Zone1 Theology of the Body

[Donald H]

............................ and I am a Catholic married to an atheist.

That's not really surprising to hear. I'm detecting that you're facing an issue to which you need some answers.

It's almost certain to be related to a disagreement over sexual relations that are then related to frequency. (perhaps includiing style too)

Your search for reassurance began with:

Indulge vs. Discipline.

 

[Meriweather]

No one is shouting at you, you're hearing voices in your head. That's an atheist you conjured up in your imagination. If you don't want atheists participating in your threads, including this one, then say so. You're talking smack about atheists, so I'm here to respond to your anti-atheist claptrap.

This is yelling as I never in my entire life have talked "smack" about atheists. By "yelling" naturally I do not mean loudness. I am speaking of the assumption there are insults directed at atheists and non-religious. I grew up with atheists, with Catholics, with Protestants.

This is merely a thread addressing theology of the body. I never expected atheists and those who take no interest in religion or theology to even open the thread. It is why I put "theology" in the title.

 

[Donald H]

When you were married were part of your vows an agreement to forsake all others? If so, doesn't it make sense to put your spouse first?

I didn't start beating my wife. How can your issue with your husband have anything to do with your perception that everyone else must be forsaken?

Is he asking for or demanding sex at times when the kids need your attention?

 

[Meriweather]

That's not really surprising to hear. I'm detecting that you're facing an issue to which you need some answers.

Wrong. Please remove that imagined "Meriweather" from your brain.

It's almost certain to be related to a disagreement over sexual relations that are then related to frequency. (perhaps includiing style too)

Your search for reassurance began with:

Indulge vs. Discipline.

Wrong.

It is as simple as this: I was searching for a topic that people of faith might be interested in discussing more peaceably than what has been happening recently. Again, please remove that "Meriweather" from your brain as it is not I.

 

[Meriweather]

I didn't start beating my wife. How can your issue with your husband have anything to do with your perception that everyone else must be forsaken?

Is he asking for or demanding sex at times when the kids need your attention?

Your post is an off topic change of subject that never occurred to me. Here's the deal: If you want a response from me Donald H , you will address the topic, and not make your response anything about me. Talk about me, and your post will be ignored. I'm not interested in your imagined fictions about "Meriweather".

 

[Donald H]

Wrong. That is, if you are referencing me, not the "Meriweather" residing only in your own mind. The Theology of the Body has little--in many cases nothing--to do with sex.

More to the point: This thread is not about Meriweather. It is about the Theology of the Body. It's the more interesting topic--by far.

Your personal relationship sounds like it's troubled. Just accept that I haven't placed blame. Maybe I can help in private.

 

[Donald H]

To whom it may concern:

It's not 'dirty' and it's not wrong to indulge. It's only wrong to not face the issue that is preventing normal indulgence.
Professional help is sometimes required. Be cautious of seeking christian pseudo-professionals, with your motive of hearing what you want to hear.

 

[Meriweather]

Your personal relationship sounds like it's troubled. Just accept that I haven't placed blame. Maybe I can help in private.

Laughing out loud because I've been happily married for almost forty years. Looking forward to forty more. Get it through your head that I am not who you are imagining.

 

[Donald H]

.....................because I've been happily married for almost forty years.

I believe that to be true.

Looking forward to forty more. Get it through your head that I am not who you are imagining.

Then it's doubly important to face the issue, as opposed to allowing emotional side effects that won't allow you to live to be 100.

 

[TruthNotBS]

This is yelling as I never in my entire life have talked "smack" about atheists. By "yelling" naturally I do not mean loudness. I am speaking of the assumption there are insults directed at atheists and non-religious. I grew up with atheists, with Catholics, with Protestants.

This is merely a thread addressing theology of the body. I never expected atheists and those who take no interest in religion or theology to even open the thread. It is why I put "theology" in the title.

More disingenuous gobbledygook. Your condescending, disparaging comments about non-Christians being morally inferior to Christians were responded to and you don't like that so you're complaining about it. Complain all you want, I've already dealt with your BS in the past and know how dishonest you are, so I'm not wasting another pixel on my monitor on you. Believe whatever nonsense you want about non-Christians. Lavish in your ignorance and stupidity.

 

[Meriweather]

I'm not wasting another pixel on my monitor on you.

Thank you.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

The reason we gain a body in this life and receive resurrection with a body of flesh and bones for all eternity is because our bodies give us more joy than to be disembodied. For this reason the Father and the Son both have bodies of flesh and bones and receive a fullness of joy.

Doctrine and Covenants 93:33-34
33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
34 And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God

 

[Donald H]

More disingenuous gobbledygook. Your condescending, disparaging comments about non-Christians being morally inferior to Christians were responded to and you don't like that so you're complaining about it. Complain all you want, I've already dealt with your BS in the past and know how dishonest you are, so I'm not wasting another pixel on my monitor on you. Believe whatever nonsense you want about non-Christians. Lavish in your ignorance and stupidity.

Truth is, Meriweather has always been cautious by answering with a question instead of an answer, and has got away with it. This time she's been drawn out and we got to know something about her!

This whole thing started with 'The Theology of the Body', and that could be interpreted as relating to her mind being rescued from the sexual demands on her body, by her religion/theology. It's now going to become too obvious as the discussion continues to become more ethereal and devoid of any meaning.

Then she pretty much confirmed it with her following replies.

happily married for 40 years.
not going to talk to us atheists anymore.

 

[Meriweather]

not going to talk to us atheists anymore.

Not going to address those who want to talk about their imagined Meriweather instead of the topic.

 

[Meriweather]

Let's try to address the topic: Perhaps the part that fascinates me the most is:

Pope John Paul II said the body alone can make visible what is invisible.

The theological perspective could include the Kingdom of God, God himself, angels, sin, blessings, heaven, hell, the idea of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love might be another

For those whose interest may lie more in the secular/physical realm, imagination immediately comes to mind, perhaps Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings particularly. However, Greek and Roman mythology has made all those gods and goddesses quite visible. Medusa immediately comes to mind. Isn't the same true of history. Through our body, we can imagine the battle of Gettysburg, its aftermath, and the Gettysburg Address. I have been touched by visiting and walking over several battlefields.

 

[LeroyDumonde]

Let's try to address the topic: Perhaps the part that fascinates me the most is:

Pope John Paul II said the body alone can make visible what is invisible.

The theological perspective could include the Kingdom of God, God himself, angels, sin, blessings, heaven, hell, the idea of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love might be another

Ok, lets take the idea seriously and broadly. So assuming that god or gods exist, what can we infer about him/her/it/they from the body? Of course we have to divorce this question from any particular religion because we have to rely on the body alone. An obvious difficulty, however, is how do we distinguish between what the gods desire, what they're apathetic about, and what they're powerless to do.

A universal experience, for example, is death. Did the gods design us to die? Did the design not factor that in because the immortality wasn't a design goal? Were the gods simply incapable of designing us to be immortal? Of course all that assumes that we we're designed by the gods in the first place.

Another universal experience is pain. Are the gods sadists who enjoy our pain? Are they apathetic to our pain? Are they incapable of stopping our pain?

So I would suggest that the first order of Body Theology is to show that the body does indeed reveal when the gods desire an outcome, are apathetic about the outcome, or are powerless to stop an outcome. If Body Theology is incapable of making these distinctions then is the body really revealing anything about the invisible?

However, one thing does seem clear. We shouldn't worship gods. If they don't exist, then we shouldn't worship them. If they're sadists, then we shouldn't worship them. If they are apathetic to us, then we shouldn't worship them. If they are incapable, then we shouldn't worship them.

 

[Meriweather]

Ok, lets take the idea seriously and broadly. So assuming that god or gods exist, what can we infer about him/her/it/they from the body? Of course we have to divorce this question from any particular religion because we have to rely on the body alone. An obvious difficulty, however, is how do we distinguish between what the gods desire, what they're apathetic about, and what they're powerless to do.

I'd like to begin with what is a human made of? Everyone seems to agree that the human body is made up of body and mind. The part that is debated is spirit/soul. Theology teaches that while the body and mind experience death, the spirit lives on. One argument for the spirit is what is the purpose of life? If human are simply body and mind, does law and order matter, or should it be the winner/strongest take all?

I'll start out with God is love, and all are welcome to introduce their own descriptions.

 

[Meriweather]

A universal experience, for example, is death. Did the gods design us to die? Did the design not factor that in because the immortality wasn't a design goal? Were the gods simply incapable of designing us to be immortal? Of course all that assumes that we we're designed by the gods in the first place.

Here we return to the make-up of humans. Was the physical body always meant to perish? I haven't researched this. I do recall one theory is that living in close proximity to God is what brings immortality. I don't know which faith (if any) teaches this. Most believe the human spirit is designed to be immortal.

 

[Meriweather]

Another universal experience is pain. Are the gods sadists who enjoy our pain? Are they apathetic to our pain? Are they incapable of stopping our pain?

This is usually answered that the human body is designed to feel, and therefore it experiences both pleasure and pain.

 

[Meriweather]

So I would suggest that the first order of Body Theology is to show that the body does indeed reveal when the gods desire an outcome, are apathetic about the outcome, or are powerless to stop an outcome. If Body Theology is incapable of making these distinctions then is the body really revealing anything about the invisible?

Christianity teaches it is not God's desire that any (spirit) should perish. In Hinduism (reincarnation) the ultimate goal is 'moksha' or liberation from the material world.