What Do I Get Out of the Deal?

May 15, 2025

This isn’t overly suspicious doubting. This question is honest skepticism. Being skeptical in that way is a healthy pursuit and a way of self-protection from unhealthy or deceitful ideas.

“The proof is in the pudding,” is an appropriate adage.

My wife, Patty, and I have both found that we gain many things from believing (and putting into practice) the ideals of God, Jesus, and the Bible.

I doubt that anyone gets much satisfaction from philosophy, nor from purely intellectual religions, including the false sense of security from “members only” Christianity.

I understand both of these as simple and rudimentary intellectualism. It is, in my experience, merely mindful acquiescence to a particular philosophy — a personal opinion in the form of a personal viewpoint.

I used to be absorbed in the writings of the traditional ancient Greek philosophers, and as that journey progressed, I had settled into the more recent philosophy of the 20th Century, Existentialism.

The validity of philosophical pursuits today, as I see it, is in the fact that it stirs up a person’s logical thought processes.

Still and all, it became unrealistic to me, as that Existentialist Movement broke down into many divergent denominations — just like the history of Christianity. The divergence quickly became divisive. Which path should I take?

There was nothing to help with such a decision.

I reasoned that opinion and speculation are not reliably sturdy foundations to build on. So, I left off studying the Philosophies and continued on with my life.

So, are there any positives we get out of such opposing views? I concluded that it was not a complete waste of my time. Even though the results of those pursuits, existentially, were only contention, argumentation, and divisiveness, and there is no real “expanding of the mind,” as some argue — philosophically, of course.

There is, however, a hardening of hearts and minds, because people are channeled into opposition and confrontation. As I just pointed out, however, the exercise of the mind has, at least, this one benefit — just like the exercise of the body, the mind is kept strong and pliable.

Now, let me point out that those oppositional dynamics are never ending, and the results are visible in Society today.

I’m not arguing against thought itself, but I am saying we shouldn’t be completing all our thinking in a vacuum, drifting through Space without any Gravity.

I am convinced that people need a much more practical knowledge that provides more reality, not less…

Many verses in the Bible are difficult to understand. True. Likewise, I left off understanding Arithmetic when it became Geometry. All the same, I have no doubt that a lot of people “get it” and can apply its answers for the benefit of Mankind. In other words, I still believe in Math even though I have no clue how it works.

Likewise, I don’t claim that I understand everything written in the Bible. Yet, my wife and I have discovered the many things we have understood and applied in practice actually works for our benefit.

Now, here’s the deal:

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” — Isaiah 1:18, New International Version (NIV).

The LORD says, “Now, let’s settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool.” — Good News Translation (GNT)…

And that is just the beginning for obtaining a useful philosophy and healthy intellectual view and mindfulness.

I am convinced, accepting God’s offer, following up in that dynamic, will end the never ending cycle of contention, argumentation, and divisiveness, replacing it with a harmonious struggle for friendship and community.

I also am convinced that looking at people and what people say and do, rather than looking at Jesus and what He said and did — as recorded in the Bible — is a big fat mistake.

We keep falling back into playing the Blame Game, don’t we? It’s so much easier… but it doesn’t change a damn thing!

Anyways, below is a song from the era of schmaltzy Musicals which I grew up enjoying. The movie has quite a rough storyline, and the song may be the only enjoyable part, at least to my daughter’s and my way of thinking… Still, I think the song promotes a few good ideas about attitude…

At the end of the Musical, in his Commencement Speech, the Doctor says, “That’s their {your parents’} success. And don’t be held back by their failures…Makes no difference what they did or didn’t do. You just stand on your own two feet. The world belongs to you as much as to the next fella, so don’t give it up. And try not to be scared of people not liking you, just you try liking them.

Carousel Ending | You’ll Never Walk Alone

Take God up on His offer to clean up your life, won’t you? With Jesus, you definitely will never walk alone!

Here’s another doozy of a song of inspiration:

Sound of Music — Climb Every Mountain

So, here’s another way of saying what I am meaning to tell you: Jesus is like a doozy of a sherpa guide to help you climb the highest mountains, and the highest mountain that there is.

To me, that would be God’s Mountain.