Lonelygirl15

Ziola wrote:No one hates you...I have a lot of respect for people who still feel they can make a difference. For whatever reason, I lost that look on life..

To be honest, it makes me jealous of you...

Aww. Don't be jelous. I'm just foolish I guess. I am a hopeless dreamer and I somehow imagine that all things are fixable. On the other hand...It starts with one person. Together we can make a difference, ya know? But I say, if all you help is one person, that one person is better off and may want to try and make life better for someone else.

exanimatebylove wrote:I don't care if it's Christian or Athiest, or if they are from here or the moon, if it helps someone who is less fortunate than me then it's worth it.

Understood.

exanimatebylove wrote:Like I said, Don't hate me for putting it out there but for some reason I felt it on my heart to share this info with u guys. And that I did.

Of course I don't hate you. I respect your opinion, and I understand your desire to share something that makes you happy and brings meaning to your life.

My reaction to your post is based on a lot of personal experiences that have felt like various religious organizations (Christian and otherwise) trying to shove their beliefs down my throat.

Let me amend that last statement: it hasn't just been religious organizations, as I indicated when I referred to U.S. efforts to spread "democracy" along with assistance.

In any event, I feel extremely strongly about this whole subject. I respect and can support organizations that act out of deep belief in a particular Higher Power or ethical/political system, but that are able to help others without proselytizing for that belief.

Habitat for Humanity is one example that comes immediately to mind. My understanding is that Habitat has Christian underpinnings, but doesn't wave Christianity as a banner when it builds houses.

In 12-step programs like AA, they refer to this principle as "attraction rather than promotion." If you act on your beliefs, quietly and with integrity, people will respect you and want to know the basis for your actions. If you run around yelling "I'm a Christian [or insert other appropriate noun here]! You need to be a Christian too if you want to be as wonderful as me!" you are cheapening your beliefs.

To be clear: when I use the word "you," I'm not referring to you, exanimatebylove, as an individual -- properly I should be using "one," but that sounds stuffy.

BTW, what does "exanimatebylove" mean anyway? I've always been curious.

ETA: I think I need to be even clearer and state explicitly that I don't mean to imply that you, exanimate, have been "run[ning] around yelling 'I'm a Christian.'" I was referring to organizations like World Vision.

It's okay Lass. I totally understand. Sadly, those people who go around waving their christianity in other peoples faces are probably the least christian of all christians. Did that make sense? They're the same people who go to 20-minute mass just to say they went yet never study one verse in the bible or practice the principles of being a christian. They think being Christian gives them the right to go around judging others for their opinions and beliefs which is not okay in my book. I know it's against my 'religion' to hate, but I strongly dislike those kinds of christians. I apologize for them and am embaressed by them. I actually don't really call my self a Christian but a "Believer". It sounds less...pushy I guess. What can ya do??

Anyway, I get ya. No offence taken or anything. I understand people have strong feelings about some topics and that there are pushy organizations out there. I just like the principle of helping out some poor kids who had the misfortune of being born in India and not the USA. I get teary eye'd thinking about the life they live. Being raped multiple times before the age of 5 and dying of AIDS at 10. NO child deserves that. I guess when it comes to kids it's a whole different ballgame for me because I work with Children. I guess I believe sometimes that it doesn't really matter what it is as long as it's helping out someone who needs it more then me, it's worth it to me. I figure there's not much else I can do. Money and Prayer.

BTW...Habitat for Humanity is awesome. Jimmy Carter is a good man.

Exanimate means... spiritless, disheartened, broken by, or dead. And then by love. So it just kinda means Broken by love. It's kinda sad actually. I love it though.