Oddbean

The reason Christianity faces such opposition is because its the only one of the big belief systems that doesn't teach resentment. Islam and Buddhism, and I'd argue even Judaism, tell their adherents some version of "this is why life sucks, you should give up, withdraw, its pointless to try." Christianity has some of that - Catholicism appears to have more embedded resentment than any of the protestant sects - but the common thread throughout all versions of Christianity is that you can and should overcome the "tests" in front of you. Its the fact that Christians don't fall into despair that makes non-Christians hate them so much. If Christians would only break and fall down and give up - like them - then they'd be tolerable. I don't even agree with most of what Christians say. Doesn't matter. Never break. Keep praying. Rebuild your churches. The attacks will never end, but neither will the little victories, where someone sees your faith and chooses to have that. Resentment is a stupid way to live.

indeed, i think only taoism is as relaxed as christianity, and most of the practitioners are idolators unfortunately i have gravitated back to it after exploring many side paths but honestly it's the best no other religion gives you "chillax bro" they all expect you to do some shit and make you all stiff and shit that whatever system of justice they preach is gonna get you christianity is some kind of anticult, actually, it's remarkable

after i first read the Tao Te Ching i've never drifted from it, but Christianity came back, or, really, properly came to me in 2015 when a friend sent me Phillipians 4:6-7 in a message, while i was stuck in rome with my passport missing, and i went off on a big adventure doing lots of praying... that has stuck with me ever since... some legit miracles happened on that journey

yeah, it was out of the blue and what followed it was also equally unprecedented... i could not find a way to argue that it wasn't literally god sending messages... i made an analogy for it also - God as the Game Designer - all game designers tend to put hints and tutorials in the system... it's the carrot side of the equation i think, once you get some of it the stick doesn't matter anyway

yeah, that still fits in with the analogy though... like in games where they start to give more and more clear hints as you struggle to pass an obstacle... but once i got this hint i used it and experienced a straight up miracle, being told to pause a minute and then a person arrives who gives me gifts of hospitality that see me on my way, a taste of local farmer food and wine and a little lunch pack that lasted me to the next day as i rode up from bologna through venezia the way that this model fits with the instructions of that bible verse, though, it's like a hint about the hint button whether you actually get one or not is another question... but i have to say of all the games i play, the ones with hint mechanisms that are not bleedingl obvious are the most fun... the tomb raider reboot series are like this with the "survivor vision"

it was a conversion moment, for sure, i was already prepared for the idea and had taken several steps but when that woman pulled up in her car and started offering hospitality after i heard a voice tell me to - literal exact words were "wait just a minute" and it was under a minute... like i was receiving a telepathic message from someone who could see what was about to happen i'd already had a heap of earlier signs too... some pig hunters picked me up, fed me tasty pork bbq at their favourite roadside grill, and gave me 25 euros and dropped me at the nearest intercity train station... now that one in particular hints at a relaxing of the kosher rules, that i often hear from especially catholics and orthodox, but i don't see it in the text and i just prefer kosher meats anyway, my favourite of all is actually old sheep, mutton

I don't think the kosher rules are necessary anymore. They had to do/don't do certain behaviors to get into a spiritual state. A lot of philosophers have been totally vegan, for example, in a lot of different cultures - like abstinence makes the spirit more accessible. Fasting seems to, for sure. Idk... I'm feeling imposter syndrome now... I'm not good at abstinence and I've only barely begun to understand spiritual things... And for that matter, I suspect that anything less than full knowledge is equivalent to complete ignorance. Hungry now... Want meat...

haha, eat ze fleisch yes, fasting is great stuff, but i think from my experience of it so far, it is about resetting systems and finding a better order, not a thing in itself like, i did 3 days no caffeine, and now i can just do one in the morning and that's enough... i think dialing down to 1 is more practical than total abstinence you have to maintain performance continuity in your work, and these extreme practices tend to disrupt your rhythm utterly start by managing a whole day of no food, only fluids, you'll get to longer durations... at 3 days ketosis starts up, which has a very good effect on your organs and metabolism, everything starts eating itself and that helps clean out the stuff that was broken with me, that's all been great, but the biggest problem i have that is very central is electrolytes, and essentially, the most pervasive, and inhibitory health problem i have right now, and it seems to simply be potassium deficiency don't get confused by thinking that something that has a specific use is some kind of ideal... fasting is very useful, and i think at least 3 day fasts are a baseline you should try to get to, but start with one day fasts first i personally used to do one day fasts because of depression, for years... probably helped my health a lot... but not that problem

doing these things does take a bit of effort with changing routines, you may not need to change the place, but maybe combine a refresh/reoptimize of your space and a deep clean of some of it, this serves to trigger that unfamiliarity that is part of being able to do a new thing