Comments on: This we know: the dead do not return. http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/ On a Quest Into the Mystic... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Veronica http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-114274 Veronica Sat, 02 Jun 2007 02:28:30 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-114274 Just an afterthought: Is ANYONE, in this great universe, even listening to my little voice - hearing my childish, silly and definitely "undeserving" pleading...? (I don't mean people - you know that.) Why would Christ / God answer MY impossible prayer, even if it is for a dear, wonderful, bright soul which is my mother's? Why would he NOT? Just an afterthought:

Is ANYONE, in this great universe, even listening to my little voice - hearing my childish, silly and definitely “undeserving” pleading…?

(I don’t mean people - you know that.)

Why would Christ / God answer MY impossible prayer, even if it is for a dear, wonderful, bright soul which is my mother’s?

Why would he NOT?

]]> By: Veronica http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-114268 Veronica Sat, 02 Jun 2007 02:07:49 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-114268 "Things are not what they seem." Indeed. That has always been my motto. I really really believe anything is possible with God. I am reading and writing this in the middle of the night, three days after my dear mother unexpctedly left me. And I am not ashamed to admit that I am asking for her to be revived and healed and to come back, in Christ's name. Why should I be ashamed? Didn't He revive Lazarus? Didn't He say that nothing is impossible for those who truly believe? I truly do believe that. Why, then, should I be ashamed of such "impossible" demands? Wouldn't it be more shameful to credit Christ / God with the ability to perform only doable "miracles", of the kind that even we can perform if we apply ourselves? I am certainly not "deserving" of such a miracle. But who is? However, there is something I wanted to ask - or just share - for ten years now, and never had the chance. When my father died, also unexpectedly, I remember breaking down on the floor in my kitchen, praying to Christ, to God that he'd be brought back to life. I cannot describe to you how bitter my bawling was at the beginning. But I just went on and on, imploring, invoking, asking... At one point, my heart - which had always, to this day (or is it anymore?), remained "childish", as they say - felt as if it broke open and an immense happiness and gratefulness flooded it. It was the CERTAINTY that my impossible request had been answered. That my father had been brought back to life, like Lazarus. I cannot begin to describe to you what a feeling that is... The GRATEFULNESS! I slowly got up on my feet, my face bloated with tears, my heart lit up with the greatest joy on Earth. I was certain - I am telling you, CERTAIN (as I've never been certain about anything in my life) - that my father would return, as impossible and shocking as that might be. But he didn't. So I am asking you... WHAT was that certainty? A cruel joke on part of my own mind? (It has never prone to "jokes" like that. Despite what you might think, after reading the above, I am a HIGHLY - painfully! - rational person. If I ever experienced self-delusion - and I know I have! - it was never EVER in the guise of such an intimate, all-pervading certainty that my small, feeble, imperfect faith was no obtstacle for the Almighty to overlook it and answer to the most "absurd" of all prayers.) Yet my father didn't return. He was - for all we know - cremated and buried. I ask you: what WAS that? And it's not really a question. I am not asking anyone - except, perhaps, God - for no human could answer that. But it remains a puzzle - a beautiful memory tainted by the sense of TOTAL faith... betrayed. What WAS that...? “Things are not what they seem.”
Indeed.
That has always been my motto. I really really believe anything is possible with God.
I am reading and writing this in the middle of the night, three days after my dear mother unexpctedly left me. And I am not ashamed to admit that I am asking for her to be revived and healed and to come back, in Christ’s name.
Why should I be ashamed? Didn’t He revive Lazarus? Didn’t He say that nothing is impossible for those who truly believe?
I truly do believe that. Why, then, should I be ashamed of such “impossible” demands? Wouldn’t it be more shameful to credit Christ / God with the ability to perform only doable “miracles”, of the kind that even we can perform if we apply ourselves?
I am certainly not “deserving” of such a miracle. But who is?

However, there is something I wanted to ask - or just share - for ten years now, and never had the chance. When my father died, also unexpectedly, I remember breaking down on the floor in my kitchen, praying to Christ, to God that he’d be brought back to life. I cannot describe to you how bitter my bawling was at the beginning. But I just went on and on, imploring, invoking, asking… At one point, my heart - which had always, to this day (or is it anymore?), remained “childish”, as they say - felt as if it broke open and an immense happiness and gratefulness flooded it. It was the CERTAINTY that my impossible request had been answered. That my father had been brought back to life, like Lazarus. I cannot begin to describe to you what a feeling that is… The GRATEFULNESS!
I slowly got up on my feet, my face bloated with tears, my heart lit up with the greatest joy on Earth. I was certain - I am telling you, CERTAIN (as I’ve never been certain about anything in my life) - that my father would return, as impossible and shocking as that might be.

But he didn’t.

So I am asking you… WHAT was that certainty?
A cruel joke on part of my own mind? (It has never prone to “jokes” like that. Despite what you might think, after reading the above, I am a HIGHLY - painfully! - rational person. If I ever experienced self-delusion - and I know I have! - it was never EVER in the guise of such an intimate, all-pervading certainty that my small, feeble, imperfect faith was no obtstacle for the Almighty to overlook it and answer to the most “absurd” of all prayers.)

Yet my father didn’t return. He was - for all we know - cremated and buried.

I ask you: what WAS that?

And it’s not really a question. I am not asking anyone - except, perhaps, God - for no human could answer that.
But it remains a puzzle - a beautiful memory tainted by the sense of TOTAL faith… betrayed.

What WAS that…?

]]> By: Alex http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-104510 Alex Sun, 22 Apr 2007 14:47:53 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-104510 hey lori. i'll be in la from the 25th to the 6th. from the 26th through the 3rd, i'll be working with my imn immersion. during origins and ethos i'll probably be loitering around --that would be good time to connect. Or... i'm gonna take a day to go up and see dean and tina in thousand oaks --probably sat the 5th, but i'm thinking about doing a voxtropolitan "meetup" on sunday the 6th somewhere in pasadena. that might be a good reconnect too. i think there are 5-6 voxtropolitans in the pasadena/ la area. hey lori. i’ll be in la from the 25th to the 6th. from the 26th through the 3rd, i’ll be working with my imn immersion. during origins and ethos i’ll probably be loitering around –that would be good time to connect. Or…

i’m gonna take a day to go up and see dean and tina in thousand oaks –probably sat the 5th, but i’m thinking about doing a voxtropolitan “meetup” on sunday the 6th somewhere in pasadena. that might be a good reconnect too. i think there are 5-6 voxtropolitans in the pasadena/ la area.

]]> By: Lori http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-104466 Lori Sun, 22 Apr 2007 10:59:13 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-104466 Will I get to see my mystic guru in a week or so at Origins? I have missed him so. :) Will I get to see my mystic guru in a week or so at Origins? I have missed him so. :)

]]> By: Alex http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102842 Alex Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:37:50 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102842 chuck, reading now. like it alot so far. chuck, reading now. like it alot so far.

]]> By: njboss http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102812 njboss Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:57:17 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102812 Alex...completely and totally unrelated to your post - I see that you have Bangkok Tattoo listed on your book section...like it? I did... Alex…completely and totally unrelated to your post - I see that you have Bangkok Tattoo listed on your book section…like it? I did…

]]> By: jake http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102371 jake Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:39:33 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102371 Thank you for your thoughts. I have been reading for a little while and was hoping you could mention a little bit about you and your background. Would you fill in some on where were you schooled? Also, it has been mentioned that you are an immigrant. When did you come to America? Were you a child at the time? These things are not so important, it would just complete a picture of the person with the thoughts. Thank you for you efforts. Thank you for your thoughts. I have been reading for a little while and was hoping you could mention a little bit about you and your background.

Would you fill in some on where were you schooled?
Also, it has been mentioned that you are an immigrant. When did you come to America? Were you a child at the time?

These things are not so important, it would just complete a picture of the person with the thoughts.

Thank you for you efforts.

]]> By: Alex http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102323 Alex Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:01:41 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102323 thanks, gary. there's a difference here between the dreams, visions, apparitions that clue humanity to the fact that there is something beyond death. most humans "know" this, not in the sense we "know" that the dead do not return, though. the latter tends more towards universal knowledge and the former towards special knowledge. humanity by and large suspects that those who pass away never to return still reside somewhere. the resurrection of jesus, however, falls into a third category. the resurrected jesus is not an apparition of someone who resides in the beyond. the resurrection is the actual return from the dead of the man jesus. we know this does not happen. that's why the women trembled. thanks for you input. you're right: things are not as they seem. thanks, gary. there’s a difference here between the dreams, visions, apparitions that clue humanity to the fact that there is something beyond death. most humans “know” this, not in the sense we “know” that the dead do not return, though. the latter tends more towards universal knowledge and the former towards special knowledge. humanity by and large suspects that those who pass away never to return still reside somewhere.

the resurrection of jesus, however, falls into a third category. the resurrected jesus is not an apparition of someone who resides in the beyond. the resurrection is the actual return from the dead of the man jesus. we know this does not happen. that’s why the women trembled.

thanks for you input. you’re right: things are not as they seem.

]]> By: Gary http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102268 Gary Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:05:52 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102268 Yes, 50K years of human experience does bind all mankind with the certainty of death. But why the nagging suspicion that it shouldn't be that way? Why do people throughout the generations and across tribe and tongue have stories and myths of something that defies their accumulated experience? Why the inner longing for the eternal? Shouldn't it have been bred out of the species by centuries of death? It's like we intuitively know that something is not right with our experience. Something is not right with the world we know. Another kind of knowledge exists at the periphery of our minds. A kind of knowing that escapes just around the corner of our mental reach. Humanity seems to "know" something other than what our accumulated centuries of experience has proven true. Two weeks. That's the length of time that stands in balances to the billions of lifetimes of experience. On the 6th day of the first, God made man and gave him his breath. On the 6th day of the second, God became man and gave up his breath. Two weeks and two breaths. The one creates our inner longing for eternity and the second makes that longing possible. "Things are not as they seem." But they will be. Yes, 50K years of human experience does bind all mankind with the certainty of death. But why the nagging suspicion that it shouldn’t be that way? Why do people throughout the generations and across tribe and tongue have stories and myths of something that defies their accumulated experience? Why the inner longing for the eternal? Shouldn’t it have been bred out of the species by centuries of death?

It’s like we intuitively know that something is not right with our experience. Something is not right with the world we know. Another kind of knowledge exists at the periphery of our minds. A kind of knowing that escapes just around the corner of our mental reach. Humanity seems to “know” something other than what our accumulated centuries of experience has proven true.

Two weeks.

That’s the length of time that stands in balances to the billions of lifetimes of experience.

On the 6th day of the first, God made man and gave him his breath. On the 6th day of the second, God became man and gave up his breath.

Two weeks and two breaths. The one creates our inner longing for eternity and the second makes that longing possible.

“Things are not as they seem.”

But they will be.

]]> By: Alex http://alexmcmanus.org/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/comment-page-1/#comment-102190 Alex Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:17:51 +0000 http://alexmcmanus.org/index.php/2007/04/08/this-we-know-the-dead-do-not-return/#comment-102190 thank you, deana. indeed, james. thank you, deana. indeed, james.

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