[Zerbie]

Grrr. I've been typing and typing but because I typed inside the quote brackets the software thinks my message is too short to submit without typing some more. This is the some more.

Originally Posted by u-dog

In my experience never harsh but almost always difficult. The Holy Spirit is primarily about the task of transformation, i.e. change, i.e. growth which always hurts to some degree. I would use words like "implacable" and "insatiable" and "annoyingly persistent"

Okay, I'm getting a picture. Do you think most christians would characterize it similarly to the way you have here, or not?



Absolutely.

I would love to hear about how it moves in phases, if that's okay with you. Or anyone else who has experienced it moving in phases. Anyone?




Is it distinguishable from the life force in animals and plants, or IS it the life force in animals and plants?


orthodox Christian thought has always shied away from Pantheism (the idea that God IS all things) Its another tension. God is with and in all things but is also separate from all things created.

Well, the question isn't really: is the holy spirit an animal or a plant, but is it the life force within them or is it separate from the life force, that life force being some other facet of the emanation of existence/God. I'm interpreting your answer to that question as "both," implying therefore a 'yes' that it IS the life force, and there is not a separate one.

OK then. I'll go there next. Isn't this fun?

Yes!!