(who knew that a post about a mouse in the house would set off such emotions?!?!?! see the 2 previous entries, and comments, to understand why i am posting this.)
jambaloney and i have very strong beliefs. in a bunch of different things. some are religious, some are spiritual and some are karmic. some we believe are just common sense. oh i am opening up a can of worms - i just know it.
jambaloney's beliefs are a combination of beliefs that were developed by himself, his family, his environment, his culture, his religion and his own personal instinct until the age of 35. my beliefs were developed by me, my family, my environment, my culture, my religion and my own personal instinct until the age of 30. and then we met, fell in love, shared our beliefs...and have been developing our own belief system together for the past 11 years.
we read the Bible. we are both intelligent, educated and trained in using logic, rationale, common sense and intuition. we both understand creationism and the big bang. there are some things that we both instinctively feel that neither of us can describe using human language. we felt this so many times in our years before we met, but after we met - oh wow! and then back in our old house in the city, laying together in our beautiful yard, holding hands, feeling the sun, staring for hours together at grass growing - well, whoa! and here at the Manor, there are days down at the river, after having a dip and laying on our blanket with the sun beating down on us to dry us off...and we look at each other and we know. we both believe very much in Our Father, His Son Jesus Christ - Our Lord and Saviour...and we both truly believe that we have been touched by, and felt, the presence of The Holy Spirit in our lives.
we subscribe to no one religion and only like the good parts in all of them. we have discussed and studied many. we are not new-age - although some new-age belief systems could be applied to our way of thinking. we try our best to practice our beliefs every day. i am a trained linguist and can truly understand the beauty in the words "be" and "live". beliefs are "be-lives", and beliefs are only truly yours if you "be what you live", or "live what you be".
i might be scaring off many of you right now whose beliefs may not exactly correspond to ours. that is not the point of this post. i don't ever want to mislead any of you into wrongly believing that we believe the way that you believe. i don't want to misrepresent us in a way that makes you think that we believe a certain way - and then shock you when you find out that we don't. i want for you to be comfortable here and know that we always try to tell the truth and be honest - those are two things that we strongly believe in.
we strongly believe that The Ten Commandments, regardless of your professed religion, are not bad words to live by. and we try very hard to "be" and "live" them. we feel that The Ten Commandments are good words to try and live by on a daily basis. we feel this very strongly...both of us...and jambaloney was a professed agnostic until i met him. i struggled with my beliefs all through my teen years and it wasn't until my mid-twenties that i was able to fully understand and marry what my heart and soul felt to what my mind constantly re-examined.
back to The Ten Commandments. good words to live by, we believe. you can believe what you want - that is your choice and i am really not trying to get Biblical on anyone. all i want to point out is that we take The Ten Commandments very seriously.
"Thou shalt not kill"
oh crap - here we go. i honestly look forward to everyone's opinion. after having read our Bible, using our logic and ration, discussing together in depth about what this means - we came to a conclusion together. it means we shouldn't kill. anything. period. unless after the Noachite Dispensation - oh scaring off a ton of you here, eh? - except to eat (and please note that we are not Fundamentalist Christians, either. i just studied with a glorious FC for over a year and loved every minute of it. i have studied with Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, the LDS and was baptized in the Salvation Army. i'm just trying to give you some background here!). we believe that you don't kill anything unless it is for your sustenance, your survival. things eat things. all things eat things to survive. jambaloney fishes - but no longer uses live bait. jambaloney hunts. and we pray that he brings down a deer next year in the most humane manner possible - by knowing how to use his weapon and using it humanely. we know that the tomatoes we grow are living things created by Our Lord...and we know that by pulling them off of the vine and eating them - that we are killing them. sometimes you cut open a pepper and inside are millions of seeds...all babies. we kill them to sustain ourselves.
we don't kill anything unless we plan to eat it. that is how we interpret "Thou shalt not kill".
in a SHTF situation, or Armageddon if you will, i guess we will be in a full-out survival situation and what we kill to eat may change. we accept that. but for right now, we save every creature that we can - flies, gnats, mosquitoes, rodents, etc., who end up trapped in our house. yep - we are very new-agey. ya, we are. but no, we are not.
if a fly is in the house, jambaloney and i go to great pains to catch it and release it. same thing goes for a grasshopper, an ant or a mouse.
our beliefs are very strong and very intricate and very detailed. i welcome all of your comments, both positive or negative, but i just wanted to share some of our belief system, especially the part that pertains to saving creatures. so that we wouldn't ever misrepresent ourselves to any of you...we always want to be honest.
i hope that you now understand why we, because of our beliefs, never pull grass out of the ground for fun, never swat mosquitoes, never use traps or live bait, and always try to save every living creature that comes into our house, not by their own volition, but maybe because barrel caught them, traumatized them and brought them home for our approval. mice and rodents and insects find themselves in our home accidentally...and this is just one way that we try to live up to our belief in The Ten Commandments.
if i have offended any of you, our friends, please send me an email at kymberzmail@gmail.com
we are not trying to convert anyone, nor are we trying to press our beliefs on to any of you. we just ask that you respect what we believe after reading why we believe the way that we do. we believe in respecting all life, as we believe that all life was created by Our Father.
and after all of this hulla-balloo, there seems only one thing that would be appropriate to say -
Peace Out, Yo!
As I said earlier do what you like. I will totally disagree with your theory that field mice will not enter an inhabited building on their own however and the longer you let them live the more damage you will get. That however is your cross to bear my dear.
ReplyDeleteAs to the religious implications animals do not have souls and I imagine it was just for that reason so they could be dealt with before they cause rampant destruction. Your beliefs are you own but thankfully the grain farmers around here do not share them or we would be suffering through a Biblical plague every Winter when the mice moved into the grain silos. Or my Bee hives.
PioneerP - to further clarify, we really don't have a problem with mice around here. however, i am sure that if we did, we would have to come up with some sort of solution. we would try to come up with a humane solution and killing them would be the very last option we would choose.
Deletei completely disagree that animals do not have souls. let's agree to disagree, ok?
Kymber dearest It makes no matter to me. However I do believe that if you are going to have a post that mentions getting Biblical and then claiming animals have souls the two do not go together. As mmasse pointed out I believe the Bible does specifically say animals do not have souls.
DeleteOtherwise treat them as you see fit. I for one am glad mice and other vermin are not treated as humans with souls by all the producing links in my food chain.
You know how I feel about mice: the only good mouse is a dead mouse. I don't understand why the Judeo-Christian Ten Commandments is held up as something unusual when all religions have similars rules for life. Your belief does not bother me. Wanton, mindless destruction of any creature is uncalled for. I don't want destructive animals that carry disease in my home. Have you ever heard of hanta? Mice a prolific little animals.
ReplyDeleteYou did not hurt my feelings at all. I just will never agree with you. I wonder if you will feel this way when you see a crop being destroyed by any living creature.
Peace out? I am confused. Was there a fight on the first post? Just because you don't see the mouse is not visible, does not mean it went outdoors. But, I am glad you are satisfied with his not being in your bed!
PracticalP - i am glad that you pointed out that most religions have similar rules for life. and i am glad that our belief does not bother you! yes - wanton, mindless destruction of ANY creature is uncalled for. and as i explained above - if we did have a problem with mice, we would have to do something. we would just try the most humane methods of dealing with it first.
DeletePeace out is a street/rap term that just means "see ya later" - teehee. there was no fighting on the other posts.
Good for you, Kymber and Jambaloney. Rules that make sense to live by and shared by both of you.
ReplyDeleteTango - thanks so much honey. we really appreciate that. and i like the way that you put it - "rules that make sense to live by". thanks for that! xoxo
DeleteGuess I never thought about anyone getting upset over thoughts about mice. I may think some of your beliefs are a touch odd, but then some folks feel that way about some of mine, too. Your religious views concern me, but only because I think you're goods folks who are off-track in some of your thinking. Even then, it's YOUR eternity that's on the line, so I hope no one got nasty about it. Guess I'm not curious enough to go back and go through the comments. Just for the record, I leave mice alone until they get inside the house. You probably wouldn't like my views on poisonous snakes, though.
ReplyDeleteMr. Smythe - i expected exactly this response from you, so thank you for always living up to my expectations! you are always a gentleman and never push your ideas on anyone else. yes, i understand that you would think that some of our beliefs are a touch odd - i like the way that you put it. and there are others in our lives, good Christians, who worry about our religious views, but have come to terms with them. it is our eternity that's on the line, when you believe a certain way, but that is for each of us to deal with if a time ever comes that we have to deal with them. rest assured, Sir, that we do believe that Jesus attoned for our sins.
Deletethank you for your well-presented and fair comment.
What you both believe in, is your own business. And I find no fault. And just because you both believe differently than others. We shouldn't condemn. I see it as, like one person being a Buddhist,and another being Baptist. Is one wrong, and the other right? Why be so judgmental.
ReplyDeleteI can live with what you both believe, as I am sure that you can live with what I believe. Some of what I believe, is Native American. So what. That does not mean it is wrong. As long as be leaf's are not forced onto people, than, there should be Harmony between people.
And I'm sorry if this comment might offend. To each his own.
God Bless you both, and all others.
Thank you so much for that Flier! everything that you just wrote - i completely agree with - in fact - you might be living in my head!!! (get out of my head, Flier)!
DeleteHarmony between people - such a beautiful concept that i wish more people would subscribe to!
God Bless you and yours, dear friend!
kymber honey...I think you have carried Thou Shall not kill a little too far. like PP says....animals or insects do not have a soul.
ReplyDeleterats, mice, rodents whatever you call them are just nasty. They carry all kinds of disease and can be very destructive. They got in the wall of our barn and destroyed the insulation and wiring. They ate through bottles of stored water and ate though the tops of Rubbermaid trash cans that held out animals food. After this you better believe that poison and traps are put out for them and we use metal barrels now just in case. Rats are also known for destroying and killing rabbits in hutches and will eat the heads off of baby chicks. You can read horror stories of apartments over run with rats eating the toes off of newborn babies lying in their cribs.
Roaches and flies are just as nasty and carry disease. You can watch the flies outside sit on a big pile of dog crap and then come in your home, crawl around your kitchen and get on your food. Flies throw up on their food before they eat it. Flies here are killed when we hear the first buzz and then the area is bleached.
We had a bad problem with ants getting inside our home certain times of year. My son is almost totally paralyzed and I have horrors of finding them in his bed unable to do anything. My house gets sprayed every few months to keep all the creepy crawlers out. I can't stand any of the nasty critters.
I live in Florida so I will not even get into the gnats and mosquitoes who will try to eat you alive if you let them live.
You didn't hurt my feelings either. Just can't rationalize letting some creatures live and wish you'd think a little more on this before you have a lot of destruction or become ill. What would you do if termites were destroying your home?
Mamma - some people may very well agree with your first and second statement. however, we do not agree. and, again, i stress that we have never had a problem with rats, mice or any other vermin. if the house was suddenly over run by poisonous snakes - we would have to deal with it. as humanely as possible. we simply do not wish to kill things simply because they exist. we believe that there is a purpose to everything in life. but if the house was full of termites, we would be forced to go against our beliefs and do what was necessary. but again, only because it was necessary. we just don't believe in killing things if it isn't necessary.
Deletei am glad that i didn't hurt your feelings, my friend!
And in other news....
ReplyDeleteI saved a ton of money by switching to Geico....
bahahahah! i pretty much knew that you would be the only one to get the point of this post - thanks buddy!
Deletekymber and jambaloney,
ReplyDeleteHow do you feel about the pregnant raccoon that I caught and the Animal Control officers killed? I am supposing you don't agree with that murder? But, the Animal Control officers could not release her near me because she would come back and tear up more of my house, have babies right over my head and maybe they would fall down like three babies did last year, spreading disease and fleas, droppings and fur around my home, in the kitchen, den, and bathroom.
It is almost impossible to raccoon-proof a house because if a raccoon wants in, it will get in, doing any amount of damage necessary. I suppose I could live in a concrete bunker with no windows and a sealed door...but...
It is illegal to release raccoons in another area because there may be disease in animals here that are diseases not present in the release area. In the long run, this keeps more animals alive. Animal Control officers explained this to me.
If they released the pregnant raccoon in her territory/area, then the raccoon would be causing financial hardship to people because insurance companies raise the premium if the insured collects to repair the house. Raccoons have been known to attack animals and people. Sometimes, raccoons carry rabies. If they choose to live in my home, one of us leaves unwillingly. I won't give up my safety and health for the convenience of a raccoon.
This is not a moral or ethical dilemma. It is a very practical matter concerning disease for humans and animals,monetary losses,and danger.
Raccoons are cute and cuddly looking, but when you have one face you down and snarl, you might change your mind about who lives. Maybe not. Let one approach you and snarl, then tell me how you feel about one living. I will not try to talk down a raccoon...lol.
What would you have done? What should I have done?
I replied to your post just because your view is not tenable for the rest of us. Besides, do you put flour and other foods in the freezer to kill weevil eggs. Would you rid your hair of lice or your body of crabs. You cannot invite these pests to leave. Any canned or frozen food you eat has been cleansed by ridding of pests. I soak some fresh vegetables for a few minutes in salt water to get the protein out. Have you ever seen dozens of spider-like critters come from your broccoli when the broccoli is put in salt water?
Living things, insects, were killed to bring your food to you. Even dried beans have Diatomaceous Earth, DE, sprinkled in silos/bins to kill wayward bugs and eggs. Red food coloring is beetle shells.
Don't even try to guess how much I hate squirrels. I stomped a mouse that ran through my 9th grade classroom. The kids thought I was crazy because their mothers would never stomp a mouse. I swat flies, poison ants, and hit mosquitoes on my body or in the air with no qualms.
I am just explaining my view. I am glad to know yours.
PracticalP - your well-thought out comment is quite refreshing here. if a pregnant raccoon was nesting in my roof or basement or floor - we would have to deal with that. out here in the country, animal control won't even come out for something so simple. one of us would have to shoot it. we would have to. there would be no choice.
Deletebut that is the basis of our belief - we only kill things as a last resort and try to deal with all living life in an humane as possible manner. if we don't have to kill it - we don't!
your views are very clear and i appreciate your taking the time to share them. i am glad to know them and respect them.
xox
Kymber--don't fret others' opinions of your beliefs. Odysseus and I share some odd ones with each other (that we don't talk about with any but a very few, very close friends). Your beliefs are between you and God.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I see your views. I may not hold with all them (for example, the Commandments have been mistranslated from Hebrew--it was "murder," not simply "kill"), but I do understand.
And I'm far less likely to be willing to kill an animal than I would be to kill an adult human committing the same offense (i.e., breaking into my house). Ants, however, are fair game.
thanks HH. i don't fret others' opinions but realized that some people may have thought we believed a certain way, when in fact, we don't. and i just didn't want to mislead anyone. i agree with you whole-heartedly that beliefs are something between a person and God.
Deletethanks for saying that.
kymber - I, too, have complete faith in my Lord and His Father. And I try to adhere to the 10 Commandments - and especially, Luke 6:31 "Do unto others". I do believe that the world would be a far nicer place if that commandment was the first law of every country.
ReplyDeleteI agree that "Thou shalt not kill", but I also believe the the Lord created a food chain. In this case, rodents are the fodder for hawks, eagles, owls and snakes - and, in some instances, humans are forced to eat them too.
However, I do not believe that the Lord would object if a rodent was exterminated because it had crossed the line and was impacting on human lives. The stories of innocent babies who have had their fingers and toes nibbled off by rodents give me pause for thought. The disease that they and their droppings, urine and their flea's cause is horrific, and has resulted in massive world wide death and humanitarium suffering (the Black Plague 1348 - 1350).
No, never fear, you haven't lost this follower :) And I know that you will not judge others for their beliefs.
But, if the SHTF one day, and human life was no more, rodents and cockroaches would rule supreme.
They (rodents) give me the creeps, and I, too, would join you "up the stairs to the living room"...
Dani - i love Luke 6:31 as well and try very hard to practice it. of course i have screwed up royally at times, but i do always try to keep the commandments in mind!
Deletei believe in the food chain - i believe God created it so that we can all eat. this to me is common sense. and we do kill animals to eat. we also grow, nurture and kill plants to eat. but only to eat. and we would never kill a living thing just for the sheer pleasure of it or because it was annoying. if/when SHTF - we will very likely have to change our eating habits and will probably be very glad when barrel brings home a mouse. it's just that those aren't the circumstances right now, and if we have a choice, we don't kill something that could just be set free.
teehee - i was up the stairs to be out of the mouse's view so that jambaloney could sneak up on him. i don't mind mice or rats or anything - i just prefer that they don't sleep in my bed - bahahahahah!
Holy smokes, who knew that a little mouse story would become a *thing* !? I think that it’s kinda sweet that the two of you go to such great pains to save a life, and I understand your reasoning behind it. I did laugh, though, when you showed embarrassment about a single crumb for your little friend to find under the heater. We sweep everyday, and my floors are still like an all you can eat buffet to a mouse….which would be why when we have had them visit we use traps. I don’t really mind them if they keep a low profile, but when they leave evidence on my kitchen counters, in cabinets, or by my food storage - out come the traps.
ReplyDeleteAs far as your other views - I wouldn’t judge you on those, as I don’t want to be judged on mine, but I totally get feeling the need to come out and be honest. In the grand scheme of things, none of this (rodents and religious views) really matters, what matters are our relationships with those we come into contact with, the love that we do, or don’t, show each other. I wish the two of you many happy rodent free years at that beautiful manor of yours, a bountiful crop, and a clear, star filled sky to view from the hot tubJ Peace, back at ya!
Michele - teehee - i had no idea that the mouse post would cause all of this, eh? and thanks for understanding.
Deleteya, i was embarrassed about the crumb - actually it was quite a bit of crumbs - bahahah! but ya know, we live in a tiny house and do not have 10 children so the least i could do is keep it tidy, eh?
and thanks for understanding my feeling of needing to come out and be honest. that's why i wrote the post. i don't want people to think that we believe something that we don't. and you are sooo right - the relationships that we develop with others is so much more important than believing the exact same things.
i wish you and yours many happy days with running water, a completed office, a big giant extension off the back end of your tin can, and many, beautiful memories for you all up there on your mountain. thank you, dear one! xox
So will you please hurry up and eat the mouse already.
ReplyDeleteRussell - its done buddy - bahahahah!
DeleteMy friend, I believe as you. I believe that all creatures, especially animals, are the youngest children of God. With all the guns I have at my disposal, I also believe that I should not kill unless I, my family, or one of my animals is under direct threat. This is why we relocated mice elsewhere (which is legal here in the back of beyond) and why we try to repel animals rather than shooting them. Unfortunately, rabid animals here are fairly common, and animals who are obviously rabid have to be shot, with a particular round, and then buried and contained in a manner which will not spread the contagion to others.
ReplyDeleteYour beliefs are not extreme. We should not deprive any creature of life unless their presence, clearly threatens our own. One mice would scarecely do that, at least in Nova Scotia.
(In Colorado, mice carry Hanta virus, and I would likely take a tougher stand there myself) Fond wishes to you both.
Jane - exactly! exactly! i want to say more but i just feel that you have covered it completely!
Deletethank you, dear sweet one. thank you. xoxox
mmasse - i agree with you to a certain extent. we try to treat all of God's creatures in a humane way - but again, jambaloney has no trouble with his conscience when he hunts. and that is because our belief is that we don't kill unless it is necessary.
ReplyDeletethank you for understanding that our beliefs are ours. and thank you for your respect of them. i truly appreciate that and respect that you have your own beliefs in return.
I don't know about your beliefs being "New Agey" as you say. I am a firm believer in the fact you don't kill unless you eat it, and then you thank the animal for the gift of his life to sustain yours. And yes I have eaten various bugs, don't ask lol was a way to get my kids to a educational program.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned in my reply to your mouse post we had bought traps over the weekend. Those would be for a SHTF situation when mice would or could threaten our food supplies therefore our survival.
We caught and yes illegally released a raccoon last year for our neighbors (3 grown men cowering and me up there catching it) and we also take other measures to keep bugs out of our home, such as
Bay Leaves: in our dry food stuffs and on the window sills to keep wevils and ants out. Pennyroyal to discourge mosquitos from biting us and being swatted at.
Everyone one has a line they will not cross and everyone has exceptions for that line. Spiders are mine, I am allergic to them. I leave them be outside but inside...Bear dog stomps on them, I have worthless cats, or they get squashed. Simply protecting my survival.
Your beliefs are admirable and somewhat very in sinc with Native American ones.
On the tiltawhirl of life- Beth
Beth - thanks for that and i completely agree - you don't kill an animal unless you eat it, or if the animal is a threat to you and/or your family. thank you for the tips on herbs to use for weevils and ants and especially the pennyroyal. we get hordes of mosquitoes in the summer and the only thing that keeps them off is to wear bug suits - i hate wearing bug suits!!!
Deletethank you for such a beautiful compliment, i am honoured. xox
I am a 'live and let live' person to a point. When one of my cats catches a mouse, that means the black snake living under my house must be gone for the summer. If they don't kill it before I find it, I release it outside. Telling it "go back to the tribe and tell of huge monsters living in that house and stay away from it."
ReplyDeleteI believe anything that is capable of loving you has a soul. Might not be on our level, but, I think they go to heaven. The bible tells us that Jesus will return on a white horse, where is he going to get it? Down the road at Amos Fishers? "Hey, Mr Amish-Man, can I borrow your white horse? I'll bring it back after Armageddon."
The ONLY living things I kill are flies, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and gypsy moths. They are of the devil for sure.
I believe Jesus died and rose again and sits at the Father's side. He is my lord and savior and understands and forgives me. Some days, he just watches me and shakes his head. "Oh, Father, what shall we do with her." He and His Father love me unconditionally, and, for that I am greatful.
Just my humble opinion and beliefs.
bahahahaha - Sharon - that is what we told the mouse - to go back and tell horror stories of what he encountered so that no others would ever try to get in - bahahah!
Deleteoh and great call on Jesus returning on the white horse. i believe that every living creature has a soul. and that they, too, will go to Heaven. i know that freaks out a lot of people but that is what we believe.
and ugh. getting teary over your last paragraph. that is what i believe, too, Sharon. and just between us - when Jesus is shaking his head at you, i do something dumb and distract him away. your welcome - bahahaha!
thanks Sharon. i love it when people are not afraid to share what they believe. even when i don't agree with them, i still love the fact that they are willing to share. and i really love your humble opinion and beliefs. thank you for sharing.
Oh no - one of those "weighty" questions of life that can get people all worked up! LOL
ReplyDeleteBut here's my own take - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Well, I have yet to meet a non-human that can make a profession of faith of the finished work of Christ. So I would have to say that I do not believe a non-human could be included. Now given that, rather than beat anyone over the head with my opinion - more importantly I feel true freedom is being able to believe whatever you like!
Anonymous Homesteader
PS: Oh dear, I bet I get flack on what about people that cannot comprehend the plan of salvation! Ho Ho - let me be clear :), I personally believe that those people unable to comprehend, are not held accountable (including babies and small children)! However, I do not extend that to non-humans, as it doesn't matter what level of comprehension a non-human may have...it would still not recognize a need for a Saviour. See, one weighty question leads to another! LOL
oh AH - there you go stirring up the pot with more mighty questions - bahahahah! thanks for that, buddy!
Deleteand thank you for sharing and explaining your beliefs. i may not agree with them, but i do sincerely thank you for sharing them. and yes - true freedom is feeling comfortable enough to have your own beliefs.
let's agree to disagree, all the while respecting each other's beliefs. thanks again for stirring up the pot - bahahah!
Oh absolutely - I've had enough people in my life that have tried to dictate what they think I should believe, and I would never want to make anyone feel that way!
DeleteYou know my dad used to always tell me that there are so many things we simply cannot know about heaven until we get there! He would quote I Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
I like that - takes the pressure off, I'll just wait to find out some stuff 'til after I get there! :)
HH - i love that quote from Corinthians! and i am glad that your Dad quoted it to you. He was right - there is so much that we simply cannot know! thanks for sharing that!
DeleteI think everyone should have the right to believe what they believe! What they feel in their soul is none of my business.I do have an issue with those who say their beliefs are the only ones that are acceptable. Thank you for being open about your beliefs,but even more so,for acknowledging that we all have the right to follow our own path and not judge others. More power to you!!! :)
ReplyDeletethank you Donna! that is exactly the point! we should all be able to believe what our soul feels and we should be respectful and mindful of others beliefs. thank you again! xox
DeleteIf you lose friends over your beliefs, then they weren't friends. Online friends have less attachment, but everyone should respect opinions, even if they don't like/agree with what you say/do or believe in. I'm often torn about things I post, since I'm certain I would lose at least 1/2 of my blog friends and reader with 1 quick post. But I think posting stuff in our lives is fun and keeps us accountable, and can connect us with people all across the world, so I try and be mindful of that. We all have things to teach others, and learn, we just have to be open minded.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the 10 commandments... well as long as I can look in the mirror and genuinely know I'm a good person, that's what matters. I broke the 'not kill' rule before I was 18, everything in a certain situation. I hunted all my life but never fired a shot at a living creature until I was int he Army, it was always about spending time with my Dad. I don't hunt now, I think I love animals more than people but if it's survival I'll do what I must like always.
Max - i couldn't agree more! and i really enjoy the camaraderie the develops with online friends. and i really like the way you said that we all have things to learn and teach, but open mindedness is needed. and i agree about trying to be a genuine and good person. thank you for sharing some very personal information - appreciate that very much!
DeleteOK, this is the gospel according to Duke. There will only be horses and dogs in heaven (no cats, snakes, rats etc)
ReplyDeleteBTW, the bible mentions a new heaven and a new earth, maybe all the other animals will be on the new earth.
Dear Duke buddy - ok. got it! bahahahah! but i really like your idea that the animals may go to the new earth. there are a few religions that already have a similar belief.
Deletei'm sure that you would, Joey, buddy! bahahahah!
ReplyDeleteHey Kymber - You really put yourself on a slippery slope, but you knew that. And I totally understand your reasons behind your decision to do so. Let me say that the belief systems which you and Jambaloney have created for yourselves to live by as best as you can, speak volumes to me.
ReplyDeleteYou are the kind of people that this world is severely lacking. I stand behind you all the way, as I believe that animals do have souls too ! I can't kill any living creature for no good reason. I never have and never will. Without me getting into preachy talk here - " The Ten Commandments " are Good words to live by. Thank- you my friend for your sincere honesty, and really putting yourself out there. Don't be upset if anyone is lost - they weren't your true friend then anyways. I could ramble on here, but short and sweet is better for today I think.
Jane of Virginia, stole my words ... great lady too !
I'll get on that email soon Kymber, and you guys have a great day ! Love always ... Helga xoxo
Helga - when you meet certain people and share a few conversations, or emails, you can get a sense of what they believe. that's how it has been for me with a lot of my internet friends, and i hate having to say "internet" friend. for me, all friends are friends. some friends i have, i see every few days. some i see once a month. some i talk to on the phone. some i converse with over this blog, and other people's blogs. some friends are email friends. all friends to me are the same! back to my point, there are some internet/email/blog friends that i have and i can just tell what they believe without having to get into a religious discussion. you are one of them!
Deletethank you for standing behind me in our beliefs. we don't want to force that on anyone, and respect others beliefs as we want ours respected. and i never ever want to mislead anyone who visits here - i don't want them to think that we think a certain way and then get shocked when they find out that we don't. we just want to be honest in our friendships.
i am happy to say that i don't think that we have lost any of our great friends here - even the ones who don't agree with our beliefs. i really thought that this post would open up an ugly can of worms - but everyone has been respectful and for that i am very happy!
Jane of Virginia is a super great lady. as are you, my sweet and very dear friend! i'll get you an email out soon too, hon!
love always back to you! xoxo
Wow, who would have thought it. I think I will stay away from all this though.
ReplyDeleteMDR - that's probably a good idea - teehee. although, i must repeat that i thought it would get ugly. and i am really glad that it didn't. there's some really good people around here that we call friends, who don't share our specific beliefs, but are respectful and kind. just the kind of people that i like to surround myself with!
DeleteHi, Kymber sweetie! I am not going anywhere. Nope! staying right here with you. Thank you for clearing up your belief system though. I completely respect where you are coming from and see that you even feel passionate about some of the same things I do :-)
ReplyDeleteI do hope, however, that you don't mind while you are here visiting this spring if I swat at the black flies while we sunbathe and sip on our lemonaid. I'll try to contain myself, but I can't promise perfection, sweetie :-)
Your friend, Sue
xoxoxo
teehee - thanks sweetie! you are another of my "internet" friends who i know i can share my beliefs with and never have to defend myself. there are lots of them here! no worries about the blackflies - i will ask my friend Beth above (who knows all kinds of natural remedies for things!) for something to keep the black flies away - i hate those things too my friend!
Deletei can't wait to sunbathe with you and Reno-man, drinking lemonade, wearing our all natural "keep the black flies away" lotion from Beth...all while jambaloney builds the outdoor kitchen - bahahahahah!
love always, hon. and thanks. xoxo
(((Kymber & Jambaloney)))
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you felt you needed to write up a post trying to explain your beliefs.
Simply put it is nobody's business how you believe. Shoot, if you two wanted to believe in an all knowing, one eyed, chocolate bar that had purple hair, who am I to judge? (yeah, don't know where I pulled that one out of either. LOL)
I most certainly am not going to try and convince you that what you believe is wrong. We all have our own way of believing, there is no wrong way or right way.
I have my own weird belief system, I am a non-practicing Catholic and have been that way since I was about 12 years old. I do not believe that one needs to go into a building to have a relationship with the creator. I think that God can hear me talking/praying to him no matter where I am.
The only time I go into a church is for baptisms, weddings and funerals. I believe in reincarnation, ghosts, demons, that the Earth is our Mother and should be treated with the same respect that my Native American ancestors treated her with. I do believe that animals have a soul and that we could learn many things by watching them and "listening" to them. So pretty much, I believe as I want to believe.
In the end, the only being who's opinion matters and counts as to how I chose/choose to believe is that of the big guy himself. :)
Brittany feels the same way about critters as you do, she will not kill anything, she's terrified of spiders, but she has Catman catch them and take them outside. Very rare is it for anything to survive for long if it does manage to get in the house though. The cats and the huskies eat them, not the shih-tzu, he's too lazy. :D
We've never had a serious mouse problem though, unlike most of our neighbors. Only two mice have made it inside in the seven years that we've lived here. The cats or dogs corner it, Catman traps it and takes it down the street to the almond orchard and releases it.
Wow, sorry, guys, I did not mean to ramble on so long. I'll stop now, LOL
Love & Hugs to you both
OOPS it's just me again...I forgot to tell you that you're going to be stuck with me for along time. This is not a friendship ender and if it is enough to end a friendship then it was never a friendship to begin with.
DeleteLot's of Love
~Fel~
oh Fel - thanks so much for such a well-thought out comment - and for sharing your own personal beliefs here. it means so much! but bahahahahaha on the chocolate bar worshipping! your Native American ancestors would really be thrown by that!
Deletei didn't so much feel that i needed to do a post to explain our beliefs...it was more that i didn't want anyone to put "beliefs" on us that we don't believe. i didn't want anyone to think that we believed a certain way, when we, in fact, don't!
you are another internet friend who has shared enough of yourself in the chatroom, on your blog and in emails that i don't need to have a religious discussion with you. i can sense what your beliefs are and you can sense mine. and they don't have to match. the mere fact that you have supported Brittany being a vegetarian tells me more about you then you can know! i know that you and Catman eat meat - but you are respectful enough of your daughter to cook meals for her that respect HER beliefs - that tells me a lot about you right off the bat!
your shih-tzu sounds like my noodle. lazy as heck!
one last thing - you and Catman have always had my respect for taking in the number of strays that you have. that shows me about your beliefs too! so thank you for stopping in and leaving such a thoughtful comment - i am very glad that i am going to be stuck with you for a very long time. that's kinda' what we promised each other when we first became friends. i thank the American Preppers Network daily for being able to find such a wonderful friend as you!
thank you so much! lots of love back to you and B and the C-man always! xoxox
Kymber- I feel much the way you do. I get terrible upset when the boys step on bugs.I say to them "what did that little ant ever do to you"? I was also the crazy lady that refused to kill the spider living in the corner of our porch. We named her Charlotte and watched every night while she made her web. I do personally have issues with organized religion....as a child it was shoved down my throat, and personally I feel just as close to the Lord while sitting on the beach and enjoying his beauty. And FYI: if you were to lose friends over your comments..then maybe they really weren't friends after all.
ReplyDeleteJUGM - thanks for that. i can understand that having organized religion shoved down your throat can really turn you off! i love to see the Lord in all of His handiwork, too, and glad that you experience a similar connection. i don't think i have lost any friends so far - which just goes to show the caliber and maturity of some of the friends that we have all made here in our little blogosphere. thanks so much for your comment, sweetie!
DeleteI am an atheist, but any impulse not to be cruel gets my vote.
ReplyDeleteAlways. ~Mary
Mary - thanks so much for dropping in. i couldn't agree with you more on the not being cruel thing! xox
DeleteSorry to be so late to the party. I am way behind in my blog reading. It is not my place to approve or disapprove of your beliefs. It is merely my place to respect that you have them and do my best not to intentionally offend them even though I may or may not agree with them. If you ask my opinion about your beliefs, I will give it freely. If you wish to discuss what I believe, I am happy to do so. In the end, I simply try to apply the Golden Rule and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteShepherd - with all that you got going on and what with getting guest posters and stuff (you rat b*st*rd! - bahahahah!) no probs about being late. buddy - thank you for respecting our beliefs and not going out of your way to offend, even if you don't believe the same. the Golden Rule is a good one. but i find that i learn the most from people who don't believe the same as me. but that only applies to religion and politics.
ReplyDeletepeople who go out of their way to save babies - well, those are people whose beliefs i am extremely interested in. because those people have a lot to teach. i would love to discuss our religious beliefs with you and learn more about yours. the only way to truly learn is to be open to new ideas. and i love to learn.
hey - let's get back to emailing again. yer a good friend...and as us Canadians always think before going to bed - God save YOUR Queen!
love ya buddy!