Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!

Arango's Apologetics Page: On the deep meaning of Christmas Carols

I hope all are doing well in these final days of 2024. Just sharing a post from 2020, again. Merry Christmas to all, and click or follow the link below. 

Arango's Apologetics Page: On the deep meaning of Christmas Carols

Reference:

http://arangoapologeticspage.blogspot.com/2020/12/on-deep-meaning-of-christmas-carols.html

On Manna

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color was like the color of gum resin. The people went around and gathered it, ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, then boiled it in pots and made cakes of it, and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it.

Source:

Numbers 11:7-9, NRSVUE 

Excerpt from Daniel 7

As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human being[a]
    coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One[b]
    and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
    and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
    that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
    that shall never be destroyed.

- Daniel 7: 13-14, NRSVUE


Footnotes
• 7.13 Aram one like a son of man
• 7.13 Aram the Ancient of Days

Excerpt from Daniel 10

He said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia and have come to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days. For there is a further vision for those days.”

- Daniel 10: 12-14, NRSVUE 

Excerpt from the Epistle to the Galatians

There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

~ St. Paul




Reference:

Galatians 3:28, NRSVUE 

On mortality

Thinking of mortality is often mistaken for fearing dying, and they aren't necessarily the same thing. I do believe; however, that some people live life as if they seem to believe they're immortal? Death is often called the afterlife. This is because it is believed life ends, and something different happens after it. Many civilizations for thousands of years have had beliefs with relevance to the afterlife. We have no proof of what really happens when one dies and remains permanently dead. We really do not know if life ends and then continues in a different state in another dimension. Jesus said: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Many Christians believe that when they die, they will go to a dwelling place promised by Jesus. This post is about thinking about death, and not about what happens when one dies.

AI Overview on Google said the following with relevance to thinking about death.

Thinking about death is a normal part of life, but it can become a mental health concern if it's extremely distressing or interferes with your daily life:

Death anxiety: Also known as thanatophobia, this is an intense fear of death that can cause panic, dread, depression, or obsession with health. People with death anxiety may avoid dangerous situations or spend a lot of time checking for signs of illness. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD may have obsessions about death and compulsions to seek reassurance. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is a treatment that can help people learn to accept the uncertainty of their obsessions.

                Major depression: Death can be a preoccupation for people with major depression.

 Thinking about death can also be beneficial, helping you to recognize your values and live more consciously. Here are some ways that thinking about mortality can be helpful:

                Gaining meaning

Contemplating your mortality can help you find meaning and motivation in life.

                Making conscious choices

Accepting your mortality can help you make more conscious choices in the present.

                Avoiding destructive behavior

Controlling your anxiety about death can help you avoid negative or destructive behavior. 

In closing, I simply wanted to share a brief thought on mortality. I believe I have never shared anything about it. I think many people avoid the subject altogether, especially when they are young. Although, as one ages it perhaps becomes more and more part of one’s thoughts. I do agree with the AI Overview when it said: thinking about death can also be beneficial. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Blessings!

 

References:

 https://www.artofdyingwell.org/talking-about-death/coming-terms-death/accepting-your-mortality/#:~:text=Thinking%20about%20your%20life%20ending,with%20the%20reality%20of%20death

John 14:2, NRSVUE