panpareil

Someday someone will snap because of them, and commit an act of violence that will cause what they are doing to be considered very much like yelling fire in a crowded theater. When people are physically hurt as a consequence of their speech the court may view it differently. They just have not hurt the right grieving person yet, but they eventually will. In the meantime they should be shunned.

We are responsible for our thoughts dreams and I would go even farther to say the contents of our lives and reality. The mistake is in thinking our rational consciousness is our entire mind. It is more like a leaf floating on the sea of our total mind. Either we choose to control what is in our minds or we choose not to. We also choose to believe we are capable of doing so or not. If you want to be conscious in your dreams there are many books on lucid dreaming that provide techniques to do so. The images in our dreams are from our unconsciousness. They are memories of the day, or they are symbols of the workings of our unconsciousness. Either way they are ours. You can be passive if you choose, and just drift through your life. Or you can actively direct your life. Both ways you will still retain responsibility. If you are responsible while in the the drivers seat of a moving car you might as well make the effort to drive it. Or you can just blame the other guy you run into(society/environment), or the car itself(genetics/disability), or the cars maker(god/parents). By the way, I have also had to deal with trauma that broke both my mind, and my body, and I have met others who have as well. You are limited only by yourself, and your will. Everything has the possibility of being overcome. Nothing is impossible.

There is no before the beginning or after the end. There is nothing that does not exist at least in its components. Eternity and infinity are not linear they are just closed.

I see the universe as self-created, as is each piece of it. It is a bottom-up process not a top-down process, which explains its chaotic appearance. All the parts are independent, but are limited by all the other parts. Consciousness is a spectrum. Even humans come in a wide variety, from the super intelligent to the vegetative. Each part of the universe is conscious in its own limited way.

Merry met!

Not all American freedoms are honored in the rest of the world. At least not until others do the work that we have done and continue to do to obtain and maintain possession of these rights. Freedom is not free. We must work and sacrifice for it.

Or more importantly, CHANGE WHAT YOU SEE! Also, as to the original prayer, I would only change the word rule to govern. Leaders are inevitable, but rulers are detrimental, unnecessary, and should be dispensed with. Deus vult!

So is free will the ability to do what God can not know?

It is possible that a person can grow out of their religious beliefs. Even those who are rigid can be pushed to epiphany by life events. Facing a traumatic event can cause you to change, integrating the experience. This can be both into and out of atheism. What religious communities provide is a way to channel these experiences to reinforce community beliefs, embedding a person deeper in their beliefs and community. This is usually a good thing. I don't know where I'm going with this. I think I need more coffee.

These?

Attention all witches!! Please turn to the right. Do you see that guy on the cross? That's Christ. There ya go. All witches have been turned to Christ.

My favorite verse is 2.19. "The one who knows this as the slayer and the one who thinks it slain are both mistaken, the embodied soul is neither slayer nor slain." The soul is imperishable and life's suffering or joy is only part of the play. Do not confuse the play with the player. Do not avoid the part you must play. There is no point in doing so. (just my take)

The Rev. Hensley started the Life Church in 1959, and later incorporated the Universal Life Church in May 2nd, 1962. I will re-read the material that I have found on this but there appears to be a difference at least in scope between the Life Church and the Universal Life Church. Enough that would not consider them the same entity, any more than I would consider the Monastery to be the same entity as the ULC. The day of incorporation is also a definite day of the year. I have not found a documented day for the start of the Life Church. Happy ULC Day!!

Celebrate the 48th anniversary of the official founding of the Universal Life Church, and the right of religious freedom. Happy ULC Day!! (I know I'm a few hours early)

Since choice of religious belief is a God given right, I can not comply with your wishes. Religious freedom is paramount in the Universal Life Church, which means respecting the religious choices of others. Good luck with your internal battle though. I wish you peace and contentment.

Does liberal Christianity allow God given freewill? Is a person to be unfettered in actions and beliefs that do not directly harm others? Or does Liberal Christianity stick its nose into other people business as much as Fundamentalism? Is being rich as bad as being gay? Is not sharing as bad as an abortion? Are Liberal Christians driven to be the hand of God like Fundamentalists?

Dinosaurs are not extinct. I eat some every day. We just no longer call them dinosaurs because they have changed and are smaller. Most animals have gotten smaller. Except for us. We seem to be getting bigger. There was a flood about 10,000 years ago or so. It marked the last big melt of the present Ice Age. It flooded our oceans and the are at a much higher level than they were at the peak of the last glaciation. If you are worried about the rising water, don't be. This is also peaking and the return of the ice is around the corner. I saw a program on TV about the recent efforts to unlock some genes during the development of bird embryos. By turning on various dormant gene groups they are able to spur the development of teeth and scales, resulting in animals which would be more recognized as dinosaurs that birds. They are planning to eventually release to dinosaur trapped inside the bird. This is where those who disagree with evolution will never prevail. The past of all animals is still existent in the DNA of current animals, with the exception of animals that have gone extinct. But even the DNA of extinct animals is slowly being retrieved for study. DNA is not just a blueprint for current life; It also contains a record of past life. As for the abilities of prehistoric man, they were the same as our own. We have not changed much in the past few ten of millennium. Some of us have developed lighter skin thanks to the Ice Age. Some of us are more about to digest milk or other foods. None of us has grown a giant brain. If anything humans have devolved due to the lack of physical stress our society is subjected to.

Materialist excess is not limited to this season, but fills the whole year. Jesus is not used in advertising because it would be tasteless, and opposed by Christians as sacrilegious. I personally find the myth of Santa Claus to be more than adequate to represent this holiday. The fact is, Jesus is a dwindling part of the popular celebration of this season. Which should not be a surprise, as he was not a part of the origin of this holiday, only appearing centuries after its inception. The point of this holiday is to bring light to the darkest part of the year, to bring cheer to the the most depressing part of the year, and to bring us close to our family and friends, and those who are neither. It is a season of sharing and giving, and of gratitude, acceptance, and peace. Holidays are about people, not gods. Join the party.

What guy?

Except that most copies are always stolen.

Celebrate the birth of Sri Ganesha, Elephant-Faced Lord, Master of Poets, Lord of Music, Knowledge Bestower, Remover of Obstacles, Bestower of Success, First Among All, Conqueror of Death, Lord of All Lords, Master of The Universe, Bestower of Eternal Bliss, Abode of Happiness. May the blessings of Lord Ganesha be upon you. May he remove all obstacles in your path toward wisdom, prosperity, and success.