever petty wrongs I have done can certainly not account for the good deeds done by me. Yet it is easy to point out my sins; my accomplishments and morality go unnoticed. I don't believe that I should have to praise the Lord every single day for letting me live. I understand he gave his life for us, but to give up his life just so we can give it back doesn't seem fair. It is as if we are living for him. On days such as Thanksgiving, I am more than obligated to take a moment to think about the things I appreciate I have in my life, and then I continue living. I also get offended a little when I hear "Ask God for help," for little things like trying to pass a test or figuring out something that takes more thinking than usual. I know it's not meant to be taken that way, but I want to know that sometimes I feel like I deserve a good grade because I know I studied or that I am smart enough on my own to determine difficult objects. Only of times of helplessness is when I whisper to myself  "God please help me." But that to me is the same thing as saying "Oh my God." A phrase used in certain situations. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not actually asking or talking to God when I say those things, but it is simply a commonly used phrasing of words when those situations happen.
          Here's another opinion assuming I'm not religious. I think some people use religion as a reason to do bad things so they get forgiven for however Hail Mary's or whatever chant must be said. You are supposed to learn from your mistakes and know what is right from wrong. If you think just saying sorry to God is going to some how magically erase the burdens you put on people or the crimes you have committed, then you really must take your God for a fool. I've only seen a couple people in my life who truly "practice what you preach," and for those honorable few I give much respect.

The reason I'm not considering myself religious is because I don't attend church often (either once or twice a year) and I don't pray to God or talk to him as a friend. And when I go to church I really do pray and give thanks for what I have in my life, but I also feel how I felt in part 1 of this topic about praying to a golden box and making a cross over my chest with "holy water", however sarcastically demeaning I make it sound. I already appreciate the things I have in my life. I try my hardest not to take things for granted, and I share when I am not in peril with my wealth or belongings. Does it make me a bad person when I say I feel like I am forced to attend church whenever asked?

The closest "religion" I'd say I relate to is Universalism, which means:

• The theological belief that all souls can attain salvation

But there are obvious errors with this religion which I know will be questioned.
Q: So even Hitler and all of those people go to Heaven too?
A: The way I see it, If God is truly a savior, and if he offers purgatory to all, that everyone may have a good chance to go to heaven. I'm sure at one point these horrible people weren't what everyone portrayed them as. I would see those Stories on T.V. about cases of murderers. The cases where I've seen them about to be put to death, there would be their parents or siblings there, PRAYING so hard to God to have mercy on their Child's soul. At the grave sight, the mom told stories of how nice of a kid their son or daughter was. And when the preacher says " May you rest in peace," I wonder if he really means it. But this story is my only back up of why everyone, including bad people, go to heaven.
     And to clarify, this is a religion that I say I most relate to because to me if there is a God, there's too many wrongs and corruption in this world that it seems almost impossible to go to heaven the right way. But I'd rather not have a religion at all and still be able to go to a good place after I die and live in peace for eternity with loved ones I've met along my mortal journey.

Also, even though all these rules were written a long time ago, I am relieved to know that we can make our judgments and beliefs along the way, as long as God is the core to all of our questions and answers; our consequences for our rights and wrongs. Which leads to another concern:
           I've always wanted to know why other religions are considered better than others. The biggest one obviously is Christians VS. Catholics. Now let's say I am religious again. Yes Catholicism is branched off Christianity. But isn't Christianity branched off Judaism? Having so many beliefs in common, and yet people decide they STILL want to separate? What difference does it make if I give a little more prayer to Mother Mary, or if I don't pray to her at all (Methodism)? I do not understand this hierarchy of religions, and it's one thing that I think is a waste of breath for argument-sake. Are we going to be separated into different sections in heaven, and God will come to each one letting us praise him? If we are one nation under God, we must start acting like one.

I think I have said all that is needed to be said. Feedback is appreciated! If someone can convince me that religion is needed for a reason I haven't yet brought up I would like to know. It may seem like I am bashing this whole topic, but all I want is to understand it better. Peace to all, and in case I don't have another post up soon, Merry Christmahanukwanzaakah to all :]

F-A-I-T-H

Finding an insight to Heaven, or FAITH, has been a topic I would like to talk about lately. With the holidays kicking in, and Christmas time around the corner, it brings appreciation and thankfulness for having loved ones around and also brings out the good in people.

But there are times where faith has been lost, and people let the giving up part consume them.

First is faith in God, or believing in another high power we cannot see concretely. There is absolutely no proof he does exist, or whether we go to a good or bad place after we die, or what actions we decide to do in life will be counted against us. So why believe in something that scientists or realists would call fake?

-Is it because we want to believe that we get rewarded for good actions so we feel important and that there is a purpose for us in life?

-Is it because we think there is no other explanation of how we are living on the only planet that contains oxygen and human beings and to know that if we weren't being watched or "judged one day" that the point of life is truly pointless?

-Is it because there should be some type of moral law instated in people so that we can abstain from crime, murder, or just plain common indecency?

I can honestly say that I've been on the rocks about this about my whole life so far, even now. I would be catholic, considering I've been through First Communion and prayed to a golden box and dipped my hand in what's called "holy water" and made an invisible cross over my face and chest. And after I passed a class to be a true religious person, I received the holy light that allowed me to seek serenity in the answers I needed. I guess to all you non-religious people it would be considered graduating your senior year of high school receiving the diploma that says "you're not a screw up congrats," unless you dropped out beforehand.. then I guess its kinda hard to know what receiving the holy light should feel like...

Looking at it through a different perspective, the reason why faith exists is because people need to believe that it's possible to overcome seemingly impossible things. As the high line walker would say, "You gain nothing from looking down." Another definition that I think is interesting for faith is that if you believe in something so strongly, it actually is a reality for you. that means that you gain the benefits and the consequences of whatever religion you believe in, or having a passion to prove that aliens, ghosts, etc. are real. Faith helps setting up motivation and getting over failure or tough times. Not to defend religion, but what good is it to prove that God doesn't exist?

The only downside to believing in something so strong is for the insane who believe that a demon possesses them, or when you choose not to give someone a chance to be a friend. These are both stubborn and non-beneficial thoughts.

Recollecting everything that's been said, faith has pros and cons. Faith is the mother battling cancer but she's fighting so she can live for her kids. And it's those kids constantly making their mom smile because they know if they just stare at her with a long face, no good comes from it. Faith is the relationship of the boy and girl who have broken up time and time again. It is what makes them believe that they aren't cheating on each other.
But realizing that faith can sometimes be called "lying to yourself," we have to know when to be real with ourselves. We have to know when things aren't going to get better, or that we may be over our heads in a certain situation. But it is OUR faith. We may let others give us advice or lectures, but never let them influence our beliefs. WE make our own faith.

Oh, and this topic definitely isn't finished yet...