I got to thinking (dangerous, I know) but some artists seem to find God, the Universe, Jesus, Mohammad, Krishna, and all the other wonderful spiritual beings that people love and this is wonderful and great and adds meaning to people's lives.

But ever I wonder if people get affected in a way that isn't always good. I think spirituality is necessary for people's growth as a human being. And I guess people like Vanity, Tom Cruise, Prince, John Travolta and a host of others can sometimes find themselves at odds with their music or acting or whatever.

I'm not here to debate 'religion'. So don't come for me about that people. OK! I'm not here to judge religion. NEVER! I'm talking about spiritual beliefs, whatever they may be. Beliefs! Vanity decided to become 'born again' and renounce absolutely EVERYTHING (altho she does use some of her old pictures in her book) about her past.

Don't shut the forum down with the rush to respond Oops, this 'aint Twitter.

I think some people have problems already and they think religion will solve it and in some cases it does. But some people hide behind it and disconnect from the world like Vanity.

Again, don't go in on me about religiton cuz I'm only wondering what you think about how people's choices affect their lives.

Peace.

[Edited 2/4/13 17:32pm]

I made a mistake and put the red face in the title, didn't mean to.

In what way has Vanity disconnected from the world?

Was she connected when she was coked up on drugs?

[Edited 2/5/13 6:40am]

^Exactly. Vanity had to live through her own experience and come out the other side. She was either going to be the worse for it or the better. She feels she better off considering the alternative. Fans can only lament about the loss of/transformation of the music/art from an artist who changes their belief system. We don't know what is actually going through the artists mind when they had their epiphanies. We just know that Vanity is now Denise and not nasty but nice and that Prince doesn't curse anymore. Anything more is bordering upon speculation. In the end we as fans can accept their choices and support them or write them off as no longer appealing to our individual tastes. I still follow Prince as much as I did before him becoming a Jehovah's Witness but I'm not rushing to hear Vanity sing about the Lord.

HonestMan13 said:

^Exactly. Vanity had to live through her own experience and come out the other side. She was either going to be the worse for it or the better. She feels she better off considering the alternative. Fans can only lament about the loss of/transformation of the music/art from an artist who changes their belief system. We don't know what is actually going through the artists mind when they had their epiphanies. We just know that Vanity is now Denise and not nasty but nice and that Prince doesn't curse anymore. Anything more is bordering upon speculation. In the end we as fans can accept their choices and support them or write them off as no longer appealing to our individual tastes. I still follow Prince as much as I did before him becoming a Jehovah's Witness but I'm not rushing to hear Vanity sing about the Lord.

I totally agree.

I don't think Vanity had disconnected from life at all, but she has taken a different career path, which alot of people do. Some child actors go into business instead.

I like to hear people's view points.

OldFriends4Sale said:

In what way has Vanity disconnected from the world?

Was she connected when she was coked up on drugs?

[Edited 2/5/13 6:40am]

I think when she was on drugs she was experiencing the world in a different way, like all those who use substances. They are still a part of the world, but their experience is different because of the drugs. So I don't think she was totally disconnected. In her life now she has changed paths and we can all do that really. So yes, I believe she was connected even on drugs, just in a different way. She was connected enough to make the choice. People choose drugs and alcohol to have a different experience of the world from the one they are having.

blue22 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

In what way has Vanity disconnected from the world?

Was she connected when she was coked up on drugs?

[Edited 2/5/13 6:40am]

I think when she was on drugs she was experiencing the world in a different way, like all those who use substances. They are still a part of the world, but their experience is different because of the drugs. So I don't think she was totally disconnected. In her life now she has changed paths and we can all do that really. So yes, I believe she was connected even on drugs, just in a different way. She was connected enough to make the choice. People choose drugs and alcohol to have a different experience of the world from the one they are having.

But many will say being an addict is a disconnect from real life, real living, because for 1 it's the addiction that is guiding your life or controlling it. 'It's not natural' so to speak, any kind of addiction actually

But you said:But some people hide behind it and disconnect from the world like Vanity.

How is she hiding and being disconnected from the world?

OldFriends4Sale said:

blue22 said:

I think when she was on drugs she was experiencing the world in a different way, like all those who use substances. They are still a part of the world, but their experience is different because of the drugs. So I don't think she was totally disconnected. In her life now she has changed paths and we can all do that really. So yes, I believe she was connected even on drugs, just in a different way. She was connected enough to make the choice. People choose drugs and alcohol to have a different experience of the world from the one they are having.

But many will say being an addict is a disconnect from real life, real living, because for 1 it's the addiction that is guiding your life or controlling it. 'It's not natural' so to speak, any kind of addiction actually

But you said:But some people hide behind it and disconnect from the world like Vanity.

How is she hiding and being disconnected from the world?

I have to disagree with you on the addiction issue. I'll take a professionals advice, who I spoke with and which sparked why I even set up the thread, over any one else's and that is what my statements are based on. This man works with these issues on a daily basis in a hospital and he's a pastor. I just happen to agree with him on the issue. Peiole use drugs to escape whatever they are experiencing in the world right now. They have a different experience, but they are still in this world, dazed and maybe confused, but still here, until they're not, i.e. Whitney, Rick & countless others. Other people say they want to have a more real experience and stop using, i.e. Natalie, Nikki, Keith, Charlie Sheen(oops, maybe not just yet)

My personal opinion is that Vanity disconnected from the world in a way that disowned her previous life, whereas some people actually embrace their former selves but are proud of it too. She was successful in her career, regardless of her personal choice to use drugs. When you disconnect, disown, disavow, (I'm not saying she did ALL of those) any part of you, which includes your choices in life, whatever they are, then you disconnect from that part of you in the world. I read some of the passages of her book and she talks about her past. It was only when I read that she said she threw away everything she had, costumes, music, pictures, OK it's a personal choice. I stand behind my statement. The beauty of this world is that you can disagree. And you have.

blue22 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

But many will say being an addict is a disconnect from real life, real living, because for 1 it's the addiction that is guiding your life or controlling it. 'It's not natural' so to speak, any kind of addiction actually

But you said:But some people hide behind it and disconnect from the world like Vanity.

How is she hiding and being disconnected from the world?

I have to disagree with you on the addiction issue. I'll take a professionals advice, who I spoke with and which sparked why I even set up the thread, over any one else's and that is what my statements are based on. This man works with these issues on a daily basis in a hospital and he's a pastor. I just happen to agree with him on the issue. Peiole use drugs to escape whatever they are experiencing in the world right now. They have a different experience, but they are still in this world, dazed and maybe confused, but still here, until they're not, i.e. Whitney, Rick & countless others. Other people say they want to have a more real experience and stop using, i.e. Natalie, Nikki, Keith, Charlie Sheen(oops, maybe not just yet)

My personal opinion is that Vanity disconnected from the world in a way that disowned her previous life, whereas some people actually embrace their former selves but are proud of it too. She was successful in her career, regardless of her personal choice to use drugs. When you disconnect, disown, disavow, (I'm not saying she did ALL of those) any part of you, which includes your choices in life, whatever they are, then you disconnect from that part of you in the world. I read some of the passages of her book and she talks about her past. It was only when I read that she said she threw away everything she had, costumes, music, pictures, OK it's a personal choice. I stand behind my statement. The beauty of this world is that you can disagree. And you have.

I never said 'they aren't in the world' and of course they are 'connected' to the world or else they wouldn't be alive. But I don't believe that they are experiencing real living, because it's blurred by addiction. A mother on crack is not experiencing real life as a mother, because her addiction comes before the baby, which in nature the baby/child of a mother comes first. And mother addicted to something will put her child at risk of danger for a hi. That's not 'real' living

I had a very close friend back in the early 90's who got addicted to coccaine. I saw his life close up, was affected by his life, when your military and chef career goes to waste because of the white stuff, when you start selling off anything in your home for it and after you've come down from a 4 day binge you don't even have food in the fridge or things in your home (that is not real living) It's definately an addicts experience, but he's not experiencing real life. When your family has to guard themselves with you, you're mother at certain times won't let you in 20 30min after talking to you thru the door to see if you hi or not, that isn't real living

I don't think Vanity disconnected from the world when she put Vanity on the shelf.

If that was the case she wouldn't have been able to get date and get married. If a lot of her time as Vanity was a blurr and that personna almost killed her, why would you want to stay connected to it, and she's always talked about it, so I don't think she's pretending it didn't happen.

There is an image from the book where she is holding the diamond cane she had in her solo career, the fact that she has it, and can play with it in a photoshoot, tells me she has disconnected from all of her life experience.

[Edited 2/7/13 5:53am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

blue22 said:

I have to disagree with you on the addiction issue. I'll take a professionals advice, who I spoke with and which sparked why I even set up the thread, over any one else's and that is what my statements are based on. This man works with these issues on a daily basis in a hospital and he's a pastor. I just happen to agree with him on the issue. Peiole use drugs to escape whatever they are experiencing in the world right now. They have a different experience, but they are still in this world, dazed and maybe confused, but still here, until they're not, i.e. Whitney, Rick & countless others. Other people say they want to have a more real experience and stop using, i.e. Natalie, Nikki, Keith, Charlie Sheen(oops, maybe not just yet)

My personal opinion is that Vanity disconnected from the world in a way that disowned her previous life, whereas some people actually embrace their former selves but are proud of it too. She was successful in her career, regardless of her personal choice to use drugs. When you disconnect, disown, disavow, (I'm not saying she did ALL of those) any part of you, which includes your choices in life, whatever they are, then you disconnect from that part of you in the world. I read some of the passages of her book and she talks about her past. It was only when I read that she said she threw away everything she had, costumes, music, pictures, OK it's a personal choice. I stand behind my statement. The beauty of this world is that you can disagree. And you have.

I never said 'they aren't in the world' and of course they are 'connected' to the world or else they wouldn't be alive. But I don't believe that they are experiencing real living, because it's blurred by addiction. A mother on crack is not experiencing real life as a mother, because her addiction comes before the baby, which in nature the baby/child of a mother comes first. And mother addicted to something will put her child at risk of danger for a hi. That's not 'real' living

I had a very close friend back in the early 90's who got addicted to coccaine. I saw his life close up, was affected by his life, when your military and chef career goes to waste because of the white stuff, when you start selling off anything in your home for it and after you've come down from a 4 day binge you don't even have food in the fridge or things in your home (that is not real living) It's definately an addicts experience, but he's not experiencing real life. When your family has to guard themselves with you, you're mother at certain times won't let you in 20 30min after talking to you thru the door to see if you hi or not, that isn't real living

I don't think Vanity disconnected from the world when she put Vanity on the shelf.

If that was the case she wouldn't have been able to get date and get married. If a lot of her time as Vanity was a blurr and that personna almost killed her, why would you want to stay connected to it, and she's always talked about it, so I don't think she's pretending it didn't happen.

There is an image from the book where she is holding the diamond cane she had in her solo career, the fact that she has it, and can play with it in a photoshoot, tells me she has disconnected from all of her life experience.

[Edited 2/7/13 5:53am]

As I said, you have your opinion, and I certainly have mine. End of.

blue22 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I never said 'they aren't in the world' and of course they are 'connected' to the world or else they wouldn't be alive. But I don't believe that they are experiencing real living, because it's blurred by addiction. A mother on crack is not experiencing real life as a mother, because her addiction comes before the baby, which in nature the baby/child of a mother comes first. And mother addicted to something will put her child at risk of danger for a hi. That's not 'real' living

I had a very close friend back in the early 90's who got addicted to coccaine. I saw his life close up, was affected by his life, when your military and chef career goes to waste because of the white stuff, when you start selling off anything in your home for it and after you've come down from a 4 day binge you don't even have food in the fridge or things in your home (that is not real living) It's definately an addicts experience, but he's not experiencing real life. When your family has to guard themselves with you, you're mother at certain times won't let you in 20 30min after talking to you thru the door to see if you hi or not, that isn't real living

I don't think Vanity disconnected from the world when she put Vanity on the shelf.

If that was the case she wouldn't have been able to get date and get married. If a lot of her time as Vanity was a blurr and that personna almost killed her, why would you want to stay connected to it, and she's always talked about it, so I don't think she's pretending it didn't happen.

There is an image from the book where she is holding the diamond cane she had in her solo career, the fact that she has it, and can play with it in a photoshoot, tells me she has disconnected from all of her life experience.

As I said, you have your opinion, and I certainly have mine. End of.

Can you give examples of Tom Cruise or John Travolta ... find themselves at odds with their ...acting or whatever.

?

I guess an example of MJ and his JW affiliations having to put a spoiler at the beginning of his Thriller video,..

[Edited 2/8/13 7:04am]