The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coolridge

Have you, or someone you’ve known, ever done something, or made a mistake, that affected the way that people looked at them permanently? How did that make you (or them) feel? Were you (or they) ever able to live it down? Did you (or they) learn from their mistake? If so, how do you know? If not, why didn’t they? Should people who make mistakes that hurt other people be easily forgiven? What do you think about the Marinere’s mistake?

This question is difficult. All of our decisions can change the way someone looks at us, but I suppose that you are more specifically looking at a major alteration in perception.

In high school I had a really close friend: Kyleigh. We had started hanging out with each other in middle school and by our senior year, we were inseparable. We didn't like the same music, we didn't like the same T.V. shows and we definitely had differing views on religion. Then, to add to our differences, she liked to smoke, drink and get tattoos. It is strange that we ever even started talking to each other, but I guess rejects in the school social network have to stick together.

There was a third unit to our friendship and her name was Becca. Kyleigh and Becca never really saw eye to eye, but they would hang out around me (I guess I was the tying bond). Becca had some major issues. She was a cutter, she had severe bipolarism, and there was a huge gap between herself and her mother. I've never had issues with any of those things... So, I guess it's weird that I was friends with her as well.

Toward the end of our senior year, Kyleigh and Becca started arguing with each othere. It was a never ending battle and I was the center piece. They would tell me all the things that the other person had done to them. In the end, realizing that I would never get peace without hurting one of them, I took a side. Kyleigh's side, to be specific. I had known Kyleigh for a LONG time. I knew she would never lie to me. I also knew that Becca could often exagerate to get people on her side (mostly because she liked to be in control). We graduated and Becca left, never to talk to me again.

During the summer after we had graduated, I found out ecaxtly how truthful Kyleigh had been to me. It turns out that almost everything she she had ever told me was a lie. In a week, a person that I thought I knew almost better than myself became a person I didn't even recognize. And, to top it all off, she had cost me a dear friend.

Her continual lies have cost her my trust and I never take anything she says to me without a grain of salt.

Has she learned a lesson from this? No. She's too good a lying to others and to herself to ever gain a lesson from that. And me? I've become more anti-social. I don't trust anyone to tell me the truth. At least, not right away. Friendship has to be earned, has to be proven.

Paradise Lost By Milton Prt. 2

Satan accuses God of being a tyrant, which is why he rebelled. How do you define tyranny? What are some biblical examples that Satan uses to prove God’s tyranny? For instance, he quotes instances when God punished disobedience by placing His people (i.e. Israelites) in captivity. Could this be considered tyranny? Why or why not?


A personal definiton, more of an explanation of what I feel tyranny to be, would be a ruler that dominates the people with excessive force and abuses their position by harming the people to better himself. I think that it is important to note that God does not fit either of the above instances. God does not use excessive force, nor does he harm the people for selfish reasons.


When dealing with the idea of domination by excessive force, there are several instances that Satan (and others) might use to show God's "tyranny". One case might be the Plagues that God cast upon Egypt. However, one must remember that God sent a messenger warning the Pharoh. Another might point to the time that God commanded that the Israelites kill all the people from a people that they encountered. In this instance, one might consider the idea of God's omniscience and that He might have been protecting His people from future persecution.


On the second idea, it is wise to remember that God is a God of love. If God is love he cannot be selfish. To love is, in a sense, the exact opposite of selfish. A person gives their time, their presence, thier life to another when they are in love. God does the same. He might scold his peope, but He does it out of love and kindness. Is His God-like "tsk tsk" of disapproval a little rough to our standards? Yes. But He is God and He knows what we can and cannot handle.

Paradise Lost by Milton

How did Satan come into existence based upon your personal beliefs? How are your beliefs either similar or different from Milton's version?


I must place a disclaimer that I am simply stating a belief. The belief, with new light, might change or evolve. I do not claim to have THE answer, nor do I claim to know exactly how to explain myself. I will do the best I can without going on and on and on.


I must start with saying that I disagree with Milton on the creation of the universe. Several times (lines 10, 21 and 22) Milton suggests that the world were created from matter (or Chaos) that was pre-existent. My belief hinges on the fact that the universe and everything in it was created by God. There was nothing, then God spoke. Now, before one goes on, there must be a note that I believe in Free Will. God created beings with a Free Will because it was the greatest (or most perfect) universe he could have created. The inclusion of Free Will in a universe leaves room for those that deny God. The universe had potential to be perfect, and everything in it had the potential to be perfect, but are not due to choice.


When I say that everything was created, I include all heavenly beings (which includes Lucifer though he is no longer "heavenly" in a certain sense).


The theory that I have heard and makes some sense to me, is that angels were created as a type of guide or guardian for humans. I cannot say if this is true or not, I'm not God. However, I hope that he would not leave us to our own devices (mostly because I'm not a Deist). I think that a God that loves us, and He does, would want to protect us in all the ways that He could. I believe that Satan learned Free Will from us (as humans). Satan, then, would have a choice to follow God or denounce Him. Obviously we know that he chose denunciation.  I don't know why he chose that. I feel that if I were staring God in the face I would realize how Almighty He really is and that I wouldn't be able to defy Him, but that is simply my opinion.


But why wouldn't Satan just renounce his evils and follow God once more? Redemption is based off of faith. I think that KNOWING God to be real and BELIEVING God to be real are two completely different arenas. Satan cannot claim ignorance. He committed his sins completely informed, as do most people I suppose, and he has to pay the price.


One other area I disagree with Milton on is Hell. I don't believe that there is a literal Hell with burning sulphur and pits of fire. I believe that Hell is a complete and total separation from God. At one point Milton agrees with me, but his focus on the physical description of Hell contradicts him. Satan is in Hell   because he has completely separated himself from God. He has been cast out of God's saving grace. I think that it would be horrible to know exactly who God is and how he fulfills you, but to be eternally separated from him.