Forums

I. Am. Hopeless.

Sort:
FinnTheStuffedShark
hermanjohnell wrote:
baudouin27 wrote:

Very nice - and tempting! $150 USD plus shipping…

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

The Bible gives us wisdom on how to deal with temptations. James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

hermanjohnell
FinnTheStuffedShark wrote:
hermanjohnell wrote:
baudouin27 wrote:

Very nice - and tempting! $150 USD plus shipping…

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

The Bible gives us wisdom on how to deal with temptations. James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

You have to be wise to read the Bible. It plays all sorts of tricks with lesser minds.

ungewichtet

But how to grow when leaving the big books to the wise? me little mini mind asketh. I think I will remember the second half of the bible quote: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." happy.png

GrandPatzerDave
ungewichtet wrote:

But how to grow when leaving the big books to the wise? me little mini mind asketh. I think I will remember the second half of the bible quote: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

But only the first half allows one to be successful at the second.

You don't have to be wise to read the Bible but it does require study...context is critical. Cherry-picking doesn't work.

ungewichtet

I like the idea that, by resisting, you can instill fear in the tempter. This is the task I read into the second part: Resist, surprise and repel with your attitude in the act, you can do it. I do not need to submit myself to God first, which is the proper procedure according to James 4:7, I can set myself other goals, even diverting from the direction of the text. Cherry-picking turning a cherry from Eden into one from Earth. Submit whoever likes the taste of Eden better, we are all friends sitting in the same boat happy.png

FinnTheStuffedShark
ungewichtet wrote:

I like the idea that, by resisting, you can instill fear in the tempter. This is the task I read into the second part: Resist, surprise and repel with your attitude in the act, you can do it. I do not need to submit myself to God first, which is the proper procedure according to James 4:7, I can set myself other goals, even diverting from the direction of the text. Cherry-picking turning a cherry from Eden into one from Earth. Submit whoever likes the taste of Eden better, we are all friends sitting in the same boat

You claim you can resist temptation without submitting to God. However, relying on oneself doesn't work because we all have given in to temptation. So are you saying you rely on yourself to resist temptation sometimes, but give in to it when you feel like it?

lighthouse

I would like this chess set , Only thing it cost way too much , Then the import tax on top is a killer . So if i do not look at chess sets i am saved from temptation & the lust of it . In the case of brother Herman he needs help as he has fallen back into temptation & is asking for help .

So be strong & know there is forgiveness , Or you can go & ask your bank manger for a loan etc .

wink

ungewichtet
FinnTheStuffedShark wrote:
ungewichtet wrote:

I like the idea that, by resisting, you can instill fear in the tempter. This is the task I read into the second part: Resist, surprise and repel with your attitude in the act, you can do it. I do not need to submit myself to God first, which is the proper procedure according to James 4:7, I can set myself other goals, even diverting from the direction of the text. Cherry-picking turning a cherry from Eden into one from Earth. Submit whoever likes the taste of Eden better, we are all friends sitting in the same boat

You claim you can resist temptation without submitting to God. However, relying on oneself doesn't work because we all have given in to temptation. So are you saying you rely on yourself to resist temptation sometimes, but give in to it when you feel like it?

Hm, let me look at your syllogism.. if it's a syllogism..

premise 1: I can resist temptation without submitting to God.

premise 2: We all have given in to temptation- even submitters to God.

conclusion: Relying on oneself- or on God- doesn't work.

My first answer is, you need to complete your syllogism as I did above to see what it reveals. To be able to resist temptation does not mean to be able to resist temptation in every case or for an unlimited time.

I did not claim anything for me, personally. Everyone has a sense of equilibrium to control affections. It gives us time to think. With more depth, the emotions may change, making it easier to resist or easier to give in. As it depends on principles and on the calculation at which rates they weigh in whether it makes sense to remain reserved or let go.

To your concrete question, if I claim I can resist temptation, but give in to some temptations regardless, do I mean to say that I resist temptations as well as give in to them at will/on whims/depending on my mood?

Submitting or not submitting to God does not change that it's us. We cannot hand it over. If submitting means something like 'signing the ten commandments', okay, this is a determination and a conviction and a stronghold to return to, but just this makes it stand out quite clearly that it is always and again us that can be tempted to do wrong, us to resist or give in.

Whereas, if submission is something like the recurring repetition of the act, of bowing your head to the laws of the Lord, then it is like a learned, automatized technique we adopt in order to have no choice in face of temptation. That would 'work', alright, but if I were believing in that way, in the way of submission, I believe I could be lead in any direction, which can't be right.

Things must be open to discussion, makes no sense to say old Almighty knows best, we must use our own minds, while they are running on enough old text. God, he she it may be there and be okay but I guess submission is not on its list.

To return to our topic, I believe, longing for a superfluous chess set can not be generally condemned, it can only be evaluated by a forum like this. My take, there is such a wealth of chess pieces out there, that it takes a lot of them to understand and make proper use of them, and so, 'superfluous' sets in very late (much later than I thought).

The quote from Oscar Wilde's novel 'The picture of Dorian Gray' (1891) is often abbreviated to its more whimsical first line: “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." And it stirs up conversation. But let's return to the heavier parts (like Herman has delivered them) of it, too: "Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

This is obviously not about the small things. Thinking of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), who, for 'gross indecency', was sentenced to two years' hard labour, the maximum penalty, from 1895-97 and died a few years later, we can say he has yielded, so that his soul would not grow sick.. happy.png

hermanjohnell

Was it the Devil that made me buy this chess set? Was it God? Did I give in to temptation or simply exercice my free will? Maybe I don´t have a free will and simply reacted to random impulses in my brain? Anyway. I´m glad that I did.

lighthouse

Brother Herman I was thinking of your plight a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation !

But deep down you are a viking & after many years of repression the pagan in you come's back out ? For to many years we had the overlords of the WASP mentality .

Cash Rules Everything AroundC.R.E.A.M., get the money
Dollar, dollar bill y'all

This Madness of one + zero wink

He's Back ??????????

chessroboto

I think those of us who start to fall down the proverbial rabbit hole of chess collecting everything should take a moment to watch this insightful interview with legendary chess collector Holger Langer, the author of On the Collecting of Chess Sets

It is also possible to order the book directly from him so that he can sign the book (if requested).

magictwanger

Devil? God? I am so down on humanity, in general, that I'm leaning towards our insecurities having made it all up, to keep us from completely destroying ourselves and (hopefully) staying civil.

I hope (to God) I'm wrong.

lighthouse

I have my hardback copy signed by Holger / chessroboto , it's a nice book , funded by himself . wink

magictwanger

Btw, superb video.....A God Tier Collection.happy

baudouin27

Wonderful thread and video! Thank you!

BlissieBearrie
lighthouse wrote:
hermanjohnell wrote:
baudouin27 wrote:

Very nice - and tempting! $150 USD plus shipping…

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

Yes thanks to Brexit , I no longer want them English chess sets , I have been saved ,!!!!!!!!!

lighthouse -

Just recently, a British friend brought up that word "Brexit" in our conversation. Please, out of curiosity, what is "Brexit"?

Kitteh-in-the-jar-o

what a wonderful thread, beautiful set with my favourite knights design.

ironic that it was the strange thread title that attracted me.