Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 22 Location: New-Brunswick, Canada
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: A complete turn-around.
Greetings, fellow Peakers.
I'll spare you an introduction as to who I am by simply stating that I am a returning small contributor to these forums.
For now, I just need to publish this to some potentially like-minded people.
On February 25th, 2008, my stability and sense of security in life took a severe hit as my plan A collapsed. All through 2007, and part of 2006, I had planned to go into the priesthood, despite my sometimes too liberal (deemed heretical) opinions. In short, I was denied access to the seminary due to my young age (I turned 19 on February 27th) and lack of academic preparedness for theological studies. I can't blame them, their just doing their job...
Thankfully, I have a kind-of had a Plan B, as one should always have one, though sadly I didn't develop it as much as I should have.
This plan is, quite simply, to work towards a more self-sufficient life. By this I mean, life of the farmer. Thankfully, I live in a rural area where there's plenty of land and ressources for me to become fairly sufficient, provided I am educated as to how to work with nature.
Becoming self-sufficient of course, takes time. I probably never will be 100% self-sufficient, but each year, I can take steps towards this ideal of self-sufficiency.
Which, hopefully, will better prepare me for what's coming up in an encroaching post-oil age.
Now, as I'm working towards this, I just feel everyone around me is cynical and looking down on me with an expectation of failure. This is what gets irritating, because I feel even the people closest to me spit on my second plan in life, just as much as they did for my first one to become a priest!
What is it about an honest, self-sufficient husbandman that evokes such disdain? Is it because he stands out from the norm? Is it because people are envious and jealous? Or could it be that those older people who look upon me, having known the hard labour of farm life, want to save their little boy of what they perceive as a mass of suffering when it could otherwise be so much easier?
Or all of the above, perhaps?
Thank you everyone...
P.-S.: I should stress that I am very much aware of the hard work living a self-sufficient life requires. I was raised on a sylvicultural farm and am used to hard, back-breaking, finger-freezing manual labour. I just think work shouldn't be demonized as suffering. It can in fact be quite pleasurable! _________________ Thy Own Self,
Denis Y. Boulet
(Previously known as: Metronome)
Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 1542 Location: Nez Perce Nation
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
DYBoulet,
Might you consider becoming a brother in one of the many fine monasteries in North America? There you would have community and religious affiliation plus you would be living a self sustaining life and sharing the workload.
Just a thought to what might be a good blending of both your goals. _________________ "Modern Agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food."
-- Albert Bartlett
"It will be a dark time. But for those who survive, I suspect it will be rather exciting."
-- James Lovelock
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6160 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
Try putting less weight on what other people think about your plans and preferences.
You're 19. Time to liberate yourself from the chains and shackles of your formative years spent in the shadow of powerful adults.
If you want to be a farmer you will need to buy a farm. To buy a farm you'll need money. To get money you'll need a job.
Or . . . yes, you could become a monk doing agricultural work at some remote monastery. That definitely sounds like a plan to me.
I love manual labor out on the land. It's how I spend my days, by choice, even though I'm financially independent. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:07 am Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
camefromthecorn wrote:
Ask your priest, what would he do in a post-oil-age?
I would say that with the coming die-off and hardship people will flock to religion and the services of priests.
Last I checked priests charge money, I'd go priest over farmer handyman and the church has lots of capital and plenty of tears and words for the poor _________________ "Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box."
-Italian Proverb
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:32 am Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
At 19 you are too young to choose the priesthood, and from your lack of generosity in your writings it is fairly clear you are not ready.
I don' t hear the calling of God in your words, just the typical self-focus of a young man.
You are also too young to own a farm, even though property in NB is relatively cheap. I've lived there for many years and worked the land, it is good soil but much of it is neglected.
You say you grew up on a farm, does this mean your family still owns it?
If so you should work there and learn from your family. Perhaps with demonstrated diligences you will convince them to expand the farm to include the notion of self-sufficiency.
You are correct in one thing, no one is self-sufficient.
Practice and demonstrate humility and people will start to listen _________________ Gravity is not a force, it is a boundary layer.
Everything is coincident.
Love: the state of suspended anticipation.
To get any appreciable distance from the Earth in
a sensible amount of time, you must lie.
Joined: Mar 05, 2006 Posts: 420 Location: East edge of the Milky Way
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:55 am Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
DY, I like Domus' and Heinekens idea to work in a Monastery...well said.
Do not worry about what other people may say or think about your life choices. Remember, in life there are things we can control, and things we cannot. Those things that are external to ourselves like peoples opinions and actions are beyond our control, and not your concern. Worrying about them or trying to change them will only lead to unhappiness.
The things that ARE in our control, and hence our concern, are those things internal. Our feelings,thoughts and resultantly our actions. These are things worthy of your own personal effort. These will, with time bring peace and happiness.
Sorry to go philisophical on you. Do what your heart tells you is right, and don't worry about the rest.
Cheers, and good luck.
Alex(happily stoic, and working on being at peace with the world)
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:04 am Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
Just to second (third?) the suggestions about monasteries. I went to a school attached to a Benedictine monastery in the south of England. The monastery had - as far as I can remember - huge amounts of land which they managed and a fairly vibrant lay community which, I'm sure, would welcome someone like you. Obviously this is on the wrong continent but I find it hard to believe that something similar isn't going to be available closer to your neck of the woods.
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 22 Location: New-Brunswick, Canada
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
RdSnt wrote:
At 19 you are too young to choose the priesthood, and from your lack of generosity in your writings it is fairly clear you are not ready.
I don' t hear the calling of God in your words, just the typical self-focus of a young man.
You are also too young to own a farm, even though property in NB is relatively cheap. I've lived there for many years and worked the land, it is good soil but much of it is neglected.
...
Practice and demonstrate humility and people will start to listen
Now I remember why I left these forums long ago...
How can you judge me so harshly? _________________ Thy Own Self,
Denis Y. Boulet
(Previously known as: Metronome)
Last edited by DYBoulet on Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
It comes quite naturally to a man who has loved and raised children.
You think I'm harsh? Just wait till God gets a hold of you.
DYBoulet wrote:
RdSnt wrote:
At 19 you are too young to choose the priesthood, and from your lack of generosity in your writings it is fairly clear you are not ready.
I don' t hear the calling of God in your words, just the typical self-focus of a young man.
You are also too young to own a farm, even though property in NB is relatively cheap. I've lived there for many years and worked the land, it is good soil but much of it is neglected.
...
Practice and demonstrate humility and people will start to listen
Now I remember why I left these forums long ago...
How can you judge me so harshly?
_________________ Gravity is not a force, it is a boundary layer.
Everything is coincident.
Love: the state of suspended anticipation.
To get any appreciable distance from the Earth in
a sensible amount of time, you must lie.
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
RdSnt wrote:
You think I'm harsh? Just wait till God gets a hold of you.
Just thought I'd add something here.
In light of our sin, yes, God should be feared. Its also important to remember He's provided a Saviour for us. Salvation cannot be earned through becoming a monk or a priest.
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
(Titus 3:5)
Salvation comes by repentance and simple faith in Christ alone.
That's why its called the Gospel, which means Good News.
Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 3354 Location: Minniesotuh
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
DYBoulet wrote:
Now I remember why I left these forums long ago...
How can you judge me so harshly?
RdSnt is right, as is the priesthood who said you are not ready.
WWWWaaaayyyyy toooooo sensitive, not to mention you cannot take being denied...
"Harshly??" Sheesh.... _________________ "RRrrruuuunnnn!!!" ~Apocalypto
Joined: Mar 09, 2007 Posts: 219 Location: No. Calif.
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
DYBoulet wrote:
Now I remember why I left these forums long ago...
How can you judge me so harshly?
We are just giving you a lesson in not listening to others -- unless you really think they have sound advice.
Being self-sufficient and able to work the land seem admirable goals. I would add being educated to that list as well. Maybe, attend school parttime somehow. ''
Joined: Oct 17, 2007 Posts: 114 Location: New of Zealand
Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:05 am Post subject: Re: A complete turn-around.
As we live in a world of free speech I should be allowed to voice my opinion.
What is this God cr*p?
You should be glad you didn't get to priesthood. It would have only of held you back. To be free of religion is to be truely free. To know you are not being critized for every action you take is truely free. To know you make your own destiny is truely to be free.
And don't give me the "you should respect my...." line. I can do as i please. Just as I choose not to respect drug addicts.
Let go of your chains. Get onto your Plan B and go for it. Do not wait around wandering what God thinks, or what other people think. To be self-sustainable will be a huge satisfaction and freedom in itself.
Quote:
Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one-half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.
-- Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781-82
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