Share myths, anecdotes, short stories etc.

[NaturaNaturans]

I dont know about you, but I love these nuggets of beauty. Therefore, I decided to make a thread where we can share what ressonates strongly with ourselves. Ill begin with one of the better known parables of the bible:

 

Luke 15:11-32

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

 

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother

 

11 Then Jesus[a] said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[c] 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 

 

24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Edited June 15 by NaturaNaturans

[Maddie]

3 minutes ago, NaturaNaturans said:

I dont know about you, but I love these nuggets of beauty. Therefore, I decided to make a thread where we can share what ressonates strongly with ourselves. Ill begin with one of the better known parables of the bible:

 

Luke 15:11-32

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

 

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother

 

11 Then Jesus[a] said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[c] 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 

 

24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[d] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

 

Honestly I think this story is messed up because it shows that if you do what you are supposed to do you get nothing for it, but if you goof off it pays. 

 

[NaturaNaturans]

4 minutes ago, Maddie said:

 

Honestly I think this story is messed up because it shows that if you do what you are supposed to do you get nothing for it, but if you goof off it pays. 

 

Well, to me it shows mercy, love, forgiveness, humility… list goes on

[Maddie]

2 minutes ago, NaturaNaturans said:

Well, to me it shows mercy, love, forgiveness, humility… list goes on

 

True but it also give no incentive to do well. 

[Maddie]

Imagine telling a version of this to children. The mom tells Jack and Jill to do their chores. Jack gets right to work but instead Jill asks for some money to go to the candy store and buy candy. She goes, spends all the money on candy, goofs off all day, and at the end of the day after Jack has done his chores and gotten nothing for it, Jill comes back and then gets to pick what she wants to eat for dinner. Which kid would want to do their chores if that is how it was? 

[NaturaNaturans]

 

Balder's Dream is a poem from the Poetic Edda that tells the story of the death of the Norse god Balder. Balder, known for his goodness and righteousness, begins to have dreams about his own death, which greatly worries the gods. To understand the dreams and their significance, Odin travels to the realm of the dead to consult a dead seeress, who confirms that Balder will die and that this will have great consequences.

 

To protect Balder, his mother, Frigg, makes everything in the world swear not to harm him. However, she overlooks the mistletoe, an apparently insignificant plant, because it seems harmless. This shows how even the most insignificant things can have great importance if overlooked, and how small details can have large consequences.

 

Loki, the cunning god, discovers that the mistletoe was not included in the oath. He makes an arrow from this plant and manipulates Balder's blind brother, Hod, to shoot it at Balder. Because Hod is blind, he does not know what he is doing, which also illustrates the irony and tragedy of the situation – that Balder is killed by someone completely unaware of his action.

 

Balder symbolizes the good and pure in the world. His death metaphorically represents how the good can be destroyed by insignificant or overlooked forces, as well as by blindness and ignorance. A quote from Gylfaginning in Snorri's Edda describes Balder as follows:

 

"Balder is one, and he is Odin's second son, and it is good to say of him. He is so beautiful in appearance and light that it shines from him, and a grass is so white that it is compared with Balder's eyebrows; it is the whitest of all grass, and thus you can measure his beauty in both hair and body. He is wise and speaks little and is powerful, yet he does not have the nature that he does not need help. He lives in a place called Breidablik; it is in heaven. In that place, nothing impure can exist."

 

 

Balder’s death triggers a chain of events that lead to Ragnarok, the end of the world in Norse mythology. This tragic event marks the beginning of the end for the gods and the world as they know it. All the gods and the creatures of the world grieve deeply over Balder’s death, both because he was so loved and because they understand that this is the beginning of the end. This sorrow underscores the inevitability of fate and the catastrophic consequences of seemingly small or insignificant oversights.

 

Balder’s death, caused by an insignificant plant and a blind god, shows how fate can work in unexpected ways and how even the smallest details can have large and unforeseen consequences. This theme of unavoidable fate and the consequences of seemingly minor actions is central to Norse mythology, and Balder's death as a symbol of the fall of goodness amplifies the tragedy and drama of the story.

[Nungali]

4 hours ago, Maddie said:

Imagine telling a version of this to children. The mom tells Jack and Jill to do their chores. Jack gets right to work but instead Jill asks for some money to go to the candy store and buy candy. She goes, spends all the money on candy, goofs off all day, and at the end of the day after Jack has done his chores and gotten nothing for it, Jill comes back and then gets to pick what she wants to eat for dinner. Which kid would want to do their chores if that is how it was? 

 

Its common, believe it or not and actually the theology of some Christian sects :

 

Jesus came to forgive sins and allow us all to go to heaven . Everyone, no matter what you did are doing or are going to do .

 

Someone on a forum stated this and I pointed out the danger , as you did above .  I can shit on the world and still be rewarded as        people that did not .... huh ?  Some one corrected me and said it was actually a valid Christian belief . Then the original person explained it like this :

 

"God loves us like we love our children , say you had a troublesome daughter , you are away and while gone she burns the house down, you loose everything but you forgive her because she is your daughter .... get it ? '

 

Me :   " Nope !   ...   Dont teach your kids that shit ! "

 

(I got modded for not respecting another's religious beliefs . )

[NaturaNaturans]

23 minutes ago, Nungali said:

Me :   " Nope !   ...   Dont teach your kids that shit ! "

It is not «teaching kids that shit.» As I see it, it is, well, welcoming a lost son back. It is not like the son started living like that because he knew he would be forgiven, the shame is proof of the contrary. He simply got, well, lost, witch can happen to the best of us. My stand point is that… well, it is mercy and love, not a get out of jail card. It is not a story about a kid who stole candy, but a youth who dug himself into a deep Hole, swallowed his pride and repended. How would you react, if it was Your family?

[NaturaNaturans]

50 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

Its common, believe it or not and actually the theology of some Christian sects :

 

Jesus came to forgive sins and allow us all to go to heaven . Everyone, no matter what you did are doing or are going to do .

 

Someone on a forum stated this and I pointed out the danger , as you did above .  I can shit on the world and still be rewarded as        people that did not .... huh ?  Some one corrected me and said it was actually a valid Christian belief . Then the original person explained it like this :

 

"God loves us like we love our children , say you had a troublesome daughter , you are away and while gone she burns the house down, you loose everything but you forgive her because she is your daughter .... get it ? '

 

Me :   " Nope !   ...   Dont teach your kids that shit ! "

 

(I got modded for not respecting another's religious beliefs . )

Well, I am not to invested in the bible. I see it as stories, and dont elevate it over other wisdom literature. Much of it disgust me tbh. but there are some nuggets here. I would say that the person you spoke to was intellectually challenged. Try to read the parable by itself, with out putting it in a Christian context. Do you find beauty in it?

 

@Maddie feel free to answer as well, it is relevant to your objection. I just happened to qoute our Friend nungali

Edited June 16 by NaturaNaturans

[Tommy]

I heard a joke once but did not understand it.

A Christian, Buddhist and Jew each get a phone call from God. The Christian answers the phone and God says he would like to grant you one wish. The Christian says that is simple, I wish for Jesus to be here again. The Buddhist answers the phone and God says he would like to grant you one wish. The Buddhist says that is simple, I wish to be enlightened. The Jew answers the phone and God says he would like to grant you one wish. The Jews says that is simple, I wish the other two did not make their wishes.

Maybe someone can explain it to me??

[NaturaNaturans]

(Jews are not known for liking Jesus or gentiles, historically speaking).

 

But hopefully someone can give you a better explanation.

[silent thunder]

The basis of modern Christianity has no incentives at all for good deeds or works of the heart.

It is a Grace based system of being saved by Faith alone.  Through his works, not yours are ye saved.  Ha!

 

What you think and believe is all important.  What  you did in life, is nigh on worthless so long as you believe the right doctrines... eventually.  (and that belies according to those who congregate and decide what doctrines/dogma that comprises)

 

 

[NaturaNaturans]

24 minutes ago, silent thunder said:

ccording to those who congregate and decide what doctrines/dogma that comprises)

And nobody but yourself has that authority 

[Nungali]

The Parable of the Stork and the Fox .

 

One day, from a branch in a tree , the stork called down to the fox , " Let's stop all this silly fighting , why not be friends, our lives will be a lot better for it . "

 

" I agree, " said the fox . " To cement our new friendship, come around to my place tonight and I will make you dinner . "

 

The  stork turned up but the fox had made rabbit stew for dinner and it was served in a flat dish . Not wanting to eat rabbit and unable to anyway , due to the flat dish and his long beak the stork sat patiently , although annoyed  while the fox ate , and then excused himself .

 

The next day the stork said to the fox , : Now its my turn to offer you dinner , come around tonight ."

 

The fox did , but the stork had made fish for dinner and served it in a long necked vase , which he easily picked the fish out of with his long beak .  The fox sat there annoyed , he would eat fish, but could not get to it . Eventually he became so annoyed that ; " Hey stork ! What's with this, I cant eat from this vase ."

 

The stork replied ; " Well, yesterday you offered me food I could not eat in a dish I could not eat from , so I had to go hungry . Now I am doing the same to you so you can realize what your own careless actions and lack of consideration for others feels like when you are on the other end of it . "

 

The fox contemplated this for a moment and the rep[lied , 'You are right, no one likes to go hungry  .....  and no one likes a smart arse ."

 

So he pounced on the stork and ate it  .

 

[NaturaNaturans]

Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence  expressed in "The Gay Science" (§341):

 

"What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence—even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!'"

If this doesnt inspire you to live fully, I do not kmow what will.

[NaturaNaturans]

@Nungali haha fun read, self made?

You might not understand thw language, but I think youll see the parallell 

 

edit: english subtitles avalaible   Nevermind, those made no sense

Edited June 16 by NaturaNaturans

[Nungali]

22 hours ago, NaturaNaturans said:

It is not «teaching kids that shit.» As I see it, it is, well, welcoming a lost son back. It is not like the son started living like that because he knew he would be forgiven, the shame is proof of the contrary. He simply got, well, lost, witch can happen to the best of us. My stand point is that… well, it is mercy and love, not a get out of jail card. It is not a story about a kid who stole candy, but a youth who dug himself into a deep Hole, swallowed his pride and repended. How would you react, if it was Your family?

 

I am isolated from my family .  I chose at a young age to qualify what happens and  what results as more important than any family ties. 

 

You support me and I will faithfully support you . My brother works against me ? Goodbye brother .

 

That might explain my disparate attitude here . .

[Nungali]

29 minutes ago, NaturaNaturans said:

Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence  expressed in "The Gay Science" (§341):

 

"What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence—even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!'"

If this doesnt inspire you to live fully, I do not kmow what will.

 

I think the opposite would do a better job :

 

" This is your one and only life ."

[Nungali]

26 minutes ago, NaturaNaturans said:

@Nungali haha fun read, self made?

You might not understand thw language, but I think youll see the parallell 

 

edit: english subtitles avalaible   Nevermind, those made no sense

 

WEll .... I understood the duck

[NaturaNaturans]

2 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

WEll .... I understood the duck

Well, it is basically the same thing going on as in Your short story

[NaturaNaturans]

6 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

I think the opposite would do a better job :

 

" This is your one and only life ."

But it is kind of the same thing, as the eternal return is living the exact same Life over and over again. So would you be comfortable with the way you living, If you knew you had to experience the exavt same way for eternity

[Nungali]

22 hours ago, NaturaNaturans said:

But it is kind of the same thing, as the eternal return is living the exact same Life over and over again. So would you be comfortable with the way you living, If you knew you had to experience the exavt same way for eternity

 

Hard to say ... do you  mean  'the way I am living' at this moment, with this moment being extended to infinity, over and over again , or some time span within my life ,  cyclically repeating,  or all of my life being repeated over and over again or some moment in my life being lived over and over   ?

 

(and if its the last bit , can I have that period just after my inheritance  and with Helga Horbenson ? )