Is "touch starvation" a real thing?

[passion84god]

He or she is wrong. And it doesn't matter though, because as I said, I constantly feel like I'm just a spectator of my own life - and other people's.

You have to know that it isn't normal to feel as if you are but a spectator of your own life. Does that concern you? Do you have any genuine interest in finding out why you feel the way that you do that it might be corrected?

 

[Lovette]

You have to know that it isn't normal to feel as if you are but a spectator of your own life. Does that concern you? Do you have any genuine interest in finding out why you feel the way that you do that it might be corrected?

No idea, might have something to do with Plato's dualistic gnosticism, which has deeply embedded traditional church teachings, e.g. "earth bad, heaven good;" "carnal/material things bad, spiritual/intelectual things good;" "body is tainted and sinful, spirit is pure and sacred;" this has infiltrated into popular culture and understanding of life - "this world is a temporary home, I'm just passing by, heaven is my eternal destiny;" "life is an exile full of sufferings, a penance for my original sins, death is the ultimate relief and liberation of my soul;" "Jesus is the driver holding the wheel, I'm just a passenger in the back seat;" and you can find numerous verses that seemingly support this narrative - "absent from the body is present with the Lord;" "walk in the spirit and not in the flesh;" "Man shall not live by bread alone, by every word of God;" "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

 

[passion84god]

How is inner peace not reflective of the mind of Christ?

Don't play dumb, and please don't count me as a fool. In Stoicism, inner peace is allegedly attained through the self-discipline of men. In Christianity, inner peace is granted to us through Christ as a fruit of the Spirit. John 14:27, Galatians 5:22. Also, you should already know that Paul, while referring to Greek philosophers, contrasted the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God, with the mind of Christ when he wrote to the saints at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 2:6, 16; 3:19. The two are at odds with each other, and not compatible.​

The sins of both the Epicureans and the Stoics are not the imperfections of their philosophies, but their scoffing at the concept of resurrection, that's what turned them off.

That alone should deter you or anybody else from adhering to Stoic beliefs. While speaking to the Stoics, Paul told them that God commanded them to repent because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. Acts 17:30-31. Stoicism does not preach righteousness through faith in Christ, and it scoffs at the concept of bodily resurrection, so why do you adhere to it, and how will you stand on the day of Christ's judgment?

For those who might not know what Stoicism is, this short video will point out some of the major contrasts between it and biblical Christianity.

 

[Mem]

A leper had to call out "unclean" whenever he passed by anyone. This is to prevent anyone being infected from his disease by touching him.

"set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Jesus touched the leper and he was made clean. This went against the earthly order of how leprosy worked. Jesus did not fear any infection. In fact, He had all intention to take it along with all other human infirmities upon Himself and take them to His grave. So, if you are in Him, how much less should you 'avoid' touching anyone?

Are the 'things above' only applicable heaven or in the world to come? Or is the kingdom of heaven, indeed, now within your midst?

 

[Mem]

What if your touch works in a way that it 'infects' others with life?

 

[Lynx]

You have to know that it isn't normal to feel as if you are but a spectator of your own life. Does that concern you? Do you have any genuine interest in finding out why you feel the way that you do that it might be corrected?

And I just showed up
For my own life
And I'm standing here
Taking it in
And it sure looks bright

 

[Lynx]

Don't play dumb, and please don't count me as a fool. In Stoicism, inner peace is allegedly attained through the self-discipline of men. In Christianity, inner peace is granted to us through Christ as a fruit of the Spirit. John 14:27, Galatians 5:22. Also, you should already know that Paul, while referring to Greek philosophers, contrasted the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God, with the mind of Christ when he wrote to the saints at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 2:6, 16; 3:19. The two are at odds with each other, and not compatible.

That alone should deter you or anybody else from adhering to Stoic beliefs. While speaking to the Stoics, Paul told them that God commanded them to repent because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. Acts 17:30-31. Stoicism does not preach righteousness through faith in Christ, and it scoffs at the concept of bodily resurrection, so why do you adhere to it, and how will you stand on the day of Christ's judgment?

For those who might not know what Stoicism is, this short video will point out some of the major contrasts between it and biblical Christianity.

For the record I did warn you. She WILL have the last post, one way or the other.

I mean you can keep going if you want to, but it will be futile.

 

[passion84god]

For the record I did warn you. She WILL have the last post, one way or the other.

I mean you can keep going if you want to, but it will be futile.

You did forewarn me, but she is a he. I don't intend to keep going because it does seem futile, like you said. I had to try out of genuine concern.

 

[Lanolin]

passion84god...I tried to tell him, over and over, but he wouldn't listen.
This is what mansplaining is.

Your post is spot on and explains it better than I can.
But you may have to do this, oh I don't know, at least 490 times.

 

[passion84god]

passion84god...I tried to tell him, over and over, but he wouldn't listen.
This is what mansplaining is.

Your post is spot on and explains it better than I can.
But you may have to do this, oh I don't know, at least 490 times.

I would do it 4900 times if I thought that it might do any good. I haven't totally lost hope for him yet because he has seemingly shown some signs of concern and sincerity at points in this conversation. At other times, he has seemed rather disingenuous. Like I said to him before, I am not out to judge him. I am just genuinely concerned for anyone who can easily dismiss Christ's resurrection from the dead because without it, we are all doomed.​

 

[Lanolin]

I would do it 4900 times if I thought that it might do any good. I haven't totally lost hope for him yet because he has seemingly shown some signs of concern and sincerity at points in this conversation. At other times, he has seemed rather disingenuous. Like I said to him before, I am not out to judge him. I am just genuinely concerned for anyone who can easily dismiss Christ's resurrection from the dead because without it, we are all doomed.​

Some people pretend they don't know stuff just to get answers to confirm their own biases.
I don't know if its the case with Lovette, but he just seems confused on that score.

And as I constantly reiterated on the Singles forum, it's ok to be single. It's also ok to yearn for a partner or someone or something to hold, to give us comfort. We are all called for different things, and some of us need to guard our hearts more than most. Being single does not mean you have to be a hermit, unless you want to be.

 

[passion84god]

Some people pretend they don't know stuff just to get answers to confirm their own biases.

That is why I told him not to play dumb. He seems knowledgeable, but I question his motives for starting this thread. As you just suggested, it is quite possible that his only goal here was to confirm his own biases. Then again, as I said earlier, there have been times when he has seemingly shown some sincerity. We'll have to wait and see how this all plays out, I guess.​

 

[Lynx]

I would do it 4900 times if I thought that it might do any good. I haven't totally lost hope for him yet because he has seemingly shown some signs of concern and sincerity at points in this conversation. At other times, he has seemed rather disingenuous. Like I said to him before, I am not out to judge him. I am just genuinely concerned for anyone who can easily dismiss Christ's resurrection from the dead because without it, we are all doomed.​

Oh I would walk
500 miles...

 

[passion84god]

Oh I would walk
500 miles...

Is that from a song? It sounds familiar.

 

[Lanolin]

Is that from a song? It sounds familiar.

da da da da
la da da da
la da da da
lad da dum da dum da dum dum dum

 

[Lynx]

Is that from a song? It sounds familiar.

It is.

The song is about undying devotion or something like that, but that particular phrase fit what you said so well.

 

[Lanolin]

 

[Lanolin]

It's about a pilgrimage. Ever been on one?

 

[Snackersmom]

Nuh, there's profound nuances between envy and covetousness

It's interesting that you note "profound nuances" between envy and covetousness, yet assert that envy and grief can be the same emotion .

Look, here's the thing, what I'm trying to process is the validity of this "disenfranchised grief", i.e. griving something you expected to have but never had.

What you are describing is "hope deferred", it is covered in Proverbs:

Proverbs 13:12 NKJV — Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

Notice it does not say that hoping is only for "lonely losers" .

When it comes to what's considered a privation of "essential human experience", such as "touch starvation", infertility, loneliness, "nature deficit disorder" (lack of contact with plants, animals and other natural elements), fatherlessness, siblinglessness, singleness, then it is debatable on whether it's legitimate grief or just envy.

Science has proven the biochemical benefits of most of the "essential human experiences" you described. You seem to be arguing that those experiences should never be desired in the first place. My argument is that God designed humans to have all of those things, so when they are not present it causes a certain sense of imbalance. Yes, God can and will be the counterbalance if we let Him....

Psalm 68:5 NKJV — A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

HOWEVER, such comfort is truly an act of God, and He should be given due credit for it. Your assertion that we shouldn't want those things in the first place undermines His supernatural providence in the face of deprivation.

 

[Snackersmom]

Simply an absence of recollection. I hate victimhood culture, which is so abhorrent yet so prevalent in today's sick culture.

OK. Well, I'm really sorry you went through that and also sorry for the ways it is still affecting you. I don't like victimhood culture either, but acknowledging abuse to seek healing is very different from wallowing in it.

Well, woe is me, I guess I must've been stunted in that department. I could be sobbing or smiling over some contents - emotionally charged sections in music, movies or books, sometimes even just replaying the tunes of an old waltz in my brain could bring tears in my eyes, but I've never showed it in front of anybody out of inhibition, distrust and fear of judgement, not even my parents.

Showing emotion over those things isn't nearly as important as the reasons why you are holding them in.... you do realize that, right? Like, you are holding back out of fear, and that is not a good emotion to hand the drivers wheel (trust me, I know).

Regardless, that is not the kind of emotional display I was referring to; you mentioned that you have trouble showing empathy, tears, amusement with others.... that is the kind of emotional display we are actually called to (though the others you described are not sinful).

What caused this fear of sharing emotions, if I may ask? Like, when you hide your emotions, whose voice do you hear playing in your head? Parents, friends, teachers, bosses? Regardless of your answer, tracing it back to the root will help you gain victory over it.