John you certainly write fast! Have you got divine help or something?
You must be getting your booster shots too, because you seem reasonable.
I try! But use valium, alcohol and dope with heroin injections with not much sleep. By then I'm feeling distinctly unrabid. I guess rabies shots are needed for the religious.
\\little town in Switzerland. Wonder what the guy they
named it after was famous for?)
Don't know, we just happened across it and I thought that was a nice name.
\\You said you "don't choose to believe in no God." In other words, you do choose to believe in God. Fine, we both agree on that. Unless it was a typographical error or a Freudian slip?
Not so fast big boy. I can't remember what I wrote - there seem too many double negatives there. Just my incompetent English.
\\Yes, owning shares in stock involves a measure of faith. Actually, faith seems to precede and accompany every action we take, doesn't it?
Absolutely, together with some hope, wishful thinking and fingers crossed.
\\I assume you have not read the entire Bible or even the New Testament yet, because in the New Testament is the inspired definition of religion which puts most
of us to shame. Religion, as defined in the Bible, is definitely not the "opiate of the
masses" - rather, it is avoided by the masses. Here is the definition: "If any man
among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own
heart, this man's religion is in vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the
Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world." James 1:26-27
Haven't read more than a dabbling. Not enough pictures. Your comments sound fair enough. Maybe the good ones could get a star tattooed on their forehear or something.
\\I don't believe the people who did the burning were Christians.
I believe they claimed to be. I can only go by what they say. The membership role for Christians needs some approved Christian certificate.
\\ don't know what religion it was that was behind the witch burnings, do you?
No, but must have been Roman Catholic - they were running the show then.
\\I heard of a Christian who was sitting on a park bench across from the downtown library, praying quietly in tongues while sitting there. A very drunken Indian walked by, stopped, and became sober. He asked the Christian, "Do you know what you are saying?" The man who'd been praying quietly in tongues said no, he didn't. The Indian told him that he was speaking in an Indian dialect that few
Indians were fluent in and that he was praising God.
So Indians have a sense of humour even when fairly drunk. That's good.
\\ My present wife has the gift of speaking in tongues, though she never uses it in public or in my hearing. I only know, because I asked her. I received the gift of
speaking in tongues within the first year after I became a Christian. I use in in private
prayer. Twice I have used in in public, speaking to others whose native language
was other than English. Each time, they indicated they understood what I was
saying, though I didn't. The first time I used it, a very agitated man, who was among
those I had visited in a jail, tried to speak to me in Spanish, though I don't speak the
language. He seemed to think that if he tried hard enough, I'd understand what he
was saying. I finally felt the thing to do would be to speak to him in tongues. So I
did. He said, "Si... Si.." and nodded his head each time. He seemed comforted and
at peace.
I'd act nonchalant if I was a prisoner and some joker came in babbling weird stuff at me. I'd agree with everything he said. And act very peaceful. I'd probably ask to buy a bible too and for a good word in the parole officer's ear. Not to mention a loan.
\\To this day, I don't know what I said, but the Holy Spirit knew what he needed to hear.
Yes, "you'll be out of here in no time sport"
\\ I heard a late night talk show once that had the subject of speaking in tongues. The
host was just curious how many people had the experience, though he didn't and
wasn't sure he believed in it himself. Caller after caller said he or she had the gift of
speaking in tongues, but used it in private prayer for the most part.
People will say anything to be live in the media.
\\ Returning to the 2nd paragraph of your message: You said, you just believe in what
you think is? Remember Descartes, who said "I think, therefore I exist" Well, do
you know how he ended? It seems he had a lot of faith in that famous statement.
Late one evening he was in a bar, and the bartender, reminding him it was almost
closing time, asked Descartes if he would like "one for the road." Descartes said, "I
think not," and, poof! he disappeared. :)
I do like your sense of humour John, but I've thought about the whole issue now and I agree completely with Descartes idea. Including his maths. For some time I was puzzled about free will, but I have that sorted out now too. I'm just trying to sort out how come he isn't religious. He maintains he isn't but I don't think.............Oooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaurice |
