============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/16 Posted Author Angels and Such Mon Nov 29 The Folksinger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Okay, for starters, angels do NOT pray, they are divine spirits who have a personal connection with God, therefore the need for spiritual consolation through prayer is unnecessary. They are not obligated to pray. If an angel were to pray, it would only be because they have been influenced by humans for so long that it only seems natural. Second, angels may indeed swear. Expletives are not seen as a curse on God, or anything like that. One good example is in "The Prophecy" where Gabriel says "You look like shit, Jerry" or when he refers to humans as "damned monkeys". You may want to have your character swear to give him/her a certain 'edge', but there are some words angels will refrain from using in vain, such as goddamnit (a biblical phrase that could be used literally in play), Jesus Christ (when not referring to the Son of God), and any others you can think of. In my opinion, there are three main types of angels on Armageddon: The 'Nice' angels - they are those who have remained in God's good grace despite the turmoil and conflict that surrounds them. They are your basic do-gooder types, which include holy messengers, healers, etc. You will often see them preaching or administering to someone in one way or another. These are basically the images that are conjured in our minds when we think of angels today: cute, fluffy, and generous, but since the Apoclaypse, fewer and fewer of these angels are left. The 'Bad' angels - Probably the most interesting type of angel to play. They are the cold, hardened angels who have been on earth too long, and are relentlessly dedicated to the Great Cause. They are usually cynical, and somewhat blunt, but always seem to get the job done, whatever it may be. These are the ones you will see hanging out in bars, smoking, drinking, cussing. They aren't too kind to their more benevolent brethren, but seem to tolerate them. They have given up on humanity, deeming them 'unredeemable'. They are the prophecy angels, the inquisitors, the fierce warriors and law-bringers, and the angels of wrath. The Greater Angels - The leaders and respected members of the Host. They are usually Seraphim or Cherubim, and most of the time dwell in Heaven, close to the Almighty. But now and then, when something important comes up, they must go to Earth to either intervene in some way or enforce justice. Their word is as good as gold, and regardless of attitude or preference, all angels listen and obey them. To disregard them would be an act of insolence against God Himself. They do not compromise well and like to take charge of a situation. Though they can be kind and forgiving at times, they become very angry when things do not go precisely their way. They are not direct players in the war, but more like generals, who watch from a distance as their orders are carried out. They are the few, elite princes in command, therefore they make up only a small portion of the angelic population. Without any of these groups, the Angels would not be able to flourish as a faction. Each type is required for the Host to function, though some are needed more than others. Many characters are are mix of some of these, having qualities from each group, but I believe most angels are based on one of these three concepts, or should be if they aren't. This isn't an official guideline which you are obligated to follow as a Blessed player, but some suggestions and my basic interpretation from the +news files, general MUSH theme, and other resources. Thanks, Kesef ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/19 Posted Author Blessed Humans.. boring? Mon Dec 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Blessed human, one of the most boring characters on this MUSH. You sit around all day, in the Abbey, doing nothing buy praying to an absent God. Sounds boring to me. Who would want to play a Blessed human? If I were making a character, I'd be looking for action, like being chased down by a horde a demons for daring to start an anti-demon rally in the Market Square. I'd be looking for intrigue, solving the riddles of creation placed before humanity by an absent God. I'd be looking for a chance to be forced into difficult ethical decisions, what exactly is right and wrong? Do they have any ultimate meaning in this Time of Miracles? Now, you couldn't possibly get this by playing a Blessed human, or.. /could/ you? But of course you can! (You think I'd be stupid enough to say bad things about my own sphere?) What does it mean to be the underdog? Play a Blessed human and find out. What does it mean to know the 'Way Out' of this Hell on Earth and yet /still/ remain? Does it mean you can keep it to yourself, or must you preach it to others? Play a Blessed human and find out. You might be asking yourself, why should I want to play some good-two-shoes Christian character? There's really no fun in that. I want to escape from RL, not be forced into something I dislike, especially those strict, born-again Christian types. Well, you don't have to be. A million possibilities exist As a Blessed human, you are an Agent of God. You are that which is made in His image, one of God's Chosen, but that certainly does not mean you have to be some goody-two-shoes healing everybody. For reference, look at some of the preachers in the Bible, they're not all nice. But, as a Blessed human, you are forced /into/ action. You /must/ do something about all these souls going to Hell. And, yet, you must also protect your own soul. What do you do? What do you do? That is only for the Blessed human to decide.. on their own... (To be continued) ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/20 Posted Author Agents of God (part 1) Mon Dec 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As stated before, a Blessed human is an Agent of God, but what exactly does that mean? Are we talking about soldiers? Spies? Even saboteurs? Yes, yes they are included, and a hundred more concepts. Here are just a few examples of more.. off the wall, but still possible, Blessed humans. The True Martyr - As if to follow in Christ's footsteps, you have taken it upon yourself to save the whole of humanity by showing them the light. Now you don't get away from Christian teachings, you just have your own particular way about it. More than once, you have taken anothers sin into your own soul, and then, through a lengthy process, cleansed the dirt and blood from it. Blessed Nephilim - A rare sight, indeed. The offspring of Angel and human is very, very, very unlikely to be Blessed, especially as they get older. While only a handful (if that) of first generation (Angel father/mother) Blessed Nephilim exist, the farther from the angelic parent the more likely (though still unlikely) it is for a Nephilim to be Blessed. (For specific Blessed Nephilim details, get in touch with any Blessed ST) (To be continued) ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/21 Posted Author Agents of God (part 2) Mon Dec 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reincarnated Saint - So, a couple hundred years ago, you managed to bring a miracle, or three, to the Church's attention and, thus, were granted the title of Saint. You could've killed a dragon or you might've driven the snakes out of Ireland. You may have even caused plants to grow from nothingness. Whatever the case, you've returned; and now is a time when your miracles are needed once again. Divine Human - Maybe the church didn't make you a saint, but at one point in time you did a bangup job in the name of God and now you're back in this radical new time to right that which is wrong. Moses would be one of these, so would any other OT prophet (but don't even think about playing Moses, unless you talk to the Blessed STs first). Christian 'Sorcerer' - Now, one might be led to believe that this is stretching it past the breaking point, but in fact many God-Following 'sorcerers' existed over time (the Kabbalah is my favorite example). What's to say you didn't find out about some form of new age Kabbalah and begin practicing it? After all, doesn't it say /somewhere/ that the Angels are servants of man....? These are just a /few/ samples of the more exotic Blessed human characters possible, a hundred more exist. And, remember, the more unique, the more RP. H (Soon to come: Blessed Patronage!) ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/22 Posted Author Addendum to Helel Tue Dec 14 AsmoST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A quick snippet of background material for use as Blessed Human concepts... A commonly used rumor/myth/story about the death of Jesus Christ is that following the Resurrection He entered Hell and took the righteous Damned with Him to Heaven. The Harrowing of Hell, as it is called, has not been a refuted fact here on ArmageddonMUSH...however there is some strong evidence to support the story. For one, not a single Damned Human soul from the time of Christ exists in Hell. There are no Damned Humans older than two milennia either. Food for Thought, Asmo. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/23 Posted Author Addendum to Asmo Tue Dec 14 Kenji ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ With all due respect to Asmo, I would like to amend the last two statements from his Addendum.No arguments about the myth of the Harrowing of Hell. It is a great bit of background and useful as a hook. However, I think there would be still Damned humans left in Hell from during and before the time of Christ. Wouldn't these be the Damned that commited serious sins, for example: Cain, a few Sodomites, a pharaoh or two? Since I know very little about the Bible, I await others to correct the ramblings of a heathen on the blessed board. Kenji, the not quite righteous Damned ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/24 Posted Author Response to Kenji Tue Dec 14 AsmoST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You'd think at least there'd be a few witnesses alive from the time when Jesus entered Hell and redeemed those whom everyone believed was beyond salvation, wouldn't you? Wow, this is starting to sound like a really cool TP... Asmo. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/30 Posted Author Harrowing Sun Dec 26 Zephon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ According to the official catechism of the Catholic Church, where the story of the harrowing of hell is most prevalent, every human living before the death of Christ was tainted with original sin and sent to Hell. After Christ died, he descended into Hell, and brought the holy and repentant souls with him to heaven. That should answer any questions about the harrowing you have, the souls in hell were given the same "chance" to accept Christ and be reunited with God. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/31 Posted Author Re: Harrowing Mon Dec 27 Talisein ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ That's kind of odd, with Moses appearing at the Transfiguration, before Christ's death and all.. Talisein The right to do something does not mean doing it is right. -- William Safire ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/32 Posted Author Re: Harrowing Mon Dec 27 Kesef ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ However, you have to remember that 'Hell' and Purgatory were somewhat synonymous in the OT days. At death, all souls, good or bad, were sent to Sheol, The Pit. And even in the Revelation, the existance of one confinement for all souls is suggested, telling of men rising from the dead to wreak havoc on earth and the 'death of Hades'. Also in Revelation, there is a Final Day of Judgement, when /all/ souls come before the throne of God to be judged according to their deeds on earth. Now, would a thousand year-old, redeemed soul need to be judged /again/ to see if he can re-enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Seems pretty pointless, unless he was resting in a Purgatory of sorts, waiting for the Second Coming of Christ. Something to think about any way. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/39 Posted Author Faith, Hope, and Justice Thu Jan 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Occasionally I come out and do a 'What it means to be Blessed' type post. Well, this is one of them, but I'm setting down the exact /requirements/ to remain a Blessed human. Take from it what you will. Faith - All Blessed humans must have Faith. Having faith means more than just /believing/ in the Highest Power, it is a part of a Blessed humans essence. The concept of faith is that even though you may see around you all sorts of terrible acts of cruelty against the human spirit, you continue to /believe/ none the less. To have faith is to look at something horrible and yet not say 'This world has no meaning, God still gives it meaning.' But, how, how can one have faith that God gives the world meaning when /this/ has happened? And old three part'd statement comes to mind. 'God is all powerful. God is all good. Terrible things happen.' Makes no sense, eh? It's simple. Free Will. Blessed Humans believe /strongly/ in Free Will, for it is the greatest testimony to the Almighty. God allows us to do terrible things because we exert our gift of Free Will in the wrong ways, but he does not stop us. Why? If he did, that would revoke Free Will and God would become just a tyrant. He is not just a tyrant, He allows us the beautiful gift of Free Will. That is faith. Hope - This is the opposite of despair. To despair is to give into the thought of lack of help elsewhere. God is the help elsewhere. To hope is know this is true. There is little else that is hope. A Blessed human must hope. Justice - This seems to stand out the most from all the three necessary virtures, the requirements for being Blessed. Justice is reveling in the truth of light and goodness for the one simple reason: you get what you deserve. When you commit a terrible act, of any sort, you will get what you deserve. When you stab that old woman to get her purse, you will get what you deserve. But when you act out of kindness, true kindness, you will still get what you deserve. In the last case, you will be rewarded, somehow, but the moment you look upon the acts of kindness as means to a reward, they are no longer acts of kindness. This is the virtue that the Blessed know best and yet worst. They learn of justice and then it slowly slips into their unconscious, a subtle reminder very rarely awakened (save in times of crisis) that people get what they deserve. A Blessed human knows of justice and yet does not. H ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/41 Posted Author Blessed Misconceptions Mon Jan 17 Sashrak ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unfortunately, a few misconceptions have developed about Blessed characters or, rather, the nature of Blessedness itself. These ideas, namedly three, often cause the sphere to appear boring or hopelessly strict. 1) Blessed do not have to sit in the Abbey and spend their entire lives praying to the Father. Perhaps a few may opt for the security of the walls or feel it their duty to devote themselves to matters within the Abbey, but the majority would almost certainly be out and about, moving through the City. After all, is not the battle for Unchosen souls a major part of IC Blessedness and OOC theme? Hiding within the confines of the Abbey will get you little, if any, converts to the Light. 2) Blessed do not have to agree with everything done in the name of their 'cause.' Saying, "I don't believe in God because -this- happened," is called 'false atheism.' Indeed, many events, such as the Crusades or the Inquisition, go against the virtues of Blessedness. One does not have to go along with or believe right all the actions of their brethren to be Blessed. Following the triad virtues of Faith, Hope, and Justice are the most important thing in a Blessed human's life, not the emulation of others. 3) Blessed do not have to be -perfect-. Granted, they are not going to be permitted to -indulge- themselves in alcohol, carnal pleasures, and other such things without being thrown from the Father's Light, but they do not have to be 'goody-two-shoes.' After all, humans are, well, -human- and err in their ways, thus the forgivingness of the Father. Everyone makes mistakes and a few sins does not Damn one for all eternity, though this is should definitely not be interpreted as a green light to the questionable things in life. Also, one does not have be loving and forgiving to all nor does one have to be a total bigot towards those outside the Light. Such matters depend on the character itself but should not be applied to the whole sphere of Blessed characters. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/42 Posted Author Re: Helel Tue Feb 8 Talisein ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I think Helel forgot a couple more important points: Mercy: A Blessed is a disciple of Mercy, an apprentice of forgiveness. While the facts of justice remain, it is, "Not the only right in the universe." A Blessed will forgive others, just as they have been forgiven, extend their mercy out to others as much as they can, so that they may be like the One they follow. So what does this mean? When Mr.DamnedHuman kills your friend, and you're the buff warrior blessed in disguise, you just say, "Hey!.. That wasn't very nice.. I forgive you!" - Actually, every blessed would wish it were that easy. Unfortunately forgiveness must not only be given, but received as well. If someone doesent accept mercy, then they must receive justice. Or so I think. I'm no p theologian. ;) Love: All you need is love, love... as the Beatles said. Love bakes the cake for the Blessed. If you lived by a harsh reality of Mercy and Justice, you're little more than an Angel. If even that. A Blessed human must love, and must care. They must care/love themselves and the ones around them. Blessed don't believe actions make the person. Therefore, , if Mr. MeanieUnchosen says a nasty thing about Blessed, that doesent make them a 'bad' person. After all, the reasoning goes, we are pretty nasty people outselves if we actually examined ourselves. So, love others as you would yourself. It certainly makes you much happier, reguardless of Affiliation. Is it easy? Oh, of course not. You know how many times I've wanted to bop Helel? Or how many times Talisein could have said, "Grr, blood makes the green grass grow!" Plenty of times. Yet out of love, and because of my "warped" perceptions from love, I need not take such actions. Anyways, these things are all tied up with each other. For how can you have mercy without love? Ahso, the debator says, how can you have love without hate? Nyah, that's a conversation for another day. Talisein The right to do something does not mean doing it is right. -- William Safire ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/44 Posted Author Re: Re: Me Sun Feb 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A delayed response, but Tal's was a delayed response to me.. Ignore Mercy and Love. They're not part of any sort of required Blessed characteristics. The Justice Virtue takes care of them both, if he would've just looked a bit deeper (like the Blessed have to). H P.S. Don't make Blessed Theme Posts from now on, Tal, or I'll beat you up. I swear. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/45 Posted Author Re: Tal and H Sun Feb 13 Fehu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I believe that Tal's response was not necessarily ordering 'Mercy' and 'Love' to be a requirement for the Blessed. It was simply presented as another facet by which a Blessed could live by. To ignore the statements, despite how valid they are, is pathetic. So, in my opinion, the Blessed sphere isn't so 'cookie cutter' as to be able to make a single post and cast the entire sphere into light. That is truely embracing the Ego. ~Fehu ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/46 Posted Author Re: Re: Tal and me Sun Feb 13 Helel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Oh, I expected a discussion.. but from Tal.. All I meant by my post is that Love and Mercy are a part of Justice. H ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/47 Posted Author Heh Sun Feb 13 Fehu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Since when does 'mercy' and 'love' have anything to do with the: 'you get what you deserve' mentality? ~Fehu ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/48 Posted Author Finality Mon Feb 14 Fehu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My final two cents. Love and mercy are bi-products of Justice - they don't make it up. Take a child, for example, who may do something the parent adamantly ordered said child not to do. So, 'Justice' states that the child should be reprimanded. 'Love' and 'Mercy' say that the child was young, energetic, and learned the wrong on his own so adding 'punishment' to the 'crime' is pointless. If this punishment wasn't exacted, then Justice wasn't served. However, love and mercy were. Ultimately, there is no correct answer on this matter as it is all opinion. Yet, I still hold my thoughts on it. Being Blessed isn't a matter of being perfect, or a book worm, or someone who has never held a sin, or someone who consistently goes to church, or whatever. There is no such thing. People are flawed and people make mistakes. So to punish the person just because of one flaw is inherently wrong. Justice says punishment is correct, Love and Mercy say it's not. Blessedness is being easily forgiven as a parent forgives the child. ~Fehu "Come on come on come on, get through it, come on come on come on, love's the greatest thing that we have. I'm waiting for that feeling that you call." - Blur, 'Tender' ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/49 Posted Author Are all Blessed merciful? Mon Feb 14 Raguel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lie: Blessed must believe in Justice, Mercy, Compassion, Love, blah blah blah. Truth: Being Blessed is about following the laws of God (which are the laws of the Universe). Currently, to Blessed Humans, the Laws of God are about being 'Christian'...which I guess entails being merciful, kind, blah blah blah to people...yet the 10 Commandments say NOTHING against Slavery, nor of polluting the Earth (which God made, which is like peeing in a church). So is following Christianity necessarily following the laws of the Universe? I dunno. What about Angels? The purpose of Angels are to ensure that God's Plan continues unmolested and to aid and assist Humans on the Path of God. Angels are not ordered to 'Love' Humans...if they do it's a personal choice. In truth some Angels hate Humans, but so long as they do their job and keep their mouths shut then they continue to fly in the sunlight. So, for Angels at least, being Blessed does not entail 'Love'. Justice, Mercy, and 20th Century buzzwords: God made the Universe to suit His Plan, right? Well how often do you see Justice and Mercy in the world? Hyenas kill the meek (they inherit the colon!) and defenseless. Sharks devour their own offspring, fresh from the womb. Nature is not about Mercy...it's about self-preservation. God helps those that helped themselves to dinner. Just ask the survivors of the Donner Party. So what's Justice and Mercy mean to Blessedness? It has to do with Balance. It's about standing up for both predator and prey, because even the creatures that aren't cute have a purpose in God's Plan. The Devil as a concept has helped push more people towards Heaven than you could possibly believe. So maybe when you think of Mercy, Love, and Justice you're only looking at the trees and not the forest. God's Plan is about individuals and it's also about the Big Picture. Acting my age, 5tRag. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/50 Posted Author Blessedness Mon Feb 14 Ancanus ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There is an obvious distinction between the animals and human beings in God-worshipping beliefs. Animals are simple creatures, their purpose is like a balance of beauty and nature, to serve or destroy man and continue the flow of life. They are not intended to worship god, because by their existance they are symbols of his creativity. Human beings, however, have free will and have the choice to be faithful or turn away from him... thus, there are laws they must follow, traditions they must carry on. I think it's quite obvious that the bible is a piece of hypocritical tripe, luring people in with promises of love and forgiveness yet giving them the excuse to destroy those who do not accept the bible with ideals of vengeance and death. Angels are living stain glass windows. Most of the time, they are intended to be seen, but not heard, an idea of an act or an expression of faithfulness... but when it is necessary, the glass comes to life to plant more deeply it's intended idea. An angel is obviously not meant to be merciful, they are meant to be obedient, the ultimate slaves. Humans, on the other hand, are meant to show certain traits that God carries on about in the bible, which greatly includes love and mercy. Anc. ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/51 Posted Author ERmm... Mon Feb 14 Fehu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hate is such a strong word. I never was impressed with angels who hated humans. So, "I don't have the guts to follow Lucifer, so I'll act like I'm not.." Course, the 10 Commandments are such general rules. There are other aspects of the Bible which are often spoken of as law, even though it wasn't 'set in stone.' Perhaps the beliefe to keep your body as though it was a Church. The body comes from the Earth, which in turn comes with God, whis is in turn 'idolized' (even though that's a sin - idol worship) through a Church. It's all one big giant circle, or sphere, or something. In any case, what I was saying, was that there's more to Christianity then 10 silly little rules and things often stated don't necessarily mean the litteral thing. Take Sartre's "No Exit". There's a line that says, "Hell is other people" and most people take that for the theme of the play. However, throughtout the play, it's pressed that "Hell is what you make of it" which in turn spurns hope - the exestentialist thought. ~Fehu, rambler extraordinaire ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/52 Posted Author More Philosophy.. Mon Feb 14 Elizabeth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's said that 'Mercy is higher Justice', that Jesus taught the path of Mercy to supersede the 'eye for an eye' justice of the Old Testament. What is Mercy?.. The most simplistic, one might say 'cheap', explanation, is that it involves 'letting someone off the hook' for no reason at all -- letting a killer go free just to be nice to him. Obviously, I don't think this is what Jesus taught. What I'd define as true Mercy, is based on -Empathy- .. coming to an understanding of the other person and their motives; realising that they, too, have a reason for being as they are. This then enables one to temper one's judgments with compassion, and respect for the other's innate worth. If all beings are creations of God, his 'children' in one sense or another, then there is value in each life. Respecting this value means to seek to preserve life, whenever possible, and foster the spark of Good that remains with even the most debased soul. Mercy is also related to Hope -- it's God's way of saying we should never give up hope for anyone. I don't see Mercy and Justice as opposites, but as interconnected. In order to be truly merciful one must first be fair. Of course, it's mainly Humans who have to deal with these complexities, and strive to grasp them. As Raguel said, Angels just have to follow the rules, whether they like it or not. ;) ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/53 Posted Author Re: All! Mon Feb 14 Talisein ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Oh boy, discussion on #2! Into the fray! Maybe I didn't say it loud enough. Mercy and Justice go hand in hand. Jesus taught that when someone seeks forgiveness, grant it to them. Notice my wording: Seeks. That doesn't mean asks for it, or makes some show. Peter thought he was being extreamly merciful, and was seeking a compliment when he said, "So, if our brother sins against us repeatably, should we forgive them 7 times?" But Jesus answered no, 7x7, an answer meaning as much as you can. Here's another cool Jesus phrase: THOSE WHO JUDGE SHALL BE JUDGED. THOSE WHO LIVE BY MERCY WILL BE JUDGED WITH MERCY. Does that mean a good life will "justify" your fallbacks? Good Lord, no. The only justification process is that of justice, i.e. Hell. Something Jesus went through for everyone. To clarify some more: For Blessed, Justice and Mercy are acting at the same time. For the unBlessed, Justice is acting alone. Those humans who /seek/ forgiveness for their sins, who /accept/ Christ's payment, have their "sin debt" erased, or bought out, by Christ. Those who still have this "sin debt" must pay their debt. There's a cool phrase somewhere: The Father is a flame that consumes all outside of Christ. There's no fuel for the fire in Christ. So, the Blessed, being in Christ, generally should understand this relationship between Justice and Mercy, and (have you heard this before?) Forgive others as they have been forgiven. Jesus didn't say this just for those who felt like being nice guys. Nor did he expect everyone to be perfect from the moment He entered their lives. So, what does this mean to all those "mean" Blessed? I.e. those Humans that like to go kill Demons and Damned Humans? It means this.. being Damned generally means you have flat out rejected God, thus refusing His forgiveness, and thus the reasoning would go, willing to accept all Justice. So should all us Blessed try to kill every Damned we meet? Nah. Why? Because of the Unchosen in part, and in part because no one is truely beyond redemption. After all, Christ didn't just go half way in his suffering. It would be pretty hypocritical for example if at the White Throne Judgement He said, "Oh, you lived a black life, and did all sorts of nasty things.. but at this one point here, you said, 'I give Lucifier my soul.'.. but then later you tried to reneg that. Sorry, just because I'm uber-more-powerful than Lucifier doesent mean I'm going to cross that line. An infinity of torment for you. Sorry.." Hmm, I think I got off tract. Anyways, anyone who says Mercy doesent HAVE to play a part in a Blessed life is wrong. Get your head out of the Old Testament (Although there are examples of mercy there, too!), and into the New Testament, where Christ's message was basically to counteract any such idea. Talisein The right to do something does not mean doing it is right. -- William Safire ============================================================================== ============================ Blessed News and Info =========================== Message: 2/30 Posted Author The 10 Commandments Tue Apr 18 AsmoJUDGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) You shall have no other gods before me. 2) You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand of those who love me and keep my commandments. 3) You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 4) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 5) Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you 6) You shall not murder 7) You shall not commit adultery 8) You shall not steal. 9) You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 10) You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." ==============================================================================