RevRainbow

Dear Q, I always enjoy your poetry and I feel the heaviness in your words. Would be that we could write of other things, like sealing wax and cabbages and kings. Peace. RR

Thank you for your kind words and wishes. Your posts in this forum have always been inspiring, compassionate, and without malice.

Why is it that I can only envision Barney Fife singing Santa Lucia?

Oh yeah, I remember the candlelight processions, especially at Christmas when I sung in the boys choir. And it's hard to imagine that folks put lit candles on the trees! Wow, I wouldnt even think of doing that now! Of course, those electric lights that fizzled and popped on our real tree wasnt much better now that I think of it. Ah, childhood.

This guy.

Thank you rabbi. And happy holidays to all in the spirit of the season.and "Festivus for the rest of us."

An enjoyable read. Hope you eventually got some hefty, good food.

add my prayers also.

You and I should get stoned together. And I dont mean that in a biblical sense.

The (sometimes) Right Rev Rainbow apologizes for the bold face type in his subsequent response above, following the quoted passages box. I wasn't trying to be overly emphatic or anything. I was just typing with the bold thingy on and did not reduce it back to regular type. Dont want nobody to think I have to yell around here.

I have never witnessed more fervent attempts to discredit the Bible, as though, if that could be done, its demise as the Word of God would wipe out Judaism and Christianity because then we would have nothing sacred to base our beliefs on. Yes, I am disgusted as to the way the Bible and other Sacred Books have been used by self seeking, self- important tyrants to control and manipulate the masses - yes. But it is not the Bible that provokes evil - by no means - it is the hearts of men. And I am also saddened by the way those who have experienced or witnessed these evil acts of intolerance and hate, become themselves intolerant and hateful towards any group of believers. Like ex-smokers, some of the most aggressive attacks on the Bible have come from ex-denominational Christians! I believe this is directly attributed to the mis-use of scripture employed by the teachers within that denomination, the most noticeable attack being labeled as "hypocrite." I have experienced this situation in my own spiritual growth and can understand the emotional feeling and turmoil that comes from thinking one has been deceived. But again, it is not the Word of God that deceives, but the evil within the hearts of men. I do not disagree with the charges of what evil has been done in the Name of God through manipulation of Scripture. Attacking the Bible (I am not referring to legitimate commentary/debate on alleged discrepancies, et al) only makes the believers in its core message more defensive. By exposing false teachers of scripture, which should be done by the more spiritual in these matters, one gains solid ground, for most believers are not drones but seekers, and will/should consider and weigh the words of two or more witnesses. Peace.

Baltimore is as good as being lost.

Fawzo, you old reprobate, name me one sacred writing other than the Bible that has been criticized here even half as much. Im not talking about individuals and their own take on it, I mean the book by itself. PS: I am enjoying my little geodes, thank you. Interesting when you crack open what appears to be a worthless rock, there is a sparkly treasure inside, you old wretch.

Dear Hooka, Perhaps I should mention, as I have stated times past, that when I use the term "God" by itself, I am using a generic definition of The Creator, whom some may believe is MY God, and others, THEIR God. We have different concepts of just Whom God is, and when you state that "no disrespect to my beliefs," I must assume you interpret my use of the word selectively. If I had said "My God," then you would be correct. But the response was replying to the purpose of Fawzo's milk carton test analogy. While my God is the God of the Bible, I did not exclude yours, or anyone else's Gods (if indeed they be "other"), unless by cargo cult you inferred that some people worship milk cartons. If they have faith in that milk carton, then, let them do as they will. My point simply was, by conducting a test as mentioned by Fawzo, one cannot arrive at any conclusion without the "Faith Factor." Did those people in the test, truly beleive the milk carton would answer, or did they pray with sarcasm. And to what God did the others pray? Where they all Catholics, Fundamentalists, or a multi-faith group or even unbelievers with contempt for any specific God? By no means, unless one is looking for debate, should my response have been understood as an indication that MY God is the only One who answers prayer. Yes, from my experience, MY God does answer prayer, but I cannot speak for someone else of a different faith who also prays in fervent faith. Many people pray to representative images, so, perhaps (I do not know) those praying to the milk carton, where using it as a representative image of their concept of God and not praying directly to it AS God, but merely a symbol OF God, which then could be merely a faith inducing visual concept. For instance, in Catholicism, people would deny they are actually praying to the statue of St. Peter, Paul or Mary, but rather using the statue as a visual representative concept. Indeed, it is not the statue of Jesus that answers prayer (at least it should not be). Knowing on this forum one must walk on eggshells most of the time, it is difficult to make a point without incurring some negative response. To me, simply dropping a comment about a "test" of praying to a milk carton vs a generic God (with no reference or documentation to consider), can be taken as an insult quite easily. Yet, that is overlooked and my response to it critiqued in an unfavorable light. With no disrespect to the Cargo Cult,of which I am well aware, my point was simply that without faith, one cannot expect to have prayers answered. Fawzo's "test" was no doubt employed as a device to disprove effectual prayer and that is why I used the term of milk carton in the same context as the test. I do agree with Robin, that on this forum, the Bible, and subsequently those who believe in its inspiration, seems to be, IMO, the most favored to be negatively criticized.

Nothing I said should be interpreted that I disagree with you.

If one does not have faith in their praying, nor trust in God to answer their prayers, they might as well pray, then, to a milk carton. We don't test God, we trust Him and we know, when we ask, He hears us.

There were not too many who could cause me to blow beer out my nose laughing, but he was one, for certain. Rest in Peace.