FOR: "re:re:re: Whysay///People..."

Dallas TX

Description

First, I must express sorrow for the profound effect the loss of that beautiful young man had on your life. As I suspect you were, I was raised to read the Bible literally ("It means what it says, and says what it means.") Always being an inquisitive child I read the document. Over and over. I was dismayed by what I felt were discrepancies, what seemed incomprehensible. Then I was forced to engage in a war overseas, where I too saw beautiful young men that I loved, who I knew had my back in any situation mowed down. I came home disillusioned, substance addicted, and spent a decade in a drug induced haze where I tore like a hurricane through anyone and everyone who got in my path. I not only abandoned all spiritual beliefs, but openly mocked those who did believe. I ended up crazy in the streets, homeless, unemployed; a scratching and biting substance addicted alley cat. No matter how great the pain of addiction, nothing I tried would break it's hold. I tried psychiatry, substance abuse treatment, religion, family control, self control, EVERYTHING. One day, literally passed out behind a garbage can, an angel came and spoke words of hope to me. It was really just a man, but he spoke in a language I was able to understand. In a moment of clarity I made a decision to listen, and then follow this man to a meeting I later realized was a 12-Step recovery meeting. I smelled, was drunk and high, but to my amazement, no one seemed to take notice. The people there told my story. I listened. And thus began the tortuous, arduous road back for me. To my dismay, however, these people told me in order to stay sober, I would have to re-establish a relationship with my Higher Power. In short, I can only convey to you, believe it or not, it was because of those early decisions that I was able to recover from a deadly, hopeless addiction. I have re-read the Bible many times in 27 years abstinence from all substances. I learned by being humble and not attacking everything it records there are many hidden messages. Messages you must dig like an archeologist for. Messages by a great teacher who taught in parables, showing us there are deeper messages, and maybe not take things so literally. Messages from another great teacher not to believe any human has full knowledge, and not to accept everything told me ("For now we see through a glass, dimly" 1 Corinthians 13:12.) I will never understand why beautiful, kind, innocent young farm boys had their heads blown off, yet I survived to create havoc and destruction for so many wretched years. But I also will never understand how by believing a few simple principles today I live a life closer to the picture of the beautiful young man in your post, than the self willed, self centered destructive man I became. The Bible (for me) is a metaphor my friend, with just about every problem a person will encounter in life there in. To read literally (for me) only makes me crazy again. Best of luck. You ask the right questions. Keep exploring!