Well first off, welcome to this forum.  I'm shure you will find many veiws here & I hope you find your time here well spent.

Lament, HHhhmmm. I havn't heard that term in a long time, sort of like grieving, & it's mostly referanced in the old testament.

Like you I lament as well, maybe for different reasons than most, but I would most associate lamenting as like having a pleading contention with God & in deep lament & prayer for the intersession of those I feel are in a place where there is great challenge in their lives, like losing a loved one or having a child who is in a state of heavy drug addiction, of other family member who in a situation of great challenge like a serious illness or been in a tragic accident where there is someone in a coma.

 

That is kind of how I would associate lamenting in todays standards.

 

 

Bolt

The hopeless stupidity of the Israelies.  Every attempt that gets close to peace and they do something patently stupid.

 

Dumb moronic humankind that can't see clobal climate change for the fact of it.  It matters not whether it is natural or not, pretty soon a billion people are going to be up to their noses in water.  Where do they go, how many will die.

 

People starving while we eat snow peas flown in from China.

 

People who just cannot, will not, let the gay/lesbian thing go already.  Nat nat nat Sick, sick and tired

 

People at our church, which we are about to leave, that can't see that the world is changing around them.  That the youth don't want to same old religion, but will stick to their guns until the last one standing turns off the lights and locks the door.

 

Erin, sorry, shouldn't have gotten me started!

 

 

IT 

 

Russ

 

Grieving is very important; it helps us develop and shows our compassion. What we need to be careful of is not to become inundated with our grieving so that it turns into despair.    

I say go for your lamenting with all your gusto, follow what you need to do and to write. Writting is good.

 

I lament for the loss of my ancestral lands, and the many folk legends and seasonal customs and beliefs that my ancestors knew, that now I can only read about and speculate on. I live in Canada, someone else's land, and I cannot afford to go back to Europe, and the laws there are now so strict, it takes a lot of cash to navigate through them. I lament that I cannot walk on the pastures of my forefathers, that I cannot sit under the standing stones and know what they were for, listen to the wind in the Oaks and Copper Beech and Rowan trees, that I cannot build my own house without following the codes and buying all the correct materials. I lament that natural fibres are overrun with polyester and nylon, and doused in chemicals and woven in China. I lament that the crops are all grown with pesticides and fungicides and herbicides and chemical fertilizers, and that because of this the bees are dying and food diversity is threatened. I lament that people have become so greedy that they don't care about the conditions in which their cheep junk was made.

There is a book in the Bible called Lamentations.  Yes, there is a place in our religion to lament.  Russ, I agree with all your lamentations.  ElenoreGold - I too lament many of the things you mentioned, although my ancestors have been in Canada for so many generations that this is my ancestoral home and Scotland, England, Ireland (and a brief time in the American colonies), are just a distant dream.  But I lament the freedom we once had in the land - freedom that I experienced in my lifetime - when much of the land seemed to be common property to hunt, fish, gather a small amount of firewood for your own use, pick fiddleheads and wild berries, and wonder at will.  I lament that freedom that has been lost. 

 

I lament that in this world of plenty there are still people without shelter, food, clean water.  I lament that some people work their whole lives and never are able to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and debt and see a brighter tomorrow.  I lament the hopelessness in many peoples lives.

 

But I also find joy in simple things - and in the fact that whether in joy or in sorrow we are not alone, God is with us.   We are surrounded by God's love.  Thanks be to God.

I lament the fact that we, Homo sapiens sapiens, don't know who or what we ultimately are, and don't even try to find out. Religion, which ought to be leading the way, is not.

 

The musical form of Lamentation is called the Blues. It helps us name our pain, and find our hope. My favourite Blues song title is by BB King. "Nobody loves me but my mother, and I think she's jiving me too."

I grieve that there is so many people who haven't read the words Jesus said. I grieve that there are those who twist those words. I will stop there but I coudl go on for a while. Sometimes the list of laments seems to be SO much longer than the list of praises eh?

Ah, the good old lament; a song of greiving or longing..

Good call, Erin.  A well-aimed lament is a tonic for the sprit, a chance to focus our desires for a better place, outcome, future, ...

Personally I lament our inability to learn from our past errors and our ever-too-quick habit to lean on ideologies instead of striving to learn with an open mind.  I see much growth potential in our future.

peace

Seeler, I lament for those things too. The love I surround myself with is self love, and the love of my family and my love of existence. I lament for people who don't have those.

Alas, so the fruit of love ferments into the bitter-sweet wine of loneliness.

 

Consider yourselves lamented! lol

 

As-salaamu alaikum

-Omni

 

 

 I lament for all the ignorance that accepts materialism in place of spirituality. Things will not bring you happiness but relationships and unity and love will.

www.soundinglight.com

Wow you guys blow me away. I am completely in agreeance with all of you.

boltupright: Thank you for welcoming me. Yes, I got the idea of lament from the book of Lamentations. I wrote something on a blog once and then someone said it was a great example of a lament. I want to give everyone an outlet to do the same.
RussP: "People who just cannot, will not, let the gay/lesbian thing go already." <---- I am with you on that one. I don't agree with it but there is so much important things to think about in this world!
Elanorgold: Wow. I feel that too. I am a quarter Mohawk and I went to visit the reservation my family and ancestors are from. It broke my heart to see how much of their culture was destroyed because other people didn't like the way the Indians lived.
Gone-di: NOW THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!! I loved your poem. I feel it. "Troubled?
             Probably your background
             Something in your life
             Makes you lash out like this
             Don’t you dare leave
             You bring so much"
I really liked this part. I wish I could tell so many people this exact thing!

 

Lately my heart deeply aches for that poor girl who was shot in Iran. I saw the gruesome video. The poor girl looked at the camera and looked back and then bled out from every hole in her body. What if the last thing she saw that camera in her face? Iran is in such a sad state. I have some friends who are from Iran and they're there right now watching all of this happen. It's truely heartbreaking. It just sucks that people have to die.

I also am deeply saddened that people can watch other people die and not blink at all. Specifically I am talking about Saddam Hussein's hanging. I accidentlly found the live video on the internet and my morbid mind watched it. I was so beyond disturbed I couldn't concentrate. Maybe it's just my culture but I can't just stand there, casually talking as someone (no matter how rotten they are) is being hanged...or killed in any way, right in front of me.

My heart aches for those people who have been presented with the choice to move out of their pain and find true freedom in Jesus but choose to remain bitter and mean and miserable.

My BIGGEST lament is the social injustice around the world. Human trafficking. Young children, boys and girls being sold into the sex trade and knowing that my next door neighbour could be involved. THINKING that we would know better because we live in a civilized and 1st world country, only to find that we are just as sinful and barbaric as the rest. This is painful for me. To know that a child's innocence is being shattered and will never be the same again, even as I write. I feel hopeless because I want to do something active to help and I feel stuck.

Passion is growing, taking over every part of me, running my senses into overdrive.
I see their tears and how their spirits have been broken. I have to help them. I have to try.
I hear their cries and I cry with them, I hear their stories; I want to fight for their freedom.
I feel the urge to drop everything and hold them in my arms. Take them home and help heal them.
I feel angry at the evil that overtakes what we think are good people, and steals the little ones’ security.
How could they rob them of everything that was supposed to be safe and with it, steal their purity?
My compassion overwhelms me and gets hold of every area that ever went cold and hard.
What gives me the right to sit here or watch the TV while their souls are being scarred?

God, wake up the earth to SEE what is happening in our backyards and in the streets!
What has happened to our morals, our judgement? Why is even noticing this such a hard feat?
The people we think are great neighbours are the ones that could be causing the pain!
Why is this not coming to the surface, or not being talked about as if it’s just a little stain?
Why is it the “Elephant in the Room” that no one wants to acknowledge but knows it really should be?
And why are we walking with our noses in the air stating, “It’s not my responsibility?”
How can we watch their tears turn into sobs without ever lifting a finger, or crying out for their little hearts?
I hate sitting here as guilty as the next one, knowing I haven’t done much to fill in for my part.

Guys, we can do this! A difference can be made. Change can really happen; we just have to do it!
Let’s talk about it, let’s fight for them, let’s pray, let’s go, let’s do, let’s love, let’s no longer sit.
Where is your heart? Where are your morals? Where is your conscience to do what is is RIGHT?!?!?
Where is your love? Where is your soul, your spirit, your desire to fight?!?!?
Pick up your sword and learn quickly how to swing. Hold your shield properly and learn how to defend.
Stand tight as a unit; Impenetrable; no gaps. Evil will try to break us but if we’re fervent, we’ll never bend.
I don’t care what you personally believe, because we ALL know right from wrong.
For once let us stand firm together; the weak ones being protected by the strong.
 

(In response to the exploitation of little ones)

 

      I am totally & deeply moved by your passion.

 

There is a way to stop the horrors, but it would take nothing short of martyrdom to do it.

It would take finances to bring many people to the places where these horrors are happening, & it would take people to go to the front lines & risk their very lives, & give up there lives in order for these things you mention to be taken seriously, & to gain world wide support.

Also, the world would have to unite & be nothing short of a thorn in the sides of those who hold great authority, & power to make these changes possible.

I comes at a great cost, not only of lives but finances as well.

If the passion of all who know Christ personally, who are not afraid to die, & peacfully go to these places & show the world of Christ's love, To stand amongst the the evil in this world & give up our lives for this cause.

It would change the world indeed.

Instead of strapping explosives to our bodies & giving our lives to kill others, we as followers of Christ should gird our loins with God's love & give our lives to save others.

It would change everyones perspective on these things, we call evil.

The passion that these muslim extremists exibit to kill to make their point, How much more would it move the world if they saw the same passion giving up our lives, in order for those who are victims to live in a world without fear. A world of peace,

 

This is what it would take,,,,,,,,any takers? What do you say?

I don't think there would be too many volunteers, I guess we will have to pray in the meantime.

 

 

 

Bolt

 

Erin/bolt

 

You don't have to take the world on all at once.

 

Volunteer at the Mission, write letters to the government, join the rally, buy the goat.

 

If everyone did one small thing, a million small things do add up.

 

 

IT

 

Russ

If? 

That is just the problem Russ, "everybody" doesn't do even the small things to make a difference.

 

Bolt

bolt

 

You're right, good point!  Not if.

 

I served turkey dinner at the Mission at Easter.

 

We went to ElSalvador as election monitors. 

 

We wrote letters of protest.

 

3 down, 999,997 to go.

 

Who's next????

 

 

IT

 

Russ

I donate to the soup kitchen...

 

1 down, 999,996 left.

 

As-salaamu alaikum

-Omni

OK

 

We're on a roll here.

 

 

IT

 

Rus

 

 

I want nothing more than to BE on the frontlines. I was made for it. I don't like watching things happen at a distance. I like to be the one doing the changing and seeing it with my own eyes.

It's like that song from Mercy Me that goes, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for me to the ends of the earth? Here am I, send me." I get goosebumps when I hear that and think it. That's my life Anthem I think.

 

But while I am here, I do what I can. One Christmas I got a homeless man to come to my house for Christmas dinner and then me and my husband filled a duffle bag FULL of socks, blankets, extra food and even a pair of shoes that just happened to be his size. I also gave him my favorite jacket. An expensive goose down to keep him warm. See? The front lines is where it's at!!

That is a wonderful thing you both did for that man!

 

Don't get me wrong, I do believe change can happen & I believe there will come a time not too far from now where there will be select group of people who will indeed go to the very front lines, & lay their lives on that very front line.

 

It will be seen by the world as a testimony, & many people will see the world for what it truely is.

Many will see the ones who have power on this earth, & see them for who they really are.

Soon after that, a change will come, that the world has never seen before, & never see again.

 

 

Bolt