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The Paradoxical Commandments

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:10 am
by Sapphire225
An interesting way to see things which probably fits in the world of today.

http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:16 pm
by Rusty Claymore
Gee, those are... encouraging... XD
Though I don't disagree, I find it disenheartening. There is no point. DO IT ANYWAYS!! n.n The black text focuses only on the negative, which gets the point across, but that isn't always the case.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:34 pm
by rocklobster
I've seen this on my Aunt Paula's fridge. It's also a country song, if I recall. I think it's very true

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:36 pm
by Furen
Though it does sound horrible, I kinda liked it, it's like saying
People will hate you, love them anyway... WAIT a miniute
didn't someone say that in the past, like that... Jesus maybe...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:10 pm
by Sapphire225
Furen (post: 1462696) wrote:Though it does sound horrible, I kinda liked it, it's like saying
People will hate you, love them anyway... WAIT a miniute
didn't someone say that in the past, like that... Jesus maybe...



It may not be the most encouraging advice ever listed, and it is perhaps a pretty cynical way of looking at things, but it Jesus did it knowing full well how things were going to go.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:25 pm
by Furen
Sapphire225 (post: 1462706) wrote:It may not be the most encouraging advice ever listed, and it is perhaps a pretty cynical way of looking at things, but it Jesus did it knowing full well how things were going to go.


I didn't say He said it to be cynical or negative, but I was saying it's not the only time that doing what's right comes with a cost.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:40 pm
by Hansha
I think Mother Theresa said this and at the end she says

"because it's between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

or something like that.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:45 pm
by ADXC
I find these very much helpful and they were spot on.

If someone is frightened by what these lines said, then maybe they should either grasp that this is what the world will do to Christians or simply not be a Christian because this is pretty much what the Bible entails.


Remember, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." Proverbs 27:6 NIV.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:48 pm
by ich1990
I don't like them.

The problem is that these aren't presented with any sort of reason behind them. There is no higher plan for doing what they say. The author just insists "because I told you too". If this was coupled with a proper "meaning of life" philosophy it would be fine, but taken by themselves the conclusion becomes laughable. It is like Existentialism's "work out your own life's meaning" without all of the self-reflection. If we are to take the above as truth, why not expand the ruleset?

"There will always be overpopulation"
[color="Red"]Run over people anyway.[/color]

"People will always be richer than you"
[color="Red"]Steal from them anyway.[/color]

etc.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:05 pm
by KougaHane
Those are inspiring, I'm sharing them with friends now.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:08 am
by Warrior4Christ
ich1990 (post: 1462716) wrote:I don't like them.

The problem is that these aren't presented with any sort of reason behind them. There is no higher plan for doing what they say. The author just insists "because I told you too". If this was coupled with a proper "meaning of life" philosophy it would be fine, but taken by themselves the conclusion becomes laughable. It is like Existentialism's "work out your own life's meaning" without all of the self-reflection. If we are to take the above as truth, why not expand the ruleset?

"There will always be overpopulation"
[color="Red"]Run over people anyway.[/color]

"People will always be richer than you"
[color="Red"]Steal from them anyway.[/color]

etc.

I think the author had some implied set of values/virtues that are timeless. Maybe he saw some people in our modern era shying away from these values (honesty, doing good, loving people, helping people, etc) because they seemed too hard, but he says to continue persevering with them anyway, because they're still worth it. But it's almost as though the explanation of these values are beyond the scope of this piece of writing.
I makes sense to me....

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:14 am
by Sapphire225
ich1990 (post: 1462716) wrote:I don't like them.

The problem is that these aren't presented with any sort of reason behind them. There is no higher plan for doing what they say. The author just insists "because I told you too". If this was coupled with a proper "meaning of life" philosophy it would be fine, but taken by themselves the conclusion becomes laughable. It is like Existentialism's "work out your own life's meaning" without all of the self-reflection. If we are to take the above as truth, why not expand the ruleset?

"There will always be overpopulation"
[color="Red"]Run over people anyway.[/color]

"People will always be richer than you"
[color="Red"]Steal from them anyway.[/color]

etc.


You have to think of it this way. In this world, sometimes immediate results will not be given to you when you want them to, and some actions will be ignored by man but seen by God.

Also, what it points out was that Jesus did it Anyway (which is the title of the book). It has a realsitic view that if one expects doing good all the time will always be easy and appreciated by everyone, then one will be dissapointed rather quickly.

There is probably more to it than that in the book, but the main objective is to point out what might happen and what you should do when you get less than wanted results.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 9:25 am
by Rusty Claymore
"The merchants will just be back in the Court of the Gentiles next year."

[color="Red"]Make a whip and drive 'em out anyway.[/color]

XD Jesus did it anyway!

(Gomen! Gomen! [sorry] I couldn't resist, that set-up was just too awsome! XD)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:35 am
by TopazRaven
I personally found that list rather inspiring and true. Makes perfectly logical sense to me anyway.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:58 am
by Syreth
The problem is that these aren't presented with any sort of reason behind them. There is no higher plan for doing what they say. The author just insists "because I told you too". If this was coupled with a proper "meaning of life" philosophy it would be fine, but taken by themselves the conclusion becomes laughable. It is like Existentialism's "work out your own life's meaning" without all of the self-reflection. If we are to take the above as truth, why not expand the ruleset?

Because they're presented as a gimmick and not as a philosophical treatise. In order to find out the "higher plan" according to Mr. Keith, you would probably have to buy his book.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:25 pm
by Nate
Syreth wrote:you would probably have to buy his book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDTwO0TlwOU

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:43 pm
by Syreth


I remember that show! lol *runs to check various online TV sources*

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:13 pm
by TheMewster
I absolutely love those! God bless the guy who made them!

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 5:15 pm
by Mr. SmartyPants
ich1990 (post: 1462716) wrote:I don't like them.

The problem is that these aren't presented with any sort of reason behind them. There is no higher plan for doing what they say. The author just insists "because I told you too". If this was coupled with a proper "meaning of life" philosophy it would be fine, but taken by themselves the conclusion becomes laughable. It is like Existentialism's "work out your own life's meaning" without all of the self-reflection. If we are to take the above as truth, why not expand the ruleset?

"There will always be overpopulation"
[color="Red"]Run over people anyway.[/color]

"People will always be richer than you"
[color="Red"]Steal from them anyway.[/color]

etc.

Well... the author is already presupposing an ethic of Christian love, right? Love asks us to love for the sake of love, yes?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:13 pm
by ich1990
Mr. SmartyPants (post: 1463189) wrote:Well... the author is already presupposing an ethic of Christian love, right? Love asks us to love for the sake of love, yes?


I didn't get that, but I guess it probably says so in his book.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:33 pm
by Bobtheduck
Mr. SmartyPants (post: 1463189) wrote:Well... the author is already presupposing an ethic of Christian love, right? Love asks us to love for the sake of love, yes?


This... This exactly. The reason there isn't the deep expanding on these topics here is because it's just a summary of what we should do as Christians, and similar statements have been made by Jesus. The difference is that the entirety of the backing for these statements is all there in the Manual. Meaning the Bible, not whatever book this person is pedaling.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:36 pm
by Nate
Bobtheduck wrote:The difference is that the entirety of the backing for these statements is all there in the Manual. Meaning the Bible, not whatever book this person is pedaling.

Are you saying people can't write books on theology and love because the Bible exists or something? Why so cynical that you think this guy is just doing it out of greed? Do you think C.S. Lewis wrote his books for money?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:27 pm
by Bobtheduck
Nate (post: 1463217) wrote:Are you saying people can't write books on theology and love because the Bible exists or something? Why so cynical that you think this guy is just doing it out of greed? Do you think C.S. Lewis wrote his books for money?


Sorry... I didn't mean he can't sell his book or that he's doing it out of greed, though I was cynical when I said it. I'm more cynical about the general state of theology / Christian self-help books that try to be answers instead of pointing to them. I will say that people's books on Theology can only go so far, even C.S. Lewis. As long as they admit upfront, clearly, and repeatedly that they're not the answer and they could be wrong, I've got no problem with Theology books.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:31 pm
by Nate
I don't like C.S. Lewis personally, but I was using him as an example since he seems to be so popular within Christianity. XD

Okay, I understand where you're coming from a bit, then. I haven't read his book so I obviously don't know what's in it.

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:35 pm
by TheMewster
I don't know what to think on the issue of Theology books. I'm actually pretty open to see what they say as long as they're Christian :).

PostPosted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:15 pm
by Sapphire225
TheMewster (post: 1466197) wrote:I don't know what to think on the issue of Theology books. I'm actually pretty open to see what they say as long as they're Christian :).


That's good, but be forwarned that not all Christian Theology books speak the truth.