Doing Good, I say

Hi! I got tired of working, so was perusing this lovely place (the forum) and saw your Feb 08 journal post, and was wondering, if you're not too busy, if you have a minute to satisfy my curiosity on a couple of things.. first off, I see this picture of a young lady who is maybe 20 but you list your age as 30. Why use an old picture like that? Also, you said 'I know there is a God". How do you know? A valid answer to that would be far too beautiful a thing to even attempt to express my appreciation for. Geez, Lady, I sure am encantado with your statements about religion, about no organization of beliefs being of significance. The other day I got some Jehovah's Witnesses to clariify the statement that folks won't get into heaven unless they accept Jesus as their savior. While the gentlemen were hemming and hawing and attempting to formulate a reply to the usual question (what about some tribe in the middle of nowhere whose members have never been exposed to the concept of Jesus?) the lovely lady jumped out of the car she was waiting in and brought her bible. She pointed out the passage to me that says that the righteous and the wicked will all be resurrected and asked me why God would bother to ressurect the wicked, why not send their souls directly to hell? I, of course, replied that there could only be one answer to that.. to give them that chance they'd never had in life, to accept Jesus as their savior. So that answers that. Of course, I signed right up for the bible study group, 'cuz it's very hard to find people who will take the time to discuss such issues when not drunk in a bar. So Tuesday when they come back I'll ask them how anyone could NOT accept Jesus as their savior when He's standing there in front of them. It sure seems unfair that by not being exposed to missionaries, bibles, etceteras they should be given such an obviously easy choice while the rest of us are expected to magically have faith despite all the conflicting evidence around us. Very interesting stuff, I think. Anyway, when you say "I know there's a God", I wonder if perhaps you don't have information I'd love to have. I sure like your "why not try something different?" question, it very much reflects things that have worked for me really well. Also, I did want to say to please be very, very certain of the "bipolar" business. Unless the facts have been grossly misrepresented to me, there is no way to "cure" being bipolar with attitude. Our eldest daughter lived for years as being bipolar, but hasn't taken any of those medications she used to in.. I keep saying two years but I'm old and befuddled, it's longer than that, and is happy and well adjusted now. For me, being on government lists as someone who should be watched because of the intensity of her animal rights activities indicates "well adjusted" indeed. Anyway, after years and years of being "bipolar" according to far more than one medical authority, the whole concept went away when we compared the symptoms she had that brought them to that diagnosis to those I had upon returning from war. They were the same. I'm not bipolar, and have never even seen a social worker until six or seven weeks ago, but my poor child underwent years of torment because of what reportedly must have been a misdiagnosis that once accepted controlled her life. There were all sorts of tests run and etceteras. I'm not saying you're not, but did think you should know of her experience. Most of all I love your simple statement "this will not control ME". That is not being a control freak, that is profound wisdom in action. So kudos to ya, Lady. The only thing I saw in all that you wrote that I couldn't agree with was your decision to use an older picture. But I'm 58 and I guess at some point we start being 'age activists', so that's just me. If you do have time to explain how it is that you know there's a God and it's anything I can comprehend (be gentle, I'm a yoyo) I'd sure appreciate that.

el_dave