The Practice of Mercy

originally posted by: IDoAsIPlease
a reply to: zosimov

Mercy? What is that? Where I come from mercy is for the weak. Mercy has no part in worldly affairs of men. Mercy has a way of getting people killed every single day in real world. I'll have no part of it.

Tough guys on the interwebs are so impressive.

a reply to: Lysergic

You aren't telling me anything new. Been apex all my life. Only the strong survive. Natural law.

a reply to: IDoAsIPlease

kewl.

I can see by the response here that I am not wrong to have tremendous faith in humanity!

for all of the thought-provoking and encouraging responses

originally posted by: IDoAsIPlease
a reply to: zosimov

Doesn't bother me in the least. I'd rather isolate myself around people of like mind who are strong than surround myself with weaklings. Strong people very seldom have an easy past.

Funny thing, so many People considered strong by society caused war and many deaths. The end result was not lasting as the next supposedly strong person does the same undoing the last.

The truly lasting changes in the world have come from People perceived to be "weak" like Jesus and Gandhi who were clearly the stronger.

Paul lists “meekness” as the eighth attribute among the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:23

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek [Greek praus ], for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). That’s a mighty big reward for being meek!

A word with a closely-related meaning is magnanimous, defined as “generous in forgiving; avoiding resentment or revenge; unselfish.”

a reply to: zosimov

It would do you much good to write off humanity. Abandon all hope. Funny, I remember reading that somewhere before. Just look out for yourself and yours. Don't worry about what you can't change. The human race is not what was intended for this space rock. Maybe cockroaches will get it right since they are next up to bat.

a reply to: SeaWorthy

What is wrong with war? War is extremely beneficial to a race such as ours. War is akin to population control on steroids. Presidents, Kings, Chancellors all summit regularly to talk about how to control their populations, hence global population. How to you think this is accomplished? Via birth control? smh

originally posted by: zosimov

originally posted by: Lysergic
a reply to: zosimov

The just power of mercy.

I really like this statement. And you are right, mercy is tremendously powerful! Forgiveness is a sign of strength, not weakness.

What?!!!!

The whole concept of forgiveness was created by an inter-galactic sky fairy running around in spirit in the form of a dove, overshadowing Jewish virgins, creating bastard children for other men like Joseph to raise.

a reply to: Taupin Desciple

Forgive them father, for they know not what they do.

Bible Hub

Bible Hub

a reply to: SickWave

No forgiveness prior to the NT?

Either way, glad it's a concept that's manifested in the time since.

a reply to: zosimov

I have enjoyed and embraced the parts of your journey that you choose to share
The idea of mercy brings me to my Mother and the times that I cared for her and leading up to her death. For all of my transgressions, she showed me mercy and in the end I returned it, with mercy.
She also met her end with as much grace as was humanly possible at that moment.
Thanks for the thoughts, as always. I'm not sure that I've ever thanked you for one of your threads before.

a reply to: intrptr

I suppose a good question to answer here is what exactly costitutes forgiveness/mercy? I really think Taupin is on to something here, in that forgiveness is more a matter of the heart than anything else, the process that leads to mercy is entirely internal, and benefits the person extending the forgiveness most of all.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Thank you sincerely for your heartfelt and lovely contribution to this thread.

I can't really express how touching it was to read that. And I am so happy to hear about the blessed way you were able to care for your mother, and the gift you two gave each other.

People seem to have unrealistic expectations for the human race as if it is the one all be all of planet earth. Truth be said, humans are nothing more than primates who have a slightly more developed brain which allows them to verbally express themselves a tad bit more efficiently. Other than that, same monkey $#!t applies. Get your tree branches, boulders, flint tools ready to do what is innate for primates to do - kill one another to make room for the next evolving species on this planet. Just accept what you are then let go of everything else. 10,000 years of cerebral evolution does not a superior species make no matter how many cyber sessions of cognitive dissonance you have on 60+ year technology. Unadulterated truth.

a reply to: IDoAsIPlease

a reply to: IDoAsIPlease

I think we're great!

a reply to: zosimov

I suppose a good question to answer here is what exactly constitutes forgiveness/mercy?

To forgive is to forget.

Not holding it against people that do stuff to us.

Letting it go.

Evil spreads by people dong evil back or to others. We break the chain and spread good by not doing what is done unto us.

The Cheese stands alone. Sorry about poor quality:

originally posted by: IDoAsIPlease
People seem to have unrealistic expectations for the human race as if it is the one all be all of planet earth. Truth be said, humans are nothing more than primates who have a slightly more developed brain which allows them to verbally express themselves a tad bit more efficiently. Other than that, same monkey $#!t applies. Get your tree branches, boulders, flint tools ready to do what is innate for primates to do - kill one another to make room for the next evolving species on this planet. Just accept what you are then let go of everything else. 10,000 years of cerebral evolution does not a superior species make no matter how many cyber sessions of cognitive dissonance you have on 60+ year technology. Unadulterated truth.

You mean theories. Not truth.

a reply to: zosimov

Do you? Ok. You are entitled to your opinion. Although I know we are not. We humans live under self-made laws which are set in opposition to one another. How is that great? Depending on which side of the curve you fall on I'd say less than 3% of this current global population is deemed worthy to continue carrying the torch in the name of humanity. The vast majority is currently being egregiously systematically exterminated via methodologies and technologies developed by not only U.S. government, but other world governments as well. Are they showing mercy?

a reply to: IDoAsIPlease

I agree that there exists a destructive element that is impossible to ignore, but meanwhile the creative, collaborative, and constructive effort of so many of the population has made this experience-- painful and uncertain as it is-- a beautiful one for me.