Susan's Place Transgender Resources

After reading alot of the posts, and the stories of others, I have come to a conclusion.

Life is a test. A test that you never studied for and forgot all your supplies at home that morning. It is a test of whether or not you can figure out the ultimate secret and ace the test. This secret?

                            Live your life...with the most truth that you possibly can.

In the end of every day, it is we, not our spouse or children or anyone else but US, us who have to look in the mirror. I think that is why we all strive as humans to better ourselves, that the truth resonates within us. It is also we who decide to bury, ignore, or distort the truth.

But the best, and possibly worst truth? You can't live in fear, ever. In the end if you truly want the truth, you must reach out and no matter who or what stands in your way, grab it and hang on. I am no longer afraid. If some bigot wants to hurt me, then they will. But I will NOT live my life in fear of said bigot. I will not kill, even in self defense, but I won't go down easy either, both in spirit and body. I'm tired of fearing the 'what if'. I'm tired of lies.

Sometimes to change the world you must first accept its wrath. Jesus did this when he allowed himself to be nailed onto a cross. He could have fought back, but he accepted it to bring home the truth to those who would listen. That is the secret of life and being a christien. To truly change the world, you must be a light for others to see.

I believe that my life brings peace to others, even if I don't know peace myself. I truly belive that every person in this world is a catylist for change. We have but a speck of time in this world, and we all have the power to make it a little better or worse. So even if noone else wants you to, live your life right, follow the rules, and turn in that wallet. Even if you know noone would do that for you, you must do that for others.

In all of this I believe that the people who come to terms with their problems, especially all of us here, are the most blessed. We can be the living embodiment of truth. We can change ourselves so that the true being, either man or woman, shines through. We can show the world that good has not gone into such short supply. That a decent human being does exist in this day and age.


We can show the world, the truth.  :angel:

Truth is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it hurts like hell.  Wont kill? even in self defense? but won't go down easily huh?  Think that one over when you or yours is actually threatened and if you don't make a choice to defend yourself or yours to as far as it takes then you won't go down easily all right, you'll simply go down, in a lot of pain and misery over not having done what needed being done, knowing you have failed all responsibility toward yourself or yours.

Just a thought, Killing is easy, to easy in fact, you can even learn to live with it.  If you don't want to go down that route learn to be good at figering out how not to kill in situations where you have less then a heartbeat to make a final decision on what else to do and to much is at stake to make the wrong choice.

QuoteSometimes to change the world you must first accept its wrath.

Make peace with yourself first, after that, making peace with the world is a whole lot simpler.

Terri

Quote from: Terri-Gene on September 10, 2005, 01:05:10 AM
Killing is easy, to easy in fact, you can even learn to live with it.

If this ever came the case, and I found it easy to stomach the thought and never have trouble to act on it, I would be an animal.

Lots of people in history have died and their deaths changed the world, both in positive and negative ways. Think on this, if suicide leaves such devestation behind it, what would a needless death do? We leave ourselves on each person we meet, so everyone is affected by what we do, even if we don't think about it.

In the end, i'd much rather be naive and full of hope, then cynical and change nothing.

QuoteIf this ever came the case, and I found it easy to stomach the thought and never have trouble to act on it, I would be an animal.

Human beings are the only species on the planet that preys upon itself and kills other species for sport. Killing doesn't make you an animal, it makes you a human being.

Cassie

Quote from: Cassandra on September 10, 2005, 09:29:18 AM
Killing doesn't make you an animal, it makes you a human being.

It is actually quite unfair to animals to refer to human beings as animals. As you say Cassie people are capable of behaving quite unanimal like.

If you look at Terri's comment in fact protection of ones own and self to the death is animal like killing for sport is not. Some of the behaviour in New Orleans is not animal like it is just wrong. How close we sit as a race to anarchy can be seen in that short time.

Having said that however, the search for truth is a human one and one that is a test as Luana said and one we all too often fail as human beings because of self interest. That is putting our feelings before those of others. If everyone put the feelings of others first we would be able to see many truths currently hidden, ignored or buried. This doesn't happen though because we are under attack constantly from others trying to get us not only to accept their way of life but to live it.

Why can't everybody just accept we are different in many ways from each other and just live and let live.

Shelley

[edit](Kimberly)Fixed el quote tag[/edit]

QuoteIf this ever came the case, and I found it easy to stomach the thought and never have trouble to act on it, I would be an animal

I never said that killing was easy in the emotional sense, only that it is sometimes necessary and that you can learn to live with it.  Perhaps uneasily, but you can get beyond it, in a fashion, though I would be lying if I said you would not be affected for life by it.  By easy, I ment the actuall act itself.  It is actually easier to deliberately kill then it is to deal with an uncomprimising situation and risk many lives doing so.  There are those who will give you no other choice.

Needless death?  you said you wouldn't kill, even to defend you own life, I take this to mean that you think you would not kill to defend the lives of others or for any cause for that matter.  I think you would feel or at least act differently if you came face to face with the situation, survival instinct is overwhelming.  If something is not worth killing or being killed for, then it has little intrinsic value to you as you would not protect it at any cost.  A person I would consider a friend uses a term NMW, meaning No Matter What.  Figure out what that means and you will understand what I say.

I would not consider it needless to kill another human being who would take your own life or the life of someone you loved or for a principle you truely believed in, In such cases, I see no other choice if no other choices are available.  I do agree though that if any options are available and you have more then a heartbeat to decide, they should be explored before leathal force is used.  I to do not believe in leathal force as a rule of thumb, but I also know that there are times and situations where it is necessary, so I live with the conflict as do many others.

Being naieve and full of hope I understand also, I was once that way myself, but life and experience taught me much I didn't want to know about the real world and whats in it and how it works.  I hope you figure it out someday before the needless death is your own.

And no, animals do not generally kill for sport, though it does happen and some do at times.  Animals generally kill only for survival, as do humans when survival is at stake.

Quotethe search for truth is a human one and one that is a test as Luana said and one we all too often fail as human beings because of self interest.

We are constantly being tested every day of our lives and hopefully we pass but at times we fail, but even in failure we can learn and go on to be better people, stronger then ever because we have learned to understand things which were only concepts before.  There are times when pass or fail is not the point, rather what we learn or accomplish due to that pass or fail.

Terri

Actually, I only said I would not kill for MY life, if someone threatened another, well, it is amazing what you can live through! :icon_2gun:

I know this isn't how the world works, I knew that for as long as I can remember. But then again, it wasn't so long ago that blacks were in the election polls, or women could vote. Back then, that wasn't how the world worked either. In many ways life is the most sick and cruel game one can be forced to play, but the silver lining? WE make the rules.

If I die for my beliefs, then my life ment something. If I give in, even a inch and no more, then I am as bad as the two-faced men and women who rule this world.

Truth?
Truth is subjective. Like beauty. Like what is right.



As for violence... Let's just say I am not a victim.

Okay, I had to delete that last post. Dog tripped me earlier, busted my tale bone good and now I'm on pain killers. I'm thinking that last one was a little too hard core. I still think one should be prepared to defend oneself against the predators among us.

Cassie

It's funny that in another topic, the discussion is about changing from a male to a female mind through hormones etc..., but yet here in the "Spirituality Forum" this topic is changing to a gun toting, life preserving, eye for an eye type of thing.  Sounding an awful lot like typical males girls.  So I thought you could use these  :)

LIVE BY THE GUN, DIE BY THE GUN
DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR
TERRORISTS LOVE GUN CONTROL, UNARMED CITIZENS ARE THEIR GOAL
BETTER TO BE JUDGED BY 12 THAN CARRIED BY 6 !!
A GUN IS LIKE A PARACHUTE. WHEN YOU NEED IT YOU NEED IT NOW!
A HANDGUN RESPONDS FASTER THAN 911 FOR CRIME PROBLEMS.
A GOVERNMENT THAT OUTLAWS GUNS IS AN OUTLAW GOVERNMENT.
ANYONE COMING FOR MY GUNS BETTER BE PREPARED TO MEET GOD.
BETTER TO HAVE A GUN & NOT NEED IT, THAN TO NEED A GUN & NOT HAVE IT.
GO ARMED, GO SAFE.
CHOOSE LIFE - CARRY A FIREARM!
FOR REAL FEMININE PROTECTION, TRY A FIREARM.
CRIME SHOULD BE DEALT WITH BY ARMED CITIZENS.
FREE MEN DO NOT ASK PERMISSION TO BEAR ARMS.
GUN CONTROL IS BEING ABLE TO HIT YOUR TARGET!
FREEDOM: BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOD, GUNS, AND GUTS!
GOD CREATED MAN - COLONEL COLT MADE THEM EQUAL!
GUNS IN THE RIGHT HANDS PREVENT DEATH. ....

And so on...

Steph  :)

Not actually Steph, personally I haven't handled a true weapon of any kind in something like 10 years or a little more myself, not so much as touching, though I have a fondness for beautiful woods and artful checkering, precision machinery, etc.  Guns, despite thier intended purpose, fine guns at least, I always did and still do see more as an individual piece of artistry and skill incorperated into them.  Personally I thought it more along the lines of survival vs. sacraficing life to support a morality that in all likelyhood would be dropped in a moment of supreme decision.

Terri

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Maybe maybe not.  This is why I should stay out of the Spirituality Forum.   :)

Just some questions from the posts in the thread:

Quotelife is the most sick and cruel game one can be forced to play

Who is forcing you? Who says it's the most sick and cruel game? Who is playing?

Quotethe search for truth is a human one and one that is a test as Luana said and one we all too often fail as human beings because of self interest.

Who is searching for truth? What is this test?  What happens if you fail, and what happens if you pass?

QuoteWe are constantly being tested every day of our lives and hopefully we pass but at times we fail, but even in failure we can learn and go on to be better people, stronger then ever because we have learned to understand things which were only concepts before

There is that darn test again?

QuoteThink on this, if suicide leaves such devastation behind it, what would a needless death do?

I am sorry but we are really kidding yourselves here over a suicide, and over the tests and the games, and learning things that were only concepts.  How about 6 million needless deaths in the Holocaust.  Was that a game, was that a test, was it a pass or a fail.  How about 2 million in the killing fields of Cambodia, How about the 3 to 4 million deaths in genocides in Africa, the genocides in the former Yugoslavia.  How about the millions dead and dieing from AIDS.   All needless, all as a result of humans playing games and failing tests, and guess what, we never learn.  As long as it's not in my back yard huh!

Life is not a game, it is not a test, because if these are the results then I'm off to the moon.  This is your life, your death and your truth, and I'm afraid that there's not many people who are willing to change theirs.

I said this in a post a while back and I think it's relevant here:

QuoteOn a tombstone you find the deceased name with a date "from" and a date "to" separated by a "dash" - The most important part is the "dash".

I hope that when people look at my dash they will say "she was a nice lady".

Just my thoughts, :)

Steph

QuoteWho is forcing you? Who says it's the most sick and cruel game? Who is playing?

Life is definately not a game in the game context, but you either live it and deal with it or you don't, and if you don't, then what good is it to you?

QuoteWho is forcing you? Who says it's the most sick and cruel game? Who is playing?

Hopefully you are forceing you.  LIfe can be sick at times and at others exceedingly cruel, that is the test, to come through it and out of it with yourself intact and sane, with as little corruption as possible.  everyone goes through this, regardless of gender or identity problems, it is just one of those self evident things.  You can deal with it and truely live or you can not deal with it and spend your life studying the underside of a rock.

QuoteWho is searching for truth? What is this test?  What happens if you fail, and what happens if you pass?

hopefully everyone of value is searching for truth, isn't that what transition is all about?  The test is how you deal with life and it's consiquences, if you fail to deal with it properly, all hope is gone, if you pass, you get another good day as a reward.

QuoteI am sorry but we are really kidding yourselves here over a suicide, and over the tests and the games, and learning things that were only concepts.  How about 6 million needless deaths in the Holocaust.  Was that a game, was that a test, was it a pass or a fail.  How about 2 million in the killing fields of Cambodia, How about the 3 to 4 million deaths in genocides in Africa, the genocides in the former Yugoslavia.  How about the millions dead and dieing from AIDS.   All needless, all as a result of humans playing games and failing tests, and guess what, we never learn.  As long as it's not in my back yard huh!

I like the way if there are huge numbers involved in death it has significance, but one life isn't much to be concerned about?  It had no value or worth to the world? Personally I can't solve the worlds problems, but hopefully I can solve my own, making one less problem for the world to have to deal with.

Understanding of life and it's consiquences is wrapped up in concepts and true connection with those concepts.  As to humans playing games and failing tests that some will never learn is one of the realities of life and simply one of the things that must be understood and dealt with according to personal values and belief systems.  If not for the tests of life, there would be no concept of good or bad only of doing what felt good or right at the time with no concept of the needs or importance of others.

QuoteI hope that when people look at my dash they will say "she was a nice lady".

Might be nice to say "she lived for truth and her principles" also.  If they said that then you could say you passed the final test.

You can turn facing life and it's problems into anything you wish Steph, but at some point one must recognize reality rather then idealology and phylosophy.  it all starts with living life as it occurs, not in the past or the future.  The past affects the present and the future must be prepared for, but the reality is, NOW is when you are actually living life and laying the foundation for the future.

Terri

QuoteYou can turn facing life and it's problems into anything you wish Steph, but at some point one must recognize reality rather then idealology and phylosophy.  it all starts with living life as it occurs, not in the past or the future.  The past affects the present and the future must be prepared for, but the reality is, NOW is when you are actually living life and laying the foundation for the future.

Exactly  :)  I agree 100% with this Terri.  I am a realist, and idealising and philosophising about life and how we should live it all implies that there is some form of entity that/who is guiding, testing, our lives.  "I" never learn, I should stay out of the Spirituality Forum  :)

QuoteHopefully you are forcing you.  LIfe can be sick at times and at others exceedingly cruel, that is the test, to come through it and out of it with yourself intact and sane, with as little corruption as possible.  everyone goes through this, regardless of gender or identity problems, it is just one of those self evident things.  You can deal with it and truely live or you can not deal with it and spend your life studying the underside of a rock.

But if I may... my life is great, I don't see it as a test, of any kind for any thing or any one.  I strive to be happy;   to ensure living my life will not harm others;   treat those with who I live, meet, work, and play, with respect, dignity, and compassion.  For when I die only those who knew me may remember me, just another little twinkle in sky above.   :)

Chat later,

Steph

Quote"I" never learn, I should stay out of the Spirituality Forum 

Why Steph?  You asked some very valid questions, especially if you perceived a violent tendancy in the thread, though that was simply reactions to the subject of self protection and continuing to survive and live.

QuoteBut if I may... my life is great, I don't see it as a test, of any kind for any thing or any one.

But if 'I' may ... You wanted something and were afraid of what the consiquences might have been but you faced it and came forth anyway, that was a test if you recognize it or not and you passed, thus moving on, step by step.

There are many little "tests" in life almost daily for everybody on the planet, little or great conflicts in people that they must face and resolve, what they do and how they do constitutes a "test" of character, commitment and resolve.  Pay attention to your life and you will see these little things come up all the time when what you do will define who and what you are to others as well as to yourself.

QuoteI strive to be happy;   to ensure living my life will not harm others;   treat those with who I live, meet, work, and play, with respect, dignity, and compassion.

This is a result of passing little and large "tests" as they come about throughout life, and if you always work to achieve this, you will always be remembered with love.

Terri

Thanks Terri

As always, you are very sweet and honest.

Take care

Steph

Aha Steph,

That is why it is important that you don't stay out of forums and that ou question what is being said.

1. I personally like the way that Terri frames her argument and takes the time to respond with heart felt sentiment.

2. A questionng voice requires a validated response.

Thanks Steph.

Shelley

Wow! Got everybody thinking! ;D

One of the things I keep hearing is that you disagree with my 'no-kill-policy', let me explain that.

First, I belive every life is worth it, worth the trouble to try and guide back onto the right path. The right path might be up for debate but I think we all agree that at least tolorance and understanding are trailmarkers.

Second, I feel that someone's life is not a fair exchange for my own, I don't want anyone to die for me, period. If I could I would wash away all the ignorance so we could all just be at peace with one another. I know though this will never happen, which is why I chose medicine as my carrier path, so I could save as many souls as humanly possible. Maybe because of this someday the masses will grasp this ideal, I hope, no PRAY that I live to see this day.

Third, as I stated, I will not kill, but I will NOT be a victim. As I stated, you would be supprised at just how tough the human body is, and what kind of punishment it can take. The concept behind several martial art styles is defense, without killing the attacker.


Now as for my analogy of life to games and tests. As I said, YOU make the rules, we are told every day by others what we should need and want. Most of us will agree that the things that bring us together on this fourm, we were or will be told we should not want or need. But do we not say that this is not so? In this way, WE are making the rules, not society.

Is truth in today's world a myth? Is it simply a nieve girl's dream? I really don't know, that is why i'll stick to my morals and ethics, so that someday I can see it. Even if I must wait untill the next life.

Hello Luana,

QuoteIs truth in today's world a myth? Is it simply a nieve girl's dream? I really don't know, that is why i'll stick to my morals and ethics, so that someday I can see it. Even if I must wait untill the next life.

There is a lot to be said for those who have the courage of their convictions.

Steph

Hi Luana,

If it is nieve I wish that the world was more nieve.

Shelley

Reality is that which one must deal with rather you like it or not.

Ideology and philosophy are the thoughts. words, and deeds which we use to affect change in the real world hopefully for the better. The problems arise from too many competing ideologies and philosophies. Some peoples philosophy is to kill them all and let god sort them out. Not my particular preference but one must be prepared to deal with the realities of such people or their philosopy could become the dominant one.

QuoteAs always, you are very sweet and honest.

Easy on that Steph,  You'd have to know me better.  I've found that I can be less then honest at times, one of the things I'm working on.  As to sweet, well I guess you could say the same about a rattlesnake in the rose bushes, and I don't always give warning before I strike.

QuoteSecond, I feel that someone's life is not a fair exchange for my own, I don't want anyone todie for me, period. 

Luana, when a person puts thier own life before yours they have declared your rights null and void and  when they do that you are under no obligation to  let them, rather you are justified by the laws of nature to do unto them as they would do unto you, but your motive would be pure survival while theirs is simple self interest.  To kill them before they kill you is not a "trade" it is simple survival and justified by the laws of man and most moralities.  At the least, it is ethical to defend yourself to whatever extent it takes to insure survival.

Terri

Games aren't very amusing and tests aren't very useful when they don't bear some resemblance to or have some relationship with life.  But proper games and tests are generally human contrivances.  Existence isn't.  It might be a fruitful metaphor to regard life as a game or a test, but I haven't seen evidence yet that it is literally either one.  Beliefs, maybe, but no evidence. :)

-Celia

No one said anything about games and tests being literal in the sense of this conversation Celia.  As you say, just metaphores.  but human life is a social thing and the things you do on almost a moment by moment basis can affect the rest of your life, thus the metaphores game and tests.  If you break with your principles, you break period and it takes a lot of work to put the pieces of the puzzle back together again.


Terri

If life is a test, then I obviously didn't take very good notes.

Here is another thought on tests...

When jesus said he would come like a "thief in the night', what do you think he ment?

Personally, if i'm a thief, I don't want you to know i'm their. So this means that he can come at anytime and anyplace. Also, god didn't destroy the world the first time around untill the people had gotten past the hope of redemption as a whole.

So if this is the case, would it not be safe to assume that an aspect of the test would be wether we can live with one another? Afterall, this world will end eventually, either by us blowing each other up or the sun exploding. Personally I like the time limit of a few million years to the decades we seem currently limited to.

For those of you who say that life isn't a test, think about it some more, I didn't mean the traditional test, but the everyday one we put on ourselves and others. Like say when you meet someone new, isn't the fact that you find them tolorable or not a pass/fail in itself?

***********************************************************************************************************************

Also, for the last time, ;D i'm not a pacifist. I WILL shoot you if you try to hurt me. But I will shoot your knee or other non vital area. This isn't the movies, such a shock to your system WILL most likly put you down and out. You can live with a painfull leg, or even without one, but missing a heart or brain is rather hard even with todays medicine. :icon_2gun:

That said, I believe in redemption and that everyone has a spark, no matter how small, of good in them. If I kill someone, that chance of redemption is gone. Once we die we are judged on how we lived our lives. Or for those of you who don't believe in God, think about all the missed chances that dead man/woman will have to make the world better.

As I said, my life is not worth that of another. I'd rather die in an ally then know that I live because someone else took my spot in the ground. If in self defense I accidently kill them, fine, but I will NEVER take another life with intent. There are plenty of other ways to defend yourself then with a gun and bullet.

QuoteFor those of you who say that life isn't a test, think about it some more, I didn't mean the traditional test, but the everyday one we put on ourselves and others

exactly Luana, you see it the same way I do.  All of life is a test of who and what we are, how we react to situations, what we do, good or bad and what we learn and do about our mistakes.  It is all about how we deal with our ethics and morality, and when we fail in a particular case, what we learn about ourselves and our relations and if we take responsibility and correct the problem within ourselves or not.

If you pass, or work out what we fail in, we are happier people, if we keep failing in the same areas, we will be miserable. sometimes failures are needed to wake one up to seemingly "small" problems which put to gether in the right circumstances can become huge problems that one must go back to work on the smaller problems in order to correct the larger one.  If you can do that, then a "pass is achieved"

Quotei'm not a pacifist. I WILL shoot you if you try to hurt me. But I will shoot your knee or other non vital area.

Hah, I understand you are trying to draw a difference in self defense and killing, but I can tell you that in any extream situation with little or no time, you do not take chances on missing while trying to hit a specific point that will disable but not kill.  Consider what happens all to often in real such situations, you wound someone and they continue to fire back and get one in you INTENDED to kill and there you go.  No,.... you aim center mass, to give the largest possible target.  I was trained to put one round center mass which if body armor is worn will weaken the underlying plate, then place another round in the same place to penitrate the weakend plate and then go one to the forhead in case the plate was not penitrated, 3 rounds per person, more only if necessary, but never less. or if no body armor was worn, the person may still be functional, and if you don't intend to kill, then you just hope that no vital areas are hit, but that leaves them dangerous, but in essance you shoot to kill or do not shoot at all,  to do otherwise is to end up under the grass rather then on it. just a simple fact of the jungle.

It is a terrible thing though and I would wish such things didn't have to happen, but we all know better, that don't stop me from wishing it were possible to simply outrun a bullet rather then return one. I know though that I'm fast and durable, but not that fast and not that durable.

QuoteI believe in redemption and that everyone has a spark, no matter how small, of good in them. If I kill someone, that chance of redemption is gone.

Yes, there are people that can never be redeemed, but most, especially if they have a good core, will redeam themselves if given a chance.  as far as redemption beling lost if a person is killed, well, sorry, but I'd rather have my own chance at redemption then someone who was trying to take me out.  and redemption for them is still possible, its in the hands of his maker at that point.

Quotemy life is not worth that of another

That depends on who they are and if your talking to me or someone else.  My life is worth much more to myself then that of someone who puts thiers above mine.

Terri