hmmm, I have so many....

I want to thank everyone for leaving comments. You guys crack me up. I usually can't wait to get home from work and check out your responses. I'm telling you that because sometimes I ask loaded questions. I'm almost afraid to ask this next one. Loaded questions often get loaded answers. But I just can't help myself.

I was working at a house last week, I think the people could have been Atheists? They don't go to church, cussed like sailors and had a Richard Dawkins book laying out. (Something about evolution). I'm sure there are some Christians who could fit that description as well. We'll save that for another day. But as I was moving the fridge out of my way, I noticed one of the Proverbs written on a piece of paper and stuck to the side of the fridge next to a cool recipe for peanut butter fudge. Anyways it made me think about the godless dude in "Pulp Fiction" played by Samuel L. Jackson who quoted a Bible verse before he would kill somebody.

Do any Atheists have a favorite Bible verse? Those of you who were once part of the church, what was your favorite verse when you were still a "Christian"?

Peace squared, feeno

Dinner at 3 O'clock?

I'm on Symmes Rd. today trying to get to my last stop before I can officially begin my week-end. I needed to go seal some grout and caulk a doorway. I was stuck driving about 20 miles an hour in 35 mph zone behind a little old man. A little further up the road for about 1/4 mile there is an extra lane that will give me an opportunity to pass Methuselah and go about my business. When I reach that point in the road I passed him up from the right side. As I'm passing him the ole geezer shakes his fist at me as he mouths obscenities. I think he wanted me to pull over and fight him?

First I can't believe he could even see me as he was wearing the biggest pair of sunglasses I ever saw. I took a double take to make sure he wasn't wearing a welders mask. I've seen less glass in a shower door. And second I don't think I even was driving in a rude manor. I never tailgated him, I didn't even need to speed to pass him up. Here's the thing, this has happened before, at the exact same spot and sure enough by a an old dude that could have babysat this guy years ago. What is it about old men who don't want anyone to pass them. If you ever pass an old lady they could care less, usually it's because they have no clue anyone else is even on the road. But at least they ain't red-asses.

What kinda driver pisses you off the most?

Yeah, I know Vick. You hate the van full of Nuns that drives through large crowds of people picketing for gay rights and puppy adoptions.

Just askin'

Is it fair to ask this question: Does life altering circumstances turn people either to God or away from God? I ask because I have read many peoples stories about why they de-converted from Christianity. Usually something tragic may have happened in their life or they got fed up with all the political BS and disputes that sometimes arise inside the church. And of course inside the church, we have many people who may have never turned to God if not for the fact that something tragic did happen in their life.

Those who find "faith" due to these circumstances are grateful to God and continue to rely on His grace to deal with their past or circumstances.

Those who left the church will then turn to the "intellectual" reasons for justifying their lack of belief and why they left the church.

BTW, there are many of these "intellectual" reasons to believe or not to believe? But It seems those intellectual reasons usually don't play a part in somebody's conversion/de-conversion until after the fact.

Someone once said "A belief in God is not a matter of intellect, but a matter of the heart."

I'm not trying to belittle what Atheists believe, and even if what I say is true, it doesn't prove that there is a God. But can you see any truth to this?

feeno

3 strikes and yer out

Ross brings up a good point about a way a Christian should live their life. Paul tells the Philippians this "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life....

I know many of us don't live up to Paul's challenge. Here's 3 Christians that drive me crazy. Atheists, here's your chance to add to my list.

#1. The Christian when leaving the restaurant forgets to tip, yet manages to remember to leave a Christian track.

#2. This guy happens to be a friend of mine. I would tell you his name, but it changes every few years. But we will call this guy, Softball Church Boy. (SCB)
Every game SCB manages to argue with the umpires, question the Manager, yell at his teammates for not being "good enough" and causing bench clearing brawls with the other team. Then after the game he always apologizes to everyone by saying "God just made me real competitive". I could just imagine how this would go over with Mrs. Feeno? Gee honey, I'm sorry I slept with your sister, God just made me real horny. Or what I would tell the Judge, Sorry Judge I robbed that bank, but, God just made me real greedy?

#3. DM

Peace be with you all.

feeno

Screw Pascal

3 hypothetical questions.

You care about this person deeply. But their life is a train wreck. They have struggled their whole life with problems. They "find" Christ and really seem to be happy. After time passes you've noticed they have continued in their new found happiness.

Are you happy for them?

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"Eternal security". I think the bible teaches that once you are saved or born again that no matter what you do in life after wards, you will be with the Lord when you die. We call that "once saved, always saved".

Think about your favorite Atheist who once was part of the church. He or she is now on a crusade trying to convince anyone who will listen, about all the reasons not to believe in God.

What if God turns out to be real, and they wind up in heaven and you and Fred Phelps don't?

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What happens if most of the things you think about God turn out to be wrong? You know all the excuses people use to say if he did exist, His ways aren't fair. But you actually end up liking most of His ways, but by then, it's too late?

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I'm off to the woods, gonna spend the night with our K-5th graders at some State park here in Ohio. I wish that was hypothetical.

Deuces, feeno

Ever notice all the critters around every St. Francis statue?

Does the fact that some Christians are cruel mean there is no God? I hear Atheists say things like "way to show the love of Christ" any time we say something that sounds mean. I've commented a few times recently over at Debunking Christianity. On 06/09/2010 I commented on "Is the Efforts at DC worth it"? And then on 06/13/2010 on "Am I truly ignorant about Christianity".

I'm not here to defend my comments over there. They are what they are. But one of those who does comment there (Chuck)(who has actually has commented here a long time ago) took offense to my comments and left this reply to me. "... I just find your defensive indignation a defeater of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. (a core of Evangelical assertion) and therefore exposes Christianity as just another man made idea."

Is he saying because I claim to be a Christian, then I must have the Holy Spirit. Therefore I couldn't possibly say mean things? Because the Holy Spirit (HS) would control me better.

This is a totally absurd and a non Biblical assertion. But for the sake of this argument let's pretend this is true. All that this would prove is that feeno is not filled with the HS, and that feeno is not a Christian. If this argument was true, Atheism would be dead. How could they explain the life of someone like St. Francis of Assisi? He was born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth. He had wealth, power, fame and was quite the bad ass with his sports and fighting. And he could get laid at will with the finest skanks of his day. Yet through the circumstances of his life he forsook his families wealth and his inheritance and dedicated himself to the Lord. He gave up the lusts of wine, women and song. He gave all his earthly possessions and money to the poor. He did this to the point of being mocked and ridiculed by his friends and contemporaries. He then spent the rest of his life helping the poor, being kind to everyone and everything, and not only did he quit raising his fists in anger, but wouldn't even raise his voice in defense of himself.

You might know him by this quote "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if you have to use words".

Does St. Francis prove that my God exists? No. But just because Christians act out doesn't mean there ain't God either.


Peace or as St Francis would say "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart".

Lord, I pray you help me be more like St. Francis. Amen f

feeno

not that ther's anything wrong with that

Do you know who your friends are? Is it possible that many "supporters" of the gay and lesbian community aren't really empathetic towards the gay plight, but are simply using them to help further their agenda? I'd say many Atheists are simply exploiting the gay community, using them as pawns in an effort to make the church look bad. Or to simply see them as a certain demographic to achieve political gain.

I know many of you will think the church makes it's self look bad with their stance on gay marriage etc. Maybe? But not my point. And for political purposes I don't blame the gays for having to ally themselves with whatever group is willing to help them achieve their "rights".

Timberwraith, A lesbian said on our last post "My housemate is a christian, he's progressive, open minded, open hearted guy and has a kind, level headed ethic. I'd take living with him any day, over an atheist with prejudiced/unkind views of people. Although she might not like my viewpoint of homosexuality(?) I respect what she says and agree with it.

My question is this: Is this as simple as drawing a line in the sand, pro gay lifestyle on one side, and everybody else on the other side. And that's it?

Over at "Debunking Christianity" I commented on "Another Christian leaves the fold" A diary of a beleaver". This guys basically says we (Christians) need to debunk our faith or we are all "Fred Phelps' ". Of course after many comments nobody answered my question of "All atheists must denounce atheism or they are Joe Stalin's". To me both of these are equally stupid statements.

I don't want to offend those Atheists who truly have the gay communities best interest at heart. But I wonder about people who say things like that? They seem to be more against the church then about the rights of the gays.

Popcorn, Twizzlers and Dancing Hotdogs

I love the Jason Bourne movies. I also like Matt Damon and most all movies he plays in. Then I hear that he is an Atheist. I don't know why I was surprised. Most of them Hollywood types are? But I guess I always thought he and his pal Ben Affleck were a couple good ole Catholic boys from Boston?

Do Atheists think less of Celebs or Athletes when or if they find out they are Christians? I mean if I were an Atheist and was a University of Florida fan, I think I would have mixed emotions? Would I love Tim Tebow for bringing national championships and very important SEC wins to my school. Or am I turned off by his overtly Christian nature? Do I root for his success or hope he fails?

Yeah, I kinda was saddened by this enlightenment. I still hope for another Jason Bourne" movie to come out, and I will pay to see it. I guess I should just enjoy the movies and leave people's beliefs (or lack there of) out of it?

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P.S. When I was a kid growing up in farm country about 30 minutes from C-Bus (Columbus Ohio) there was a a Drive-Inn movie theater called "Christian free Drive-Inn". And it was totally free to watch the most popular secular movies. Of course at intermission you had to sit through a quick Christian sermon. Then after the sermon they would share the "how to get saved" speech to everyone. Then they'd ask, OK, if you just received Christ in your heart honk your horn and flash your lights. And then every single person there, would start honking their horn and flashing their lights. Whether they got "saved" or not.

I guess I'm asking, If they still had those type of Drive-Inns, would you guys go just for the free movies?

See ya later, Florida Gators, feeno

God, Gandy and the Good Samaritan

The age old question of whether religion has done more harm than good, won't be answered today. Well, at least not by me. Obviously religion has caused our friend Gandolph nothing but pain and suffering. Yet others would say their life was a confusing mess until they "found religion".

Have you ever wondered how life would be different without religion? I'm not saying for better or worse, just different.

I live in the 'burbs of Cincinnati Oh. And one of the things I do between my tile jobs is to visit people in the Hospital to hopefully brighten their day a little bit? Most of the major Hospitals in Cincinnati are on or around the University of Cincinnati. (Go Bearcats) Here is a list of Hospitals I have recently been to. Mercy (Catholic Hospital), The Good Samaritan, Christ, The Jewish Hospital, St. Elizabeth and Bethesda. As a matter of fact the only Hospital in Cincinnati that I can think of where I have been that doesn't have a religious background is the University of Cincinnati's Hospital.

Does that make up for all the abuse people like Gandy and others have or had to endure? I would say it is never OK to hurt or harm anyone, no matter what "cause" it is for. Unfortunately, religion is used by many people, simply for personal gain. Whether that be money, power or fame.

Here's my real question. Is it possible that there is God, yet man, in his fallen state makes religion look bad? Is it possible that God will judge those "religious" more than the afflicted that deny him?

I can't answer these questions. I can tell that God is a Holy and Righteous Judge and I have confidence that he will do what is just.

Peace out, girl scout. feeno