winsomebulldog

I started using my iPad as my primary Bible not long after my husband got it for me. It just offers me so much more flexibility than my physical Bible, not to mention it weighs less. I use Olive Tree primarily, but have other apps as well. I love that I can keep notes directly on particular verses, call up parallel versions or commentaries on verses. or even just make a note to look deeper into something later so that I don't get sidetracked during the sermon. I also don't have the option of connecting to the web with my 1st gen wireless only iPad as our church is very small and we don't even have a full-time phone line, much less wireless web access. LOL Just as an aside, even if I was tempeted to "play" instead of focusing on the service, my husband would never let me get away with it. I'm not trying to say he's some kind of domineering misogynist, but he loves me enough to not let me get away with that kind of nonsense. Just like I wouldn't let him get away with it if he tried to pull out his phone and play with it. Makes me wonder where the sense of accountability is with others who do play while in church. Don't they have parents or spouses or even friends who love them enough to call them out when they do something like text, check Facebook, or play games while in church?

This is the problem with social media; it's far too easy to "run off at the mouth" without taking the time to consider one's words. I have been guilty of this myself on a few occasions. I know she's a comedian and constantly seeking to be snarky and/or her version of funny, but the fact remains that trying to turn a natural disaster into a joke. Even if no one had died, it would not have been a funny joke. Lives are invariably changed and impacted during any tornado. Perhaps she did not know the extent of the devastation at the time of her initial tweet, but the fact remains that 2 lives were lost and untold numbers of others impacted by other tornadoes just one day earlier in the same area of the state. The point being, she exercised truly poor judgment in thinking that the subject was one to be made light of. I'd say she's never been near to one of these things if she can be so flippant about them. I've come too close for comfort to more than one of these things in my life and seen the terrible destruction left behind. Even when everyone survives, their lives are forever changed.

I don't completely disagree with you, but I also think that there's a serious issue in this country with a lack of common decency and respect for others. Were I a business owner who found out one of my employees had treated a customer this poorly, that employee would find themselves out of a job immediately. Speaking as someone who's held more than one job where I dealt heavily with the public on a daily basis, I know that the days of companies putting customers first are rapidly vanishing. Companies make no effort to train their employees, and apparently, parents aren't teaching their children common courtesy either. It all adds up to workers who treat customers with contempt and disrespect.

England and Germany for me. France and Germany with a touch of Native American tossed in for my hubby.

LOL

Awesome!

I always respected Perot. It's been long enough ago that I don't really remember everything he had to say, but the impression I always got was that he made a lot of sense. Still does, it seems. Most of all, I respected that unlike so many other politicians, he was straight up willing to put his money where his mouth was instead of going into a campaign as if it were simply a new opportunity to make himself even richer. The "politics as business" state of our government, right down to the local level in many places, makes me sick to my stomach.

The amount of money both sides and their cronies are spending on ads is the epitome of vulgar. As my husband said the other day, "Imagine how many people could be helped with those millions." Makes him sound a bit like a liberal, but he isn't. We both just find the irony a bit hard to swallow since both sides love to discuss how much they care about the poor and needy while spending obscene amounts of money to throw mud at each other.

Yeah, change.org leans way left, which is why it pays to make sure you set your notification options to let them know that you don't want to get pounded by endless invitations to "sign" countless other petitions, most of which are going to be blatantly liberal. There are some less liberal petitions on there, but you have to be very careful. I've signed a few petitions on there, but I make sure to read all the fine print, since the site always tries to automatically sign you up to get emails about more petitions.

Amazing! I'll never forget the first time I saw the moon through a backyard telescope. My parents bought me an inexpensive one when I was a kid and it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. Seeing images on television or in books or magazines (didn't have the web back then, LOL) is just not the same as seeing it live like that. I remember it gave me chills. Made me even more of a stargazer than I already was.

Snarky Netanyahu made me laugh. But I'm also more than a little annoyed that Liberals have managed to take a global threat and Israel's possible response to it, and turn it all into just one more conspiracy against Obama. W O W.

I don't understand how freedom of religion is supposed to equal respect for the practicing of counterfeit religions that are built upon outright lies and idolatry. Having the right to do something does not make it a respectful act. In modern politically correct terms the simple practicing of any religion except Christianity (of course) seems to make you brave and socially redeemed. Agreed. It seems we're now living in a country where our government and the majority of citizens, rejects and condemns any insult aimed at any religion OTHER THAN Christianity. The global Muslim community can resort to violence and get sympathy because their feelings were hurt, but we Christians are just supposed to have thicker skin and stop trying to "force" our beliefs on the rest of the world. I'm never going to get over the incongruity of that mentality.

I get the definite sense that the guy is anything but trustworthy. I haven't seen the film and don't intend to. It may very well be blatantly offensive, even to someone who sees Islam as a real threat to the entire world. But none of that makes blaming him for what's happening valid. He's a big-mouth bigot like countless others, and he's entitled to his opinion and has the right to voice it, even if it's offensive. The violence is not his fault, he's just the convenient scapegoat.

Regardless of whether you think it's absurd how people are acting, the reality is Romney just handed the election to Obama by politicizing a tragedy on such short notice by engaging in the reaction game, instead of acting with seriousness and sobriety. Yeah, I don't think so. It was a gaff on Romney's part, I agree. He'd have been wiser to get all the facts completely straight before speaking, but it's hardly anything I'd consider a death blow. But even now, after most of the facts have come out, I am far less offended by Romney's outrage than I am by the way the situation has been handled by Washington. We rushed Marines to the Middle East to protect our people and embassies. My question is, why did we have to rush anyone there? Why are we relying on nations that we all know hate us, to provide security for our embassies? Why were our Marines issues non-lethal bullets to deal with what amounts to the invasion of soverign American soil? And why is it that amid all this violence, Obama still hasn't come out with much more than, "I condemn in the strongest terms possible the attacks on American embassies?" How about, "Fair warning. You've got XX (two, ten, whatever) hours to get your people under control. After that, anyone coming over the wall at any American embassy will be shot." Not to mention the fact that the administration is so busy condemning this film and swearing its disgust of all belittling or insulting of anyone's faith, yet doesn't seem to apply that to Christians or Jews. Where's the outrage over the offensive things Muslims say about Jews and Christians? Where's the outrage and condemnation of the countless instances of offensive words directed at Jesus? Sorry, but Romney's gaff doesn't even come close to bothering me as much as the rest of it. And that's not even considering that most of the nation is more concerned about unemployment and the economy, anyway.

I've got to say that I think calls to somehow punish or blame this man for the violence are absurd. It brings this to mind: President Obama, Stop Blaming the Victim for Mideast Violence My question then becomes, if Christians suddenly rose up and began attacking everyone who ever said anything bad or offensive about Jesus, would everyone still be calling for those who offended us to be punished? I think not. I understand that there are laws about inducing panic and the consequences from that. But I don't see how this could be applied in this case. The man didn't openly call for violence. He did not make this movie, then devote his time and energy to getting it shown in Muslim nations with the express intent of hoping it would cause violent mobs to attack American, and other, embassies. In fact, the so-called movie was actually released, if you can call it that, back during July. Knowing that, does anyone truly believe that the movie being brought to the attention of the Muslim world within days of the 9/11 anniversary is nothing more than coincidence? It was actually a hardline Egyptian who played clips of it on Egyptian television and called for the film's makers to be executed. Oh, but he says the violence isn't his fault, because he didn't make the film, he just brought it to the attention of the radical Islamists that follow his show. How was he supposed to know they'd go and attack embassies across the Middle East? reference The point is, the ultimate responsibility for the violence rests solely on the shoulders of those who chose to be violent. The "gun in a theater" analogy is flawed because it isn't the fault of the gun carrier that someone panicked and caused a stampeed. Not unless he was in some way behaving in an unlawful or reckless manner that would have caused a reasonable person to be frightened. Just wearing a gun in a situation where he was doing so in accordance with the law would not be a crime. In this scenario, I'd say that no one was likely to be charged with any crime, unless the person who initially screamed "gun!" and started the whole chain reaction did so knowing that there was no real threat. Then that person becomes responsible. I get the point behind the analogy. In America, the first amendment does not cover any and all situations. Yelling "fire!" in a crowded building or room comes to mind. But that isn't what happened here.

No. Did anyone here even know about it? Oh...and the film maker? His initial identity is a false one. He isn't Israeli. He isn't Christian. He might actually be Egyptian. And he's been convicted of financial crimes previously. I'm so SHOCKED! Not. It's like the garbage produced by Al Qaeida, Neo-Nazi's, or even less offensive junk that permeates the majority of YouTube and the web as a whole. It was created to elicit a reaction. Isn't it interesting how only the Muslims react to this sort of deliberate provocation with region-wide violence? Meanwhile, the rest of the sane world just sees it for the disgusting drivel it is. Imagine the global bloodshed if all the rest of us rioted and killed every single time someone anywhere in the world wrote, drew, or videoed something that "hurt our feelings." I am simply beyond sick of all the people out there trying to sympathize with the "protesters." (read, violent terrorists)

Clears throat: not speaking for Gary here, but....I know Christians who persecute Christians...and hate Jews...boggles the mind, no? Well, he can always correct me, but I really do not read where he is stating that Muslims are now God's envoy....I really don't think he means it that way... over to you.........Gary? (humor everyone, keep thinking I am a bit tongue in cheek although serious, and don't whack me) Sharia law and other strict Muslim teachings are designed by Satan with one goal in mind. Rom 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? Judgment. It isn't about God having a people. It is about bringing judgment upon the ungodly. Gary It's no longer possible to scripturally discern who is getting judgments and based on what, Gary. I have to agree, Steve. One of my pet peeves among my fellow Christians is their willingness to point at every bad thing that happens and declare that it must be God's judgement for some sin. I've seen it more times than I can count. You'd think the entire book of Job had somehow been omitted from their Bibles.

Exactly, he's the one who ordered a bombing campaign to support this regime's rise to power (oh wait, maybe it wasn't him, who knows, it's hard to remember things such as this through all the hope and change our current administration has brought us) and supported the entire "arab spring" debacle, which has been, from day one, an attempt to seize power by the very most radical factions of a very radical religion. Cut it out, you two! I can't decide whether to laugh at the rampant sarcasm or cry at the tragic reality.

Well, the curious, nerdy part of me loves the idea of seeing a live wooly mammoth. The sensible, somewhat paranoid part of me says, genetic manipulation like this is a VERY bad idea. Jurassic Park was a great movie, but the point it made is completely valid. Bringing back extinct mega species like mammoths or dinosaurs could so easily come back to bite us. Finally, from a Christian point of view, I agree completely with Morning Glory's words, "if God is willing to allow the return of one of His extinct creatures, they will find viable DNA. If He is not, they will not find anything usable."

Agree wholeheartedly, Steve.

Absolutely correct. Have you read the Qu'ran, Winsome? No. I've done some study on what it says. Enough to know that the notion of "peaceful" Islam is utter fiction. I see "moderate" Muslims as being the same as so-called Christians who espouse the "many paths to God" tripe. There are undoubtedly people out there, even in Muslim nations, who are merely going through the motions because Islam is all they've ever known. I'm even sure there are quite a few people in the world who might identify themselves as Muslim that are as horrified as you or I are about terrorist actions. But I must assume these people are not practicing true Islam. Because every single thing I've ever read about it says that Islam as practiced by Mohammad leaves absolutely no provision for co-existance with Israel, or indeed any people or nation that is not a part of the Muslim faith. If they had their way, they would begin by wiping openly non-Muslim nations off the map. Then they would turn to their own people, exterminating anyone that they didn't believe was being or hadn't been true to their "faith." There are a lot of politicians and leaders in some of our supposed allies among the Muslim nations that would find themselves facing angry mobs because those mobs believe they sold out Islam by daring to even pretend to be our ally.There is much talk about "true Islam" being a religion of peace when, in fact, the opposite is true. Real, true Islam is a religion of hatred and violence.

Gee, neb, you can't expect him to call them to the carpet like that! He got the Nobel for making peace. Holding any Muslim nation accountable for the things they allow, and indeed advocate, (like Al Jazeera) wouldn't foster a spirit of peace! [sarc] just in case it didn't come across.

The Muslim nations don't care what we believe or what we practice. They deliberately and continually teach their children that Jews sacrifice and even eat their own infants. They aren't interested in peace with us or with Israel on any terms. They want us to convert or die. They want the entire world to convert or die. It is a basic tenet of their faith. Peace is a noble goal, and one that sounds oh, so appealing. But it's a lie and it cannot and will not be achieved until Christ returns and wipes the slate clean. It is that simple. And ancient Israel didn't conquer the people and lands they encountered because of their personal beliefs about the spiritual state of those peoples. They conqured them because God Himself told them to. They wiped out every man, woman, and child they came up against because that was the divine directive they were given. The times they failed to obey that directive, they were either punished outright or suffered for it in some other way. It's no good trying to pretend that Islam will ever be happy co-existing with any other religion. They won't. As you said, they obey the tenets of their faith strictly, and those tenets call anyone who is not Islamic an infidel and demand that they be killed.

I saw this and am appalled. It's as if they're saying the "protesters" have every right to invade our embassies and kill our people because their feelings were hurt. What about our feelings? Seeing my flag ripped to shreds hurts my feelings. Hearing the lies the Muslim world continues to perpetrate against the Jewish people hurts my feelings. Seeing almost 3000 lives taken in an act of indescribible terror hurts my feelings. Yet, we (Americans) are still considered to be the ones at fault, deserving of all that we get, AND expected to apologize for being the victims.

GarryRicketson, I understand some of what you're trying to say. The enemy, the greatest enemy, is satan. At least, he is the one set in direct opposition to God and God's people. I also agree that everyone who calls themselves a Christian is not necessarily saved, nor will they ever be. HOWEVER - the notion that every person who fights in a war is by definition a warmonger is simply untrue. There are MANY instances in the Bible where God not only commanded His people to go to war, but to kill every man, woman, and child they fought against. Not just soldiers, Garry, but women and children. God commanded them to wipe all of them off the face of the earth. The Bible also says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8" Warmongers are those who push for, advocate, and participate in war for sake of war. Those who defend themselves are not part of this group. There is such a thing as righteous anger. (Something else from the Bible.) Jesus taught that we should "turn the other cheek," and I fully agree. That does not mean, however, that we should stand idly by and allow a people whose entire belief system is based upon hatred toward all who do not join them as well as hatred for an entire race of people (Jews, in case you're wondering) to force their beliefs on the entire world.