Temple Illuminatus

WARNING! There will be people on this site you do NOT like.

In fact, unless you have the compassion, empathy, heart and mind of a saint, as the site grows I can pretty much guarantee it.

There will be those people here. Those people you try so desperately to avoid. Those people that grate on your nerves. Those people that believe in *that* stuff, you know, maybe it's the scary stuff, or maybe it's fluffy bunny stuff. Maybe it's not what they believe, but how they shove it down your throat. Or so it seems. Or maybe it's that they just seem to know it all, and they're SO wrong. You know THOSE people.

Well guess what, we're all one of those people. All of us come off the wrong way to someone sometime. Yeah, we might whine in our heads, but we know better. I'm really a NICE person, a SMART person, a RIGHT person. My intentions are all in the right place. Well guess what, we're all one of those people too.

Ayup.

There will be people here that will use words you don't like, and find offensive.

There will be people here that have beliefs and practices, that you find disturbing, upsetting, or maybe silly, stupid, or trivial. All of us, will have SOME negative assumptions about someone on this site.

Bottom line, we are all who we are.

If we want the freedom to be ourselves, we must extend that freedom to others.

If we want to be respected for our own choices, faiths, ideas, beliefs, we have to extend it to others.

What then to do with those individuals that rub many people the wrong way? Who are more extreme on the edge of a more out there belief, or method of expressing themselves that they disrupt a lot of people a lot of the time. I'm not sure honestly how I will deal with individuals that may really push this sites members buttons.

My first line of approach is trying to work toward an inclusive solution. Bring resolution and positive change without excluding someone. I would like to make removing someone from this site a really last resort.

There are people who thrive on conflict, and conflict is also often a positive part of people who are going through periods of growth and change. Overcoming conflicts. Learning how to resolve conflict. As well as learning how to communicate with others effectively and to co-operate with others, is one of the most meaningful things we can do actually in terms of our self growth and development.

You can use conflict with others on this site as catalysts for positive growth and change, for yourself, and for others. You can choose to try to change what you can change, not that other person, but yourself. You can choose to try to expand your empathy and compassion. You can make an effort to try harder to understand why that other person is who they are, believes what they believe, and feels how they feel, or expresses themselves how they do. All of us have baggage, history, triggers, brainwashing, etc, to overcome. All of us. We are all the walking wounded. If you want a less judgemental more compassionate world. WE have to co-create it.

We can start co-creating it here.

Defuse conflict, keep conflict to places where people who want to embrace it only can, and not impose our conflict onto others who do not want to be a part of it. Recognize trolling behaviours and people who feed on negative energy, or are addicted, literally to the adrenaline rush of the 'fight' or flight response, and just like a good fight (yup, some do, let them fight with others that like to do battle, and if your the pacifist type like me, learn to walk away). I have a tendency as a pacifist to want to repress or smooth over conflict, perhaps more than is ultimately healthy. Really, who gets to decide? and maybe what is healthy for one person isn't the same for another...

I know you're all intelligent enough to really get what I'm saying here.

Conflict will happen, be ready for it, focus not on what I can do as a site owner to fix it for you, or what the other person has to do to stop bothering you, and focus on the only change that really matters, the one you can bring with you off site and everywhere you go. Learn your own personal way of dealing with it, create strategies and plans for self for sharing spiritual space with a diverse group of people.

This place will have a lot of freedom, for many people, that may feel like a lack of 'security', that lack of security, is not coming from the site, that feeling of insecurity, is a feeling, and it comes from within you, and only you, can address it. You can avoid it, or you can understand it, and control it, rather than letting it control you.

Leila

64 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 37k5peu2ugi2s on April 18, 2011 at 4:04pm

i agree with you vlada...i would not post that comment in a christian's room...i know people who would get a good laugh and i know those who would be offened and hurt by it...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leila Raven on April 18, 2011 at 5:26pm

Basically, it's a social grey area.

Some of us are comfortable making jokes that may be construed as discriminatory in nature, and some of us are comfortable making them only in the company that we feel excludes those people. We feel it's funny only if someone doesn't get hurt, and if we don't direct it at that person what's the harm. Some are comfortable making these kinds of jokes only because they don't really believe them, and they know the people they are sharing with them, know that they don't really mean it. Or, they identify as the group itself. Some of us are never comfortable with making or hearing that kind of joke.

Me, I have mixed feelings. I don't have an answer of what is right for other people to do. Just that I suggest they make an educated choice for themselves. They should be aware that they can will offend people, and decide whether it's worth it for them to stick to their beliefs around humour, etc. I think it's a personal choice, but people should be aware that in the world we live in, it's going to be controversial.

I can find these jokes funny, I make jokes at my own expense all the time, and I love humor, and I find people making jokes about most things funny most of the time. However, when people are getting hurt, being an empathic person, that hurts me too. They also have a right to their own feelings.

Basically I don't tend to make these kinds of jokes myself because even if I know to me it's just a joke, and I don't 'believe' the stereotype or the twist on things that make it funny, someone could perceive that I do, and be wounded in spirit.

The reality is, we live in a world that is often cruel and hateful, and many people have been traumatized by discrimination, and instead of seeing funny, all they see is people perpetuating the hate that has hurt them so much. You can't fault them for that. We have all felt judged by others at some point, and can relate... no one likes to see something and feel judged or discriminated against.

Should we not make these kinds of jokes.. as I said, it's up to the individual, but I think if you do make them, you need to be prepared for potential social consequences, and be willing to clarify your intentions and feelings towards people that may feel the joke targets them in some way.

Just as people have a right to free speech, and using humor to cope with or express social issues, people also have a right to feel however they feel by these kinds of jokes and these kinds of issues, and also have a right to free speech around that and having their feelings heard and respected in turn.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 37k5peu2ugi2s on April 20, 2011 at 11:22am

seeing as how i am a little old grey haired lady...i will say this, i do not like perverts or trollers..."wolves in sheep's clothing" or visa versa...i have encountered a couple on temple....icu☼

(shhh, mums the word) ...just joking...tee hee

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leila Raven on April 20, 2011 at 3:12pm

lol. Poor little perverts... so misunderstood. *free hugs for perverts!*

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 37k5peu2ugi2s on April 20, 2011 at 5:24pm

lmao mistress Leila Raven....8 )

Permalink Reply by 0r2uqekazfd94 on April 21, 2011 at 3:27am

I Realized I am pretending to be like God when I want or try to heal someone who does not ask to be healed. So I therefore am worse than an Idolater when I ask to heal someone who I see with an infirmity. As I want to be more than a God, but a decision like maker

This has plagued me for many nights in a row, but the toughest human spirit would say I have my problems and will accept the human death coming to me,,,,,

But our human side would be more animal and never loose a battle..... The spiritual copy we own where we are like God would say we have lost and take our punishment and live with the pain as long as we do not share the pain with others.

I think of the the scripture Psalms 106:23 and John 15:13. Where the writers were willing to die to save others and this is the true power of God sent to man from God.

But the human side would try to learn every way to beat God at the game of life, through every technique where the real test is to say I will stand and be judged for what I have done

I also see the issue of being apologizing for what we have done and taking the place of God when we ask for repentance.... as God may be the only one deserving an apologia and not those we transgress

So My theory of life could still be true where we are here so God can regenerate and live in human form..... But hey I am still human and could just be deceiving people as we do in earthly form

XOXO

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leila Raven on April 21, 2011 at 2:45pm

I don't know why some of us fear death more than others, and some of us almost seem to long for it. I do know that I have found a lot of peace in surrendering to what is, and having faith, that what happens in life is what is meant to happen, is natural, is even beautiful... even illness and death. Do I seek illness and death at this time in my life, no, I do my best to keep my body and mind and spirit happy and in balance.

I think it's wonderful that you want to heal others, and prolong long healthy happy lives... there are very many who so desperately seek healing. Myself, I'm not so attached to my human form, I like change, I don't mind getting old, I don't mind getting infirm... it feels... natural. I'm just going to ride the ride I'm on, and see where it takes me, I have found trying to get behind the steering wheel and control things too much, means I don't have as much time to really appreciate the journey the same way I do when I just sit back and trust and let myself enjoy things. *smile*

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 2dosmsxgfpa0m on April 22, 2011 at 12:29am

I don't know many people who can say that. I thought that only God could not fear.

~Magickal Graphics~

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leila Raven on April 22, 2011 at 11:37am

I have plenty of fear, I fear pain, emotional and physical pain, pain without relief, pain without end, those are things I fear... but I don't fear death. Oddly enough even before having become depressed, even as a child, death was something I never feared. My oldest sister died when I was around 8-9, I don't remember my exact age... death seemed to be something that was everywhere... My mother had had so many losses throughout her life. Death was very sad..., is sad, when someone goes away, and you don't know if you'll ever meet again... it's sad. But nothing I was afraid of no... I see death as... an escape, a get away to an unknown adventure, a wonderful peace, going back to the womb, comforting, embracing, peaceful, calming, inviting... those are the things I think of when I think of my own death.

Sometimes I fear the lure of death... I fear that the desire to suicide may return again someday, and that death would seduce me, and that would be a grave betrayal to my other lovers. It would be a totally selfish action of me to take. Unforgivable, yes, I fear death in that way, I fear that I might long for death too much one day again. That I fear.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Grigori Rho Gharveyn on April 22, 2011 at 12:56pm

Spiritually, fear is a condition of love, when we become attached to what we love we often learn to fear.

And yet, all love is eternal, once experienced, it can never be diminished, it can only grow.

It is our anticipation of future love that sets us up to fear.

When we step into time and out of eternity we may often forget our love will always exist; when we forget our love is eternal we fear its loss.

Socially, fear is a conditioning tool used to coerce behavior.

Fear is used to manipulate and dominate.

Temporally, we can never be entirely without fear.

Eternally, we learn our all of our fears are groundless, there is nothing to fear.

When we balance our awareness of time so that we are simultaneaously both temporal and eternal we may learn to live without fear.

Blessed be...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leila Raven on April 22, 2011 at 1:04pm

I relate to most of what you express here, except I don't see fear as a condition of love... I see fear as a condition of perceived loss of love, when one realizes that love is not something that comes from without to within, but from within to without, and is really everywhere, and can be manifested anytime by simply accepting it... fear ceases to be associated with love, it is the belief that love can be taken away from someone that causes fear. That love is something others give us, and can be removed, when really love unconditional is something that is completely unaffected by the choices, feelings, and actions of others, and simply is, all we need do is accept it, allow ourselves to channel it/be it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 185nd9mbznww4 on May 24, 2011 at 6:40am

it is my belief that fear is something originating from evil. fear eats away at relationships slowly, and most of the time we don't realize it. everyone has fears at some point, it is a form of energy. an energy that provides nutrition for evil entities. i feel it is best we leave fear out of our lives. but most people cannot motivate themselves without fear... it is one of my goals to destroy fear in people, because i know when fear is present, there will always be evil waiting for it to manifest, so it has an ability to destroy other things. things that are good.

▶ Reply

‹ Previous
1
…
6
7
8
9
10
…
16
Next ›

RSS

Welcome to
Temple Illuminatus

Sign Up
or Sign In

Have questions?

Need help? Visit our Support Group for help from our friendly Admins and members!

Have you?

✔ Become a Member
✔ Invited Your Friends
✔ Made new Friends
✔ Read/ Written a Blog
✔ Joined/ Created a Group
✔ Read/ Posted a Discussion
✔ Checked out the Chat
✔ Looked at/Posted Videos
✔ Made a donation this month
✔ Followed us on Twitter
✔ Followed us on Facebook