I quit

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Sailor Kenshin

“You, must be the change that you want to see in the world.” Gandhi.

Evil will always exist, but do we fight it? Not sure you mean by this, but I think the attitude would be better, don’t be part of it.

St. Teresa of Avila said that when the world is in crises, we must be better Christians.

I think you need to take a step back and ask yourself, what does being a Christian mean to you?

Is it taking a position in life, where you’re on the opposite side of the tracks from what you see as evil ?

Or is it having a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is reflected in how you live?

Mother Teresa didn’t fight evil, but instead, she did good by loving others, as Jesus commanded. Her message was heard much louder than preachers who preach that we must go out and fight against evil.

I could be wrong, but I don’t recall Jesus commanding us to go out and fight evil in the world. Instead he told us to love others and forgive our enemies.

To me, there is nothing else that will work.

Jim
 
rememberme said:
Oh hunny you’re not “about tapped out” you’ve been there a while it seems; from the exhaustion and pain I can hear in your “voice” anyway. I wish I could do or say something inspiring to help you get out of this burn-out but all I can really do is pray my hardest for you.
Seems like you’re a key player in the abortion war and we need you at your best. So take some time off and recupe- I’ll say an extra Rosary a day for you 🙂
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I can’t even begin to express what this means to me. Thank you.

:signofcross:
 
Sailor,
There was a time I was ‘tapped out’ too. After returning from combat only to see all the ‘mischief’ going on here at home. None seemed important to me for about 3 years before getting back into this reality of life.

It started with walks in nature, the trees still wanted to grow, the flowers still wanted to bloom, the bird’s still sang and built nests… what was wrong with me for not wanting the same?

Then I got a dog, a nice lil pup… he became my best friend. I could talk with him (from the heart) and his ears would acknowledge that he knew what I was saying… then he would want to play with me, have a lil fun, run around, roll on the ground and just get silly. All this time, others (even those close to me) did not know what I was going through inside OR know how to help… the pup knew… and nature knew. These are God’s creations, unadulterated by original sin.

After the 3 or so years, my feeling/emotions started to be felt… overwhelmingly. They were tough to keep in check. Nature did not mind my emotions, nor did the pup… they understood in a way I can’t explain. Church started to do the same thing to me… the wife left me alone and did not question any of it (it had been fairly ‘business-like’ between us for a while), she was very patiently awaiting my ‘return’ to the ‘who’ she knew I was. Perhaps with a bit of growth to boot.

Some things still push the ‘red button’ for me, as they are very deeply felt, but most are getting to a more normal intensity. Yes, there is evil in this world, but there is good too… one just has to look for it. I consider myself on the side of good, and do not encourage the evil. Christ has not called me to fight evil, just to do good. To be meek and humble (human). And yes, the evil you see, God sees too… His love is infinite, think of how much He is feeling compared to one’s human love. The idea is to do it God’s way… not my way. Turn it over to Him.

Yes there is Hope…
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
Thanks, everyone.

So then’ the things of this world’ do matter? This statement has always confused me because if they don’t, then why did God create the world and us to live in it?

At one time, not too long ago, most people were in agreement about what was good and evil. I’ve lived long enough to see a complete reversal—at least of public opinion.

I’ve actually been reading St. Paul’s letters. Some of them confuse me but in some cases he seems to be saying to everyone, “Stop doing what you know is wrong!”
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There is a difference between what happens in the world and being wordly. Maybe that is what is confusing you. Just a thought . . .

Fraternally,

JR 🙂
 
Jane Roe of Roe v Wade changed her mind and joined the church. Bernard Michaelman of NARAL is pro-life. Sinners can have a Damascus moment. We might not be around to see it, but Jesus promised He would triumph. And I believe Him.
 
True love is tested love. Love in good times and love in(apparently) bad times. We know through sacred scripture and teaching that we (those on the side of Truth who is God) win despite all the bad thing. We get tested and discrened – is our love greater than the all the evils. We may not be able to wipe clean the world with our deeds but we are obligated to bear witness and live the faith. Prayer is very powerful and pleasing to God. It is very bad to give up – it is spiritual suicide. Do not give up the fight. Be joyful that God loves you so much that He tests your love to strengthen your faith and bring you closer to Him.
 
The abortion issue isn’t a “thing of this world” in the sense that money, fame, and power are. It is a spiritual battlefield. We are called to put on the armor of God and engage the battle.
 
I think perhaps pursuing things like you have you may need to adjust your motivations somewhat.

I.E. the type of burnout you are describing does not sound like one that is in submission to the Will of God in whatever result happens. I.E. what you should be doing is pursuing these things because they are right to pursue and His desire, but accepting whatever the result of your effort is at the same time with peace in your heart. Pursuing these things for the sake of His love, not focused merely for the end in itself to the point where when it does not happen you are ‘burnt out’.

In other words, by pursuing this with a more proper motivation you will never be ‘burnt out’ because you are always pursuing it for the right reason and in submission to His will and pleased with the results because control of the world is not within your sphere of influence, what you can do is only what He desires you to be able to do and gives you the means to do – you are to be satisfied with exterting yourself a the proper amount for the proper ends.

By this you create good memories of what you did, because you can happily look back and say, ‘I did my best in the service of the Lord!’ and be refreshed, though the result is a tearful one on many levels.

Then when you are tired, you can rest for awhile, and refreshed go on to the next step whatever it may be God is calling to you, rather than collapse and wallowing in exhausted muscles – having done so much you have injured yourself rather than pursued the course the way a runner does trying to go to the end of a marathon.

This isn’t a sprint, at least not normally – it’s a marathon. We have to pursue it with in mind the view of being able to run it as long as he desires, and with an eye towards our inner strengthening (through the cross yes) rather than wreckage. 🙂

You need to take care of your soul and rejuvenate your heart through your will to take proper pleasure and motivation in all you do for God. It may take some forcing, but you shouldn’t need a pry bar or to be harsh, just firm and strong. 🙂
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
Or do I?

Not quitting the Church, understand, but if the things of this world have no importance, then why fight so hard to change what we consider evil?

This is confusing me. And I’m worn out from the recent election, and from so much hard pro-life work destroyed overnight. If abortion is an evil, we should fight it, right? And I’m not just speaking of abortion alone (crucial as it is) but of the militant sinfulness I see all around me, even the glorification of sin in the movies and on TV.

But if the things of this world do not matter, then why fight anything?
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Perhaps starting with the phrase you quoted might help.

“Things of this world”. What are “things”? Money. Fame. A house. A car. A job. A body. All of these are “things”. All of them can be “possessed”; and in our possessing them, we give them value beyond what is intrinsic to them. By that, I mean that we give them importance, and in turn, we give our selves value and importance because of them.

So one has a really great job - say, one is an engineer and responsible for patents on items that will benefit many. The patents can become our personal value - “I am important because a ) I am so smart; b) because these patenets will bring me wealth; c) because they will give me a job advancement”… you can see where this is going.

But what happens when the company goes bankrupt in spite of the patents - you are out of a job. What happens when a major company violates the patents and rips you off - or “buys” them from you by paying stock warrants, and then goes out of business so the warrants are worthless? What happens if there is a sesmic shift in science/engineering and your patents are now worthless because of new technology, and you can’t get a job because you have not kept up with the change in technology?

You have money - but it is invested in the stock market and the market nose dives (like it did this last fall). Your house burns down. Or you lose it because of the above disasters. The car is wrecked.

You get older and the body follows its natural progression. You marry the “right” person and they die. Or leave you.

These are the things that we get attached to; the things that we start to use to give ourself identity, worth, value… and ultimately, “he who dies with the most toys is just as dead as whoever came in last”.

That is what Paul is talking about. Remember, Paul thought the Second coming would be any day, week, month; they thought that Christ was coming back in their lifetime; as the Apostles grew older aand died, and as those whom they taught died, the Community began to realize that the Second Coming might not be as soon as persumed. In fact, one of Paul’s letters was to a group who had essentially kicked back and “disconnected” because it was going to happen so soon.

“This world” is the key. Evil is not “this world”; it is about the ultimate battle, the one for our eternal status. Death. Judgement. Heaven. Hell. The four “final” issues; doesn’t matter what kind of job you had, house, car… It matters what kind of person you were - one who said “Yes” to Christ, or one who said “No”.

That does not make worldy things bad; God created the workd, and the Bible tells us that He saw it and it was good. Good, but not of ultimate value. the world is not to be abandoned; but neither is it to be worshiped. The truth is somewhere between those two extremes.
 
Shin said:
I think perhaps pursuing things like you have you may need to adjust your motivations somewhat.

I.E. the type of burnout you are describing does not sound like one that is in submission to the Will of God in whatever result happens. I.E. what you should be doing is pursuing these things because they are right to pursue and His desire, but accepting whatever the result of your effort is at the same time with peace in your heart. Pursuing these things for the sake of His love, not focused merely for the end in itself to the point where when it does not happen you are ‘burnt out’.

In other words, by pursuing this with a more proper motivation you will never be ‘burnt out’ because you are always pursuing it for the right reason and in submission to His will and pleased with the results because control of the world is not within your sphere of influence, what you can do is only what He desires you to be able to do and gives you the means to do – you are to be satisfied with exterting yourself a the proper amount for the proper ends.

By this you create good memories of what you did, because you can happily look back and say, ‘I did my best in the service of the Lord!’ and be refreshed, though the result is a tearful one on many levels.

Then when you are tired, you can rest for awhile, and refreshed go on to the next step whatever it may be God is calling to you, rather than collapse and wallowing in exhausted muscles – having done so much you have injured yourself rather than pursued the course the way a runner does trying to go to the end of a marathon.

This isn’t a sprint, at least not normally – it’s a marathon. We have to pursue it with in mind the view of being able to run it as long as he desires, and with an eye towards our inner strengthening (through the cross yes) rather than wreckage. 🙂

You need to take care of your soul and rejuvenate your heart through your will to take proper pleasure and motivation in all you do for God. It may take some forcing, but you shouldn’t need a pry bar or to be harsh, just firm and strong. 🙂
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I know you mean well but you aren’t taking into account my physical condition. I mean I am BURNT OUT. Please, no platitudes about something being wrong with my spirit when my flesh is under assault. That’s Protestant thinking: you played that game of cards so you got sick!

And otjm, what is wrong with living in a house and having enough clothes and food and a good job? Are we to all live as beggars by the roadside? If so who will take care of the poor?

Maybe it’s the forum I need to quit.
 
Sailor,
When you said, “Maybe it’s the forum I need to quit”, It struck me!

Yes, why go into the Valley of the Shadow of death when one doesn’t need to? Why ask for it!

Here is different then ‘real-life’ as there are a mix of any and all religious styles and no religious styles all in one place. Consider it like a garden plot… some seeds planted and more plants coming up then what was planted.

In ‘real-life’ others can look you in the eye’s and you them. It’s more true to how it is living day-to-day. There is some of this here too, but some of the other also. This is why I like Nature: it is what it is! There is no pretense.

I will not tell you what to do… just what I did when I felt like that in my prior post. I am rooting you on, knowing how it feels (felt), but it is you that have to do the leg-work.

Wherever your legs take you… there you are.

Take care; keep it ‘light’ for now… the understanding comes later. Hold that process internal until sunrise.
 
In ‘real life’ I’ve become almost a shut-in. Week after week, I attend Mass, and that’s about it. I do have a DH for whom I’m thankful, and some friends, but many of those live too far from me to visit with.

Rarely do I feel well enough to ride around in a car or go shopping and I suppose some here would say that’s far too worldly a desire anyway.

I need a decent night’s sleep for once. I need an actual pill that works on physical pain. I offer it up but I want relief.

So burnt-out really does mean just that.
 
Yes, isolation is very real-life! Why do you think I could chat with Nature (all the trees have a name in my woods) and the lil pup… not others at that time? At least you are trying to talk to others, from the heart… it took me 3 years to do that, and that is about how long you have been in process.

One person (a stranger at the time), looked at me and simply said, “quit fighting with yourself… you can’t win.” Then he walked away. I have seen him since and later thanked him for telling me that… he said, “what?”

It’s more about ‘baby-steps’ at first… sometimes crawling… to get where you would like to be. Trusting again; smiling again; relaxing again; feeling as one with those around you; not looking at all the bad around, but finding the good; and mostly, not condemning oneself for where you have been, rather that you got through it back to the dry-land.

Not many want to go where you are… it scares them. It even scares the one there. All sorts of emotions come up, some not so nice to deal with. I’m glad mine lifted, although inch-by-inch at the time. One thing led to another and soon I almost felt like a human being again… what a fight it was. One who hasn’t been there cannot come close to understanding how it is, nor want’s to know for that matter. Funny, that stranger knew, just by looking at me.

All I’ll add, is try to focus on one thing at a time, the biggest pain-in-the-neck is a good place to start this. What can be done about it? What needs to happen for it to get better? PUSUE IT!
Then the next, and the next, and soon there will be no more pains-in-the-neck… RELIEF! Remember, try not to change others yet, work on yourself… others will come around when you are on better ground.

You have my empathy… and a prayer in secret.
 
I fight with myself a lot.

Just now, as I was praying the Divine Mercy chaplet, I smelled smoke, heard hissing. A candle in the bathroom had gone astray, leaped out of its double votive cup, and set a plastic bin and a rug on fire. I just got done cleaning up and inhaling burnt plastic.

What do you suppose that means? :eek:
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
And otjm, what is wrong with living in a house and having enough clothes and food and a good job? Are we to all live as beggars by the roadside? If so who will take care of the poor?

Maybe it’s the forum I need to quit.
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Nothing at all is wrong with living in a house, having enough clothes and food, and a good job. St Paul did not tell us we had to live like beggars. He told us that our ultimate goal is union with God, and that we need to not become attached to the things of this world.

There is a difference between using the things of this world, and becoming inordinately attached to them. I think if you re-read my post, you will get the connection.

A house is not a bad thing. Using the house as part of my identity can be. Contrary to some people’s moral thinking, it is not morally wrong in and of itself to have an expensive home, as opposed to a cheap on. But when we start to assess ourselves based on an expensive home, we are losing sight of our ultimate goal - union with God. When we think that we are better than others because of an expensive home; when we become so attached to having an expensive home that we operate out lives around it (fear, greed, etc), then we have let material things - which will pass away - become our gods.

that’s all. Things are not bad in themselves. It is how we relate to them. You asked about Paul’s comment; I was replying; it I wasn’t clear, I hope this helps.
 
Just now, as I was praying the Divine Mercy chaplet, I smelled smoke, heard hissing. A candle in the bathroom had gone astray, leaped out of its double votive cup, and set a plastic bin and a rug on fire. I just got done cleaning up and inhaling burnt plastic.
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What do you suppose that means?
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I think that means you need a new candle holder. 😃

And I think I read somewhere on the forum that distractions during prayers mean that the prayer was really needed and “someone” was trying to make sure you didn’t complete it. Either way we’re still pulling for you.

(and a side note I like your website thing 🙂
 
Thanks, I really DID get the feeling that something didn’t want me to pray the Divine Mercy, which I’ve started doing almost every day.

For three days in a row the phone rang just as the prayer began, and it distracted me (didn’t answer).

Now the candle ‘accident’—which has NEVER occurred during the many many years I’ve used candles!

I’m still in a state of confusion over attachments and what that term really means. I’m supposed to hate my life, hate my family, listen to those who tell me private ownership is evil, yet work toward ending abortion?

Catholics when I grew up were solid citizens. They saw nothing wrong with improving their lot in life and making sure their kids had a decent roof over their heads and money to attend a good college. Now? Seems to me that the whole world is being taken over by communism, rendering unto Caesar what is God’s.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
I’m still in a state of confusion over attachments and what that term really means. I’m supposed to hate my life, hate my family, listen to those who tell me private ownership is evil, yet work toward ending abortion?

Catholics when I grew up were solid citizens. They saw nothing wrong with improving their lot in life and making sure their kids had a decent roof over their heads and money to attend a good college. Now? Seems to me that the whole world is being taken over by communism, rendering unto Caesar what is God’s.
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Well, you are certainly in good company. Many people who actually try to deal with Paul’s teaching can run into the same buzz saw.

He is not telling us to hate - at least, not in the sense we normally take that word.

Let me try it another way: lets say you are cruising along nicely; your first house was @ 1400 sf and not new; the second one was 2000 sf and newer; and now you have a rally nice one at 3200 sf; pool, a gardener, a gourmet kitchen, 3 car garage with 2 cars less than 2 years old, and the thrid one a collector’s piece; kids in prestegious colleges; you watched the stock market and because you self managed your accounts and had stop losses, you didn’t lose the 35%-75% that your neighbors did. Life is good.

Could you pick up and walk away from all of that, move to a 2 bedroom class B apartment without your whole emotional world crashing down around you? I am not talking about some initial sadness - I am talking about your understanding of who you really are. Are you defined by your possessions and postions? Or are you defined as a child of God, capable of enduring the trials Job did, and still praising God?

Another way of looking at what Paul was teachig is to read Job. It is not the easiest book to read, and it is easy to get side-tracked. But Job was a man of wealth and importance; and in spite of that he had a strong relationship with God. He didn’t understand why bad things happened to him, and he wasn’t exacty enthralled with it all. But in spite of it all, his primary focus was his relationship with and trust in God.

He wasn’t his money, or his flocks, or his position in the community. He was a child of God.

Doing well is not wrong it; is using the talents which God has gifted us with.

But it is easy to become so attached to the results of using those talents that they become our identity. There is a significant difference between using the talents, and identifying witht heir results.

Hope that helps.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
I fight with myself a lot.

Just now, as I was praying the Divine Mercy chaplet, I smelled smoke, heard hissing. A candle in the bathroom had gone astray, leaped out of its double votive cup, and set a plastic bin and a rug on fire. I just got done cleaning up and inhaling burnt plastic.

What do you suppose that means? :eek:
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I suppose that means that the fight continues :bigyikes:

Let me ask you something… if I may?

Have you ever felt like a ‘parent’ and a ‘child’ at the same time?

Is it good for the parent to fight with the child… or visa-versa? Isn’t a more reasoned approach more productive?

Remember that, ‘many are called, but few are chosen’. Don’t worry about where society seems to be going, or what it ‘was’ like and what it ‘is’ like now. Who are you? What are you? What and who ‘they’ are is their concern… it is you that is charge of your soul! And the Good Lord will help you in your right path… IF you let Him… come what may…
 
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