After everything I've learned so far including reading from the book, I've been trying to imploy aa many tools as possible when communicating with my SO. That includes, not invalidating things she says especially things she believes. I'm going in with an open mindset even if I don't personally agree with everything she believes, and responding to her accordingly trying not to say things like "I don't believe it" or "that's not true".
Having said that, this thing about global catastrophe, civil war in the US ( including rounding everyone up like a Russian Gulag if certain people get into power ), and geological events including Asteroids hitting earth causing the next mass extinction, and Solar Flares taking out the entire power grid on earth rendering all electical devices disabled.......is a recurring theme. To the point, she's very worried that these are upcoming events and the threat is eminent. Eminent as in coming soon.
To the point, she's now wanting to act on it ( as if it's coming ) including having me do things in preparation: buying a generator, getting emergency food rations to last many months ( not just a few weeks ) botted water etc.
For the record, I don't believe this is true and I'm not really worried about it. But, with an open mind, I try my best to discuss the likelihood of any these events happening. Bottom line, these are all things out of my control so I don't spend time thinking about it.
But, she says she's been worried about this for years ( a couple at least ) and talks about it all the time. Twice ...last night and just this morning, in the last 24 hours. And her confirmation for most of this comes from people who say they've had a near death experience and have information ( from another dimension ) who've come back to report on this saying ....the shift is coming and it's going to be bad before it gets good. Kinda biblical in that way.
I personally don't give credence to people predicting the future. I don't care what they say or what otherworldly dimension they've been to, but in an effort to NOT dismiss my SO's beliefs, I present my opinions with an open mind.
I just don't know what this is? I'm sort of clueless? And since I now have to get involved ( the preparation for disaster ) I feel I have something to say. I've already talked her down and reassured her I already own the things she wants and we can only be so prepared without going too far down that road. That's been okay with her, but I still can't relate or am sure what this is all about?
Is this all catastrophic thinking run amok or what?
J
Permission - Epiphany
Submitted by J on
First, I want to take back what I said about not being able to relate on this post.
The rest, you'll just have to bear with me and give me a little patience. I'll do the best I can to pull this all together.
My SO at several times early in our relationship was triggered by something I said. I can't remember what it was, but her response was...."I don't need your permission." It was completely out of context is all I remember....a head scratcher none the less.
The other night, when I made an attempt to introduce the book to her, along with mentioning how important we don't fall into the parent child relationship...she became angry and even threatened to throw me out if I didn't stop with this line of thinking. What's more important, is what she said after that which was: " I don't care, it doesn't speak to me... I'm more interested in my spiritual development."
In that moment, it was a dagger in the heart. She doesn't care about our relationship? ouch
I now believe, I understand that's not exactly what she was saying. Not....I don't care about your book or that concept....I believe now she was saying " I'm searching for my own answers, using my own way of finding them...from a spiritual side...her own personal quest. In other words...don't tell me how to think! I don't need your permission.
My SO was involved in a church who were very invasive in the members lives. They micromanaged nearly every move you made and dictated what to believe. She met her first husband there, who was also devout to this church and the way they did things. In the end...she was excommunicated from the church because she had an extra marital affair. The only way to receive a divorce was with the churches blessing. To the point, her own sister is not allowed to "fraternize" with anyone whose been excommunicated. Pretty harsh punishment in my mind.
And then there's me....who was thrown out of Sunday school at age 5 or 6 for asking too many questions including: " how did the Penquins get from the South pole to the arc? And what stopped the lions and tigers from eating them?" I was dead serious...and never got an answer?
This may sound like a trivial story but what it amounted to was....not believing in the teachings they were telling me. In other words....I didn't have permission to think differently.
Until only recently....did I get the answer I was looking for. It came from a gentleman who's a biblical scholar and historian named Dr Michael Heiser who apparently just died last year. He could speak: Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and English so he could read all the texts and interpret them in the context of first century Jews.
I'll paraphrase what he said, something like, " God chose that time and that place to deliver his message. Those people then had no concept of science and had no scientific language. The Bible isn't a science book. It's a way to convey a message in the context of the people hearing it. The audience are first century Jews. And like us, they had expressions and ways of talking peculiar only to them."
In other words, you had to interpret what they were saying...and reframe it for modern day understanding. Context is everything!
He went on to explain, that the story of Noah's Arc can be legitimately interpreted two different ways. The "dictation" method...where as if....GOD was dictating every word literally as if he spoke it himself. Or....."the interpretation "method" written by men, who were divinely inspired. The only rule however, is you have to pick one or the other and not play both sides of the fence.
WHAT ???!!!! You mean, I get to pick and they're both legitimate???!!!!
This guy, is speaking my language....he's speaking to me. Which all boiled down to three words....
The whole world. He argued...that for a 1rst century Jew...the whole world is only what they knew at the time. Which means, they had no idea there was a Antarctica or Australia....and the flood only encompassed what they were aware of in their limited scope of understanding. In other words...you can know, what you don't know.
So the regional interpretation is okay too.
Without knowing it...Dr Heiser just solved a lifelong mystery. He gave me permission to think differently and not have to believe what I was told even though something about it seemed wrong and I knew it at the time...even at 5 years old.
So the Penquins are off the hook. They were okay....which was where all my concerns were in the first place.
So to say I can't relate is not accurate. I can relate...and understand ...I think?....I know what my SO was saying after all which was...."don't tell me how to think....I don't need your permission"
J