Let's Discuss Religion.

[Kirkus]

A brief story about Stephen Hawkins and his thoughts on the afterlife.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...-a-fairy-story

I don't agree with all of it, but still interesting (I think)

It works for me.

[dryrunguy]

No words. Can't help but wonder if this is more balloon boy/botox buffoonery.

*****

The Haddad children of Middletown, Md., have a lot on their minds: school projects, SATs, weekend parties. And parents who believe the earth will begin to self-destruct on Saturday.

The three teenagers have been struggling to make sense of their shifting world, which started changing nearly two years ago when their mother, Abby Haddad Carson, left her job as a nurse to “sound the trumpet” on mission trips with her husband, Robert, handing out tracts. They stopped working on their house and saving for college.

Last weekend, the family traveled to New York, the parents dragging their reluctant children through a Manhattan street fair in a final effort to spread the word.

“My mom has told me directly that I’m not going to get into heaven,” Grace Haddad, 16, said. “At first it was really upsetting, but it’s what she honestly believes.”

Full story at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/us...pagewanted=all

[James7]

Wow. Almost of quality for the worst parents thread.

I've been wondering if the conclusion these people will have tomorrow night or Sunday is that they were wrong or that they were not of the favored people?

[dryrunguy]

Wow. Almost of quality for the worst parents thread.

I've been wondering if the conclusion these people will have tomorrow night or Sunday is that they were wrong or that they were not of the favored people?

They'll just say that God changed His mind. That's my bet.

And yes, I had trouble deciding if this fit better in that thread. But I suppose if you REALLY believe something and your childrens' eternal souls hang in the balance, I suppose you'd be tempted to at least try to guilt/fear them into it.

[rabbit]

They'll just say that God changed His mind. That's my bet.

And yes, I had trouble deciding if this fit better in that thread. But I suppose if you REALLY believe something and your childrens' eternal souls hang in the balance, I suppose you'd be tempted to at least try to guilt/fear them into it.

The mother of these kids left a comment:

I am the mother of Faith, Grace and Joseph. I would say this article paints a "less than accurate" portrait of our family relationship. I love my kids tremendously and would lay down my life for them. In no way do I believe that my daughter Grace is outside of God's ability to show mercy. Nothing is impossible with God, and I pray to Him constantly, begging for my entire family to be saved.

I am also amazed at the closed-mindedness these articles and comments illustrate. These are my beliefs:

1. There is a God, and He is perfect.

2. The Bible is the inspired word of God.

3. In studying the Bible, we are to let scripture interpret scripture.

4. Jesus is God.

5. Jesus will return.

6. We can know when Jesus will return.

From studying the Bible, we have come to the understanding, through God's mercy, that May 21, 2011 is the date of Christ's return. Knowing this, I ask you, would you continue business as usual? Yes, we are to occupy till the Lord comes and to provide for the needs of our family, but what is the most pressing need at the moment? Is it not our salvation and soul? What does it profit us if we gain the whole world and lose our soul, or the souls of our children?

Not sure what to say...Think she's far beyond repair.

[dryrunguy]

The mother of these kids left a comment:



Not sure what to say...Think she's far beyond repair.

What Bible does she use? Apparently it left out the part that only God shall know the day or the hour and that not even the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) knows the day or the hour. Which presents a rather serious theological dilemma for the dynamics of the Trinity.

In any case, I almost hope it happens for her. Otherwise, she's probably unstable enough to hang herself. Even though she probably believes that her own soul will then be damned.

[ponchi101]

What Bible does she use? Apparently it left out the part that only God shall know the day or the hour and that not even the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) knows the day or the hour. Which presents a rather serious theological dilemma for the dynamics of the Trinity.

...

Dry: you are this close to joining Woody, Vlad and me at our table
(actually it is a boiling pot, but there is space for you)

[dryrunguy]

Dry: you are this close to joining Woody, Vlad and me at our table
(actually it is a boiling pot, but there is space for you)

I'll get back to you on Sunday, ponchi, God willing. I'm still optimistic that God hasn't read my paszek-oriented posts on TAT and that I might still be raptured tomorrow.

Now I'm off to watch The Last Temptation of Christ. Oh wait... Bad idea.

[dryrunguy]

I just don't know where to put this stuff!!!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/55924790/W...ource:facebook

[mmmm8]

I just don't know where to put this stuff!!!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/55924790/W...ource:facebook

lol, I loved the "you're a robot-->left behind" conclusion

[jjnow]

Gotta say, I read this headline earlier

Southern Baptists Have Fewest Baptisms Since The 1950s And Are Losing Members

Baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, have dipped to their lowest point in 60 years, according to a new report.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_875472.html

and had this reaction:

[ponchi101]

Gotta say, I read this headline earlier



and had this reaction:

You had that reaction? I followed the link that says DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DEEP RELIGION AND SHALLOW RELIGION and had THIS reaction:


(Yes, these are good news)

[owendonovan]

Okay. A few thoughts about some of the points that were made in the hijacked Avatar thread.

Re: the point about religion and science, I don't see the two as mutually exclusive. I've never understood why the two can't mutually coexist. Religion can't explain everything, and neither can science.

The term "organized religion" is definitely overused. Even within fundamentalist doctrine, fundamentalism is actually quite disorganized. There is no one size fit all.

I think what bothers me is just how PC it has become to diss religion, Christianity in particular. Christianity is unfairly targeted by society as a whole. We never hear about the wonderful things that Christian institutions, such as churches, are doing. We only hear about pro-life rallies, abortion clinic bombings, votes for Prop 8, and ministers who have sex with gay prostitutes. Period. And the level of intolerance of Christianity, in spite of the fact that it's a very diverse faith, seems to be growing by the day. And there seems to be a direct relationship between this intolerance and the intolerance of a fairly small segment of the faith. That segment doesn't represent me, and I just don't believe that the solution to intolerance is more intolerance.

I've said it before and I'll say again, until the good Christians decide it's their voice that should be heard, no one is going to hear it. Mormons are racist homophobes, that's just who they are. Catholic sex abuse is/was RAMPANT, deserves to be put out there. Evangelicals denouncing everything but them, deserves to be called out every opportunity because they just speak lies. Extreme Islam is just that, extreme. They blow people and shit up ALL THE TIME in the name of Allah. Orthodox/Hasidic Jews, well they're superior and are happy to let you know. Point is, if Christians want to be known as good people then CHRISTIANS need to shut their evil counterparts down. I will continue to rag hardcore on anyone that speaks badly of me, homosexuality, women etc. Don't like the way christians are portrayed, then change it. Religious people tend to think they are superior.

[Doc_P]

Religious people tend to think they are superior.

and you have never met a smug atheist?

[owendonovan]

and you have never met a smug atheist?

I certainly have! There's just fewer of them. I tend to stay out of this thread, I rarely have a kind word for religion, NOTHING has been worse for gay people.