If you were given the chance to be born again after death, and you had a choice between experiencing a nice life, an easy life, but you wouldn’t be able to learn from it, would you do it? The other choice is to have some difficult and humbling experiences throughout your life which will enable you to learn. Which do you choose?
© 2026 – SoulSequel
36 responses to “A lot to learn…”
The most valuable lessons in life tend to be dire; realized on the often-harsh stage of reality. Challenge and stress are what causes you to reach deep within yourself — and even Beyond — for the perseverance that builds character.
Comfy stagnation and “easy passage” cannot hold a match to it.
I find it interesting that we are a culture that craves watching a good story; but fears being a good story. And this could be the difference between “human watchings” and “human beings”!
@griz I love that so much. Human watching! Good point!
@Scarlett
Spectators and participants!
@griz what about if you had it twice as bad as you do currently, would you still take the “hard” path? Maybe you were born without limbs, or had to scrounge around in the dirt for worms to eat. Maybe you were horrifically disfigured due to some accident that could have been easily avoided by taking the “non-learning” path. Maybe you were forced into an area of war where you needed to do horrible things to stop the enemy… but those who you were opposing were doing WORSE things.
@Jear77
I’ve not walked that path, and neither have you. Using them to play a silly “what if” game. . . is
“those who have much” trying to turn ” those who have less” into our emotional springboard. It’s an abuse that neither helps them nor us.
I can only speak to what I have experienced; and you the same. Anything else would make us false witnesses.
But we diverge here. I escaped a religion into relationship and have been flabbergasted at the things I have been able to not just endure but overcome: to emerge from stronger and with rare wisdom that is helped myself and others.
You got stuck in religion: never going beyond it, and now wanting to jump into another. And your true witness is how it has made you weaker; played your emotions against you; not delivered any usable life wisdom ( giving you only a burgeoning list of ” things that hurt” and ” things to avoid”.
Knowing what I know and experiencing what I have experienced, yes. I would choose an even more difficult path than the one I walked. Because the rewards of successes strengths and wisdom would be magnified. And I know with confidence that nothing will rise that I cannot overcome as I rely upon God.
My list of ” things I can overcome” far exceeds my list of ” things I can’t overcome”. And this entirely because of my relationship with Christ Spirit in my life. I have no giftings or abilities over and above what you have.
I cannot know that from reading it in a book or watching the show on it; or listening to someone assert it; from role-playing it; from hearing of a ” scientific study”, or even having an equation in hand.
You can only know this about someone by relatownship with them. Your relationship with a book and with religion has shown you they are not up to this task.
@griz getting to know someone who is not there physically? someone who can only talk to you through a book, or at best through others? Someone who can’t even communicate via email or phone? The concept seems identical to “catfishing” whereby a person creates a fake online persona… but this is actually *worse* in terms of reality. In the case of talking to someone random online, there is an actual person who is at the other end of the computer screen (at least in this day and age… we don’t have AIs capable of passing the Turing test yet – in thefuture,who knows!) In terms of having a relationship with it, it is possible. A recent episode on Gaigin Goomba makes an interesting, intriguing point about video games – that there are no set characteristics that make people attached, attracted to a character. I think much the same thing happens with Christians. The God of the bible is a character, and people will end up putting on attributes onto him by reason that it is in this collection of books we call the bible.
@Jear77
The only limitations we have are those we put upon ourselves.
If you never give something a decent try you will never know if it’s possible.
And no relationship with a book or a religion is not the same as relationship with God Spirit.
@griz Could you say with equal certainty that there haven’t been others who’ve had an as deep as a relationship with other people in literature – James Bond or Sherlock or even something like the Ninja Turtles? And if you would think that such a thing would be crazy, why don’t you (or why would you be hesitant to) apply the same label to yourself and your relationship with the character of god in the bible?
@Jear77
I could say with absolute certainty.
Because I have fantasized relationship with various fictional characters in my youth. And no matter how hard I “pushed” the relationship they never pushed back. They could never exceed what had been scripted for them by dead words on paper.
And the character may have inspired short-term changes within me, within the bounds of my imagination.
But my fellowship with God’s Holy Spirit has repeatedly brought about long-term change that has far exceeded my imagination.
And I know that you cannot relate to this my friend. Because I don’t think you have ever gone beyond dead words on paper.
If you want to, you’re going to have to go back to step one with Christ; and this time admit that this is something that your flesh just cannot understand or render or “earn” for you.
@griz You’ve never been an author then. :-P OR a roleplayer. But the point of a tabletop RPG is that you get to explore things that are totally different than your current reality, say things you wouldn’t sat as you, do things you wouldn’t do as you. It’s much the same as what an actor does.
@Jear77
But at the end of the day one is just playing or pretending.
And the illusion of the game or the movie being a valid representation of reality, can very easily limit or even crippled a person in the real reality.
And one can easily discern between an author who is writing about things they have experienced in some way; and things they just imagine they have experienced.
The imagination is powerful. But it has to have an anchor point to reality or it is of no use in reality.
@Jear77
You seem to have zero concept of who the Holy Spirit is.
Perhaps because you have spent years trying to physically render him of your own physical endeavors. (The “Holy flesh??. And finding it was not so and could not be done, frustrated you. You relied on flesh, not on God’s Spirit)
The words of the ” sinner’s prayer” are not what saves you but rather, the spirit in which you say them.
@griz I said it in the proper spirit. As the one verse says “maybe god was busy, sleeping, traveling, (etc).” Unfortunately that’s nothing that can be proven through words over a screen. You didn’t know me then. In fact, you REALLY don’t know me. There are aspects of *me* that simply will never be able to be transmitted in words over a computer screen.
While the words and letters themselves maybe dead, literature is an art form and therefore a function of our spirit ( or Soul if it is still Chained and imprisoned and lost).
I’ve spent a lot of time really listening to what you’ve been saying over the years, and may know more about you than you think.
For example, I know you are a man who thinks you have no time for a God who won’t do things your way.
Give that one some thought.
@griz So? That means nothing in the scope of eternity. If god does exist, one person, a hundred, a thousand, a million, a billion “lost souls” means nothing, because no matter what god gets his will. Why should he care? He destroys people at a whim. Then does something nice that shouldn’t need to be done in the first place. At day’s end it’s simply a trick, a control tactic get people into thinking that he does care so that people will proselytize, spread his word. He’ll get another sucker to do his bidding.
@Jear77
We may not understand the scope of our meaning to God set against eternity. But that doesn’t mean we have no meaning to God.
Remember, you’ve made yourself VERY practiced in dismissing things that don’t do what you want them to in that moment. That’s not a slight against you. I offer it hoping that at some point the light will go on and you will start realizing the processes that that very worldly and un-spiritual (even un-scriptural) religion successfully planted in you.
(Do you remember when I offered you that link to the REM song, “Losing My Religion”? This all ties in to the same things I was offering you months ago).
Why should God care? He is our spiritual “parent”. We are “of” God’s energy, issuing forth into this realm of 4 [easily] observable dimensions that we like to think is the whole ball of wax. Remember that scientifically speaking, things are energy and energy is neither created nor destroyed. It just changes form. Including a total dissipation of that energy into the “background noise” being a change of form. (And perhaps a very “hellish” one?)
There is something wonderful going on, that God wants us to be schooled in before allegedly becoming a partner (or heir) in it. And part of this schooling seems to be in concepts like freedom and choice AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW WE EXERCISE THESE THINGS!! (Remember, “freedom” is not “irresponsibility”!).
And apparently we have chance after chance after chance here and now to get even the smallest part of it right (the spiritual fellowship with the Spirit of Life, God). Because with this one, little, itty-bitty part initiated and underway . . . physical death is a survivable experience!
Consider that you sought a god that made you feel like a sucker
I sought and found, a God who makes me feel like a beloved son and an heir. God brings Life because He IS the very Spirit of Life. He cannot “give death”. (that’s another spirit’s ‘job’, if we listen to it!). But we can choose a death that is far far more than just physical death. (And then this “elevates” — for a very short time — that ‘other spirit’.).
This is why I assert and reiterate that you may have NEVER known the touch of God in your life and fellowship with His Spirit. You found something else entirely. You found a different masquerading spirit.
And now you are running around trying to throw out something totally awesome that you never had?? What will you do for an encore?
Tell us how terrible the gum was that you never bought???
@griz May I remind you of the narrow gate? God’ll probably throw away at least 99.999% of humanity before his son (remember how many cities were commanded to be destroyed, and the few he took out via fire and brimstone), and let’s say afterwards upwards of 85% due to his pickiness. If that’s not a “lack of care” I have no idea what is!
@Jear77
You need to try to stop living in the past.
The “narrow gate” remains an EXCELLENT analogy of one having to remove “all baggage” to pass through it. Do you realize that your baggage consists of things that allegedly happened 1000’s of years ago, to people you have no real connection to (you allegedly cannot even walk a mile in their shoes without feeling disingenuous, in another post!).
You gripe that you have freedom; but I bet you would gripe more if you didn’t have it! In fact, you go to very great (and sometimes convoluted) lengths to imagine that you don’t!
And this just so you can remain angry/be mastered by anger?
@griz I am simply pointing out that if you think the bible is true, the horrors that god has allow humanity to face or outright caused himself, nothing more, nothing less. So what is it? Do you believe that god either directly encouraged or had a hand in destroying millions of lives or not? This excludes the fact that literally everyone dies, which is at day’s end is the result of the way things were designed. And to not see a problem with it makes me question “why not.”
@Jear77
God as “allowed” a lot; allowed us to put ourselves through a lot of “horrors” for the sake of this lesson. (Even if much of our self-imposed suffering was not necessary!)
But let’s remember that from a child’s perspective, the loss of a treasured toy or a single mitten (or someone not doing what you want, the way you want, in the timing you want) can be confabulated into “a horror”.
You are still very HORRIFIED by the prospect of the “death of ego”. It is perhaps the key thing you have NEVER been able to give up; even for participation in something wondrous! (You’ve persisting in trying to “earn” heaven and God’s approval by yourself, at your terms).
You CANNOT “exclude” the fact that literally everyone is going to experience “death of ego” — whether in accepting what Christ has done here today . . . or in waiting for the inevitability of physical death.
I have the the gift of power in Christ, because I’ve already faced “the horror” of “death-of-ego”; and have been regenerated back into a kind of Life the dying flesh can never know. I know my worth, and value to God (in a child’s perspective, of course. But I know it).
Almost ALL of the “horror” that you see, you have freely chosen to see — whether it’s actually there or not! You are drowning in a stew that you yourself have concocted.
To the point where you will even use the proverbial corpses of those who also chose poorly 10,000+ years ago. . . to weigh yourself down!!! You are a man “desperate to drown himself”!
Or “abuse” those in worse situations than yourself as “cannon-fodder” against God?
You’re in a bad place; owned by a bad spirit Jear.
And this by your choice; because there is a way out. You are only “trapped” because you choose to be.
@griz actually I’m not. I’ve been beating around the bush, hinting at the fact that you need to stop discussing this with me, and you’re the one who doesn’t get the point and keeps the conversation going! Please respect me and stop this nonsense. Now. Not later.
@Jear77
I try to honor you by taking the time to read and respond to everything you write. That is just the way I was raised. So I’ll stop if you want.
But what about the other 4 responses you wrote after this? Should I just ignore them? I honestly don’t want to disrespect you with silence if you’ve asked a good question.
@griz you’re visiting them out of posting order (either that or the site does weird things in posting them a different order)
give me an easy life
I have the life I have.
I would take the life much as I already have. It had lots of ups and downs and I learned so much. The phrase that came to mind is “No pain. No gain”.
@ladybarbara do you feel like everything you’ve gone through increases your empathy?
@Scarlett Empathy??? Well, maybe somewhat. I have been through an awful lot of lessons in my life. It has me knowing that if someone betrays me, not to stick around to give them a chance to do it again. I learned that men let you know who they are and what they are like from the beginning. They let you in on their bad traits from the start. They throw it out there to see if you will hear it and run, or tolerate it and stay —- making excuses for his behavior just to hold on to him. That thing first exposed to you is usually that thing that gets worse and worse over the years and is the cause in the break-up. You knew all along, but you had hope he would change in the light of your love. I learned to listen to the man and walk away as soon as there is a deal breaker behavior. I have no empathy for a woman who stays and tries to ignore the man’s behavior, or make excuses for it, just to cling to that hell. Walk away and don’t look back over your shoulder.
The exception was my late husband. I met him when he was 14 and he was a heavy smoker and drinker. He also had a trauma about his mother’s death and promised her on her death bed that he would never say the words, “I love you” to anyone, ever again. I knew all of his life that this is the way he was and he was not going to change. I watched him through two prior marriages. His not saying, “I love you”, his drinking and heavy smoking led to break-ups. I did not have to get involved with drinking with him. I did not have to sit anywhere there was smoke. I could stay in other rooms. I knew the drinking would kill him and I let it happen without trying to stop him or change him. When he died it was no surprise. I took good care of him and have no regrets. He only said that he loved me once in 50 years. Empathy??? No, he knew what he was doing would kill him. He did it anyway. And for me? Life goes on. Lessons learned. —— No more drunks!!! If a man drinks and it is a habit, I walk away and don’t look back.
Empathy??? Empathy for what?
My partner now does smoke, but I do not have to sit there and breath smoke. I don’t have to stay in the same room with it. He has no other bad habits and he is a joy to share my life with. Because I have had many men who were not the kind to stay married to, or to keep dating, I learned to recognize a man worthy of staying with. Because I have had men who were horrible, I have learned to recognize a man who is a joy in my life. You appreciate the good when you find it, because you have known the bad. That’s why you have the bad times in the first place.
Depends. If I take the harder life, does someone that maybe is more deserving take the easier life? If so, I’d go for it. If not, I’d take the easy life. Sure, with the harder life you learn things, but I just don’t see what that matters when your time is up. Aren’t we all trying to learn to make our lives better and easier? I mean, if I can get that right out of the gate… If there were lessons to learn here to take to an afterlife or something, I’d think about it more. Since I have seen no evidence of that, it doesn’t matter much to me.
?@yin there are no caveats, just that you would learn. If there were a god being, wouldnt that god being want to experience all facets of existence?
@Scarlett I can’t really answer since I am not a god. I’d have to assume though that this being would be all-knowing and would already know what these experiences would feel like. I don’t think it would need to actually live through the moment to experience it. If it isn’t capable of that, I question its god status. If it wants to experience all facets of existence, then we would differ on that. If this being would like to trade places with me so it could experience it, I’d entertain the idea.
I have a nice life and would recommend it to anyone.
Sure, I’ve had a few shitty experiences but I don’t really carry them around that long. I tend to move on.
I sometimes wonder if an examined life is actually a wasted one. Life is better off lived than considered. Big deal. We figure out who we are. So what? Who cares beyond ourselves? Better to be active in establishing meaningful relationships because the relationship is way more important than self development.
@spitfire3dc maybe. maybe the relationship with others is improved the more we know ourselves. I will say that it does seem like you have some wisdom credits despite as you self report that you’ve had a nice life with few difficult experiences.
Would heaven get boring after a while, though?
Would one be able to increase unconditional love by learning to love all facets of existence?
@Scarlett I’m of the mind Heaven is not of the variety that many consider. I mean the range is from 7 black eyed virgins, to harps, to an all day breakfast diner.
Personally, I don’t think we are wired to even imagine what it is like, let alone understand it. I think there is a lot less stress and anxiety if you become just part of something greater. Boring it may be to be an molecular component of the Overall.
Maybe there is some value in undergoing hardships if only to beat the boredom.
Easy is an illusion.
@TruthDistillery Do you mean like the labels we humans give things and everything being a projection of mind?