"Do you personally think that anyone really realizes how precious each moment of our lives are?"
Someone, whom I will not mention, seems to find that I am preaching by asking questions. Odd but I don't think I am preaching. What do you think?
2006-09-04 11:06:34 · 40 answers · asked by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Now see I feel that most of us of various beliefs including reincarnation felt this life was important and worth living am I wrong?
2006-09-04 11:17:46 · update #1
I think you already know the answer to your question but want to share what you are thinking by confronting people with what you know. So in short, if a preacher never asked a question of his congregation, is he really preaching?
2006-09-04 11:10:55 · answer #1 · answered by Bimpster 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think that it's preaching. You are simply asking a question that tends to bug you every now and then. Everyone ponders on this one some time in their life, whether they r christian or not. To answer your other question, Yes and No. Sometimes I think that people realize it so that's why they act the way they do. It's like this- Life is more precious to us because we CAN die. while Christians still worry about it, we do not worry as much as non-Christ worshipers or whatever it is that they call them selves. We know that after we die we wont really be gone. They think that death is the end-and they're right-but it starts a new beginning.
This doesn't really have anything to do with your questions but it felt right to throw it in cause i agree with this statement even though I don't doubt the Lord in anyway--- It's better to believe in God and for the Bible to not be true, then to not believe in God and it be true. Just something for Atheist to think about.
2006-09-04 11:21:16 · answer #2 · answered by yuna 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The 'line' between preaching and asking a question, can be a fine line, along with the fact that it can vary person to person.
Asking a question, can force people to think, which can result in a new idea or thought. Recall, that Christ often taught by asking questions.
May God be with you!
2006-09-04 12:56:39 · answer #3 · answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That was a simple question that could have been asked by anyone, and it could have been included in other forums without being off topic. There are no religious connotations in it what so ever, so I cannot see how it could be considered preaching.
2006-09-04 12:00:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let's look at it, and see what it asks, says, assumes, implies -- what it's purpose is.
First, I'd like to simplify the structure a bit: "Do you personally think that ..." -- well you are asking people for their opinions, but what else could they give? Let's restate as a simple, or at least more direct question.
"Do you personally think that anyone really realizes ..." then becomes the simpler "Does anyone really realize ..." (with it being understood each respondent is saying what they, personally, think).
Might be rephrased as "Is there any person in the world who really realizes..." since if, in the view of an answerer, there is any one person in the world who does realize, the answer would be "yes." But that's more wordy. It does make me wonder about the purpose of the question as stated. You're asking a yes or no question. What good would a straightforward answer do you?
Asking people what other (mostly unknown to them) people "really" realize, think, believe, etc. is tricky at best. You're inviting wild speculation, wherein the superior "I" get to say what "those other people" "REALLY" think, despite what they say, or write, or do.
So, I have a problem with the "question" on that ground, too.
What is it you're trying to ascertain whether other people can be said to "really realize" or not? (Whew! The problem with complex grammatical constructions is they're hard to parse. It also makes me wonder whether this is what you're interested in -- what people think about what other people really realize -- are you perhaps making a statement about what YOU think other people REALLY realize?)
"Does anyone really realize how precious each moment of our lives are?" [is] This assumes that each moment of our lives is precious. This seems to me to be your statement. That each moment of our lives is precious -- presumably very precious.
More than anything, this seems empty to me, that is, it is a platitude. What would it mean for a given moment of my life to not be precious? Or to be less precious than other moments?
On the whole, given the "question" as a whole, I'd have to cast my lot with the "someone" who finds this disingenuous, not so much a question as a mini-sermon.
If you aren't preaching, what, exactly, are you doing? If you are trying to get information, then what information are you trying to get? The state of "personal belief" of a self-selected subset of people who happened to be on YA and happened to see your post?
What would be your purpose in getting that information?
If your purpose is to get people who read your post to reflect on the degree to which each moment of their lives is precious, or to what extent other people "really" recognize this value, then, well, you're preaching.
P.S. Having spent WAY too much time on my answer (and breaking off to do other things), I read your additional details:
"Now see I feel that most of us of various beliefs including reincarnation felt this life was important and worth living am I wrong?"
Now it seems you are asking ["Am I wrong to think that"] "Even people who believe in reincarnation feel life is worth living."
The only people I know of who don't think life is worth living are suicidal, which is a psychological abnormality.
Believers in reincarnation think that "this life that I'm in now (one of many I have and will live) is important for its lessons" -- so, again, I wonder, what is your question? Do you genuinely wonder whether each person considers their life worthwhile? Why do you wonder this?
An atheist such as myself feels my own life to be worth living 'cause it's my life that I'm living, I'm here, and it's precious to me (being all I have).
People of religions that don't include reincarnation feel their lives are worth living -- they think in terms of the love of a superior being and what that being wants.
Squirrels run away from life-threatening beings to protect their own lives. Living things tend to want to go on living.
If they don't do it for reasons intelligible to you, they still do it. Maybe the reason comes after, the desire to live is simply there.
The one thing I feel most certain of at this moment is that I've already been on this site WAY Too Long, yet still have a gabunch of windows of questions open.
2006-09-04 16:17:13 · answer #5 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Heck yeah, Debrah, Every moment of our lives is precious---But it's even more so when you are an atheist. I think I value life much more than a Christian does because to me, this is it-my only chance!
You guys think you will survive death and live forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever,
So you tell me why THIS life is so precious to you since you will be living on for eternity?
What about suffering and worldliness?
2006-09-04 11:16:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it's veiled and vague but its there...
it is a question designed from the beginning to get people thinking about their individuality and how it differes from others. And how precious IS each moment of our lives? They might ask.
It is a lead in question that almost every salesperson of stock brand religion uses to stop the person and test their gullibility to the used car they have on the lot.
It is not a preachy question...but it is a leading question that most "I don't want to hear it right nows" have heard on a constant basis.
It's a question that is really a statement, drawing someone in because they realize it has no reference to religion and then singling them out because hidden and subconscious the question is saying they themselves do not realize how precious moments are. No one likes to be singled out especially when they get a forbodding feeling that they are about to be thumped in the head with a topic they have no concern for.
2006-09-04 11:15:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Ask away...if they didn't want "preaching" they'd get out of this section.
However, I didn't see "preaching" in you question.
True story...((And the short version)) We had a young couple stand up for an amazing testimony yesterday.
The young man went climbing on a 14'er (14,000+ in elevation) and as he and his friends were scaling the face, he fell 800 feet.
He said, and I quote, "I'm okay." I think he broke is arm and lower leg/ankle and that was it...
He said, he views everyday as a gift. We have no guarantees of tomorrow and he's living his life for Jesus! ((He was living his life for Jesus before the fall...and he knows God stepped in and saved his life.))
God / Jesus Rocks!!!
2006-09-04 11:18:55 · answer #8 · answered by Salvation is a gift, Eph 2:8-9 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would classify it as a question that had an intent to cause self analysis. Frequently this kind of question is used in sermons, however I do not believe it can be construed as preaching since you are not pushing your brand of religion on anyone else. (I happen to know what yours is from reading other postings) I as a follower of the Tao do not find you are preaching.
2006-09-04 11:14:49 · answer #9 · answered by Silvatungfox 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Taken out of context with the rest of your normal exchanges with your aquaintances I can't say it is.
However, it does have the taint of being a little too close to the wording of the classic proseletyzing question, "Do you personally accept the lord jesus christ as your personal savior?"
Hmmm...
Come to think of it, yes it IS preachy, but on other grounds. It's trying to Force appreciation of "each moment of our lives" upon someone else.
2006-09-04 11:15:25 · answer #10 · answered by special-chemical-x 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋