Rev. Calli
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Posts posted by Rev. Calli
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On 2/24/2019 at 11:40 AM, Key said:
As plausible as that possibility might be, one would think that a species capable of deep space travel may have overcome the necessity of needing humans for food.
Greetings to you my brother,
Who knows, we may be their pizza.
Or, a more frightening thought, we may be, in their view at least, so far beneath them on the evolutionary scale that we are unworthy of life. If some humans look down on others like that, perhaps it would only be fair play for beings from another world to view us the same way.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 2/21/2019 at 6:36 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
I was thinking in terms of historic parallels. On Earth, missionaries frequently make "first contact" with isolated cultures.
As a matter of pragmatics, what would such an alien culture need? The Universe is full of minerals and water for the taking. Our own world is in the process of replacing workers with automation. What do we have that an alien culture might care about? Culture and souls. The space between star systems is a long way to come for cultural insight. Missionaries might be willing to make the investment. I mean -- missionaries....... Who else would bother?
Greetings to you my brother,
As you mentioned earlier, we could be mighty tasty
On a more pragmatic level, we don't know what resources we have on this planet that beings from other worlds might need. A few posts back, someone had mentioned the 1980's series V. Aside from wanting humans to breed for food and use as cannon fodder to fight their wars, they also wanted our water, which was running out on their homeworld.
Or indeed an alien race could be driven by the desire to explore for the sake of knowledge itself. I would think that a race sufficently advanced to be able to travel in deep space would not have the desire to do so just to spread their religious views. Not to say that their faith system may not be important to them, but I would suspect that any society that had gotten their, ah, stuff together sufficiently to develop the technology necessary for interstellar flight would have grown out of the need to spread their faith by force or for it even to be driven by a primary desire to proselytize. Even in our own earthbound religions, that isn't always an important aspect of faith.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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Greetings to you all my sisters and brothers,
It is an interesting topic.
Depending on why our Aliens are exploring (are they just looking for a planet to strip the resources from or enslave) or are they really interested in learning of the different cultures, they could indeed find many concepts of interest in our different religious systems. They may not find them very useful depending on their own histories and contexts, but if anything how we express our different faiths and live them out will certainly tell them a great deal about us.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 2/15/2019 at 1:51 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
I don't know the quote that you're thinking of.
Motel Six says that they will "leave the light on for you".
It's too bad they don't clean the room too
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One of the best episodes ever.
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3 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
It was an old episode of the Twilight Zone. An alien, addressing the U.N., puts down his book and leaves it there. The title translated as -- "TO SERVE Man". It turned out to be a cookbook.
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14 hours ago, Key said:
Sure, ya leave for July, and the fireworks kept happening here, and ya missed it all! LOL
Welcome back.
14 hours ago, Key said:Sure, ya leave for July, and the fireworks kept happening here, and ya missed it all! LOL
Welcome back.
Wait, what did I miss?
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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Greetings to you all my sisters and brothers,
Well now, I've been away for about 7 months. After being out of the full-time ministry for some years, I had been asked by my church if I would serve as interim Pastor for the month of July while the search was on for a new pastor. Since my church is relatively small (only about 60 members) and since I had been preaching there once a month, I said sure....
I had forgotten over the years how time-consuming being the pastor of even a small church can be. I had neglected to take into account that even though we only have 60 members on the books, our free meal program (where we serve about 100 people each Saturday night) and our day center for the homeless which serves 15 - 20 people three times a week, would be a large drain on my time. And since I have a full-time job, I have been absolutely stretched to the breaking point. Which explains why I have been inactive here since June.
But now we have a new Pastor. I have my pew back. And I look forward to being an active member of the forum again.
In Solidarity
Reverend Calli
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On 6/22/2018 at 3:31 AM, RevBaro said:
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Administrative Directive Number AD-03.42 (rev. 1); Date: July 28/2015; Page 1 of 10: Supersedes: AD-03.42 January 13, 2015
Subject: Offender Marriages; Authority: Tex. Fam. Code §§ 2.001-2.012, 2.202; Tex. Gov't code §§ 493.001, 493.006, 494.002; ED-02.04, "Texas Department of Criminal Justice Fundraising,: AD-03.72, "Offender Property;" TDCJ Visitation Plan; American Correctional Association Standards 4-4293 and 4-4498; Applicability: Texas Dept of Criminal Justice (TDCJ); Policy: Under Procedures: Section II; A Officiant ...shall complete the Application of Person Requesting to Perform Marriage (Attachment A) and submit it to the Access to Courts headquarters at least one week prior to the schedule marriage date.
What information is available regarding the subject matter?
What are the liability issues for "signing this agreement" for state facility and how does this document relate to "seperation of church and state"? Is the Officiates signature an agreement with the facility a part of the prisoners permanet file? Before, during and after ... what are the liabilty issues (pros and cons) for the officant and how does it effect the permanent record for the individual that is officiating? It has been observed by some individuals (names shall remain unknown) when a person has been incarcerated it is a part of their permanent record and if criminal activity does arise an offender is a suspect then the associates not excluding ministers. What kind of practical measures can be taken for risk management for the church, ministers, volunteers and members when relating to paroles and individuals that have been incarcerated?
Greetings to you my sister,
This is probably a question you are going to want to ask an attorney licensed in Texas to answer. Either that, or contact the Main Office in Modesto and see if they have any insight about this rule. Since each state has different rules, it's hard for someone like me for example in Wisconsin to know how a rule is interpreted and applied in Texas.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 4/16/2018 at 5:46 AM, Jwells said:
Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I live in Missouri, but my wife and I lived several years in Alaska, where our daughter was born. I became ordained mainly so I can do weddings. My work schedule will be changing this summer so I'll have weekends off, and thought that might be a nice side vocation. As I told my wife, after spending all week in a cold, wet factory, it would be nice to spend an afternoon in a place where people are happy.
After becoming ordained, I've been looking through the various courses offered, and am thinking maybe I could learn more and maybe do more with this. I've already ordered a few things, including the 'Weddings, Rites and Funerals' book for a little research. Was thinking about the chaplaincy program, so I could volunteer at local veterans organizations and maybe local hospitals. Would like to hear comments from folks who have completed some of the courses, and your thoughts.
My ideology is basically that of an open minded skeptic, although I don't begrudge anyone their practices if it makes them a better person. Although I attended church regularly as a kid, I've never considered myself a particularly religious person. I've met too many people over the years (including members of my family) that use their beliefs as an excuse to be judgmental and exclusionary. I believe it is up to the individual to decide what is right for himself or herself. I think the idea of an Interfaith Minister is a good fit for me.
Will stop my ramblings now to say once again, Hello Everyone!
Greetings to you my brother,
Welcome to the forum. There are multiple sources getting information on doing weddings. I myself have a humble site here with info that you may find useful.
As to chaplaincy, the courses offered here, while they may be useful, will probably not qualify you to do chaplaincy work at local hospitals. Most of those are going to require to take what is known as Clinical Pastoral Education. You can find out more about those programs here: https://www.acpe.edu/
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 5/6/2018 at 9:09 PM, BrotherSteveWayne said:
Hi. New and just wanted to say hello to you all.
Greetings to you my brother,
Welcome to the forum.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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Greetings to you all my brothers and sisters,
First I must apologize for not being more active here on the board lately. With this being my busy season at work and my other interests, I haven't had as much time as I would like to monitor things that take place here.
That being said, I think it needs to be said, somewhat forcefully, that everyone here is at very different places in their faith journeys, and in their ability to express themselves in a way that is respectful of other peoples beliefs. People here should be able to share their faith and/or their viewpoints with others, without feeling the need to beat each other up over these very personal and subjective issues. If you don't like what someone is saying here, you don't have to take it as a personal challenge or attempt to get others to come over to your way of thinking.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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Greetings to you my brother,
Welcome back!
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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12 hours ago, mererdog said:
If you swap out "relationship" for "community," it goes a long way towards explaining why it might be easier for white guys to label themselves atheists than for members of historically oppressed minority groups to do so.
Greetings to you my brother,
A very good point.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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39 minutes ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
My Agnostic reasoning tells me that when death comes, there are two possibilities. Either something happens, or nothing happens. If it's nothing, I won't even find out.
If it's something, there are two possibilities. Either it's conscious or it's not conscious. If it's not conscious, I won't even find out. If it is conscious -- it will be a once in a life time experience.
Either way, life is short. I'll know soon enough. Or not.
Greetings to you my brother,
Be like Woody Allen, who once quipped "I don't believe in an afterlife, but I am taking a change of underware."
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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1 hour ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
Then why are most church leadership positions filled by men? Even in churches that allow women into all positions -- most church leaders are men. What ever the answer is, it's more complicated than spiritual passion. Or "relationship".
Greetings to you my brother,
Actually, in my denomination, the leadership is pretty much 50/50. However, I think historically it was because even though women tended to be more religious than men, men as in most of society in general held the leadership posts in everything, not just in the churches. Sad, but it's a historical fact. It's really only been in our lifetimes that women in America at least have been able to insist on their God given rights to be equal in all things, including leadership positions in the church.
In Solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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20 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
I've met women who are hard line, hard core anti-theists. We are all individuals.
Even now, with all the changes that have come to society; women still do the bulk of domestic chores and child rearing. If women do the bulk of church work -- it's not because they're more spiritual. It's because they're more responsible. Somebody has to step up or it doesn't get done.
Greetings to you my brother,
Without question. There is no hard and fast rule. And your point is well taken regarding the women being more responsible. But in my experience, I do feel that women do crave relationship more then men do, and so that is why women typically find Christianity especially appealing because of the emphasis on relationship.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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19 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
It means that your understanding is not mainstream. It's not a problem for me. I doubt that it's a problem for you.
Greetings to you my brother,
I don't know. For most of the Christians I know, it is a mainstream viewpoint. We just don't shout as loud as some of my more fundamentalist brothers and sisters.
In Solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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2 hours ago, mark 45 said:
i would also hope that for as long as we have"known"each other,you do not feel that way.i have a great deal of respect for you or i would not have requested your help at various times.
i get nervous when people ask me,what happens after you die,and then try to stuff a boat load of verses from their book down my throat.my answer is simple;like the buddha said:"no one has come back to tell me".
if someone finds whatever they are looking for in life,from wherever that's all good.
Greetings to you my brother,
Thou art indeed wise my dear friend. While I, of course, have no doubt that there is an afterlife, I have no clear idea of what it will actually be like, other than good.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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20 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
Silly man. You're a friend who is also a preacher. Not the same thing at all.
I don't need my friends to agree with me.
.gif ":thumbu:")
Greetings to you my brother,
Woo...I was worried for a moment there.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 4/1/2018 at 1:27 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:
I am. Another preacher, come to save our souls.
Greetings to you my brother,
cough cough...ahem? Is this really what you think of me?
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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Greetings to you all my brothers and sisters,
I hesitate to answer, since perhaps it will come across as sexist, but since we are a open group:
I suspect the Pew Research report reflects one of the things that I believe is a difference in the way males and females think. Men have a tendency to think, I believe, in very concrete terms. They are more likely to make decisions based on objective facts. Since matters of faith are not easily provable in the same way the scientific knowledge is provable, men tend to be less open to religion. That doesn't mean men don't come to faith or belief, but it's typically not as important a part of a man's life as it is a women's. If you go to pretty much any church, it is the women who are usually the most active and do most of the work that keeps the church actually functioning.
While women also rely primarily on facts, they also tend to place more of an emphasis on relationships then men do. In Christianity, relationship with God is a major emphasis. So it's natural I feel that women would be more attracted to the Christian faith. Living in relationship with God and each other is a very appealing to someone who finds the concept of being in relationship attractive.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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12 hours ago, cuchulain said:
Don't they all? "In the beginning..." and all that? Where their God is directly talking to them? I mean, if they believe in Adam and Eve literally, wouldn't that have made them the first "Christians"? I know I am using the term lightly, as Christians are technically followers of Christ who didn't live back then and all that, but I am talking about that prime source, if you can see where I am aiming. I am wondering what happened from direct knowledge of God, from Adam and Eve, that led their people to descend into worshipping different beings, when their parents KNEW God was real(that is, if any of it was real).
Greetings to you my brother,
Oh dear, I don't even believe in Adam and Eve, does that make me less of a Christian?
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
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On 3/31/2018 at 1:58 PM, cuchulain said:
i wonder of late. if the bible IS infallible, and Christianity evolved from Judaism, and that began roughly 1500 b.c.e. by all the sources i can find, but the biblical age of the world is about 6k years...
why no evidence from BEFORE Judaism? There was apparently 2500 years before Judaism, biblically speaking. Am I missing something obvious?
Greetings to you my brother,
You're missing the obvious point that the Bible is a book of faith, not science. If you try to take it and come up with the age of the world, or history is we would understand it, you miss the point completely. The bible is a history of how the people of ancient Israel and early Christianity came to understand their relationship with God. Is it infallible? Not in the way my fundamentalist brothers and sisters would insist. It teaches us what God wants us to know about being a people of faith, and especially when we get into the New Testament, how we are to live in relationship with each other, as Christ taught.
In solidarity,
Rev. Calli
value of religion
in Philosophy & Theory
Posted
Greetings to you my brother,
My dear brother really now, Macroevolution is about as robust a theory as one can find in science. To be a person of faith does not mean we have to deny the clear evidence of the magnificence of how our Creator carefully designed the natural order of the universe simply because we are trying to uphold a beautiful creation myth. It does God an injustice and does the bible an injustice (for in fact the Bible is not a book of Science). We learn the ultimate meaning of why from the Holy Scriptures. Science teaches us how God works in the Universe.
Your brother in Christ,
Rev. Calli