timotheus4

Piano, basically.

2 clicks. Then I followed it and read all the comments. It's amusing to see humans on the internet Rather like being an anthropologist on field assignment studying this primitive race with the trappings of greatness. Not referring to you all, of course. Well, not most of you all.

Any idea WHY this thing has so many views?

But it seems to me that all the holy books I've read are very culture-specific. quote> I could see that about the Koran, Hindu writings, Tao, Confucius, Buddha, Mormon, et. al. The Bible, however, has made a number of culture transplants; Palestina to Greece to Rome to Ireland to Europe (fascinating story, incidentally, about those last two steps) to America to Africa, China, and other Asian countries. It's a very tenacious writing and it seems every time that one land rejects it it is just become entrenched in a new land. The last step I mentioned hasn't completely taken place yet, but I see it coming.

Date: 1/16/2006 12:28:10 PM Author: villarule hot buttered toast with marmitequote> *gags*

Authors I enjoy include Robert K. Massie (Dreadnought, Nicholas & Alexandra, Castles of Steel, Peter the Great) and Kenneth D. Ackerman (Dark Horse, Boss Tweed). I'm a history nut

One note. God is not just like a father. There is really no human analogy to Him, but I suppose we could approximate by saying He loves His people like a father and rules creation like a king.

Date: 12/29/2005 4:34:39 PM Author: Daeley here it is... a lamborghini with some serious horsepower... quote> Similar, I guess, to my llama modd.

Ephorex - as you are debating remnants of an IM conversation in public forum I will send you a private message when I get the time. Maybe I'll even be on MSN.

Exactley I have never minded generic label people posting here as long as it is releavant and not spam.quote> I find it hilarious that everybody took 9 posts break from discussing the labels to argue about whether it was right to not discuss labels in this thread.

LOL! As if the leadership of O'Malley would have anything to do with it! Assuming the statistic!

Very good! Full 10 points.

There are 32,000+ denominations, yet only one is correct. It's quite simple. quote> I prefer to think of it as there are 32000+ denominations, of which there are varying degrees of correctness in each. I believe you already know my ideas about the degree of correctness in the Roman Church so I will not unnecessarily cause this topic to heat up once more. To the end that there would be greater grace and knowledge, the following short work has been subjoined. ========================================= The Gospel in a Nutshell Let us begin at the Beginning. In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, by the word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good. Among His creations He created Man, after His own image, and set Him as the ruler of Creation. This man was Adam, representative of the Human Race. He failed the test which God had given him, namely, the forbidden fruit. In Adam's fall, we, who were bound in him, also sinned. With Adam's sin the world fell from its exalted created state, causing evil, death, pain, and sin to enter the previously perfect world. With the ejection from the Garden of Eden, however, God gave a promise, that though Adam had totally blown it, He had a plan... Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you [speaking to the serpent Satan] and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed [speaking of Christ]; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. Throughout the ages, more was revealed. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to Nehemiah to Simeon, even as the world fell to pieces around them, a Flood wiped out all of the world they had known, languages were confounded, people migrated everywhere, there was always a remnant - sometimes larger, sometimes smaller - centered around the Jews, who trusted in a Saviour to come, to give light to the dying and lost; to give salvation to the weak and hopeless; to be a second Adam, a second representative of Man before God, so that as in Adam all died; even so in Christ all should be made alive. The Law was given both to testify of and foreshadow Him. Time and again He was prophesied of; by great prophets such as Isaiah and little prophets such as Micah; revealed to great men such as Solomon and unimportant ones like Anna. These faithful clung to the hope that eventually, One would come who would make the wrong right. Such a one was found in no mere man, but the Son of God. Despite the great humiliation, He, God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, took on a true human body and a reasonable soul, mysteriously both God and Man in one person, yet not mixed, nor separate, and became JESUS CHRIST. By a great miracle he was born of a virgin, so that He would be the son of no man; He lived as a human among humans, living a perfect life, without fault, blame, or sin, perfect before God, unlike any man before. Yet this was not enough to satisfy God's righteous anger at the breaking of His commands. He, the holy and blameless One, suffered the torture and taunts of sinners, and died the cursed death of the cross; cursed by men, abandoned even by God, suffered and died - God Himself! so that the sins of the chosen of the past, present, and future, might be redeemed, forgiven, and forever wiped out of God's record. After this He rose, triumphant over Sin and Death, the firstfruits of that glorious Resurrection which all His saints will partake in at the end of time, when He returns. To any and all, he offers His grace; Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Trust in Him for remission of guilt, and it will be remitted. This gospel has touched untold billions and saved from the eternal wrath of God people from the worst of us to the best of us. Christ places no barriers to entry. Once your trust in Him is given, He will renew your life and make you better, until your death, when we, souls newly arisen, will be made perfect in holiness, and immediately pass into glory.

Pat Robertson is a disgrace. His audacity in claiming God's inspiration is unbelievable. You remember what he said about Hugo Chavez? Since then, the Venezuelan government has been evicting Christian missionaries. Thanks a lot, Pat. Did you hear what he said about Ariel Sharon? Imagine God's retribution for making peace! He has the delusion that the Jews are still God's people. if I have broken any rule in the above post, I apologize in advance and request that the violation be pointed out

Date: 1/1/2006 3:47:54 AM Author: SkiGeek Date: 12/31/2005 10:34:20 PM Author: timotheus4 I guess I'm showing my age (or lack of involvement in SC area) when I see the results and go who? Simp I've known longer than any of you as a consequence of SCC. But MsD...sorry, people . Perhaps MotM would be improved by giving reasons for the decision?quote> The reason for any medal is available by clicking on it. quote> Well, what do you know? Thanks

I would just like to note (I will expand this post later or append another) that dev and I have virtually no difference in belief structure - it's not Fundamentalist vs. Reformed Calvinist. Granted, when I first saw dev's posts a few years back I thought he was a Baptist, but that was not. Granted, we're both Presbyterians, and Presbyterians have split over so many ridiculously tiny things that it's not even funny. But in essence we're the same.

Several years ago, while I was still green to the net, someone posted a link - What's wrong with this picture? Turn the sound up for a hint? After 30 seconds of intense concentration and sound cranked to the max, an unearthly scream issued from the speakers! I was scared out of my skin and didn't calm down until the next morning! Worse, it was late at night and most of my siblings were sleeping! A few months after that, I found a link similar to this one. I was somewhat wiser this time and went through it with the sound turned off. A horrifying series of pictures issued at the end, giving me a mild jolt. I decided that it must be even better with sound, copied the link, and sent it in a PM back to the person who posted the link that originally scared me. Turnabout is fair play. He took it hook, line, and sinker. Better yet, he got partway through it, thought it was great, and called his father to watch. In conclusion: beware of links to subliminal messages.

Not only do I still have the old winter banner, neither the snow nor the countdown work, nor have worked for weeks.

Well, it was an interesting read, but I think that I could have predicted the answers to most of the questions. Not to be rude or burst anyone's balloon, you know? I just mean that dirk's a pretty normal guy.

Date: 12/31/2005 4:21:44 PM Author: vidioman haha! It's funny how the custom labels have something to do with the person that gets them. Coincidence? I think not!quote> I believe that is the intent of the custom label?

I guess I'm showing my age (or lack of involvement in SC area) when I see the results and go who? Simp I've known longer than any of you as a consequence of SCC. But MsD...sorry, people . Perhaps MotM would be improved by giving reasons for the decision?

What is a guy to do? Go away for two days and there are 4 new pages to reply to. I daresay that dev and timotheus will join the debate now. I'm not to sure as to why they didn't defend Christianity as a whole against the question of the Amaleks, horrorkid, seeing as it affected them as well as myself, but I have my theories... I hope your theories included the postulation that I was not here Thursday and had no time Friday Also, in order for sola scriptura to be God's plan for all of us, this plan must work throughout the ages as the Church will exist until the end of time. It stands to reason then that if the plan doesn't work before a certain era or invention, then it must not be God's plan for us. Luther and Calvin claimed that personal interpretation of the Bible was what God truly wanted. Personal interpretation supposes that everyone (including peasants who had NO chance of owning a Bible due to their cost) had a Bible as otherwise, it would not be personal. Even if your neighbour had one, you couldn't just borrow it as you needed to be able to constantly study it. That also brings with it a question about reading which is addressed next. If everyone didn't have a Bible, then sola scriptura would not be able to function. Therefore it is false on this count. Preaching, my friend. The future pope Pius II (at that time Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini) passed by the Hussite fortress of Tabor and was amazed at the women's knowledge of the Scriptures. They didn't have a copy of the Bible, but they still knew it. This goes for point two as well. Note that the Protestants would have their sermons in the vernacular, whereas the Catholics until the 20th century would have mass in Latin. Note also that the Catholics disliked anyone who tried translating the Scriptures into the vernacular. Wyclif did and was persecuted. Tyndale did and was hung. Hus did and was basely betrayed and burnt. Luther did and was on the run from the Church most of his life. Note also that Protestant missionaries had and have a high emphasis on translating Scripture and teaching whereas Catholic missionaries were of a more Islamic convert-or-die! mentality. I speak purely from history; this is no personal insult or condescending tone; please forgive me if I make that impression. Thirdly, everyone must also have had adequate scholarly material in order to analyse the Bible. The person must be able to read the Bible in its original language (not merely translations which could be wrong) which would have been various forms of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. Even if he had to resort to interpretations, he must have had those at hand (scholarly material). Most translations of the Bible are accurate enough (a notable exception being the Vulgate!) for the meaning to be the same as the original. Without being tedious, I will commend to you the Bereans of Acts as a more proper example of Christian reading of the Bible. Incidentally, I believe you are mixing Dusktrooper and I up. You never spoke to me about Peter and the keys, but Dusktrooper mentioned that you and he spoke on the subject. I am leaving this as succinct as possible so as not to take up my whole evening. I leave you all with Ephesians 2:8-10. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ah, fine, as Micah's so eager... Also, what do you people think about Revelation? Is it a bunch of stuff made up? Is it true? Is it happening? Revelation is a very complex book. It is all Scripture and therefore profitable according to 2 Tim. 3:16-17. It is not all literal. In fact, very little is literal. Most of it refers in a metaphorical way at the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Some refers to the End Times. I go with Christ's instructions about the End Times: No one knows the day or the hour, the time or the season. Watch and pray... Thus I do not presume to know whether it is happening. In fact, for us to know it to be happening as a result of signs given in Revalation would contradict Jesus' words; this therefore strengthens my AD 70 hypothesis. All I can do is repeat John, Come Lord Jesus! And vindicate my words in this thread!

Isn't Aleutian time different from both Alaska time and Hawaii time?

You kow, if Jesus Christ did come back, we'd prolly lock him up in a nuthouse.quote> Josh McDowell and many others have written somewhat on this subject, known as the Great Trilemma. Liar, Lunatic, or Lord? He has an excellent book on the subject called Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Incidentally, the quote bug is making this very confusing! So, we HAVE to be Christian or we go to hell? Bluntly, yes. but the book has been edited beyond recognition since then by various people. One of the greatest myths of atheism. There is enough archaeological manuscripts of the Bible - more than any other book in Greek or Hebrew - and the variance is nil. Say what you will about the Pharisees and the monks, but they were excellent copyists. I do believe, however, that many scientists know a lot more than most of us here in this thread, and to discount their hard work and detailed observations simply because they don't really jive with a bunch of heavily-edited 4000 year-old fables is a bit foolish in the long run. In general, I have found science to be correct. I differ with it mostly on evolution, and, as there is plenty of scientific evidence against it (not footprints in flour!) I think this matter might be wholly resolved if people would abandon their mindless predjudices against science conducted by creationists and actually looked at the data. Wishful thinking, I guess... God loves us, but we must convert or burn in hell? God loves you enough to give you the chance... why are Hindus wrong? Quite simply not only because the Bible is incontrovertibly against it but also because of its inexplicable lapses of logic. Full communion with the Church, one hour a week of your time and the leading of a good life is all you need to stave off the 50% chance that you will go to hell. Eternity is a long time compared with just one hour every week. Nothing about Jesus, eh? Just goes to show about Catholics... bread and wine doubly consecrated at Lanciano centuries ago actually turned into Jesus Even assuming all the rubbish they speak of, there's no evidence it was Jesus it turned into. I can speak about this theologically as well, but it may be better if this goes private. The idea that you should be Christian just for fear of the existence of God is incomprehensible to me. Pascal's Wager is certainly not the best of motives...but when a soul is at stake, all motives are valid. Carl Sagan, in case you are unaware, was a very respected and widely-read astronomer who spent years popularizing skepticism and the scientific method. He was certainly very well educated and hardly qualified as foolish. There are many definitions of fool, and Carl Sagan fits several in Proverbs to a T. Not only does the dragon-like Leviathan appear in Isaiah, Psalms and the Book of Job, but a giant dragon is also mentioned in Revelation 12:3 I must mention that the dragon of Revelation is metaphorical. Aside from that, I do believe dragons existed and are known today as various species of dinosaur. This, however, is tangential to the subject. Once again, it is a pity that tones of voice cannot be transmitted over the Net. Please believe that I am utterly calm and without personal antipathy towards all of you. Tim

Well I considered, Slovenian or Croatian? And Croatian ended up having more and cooler accents, so I went with it. Sorry