BishopM

Hmmm...seems odd...like it is pushing the Bible to the point of idolatry...

For-Profit colleges are the scku ...

Its good the statue is gone.

Close down the football program for a while, and let the kids transfer.

Watched 'The Grey' last night with the wife.

I thought the idea for the movie was good. However, it wasn't that great of a flick. I normally don't mind cussing in movies at all...but in this movie every single line seemed to carry the F-bomb, which got boring after a while. And, I was expecting some kind of rokkin-awesome Liam Neeson vs. Wolf fight scene at the end, but...it never happened...so that was a downer.

Overall though, I'd still give a 7, pretty good!

why do some VJ members like to mention God for all there hard work?

I know about freedom of religion, but come on now!

does anybody else feel this way also?

I believe there may be a God just like most people.

but I don't go around preaching this to other VJ members.

I like to deal with facts versus believes, and I also speak the truth!

I find that hard work and praying to God gives me and others the same results as hard work only.

and I also find that praying only gives you no results!

so my conclusion is, praying obviosly does not help.

I love to chat about God/Religion/Theology when someone else wants to chat about it and has a sincere interest in the conversation.

I don't love to chat about God/Religion/Theology when someone else wants to chat about it and does not have a sincere interest in the conversation, but instead has their own 'agenda'...I find that tiring so I avoid those conversations.

Haven't been on VJ in a while...

I'm just sayin' that its good to see OT back in VJ

And as usual, also just sayin' blessings to the thread!

Brother LI,

I also agree that the Book of Numbers is incredibly boring......but, you didn't hear that from me!

Two things: When someone new to Christianity asks for my advice about reading the Bible 1) I never recommend the King James version and 2) I never recommend they start at the beginning.

Excellent suggestions! I would agree and and one more:

NEVER start by reading the Last Book, which is the Book of Revelations! That Book is just too..well...'out there'...but a lot of Evangelical/Fundamentalists seem to only care about this bizarre chapter (perhaps because it creates fear )! I rarely, if ever, read the Book of Revelations...I just don't/can't get it ...but, hey - thats just me

+1

I went to a parochial school (Catholic) my freshman and sophomore years in high school, and beyond the passages spoken during Mass, I hadn't read the Bible. In fact, most Catholics do not read the Bible because the Church has a different approach to their religion, which is NOT based solely on scripture. So when I had my first religious studies class and we began to read the Book of Genesis, my teacher, Mr. Ribiki (who was from Detroit) told us students that there was no actual Adam and Eve, and that the Story of Creation is just that, a story. Catholics look at the Bible as clearly man-made, but inspired by God. While there are historical facts interwoven with storytelling, for the most part, Catholics do NOT regard each passage as the actually word of God. And even for most Protestants outside the U.S., they do not think it's literally the word of God. It's only the fundamentalists here in the states who started to think that anyone could pick up the Bible, read it, and know exactly what God was saying, no matter how bizarre, convoluted, or contradictory it was. The great irony in that is that these types of Christians who believe the Bible is literally the word of God and requires no careful study, understanding or discernment, habitually will have their preachers tell them what God is trying to say because apparently not everyone was given the gift of understanding what He wants everyone to understand.

But beyond that, the King James version is really not a good one to read from because the translation is not very contemporary compared to say, the American Bible. It is definitely not something that is easy to read and while there are some real pieces of good literature in it, some of it is just incomprehensible, like John's Book of Revelation.

While some Christians make the claim that their religion is based on the Bible, Christianity is really is built upon a concept or belief, which doesn't require the Bible or any other object to validate it. All it needs is faith.

Hey Steve,

Long time no VJ...good to see you're still around +1

Regarding your post...I would have written the exact same reply. You're exactly right in what you've said. I love your bolded part above best If I had never read the Bible, I would still believe in God because...well...I have my reasons

Once I was reading an interpretation of the Bhadgavad Gita by Mahatma Ghandi. In the first few paragraphs, prior to his interpretation of the first verse he made a very interesting comment (at least it was interesting to me!). He said, and I paraphrase, "I quickly deducted that God uses real life situations to extol heavenly ideas." In other words, the purpose of the Bhadgavad Gita is not to memorize, literally, each and every of the 700 verses, but rather grasp the Spirit of the verse. I've always read the Christian Bible in the same manner, never once taking it as a literal/history book.

I also don't like the KJV. I don't know why people stick with that version because its very difficult to read. The first time I really read the Bible is was the KJV and I was totally baffled and, like Brother LI states, fed up. Shortly after that, I switched to the NIV and then the Bible made MUCH more sense...simple because it was in a language I could understand! Now my preferred version is the Saint Joseph's NASB...awesome read, with cool notes

Blessings!

MK

Joseph Campbell said it best, when asked his favorite religion. He said, roughly, there are so many wonderful stories out there, that is, it would be hard to pick one religion over the other. I am afraid I lost my innocence.

Well said, brother. And, quite apropos, indeed +1

If I've learned anything about foreign affairs it's this - DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN!

Ya know...I thought that movie would be the scuk...but, I really enjoyed it, its awesome

I knew that this parable somehow involved St. Vitus.

Brother 5, Blessings! And, yes, you know me well

In fact, now that I think about it, lets make that a shot of blessings a double!

MK

I helped the environment today (and saved a nickel) by just-sayin'-NO when asked if I needed my 6 pack in a plastic bag.

I iz a responsiblz citizen.

Blessings!

Whenever I try to say what I think about this subject, I ramble incoherently. Too much noise, not enough signal.

Ya...pretty much the same happens here...plus I sukc at debate...am more interested in conversation and learning.

However, I don't base most of my religious life on the Bible only. Though I have read the bible perpetually for over a decade, I still haz a confuz

So, if in your original question when you said 'word'...well I can find support in the Bible for the Hindu religion (mainly from the Gospels), but overall I use my own experiences with God as the foundation for my belief...so, thats just my 2 cents...so some Christians might think I'm stretching the Christian truth a bit...but some don't...

Anyways, whats a guy to do? Forget about his own personal revelations in lieu of a Bible teacher's instructions? I don't think so

Blessings! VJB

How can there be a Hindu religion when the word itself isn't of 'Hindu' origin?

I have no idea? Your thoughts?

Are you sure you are not turning Hindu, brother Bishop?

I'm sure. I am Catholic and always will be Catholic! However, I do love the Hindu religion, and others. I try to spend as much time studying it (and others) as I do my own religion. I dunno, I learn my own religion better when I have something to 'bounce it off of'...that just me though

As your saviour brother, all that I touch is holy. This is my will. These are my words. Let it be true.

Fixxored!

I have a Holy t-shirt just for Sundays.

Same here...used for working around the house after mass :-)

Surely CNN didn't air this? O' boy......

You know, I don't have any idea why a person is straight or gay, I'm just going to love them the same. Its not that difficult.

I remember when I moved from Texas to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996 I was shocked about the GA school system! Texas had great public schools at that time and I was worried about putting my kids in a GA public school. At that time, I would have probably supported handcuffs in school...it was B-A-D!

Anyone who has spent time in a poor/rich neighborhood can easily see the difference, and I've noticed that trees are a part of the difference.

It was really strange pushing the cart out of the store, and no bags.

Hmmmm...but this is interesting...remember back in the 70s when all products in the grocery store had a ton of extra packaging? And, sometime during that decade, it was decided that all that extra packaging was not necessary/wasteful...so the majority of it was removed. So, perhaps it is the same with the use of plastic bags? I mean, do we really need 'em? I mean, do I really need my 12 pack of beer put into a plastic bag? Nah...

Maybe next time, if I forget to bring the plastic bags, I won't take option B of buying them for a nickel. I'll just wheel them out to the car sans bagging completely. Good thoughts...why not?

Ya...its going to be a boring day here. I'm on vacation, wife is working. However, I still have to do a couple hours of month-end reporting (from home)...and then taking my wife/daughter to the airport tomorrow so they can go home for a month. so, sure, I have time to join the Great Plastic Bag Debate! VJ can still be fun

Hmmmm...I never saw that movie. Looks groovy/corny all mixed together I'll have to check it out.

But to answer your question, I doez haz a Holy

Blessings to Soldiers. I never was one, but my Father was...and the OP is right: it obviously means a lot more to him than to me. For me, I value what they gave, but I didn't experience it so I can't fully digest it in the same way. I just have to give them my respect, which I do...

I pray for no more wars, but I guess I just choose to be naive... Blessings! VJB

Most people in the DC area believe this is just a way for the stores to make another 5 cents per bag...

For me, I could care care less about the nickel(s). If I remember to bring a bag, I'll use it...if I don't, I'll cough up a nickel. So be it...