Are You Listening, God?
Blame, the final frontier23 total reviews
Comment from Lylise
..the names being almost identical...LOL!
Tried to provoke debates..yes, I picture you doing this ALL THE TIME.
Just in case passport. Brilliant!
Wow! What a write!!! I read this non-stop from beginning to end which is phenomenal for me. This is entertaining, informative and quite personal. This shows your strength and belief in yourself and lays bare many, many wounds. I picture you cranking this out in minimal time.
I am no stranger to your youth experiences. I felt no passion, religious or otherwise. Only fear. I too was forced to Sunday school every weekend. Nothing has stayed with me except the hymnal. Certainly not God.
I envy your clear knowledge of your own mind in this regard. You have given me volumes to think about.
Well done. Lynda
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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..the names being almost identical...LOL!
Tried to provoke debates..yes, I picture you doing this ALL THE TIME.
Just in case passport. Brilliant!
Wow! What a write!!! I read this non-stop from beginning to end which is phenomenal for me. This is entertaining, informative and quite personal. This shows your strength and belief in yourself and lays bare many, many wounds. I picture you cranking this out in minimal time.
I am no stranger to your youth experiences. I felt no passion, religious or otherwise. Only fear. I too was forced to Sunday school every weekend. Nothing has stayed with me except the hymnal. Certainly not God.
I envy your clear knowledge of your own mind in this regard. You have given me volumes to think about.
Well done. Lynda
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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You are right, I did crank this out in record time, primarily because the wording of the prompt totally pissed me off. Journalism was always my first love. Believe it or not, I learned how to write fiction through classroom studies, not an innate storytelling talent. Even those are just warped prisms of people, situations or inspirations I have passed by.
Thanks so much for the stars and the feedback. It's the exchange of conversation a story provokes that turns my crank.
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For your amusement. I was actually disqualified from a contest by the "committee" for the 'use these words' contest. They did not like my word "horrors" at the end of one of my lines. They said to take off the 's'. They told me to change it or be disqualified. I was livid. I did not change it so hence I was banished this morning by the OEC committee. Something very wrong here. Disqualified over their preference of a word. Yes, I'm pissed off too.
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My mistake. Horrors isn't even at the end of a line. I thought is was a rhyming thing. Nope, just a preference thing.
Tyrants!
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What's the past titled? I want to read it. My first inclination is to tell you to fire off a heat seeking missile at Tom, but I want to look at the parameters for the prompt.
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My Answer Is No.
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to which question? confused.
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Sorry I need to get off this keyboard! Answering and re-answering many replies at the same time. I have no clue what I sent you. The piece is called The Answer Is No.
Comment from Sis Cat
Spiritual Echo, I saved my last six star review until Thursday (!), waiting to award a post that knocked me off my feet. That post is your brilliant essay "Dear Atheists" which chronicles your "spiritual pilgrimage." In a world where we are warned against discussing religion, I found refreshing your "open-minded discussions about religion." You describe your journey to atheism and back, with clear arguments and examples. You pinpoint the core message of Easter--forgiveness--and end your essay well with the benediction, "Let's all be kind to each other."
Thank you for sharing this most extraordinary essay. I wish you success in the contest.
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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Spiritual Echo, I saved my last six star review until Thursday (!), waiting to award a post that knocked me off my feet. That post is your brilliant essay "Dear Atheists" which chronicles your "spiritual pilgrimage." In a world where we are warned against discussing religion, I found refreshing your "open-minded discussions about religion." You describe your journey to atheism and back, with clear arguments and examples. You pinpoint the core message of Easter--forgiveness--and end your essay well with the benediction, "Let's all be kind to each other."
Thank you for sharing this most extraordinary essay. I wish you success in the contest.
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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It's a good plan to hold onto those few high ratings. I admit that I am stingy with my own inventory, and find there are many weeks where I retire the stars without using up my quota. I am very stingy about giving them out, and I am sincerely honoured when I receive one. Thanks so much.
Comment from jpduck
I am itching to write a philosophical response, but that would not be a review. What I must do, I think, is to write a piece for the contest. In the meantime I will bookcase your wonderful essay so that I can use it as a framework for my agnostic piece.
I thought this was a masterpiece (mistresspiece?!). I particularly enjoyed your wonderfully descriptive phrase 'sponge and squirt preachers', speaking of those insecure and inadequate preachers who lack the courage for debate.
Thank you so much for the important statement:
'If being a good 'Christian' is a phrase that describes people with noble and virtuous habits, then I've met a whole lot of 'Christians' who don't believe that Jesus is the son of God.'
I found just one typo:
'it is ridiculously naive to imagin*e*'
Adrian
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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I am itching to write a philosophical response, but that would not be a review. What I must do, I think, is to write a piece for the contest. In the meantime I will bookcase your wonderful essay so that I can use it as a framework for my agnostic piece.
I thought this was a masterpiece (mistresspiece?!). I particularly enjoyed your wonderfully descriptive phrase 'sponge and squirt preachers', speaking of those insecure and inadequate preachers who lack the courage for debate.
Thank you so much for the important statement:
'If being a good 'Christian' is a phrase that describes people with noble and virtuous habits, then I've met a whole lot of 'Christians' who don't believe that Jesus is the son of God.'
I found just one typo:
'it is ridiculously naive to imagin*e*'
Adrian
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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Thank you very much for the stars and valued feedback. I HATE how this prompt was skewed and I really encourage and hope you will also write an essay in response to what I see as a call for verbose and narrowly defined prejudice and religious fervour. Open-minded, clear thinking people can and do become highly judgemental whenever God is included in the prompts. Worship, to me, is but the smallest component in living an altruistic life. Thanks again.
Comment from Mark Valentine
In a world where believers are often portrayed by athiests as simple-minded people who don't believe in evolution or believe that only their small sect is "saved", and, conversely where atheists are often portrayed by some believers as amoral Nietzschean egotists, it is good to see an intelligent approach to matters of faith. My guess is most people, atheists and believers, basically agree with you - at least most of the atheists and believers I know do. I'm hesitant to read the other contest entries for fear that what I find may prove me wrong (e.g. more people than I'd like to admit are judgmental small-minded nuts), but at this point, my faith in the intelligence and goodness of the fanstory community is solid. thanks for writing this.
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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In a world where believers are often portrayed by athiests as simple-minded people who don't believe in evolution or believe that only their small sect is "saved", and, conversely where atheists are often portrayed by some believers as amoral Nietzschean egotists, it is good to see an intelligent approach to matters of faith. My guess is most people, atheists and believers, basically agree with you - at least most of the atheists and believers I know do. I'm hesitant to read the other contest entries for fear that what I find may prove me wrong (e.g. more people than I'd like to admit are judgmental small-minded nuts), but at this point, my faith in the intelligence and goodness of the fanstory community is solid. thanks for writing this.
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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You'd like to think, Mark, but I'm not so sure. As writers, we need to be able to adapt to situations and characters that are nothing like us at all. That ability should make each of us more open-minded. However, the read to review ratio to this post is the smallest number I've ever seen, and it is not a blind post. People choose not to comment.
The contest doesn't wrap up for two months, a long time to wait to see how people approach this prompt.
Thanks for the read and the encouraging feedback.
Comment from Jay Squires
I love essays you write, Ingrid, where, like this, you courageously bear your soul. I love it because you are so controlled in the development of your argument, yet you maintain your emotional integrity. You have one of the most astutely organized minds here on FanStory. You always have a bead on where you are going and I'm so privileged you take me along for the ride.
Oh, and no SPAG. Also, unfortunately, no sixes.
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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I love essays you write, Ingrid, where, like this, you courageously bear your soul. I love it because you are so controlled in the development of your argument, yet you maintain your emotional integrity. You have one of the most astutely organized minds here on FanStory. You always have a bead on where you are going and I'm so privileged you take me along for the ride.
Oh, and no SPAG. Also, unfortunately, no sixes.
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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Wow, wow, wow...no spag? Are you sh***g me--after all those words? Well! That's the BEST review I've had, and certainly not contrived. It comes from my spag conscience, the man who holds the bar!
Even though I am nakedly truthful, I always seem to offend someone every time. Perhaps, like Lynette, they should just go away. What does baffle me though, is that to admit that life hadn't been fair and admit finding faith difficult, it sets up controversy. Alas. Thanks so much.
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You are welcome, Ingrid. It was so fresh, I'd consider sending it off to a mag or two.
Comment from maggieadams
It is a shame that many on either side of this spectrum of faith cannot have the open dialogue that you just relayed in this excellent piece. Faith or spirituality or whatever one calls it should be a journey...I often wonder, too, how one can hold so tightly to a belief system, but not be able to really tell me why. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thesis. Happy Easter.
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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It is a shame that many on either side of this spectrum of faith cannot have the open dialogue that you just relayed in this excellent piece. Faith or spirituality or whatever one calls it should be a journey...I often wonder, too, how one can hold so tightly to a belief system, but not be able to really tell me why. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thesis. Happy Easter.
Comment Written 02-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015
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Happy Easter to you too.
I can tell you why they can't explain.
Most people who were lucky enough to come from good homes, spiritually based families, were totally indoctrinated. For lack of a better description, they were brain washed from birth. Now, that infiltration of a belief system isn't bad at all. Faith based people have a much easier time to juggle all life's sorrows. BUT, they have no concept what it takes to live through some childhood horrors and come out reasonably sane, and marvel that while Daddy is doing his thing on his daughter, she can't put it in the hands of God.
The journey to find meaning, hope and faith can be arduous, but the 'brain-washed- folks just continue the legacy of scorn and roll their lips at those that don't see it their way. I'd be happy to trade places ANY DAY!
Thanks, Maggie.
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Exactly
Comment from forestport12
It is something to give pause to this time of year. Been so busy working, but this is my favorite time of the year to wear my Christian hat and talk resurrection. Thought provoking exposition. Your the best when it comes to being fearless with your honesty, and that in part put pop in your writing. But somehow I think you've known that kind of power is there for you. I tend to hold back. if we believe in the resurrection, almost nothing else matters, then we hang our eternal hope on his tracks. I'm going to do a "Write a song like Bob Dylan can contest. Will you be all in? Something I've always wanted to do.
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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It is something to give pause to this time of year. Been so busy working, but this is my favorite time of the year to wear my Christian hat and talk resurrection. Thought provoking exposition. Your the best when it comes to being fearless with your honesty, and that in part put pop in your writing. But somehow I think you've known that kind of power is there for you. I tend to hold back. if we believe in the resurrection, almost nothing else matters, then we hang our eternal hope on his tracks. I'm going to do a "Write a song like Bob Dylan can contest. Will you be all in? Something I've always wanted to do.
Comment Written 01-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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I'd have to think about the contest. While Dylan was very much part of my world, song lyric prompts rarely work for me, either personally or against the competition.
Stan, what offended me by this contest prompt was the wording...write a letter to an atheist and tell them what they've done to you, or how they treated you...argh! It smacks of self-sanctified preaching and blame. If I were to catalogue what Christians habe done to me...
But then again, I just thought they were assholes, not Christ's missionaries.
Thanks for the review. I never said I didn't believe in the resurrection, I said, IF I believed that Jesus died for my sins, but really, I did the IF very deliberately to see if I would be CRUCIFIED for having a different point of view.
Thanks for the review.
Comment from patcelaw
This is a very thoughtful message and does well with the prompt. My faith as any who have read any of the things I write is a very important part of who I am. I am comfortable with who I am and I am respectful of other faiths. May this Easter season find all of us being people who respect others. Patricia
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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This is a very thoughtful message and does well with the prompt. My faith as any who have read any of the things I write is a very important part of who I am. I am comfortable with who I am and I am respectful of other faiths. May this Easter season find all of us being people who respect others. Patricia
Comment Written 01-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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I totally respect all faith and find my emerging understanding is also comforting, but if you read the prompt, it may clarify why I took a certain tone. Thanks.
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I understand why you took the tone you did. I too sometimes find it hard to see people who profess to be of a faith and yet, go against what their faith requires.
Comment from jlsavell
Ingrid, I don't know where all my sixes went truly. I don't recall giving them away. But may I say amen, amen, amen, no pun intended. Your views and my views mirror. Our experience growing up parallel greatly, in fact so much so it is eerie. I could go on and on but there is no need. You are just absolutely a wonderful writer. I was glued to this commentary. I kept wondering how you knew me so well.
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We must have coffee.
Jimi
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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Ingrid, I don't know where all my sixes went truly. I don't recall giving them away. But may I say amen, amen, amen, no pun intended. Your views and my views mirror. Our experience growing up parallel greatly, in fact so much so it is eerie. I could go on and on but there is no need. You are just absolutely a wonderful writer. I was glued to this commentary. I kept wondering how you knew me so well.
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We must have coffee.
Jimi
Comment Written 01-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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Any time. My place or yours? LOL. I have no idea where you live, but if you were accessible, I'd love to know you. Thanks for the read and review.
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We my friend are kindred spirits. Yes it would be fun.
Comment from Michael Ludwinder
One of the best opening paragraphs I've ever read. The reason is you don't spare a moment to enter the discussion with your reader. And you do so in such a way as to immediately grab your readers interest. This didn't stop. A very well written essay.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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One of the best opening paragraphs I've ever read. The reason is you don't spare a moment to enter the discussion with your reader. And you do so in such a way as to immediately grab your readers interest. This didn't stop. A very well written essay.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 01-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 01-Apr-2015
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Thank you, Michael, I felt compelled to enter when I read the way this prompt was worded. Thanks for the review.