GreyDestiny

3 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

Well, we have no OP-Ed forums to post this kind of thing, and since it is political in nature we are not allowed to post it outside the news/political forums, so this is the only place I have post this kind of thing.   It would be nice to have an Op-Ed forum in this section for these kinds of articles, but that just isn't the case at this time.

Oh no, I didn't mean this thread, lol, the thread is fine. I meant the content within the thread, your original post. Media outlets fighting one another over personal biases when they're supposed to be news.

News outlets really should be held to a certain standard.

If it's just an opinion outlet, then mark it as an opinion outlet, not as news. A group can be free to it's opinions, but it should mark it as an opinion.

If it's news, then it should purely be news; no biases, no pettiness, none of that. They are there to give updates about current events, not to try and sway people one way or the other.

The key to any healthy relationship is communication. When people can't communicate, things get unhealthy. Is it any wonder the times are so turbulent at the moment? I fear that things will only get worse with time.

On 4/11/2018 at 12:26 PM, BacKaran said:

The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan. This is old but I loved it and thought people need to know about this book!
I bought a Chinese version for a lady who sat with my dad at lunch in the nursing home. She taught me how to say I love you in Chinese.
Woe Aye Knee.... lovely!

I thank you for your advice. I just thought i'd say that it's spelled "wo ai ni" in romanization. 

Proverbs 5-7 in a nutshell.

It's hard to say, as he may have repented before his death.

Not only was there the business where Balak hired him to curse the Israelites, but it also later on states that Balaam advised the usage of sexual immorality to corrupt the Israelites, and in turn, incur God's wrath upon them. Balaam was killed by the sword after this.

Balaam was considered a prophet and was circumcised alongside Moses. Not everything he did was bad, but all the same, he insisted on working for Balak (despite blessing rather than cursing, more by God's will than his own) and also did work to cause the Israelites harm. Considering he was cut down by the sword, and all other implications of dying by the sword in that part of the Bible, i'd think it safe to say no, likely not.

1) A blog is a basically just an online journal or diary. However, blogs cover a spectrum of things other than one's own personal life. Many people have blogs about food or philosophy and they just write about whatever whenever. The purpose... On the one hand, if it's just a journal/diary, then it's just more of a personal thing. If it is about specific topics like the latter, the blogger is typically aiming for a following audience, like becoming an esteemed food reviewer or a prized opinion amongst the masses. Keep in mind that "vlogs" or "video logs" are also a thing.

2) My opinion doesn't count for much, as I tend to just ruminate with myself or pray. Also, i'm a little too paranoid about writing down personal stuff, especially on a platform like the internet. From what i've heard, though, it does work out really well for lots of other folks.

3) That's another thing i'm not going to be much help with. It looks like they have a "blogs" option up there below the site's name. However, i'd imagine there's a manner of expectation that the blogs one posts is about religion. If you were wanting a bit more freedom on what you blog about, i'd suggest Blogger. It's a free service.

Whenever you see those commercials for products that claim to kill bacteria, they almost always claim to kill up to 99% of bacteria.

That 1% of bacteria that's left? Those are super bacteria. Absolute monsters of bacteria. Imagine it like a videogame; the product can kill all the minions, but the boss never loses. 

At the very least, though, you're less likely to get sick.

I've thought of it as attempting to be good and do good, but i'm still also relatively new to the faith. We all fall short of the glory of God, but being a Christian means attempting to not fall as much and having the ability to apologize for when you do. It also means attempting to help those around you to not fall down as much, either.

I'm one of these isolated Christians mentioned in this thread. Primary reasons are that i'm afraid of waddling into a bad church and not being able to tell (being new), i'd like to do more study and prayer on my own, and unfortunately, i'm just really not a people person. Like, at all. I agree that community is a good thing, but I guess i'm not in a place to go seeking a proper one just yet, nor does the prospect of talking appeal to me.

It is a tragic thing, suicide. Don't ask me why, but i've watched more than a few videos of people committing suicide. A young girl hanging herself, a man blowing his brains out, the sickening sound the body makes as it slams into the pavement... It really makes you wonder what kind of dark place they had to be in to do such a thing, not just to their loved ones but to themselves. Watching that stuff makes my hairs stand up, makes my stomach churl... Again, don't ask, those kinds of videos are just things i've looked into before. I'd like to believe that it depends on a person's reason for seeing themselves out, but it really isn't up to me at the end of the day. Most things point to suicide as a means of denying God's gift of life and a fairly straightforward way to damnation. 

It seems difficult to answer, as what people define as "grace" varies.

Grace is the love and mercy given to us by God. I would assume it's along the lines of "growing in Christ".

Come to think of it, i've only ever seen things made similar to hell, not any actual depictions of hell itself.

The only two I can think of is the Netherrealm from Mortal Kombat and the plane of Oblivion from Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Both of which have lava and dead bodies, but really don't stand out as all that scary.

It is a TV special that will air on Easter.

The rock opera is much less about scripture and much more about how the author views it. The "Superstar" in the title is not misplaced, as it focuses more on fame. The special portrays Judas as a caring friend (the only "good" disciple) and Jesus as a "superstar" celebrity lost in popularity. They refer to Jesus as "just a man," and no mention is made of Judas' greed or suicide. Rather than finding no basis for a charge, Pilate accuses Jesus of being "misguided" and "not a king or god," a "puppet". The play ends with Jesus' execution. No mention is made of his resurrection. 

It is a TV special that will air on Easter.

The rock opera is much less about scripture and much more about how the author views it. The "Superstar" is the title is not misplaced, as it focuses more on fame. The special portrays Judas as a caring friend (the only "good" disciple) and Jesus as a "superstar" celebrity lost in popularity. They refer to Jesus as "just a man," and no mention is made of Judas' greed or suicide. Rather than finding no basis for a charge, Pilate accuses Jesus of being "misguided" and "not a king or god," a "puppet". The play ends with Jesus' execution. No mention is made of his resurrection. 

I had a particular experience this morning.

I normally sleep on my side, curled up with a pillow between my legs. As I awoke, I was laying on my back, the pillow underneath my knees. Out of nowhere, this pressure started pushing onto my chest, making it difficult for me to breath. For whatever reason, I thought I was going to be struck by lightning. I tried to speak and all that I remember escaping my lips was a very weak, "lord..."

About a half a minute after it began, it was over. I don't know if it was an attack or if it was something physical. I know my dad has a sleeping condition called dyspnea where you wake up with breathing problems, but as far as I know, that only happens if you are lying on your back. I still don't know why I was on my back like I was. I'm torn between some kind of weird attack and maybe also having my dad's dyspnea. I just don't know.

We've all kind of been there. Petty or mean people weighing us down, worldly concerns like income... You live to work rather than working to live, all the while not making all that much, all the while dealing with people you rather dislike with friends few and far between, if any. An endless cycle of sleep, work, stress, sleep, work, etc all leading up to a heart attack or some random mugger to blast your brains out of your noggin. It can all seem so meaningless.

Do not envy the wicked, for their life is in this life. If things are rough, it is good. We shouldn't be overly concerned with this world. You could pay them any amount of money for a debt and it would never be enough; heck, if they know you have money, they want it for themselves even more. People are going to be mean and petty about things, because they chase after temporary pleasures rather than actual happiness. They make a decent amount of money and that feels nice... But that feeling fades. They have a meaningless one night stand with a stranger and it relieves them... But it feels empty and so they must seek out more sex just to try and not experience that emptiness afterwards. Those who sow in tears reap in happiness; that is why a righteous life must be a difficult one. Do not chase after the temporary pleasures of the wicked, as they do not lend to happiness, but are rather a means to the grave. The meaning to this life, our mortal one, is to seek out our second life, the one that comes after.

As for whether someone who commits suicide goes to hell, i'd like to think it would depend on the individual's reasons. Then again, it doesn't quite matter what I think, as I am just a man; most things point towards it being a sinful denial of the gift of life. As for praying, I think what comes from it can be a bit of a mixed bag. As they say, God can be a bit hidden; otherwise, it would be too easy. If you ask, what must I do, would not simply telling you also be too easy? It is a matter of learning and growing. Instead, ask the lord that he heal your heart and mind, and with time and hope, you will notice a difference.

This is more of an opinion piece, as i'm sure we all have different ideas of what it means to a Christian, but I figured i'd share my thoughts.

I was talking with a woman a while ago. We were talking about how crazy this world has become and that somehow changed into her talking about how she did not feel like a Christian. She believed that to be a Christian was to be "Christ-like," and that because she regarded herself as not being all that good, she didn't really think she could really call herself a Christian.

To me, to be a Christian is not to be Christ-like, it is the pursuit to be Christ-like. All of us, each of us but men, are nowhere near the Lord's level. We must be able to look inside ourselves and whilst we see the inherent evil therein, we must also see the inherent good. We must engage in inner turmoil, placing the good above the evil, and asking the Lord for forgiveness whenever evil happens to overcome weak, frail things such as we. We must repent of our sins, lest we be lost in them, lest they consume us. We must take joy in the Lord and all that which is good. We will never be perfect in this lifetime, we will always fall short and there will always be room for improvement... But the seeking of that improvement is what it means to be a Christian, I feel.

As I always say, there is always room for improvement. We all fall short of the glory of God, and no amount of knowledge and experience can change that, really.

I feel like this is an answer that you should seek from the Lord rather than us.

If I was in your shoes though, I think i'd go with keeping her alive. If it is her time, the Lord will have mercy and see her off easy. If it isn't, then she will wake up. 

i'm sorry, but could you perhaps rephrase or explain?

14 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi,

Thanks.

 I found the notation about the Queen Mary to be interesting, especially as the note about the room for Jewish prayer  is part of a book on that disporia. The room was evidently a deliberate statement aimed at Germany , and to state to the world the lack of prejudice by the English.

 I have just started to wonder about the ship's routes and what the reception at their destination's might have been , considering the USA's own prejudice under FDR. Just starting a personal search  for info.

I don't know about the Queen Mary, but I do know that most jews at the time sought sanctuary in different countries around Europe, either heading north, west, or east. Some ran over France's way and even fewer kept on into Spain. Some went to the UK and I know Sweden was especially popular because Germany couldn't handle a war with Sweden. Yet still, many more took off east; many of these were unsuccessful, as oddly enough, Hitler was pretty tight with the middle east and many of them were captured there. Some did leak through to Russian territory, though. I think a few took off towards Switzerland, but knowing the Swiss, i'm not sure if that was successful (Switz loves its neutrality, after all).

If I were a jew at the time though, I think i'd avoid England and France. They had to deal with far too many German bombers in England, and France wasn't quite safe, either. Sweden was the #1 spot, as far as I know and recall.

It may have been before the "rise". What people call the rise is really the instatement, it was on the rise before that. Hitler was a veteran of WWI, and laid up in a hospital due to war injuries, he heard the news of the signing of the treaty of versailles (which essentially blamed Germany, put all the war debt on Germany, and nullified Germany's military). Enraged, he wrote a book called Mein Kampf or "My Struggle" wherein he voiced frustration with the treaty and blamed much of Germany's issues on the jews. 

People were likewise frustrated because they lived in poverty thanks to the war debt, and Berlin had pretty much become a modern Sodom and Gomorrah in order to pay for it. Then you had a lot of rich and prominent jews in Germany alongside what is called "scientific racism" material at the time that claimed Aryans (Germans) were the most advanced race. So you had the German people puffed up with national pride fueled by Hitler's Mein Kampf and his ascension through the political ranks up to chancellor. All of this occurring in the 20s, and i'm sure at that point, many jews were probably leaving before things got ugly.

This is a matter of misunderstanding. Many times, when the bible talks about "water" or "waters," it is talking about voices. In this instance, God's voice. He says, "let birds multiply on Earth," and so it happens.

"For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants." Isaiah 44:3

Forgive me for being terrible with memory, but I can recall something like, "Do not envy the wicked, for their life is in this life, not the next". That's not to say that everyone with a decent amount of money is automatically wicked, but from what most i've seen, most people who have money tend to trample on other folks in order to obtain that wealth and have a regard only for themselves. Money does not corrupt a man, but a man can become corrupt in the pursuit of it.

Me personally, I try to keep it simple. All a man really needs is a roof over his head, a bed to sleep in, and some food on the table. Taking on a lower standard of living can save you money, and while i'm not exactly rolling in dough, I don't stress about it. They could charge you for this or that all they want and you might never be able to pay it off; so what's the point in fretting? Letting them get to you is how they win. Remain calm. Let them froth at the mouth about their cling and clang; money is their issue, not yours. Remain faithful, and in the end, everything will be fine, no matter what storm cometh.

Humans are prone to error. Reasonably speaking, marriage can be pretty difficult, even when people are trying to do the right thing. People enter into such a union because it helps them to grow, not because it is easy. I don't think a person should serve jail time for such a thing, but rather, that it be socially unacceptable.

The issue is that it has become much more acceptable. Even if a wife leaves her husband because she cheated on him, the courts favor her and look down on the man. People might give her a pat on the back for being an independent woman who can express her sexuality however she pleases. A man is less likely to receive praise, but many men out there believe that one woman simply isn't enough. Then you've got all of these open relationships, husbands who like to watch their wife with other men, and all that sexual immorality.

Yes, humans are prone to error. No, that does not mean we should smile upon it or reward it.

Honestly, I don't think someone should have any kind of handheld device until a certain age. Then again, everyone else over a certain age piddles about on their handheld devices as well. At the very least, 4 year old kids don't need to be waddling around with one. Raise your kids, don't let technology be your babysitter because you are lazy.

Regular teachers have enough trouble with phones in schools. I know most kids when I was in school would sit there and text on their lap, trying to hide it from the teacher's view. A few teachers even implemented classroom rules that made the students put their phones in a bin until the end of class, and that never worked because only a few kids would actually put their phones in the bin. Then the disconnect seems to be that, in order to grab the student's attentions, the teachers would pass out larger homework assignments. Every of my 10 classes was like an 8 page packet, front and back, and even as a kid who didn't have a cellphone, I found the whole thing bothersome and my grades suffered. How can I get my biology packet done on time when I also have an algebra packet that needs to be done? And I was just a kid, I wanted some time to myself when I was at home; expect me to spend my time doing homework all the time, get real.

In my mind, we need to teach kids when they are young the meaning of moderation. The issue is that so many kids (older folks included) get so sucked into their cellphones that it leaves little room for much else. People lack moderation when it comes to many other things, so irresponsible people lead to irresponsible kids which leads to problems across the spectrum. Unless there is a major uprising of morality, responsibility, whatever one wishes to call it, i'm afraid technology is the new babysitter and there is hardly a way to get through to them. The only thing I would advise a school to do is not increase the school work (because that just makes it flat out annoying to everyone) and to not rely too heavily on technology. I know a keyboard saves on paper, but a student should have to put pen to parchment was well. Give them things to do that keep their eyes off of LED screens and maybe that will show them what it's like to not have their face buried in their phone. I know if it wasn't for the early part of my childhood spent reading and school actually enforcing penmanship, I probably would be just like every other student at the time and even today.