This article was originally published by Adam Taggart at PeakProsperity.com
Does anyone else in your life share your concerns for the future?
Is there someone you talk with regularly about the unsustainability of our current economic and ecological trajectories?
Do you have friends and/or family members who support your efforts to develop a more resilient lifestyle?
If you answered “no” to these questions, you’re not an outlier. In fact, the #1 most commonly-reported complaint we hear from Peak Prosperity readers is that they feel alone and isolated when it comes to the warnings delivered in The Crash Course.
The end of economic growth. Declining net energy. Accelerating resource depletion. These are MASSIVE existential threats to our way of life — to our species’ survival, even. Most PPers can’t comprehend why *everyone* isn’t obessively talking about these dangers.
But very few people are. Truthfully, most don’t want to; for a wide variety of reasons.
So that leaves us, the conscientious critical thinkers, alone by ourselves to worry and plan.
Does this sound like you? If so, read on…
Wired For Connection
Humans are biologically wired for social connection.
Until just recently, historically-speaking, humans typically existed in small tribal groups of 30-60 people, where the degree of unity and cohesiveness of the group directly determined its odds of survival. Facing constant adversity from the weather, predators, other tribes, etc — every member of the group had a role and a duty to perform.
We’ve delved into this topic deeply in the past, particularly in our podcast with Peabody Award-winning author Sebastian Junger.
In his book Tribe, Junger observes how far modern life is from the conditions our distant ancestors evolved from. We are so dis-connected from each other now that the lack of community is manifesting in alarming ways in today’s society.
Junger focuses on the challenges that soldiers, Peace Corps volunteers, war refugees, and others who have similarly banded together under adverse conditions — as our distant ancestors did — face when re-integrating into peaceful, civilian life. Depression, addiction and suicide are all-too common responses as they struggle to find meaning in their daily lives, which now feel unfulfillingly superficial and lonesome compared to the “real-ness” and “alive-ness” they’d experienced before.
Despite the often-horrible conditions they were subject to, many guiltily admit to Junger that they preferred life under duress — facing threats like bullets, disease, or cancer. What does that reflect about quality of life in our current society?
In the case of US veterans, they’re committing suicide at the rate of over 20 deaths per day — nearly one every hour. And they’re dying of opioid drug overdoses at twice the rate of the civilian population. While there are many reasons behind this, Junger is convinced from his research that “leaving the tribal closeness of the military and returning to an alienating and bitterly divided modern society” is a root cause.
An Epidemic Of Loneliness
This alienation and division isn’t only being felt by veterans.
In a world of digital devices and social media, our interaction with other humans is becoming increasingly virtual. In the sprawl of suburbia, we live in densly-packed cul-de-sacs yet hardly know our next-door neighbors’ names. The fast-growing wealth gap is forcing the 99% to work harder just to make ends meet, leaving little time left in the week for socializing or family interaction.
The US is now experiencing an “epidemic” of loneliness, according to a study released by Cigna last month. Perhaps not surprising given that their cohort is the first to grow up with smartphones in hand, those in Generation Z are the worst off:
Gen Z is the loneliest generation, survey reveals (CNBC)
Loneliness among Americans has reached “epidemic levels,” according to health service company Cigna’s U.S. Loneliness Index, released Tuesday.
The index, which surveyed over 20,000 U.S. adults, found that nearly half of survey respondents reported sometimes or always feeling alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent) and younger generations feel much lonelier than older ones.
For Cigna’s report, survey respondents were evaluated on their loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a 20-item questionnaire that was developed to assess subjective feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Gen Z adults surveyed (ages 18 to 22), are the loneliest, according to the report. More than half of Gen Zers identified with 10 of the 11 feelings associated with loneliness, according to the survey, including feeling like people around them are not really with them (69 percent), feeling shy (69 percent) and feeling like no one really knows them well (68 percent).
“While we know that this is a group that is making life changes, these findings give us a surprising understanding of how this generation perceives themselves,” Douglas Nemecek, M.D., chief medical officer for Behavioral Health at Cigna, tells CNBC Make It in an email. “It’s something that we need to explore to understand how we can address it. And that’s what we’re planning to do.”
If you’re a parent to any Gen Zers, this photo really hits home:
The ramifications of living life through the filter of social media are beginning to become clear.
A recent study by Harvard Business Review confirms what most parents have long suspected: the more we use Facebook, the worse our reported physical health, mental health and life satisfaction. Even top former executives from Facebook have gone public with their fears that it’s “ripping apart society” by “exploiting a vulnernability in human psychology”.
It’s little wonder why Gen Z feels so crummy.
But it’s not just the youth suffering. According to former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, at least 40% of all American adults report feeling lonely, with reported loneliness rates doubling since the 1980s:
There is good reason to be concerned about social connection in our current world. Loneliness is a growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Today, over 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher. Additionally, the number of people who report having a close confidante in their lives has been declining over the past few decades.
During my tenure as U.S. surgeon general, I saw firsthand how loneliness affected people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds across the country. I met middle and high school students in urban and rural areas who turned to violence, drugs, and gangs to ease the pain of their loneliness. I sat with mothers and fathers who had lost sons and daughters to drug overdoses and were struggling to cope alone because of the unfortunate stigma surrounding addiction. And I met factory workers, doctors, small business owners, and teachers who described feeling alone in their work and on the verge of burnout.During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness.(Source)
How concerned should we be about this loneliness epidemic?
Very.
Medical research shows a direct and pronounced link between social isolation and early mortality. Here’s a scary set of statistics:
Living with air pollution increases your odds of dying early by 5%. Living with obesity, 20%. Excessive drinking, 30%. And living with loneliness? It increases our odds of dying early by 45%
(Source)
Understanding Loneliness
In order to improve the situation, it’s important that we understand what our loneliness is trying to tell us.
Sadly, in our current society, loneliness comes with a lot of shame. That if we’re not popular, if we’re feeling apart from others, then something is wrong with “us” (vs our culture).
That leaves many of those feeling lonely to suffer in silence and to withdraw further, worsening the situation.
As popular author and social scientist Brené Brown cautions:
We feel shame around being lonely (as if feeling lonely means there’s something wrong with us), even when it’s caused by grief, loss, or heartbreak. This isn’t just sad – it’s actually dangerous. We’ve evolved to react to the feeling of being pushed to the social perimeter by going into self-preservation mode: when we feel isolated, disconnected, and lonely, we try to protect ourselves. That means less empathy, more defensiveness, more numbing, and less sleeping. In this state, the brain ramps up the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening – narratives that often aren’t true and exaggerate our worst fears and insecurities.
(Source)
This withdrawal away from the world is exactly what we DON’T need when we experience loneliness, warns University of Chicago neuroscientist John Cacioppo.
His research supports Junger’s claim that humans are hard-wired for community; that “our neural, hormonal, and genetic makeup support interdependence over independence”.
To Cacioppo, the feeling of loneliness is simply another way our body tells us we’re becoming deficient in a critical nutrient — just as thirst and hunger do. In his mind, “Denying you feel lonely makes no more sense that denying you feel hunger.”
So when we feel lonely, we need to recognize that signal for what it is. And just as feeling hungry sends us shuffling off to the pantry, feeling lonely should motivate us to make an effort to engage directly with others. We need to fight past the things that tempt us to retreat inwards — such as our current culture’s norms of shame and the false sense of connection/relief that digital media offers.
Creating Connection
So how can the lonely find connection?
Well, first, it’s important to understand that when it comes to social connection, quality of relationships matters more than quantity.
As Susan Pinker details in her book The Village Effect, you don’t have to be a social butterfly to experience the benefits of connection; you just need a few relationships that actually matter. But they have to be face-to-face, in-the-flesh interactions.
OK, so how does one go about creating these kind of face-to-face interactions?
Glad you asked. Here are several resources that offer specific guidance for doing just that:
- 75 Actions That Build Community
- Peak Prosperity’s Community Building Wiki page
- Success Factors for Developing a Sense of Community
- Chapters 10 & 11, “Emotional & Social Capital”, from our book Prosper!: How to Plan for the Future & Create a World Worth Inheriting
In addition to the above, Chris and I are continuing to do our best to create opportunities for the like-minded PP crowd to convene in person. Consider coming to our annual Seminar in California next year, or attending one of our 1-day city Summits — our next one will be in New York City in September (details to be announced on this website soon). Over the years, these gatherings have spawned many great friendships.
And in the meantime, if you’re feeling weighed down by loneliness, or the angst of being the only one you know who “gets it” when it comes to the material we discuss on this website, we recommend considering seeking the guidance of a professional therapist who understands the Peak Prosperity mindset. We’ve seen it work wonders. If you’re having trouble finding one, here’s a therapist we refer people to (full disclosure: she’s my wife!).
Lastly, while not “in-the-flesh”, we’ve built a very special online community here at PeakProsperity.com, where truth-seekers and action-oriented people from all over the world gather to exchange ideas and engage constructively with one another. If you’re feeling isolated in your life, lean into this community. Share your thoughts. Reach out.
We’ll reach back.
All we really need is someone to talk to. Someone to listen and talk back to us and not jump on us for our opinions.
I’m not so sure its Isolation.
Its more like I am Extremely Pissed off that our Country has been Hijacked, Our Government does not serve its people. The Hijacked MS Media Lies about everything and Our economy is run by Wallstreet, who profits off shorting our assets like Gold and Silver prices so they can get a quick gain at our expense for long term stability and asset accumulation f wealth. There is NO level playing field.
The majority of the common people are left out of the loop and process of any decision making, and we are just used as Debt Slaves and Tax Slaves to the Government and fascist corporations, for perpetual wars which only benefits the massive Military Industrial Complex and Wall Street Insiders to stuff their pocket flush with cashola.
There is NO reason what-so-ever for any person serving in Congress to get any life time pensions for serving just one term or free health care on the tax payers dime, as most are already millionaires and they do not need these scam bonus programs for failure.
What is needed is a massive reset in cleaning out the Government, aka: Drain the Swamp, and Exactly Why Trump was overwhelmingly elected with the Majority vote. The Voters spoke, so why is that not happening? The Deep state is so embedded and in control, we may feel helpless and just trying to survive, as most live paycheck to paycheck. Its not our fault.
Just let me know when the Shooting begins and we can have full immunity for killing our Country’s enemies foreign and domestic, as our Constitution declares.
“They” are just hired help. They were hired to help us repent [ change mind ].
When we get on our face and acknowledge our sin [ 1John 3:4 – I always point this out because most people do not understand what it is ] things will start to get better.
The isolation we see today, is not by accident. The breakdown of the family unit, and society as a whole, were some of the stated goals of marxists, back in the 1960’s. They have used their institutional controls to further divide people, and divide they have.
Many Veterans, myself included, wonder what we really served for. Some older Vets who fought in WW2, have bitterly watched the country they fought for slide into communism, as many died alone. I have known Vets who continued to stand, long after they were back in civilian life, and it killed them. I knew a Viet Nam vet who killed himself, with heroin. I know a young Vet, from the endless mid-east wars, who is obviously on the border, and one of his buddies committed suicide. I try to keep him engaged when I see him; he has the stare.
I read an interview with a very bitter Army Lt. After fighting for basically nothing, watching his men die, etc, really does’nt care for Americans anymore, and many like him are of the opinion that Americans don’t deserve the Freedom they have. I have to agree, about most people who reside here.
The people who are the backbone of Western Civilization, are broken, and torn apart by poison, alien, ideologies. Freedom of association is being stripped from White people, this is a huge factor in the cause of loneliness. The vast majority of the lonely, those committing suicide are White. I have to argue that this is not by accident.
It is hard for most people to consider these things, as we struggle with work, etc. I’d wager it is unlikely to improve.
As I read this article, it felt as though this writer was describing my life.
I’ve had blue pilled people ask me: “Why are you always so negative?” I hear this quite often, and I get asked this question most often after I have attempted to inject a little red pilled realism into a discussion about the current state of America and the rapidly deteriorating state of our society and culture.
We seem to have reached a point in our nation’s history where telling the truth about anything is automatically deemed to be ‘negativity’. It’s like: How dare you try to remove the blinders from anyone’s eyes?
Even my oldest and closest best friend is stubbornly blue pilled and repeatedly resists my efforts to persuade him to take a tiny nibble off of the red pill.
I can’t begin to describe how frustrating this is, to be trapped in a world and realize that I am surrounded by millions of stubbornly clueless morons. Morons who are happy and contented with their moronitude.
I sometimes get the eerie feeling that maybe I died and woke up in the middle of an old Rod Serling Twilight Zone episode and I am the only one who can ‘see’ what is going on around us all.
You are totally aware. You are correct.
Hang in there and keep stockpiling.
“I read an interview with a very bitter Army Lt. After fighting for basically nothing, watching his men die, etc, really doesn’t care for Americans anymore, and many like him are of the opinion that Americans don’t deserve the Freedom they have. I have to agree, about most people who reside here.”
ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON…THE TRUTH OF USA in 2018!!!
“The people who are the backbone of Western Civilization, are broken, and torn apart by poison, alien, ideologies.”
SPOT ON, this is why society is self destructing because of the very people ATTACKING that fundamental and IMMUTEABLE truth.
Well said brother
why isn’t it happening? because they ALL got DIRT on eachother, and when you rock the boat…….NObody wants to live in a glass house in gubmint! they are ALL on the take.
Yeah I admit, I once felt lonely, Then realized I had 3 best friends. The kind of friends that would always be there for me, Never leave my side. 3 Great Friends that I could always count on in any situation, true and true and never let me down. 3 friends who will be 100% Loyal to me, to the very end.
Those 3 friends are: Me, Myself and I. lol And when we are all together, we have a ball.
Darkwing: As people move into retirement they lose friends in the workplace as some move away to be near the beaches, other places, near family. Also many can enjoy hobbies more, which we do now. I avoid getting involved as a rule because I don’t want to listen to anyone’s drama or about their g’kids, health issues, and shallow conversation which seems to be the norm everywhere. Few like minded people we interact with. With house work, yard work, hobbies and online activities, we socialize way less now. I discuss important issues also with my cat. I would rather mop floors, vacuum twice a week than interact with deadbeats.
Lonely ??? Celebs are committing suicide at an alarming rate … to other celebs.
When their 15 minutes of fame is up, the applause has died, the lights killed, and the adulation ceases …. they fold up faster than a circus tent …. look for a safe space …. and curl up in the fetal position until another celeb responds to their most recent hashtag twitter post.
They think Disneyland is reality, and reality shows real life. What they really need is a good intervention, de-programing, or cranial lobotomy. 🙂
The easiest cure is to go to the range and let your machine gun rip !!! 🙂
There’s a lot of people killing themselves now. I wish the smart phone had never been invented along with various other gadgets. Our young people resemble mindless zombies already.
Menzo: I read the other day that third graders said they wished moms would stay off the phone. I knew several addicted to landline blabbing in the ’80’s which got worse with cordless phones later. Some people are addicted to gossip. I recently blocked calls and avoid two women who fit that lifestyle realizing I had better things to do.
This is personal to me. With the SUICIDE of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain (and there will be more, many more), I can better understand my own serious suicidal thoughts, and understand the meaning of this post.
We humans have finally created an “environment” totally antagonistic to us humans.
Artificial lights. The bullshit of Equality. The horrific sickness of Diversity. Garbage “food” and crap we eat. Garbage, filth and shit we watch on TV. Cell phones, internet….all of this is sick, unnatural, and wrong.
Go back to the food we ate 500 years ago. Go back to no artificial lights after sun down. Go back to ONE RACE ONE NATION, go back to talking to people and not using pathetic phones.
Don’t believe me? You’ll be facing suicide yourself, soon.
Centurian: society really changed in the ’90’s when computers became popular in homes. Later smart phones. People started emailing, sending greeting cards online, then golf, outdoor activities like fishing, hunting declined over time. We are retired and even our peers (few exceptions) remain isolated, some are constant tv freaks, rarely out of the house except to drive somewhere. Ain’t like it used to be, even civic club members have declined over the years as older ones die off. Older people tell me their adult kids don’t help them do things (always busy). Family life is a farce today as kids run the show.
Any human being who has never thought about suicide has never LIVED !!! We must consider our mortality to decide how we want to express ourselves in this dimension.
There are TWO REASONS for this: first, Satan and his minions attempt to discourage US and separate US from our true self by blinding US to our own spiritual nature. So there are ACTIVE, negative, spiritual forces looking for an opportunity to interact with US and deceive US just as Adam & Eve were deceived.
Second, the nature of physical existence is filled with choices which impact our emotional and psychological selves in a variety of ways for well or ill as we try and fail; or try and succeed. Our physical actions are designed to have physical, mental, emotional, and psychological consequences for US.
Earth life is an incubator for the Spirit Life to come.
Not everyone responds positively to the stimuli in life from whatever source for whatever reason. Sports and other physical activity, like running and/or fitness are good disciplines to meld mind and body together and develop mental & emotional toughness through positive action.
Suicidal thoughts are sometimes caused by hormonal imbalances in the body when it lacks certain NUTRIENTS: vitamins and minerals that work to optimize physical and mental health.
That said, snowflakes melt because they have not been properly acclimated to LIFE because they do not understand the importance of personal responsibility and initiative; mostly because they have been CODDLED by their parents, and educators into falsely believing that it takes “village” rather than a family; and that decisions are best made by committees that produce Group Think.
More than that, they believe that “everyone should get a trophy” just for showing up. And that belief, in a nutshell, is the source of their delusions that lead them to believe that they cannot cope with the stresses of this world when reality happens and life does not present them a trophy for just showing up. Failure and resilience in the face of failure is an important life lesson that needs to be learned at a young age.
Develop personal responsibility, self reliance, and initiative in your kids and they will survive to an old age; able to deal with negative thoughts and emotions, which must need come. 🙂
You must hang in there. Refuse to let them win.
I would suggest a relationship with Jesus Christ as a very good beginning to good personal mental health. In 1975, I was at the end of my rope, and that’s when I got saved, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I really don’t think Christ intends for us to live apart from one another, and I do believe He wants us to live our lives happy. It’s a balance I have maintained since then, the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. I’ve had plenty of failure in all three since then, too. Recovering and moving on, sometimes based on curiosity as to what happens next. A relationship with Christ is not a substitute for human relations, it is a basis on which you can establish human relations, and for the better. I often think of it as being intellectually mature. YMMV.
Sorry, “Christ” is/was an uneducated, iliterate, unemployed racists who hated the White Italian Rulers of his “KINGDOM OF GOD”. He told his followers to sell their stuff and buy a hand gun since he knew what his fellow militia members (his brother James) were up to….a coming civil revolution.
He thought the Kingdom of God would be established in the lifetime of his followers since the Hebrew militias where planning on attacking the Romans. A homeland for HIS people (JEWS) with no stinking White Italians around.
The answer does not lie in a dead corpse. It lies in love, friendship, honesty, acceptance of life and an end to insatiable greed, ambition and attention.
Sorry, I am not a corpse.
I am alive .. a Living God.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.
Take your anti-God sentiments elsewhere … perhaps the satanists website or a pedophile website.
Interesting that you mentioned pedophile websites, isn’t that where all the Catholic priests hang out?
Your error in reasoning (and religion prevents reasoning) is that if one does not believe in Christ, one must be a pedophile or in the gutter with a needle in their arm.
Sorry, that is not how it works. Decency, honesty, love, integrity, family, caring ALL preceded your myths. Preceded the myths by, oh, about 2 million years, since that is how long “hominids” cared for their sick and buried their dead. Long before Osiris, Isis, Mithra ever were invented.
According to your illogic, only Christians CAN be good and all non-Christians MUST be evil. That is really a nasty philosophy.
Oh look Christ, is now typing on SHTF Plan. AWOL for 2000 years and now finally shows up complaining of people’s freedom of speech. After all his God is a Jealous God and who ever disagrees is evil. Pretty sick kind of cult to follow I’d say, eh..
George Carlin Nails it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVVo036N9OY
Sorry Sean,… I bought into that phony talk to Jebus Scam for nearly 40 years, and he never talked back to me. May as well talk to the wall, or toss your luck 8 ball into the air for answers. Its a phony hoax, duping more gullible sheep, just like everything else that is out there. fleecing you out of your dignity. Phony, scam, and a hoax.
I think the biggest culprit of the religion hoax is that it is a Co-dependency scam. You have a big group of people who attend church all pretending to be believers, thinking everyone else are believes, never admitting to others you have big doubts its real or truthful. But you go along to get along like group pressure and you sure dont want to look like a heathen, so you are co-dependent on the group. Mostly lied to but accepting the lies to get along, being lied to that you are loved back in some sick group brainwashing and because of generation after generational tradition, you dont want to stick out as a non believer so you still waste your Sunday AM going to this brain massage feel good propaganda fleecing of your dignity and wallet as if you are somehow gonna get a ticket and a seat on the heaven train to nowhere or shangrila after your physical death.
I finally reached the breaking point after 9-11 that I will no longer accept being lied to, duped, fleeced, brainwashed nor raped of my common sense. Organized Religion does all of that to your brain. Its a total sham, 501(c)3 government flouride scam to dumb you down to not question authority. F@ck that BS. I finally decided to take control of my own life and call out every POS that lies to me and defrauds me. And if you dont have the balls to do the same, then you are nothing more than a coward chump, not deserving to call yourself a human being lesd even a man nor woman. If you dont have the guts to question authority or just accept being lied to you are nothing more than a pawn and slave. Nobody nor any organization can give you everlasting life. Its a lying sham. Take charge of your own life and stop feeding and supporting those who flat out lie to you from the cable TV liars to religion to your government pack of thieves.
This is why I am so opinionated here and call out all the fraud out there. F@ck the PC political Correctness. You or anybody who crosses me, rips me off will pay tenfold as I will dig into their budiness and expose their dirt to the world. I am the policeman of the truth. Good or bad, bottome line, I just want the truth. Without the truth life is just a bigblie and fraud. I refuse to live my life as a slave to lies.
Sean you are right. The lake of fire is going to be running over with people who think they know better. Christ is all we have.
Menzo: Same thing an elderly woman told me and others during the disco craze circa 1980. Some of us left the shallow party life. She and you are right on. Hell will be full of apostate clergy, many church members and worse.
I’m glad you know the truth too, laura ann.
Where I live is pretty Isolated, and I rather like it that way. When I’m alone in the wilderness I never feel isolated, just as Sean said if you have Jesus Christ in your life your never alone. It is good to have friends and many people do fear being alone, but I love the isolation of the Mountains where I can be one with nature and God the Creator. I also feel no animosity toward those that reject Christ, but they will experience isolation for eternity unless they come to know Jesus as their Savior. Trekker Out.
Interesting about not feeling alone out in the wilderness. I feel much the same. I can pray or meditate and feel closer to Christ while digging in the dirt (aka gardening) or hiking (even though my hiking is quite limited presently).
I also don’t feel alone while working various projects–such as making something for a family member or friend; working on charity items. Then I can anticipate the look on their face when receiving the item I’ve completed. It’s how I get through major holidays (including Christmas) since I’m usually one my own.
I think the biggest culprit of the religion hoax is that it is a Co-dependency scam. You have a big group of people who attend church all pretending to be believers, thinking everyone else are believes, never admitting to others you have big doubts its real or truthful. But you go along to get along like group pressure and you sure dont want to look like a heathen out of phony guilt, so you are co-dependent on the group. Mostly lied to but accepting the lies to get along, being lied to that you are loved back in some sick group brainwashing and because of generation after generational tradition, you dont want to stick out as a non believer so you still waste your Sunday AM going to this brain massage feel good propaganda ceremony fleecing of your dignity and wallet as if you are somehow gonna get a ticket and a seat on the heaven train to nowhere or shangrila after your physical death. You sing songs and rymes of propaganda bs lies into your brain.
I finally reached the breaking point after 9-11 that I will no longer accept being lied to in life, nor duped, fleeced, brainwashed nor raped of my common sense. Organized Religion does all of that to your brain. Its a total sham, 501(c)3 government flouride scam to dumb you down to not question authority. F@ck that BS. I finally decided to take control of my own life and call out every POS that lies to me and defrauds me. And if you dont have the balls to do the same in your own life, then you are nothing more than a coward chump, not deserving to call yourself a human being less even a man nor woman. If you dont have the guts to question authority or just accept being lied to, you are nothing more than a pawn and slave. Nobody nor any organization can give you everlasting life. Its a lying sham. Take charge of your own life and stop feeding and supporting those who flat out lie to you from the cable TV liars to religion to your government pack of thieves.
This is why I am so opinionated here and call out all the fraud out there. F@ck the PC political Correctness. You or anybody who crosses me, rips me off will pay tenfold as I will dig into their business and expose their dirt to the world. I am the policeman of the truth. Good or bad, bottom line, I just want the truth. Without the truth, life is just a big lie and fraud. I refuse to live my life as a slave to lies. And if you raise your children to be good little compliant slaves and force them to accept lies as gossiple then you have failed miserably as a parent. Stop lying to your children. Teach tgen the difference between reality and fantasy. Fantasy is Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy, Easter bunny, religion, Lie TV, the US Government, the wars, etc. Its all Fraud. Know and expose their fraud. If it not the truth, its fraud and lies. Not a way to happiness and why some feel lonely and depressed. Hey just my opinion of how I see it. Never believe anything you hear unlesd validated as the truth and believe only half of what you see. The Truth will set you free.
TSB that’s a very long comment. People of like minds tend to join together whether it’s at a night club or at church or a sporting event. And “no” religion cannot save you, only Jesus Christ can do that. As for other people at church only they and God know whether they are truly believers. Probably most men on this site like to think they are their own man, but the day will come when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord, think I’ll do it now willingly, it’s up to you when you will have to do it. You speak of truth, God is the Great Law Giver and without God there is no truth, so what do you measure your truth by? I could go on but I’m not a preacher or a theologian so I’ll end it here. As for me and my family, we’ll serve the Lord! Trekker Out
MT, What can you show me with solid proof other than a book written by man of this religious hoax? You have zero proof, Just like I been saying here for years. Show me just one person who got ever lasting life. Until then it is a cruel fantasy.
Its all a fraud. Until you take charge of your life and not be co-dependent on a superstition, as the truth will happen, you will find out when you die, you will return to the earth as dirt, not drinking Martinis up in the country club in the clouds.
but the day will come when every knee shall bow
The only people who take a knee are dumb religious idiots, or those about to be executed. Same thing you die as a slave.
I so agree Trekker. And Sean is also right. I live right by a river and a creek with a marsh is behind my house. My kids are grown now and out of the house, so I use my current isolation to my advantage by “listening” to Jesus and finding a deep appreciation for the natural environment that surrounds my neighborhood. Birds galore, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, even the trees have this amazing healing ability if a person just sits and observes all the magic wonder of God’s creation. Native Americans found this deep appreciation and took care of the land because the land took care of them. I don’t view Christianity as a “religion”, it’s more of a soul purpose, a guide for deep inner wisdom and right intention. What a miracle we have! Right before our very eyes.
OH Girl.. You are ignorant of History. The Native American Indians had no clue of Christianity until the Europeans brought this hoax to our shores and indoctrinated the children into mind slaves. Are you really that stupid? Figures, another dumb believer.
Nature was their spirit god and the sun provides everything to them.
Show me proof or just STFU.. You are a product of dumbing down.
As opposed to the insane hell we already live I but bear it out and turn the other cheek while quality of life is destroyed now? What matters if it be here and now or later? Deny the shitpool we live in now in fear of the coming shitpool? I don’t get it, what makes you so sure it will change when you can’t even see the truth of the reality you already live in?
“I come not in Peace, but to bring Father against Son and brother against brother. And, do not cast pearls among my Father’s creations of Swines, and sell your garment and buy a Sword, for the coming war with the Roman’s.”
“I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” – the bible
My wife is onboard with prepping. She likes for us to be well supplied. Our grown children think we are stupid for growing our food and living our lifestyle.We haven’t prepped for them. Its the Grandchildren we prep for. We actually gave up trying to get our children on board. We don’t let them even know what we have and where its at.
Just wait till this coming Winter and the total devastation of Canadian and US wheat crops. When it snows for, 4 or 5 weeks in a row, and the Northern population can’t even get out of their house, and NO food can be sent into Ohio, New England, Dakotas, Wisconsin for weeks………..they will pay attention.
You are lucky Old Guy, Finding a spouse who is a team player and not one sided.
And I suggest, anyone who is stuck in a failed marriage, who fights you on everything you try to accomplish, get the heck out of it. Screw religions beliefs. Take responsibility for your own happiness. Fool me twice..
I agree with you on this. A spouse who hates their own life and spends their entire life coming after you is a life of hell.
My spouse fights me every step of the way with nothing but asinine and condescending comments while I work my ass off for the family.
When I was really, really, really suicidal, and had made my plans, I had made my plans for my spouse………….need I say more.
The point is, for all of you who live with a very depressed person, who at ANY time talks about death, you had better ask yourself where you stand and how you treat that person. They are SERIOUSLY thinking about your future…while you are not….this is one of the funny little sick secrets depressive/suicidal people share and laugh about inside.
I know someone who is very unhappy with his marriage because the wife wants an “open” marriage while he is very family oriented and opposed to this type of running around. The couple wasn’t that way at first and who knows when it changed. Maybe the wife was that way all along and it wasn’t evident at first.
Anyway, the husband is remaining in the marriage because of the children. He loves them dearly and does not wish to miss out on their growing up time (the mother almost always gets the kids) and the teaching he can/does provide. I must say those kids really do analyze things pretty well. They could make some great posts here. 😀 I suspect when the kids are near or have reached the age of majority, there will be a big change in that couple’s lives.
Please tell this guy to NEVER have any more sex with his “wife”. She is already cheating on him.
Also, staying in this situation is the best thing for the kids and he should be polite to his wife, but “write her off”. He also needs to start hiding money and property from her since she most likely is doing the same, planning for a divorce. He needs to plan for the coming divorce and NEVER EVER GIVE up the kids.
If he can get proof of her adultry or desire for it, then he should use ALL THAT in public, in court, to get sole control over the children. Also, he should make it clear to her that the children will KNOW.
One thing a good friend of mine did, when his “Samantha Bee” wife wanted out was to require she write a letter, to the children, explaining why she wanted a divorce. That was part of his divorce demands. She wouldn’t do it, so he negotiated a far better settlement for himself.
Remind your friend that he was never really married to her so it is no real lose, and above all, to love his children. Women are cheap and replaceable.
Yahooie, That’s a real bad sign in any marriage. Seems like the wife is just trying to normalize adultery.
At the same time she may also possibly be setting her husband up for the reason for their divorce claiming he cheated on her when she was the one who suggested “open marriage.” But he won’t be able to prove that in a court of law. It’ll be his word against hers, a 50/50 crapshoot.
“I say nothing. I talk to no one” – Voice of the Beehive, very underated musical group.
I do not say anything to those who I know would disagree because I cannot afford to lose my job over my beliefs and I do not say anything in detail to those who do agree with me because if I actually let loose on the truth; it would make me too depressing to be around.
AND the truth is, the usa has about a decade before enough red states swing enough that the democrats will own the country from then on and the current version of the democrats is hard, communist left; they’ve gone past easy European socialism.
if you’re under 40, you are going to hate the future usa; if you are over 40; you might get lucky and not live to see it.
(I cannot believe I do not drink daily)
Here, Here!
I work in a County Government Dept. I say nothing as everyone I work with are absolutely blind to the future of the US and boy do they ever voice their left wing political views. I am one of those people who actually enjoys being alone and holding my cards close to the vest. I have no illusions about the direction this country is heading in.
second, here in Houston; the city employees just want more and more and think the gravy train will last forever.
idiots !
it’s building up to a point now that their whole world could be changed in a year by economic reality.
I totally agree with you. I am old enough to die, now, and am so happy I will die, soon.
As we turn from a 1st World White nation, into Mexico, we will turn into….Mexico……and life will not be worth living.
I thank Nature/God that I will die, hopefully, before the SHTF.
Stick around for the festivities…
I’d prefer to be alone, meaning, just because I am alone does not mean I am lonely.. The Biggest threat to man and our happiness of other Man (or Woman).
How I find peace is ditching all of technology and just going out into the woods or y front porch and watching nature. I watch the bunny rabbits hopping around playing, the squirrels running around. Deer having fawns on my property. A doe last summer had 2 fawns, and it was so exciting and natural watching them play from my front porch behind a camp blind.
Technology will not make you happy or buying stuff to replace your internal happiness. You don’t need religion, or some shrink. Try to eat healthy food and exercise is such a stress reliever like going for a 20 mile bike ride once a week works for me. When I get out into nature, its real and in your face, unpretentious and no hidden agendas, unlike people and technology that robs your creativity and mind. Just saying go try some nature and see how it goes. It will help you decompress from the un-natural things in your life or people. Take up kayaking and go where nobody else goes. Very cool. go fishing..
Ha !
I got some squirrels to that are fun to watch. they hang around of course because I feed them.
squirrels are better welfare dependents than people imo, because they cannot gripe and moan and say gimmee more.
oh Lena, I really like the way your mind works 😉
I went biking yesterday about 20 miles and today went kayaking from my property canal out to a big fresh river about 4 miles trip one way and back here in Central N Florida. Huge cypress trees lined the banks of this canal for miles. Gators and birds galore.. Talk about pretty and cool and not a soul around.. I had the whole place to myself. Very peaceful. Got to take up kayaking folks. Nature is my best friend and it provided everything I need. I will sleep like a baby tonight.
Last weekend, I commented to my husband just how strange to folks like us it would be to live in a metropolitan city like N.Y.
Yep–nature just isn’t there like it is here.
I got my townhouse because there were no neighbors in the back–just a little creek and a patch of woods. From my bedroom window or patio door I see deer in the woods, birds in my crab-apple tree or pecking around in the grass, squirrels running along the fence tops, rabbits, occasional raccoons in the back yard, occasional snakes sunning in my crab apple tree (freaks the neighbors out–Ha!), occasional black vultures on nearby fences, and assorted other wildlife right here in the Fairfax County burbs. When I see my cat looking out the window, I take a look too. Amazing what can be seen when one really looks.
I am working really hard on improving my diet. It wasn’t ever really awful (not the SAD type) but not as good as could be. Amazingly, I’m losing weight and, no surprise, feeling much better. My doc looks at me and asks how I’m feeling (at that older age) but I’ve no complaints.
My next task is to locate my watercolors, pencils and sketchpad to have a reason for going out to parks, etc and looking around for a period of time. Got a sketchbook to do a quick drawing every day kind of like a visual diary. And it’s something I do where I am definitely not lonely.
lena: I relate even in retirement. Less said the better. Family security is as stake. You are right, the USA will soon fall like Europe has already with invaders, leftist leaders and civil unrest. I eat chocolate (just drink tea and water)!
Hi Lena. I’ll be happy to give you some pointers on drinking more regularly!
If you are feeling isolated, its because you are still sane.
You may be onto something…
For social interaction, there is no substitute for people. People on video screens, texting, Twitter, Facebook, etc just do not provide it. Pets help. When you get older and you start seeing people you’ve known for years start to die, you become especially vulnerable (not everybody). The more stressful the situation and the longer it continues, the greater the need for social interaction.
The more I deal with humans, the more I enjoy interacting with my dog. My dog will never offend me, will never betray me, will never use me, will never ask for money, will never oppose my views, will never do any of the things that humans do to each other.
Oh, and my dog does not use the phone, computer or social networks. My dog leaves in physical world of all animal thigs. We, humans live in such world no more.
Informed. I hear ya about Dogs and unconditional Love.
Try locking both your bitchen wife and your dog in the trunk of your car for just 10 minutes. Wait,…. Then go unlock it and open the trunk hood, and see who is happy to see you. Its your dog of course. That’s unconditional love.
Listening to what EVERY man has to say about being married leads to one conclusion:
Every man is married to the same woman.
Nope.
My wife pretty much does whatever I ask. She’s conservative. She’s sees that stocking up is a good idea, not only for a possible doomsday, but just to take advantage of sales and uneven cash flow.
She helps me with yard work and anything else that I work on. She helped me build a huge greenhouse. She helped me build a bunch of raised garden beds. We worked in the yard today and will do some more on Saturday.
We’ve never had a serious argument in over 30 years.
Archivist, very cool to know there are more women like me out there. I’m not married but perhaps I’ll find the guy sometime.
What State are you in Yahooie?
dogs = awesome.
You’re right Lena. Dogs are nice, friendly, loyal, loving companions. It’s my rude, inconsiderate, human neighbors next door that send their dogs to my yard that I have a problem with.
My neighbors dog is in love with me. It jumps the fence just to come see me. They have another dog too that dug under the fence to follow me home.. I let him on my property and he went and layed down on my porch and did not want to go home. I ended up having to pry him off the porch and carry him back to the neighbors house.
It is all because I pay special attention to them and kindly talk to them. I pet them and scratch their heads and they like this attention.
My neighbors laugh and they know when I am walking down the street to their property as their dogs cry to come see me. It is very sweet. We live out in the country, so if they wander over, its all OK and safe. We have a great neighborly relationship.
When any other neighbors walk don the street their dogs bark at them like a stranger or predator.
Dogs especially never seem to take me as any threat and know a good person when they see one. I think it is their internal instinct as to what people’s intentions are.
TSB,
Awww … you got the knack like one of those dog whisperers. My old neighbors had the cutest little mutt that I was in tune with. Whenever I pulled up in my truck or came outside the house, he knew my sound and gave me one little bark. So I’d give one little bark back at him. We’d continue back and forth that way, one bark at a time like we were having a conversation until I went inside and got him a Milk Bone and a pat on the head. I’m not sure who had who trained there but it went on for years. I was sorry when my neighbors and their dog Squirt moved away.
On the other side though, there is a big nasty brute that loves to leave gigantic, gruesome, used-food rolls all over the neighborhood especially in my yard. These neighbors are like, “Oh no, that can’t be our Giles. We don’t let him run loose”. When I tell Giles to go home, he gets all up in my face growling and showing his teeth and slobbering like, “Whattaya mean telling me I can’t crap in your yard? Screw you! I’m offended! You’re a speciesist! The Dog First Amendment says I can crap anywhere I want to! Bark! Bark! Bark!”.
Well, I don’t blame Giles. A dog’s gotta do what a dog needs to do. I do like dogs even though I don’t have one myself. I don’t have a dog problem. I have a neighbor problem.
yeah Fritz, pretty cool.. I would love to have a dog of my own, and had a few good ones in the past, but on my property now is more of a nature preserve, and if you have a dog it would scare all the wild life away. I have deer, turkey, rabbits, and plenty of squirrels, doves, cardinals, and big beautiful hawks that sit up in the trees and squak. Its a sight to see, and all real, no false pretenses or hidden agenda’s like man. I will take nature any day over man or woman. From my front porch about 75 yards into the thick wooded jungle, there are 2 deer, a pregnant doe and her yearling buck with about 2 inches of velvet antlers popping out. They come out to feed about 7:30 at night and come up to about 15 yards from my front door. Where on earth could I find a cool place like this. A dog would certainly chase it all away, so when I need my dog fix I run don to the neighbors house and take their’s out running on their big few acres of property.
Its amazing living out in the country. Go find your slice of paradise. Its worth it. Cheap living also, I only pay about $100 a year per acre in property taxes in the country, Vs. about $2K a year for a 80 x 120 Ft Lot living in the city shithole.
Informed: My cat is one of few best friends. Others I know in my circle are like minded. I have no time for shallow idiots.
I have had four dogs in my life, currently on #4 and I can say without hesitation that I have been on the receiving end of more love, more devotion, more loyalty and more satisfying & uncomplicated companionship from those dogs than I ever have received from a fellow human.
I used to have a little sign that I kept on my desk at work that read: “The more humans I meet, the better I like my dog.”
I still see my world that way.
When I contact the VA the first thing they always ask “is do I want to hurt myself”?
I’m a Vietnam era Vet, service connected disability, and that question insults me. I can’t imagine why you would want to kill
yourself. I have a bigger problem controlling my desire to kill public figures such as politicians, government bureaucrats, and journalists(don’t worry I’m old and under control).
I’m a “stick in the mud”. I like my rural solitude. I dislike groups because you have to conform to “norms” that I don’t agree with. I pull information from the world, I don’t like having it pushed on me.
I prepare for disasters because I live in a place constantly exposed to them, not that my BOL/home will be endangered, But I could easily be isolated by disasters, man made or natural.
Somehow the idea of isolation doesn’t bother me that much.
I’m not depressed. I’m perfectly happy.
Happiness is not rooted in what is going on in the world or on the internet. And I’ve learned that psychologists have agendas. Just talking about isolation and depression plus suicide is depressing.
The reason isolated people have a 45% lower rate of survival is not because depression kills them off. It’s because old people are taken care of better by their own family than by some retirement or convalescent hospital.
Stay away from doctors and in particular, stay away from shrinks. Most of them are insane themselves.
Keep to your own race and learn about your own culture. Make your own music. Don’t listen to music that comes from the Masonic Music Industry.
Don’t take drugs of any kind and limit alcohol consumption to very little.
I don’t believe children should ever watch TV and should only be allowed very limited access, highly supervised, purpose driven internet.
Kids don’t need an iPhone. They need a mother at home and a father who is the head of household.
_
actually, a way to be as happy as possible is live in your own world.
I never thought I would have thought that, always wanted to know more and more but as the usa inevitably descends into a 3rd world; I now want less and less of anything outside my bubble.
I recommend building your own.
mine is full of 80’s and 90’s media(when the usa was still decent in media imo) and astrophysics.
I’d say media before 1985. That’s about the last year that there were any decent hit records. I listen to a lot from the 1940s to the 1970s.
hmmm. that’s highly debateable as the 90’s had a lot of great music like some band called U2.
(although I am going to lake Tahoe this year to see the steve miller band which was formed in 1965.)
“The Joshua Tree” was an interesting album, but I would never have bought it. I just have a copy on the computer.
Most of the music from the 90s on is obscene trash. Some of it even has to have the song title censored, if you can even call them songs.
I think I bought my last new 45 in 1986.
Lena: Yuuup, hubby and I stick to our bubble: outdoor activities, country music and jazz, home cooking for health reasons, and quality tv shows about travel, adventure, history documentaries, etc. and few likeminded friends.
Stay away from doctors and in particular, stay away from shrinks
Amen.
On YouTube:
“This is our world” by Steve Cutts
Pretty much sums it up.
10 4
On another note, if people want to suicide, WHY STOP THEM? if they want out, let them get out.
Its a sovereign right……
Thats right. Jump!! Just Jump!! Tell ya what, if I was going to committ suicide, Id first take out every ahole that crossed my first. From Atty’s to liars, to selfish pigs to thieves that ripped my off. Hats off to that guy that flew his personal airplanr into the IRS building a decade ago. Heck yeah!! Id probably go play sniper, Rambo, Charles Bronson Death Wish. A couple of Snipers can shut down an entire city. Those politicians putting on the 5th green at the Country club. Get your lists together. Or, I can just enjoy my solitude here in nature and live a ripe old age in contentment.
Actually, you may be joking (at least I am laughing), but those who do not understand hideous Depression and Suicide, don’t realize they may be taken out with the Suicidal person.
Deplorable Neal, above, just may be on someone’s list, since that type of FU attitude is why I had a list of people I was going to take out before I shot myself, a la Kurt Cobain. So, be very careful how you treat somebody who is suffering and reaches the point they don’t care about life, since when they reach that point I can guarantee you they don’t care about YOUR life. Do you?
I am totally against Suicide. That is why I am still here and writing this stuff. It is wrong. It is sad. The 2 MAJOR reasons I did not go through with it was my love and devotion to my young children (long story why they are young and I am old) AND my brilliant decision to “kill off” those who pissed me off. In my mind, I have committed SUICIDE to those who were helping to drive me to suicide.
Why should I die because you are an ass? You “die”.
Note, nobody drives you or makes you depressed, etc. No one event. It is a multi-factorial process, that over the years, puts you in the Depression-Suicide situation. These people I “suicided” were just worthless and were not helping, and were part of the Depression. Getting rid of them was simply a smart stress reducing choice. Most people (95%) are worthless and cause more damage. I “suicided” them out of my life.
This topic and the comments are some of the best I’ve ever read here.
Aljamo is right of course, “this topic and the comments are some of the best I’ve ever read here.” When we can be alone but NOT feel isolated or dependent upon technological gagetry for mind comfort (company!) that is a wholesome situation.
Years ago, Barbra Streisand wailed: “People, who need people, are the luckiest people in the world”! That was a lie of course! Our “needs” should not find expression in the sole focus upon superficial connections with others; instead, the strong and healthy personality will connect with the Maker via prayer, to dispel ‘loneliness’ and superficialty.
I like this site for its free exchange of views and the shared perception that anticipation (prepping!), within the confines of a very troubled world, is a prudent course of action.
However, even this activity has a penchant for addiction; therefore, a wise visitor here will often choose to neither attend nor comment for periods of time. This nation will continue to be strong so long as individuals fight to retain their independence of thought and action. God Bless freedom!
I’m 67 years young, a life-long bachelor and I’ve never been lonely a moment in my life. Why? Because I’m my own best friend and no matter where I am, I’m always with the best person I know: me.
I get along well with my brain (my subconscious.) It looks after me. Sometimes, when I’m leaving I have this nagging feeling. When that happens, I’ve learned to stop and think because my subconscious is trying to tell me I forgot something. The only time my subconscious is wrong is when I ignore it.
Getting a ride with a woman I know, her car radio exploded with music when she turned the ignition key. She turned the volume down and apologized saying she always plays the music loud when she drives or at home. I asked her why. She said the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard, “Because I can’t stand to hear myself think.” Good thing I was sitting down because I cannot imagine what it must be like to be afraid of my own thoughts.
There are lots of such damaged people out there. They try to hide from themselves in a crowd or with endless chatter or self-medication or whatever. I am very fortunate in getting along with myself so well.
If I did that Cigna 20-item questionnaire, I’d probably flunk all 20 items because it assumes being alone is the same as being lonely. That’s utter BS! Being alone is utter bliss! If I was last person on earth, I’d have an endless one-man party. There’d be nobody to bother me, asking for help or money or my time or can I do this or endlessly pester me.
There’s probably not one person in a million who understands what I’ve just written, but that’s your problem, not mine. And, I still don’t have a clue what it feels like to be lonely.
I can dig it. if I can go an entire day without any contact with anyone else, I consider that great as thru enough experience; most people are a disappointment especially in the me, me, me state the world is now in.
“most people are a disappointment”
Your words just leaped out at me, Lena. This is the very same thing that I have realized about the people I have met in my life. Friends, family members, co-workers. Politicians. Relatives. Celebrities. Relationships. It always boils down to the same unpleasant and always depressing realization – most people will always wind up disappointing you.
I have become a hardened cynic, but this is the reason why I am. I have spent my entire life yearning for a chance to meet at least one other human who would live up to my expectations and the older I get, the less I think I ever will.
I understand what you are saying and am fascinated.
I want to know more. I want to stop fighting with my head. I want the war in my head to stop. My brain used to be my best friend, but then about 10 years ago it turned on me and torments me.
I want it to stop. Please write some more or can you provide some literature, web sites, blogs, etc for us?
Up to about 10 years ago my thoughts, emotions, thoughts, etc were in sync. Today, concepts come into my head that I don’t want. To many “WHYS”, “WHAT IFS”, to many thoughts about time and meaning and purpose with regards to the infinity and the awesomeness of existence. I can’t handle it and Moses, Mohammed, and Joshua ben Joseph don’t answer me back.
Yeah, I’m reaching out and asking for help since the path I’m on leads to the place Bourdain and Spade have gone. I’ve been on this path before and I don’t like it.
Wow! Incog, you gotta get help because you can’t go this alone. If you have a doctor, start with him/her and get a referral.
Second thing, are you on psychotropic drugs? Most of that shit only makes you worse, not better and many of those drugs lead to suicidal thoughts.
Even sleeping pills and some diet medicines can adversely affect your mind.
Get a puppy to occupy your time and give purpose to your day.
Believe me, it will help you tremendously. You won’t have time to think dark thoughts when you’re chasing down that little bugger that just tore up the newspaper and pooped on the floor.
Seriously though, these people speaking about their pets on here are right. I love my dog more than my wife (only a little). Please don’t tell her.
Someone I know had serious problems, even thought they had demons. But it turned out to be a brain tumor. Surgery fixed everything. So you should talk to a medical doctor, not a psychiatrist.
On a less serious note, go attend a Southern Baptist Church and get involved. The older women are seriously good cooks, and they have events that involve food all the time. Join an adult men’s Sunday school class. You can talk with them about anything.
Get a King James Version Bible and start reading the New Testament all the way through. If you need help understanding things, there is a book called “Isaac Asimov’s Guide to the Bible” that is wonderful. He usually wrote science and science fiction, but he went into religion on this one reference book. He goes through the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, verse by verse, explaining anything he thinks needs explaining. What’s surprising is that he covered the New Testament, even though he was -ewish.
My problem with the Bible (and this is true for me for ALL religions, thus I am not just picking on Christianity), is that nobody knows who wrote it.
Moses did not write the 5 first books, since Moses lived 1,000 years before they were written (and are copies of Babylonian myths).
Nobody knows who wrote the 4 Christian Gospels since all 4 were written 60-90 years after the death of Joshua ben Joseph, and I really doubt anybody in 1st Century Israel was named Mathew or Mark….Nice White British Names…..but very few White people are going to belief in a Gospel of Achmed or Gospel of Hussein.
There are virtually no eye-witness accounts of his teachings, EXCEPT for the Gospels of Mary, Simon, James and Judas, but all 4 (and more) were rejected from the “bible” at the Council of Nicea since none on them contained a “virgin birth” or “resurrection”, as in:
Pharaoh Amenkept II
Ra, the Egyptian sun god
Attis, a Phrygian-Greek vegetation god
Dionysus, a Greek character half god and half human Persephone
Helen of Troy
Even Plato in Greece was said by some to have been born to a virgin
Some followers of Buddha Gautama decided he was born to the virgin
Genghis Khan was supposedly born to a virgin
Krishna was born to the virgin Devaka.
Romulus to the virgin Rhea Sylvia
And the one the Christian Virgin Birth is based on:
The Persian god Mithra was made the “Protector of the Empire” by the Romans in 307 AD, right before Christianity was declared the official religion. Some versions of Mithra’s story, predating Christianity, make him the son of a human virgin. His birth, on December 25, was seen by shepherds and Magi, who brought gifts to a cave, the place of his birth.
As for the Southern Baptist? When they became traitors to the White Race, and voted in a Black President, I really swore to have nothing to do with that Ani-White organization. (Yes, I am a Race Realist = Racist)
“Religion” is not the answer. It is a major part of the problem since it does all it can to force humans to NOT think.
Look into Emotional Freedom Techniques. It has helped me deal with some pretty horrific things.
It has helped sooo many people deal with their thoughts, feelings and emotions, their past and their future possibilities. I was so impressed I became certified in the techniques.
There are a number of free videos and ifno online such as
https://eft.mercola.com/
https://draxe.com/emotional-freedom-technique-eft-tapping-therapy/
Incognito, lots of good advice here. Please take it. We need thoughtful people like you here.
I saw a movie a number of years back called ‘A Beautiful Mind’ which was a story about a music professor with brain/mental problems and was even hospitalized for a time. He eventually recognized when his brain was sending screwy messages and learned to become a productive citizen again. He still got the oddball messages but knew it would pass and could ignore them.
I’m telling you all this because there is always hope. There is a way out of the maze. Find some help and keep going.
As for one “why”, we are here to care of of whatever little patch of earth we have. It’s much more than just mowing the grass or growing a tomato. Grow the best tomato and add some strawberries or something you like such as herbs (some even like the windowsill). And getting your hands full of dirt seems to help balance whatever is going on in one’s head.
“What Ifs” are good when you are planning like what if I plant a tomato in this pot instead of directly in the soil or what if expand the garden shed. Most other “what ifs” are not worth mind space.
Make your “whys” and “what ifs” work for you. They can be tamed.
ok,
some facts to hopefully turn you around. even though the usa and west is in permanent decline now and the future is likely to be much worse at some point than the past 50 years, you still have it better than the entire world. if a person makes 33k, they would be in the top 1% in the world in income and if you make more than that and are not making strides to be financially independent, you need to get off the consumer culture.
you also have a better life here than anywhere else, even if we drop into socialism and you can openly worship the Christian God here.
if a person can pay off their mortgage, life is cheap in the usa and then the govt cannot really hurt you if you are not dependent on them.
I would suggest two goals. find some small town scenic place you would like to live. with a paid off house there, you could live there working retail and get by and enjoy it more than having to care what goes on in the nation as those leftards really do not care about making over nowhere usa, it’s not worth their effort.
second. find something to occupy you time that interest you for you life. a musical instrument, speaking Chinese, pursuing the field of astrophysics like I am. it will keep you occupied at something you enjoy over watching the constant decline of the world.
(BTW, I suggest reading astrophysicist hugh ross if you have doubts religiously. his writings give no doubt there was a designer).
Incognito:
Many causes for your brain to “turn on you”.
If the problem is a build up of toxins (poisons) in your body you might benefit from doing a fast and a number of cleanses. A naturopathic physician can evaluate, test, and recommend a proper course of action for you.
Another common cause is allergies. You may have glutin sensitivity or be allergic to dairy.
The absence of enough nutrients is definitely to be considered. We all need B vitamins and especially niacin. Cod liver oil and calf liver are very good additions to a healthy diet. Taking a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement, adding good sources of healthy fats such as nuts and seeds including flax, walnuts, and Brazil nuts for selenium.
Sea vegetables, kelp and other sea weeds are high in Iodine which is a vital nutrient which is often the cause of problems of the body and brain especially in the USA. Eating fish helps, too.
Good luck to you. You are not unique. Many people have experienced such things and successfully overcome such obstacles to peace of mind and happiness.
_
Good points, B from CA. Lack of vitamin D will also cause problems. I sure feel it when I don’t get outside enough due to winter or too much rain (like lately).
Learn meditation.
No need to sit in the contorted Lotus position.
Just sit up straight in a regular chair.
Just try no more than 5 minutes to start.
Relax, and take a couple deep breaths.
Next, focus your attention on the leading edge of your breath, as it goes in and out.
Focus on the feeling of your breath comfortably inhaling and exhaling.
As a thought pops up from the Ego, just acknowledge it, and release it.
The same thought may pop up a few times, just acknowledge it, and avoid focusing on it.
Ego does not like quiet, and will send you thoughts to consider.
Ego communicates to you through rational thoughts and images.
Subconscious will send you feelings, memories of emotions, sounds, smells, and other non-rational senses.
As these filter through, acknowledge them, and return to the focus of your breathing.
As you learn to focus on your breathing, the Ego, and Subconscious will ease up on the thought bombardment.
Start the meditation process, just a few minutes a day, for about a month, then add a few minutes at a time, as you learn to relax into it.
Meditation will alleviate the stress hormones, and will allow you focus more clearly on real decision making issues. It will calm your nerves, and help get through tense moments.
Gerold: Agree I can relate, and good reason not to have kids: asking for money way into middle age (I hear from others), do this do that, gimmie gimmie latest gadget, some do drugs get into rehab -brother and nephew, on and on)
Ya I know what everyone is saying here… I suffer from manic depression… I drank hard for 26years… now 18 years sober from alcohol…I like this site.. but there are still trolls here… oh well.. ignore them…been homeless off and on for 12 years… love it… most freedom I ever had… so in conclusion… if you get confused listen to the music play… grateful dead. Peace wharfrat out…?
The Root Cause of all loneliness,Hate ,is this No God No Peace KNOW GOD KNOW PEACE. Live this Truth about a Firm Reliance on the Protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE and You Will Never give in to EVIL .Fail and you Will DIE . Life Liberty And The PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
A wicked society is biased toward a wicked leader. As the media and television networks incrementally desensitize the country to sin and turn young people away form good and towards evil, they are able to get away with worse and bigger crimes. People don’t care anymore because they’ve lost their faith in God. When you stop trusting God, then you turn to the government for everything. This is what has happened in America today. And people are more divided than ever before. Even the generations are divided.
Om
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sYK7lm3UKg
Sorry, Fritz, not going to send 3 hours on that video.
Here’s a short version I saved from years ago:
“All the while, a billion waves peeled, tides changed, Suns burned, worlds turned, rain fell, lovers loved, birds flew, people grew, babies were born, blood was spilt, slaves slaved, Jesus saved, shooting stars flew on by, music of the spheres filled the sky, money was spent, friends came and went, bells rang, children sang, ships sailed, politicians failed, pages turned, fools learned, painted martyrs died, artists silently cried, evolution moved on, the only dance there is kept on truckin’, all within and without one perfect note, OM.
Lol, yeah, if you listen to the first thirty seconds or so you’ll pretty much get the gist of it. It seemed like folks were looking for peace of mind and tranquility today so I thought I’d offer that as a public service. Your version is much more succinct. Thanks, hope you’re well. Om outta here.
Beware of vain repetitions, and never sit and leave your mind open for whatever might enter in. This is how people fall into cults. Trekker Out
WHO designed the designer?
When you say there had to be a designer, or creator, since things “exist”, then I say fine.
So GOD exists? WHO created GOD?
If the Universe had to be “created” since it exists, then GOD, (who exists (?)) had to be created. If GOD has always existed, then the very same “logic” states the Universe has always existed.
If you look at “GOD” being another name for “UNIVERSE”, then you realize you have not answered the question, which to us mortals, HAS NO ANSWER. You don’t know the answer, the Pope, Billy Graham, TRUMP, nor I know the answer.
None of us do and anybody who says they “know”, is a liar.
I don’t read any newspapers. or watch any news on the TV or radio. Occasionally I watch something political on U Tube. What that does is allow me to ignore stuff that would make me angry. No point in being mad about stuff you have no control over. My garden is growin. Picked squash today. The pickles are blooming. the potatoes beets corn carrots and sweet potatoes are really thriving. The tomatoes aint doing too good. out of 8 plants only two are still alive. One of those two is in bloom. I thnk the plans I bought are diseased. I tried to grow some from seed. but that was a failure also. my rabbits have ear mites. I have been treating them with vegetable oil. But to be certain I bought some ivermectin. Gonna give them a dose about the size of a match head. I wormed and oiled my pigs. wormed the cattle and sheep also. I have three batman hens with 15 chicks between them and three more setting on eggs. Yesterday evening I let the milk cow and her calf into the yard and watched them mow . I set out there drinking a beverage and made certain they only grazed on the grass. I ve got a bucket of cow manure soaking in water. I will spray the tea on things I don’t want the cattle eating.
I miss Eppe.
He would have a lot of good stuff to say on this topic.
and then he would lighten the moment with a good joke 🙂
He fell on his own garlic toothpick. The dude was a class clown and a fraud. Just saying.
TSBlows…
Reading your posts, I feel sorry for you.
God is not a person to give out requests.
God lives inside your heart…. and it takes
many conversations with “Him” to grow ” in his spirit”.
No human words can a win a case for your spirt.
It is a personal growth. It fills a void…it heals….it
gives you hope…it gives you strength…..it helps you
make better decisions….it changes your outlook on many things.
It’s like growing a bountiful garden. …it takes time and energy on
your part …to grow. Someone can tell you how to do it
but nobody can do it for you. The spiritual glory is in the
accomplishment.
Praying to that Godly spirit within you is very liberating. It makes you
feel like a new person. It frees your soul. And best of all…
it is priceless.
There is a saying…. “there are no heathens in a foxhole during wartime “.
Kay?
All the cool people know that in all reality; Jesus is Lard! We don’t need your stinking devils either… there would be no life on this planet without mother nature and the true sun… Hail Nerthus and Sunna!
I am here to express and proclaim that Jesus Christ is indeed real.
Those who believe otherwise have perhaps have had a bad experience with representatives from organized religion, or, a childhood marked by some type of abuse: neglect, physical, emotional, sexual, psychological. If so, I pray and hope you find healing because wounds run deep when our primary or basic trust in others becomes betrayed in some way, shape or form.
If for yet another reason you do not believe in Christ, please refrain from bashing those of us whose faith strives to be real and just, because that behavior is disrespectful.
Thank you.
– the Lone Ranger
If Jebus was real then bring him by for a beer. You have a wild imagination, absent of any common sense there Lonely Ranger. You sound like Hcks.
Butt Ranger just proved my point about many unstable ignorant religious freaks and their teachings.
He says, “Those who believe otherwise have perhaps have had a bad experience with representatives from organized religion, or, a childhood marked by some type of abuse: neglect, physical, emotional, sexual, psychological.”
Wrong on all accounts there Butt ranger. **Folks its this kind of shallow ignorant religion mentality by Butt Ranger why our government is at perpetual war, with any other country who is not just like us, or believes as we do. They nation destroy due to their own ignorance, based on baseless lies and assumptions, instead of any facts. They are jealous and worship a Jealous God, so their God commands them, so they conquer destroy and steal their invented enemies resources all because they are jealous. After all Butt Ranger worships a Jealous God. And it says so right in their brainwashing Babble he professes. What a pathetic way to live you life.
QUOTE right out of the Babble:
Exodus 34:14
-for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God–
Deuteronomy 4:23-24
“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you.
**Another words you are a slave to this teaching, commanded to destroy others which may be good, because you can’t think for yourself. And then killing is justified because the Babble tells you so. How freaking pathetic and ignorant these babble teachings are. It’s brain washing to make you think you are somehow superior to all others, who don’t accept your BS Religion. Makes no difference, if it is organize religion or strait out of the babble home schooling. Its all evil from the same cloth, paper and print teachings.
Want to know why I dumped religion? That’s exactly why. Its all BS lies and corruption, hate and jealousy, conquer and destroy. There is no Love with religions. It’s all phony with hidden agendas.
You sure don’t need any religion like that, to love and appreciate, respect and uphold basic moral standards. Religion is the exact opposite of what is good in the world. Religion is a warped co-dependency cult to fleece all common sense out of your brain and money out of your wallet. Religion is a sick joke on humankind.
TSB……LOL, you’re a real piece of work. ” A legend in your own mind”!
Seeing the public schools story, posted, nearby. Yes, you can learn about life in one of those asylums —
I was one of the only coordinated people in a woodshop, where they stole everything that wasn’t nailed down. (A large person, with a bar clamp, beats a small person with a shiv.) Out of 40+ students all but 2 or 3 damaged themselves, on the machines. The few left were the only ones who could use the markings on a measuring tape, before this course was removed for insurance purposes. (In the working world, contractors will typically Shang-hai tweakers and braceros, literally, to leave them here-and-there. Have you prepared them for it. One in our local fb was taking them to Hawaii, while it was still erupting.)
During one of our historical wildfires, students were evacuated on a bus, to parts unknown, and kept from their parents for some hours, inconveniencing everyone. Many were within short walking distance, of their homes and parents, at the school, before being disappeared, willingly. Probably, no more than 2 or 3 ducked the line, to help with water and were later regarded as outlaws by their classmates.
I was the only one, of whom I am aware, to ask why two active-shooters, in my highschool, were not in the local papers. (One of the more woodsy teachers confided that it was a shelter-in-place drill.)
Rather than saving me from adversity, most people are the cause of it, for their incompetence and lack of self awareness. The dog is possibly better at giving moral support, because it is paying attention.
I have come to a place, over the last several years, in which is better for 99%’ers not to participate. Taggart said, “So that leaves us, the conscientious critical thinkers, alone by ourselves to worry and plan.”
Let’s play favorite bible quotes: Amos 5:18-20
Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him;
or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light?
Even very dark, and no brightness in it?
You are not to quote anything that isn’t what people want to hear today.
There are hundreds of Bible quotes that are rejected today, but my favorite is Timothy 2, vs 12, where Women are told to shut up:
“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence”.
Also act, look, and behave modest, cover your hair, and numerous other moral and proper commands from GOD.
If I had the money and time, I would edit my own BIBLE to contain those phrases that p*ss people off….like the ones that say your TRIBE (people) is to keep to themselves and not mix nor marry outside your TRIBE!!!! God is a racist, separatist, and segregationist……. and that is why I love the dude.
Righteous people wanted the ‘day of the Lord’, in imprecatory verses.
So, I think, it applies to blasphemers and not Doomers.