what is one experience you've had in your life that has changed your entire outlook on the world?

Question

i was talking to a friend who told me how impacted he was after experiencing the war in iraq. i can only imagine!

what have you all experienced that has changed you as a person in general or your outlook on others or our world so dramatically?

Answer 1

I was 15 and my 6 year old brother was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. It was in the brain stem so surgery was too risky.

For 11 months he suffered through Kimo, radiation treatments 7 out of the 11 he was bed ridden. The sounds, the smells, the sights were too much for a boy my age to take.

But, I saw God for the first time. I was always raised in somewhat of a Christian home. My mom went to chruch dad didn't. I was still a rebellous teen with a lot of anger growing up. When my brother got cancer I instantly grew up and saw all my friends as just kids.

The things that I witnessed with my own eyes were miraculous in it's own right. My little borther, who could barely read See Spot Run was quoting bible verses. He spoke of visions of Heaven so distinct that they matched up with scripture. One vision was of him sitting beneath an apple tree with jesus and a boy named Jesse. i didn't think anything of it until my mom confessed that She was pregnant before she had me and her and my dad decided to have an abortion because they just had my older brother and didn't feel that they could afford to care for another child. They knew that their next child would have been named Jesse. My little brother was sitting with Jesus and the brother that I never knew about.

The cancer eventually took his life but the last words out of his mouths minutes before his heart stopped was "Jesus". It's crazy today is actually his birthday. He would have been 17.

the thing I learned is that death is inevitable, whether your 7 or 70 one day we're going to die. I also saw God's compassion for us during that time. We never went hungry as my mom soley took care of Kyle, rent was always paid through people we hadn't ever met. God didn't give Kyle cancer, the way we die is subject to the world we live in. God could have taken it away, but that would have been a temporary solution as he would have died at some other point in his life.

It's hard that I never got to teach him to drive, talk to him about girls and be an older brother to him still. But I know that Kyle's purpose for his life was completely fulfilled and that he has found perfect peace, no more pain, no more morphine, no cancer just eternal glory with God and I know that I'll see him again when my time comes. I just hope God uses me in a way to impact others as much as my little brother impacted my life.

God bless you in Jesus Christ.

Answer 2

There have been many things that have altered my outlook on life, to name a few:

The OKC bombing...my dad had a meeting scheduled for 9a that morning in the Murrah building, but it was canceled just about an hour before he would have had to be there. It made me realize that he wouldn't be around forever. I still tear up when thinking about that and all the lives which were lost that day.

My entire worldview changed just from reading one book, not even a good book (called The Question of God, for anyone that would like to know...but I really don't recommend it for suggested reading), it was comparing the works of C.S Lewis and Freud. I didn't even care much for either of their views, but when reading and deeply reflecting on what both had to say..something just clicked...god might just be imaginary. I know this isn't something that most would like to hear and the book isn't the end of how my worldview changed to what it is now (too bad it wasn't a good book, I'd much rather be able to say it was some great work of philosophy which first impacted my worldview)

Another book, actually a series of books, that changed my outlook on the world is Ishmael, The Story of B, and My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (those you can consider suggested reading)...Quinn basically presented his thesis in novel form of what is wrong with the world and that it is possible to save it. I'm not going to waste anyone's time explain anything from the books here...but I think he was spot on with his ideas and if we could somehow find a way to implement them into modern society we could alleviate most of the things people mention as being troubling about the world.

Answer 3

Having experienced the joy that children from third world countries have for the little things in life is heartwarming. Children who have nothing are happy and positive and upbeat and are not using drugs and shooting up their schools. They find ways to have fun, enjoy life and live in peace. American kids don't realize that most childlren in the world don't have video games, TV's, electricity, hot water, cars, IPods, new clothes and even food whenever they want it. Kids here are spoiled and think they are entitled to everything. They need to travel and see the world.

Answer 4

Yes, my 11 year old son was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. I cannot tell you the grief and fear that gripped me...at times I could not breathe because of it. My son is gifted, straight A's, everyone says they wish he was theirs. He taught himself guitar and worships GreenDay...a punker just like his mom used to be...an oddity because he is such a gentle soul and kind hearted.....and for this to happen to him....I hate to hold back everything in me not to scream at God and say why him?

All I could think of is why not him? Why should I possibly think I am more special than any other human being in this world who has suffered? And what I am suffering I would suffer a thousand times over if it meant saving him from the hell he has been going through with chemo....and he has not complained once...not once...even though he has been subjected to so much.

I think it's ridiculously stupid the things that people spend their time worrying about, debating, fighting over, the materialism, everything they strive for that can so easily be wiped away in the blink of an eye.

When I see other people's suffering, like the war in Iraq, it makes me cry...and yet I want to see it...becasue only then I feel connected to humanity. Their suffering is my suffering. No mother should have to watch their child suffer, or die...and you want to know what hell is it's being left behind.

The world is a very sick place. The fact no one is stopping this war almost makes me want to beg for God to finally take us all home.

Nobody knows what the future has in store for them. So live and enjoy your life. There will likely be plenty of time for grieving and pondering the afterlife.

Answer 5

After is saw a devil hand emerged from the ground with green aura, i start to believe that God power is beyond our imagination. What i have in this real life is just a part of the story. There is so many secret beyond universe and the God.

Answer 6

child birth..the birth of my daughter changed my outlook on life dramatically, in the best of way..i realized just how self involved i use to be, and also how annoying that must of been to the people around me. since my daughter i have learned to put others first instead of myself and not to mencion ive grown up alot from this experiance!

Answer 7

personal experience: heavy car accident in a curve together with our sons...car was total loss,really thought we'd all not survive that tragedy.-- and what's even worse was that I was the one responsible.

As a person it made me value life as precious as a whole.Just the thought alone looking back sends goosebumps to my skin.It also made me realize that with just one second our lives could have stopped right there and then.
Thank God we are still alive.

Answer 8

The first time I took Holy Communion

Answer 9

sexual abuses .... Now, I am always looking to see how people are interacting with children. and how children interact with adults. I try not to miss any signs.

On a brighter note, my salvation and growing faith in the Lord has changed EVERYTHING in my life for the better!!!

Answer 10

ive read sex raport from Kinsey institute, since than i looke really differently on the world, its kinda funny to walk on the street and know that most of people does masturbate or have been, also that they think about sex kinda often, you know, now i know that sex is as normal as eating and drinking, but people called me pervert only coz i spoke openly about sex matters... but now i know im not hypocrite, when other are, its good to know true about us, humans:)!

I aslo have read all books by mario puzo and this changed my point of view on life.