Anika

You've read all 6, but found something so disturbing in number 4 you told your child she can never read the books? Sounds like the perfect way to make sure she reads every one of them. The old "do as I say, not as I do" thing doesn't work with most kids. It never worked with me, and it didn't work with my kids, or anybody else that I ever saw, as a matter of fact its almost a perfect recipe for disaster. Children learn from example, and their own hard knocks, not somebody elses. True, but the books were never in my house. I don't even own them. How could she me read them?

The best book I have found on this subject (other than the Bible, of course) is The Covering by Hank Hanegraaff. Although... it sits on my book shelf between The Idiots Guide to Understanding Judaism and My Little Book of Gargoyles. I wonder if the Jewish spirit from one book and the evil gargoyle spirit from the other book has somehow infected my little book on God's plan to protect me from evil?

I have read all 6 of the Harry Potter books. They are well written and have a fascinating story line. That being said, I told my daughter she couldn't read them until she was alot more mature and well grounded in Christ. I told her this before I came to the two most hidious chapters ofthe entire series, which is toward the end of book 4 when Voldemort rose again. After reading that, I told her she is never to read the Harry Potter books, and this is the reason why; I want her mind set on whatsoever is pure, lovely, and good. I do not want her dwelling on things that are dark. I have been through alot of darkness in my life, and I do not want either of my children to feel drawn to it.

You're right people take it out of context all the time by not reading the entire passage: Matt. 7:1ff "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standardof measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. We are called to discern and judge according to the Word of God, but we have to have our conscience clean before God before we help a brother out of his sin or warn others to stay away from one who refuses to get rid of his sin so that he does not mislead others. All of this must be done in love and truth.

Stuart, I said, "the peace and love of our Lord Jesus". If it's His love through us, then how can that same love be tollerant of rebillion towards God? On the subject of patriotism, America was founded upon Godly principles. Does that mean mistakes weren't made? Of course there were. The founding fathers were still human, but they prayed for this nation and strived to make policies and write a constitution that was just and Godly. This nation has gone away from those principles, and I for one cannot in any way support the current politics of this country, but I still love the idealism of what America once was. My stand is in reaching individuals for God and waking up Christians to the unfortunate political system we have now embraced. I belong to a third political party- one that supports the very constitutional standards I believe in. I am writing this to point out that nothing can be done in this or any other country until we as individuals get involved. For some that is through activism, for most of us it starts in our back yards and our jobs.

I bet we could make up a few more of our own How about cockroach flavor? Pickles and caterpillars, anyone? Purina dog chow icecream? My dog would like that one. My personal fav- roadkill icecream!

Dreamer, do you believe in reincarnation?

Everything you said sounds exactly like me 9 years ago. It sounds like the depression you are going through stems from evil that was perpetrated on you when you were a child. Listen to me. Children do not deserve evil. If there is some part of you that enjoyed the abuse, that is an unfortunate but natural reaction of our human bodies in order to survive. You are no longer a child, as an adult you can get beyond surviving and start living, but it will take prayer and counseling. I went into group counseling, and I also found a workbook for survivors of certain childhood abuses. Your personality may be completely different from mine, but I enjoy workbooks (yes, I'm weird), so working through the book helped me to open up to myself the things that needed to come to the surface so that I could deal with them. That's where the group therapy came in. My husband was there for me as well, but he just wasn't strong enough to be there as much as I thought I needed. Also, on top of all this, I had a serious case of post-partum depression/psychosis that exacerbated what I was going through. The unfornunate reality of having a child when you have not yet dealt with the horrors of your childhood is that you will tend to relive them on some level whether you realize it or not when you try to connect with him. But you need that deep bonding with your baby, for both yourself and for Sammi. Because I was too consumed with my own mess, I didn't even try to bond with Morgan until she was over two. I love her, but I never felt quite as "bonded" with her as I have with my son whom I gave birth after I healed from my past. Bond with Sammi anyway. Don't wait, and seek any help you can to heal from your past. Don't wait.

Kudos, kerdos Sorry, I couldn't help myself. That pretty well sums up how we have handled things. I brought this up for two reasons. The obvious reason is it's nice to get confirmation now and then. The other reason is because of this topic. There is alot of debating going on with assumptions and theories, but why don't we take this argument to where we live? We all have to ineract with non-believers, even those who wish for Christians to be more seperate. We can look at our recent history and point out how society as a whole has gone down hill from where we used to be, but what about doing what we can as individuals to show the peace and love of our Lord Jesus to those who don't know him?

While we are on this subject of culture and engaging those around us vs. being seperate. Let me ask about this situation. My husband's business partner is a Budhist who rejected the Christian religion in which he grew up. The company's financial backer is a homosexual druid who believes he has been renicarted many times over 1500 years. They know my husband and I are Christians. How do we best interact with these wonderful but lost gentlemen?

The Gospel of John. It clearly defines that Jesus is God and, what He has done for us, and how to live.