It’s time that we admitted that there are no substitutes for some things. Everything is NOT the same.
Oxygen is one of them. Yes, there are clear gases that might look like oxygen, but you wouldn’t stay alive very long if you tried to breath them.
Water is another thing for which there are no substitutes. There are many clear liquids that might appear to be water, but only water can save us from dehydration.
I’m tired of hearing people say that it doesn’t matter which god you worship, or even if you worship a god at all. I’m tired of watching people that I care about substitute other things for the ONE TRUE THING while slowly dying inside.
I’m also tired of hearing people say that the only benefits to believing in the One True God come after death. In past four years I’ve lost both of my parents and right now one of my closest friends may be dying due to complications from Muscular Dystrophy.
How do I get through it all? It’s because I depend on the One True Thing just as I depend on the air that I breath and the water that I drink. It’s the One True Thing that sees me through each and every day. That’s what keeps me from losing hope.
A former coworker has struggles with many things in his life, but he doesn’t have the One True Thing. How does he deal with it? He drowns his problems in ice cream and beer. (Really!) It would be one thing if that approach worked, but it doesn’t. He is not a happy person.
Note: I did change the paragraph above on 08-30-07 to refer to a specific person as an example, which is what it was meant to do. I considered changing parts of it to “they” in case he reads this post and recognizes himself, but I don’t think he will. Somehow it got jumbled and part of it was “he” and part was “they” when I originally posted it.
Yes, I’m talking about my faith in Jesus Christ. He is the One True Thing!
In the United States people have the legal, moral, and ethical right to choose to believe whatever they want. I support that right and would even make sacrifices for it. However, just because we have the right to choose our belief system does not mean that every belief system.
Put another way, the right to choose our belief system is the right to make our own mistakes. However, just because we have the right to make our own mistakes, don’t buy into the idea that everything is exactly the same. There is only One True Thing!
Accept no substitutes!
Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Melissa R. Garrett // Aug 30, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Hm. I don’t profess to be a spiritual person. I go to church and am deeply moved by my pastor’s sermons, but I have always struggled with what I believe about God.
I am not an unhappy person, and I neither drown my problems in beer nor ice cream. I also don’t feel I am slowly dying inside.
You say that you support the beliefs of other people, and yet you claim that Jesus Christ is the One True Thing. I am certain that there are people of other faiths who are living under the belief that their God is the One True Thing, too.
I feel slightly offended by this post, because I feel like you are attacking those who don’t believe or don’t believe in your God. Perhaps I’ve misinterpreted. Personally, I don’t know WHAT I believe. However, I live my life to the best of my ability making the best decisions I can. And I am happy with that.
2 Laura // Aug 30, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Hi Melissa!
I respect your opinion and am sorry that you are offended. However, I’m not sorry for what I wrote.
This is my experience as I’ve lived it for the past few years. Believe me, it’s been a tough few years.
There’s a great sermon that I love, but I’m not sure if there’s a link to it online (I heard it on the radio).
The story is basically this: some guy came up to an elderly pastor and made much the same comments that you made in your comment.
The pastor reached into his lunch pail, pulled out an apple, took a bite, and said, “are you tasting my apple?” He went on to describe the experience of eating the apple in detail.
The old fellow concluded by saying to the fellow who asked the question, “you can’t know what my apple’s like until you’ve really taken a bite of it.”
That’s a paraphrase, of course.
3 Yes, Iām talking about my faith in Jesus Christ. He is the One True Thing! : Domestic Divapalooza // Aug 30, 2007 at 7:11 pm
[…] I am so proud of you for posting something that many would consider to be highly controversial in nature. Thank you for being who you are and […]
4 Angela // Aug 30, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Hi Laura –
I LOVED your post so much that I had to write up a post linking back to yours. THANK YOU for writing it because I think it’s got me thinking about so much that has gone on lately. Who knows, when the timing is right I might even share some of my own personal turmoils going on just in case there are others out there that are suffering like I am. (long story)
Melissa –
I don’t think you should feel threatened or offended by Laura’s post. She beleives (as do I) that Jesus Christ is the one and only true God. In our country people have a right to believe in whatever they want to. We also have a right to express ourselves freely as long as we are not physically harming others and to share our opinions which is what this blog is basically about.
A Mom with an Opinion, right?
Just because we don’t agree doesn’t mean that we can’t get along OR be friends with each other. There is no real reason to feel slighted OR offended if you don’t believe the same things that we do, right?
5 Melissa R. Garrett // Aug 30, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Laura, I really like visiting your site and I will continue to read your posts. And yes, you have every right to post what you wish without making apologies. I think what confused me the most was the fact that you claim to be tolerant of another person’s belief while claiming that your God is THE one true God. What about Allah or Buddha? Are Allah and Buddha “God” only by a different name? I am not trying to make waves, trust me! These are honestly the questions I have. Your post just seemed a little contradictory to me, that’s all.
How do you feel about people who don’t believe in God but are spiritual in other ways? I never said I “don’t believe.” I said I don’t know what I believe. The fact that I do go to church and feel moved on some level must mean that I believe something. It’s a constant struggle for me.
Angela – thank you for the clarification, but I am well aware of the right to express opinions. I’ve been a citizen of the USA for almost 30 years. And yes, “Opinion Mom” would be Laura’s place to do just that.
6 Laura // Aug 30, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Hi Melissa!
You’re always welcome as a reader, of course. I’m happy to answer your questions, as best I can.
You ask what is the difference between God and Allah and then you asked what is the difference between God and Buddha.
Here is a pretty good site that deals with the difference between Allah and the Christian God that compares the Qu’ran descriptions of Allah with the Biblical descriptions of Christianity.
http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/god.htm
(My husband follows an even better site that goes verse by verse through the Qu’ran and explains what it really says. I’ll try to get the name of it for you.)
As far as the differences between Buddha and the Christian God I’m looking for a similar resource for you. What I’ve come up with is this from a former Buddhist, now Christian: http://www.probe.org/content/view/64/65/.
So, yes, I believe that when one looks into it these “gods” are very different from God.
Thanks for asking a question. š
Know that you’re always welcome to e-mail me with questions as well.