May 2012
10 posts
5 tags
“SHOULD we look to kings and princes to put right the inequalities between rich...”
– St John Chrysostom, Collected in “On Living Simply” by Robert van der Weyer, Sermon XLIII
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The battle for words is continual. Those who stand...
3 tags
A new employee says, “did I do that right?” I said, “All you did was take their name and number; how could you do that wrong?!”
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”If Christians want us to back off, then they need to admit that we can be good without a god…”
Allow for me to say, the sort of *good* that exists for this person apart from any belief in God is the sort of goodness by which I loudly proclaim you can be *good* with.
8 tags
Anyone attempting to answer the question, “what does it mean to be human?” Necessarily, steps beyond the bounds of empirical/scientific inquiry. This is not to say the natural sciences do not play a part in their response, it is to say the part it plays is not because anything empirical told them so.
4 tags
There is no conflict between science and belief in...
Concise version of what Dr. John Lennox said.
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We are here because of a male and female. There is...
8 tags
Yeah, I get sick of hearing these power words like...
7 tags
“If salvation is not a real participation in the resurrected life, the glorified...”
– Father Michael Shanbour
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“Now Christians love to live in rich homes, sit at a rich table, dress in rich...”
– St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
April 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Some young teens came into my job today for prom. They said, “Yolo.” I said, “yellow??” I was informed by them that ‘Yolo’ means, “you only live once.” After that I kept saying, ‘yellow’ even though I knew it was supposed to be ‘yolo.’ :) Teens tend to be a lot less stressful as customers than adults.
10 tags
How do we determine the answer to the question,...
March 2012
4 posts
4 tags
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oiil7
Think but Shut up if Not What I Think?
8 tags
I have seen no reason to follow what was going on with the ‘Reason Rally.’ I am not surprised that people are frustrated, angry, antagonistic and confrontational when it comes to talking about *religion* and Christianity. I can spend endless hours talking about atheism and all the things associated with that, however, I believe it is far more beneficial to speak and live the truth of...
7 tags
“Sit down and recall in solitude the things that have happened; where you started...”
– Evagrios The Solitary
6 tags
'Anonymous' hacks Christian websites...
and replaces their homepage with Richard Dawkins speech in which he declares “war on religion.”
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320639
February 2012
4 posts
8 tags
Iranian Sentenced to Death for Becoming Christian
An Iranian who abandoned Islam and embraced Christianity and as such was sentenced to death has had his execution ‘delayed.’ Lord, have mercy on Youcef, his family, and church. Lord, have mercy on the Muslims who have sentenced him to death.
http://www.bosnewslife.com/20630-breaking-iran-delaying-tuesday-execution-pastor-nadarkhani-concerns-remain
7 tags
WatchHomeade yeast made from organic raisins this was day 4-5.
10 tags
“Because of the workings of the memory whatever has preoccupied our mind before...”
– St. John Cassian
3 tags
Shrub Branch
January 29, 2012
The house was blessed. This involved Father Mark and several people from the church coming over. We started in my room as this is where I have a few icons. Father Mark prayed. Then we began singing a song about when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. Father Mark had a bowl of water and used a branch, that I had taken from outside, to toss water on each side of every room that we...
September 2011
33 posts
11 tags
7 tags
Patterns of Isolation
Endless speaking…endless amounts of information. Many horizons look bleak as a nation is brought to its knees. A generation unable to set boundaries and be still. Our unfettered desires chain us to isolation.
I need to move on now. I cannot be what wasn’t for me.
ok well now that I’ve taken 30mins to figure stuff out on @facebook Im actually liking the setup
1 tag
Facebook Layout Nightmare
Have I mentioned how Facebook’s new layout is an absolute nightmare! :\ Their ideas aren’t necessarily bad however having to take all this time to figure stuff out is frustrating.
Looked over some vids I posted up 5yrs ago when I first started YouTube as AnswerstoIslam. Annoying is the first word that comes to mind :)
4 tags
The Pope among many others Campaigned to Have Troy... →
There’s a moment when you realize how much time you’ve wasted on Facebook & YouTube so you get up go to the park and read a book. That moment is now. Peace out!
4 tags
8 tags
Lost in Arguing
Don’t get lost in arguing against another persons position that you rarely take the time to reflect on your own.
Engaging with those who disagree with you can help to clarify how you speak and understand the things you hold to be true, however, their perspective (how they present the questions and phrase the discussion) does not necessarily need to be how you approach it…does it?
If...
“Busyness is the Opiate of the Masses”
7 tags
6 tags
ThunderCats & Care Bears
When I was younger I loved the ThunderCats. Before my ThunderCat stage I remember watching Care Bears and easily relating with Grumpy and Bedtime Bear.
Damn narcolepsy means I have night terrors on a semi-consistent basis. Most the time this isn’t that big of a deal. Tonight however the dream was very vivid, long, scary, and gory.
13 tags
3 tags
“Two pounds lighter begins with only two bites of that apple pie.”
4 tags
Pat Robertson...oh my! →
6 tags
About 1-5% of Catholic clergy have been involved...
The YouTuber GoGreen18 posted up a recent vid which was not entirely reasonable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6OD7XRu8LU
Sexual/physical abuse towards a child is horrible!!
But this doesn’t excuse the sweeping generalizations or unrelated claims that she made.
There are endless questions. YouTube is a place where they get asked endlessly. My advice; know yourself before you try to get known. Read, study, ask questions. If you think you’re going to go on to YouTube as some Super-Hero Christian and change lives you’re an arrogant fool.
6 tags
“The Bible, can be used to support virtually any...
What are your thoughts regarding this YouTube quote? Do you see any problem with the reasoning in this quote?
4 tags
Broken Glimpse of Beauty
I see brokenness at every turn. The turn of my eyes upon the mirror I see it most clearly.
That moment I saw you. I saw a glimpse of beauty.
Should your face be scarred beyond recognition would such beauty be so real or would I turn in cowardice in hopes of finding a face to fit the stock photos that have been ingested.
Embracing you for more than that moment. Embracing you for more than a...
3 tags
“And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing...”
– ‘Candle in the Wind’ by Elton John
2 tags
6 tags
Christian Misleads Atheist?
The reason for my last post was because I attended an atheist gathering last night that met at a local bar. I was talking with an atheist and about 25mins into the conversation my friend, who’s atheist, came over and jokingly brought up how I was a Christian. The entire mood changed for the person I had been talking to and he expressed how he felt as though I had somehow misled him.
The...
8 tags
Misled?
A person visits your church. You chat with them and 45mins into the conversation a member of the church comes over, who’s friends with the visitor, and informs you the visitor is an atheist. Do you feel as though you were somehow misled?
7 tags
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Comment Critique: 2
“Ridicule is our most powerful weapon against people like Jack. Psychologically, he takes it personally and by that you stab the belief itself in the heart.”
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The use of language in this comment sets up the person who is being criticized. Of course, this person has given no standard by which we can determine what it looks like when...
9 tags
Comment Critique: 1
YouTube Comment:
“TogetherForPeace censoring responses. I think it stems from the fundamental difference between believers and freethinkers. We non-believers tend to offer our opinions and whatever in the expectation that they’ll be challenged - we relish the debate, and look forward to the reply. Theists, on the other hand, seem to prefer the authority figure pounding the pulpit,...
6 tags
Accepting Mockery of Your Faith
“Jack, if you can’t accept mockery, then quite frankly your faith is weak.”
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How does mockery function in a different way as it relates to a persons religious belief vs. a political belief or your image or anything else a person can mock you for? Does the intent of mockery change based upon what is being mocked? The...
9 tags
Ridicule
Ridicule is a tool used most frequently by those who are intolerant. When a person is frustrated they will resort to ridicule, when a person feels all measures have been utilized they will resort to ridicule. Rarely do I see ridicule used in subtle ways in the context of a courteous meaningful conversation. If I am wanting to have a courteous civil conversation with someone then ridicule should...