Christians do not read....Mark Twain "Mysterious Stranger"

by dawg 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  dawg

  I was wondering if any of you have ever read "Mysterious Stranger" by Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemons. The last 6 pages he really goes off on God; I loaned it to a friend of mine and he said he felt like he was having an out of body expierence.

  I have my own beef with God and feel the need to vent for a moment; the best I can say to our buddy in the sky is that he really doesn't give a crap about us what so ever if this stranger exists at all? And as for that, I'm really not too certain; I'm begining to lean to the fact that he don't. The only thing that has kept me hanging on this long is that fact that there's no testable expierement as to the orgins of life. If scientist ever come up with an expierment/s that shows for a certainity how life came about, I'll be done with any doubts, but as for now, I'm in limbo over the whole thing. Mark Twain isn't helping me as everything he says on those last few pages ring loud and true, I hope you all chose to read it.

  The reason for my feelings? OK, here it is, every man/woman who stands up and does the right thing, their life is completely destroyed. My life has been a series of catastrophies after another, the latest being the failure of my business topped off by an full scale assult by the IRS. If your business is failing, then the last thing you want is for the IRS to sneek in and stick it in your backside... Like, if you were chosing anything to happen that would be the worse thing imaginable, it's be to be 45, be bankrupt, and to have the IRS on your ass!

  So, lets give a rundown of my life so far... no family, no loved ones, a life totally devoid of love sans my friends who I'm so thankful for. That's the biggest disappointment the fact that my life is void of love and being broke isn't going to help me with that situation... that means I'm bankrupt mentally, and physically, I'm in a big black hole and there seems no way out... But that isn't what gets me.... realtively speaking, I'm not doing as bad as many I know on this forum, and many I know in my personal life... what gives? Are we supposed to be here just to suffer like hell and then we just die?

  So many of you chose Christianity, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but I won't knock you if it helps you through this crappy existence. For me, its a fairy tale and it only makes my lot worse... just like Twain, I feel religions offer just more insanity stacked on the insane world I already live in. But if believeing in that helps you, then I'm glad you've found a crutch to help you through your day... But this is what I think all religions are... they are fantacies that make this crap world and all the "slings and arrows" we endure not seem so damn bad.. it's like, this is tempoary so don't sweat it. Only time I really fault religions are when they take that fantacy and try and make us all believe or when they try and effect public policy with it.

  So, I'll tell you this last story and be done... guy I know about, parapalegic... he says here in Athens, Christains come up to him and say he can walk if he believes in Jesus! He says he wants to kill them. Here is a man that has it worse than me, I bet he'd pay the IRS whatever they wanted if he could just walk...yet Jesus damn sure isn't going to help him and these idiots are just making him feel worse... sorry for the rant, things are tough as always today, tomorrow is a new day and things may get better.
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  BurnTheShips

  I have my own beef with God and feel the need to vent for a moment; the best I can say to our buddy in the sky is that he really doesn't give a crap about us what so ever if this stranger exists at all?

  Did you have issues with your parents growing up? Seriously.

  Burn
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  dawg

  Do you masterbate daily Burns?

  That's about as stupid and irrelevant to the conversation as the question you just asked me... I love my parnents Ships, they were loving and kind and I could talk to them about anything sans the JW religion...not that my parents has anything to do with what we're talking about... I've read your posts for awhile and you always venture off what's being discussed.. now, do you have anything useful to add to my comments on "mysterious stranger"? I doubt it as I've read little you've ever posted that has anything to do with what's being discussed.
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  BurnTheShips

  Whoa Dawg!

  Just exploring a little theory of mine. Don't mean to derail your thread. Carry on!

  Burn
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  Open mind

  I recently re-read "Letters from the Earth" by Twain and it was hilarious & an eye-opener.

  I'll add "Mysterious Stranger" to my ever-growing list.

  I feel bad for what you're going through Dawg. I was glad to hear you thinking about the guy who can't walk. "Worst Case Scenario" thinking usually helps me get out of a funk.

  Hey, you could be a female in Saudi Arabia sitting on death row accused of "witchcraft".

  Hang in there bro.

  DAWG

  OM
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  lonelysheep

  Did you know Twain's stance on god before reading it?
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  JeffT

  I didn't know IRS agents worked for God. I guess I'll have to rethink my theology.
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  dawg

  Open mind, that's what keeps me going...I have had some times in this life that were good, so I know they exist, but this present condition, which will one day end, seems like one continous cycle of getting knocked on my ass out of the blue for no good reason. I mean, this isn't a little ass kicking here, it a whallop.

  Lonely Sheep-I didn't know what Twain thought before I read that short story... I was amaized,he goes off on a tangent until the end and then he just goes off on God... it was a amazing. Have you read it?
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  lonelysheep

  Lonely Sheep-I didn't know what Twain thought before I read that short story... I was amaized,he goes off on a tangent until the end and then he just goes off on God... it was a amazing. Have you read it?

  I haven't read it yet.

  It's good to hear an opinion on it, yours, since you did not know his thoughts prior to reading.
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  journey-on

  I've often thought how anybody that is prone to serious thinking can always come up with

  creative explanations to explain our existence with all its dualities--birth/death, joy/misery, wealth/poverty, peace/war, god/devil...and the list goes on and on.

  This one is as good as any: "Nothing exists; all is a dream. God - man - the world - the sun, the moon, the wilderness of stars - a dream, all a dream; they have no existence. Nothing exists save empty space - and you!" The Mysterious Stranger (Mark Twain )

  Life itself is the mystery. I myself believe that it is all in the playing. And the adage that it is not about the destination, but the journey, has always rung true to me (except during my JW days). Here's another excerpt: "In a little while you will be alone in shoreless space, to wander its limitless solitudes without friend or comrade forever--for you will remain a thought, the only existent thought, and by your nature inextinguishable, indestructible."

  If consciousness continues into another dimension after death, then perhaps by our own thoughts and dreams in the here and now, we create our own Heaven or Hell that awaits us based on what we "think" it is and "expect" to encounter.

  On a personal note, Dawg, I'm sorry for the troubles you are now experiencing. IRS-related issues are some of the most stressful you can encounter. But, remember, they cannot put you in jail for not being able to pay back taxes. The only thing they can put you in jail for is evasion of taxes, so, if your problem is not related to THAT, then just deal with it day to day the best you can.

  Let the doors close that need to be closed (no matter how painful). Remember, new ones will open and in Life's hills and valleys, expect upturns after the downfalls.

  Some millionaires only became millionaires after experiencing bankruptcy and horrible business failures at some point. You are never a failure until you fail to keep trying. You don't sound like a quitter to me! ..................Journey-on