My 150th post!

Ok so this is apparently my 150th post. I kinda wish I had done something cool for my 100th, but I must have forgotten. Or maybe I did say something and I have forgotten what I said, which is possible! Haha! Maybe I should actually go look! ^_^

Ok to start, I discovered something about me.

I get comments from people sometimes about how I need to cheer up or be less negative.

I apparently say negative things a lot.

I realised just before that I do say negative things often but it's more like, I don't see them as negative because to me they are like definition by elimination.

I understand things by eliminating the things which are not useful or important.

So I see what is negative first, and sort of focus on that as a process of getting it out of the way.

Kind of like sweeping the floor. Process of elimination.

I always felt annoyed at myself and guilty for being so negative.

But now I think I need to learn to accept that I am not going to change overnight and that seeing the negative is not always ... negative.

It's useful for problem-solving.

It helps to avoid weaknesses in the solution.

And after all, I do see a lot of positive things and when I try to watch what I say, I can be very positive and encouraging toward others.

So, all in all, I'm not too bad.

Yay!

Secondly, I went to the sci-fi and anime expo in my city yesterday.

Lower points: Not enjoying it like I did when I was younger, but perhaps it's a sign of maturity. So that might actually be a good thing.

Good: Did NOT end up buying a large fake gunblade. Desire for large game weapon replicas is fading fast. Excellent.

Did buy a couple of cheap cute things, mostly just because I was there, atmosphere etc.

Got to see friends I hadn't seen in ages.

Hopefully will keep in touch.

:)

Also saw Amanda Tapping and some of the crew from Red vs Blue, and got a preview of Season 9 ep 10? I think it was?

Wanna watch Sanctuary now. And catch up with Red vs Blue. I missed it!

:D

Ok so all in all, worth it.

Got some cool pics of cosplayers too.

Sadly, most of the cosplay club which I belong to is so diff to me in terms of what they follow etc.

I'm old fashioned, I don't like cheap online costumes. If you have to get one, buy it then fix it up and improve it. Sorry, too obviously made in a factory. The best costumes were made by fans like one Warhammer lady whose husband had worked with her to make everything she wore from clay and papiermache (sp?). She was an Egyptian queen of the undead, I think, whose name I forget. But she worked so hard and everything was true to the character, she even had a green cat eye contact lense in the eye which was visible. Perfect!

I wonder who won the contest in the end? She deserved to win. But if there were enough fans of her character then she'd have a real chance.

It was interesting.

So, next, I have to promise myself to work hard while my family is in Israel.

I am here in New Zealand, waiting for them to return.

I am lonely, and the first day they left, I was a WRECK. Dreadful.

Managed to recover though. I hope!

Haha. If I had other people to focus on it wouldn't be so hard, but I am alonen here, you see. There is the cat, but she is not really close to me and vice versa.

Well, God will get me through.

Wow, just typing that was filled me with a strength like I did not have moments ago.

Praise the Lord!

In the end, Christianity is not what most people think it is.

If you look hard, you will see that it is God trying to help us understand His plan for how humans should live on the earth, and treat everyone else on the earth. Other humans, animals, plants and everything else living. I have a theory which will not be popular.

But here it is.

I could not understand for years why God was so different in the Old Testament. Jesus came preaching love in teh New Testament, but God sometimes told Israel to kill their enemies in the Old Testament. Yet Jesus said that he and the Father (God) were one. So I got confused.

Then I thought about it.

God came to Israel in the Old Testament.

He actually helped to shape them as a nation, giving them their own laws and customs that were different to other nations and races. Not amazingly different, but still not the same.

The laws in those days were very harsh, especially on women and foreigners and slaves. But God's new laws were a little more fair. A little more. I saw how He pushed a little more all the time, over centuries. To teach them to be more fair. And to consider others. Finally when the time was right (and timing matters), he sent Jesus to make more radical change.

After all, the prophets kept telling the people to change their behaviour and a lot of the prophets were ignored and killed. People hate change and being told what to do. Even by a God they say that they love and want to serve.

Some of the things in the Old Testament don't make sense to me here and now, but in those days, people often raided each other. The key is; reaching people where they are now. At that time, killing was normal. I'm not saying it's ok. But they were inclined to do it anyway.

When God told Israel to kill other nations, they were already likely to do it. But he wanted to protect Israel because of his promise.

So! He tried to tell them to wipe out certain races at certain times in order to save them from being attacked again in future by those seeking revenge.

I'm sorry to say it, but if you look at the revenge cycle, isn't that a good choice?

Everyone knows if you want to stop vindictive enemies, you have to kill them all, because if even kids are left, they will grow up and have been raised to get revenge for their race or clan.

Again, I'm not saying killing is right or good.

I don't know if I even agree with God saying it. Whatever can of worms that admission stirs up!

But I know that if I pretend that it's ok with me, God knows my heart. He knows what I'm thinking. Might as well be honest.

Anyway, so my point is, God told them what to do over the years, trying to slowly change them for the better. He also tried to tell them to do what would keep them safer as a nation because of his promise to them. Theh Bible says they were stubborn people, it says that a few times. Humans in general are stubborn. So God was patient, and kept pushing. A bit at a time.

I think that the main reason the God of the Old Testament seems so different to the God of the New Testament is: Because people were different.

He tries to reach us where we are. He doesn't change. I know that. I'm not saying he has changed at all! But we have! And he tries to use different ways to reach us.

And so, we humans who are constantly changing, and God, who doesn't need to change, and does not change, are trying to be in a relationship. That is the story of the Bible, and of God's love for humanity.

As for the OT God and NT God seeming different, I'm working on that idea. My colleagues at Bible College would probably argue with me and lampoon me for not having several books or references to back up my ideas but I don't care because this is my personal thought. I hope that someone else will see it too. I haven't seen any books or whatever about this idea but then I haven't seen many books really, considering the scope of books on Biblical Study and Theology out there.