I have been recovering from a surgical procedure. The process is slow & painful. As a result, I spend a lot of time in
front of the television. One of the programs I watch is a medical drama. The title of one episode was "the three questions".
It dealt with the trauma center or emergency room of a major hospital. This particular episode dealt with patients who
came to the emergency room after having a major accident or major event that threatened their lives. The three
questions were asked when it was determined that the patient was in serious or dire circumstances. Some of the
patients were facing the end of their life depending how they answered the questions.
As I watched them asking the questions, I realized that they could apply to any of us who have gone through a Faith Crisis.
The only difference is we are facing a spiritual crisis not a health crisis that's life or death.
These are the questions:
Do you know who you are?
Do you understand what happened to you?
Do you want to continue living this way?
Before I try to answer the questions, I want to know if this applies to any of you.
If it doesn't we can let it slide.
Three Questions
Re: Three Questions
Who am I? I think we tend to answer this with regard to our relationships to other people. I am son of X, I am husband of X, I am father of X. This may mean that our identity dissolves without the fabric of humanity and our relationship to it. I am ok with that. in fact, I find it meaningful.
Do I understand what happened to you? Yes, I think so. In the context of my FC I had an assumptive world collapse triggered by a traumatic event.
Do I want to continue living this way? Yes. I am not so confident as to claim that my way is the best way to live, but I came upon it honestly. I wrestled with it and struggled with it and I believe that I earned it.
Do I understand what happened to you? Yes, I think so. In the context of my FC I had an assumptive world collapse triggered by a traumatic event.
Do I want to continue living this way? Yes. I am not so confident as to claim that my way is the best way to live, but I came upon it honestly. I wrestled with it and struggled with it and I believe that I earned it.
"It is not so much the pain and suffering of life which crushes the individual as it is its meaninglessness and hopelessness." C. A. Elwood
“It is not the function of religion to answer all the questions about God’s moral government of the universe, but to give one courage, through faith, to go on in the face of questions he never finds the answer to in his present status.” TPC: Harold B. Lee 223
"I struggle now with establishing my faith that God may always be there, but may not always need to intervene" Heber13
“It is not the function of religion to answer all the questions about God’s moral government of the universe, but to give one courage, through faith, to go on in the face of questions he never finds the answer to in his present status.” TPC: Harold B. Lee 223
"I struggle now with establishing my faith that God may always be there, but may not always need to intervene" Heber13
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nibbler
- Posts: 4891
- Joined: 14 Nov 2013, 07:34
- Location: Ten miles west of the exact centre of the universe
Re: Three Questions
Do you know who you are?
No, it's something I'll likely never know and that's okay. Discovering who I am is a lifelong journey.
Do you understand what happened to you?
Yes, with limitations. My perspective is limiting. There are many things about myself that I can't see but others can. That's part of the experience.
Do you want to continue living this way?
Yes and no. I'm comfortable in my skin but I wouldn't want to be the exact same for forever, good or bad.
No, it's something I'll likely never know and that's okay. Discovering who I am is a lifelong journey.
Do you understand what happened to you?
Yes, with limitations. My perspective is limiting. There are many things about myself that I can't see but others can. That's part of the experience.
Do you want to continue living this way?
Yes and no. I'm comfortable in my skin but I wouldn't want to be the exact same for forever, good or bad.
This is the Way.
Re: Three Questions
Do you know who you are?
This is difficult, since I am constantly changing. I really don’t know who I am or who I will be tomorrow.
Do you understand what happened to you?
I think I understand now what happened, but I’m still figuring out the “why”. I’m not sure there is an answer to that.
Do you want to continue living this way?
For a while when I was severely depressed, I did not want to continue living like this. Now, for better or for worse, it seems I have decided to see what this life has to offer going forward.
This is difficult, since I am constantly changing. I really don’t know who I am or who I will be tomorrow.
Do you understand what happened to you?
I think I understand now what happened, but I’m still figuring out the “why”. I’m not sure there is an answer to that.
Do you want to continue living this way?
For a while when I was severely depressed, I did not want to continue living like this. Now, for better or for worse, it seems I have decided to see what this life has to offer going forward.
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Minyan Man
- Posts: 2133
- Joined: 15 Sep 2011, 13:40
Re: Three Questions
Do you know who you are?
I am an average member of the church who has gone through a family crisis that developed into a spiritual crisis.
I had a problem reconciling my thoughts and expectations with what I was taught at church.
Because we were "fully" active, I expected that God would answer our prayers or give us special inspiration to "endure to the end".
Instead I got silence.
Do you understand what happened to you?
It took a lot of time but I've come to terms with what we've gone through and made my peace with God, the Church & the Gospel.
I don't take everything as serious as I did before the FC. I look at life as a learning experience that goes on eternally (forever).
Do you want to continue living this way?
I was going to say that I don't have a choice.
The reality is I have many choices. I am beginning to see that God can be seen & experienced on many levels. Church is only one place.
For me, this is a journey not a destination. (does that make any sense?) I will continue to use what draws me closer to God & leave the
rest for now. Hopefully God reveals more over time & I grow in the process.
I am an average member of the church who has gone through a family crisis that developed into a spiritual crisis.
I had a problem reconciling my thoughts and expectations with what I was taught at church.
Because we were "fully" active, I expected that God would answer our prayers or give us special inspiration to "endure to the end".
Instead I got silence.
Do you understand what happened to you?
It took a lot of time but I've come to terms with what we've gone through and made my peace with God, the Church & the Gospel.
I don't take everything as serious as I did before the FC. I look at life as a learning experience that goes on eternally (forever).
Do you want to continue living this way?
I was going to say that I don't have a choice.
The reality is I have many choices. I am beginning to see that God can be seen & experienced on many levels. Church is only one place.
For me, this is a journey not a destination. (does that make any sense?) I will continue to use what draws me closer to God & leave the
rest for now. Hopefully God reveals more over time & I grow in the process.
Re: Three Questions
Do you know who you are?
I know that I used to (working on not doing so anymore) define myself by what I did in my roles (or more aptly my failure to do it perfectly and/or get sufficient joy from it as I "should") as "mother" "wife" "employee" etc. - which has made life transitions more interesting. I know I am not the person that everyone expected me to be. But I think that I am getting to know myself now even though I have always been who I am (more or less).
Do you understand what happened to you?
I have a nuanced working narrative that includes the story I tell others about what and where my faith journey consisted of. I know that I don't know the whole story, but I have a sense of which parts of the narrative informed other, more current decisions.
Do you want to continue living this way?
I am currently transitioning away from both callings and any form of church involvement. I relish in the honesty about what the church was providing for me in benefits that I have now. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop because my husband keeps talking about going back to church (and taking the family with - including me) but has no desire to do so as far as I can tell. I wish he would own the fact that he doesn't want to attend church anymore or have the fight with me about dragging our oldest and myself back to church consistently.
I know that I used to (working on not doing so anymore) define myself by what I did in my roles (or more aptly my failure to do it perfectly and/or get sufficient joy from it as I "should") as "mother" "wife" "employee" etc. - which has made life transitions more interesting. I know I am not the person that everyone expected me to be. But I think that I am getting to know myself now even though I have always been who I am (more or less).
Do you understand what happened to you?
I have a nuanced working narrative that includes the story I tell others about what and where my faith journey consisted of. I know that I don't know the whole story, but I have a sense of which parts of the narrative informed other, more current decisions.
Do you want to continue living this way?
I am currently transitioning away from both callings and any form of church involvement. I relish in the honesty about what the church was providing for me in benefits that I have now. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop because my husband keeps talking about going back to church (and taking the family with - including me) but has no desire to do so as far as I can tell. I wish he would own the fact that he doesn't want to attend church anymore or have the fight with me about dragging our oldest and myself back to church consistently.
Re: Three Questions
First off those are fantastic questions! Well worth anyone's time to contemplate. I mean, if I were church Prez I'd have them put in the Endowment: (Ceiling voice) Brethren, contemplate for a moment if ye knoweth who ye are, and if ye knoweth what hath happened unto ye, and, verily, if ye would suffereth to continue in suchlike fashion. That will do. (Gotta get ye olde lingo right so people'll pay attention)
1 I don't know if I know who I am. All I can think of are a bunch of labels and descriptions and that sounds so arbitrary. Who would I be if I forgot everything?
2 I don't think I understand what happened to me. I miss me!
3 I sure don't want to continue in this fashion, but I feel that things are constantly changing and evolving one way or the other so maybe I won't have to.
1 I don't know if I know who I am. All I can think of are a bunch of labels and descriptions and that sounds so arbitrary. Who would I be if I forgot everything?
2 I don't think I understand what happened to me. I miss me!
3 I sure don't want to continue in this fashion, but I feel that things are constantly changing and evolving one way or the other so maybe I won't have to.
Re: Three Questions
I'll play....thanks for asking thoughtful questions.
Do you know who you are?
On a basic level I have come to know who I am and like Amy said, have let go of the "shoulds" of who I thought I needed to be, but just am who I am, and although I'm frequently disappointed in who I am, I wanna say in a popeye voice...I yam what I yam.
On a deeper level, I don't really know anything, and am wrong about a lot, so I will continue to get to know who I am throughout the rest of my life.
Do you understand what happened to you?
I've thought about it quite a bit, so I feel I understand what happened. Life events were bigger than the story I had of in my head of what life should be. Like everyone else, life happened. I have to deal with it.
Do you want to continue living this way?
Yes. The transition to where I have gotten to in life is where I need to be, so I don't see any need for a further transition event. I just continue to live this way and embrace life with my view of it. I don't feel there is any other way. Life is what it is. There is much to enjoy about it, and much that will continue to challenge me to be open to learn.
MM, hope you are recovering well.
Do you know who you are?
On a basic level I have come to know who I am and like Amy said, have let go of the "shoulds" of who I thought I needed to be, but just am who I am, and although I'm frequently disappointed in who I am, I wanna say in a popeye voice...I yam what I yam.
On a deeper level, I don't really know anything, and am wrong about a lot, so I will continue to get to know who I am throughout the rest of my life.
Do you understand what happened to you?
I've thought about it quite a bit, so I feel I understand what happened. Life events were bigger than the story I had of in my head of what life should be. Like everyone else, life happened. I have to deal with it.
Do you want to continue living this way?
Yes. The transition to where I have gotten to in life is where I need to be, so I don't see any need for a further transition event. I just continue to live this way and embrace life with my view of it. I don't feel there is any other way. Life is what it is. There is much to enjoy about it, and much that will continue to challenge me to be open to learn.
MM, hope you are recovering well.
Luke: "Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."
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nibbler
- Posts: 4891
- Joined: 14 Nov 2013, 07:34
- Location: Ten miles west of the exact centre of the universe
Re: Three Questions
Stirring the pot... could you say the same a year or so before that transition? Who's to say what another transition could bring.
This is the Way.
Re: Three Questions
Agreed. Who knows what is to come for me? But if you ask me today, that is all I know to answer it. I don't wish I was living it differently.
Do I want to continue living this way? Yes.
Do I think it can change when something new happens? Yes. But right now, I want to continue living this way where church has its place in my life, but doesn't overcome my life. Perhaps that will change.
Maybe that was a big part of my transition was letting go of life needing to be a certain way, and just rolling with what it was, not making it fit into how I thought it should be.
Luke: "Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."
Obi-Wan: "Your father... was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Luke: "A certain point of view?"
Obi-Wan: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to...depend greatly on our point of view."