http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it-hope-vs-mindset/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:12:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it-hope-vs-mindset/#comment-22641 Boo Hoboo Sun, 22 Jun 2008 07:58:12 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it-hope-vs-mindset/#comment-22641 I am reminded of the New Testament sentiment of embracing the death of self (taking up the cross daily..) , to glory in weakness, powerlessness, and brokenness so that God's grace may provide the lack. I've come to see that my personal concept of "God", "Grace", and "Hope" have enabled me to live passively to the many troubles in the world around me for many years, allowing me to hold to the hope that this force will somehow come and make everything alright, enacting justice on the unrighteous, and blessing us, the "true believers". I've gradually been able to let go of some of these deeply-rooted concepts to be able, for the first time, to consider MY life, My purpose here, and My responsibility. What a blessing to come back to myself! Yet at this starting point, I am careful to consider the essence of this Way that I had been striving to master. Beyond the religious trappings of it all, I find myself still treasuring this reality of voluntary death. This difficult message made the religious folks angry enough to silence the physical voice of Jesus at that time, although his death and rebirth proved what he had been talking about all along. I am beginning to see death as a change of form, rather than a definite end. It is the necessary breakdown so that real transformation may occur. It can be seen as a replacement, denying something that is no longer required to embrace a new way of being, a new "mindset". I wholeheartedly agree with your perceptions in this article. I too hold the same disillusionment in the established structures of our current paradigm. It is refreshing and real to hear a dialogue about the collapse of this form of reality as something imminent and yet positive. My "hope" now is in myself and my wife and son, that choices we make now will prepare us for the massive change of form that is coming, so that we may face it clearly and soberly, and my broader hope is that there are others like us out there, preparing to welcome this death, and waiting to take on this reality "we wanted all the time anyway". Thank you for expressing my own wordless sentiments so eloquently. I am reminded of the New Testament sentiment of embracing the death of self (taking up the cross daily..) , to glory in weakness, powerlessness, and brokenness so that God’s grace may provide the lack. I’ve come to see that my personal concept of “God”, “Grace”, and “Hope” have enabled me to live passively to the many troubles in the world around me for many years, allowing me to hold to the hope that this force will somehow come and make everything alright, enacting justice on the unrighteous, and blessing us, the “true believers”. I’ve gradually been able to let go of some of these deeply-rooted concepts to be able, for the first time, to consider MY life, My purpose here, and My responsibility. What a blessing to come back to myself! Yet at this starting point, I am careful to consider the essence of this Way that I had been striving to master. Beyond the religious trappings of it all, I find myself still treasuring this reality of voluntary death. This difficult message made the religious folks angry enough to silence the physical voice of Jesus at that time, although his death and rebirth proved what he had been talking about all along.
I am beginning to see death as a change of form, rather than a definite end. It is the necessary breakdown so that real transformation may occur. It can be seen as a replacement, denying something that is no longer required to embrace a new way of being, a new “mindset”.
I wholeheartedly agree with your perceptions in this article. I too hold the same disillusionment in the established structures of our current paradigm. It is refreshing and real to hear a dialogue about the collapse of this form of reality as something imminent and yet positive. My “hope” now is in myself and my wife and son, that choices we make now will prepare us for the massive change of form that is coming, so that we may face it clearly and soberly, and my broader hope is that there are others like us out there, preparing to welcome this death, and waiting to take on this reality “we wanted all the time anyway”.
Thank you for expressing my own wordless sentiments so eloquently.

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