Is Families Forever A Good Thing?

[ELF1024]

Well, heard about eternal families today, is that such a good thing?  Keep in mind I had a really bad family life and if you had me and a few of my relatives in the same room within minutes we would literally be at each others throats probably trying to kill each other.  Don't think an eternity of that is a good idea.

 

My wife comes from a family that puts the funk in dysfunctional. I'm fair sure that there would be no greater Hades than being stuck in an elevator with them for all eternity. Luckily they are not members of the church, and are very unlikely to join the Church while still alive. If I had my way, they would have their temple work done dead last, but I sleep better at night knowing they are so unlikely to accept the work, that it matters not when it is done.

 

I do enjoy the company of my parents, however my own siblings drive me insane.

 

I guess, like everything else in life, forever families are a blade that cuts both ways. There are people you want with you in heaven, and those you'd just as well have stuck next to noisy ice-machine in the Terrestrial version of Motel Six.

[poptart]

Suppose , poptart, that your wish to have family members frying over flames was granted and you were put in charge of the roasting. After a while ,through the fire and smoke you hear said members pleading with you to stop the flames. You ignore their calls and make the fire hotter. Some time later you hear the members ask for your forgiveness for all the evil that they had done to you. As absolute master of the flames, you now have a choice. Do you continue the burning or stop it? May I suggest that if you continue the roasting for much passed the sincere pleading for forgiveness, you and your family members will switch places.

Whats the point of this question?  If I was faced with the choice of switching places I would just walk and leave them wherever they lay.

 

My wife comes from a family that puts the funk in dysfunctional. I'm fair sure that there would be no greater Hades than being stuck in an elevator with them for all eternity. Luckily they are not members of the church, and are very unlikely to join the Church while still alive. If I had my way, they would have their temple work done dead last, but I sleep better at night knowing they are so unlikely to accept the work, that it matters not when it is done.

 

I do enjoy the company of my parents, however my own siblings drive me insane.

 

I guess, like everything else in life, forever families are a blade that cuts both ways. There are people you want with you in heaven, and those you'd just as well have stuck next to noisy ice-machine in the Terrestrial version of Motel Six.

You, I like you. 

Hmm, even better, the terrestrial version of Motel Six that's in the Terrestrial methhead part of town. 

[theplains]

For many it will be 'families unforever'.  Imagine the misery living apart from Heavenly

Father.

 

Jim

[Tacenda]

For many it will be 'families unforever'. Imagine the misery living apart from Heavenly

Father.

Jim

That's a good point, because the teaching of the "Plan of Salvation" is projected as unique to the LDS church, but in realty most non LDS believe they'll be with family and God. It's only our faith that makes it terribly difficult. You must be a TR holder and worthy therefore the majority won't be with God, what is the percentage of active LDS on the earth again, 1%? It's apparently only those on the road, highest level of the CK, to becoming a God not just "like" God, that will be with Him.

[Kenngo1969]

Hmm, I would say the anglos, Geranics and Nords as more or less nuclear only, the French, Italians, Spaniards and other latin countries have a more extended view of family.  Sad but true, Northern Europeans have always had lackluster families.  I had a pretty messed up life hence the need for psychotherapy.  fun fuin fun ;_;

I'm not playing "Diagnosis Bingo" or "Diagnosis Poker" here (and I do know how good I've had it; I'm not complaining), but, although I've had a much better family life than you have, I do know from personal experience that "family issues" aren't the only things that keep more than a few therapists in business.  Just sayin'!

[Kenngo1969]

That's a good point, because the teaching of the "Plan of Salvation" is projected as unique to the LDS church, but in realty most non LDS believe they'll be with family and God. It's only our faith that makes it terribly difficult. You must be a TR holder and worthy therefore the majority won't be with God, what is the percentage of active LDS on the earth again, 1%? It's apparently only those on the road, highest level of the CK, to becoming a God not just "like" God, that will be with Him.

I don't know this merciless, vengeful, angry God with whom you claim to have become acquainted as a result of your tenure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In fact, not only do I not know Him, He sounds utterly and completely foreign to me.

 

http://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/toward-interreligious-oneness/

 

Now, having said that, I believe what the scriptures say, that, "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."   Doctrine & Covenants 130:18-19. But that's not an arbitrary god playing favorites ("I always knew Dad loved you best!" ).  It's simply the law of the harvest, sowing what one reaps in terms of faith, diligence, and discipleship (or their opposites).  And I have faith that eventually (eventually being the key), we'll all be more-or-less satisfied with where we ultimately end up.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Kenngo1969

[Ahab]

Whatever happens we'll be in our family forever, whether some of our eternal brothers and sisters also become fathers or mothers to some of us and the children some of us will be having forever.

It's not like there is anything we can do to nullify our brother and sister relationships.

[poptart]

That's a good point, because the teaching of the "Plan of Salvation" is projected as unique to the LDS church, but in realty most non LDS believe they'll be with family and God. It's only our faith that makes it terribly difficult. You must be a TR holder and worthy therefore the majority won't be with God, what is the percentage of active LDS on the earth again, 1%? It's apparently only those on the road, highest level of the CK, to becoming a God not just "like" God, that will be with Him.

I've heard the becoming gods part.  Do you get to be like Zeus/Jupiter and just fry people with lightning?  that would be cool.

 

I'm not playing "Diagnosis Bingo" or "Diagnosis Poker" here (and I do know how good I've had it; I'm not complaining), but, although I've had a much better family life than you have, I do know from personal experience that "family issues" aren't the only things that keep more than a few therapists in business.  Just sayin'!

Keep going.  My employment specialist said something similar, I was handed a really rotten hand family wise and need a lot of work.  Will say it really seems to be a halmark of anglo cultures to be somewhat disfunctional.  Look at the alcoholism and drug abuse in the UK, it's awful. 

What are the other things that keep therapists in business?  As it is i'm looking into psychotherapy.

 

Whatever happens we'll be in our family forever, whether some of our eternal brothers and sisters also become fathers or mothers to some of us and the children some of us will be having forever.

It's not like there is anything we can do to nullify our brother and sister relationships.

My hope is the afterlife is something like the Elysium fields.  Get me and a few of my relatives together with healthy bodies and it would be eternal strife.  Like i've said, we hate eachother than much, and none of us are really the forgiving type. One has done some really bad things overseas and is near death anyways, but having to deal with him in the afterlife, with a healthy eternal body would be a nightmare come true.

[Calm]

"I've heard the becoming gods part.  Do you get to be like Zeus/Jupiter and just fry people with lightning?  that would be cool."

 

​Some of us are hoping so.  

 

"What are the other things that keep therapists in business?  As it is i'm looking into psychotherapy."

 

My daughter is currently going to help for severe anxiety and depression.  This is probably mainly from physical reasons due to a complication of diabetes, thyroid and a sleep/movement disorder but she was also quite shy and she got hit with diabetes at a crucial time in her social development (change of school, country so loss of friends she had since she was a year old or kindergarten, and puberty).

 

My husband went into depression due to life stress at the time my daughter was hit with diabetes, he couldn't fix her, was having problems at work and then got a great job move but it was just too much change all at once and he hadn't been good at dealing with negatives and expressing disappointment and stuff.  We went to therapy and he felt safe to say some things that he hadn't felt safe before because of a fear I would leave him (unfounded).  Very effective and quick turn around.

 

I got some help with adjusting being limited in my life by medical issues, I don't think it helped that much but it was nice to talk to someone about it.  His suggestions didn't really work for me, it was my daughter's therapist and I would go when she refused to talk to him (this was when she was younger and her talking to the therapist was not a good thing, though he helped us as parents a lot with her, she gets along very well with her therapist now but it was her choice as an adult to go to her).

 

​If I went now, it would be to get help trying to stay motivated with good health habits when I am feeling too tired to do what I need to do to get better and maybe finding something I love enough to get excited about to push myself, that I would really look forward to getting out of bed which is so comfortable when my body isn't cooperating much.

Edited November 16, 2014 by calmoriah

[Kenngo1969]

I've heard the becoming gods part.  Do you get to be like Zeus/Jupiter and just fry people with lightning?  that would be cool.

 

I have a sense this is pretty tongue-in-cheek, but I do think it prompts a discussion that leads to illustrating an important principle. The Greeks and the Romans created gods in their own image, with human foibles such as petulance and pettiness, only with more power.  God is God, not for His ability to dole out punishment (although I don't believe withholding a blessing someone otherwise might have received if they had been faithful to the principle attached to it is punishment, per se, but rather, again, simply the law of the harvest - as one sows, so shall he reap), but, rather, for His ability to love.  And it would not be just for Him to bless those who love Him equally with those who do not (at least in the long term: it certainly seems like many people are able to take great pleasure in mortality while avoiding the consequences of their actions and being oblivious to the effect of those actions on others, but in eternity, it won't be so).

 

For more of my thoughts along these lines, see here: https://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/god-power-and-love/

 

Keep going.  My employment specialist said something similar, I was handed a really rotten hand family wise and need a lot of work.

 

 

As for further elaboration on how I've kept more than one therapist in business in my life, see here (don't forget to click on the link at the bottom of the blog post, which takes you to an additional blog post containing further elaboration):

 

http://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/maintaining-hope-against-all-odds/

 

P.S.: Again, as I say, I'm not "comparing notes" or playing "diagnosis poker" or "diagnosis bingo": I know damn good and well that there are many people who've had it harder and worse than I have.  I've been fortunate in many respects (not so much in others, at least with my limited, mortal perspective, but what're ya gonna do? )  But I can only speak to what I know.  (Besides, you asked. )

Edited November 16, 2014 by Kenngo1969

[poptart]

"I've heard the becoming gods part.  Do you get to be like Zeus/Jupiter and just fry people with lightning?  that would be cool."

 

​Some of us are hoping so.  

 

"What are the other things that keep therapists in business?  As it is i'm looking into psychotherapy."

 

My daughter is currently going to help her with severe anxiety and depression.  This is probably mainly from physical reasons due to a complication of diabetes, thyroid and a sleep/movement disorder but she was also quite shy and she got hit with diabetes at a crucial time in her social development (change of school, country so loss of friends she had since she was a year old or kindergarten, and puberty).

 

My husband went into depression due to life stress at the time my daughter was hit with diabetes, he couldn't fix her, was having problems at work and then got a great job move but it was just too much change all at once and he hadn't been good at dealing with negatives and expressing disappointment and stuff.  We went to therapy and he felt safe to say some things that he hadn't felt safe before because of a fear I would leave him (unfounded).

 

I got some help with adjusting being limited in my life by medical issues, I don't think it helped that much but it was nice to talk to someone about it.  His suggestions didn't really work for me, it was my daughter's therapist and I would go when she refused to talk to him (this was when she was younger and her talking to the therapist was not a good thing, though he helped us as parents a lot with her, she gets along very well with her therapist now but it was her choice as an adult to go to her).

 

​If I went now, it would be to get help trying to stay motivated with good health habits when I am feeling too tired to do what I need to do to get better and maybe finding something I love enough to get excited about to push myself, that I would really look forward to getting out of bed which is so comfortable when my body isn't cooperating much.

Wow, hope everything works out.

My mom was the strong parent, how she did it i'll never know. 

Still can't get over how kind the LDS services have been to me.  A perfect stranger with a bunch of issues that no one cares about.  No one is that kind anymore.

 

I have a sense this is pretty tongue-in-cheek, but I do think it prompts a discussion that leads to illustrating an important principle. The Greeks and the Romans created gods in their own image, with human foibles such as petulance and pettiness, only with more power.  God is God, not for His ability to dole out punishment (although I don't believe withholding a blessing someone otherwise might have received if they had been faithful to the principle attached to it is punishment, per se, but rather, again, simply the law of the harvest - as one sows, so shall he reap), but, rather, for His ability to love.  And it would not be just for Him to bless those who love Him equally with those who do not (at least in the long term: it certainly seems like many people are able to take great pleasure in mortality while avoiding the consequences of their actions and being oblivious to the effect of those actions on others, but in eternity, it won't be so).

 

For more of my thoughts along these lines, see here: https://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/god-power-and-love/

 

As for further elaboration on how I've kept more than one therapist in business in my life, see here (don't forget to click on the link at the bottom of the blog post, which takes you to an additional blog post containing further elaboration):

 

http://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/maintaining-hope-against-all-odds/

 

P.S.: Again, as I say, I'm not "comparing notes" or playing "diagnosis poker" or "diagnosis bingo": I know damn good and well that there are many people who've had it harder and worse than I have.  I've been fortunate in many respects (not so much in others, at least with my limited, mortal perspective, but what're ya gonna do? )  But I can only speak to what I know.  (Besides, you asked. )

Yeah, they were inspired in the image of man, but for me thats partially why I always liked the Greek, Roman and even Germanic gods, they show the divine in us.  Also, the role models they provided for people was quite awesome.  Everyone loved Aeries, but the smart ones chose Athena as their diety of choice.  Athena had the brains, brawn and something most other gods didn't, purity.  Basically a valkyrie on steroids. 

Thats also the one thing thats been foreign, a diety that is that loving to a creation that is so cruel.  More often then not I wish the god of the jews had just wiped out humanity with the flood and just started all over again, not much has changed since the pre-flood days, humanity could do with a good cleansing of sorts.

 

By all means be as honest as you want.  I like brutal honestly, makes me feel like the person respects me as an individual and isn't trying to pull something.