To`na Wanagi

Yes, it is necessary to prevent soliciting. As a former moderator on another site, it could really get out of hand. I have served up plenty of warnings about this problem. Sorry to see him leave, but if he wanted to contribute other bits of interest he could do so. I wish him well.

Isn't it amazing that people from opposite sides of the globe can have such similar myths and legends? Coincidence? I think not!

"As we were meant to be" originally opened the question of gender identity and orientation....Anyone ever heard of the Barramundi fish in Australia? They are all born male and when they reach about two feet in length they become female....Just as all human fetuses begin as female and evolve in the womb to become whatever they become by wherever their cells have determined to land.

I agree and have posted a response to that statement on that thread requesting not what he thinks God says but what his personal position is. After all, isn't that what really matters and will determine the level of interpersonal communication of the author himself?

Congratulations! Keep up the good work!

Nya'weh, ske:no ha:gwah! Thank you, and may you be blessed with peace.

Hatred or distrust for mankind? (Misanthropy) Isn't that still a belief of his own, not one necessarily agreed upon by others?...

I seem to recall a contradiction to these statements in another thread....I believe it was "Are children a burden?" (which I have been unable to locate) in which you declared that not only children, (specifically females) but women also were: first, the possession of their fathers, and second, then owned by their husbands.

God does not have to kill one's spirit. God has found that humans are fully capable of doing that on their own...

The constellation of Pleiades is also referred to as the Seven Sisters and is one of our nearest neighbors. The remarkable thing about this constellation is that of the seven stars (there are actually more) which are spoken of in myths around the world, only six are visible to the naked eye. How is it then that many ancient people knew there were seven within the cosntellation? Here is a story I wrote from the idealogical perspectives of my people: Father Sky sits upon his throne of light revelling in the beauty of the heavenly bodies of his children. But of all his children, he had a great love for the seven sisters who lived together in the house of Pleiades. He saw too the love that the people of the earth had for these sisters and how they gazed into the nighttime skies to ponder their mysteries. But of all the seven sisters the youngest was his joy. For she shone the brightest and was given a special privilege and mission by the Hotye nok'ta tyo'he, the Creator of the Universe. She would be the star which kings would follow and which prophets would speak of for millennia. Sky Father prepared his beautiful daughter in her finest regalia so that her beauty could be seen by all the earth....and sent her forth before her sisters, and before all the powers of the universe, and kings of the earth. She moved across the nighttime sky honored that she would be the messenger of one who would come to be known as the King of Kings, and who would represent all the lights of the world, truth, justice, hope, and peace. And the days and nights were filled with wonder and awe as the people looked to her guiding light. But there were some who looked upon her with lust in their hearts. They did not desire only to look upon her, but to possess her and to use her for evil motives. They were possessed by Hanisse'ono, the Evil One, who was jealous of the Sky Father and who was always trying to destroy Sky Father's wife, Mother Earth and her children. And the lust of their hearts contaminated the hearts of those also seeking their own fame and power. The young sister saw these things and how these men looked upon her as if she were a harlot. Her sorrow was so great that her light began to fade. Father Sky was deeply troubled at the sight of his child losing her light and became angry with all of mankind. He sent Thunderbird with this message to all the people of the earth: "Sky Father has seen the evil in your hearts and how you have lusted after his beautiful daughter. He has ordered me to cloak her with my wings so that you will never again see the beauty of her light. And all the earth will mourn because they have lost her beauty. Sky Father has declared that until the hearts of humankind once again return to integrity, honor, and respect the dignity of all creation, and that until you make right the paths you have tread upon his wife, you will continue to live in just a little more darkness. It is apparent to him that is what you have desired; to walk in darkness. He has seen you murder the one whom she was sent to proclaim, and which caused her such great sorrow. Now her light will fade as I spread my wings...and you will see her no more." And two thousand years have passed since that day....And humankind still remains in darkness, seeking only the lusts of their hearts and disregarding their place in the sacred circle. So some of us continue to await the return of Thunderbird as we pray for light, the four spirits of truth, justice, hope and peace. We know he will come again when those spirits cover the face of the earth. And some of us still see the faintness of her beauty in the nighttime skies, and that faint light gives us hope.

I'm with you on that! As to the rest: is God a puppetmaster? Is God a manipulator which favors vanilla people over chocolate people? Did god create humans for Its own amusement, like a remote controlled toy? Pretty shallow God in my estimation to have to play with humans and determine their every move and action and thought. Sally and Jimmy were playing with Barbie and Ken. Sally, in her most demure Barbie voice said, "Ken, I've been cheating on you with GI Joe." Jimmy, in his most angry Ken voice replied, "Get over here you dirty B.... I'm going to beat your a..Then take you down to the square and have you stoned!" God's games?...

You are right! And I am one of them! I think it is insulting to see the commercialism, materialism, and worldliness that has taken over what was once a celebration of life, promise, and hope. Now it is a day of competition over who gets the most, the biggest, and the most expensive. We buy little gifts for the children, but not for the adults. I will not support it....But that's just me and my opinion.... And BTW.....I wish all those who celebrate the sacred, however they express it, to have a wonderful and joyous day.....including you of course Peter!

Again, dear brother, I believe we must be closely related. For, if there is such a thing as sin, then the sin of ommission and the sin of silence, must surely be the most egregious of all to the Creator of each our understanding. And I will continue to do what is asked of me to do; "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." - Micah 6:8

I exist on a physical plane in a spiritual mind/heart to serve the rest of creation. And as I go, I am called. And when or where I am called, I serve. I ask no questions. I seek no reward. I serve as the Creator of my understanding leads me, guides me, directs me, and reveals to me.

The argument of this thread has to do with religious indoctrination which condemns the glbt community, and the argument of science which has yet to come to any firm conclusion on the subject. Which is why I suggest to both sides they consider the positions of those who have "been there, done that", yes. But as well, for those of a religious persuasion to take their own texts and consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah (1st chapter), The words of the Psalmist (Psalm 139), and the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:11-14 and Matthew 24:4-13.... That being said, and as one of "those people" of which this thread describes, I can say, and pray. those words of scripture cited above without guilt, or fear, or shame. Neither those of religions or of sciences can know my thoughts or my heart. And I welcome only the rule of law which is of God, and not of man. But I can also speak to the elephant in the room which so many others, of religions or sciences, seem to be oblivious to, that as you speak these hurtful words of judgment and condemnation against others, that those whom you condemn are present, listening and hearing, the hatred set against them...."Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." - Jesus

Come on you guys! Photos?!!! We want to see!

Ahhh.... I see you are a great oak tree...well, you grow much too slowly to be of use to me so we must cut you down. Perhaps, pine tree, you are what I am looking for? Oh, I see you grow much too fast and your wood is much too weak and soft for my liking. We must be rid of you. Old hickory, I see you are full of nuts this year and with those nuts you have brought many squirrels into the neighborhood. Truly you must know how bothersome those squirrels can be? Sorry, but you have violated our segregation rules. You know the penalty for that! Excommunication from the forest. Mulberry, we so much love your fruit....but so do those darn birds and then they poop all over everything, staining as they go. We must not have that. Crabapple, yes you are very pretty, but only when you are in bloom. Your wood and fruit is no good so you really serve no good purpose here. Self-pollinating you say? Well, you know how we feel about your kind! You will definitely have to leave!.......and on..and on....and on...

Airbrushing.....

Very cute!!!

I take that as a compliment but as an insult for our furry friends to be compared to a human....

I love our little nutty buddies! I have raised numerous orphans in my days.

The boy learned it from observations of the world of humankind and its self-absorbed, self-centered spirit. Remember, it was grandfather who was teaching him the right way. "Grandfather" is the metaphor my people use for wisdom. "Father/Mother" are metaphors for discipline and nurture. The school is a metaphor for the earthly creation around us, which is supposed to be considered sacred. I very much appreciate all your insight. Have any of you ever been cut down for being who/what/where you are, or have been?

Isn't it odd that we attempt to personify mechanisms while trying to mechanize humans. Humans are just never satisfied....

If one could personify the trees, what do you think the other trees would have thought about their loved ones being cut down right there in front of them watching and listening?

And may you be reminded of his presence by his little spirit rubbing against your leg occasionally!