The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Whine.

[Guest]

Ffenix asked me an interesting question the other day.  

Quote

Why is it a tendency for people to start whining and complaining about something any time something goes wrong?  It doesn't actually solve anything.

After a bit of dialogue about Laman and Lemuel as well as all the members of our family (including the two of us) we came to a conclusion.

Any animal that goes around in groups has a way of communicating.  Most of the time that communication is of something undesirable.  It is a call for help.  It is a warning of danger.  It is a challenge (rattlesnake rattle, a dog's growl/bark).  For humans, it is the first and primal communication -- a baby's cry.  It is a call for help or an expression of discomfort.

It is very difficult to get over the base instincts that we had at birth.  So whenever someone complains, there is usually someone around thinking,"Stop being such a cry-baby".  It is an absolutely true observation and laudable advice.  We are behaving like babies.  In many ways we are still babies.  One of the primary purposes of this life is to spiritually grow up and throw off the natural man.

I believe the basis of most inspired religions, philosophies, and even self-help type books and motivational seminars is mainly based on some mechanism or theory as to how we can stop whining and just move forward.

[NeedleinA]

1 hour ago, Carborendum said:

Ffenix asked me an interesting question the other day.  

After a bit of dialogue about Laman and Lemuel as well as all the members of our family (including the two of us) we came to a conclusion.

Any animal that goes around in groups has a way of communicating.  Most of the time that communication is of something undesirable.  It is a call for help.  It is a warning of danger.  It is a challenge (rattlesnake rattle, a dog's growl/bark).  For humans, it is the first and primal communication -- a baby's cry.  It is a call for help or an expression of discomfort.

It is very difficult to get over the base instincts that we had at birth.  So whenever someone complains, there is usually someone around thinking,"Stop being such a cry-baby".  It is an absolutely true observation and laudable advice.  We are behaving like babies.  In many ways we are still babies.  One of the primary purposes of this life is to spiritually grow up and throw off the natural man.

I believe the basis of most inspired religions, philosophies, and even self-help type books and motivational seminars is mainly based on some mechanism or theory as to how we can stop whining and just move forward.

"That is a great theory and all but why couldn't you have made your post shorter and easier for me to read, I mean geezzzzzzzzzzzzz, I only have the attention span of 15 seconds per post." - Needle The Cry Baby 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, NeedleinA said:

"That is a great theory and all but why couldn't you have made your post shorter and easier for me to read, I mean geezzzzzzzzzzzzz, I only have the attention span of 15 seconds per post." - Needle The Cry Baby 

You're right.  Let me shorten it to:

STOP YOUR WHINING!  That's a shortcut to the Celestial Kingdom.

[NeedleinA]

20 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Let me shorten it to:

 

[tesuji]

Hey, you're not allowed to add more commandments. I'm still working on the first 10

Edited May 11, 2016 by tesuji

[Guest]

3 hours ago, tesuji said:

Hey, you're not allowed to add more commandments. I'm still working on the first 10

As are we all apparently.

[Just_A_Guy]

Fundamentally, whining is a way to make the powerless feel powerful.

[Guest]

I've been pondering this and I wonder...

When the Savior cried out "Why has thou forsaken me?"  I am not one to say anything negative about it.  After all He literally suffered more than it is possible for man to suffer.  He of all people who ever walked on earth was not one to call powerless.

So, what can we call this?

[tesuji]

6 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I've been pondering this and I wonder...

When the Savior cried out "Why has thou forsaken me?"  I am not one to say anything negative about it.  After all He literally suffered more than it is possible for man to suffer.  He of all people who ever walked on earth was not one to call powerless.

So, what can we call this?

It was a question. I doubt it was whining.

General authorities have said God completely abandoned Jesus at that moment to make his sacrifice and victory complete.

[Just_A_Guy]

11 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I've been pondering this and I wonder...

When the Savior cried out "Why has thou forsaken me?"  I am not one to say anything negative about it.  After all He literally suffered more than it is possible for man to suffer.  He of all people who ever walked on earth was not one to call powerless.

So, what can we call this?

I never really thought much about this, but I just went through and read Psalm 22 (which Jesus is quoting from).

If you imagine Jesus spending the last moments of His life reciting the entirety that psalm aloud to his audience, and then realize that most observant Jews would have been familiar with the passage even if Jesus did only recite the first line--His statement becomes a very powerful curtain call which reminds His audience that, contrary to all appearances, they haven't heard the last from Him.

 

Edited May 11, 2016 by Just_A_Guy

[LeSellers]

26 minutes ago, tesuji said:

General authorities have said God completely abandoned Jesus at that moment to make his sacrifice and victory complete.

And I think it may have been a surprise. Throughout His life, Jesus had had the companionship of His Father. Even in Gethsemane, He sent His "angel" (Whom I believe to have been Father Himself) to strengthen Him. but, for that last period, He was alone, totally, completely, unprecedentedly alone. That may have triggered the lament.

Lehi

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, Just_A_Guy said:

I never really thought much about this, but I just went through and read Psalm 22 (which Jesus is quoting from).

If you imagine Jesus spending the last moments of His life reciting the entirety that psalm aloud to his audience, and then realize that most observant Jews would have been familiar with the passage even if Jesus did only recite the first line--His statement becomes a very powerful curtain call which reminds His audience that, contrary to all appearances, they haven't heard the last from Him.

JAG, I had never put that together before.  I just re-read Psalm 22 and boy does it carry a new message.

[classylady]

21 hours ago, Carborendum said:

JAG, I had never put that together before.  I just re-read Psalm 22 and boy does it carry a new message.

I just reread Psalms 22 also. And, I agree with you. For me it makes that passage of scripture more profound and meaningful.

[tesuji]

Another "thank you" for the Psalms 22 reference.

It reminded me that I read about this -

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is the very first part of Psalm 22, which is about the Messiah.

It was a common practice to refer to a whole passage by quoting just the first part. So Jesus could well have been referring to the whole Psalm, which, as has been said here, his audience would have immediately known that he was referring to Psalms 22.

It also has the added bonus of confounding people who didn't know what he was talking about, and trying their faith. Jesus seemed to love to say things that worked on different levels, according to the individual faith and knowledge of those hearing him.

Other examples of this "first-part" thing:

This is similar to the Shema prayer, which our Jewish friend here Aish has discussed. Shema is the first word in the whole prayer.

Or the "Magnificat," the verses in Luke 1:46–55, known to Catholics as the Song of Mary. The Latin translation of these verses begins with "Magnificat anima mea Dominum...," meaning "My soul doth magnify the Lord...." The Catholics have a lot of these, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canticle

Maybe I'm just repeating the thoughts of what you all have already said. But this is cool stuff.

Edited May 12, 2016 by tesuji