Recent Posts

21

Religion & Society / Re: Sessions cites Romans 13

« Last post by velkyn on Yesterday at 06:30:45 PM »

I hadn't realized that AG Sessions cited Romans 13 for his excuses for his and Trump's actions.

“Persons who violate the law of our nation are subject to prosecution. I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.”

of course, this would mean that this god is responsible for Nazis and Confederates and despots all over.  And hmmm, where was this verse and calls for obedience when Obama and Clinton were president?   

Romans 13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.  2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;  4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority[a] does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer.  5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.  6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing.  7 Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

I'd ask our believers here what they think about this, but I'm guessing they'll do their best to ignore this thread.

I process this as counter-intuitive. If believers at that time "followed the laws of government" Christianity would have never hit the ground, or at least would not have spread as fast as it did. Romans were executing Christians. It must have been banned by Rome. The law of Israel was Judaism.

It is in stark contrast to what Jesus did, question the authority of Pharisees and Sadducees. (I'm finding a lot of contrast between the letters and Jesus.)

paul was trying to find an audience and you can google paul vs jesus to see just how much they disagreed.  Other Christians of course will say that they don't disagree at all.   it's no surprise that our resident Christians haven't peeped about this issue. 

22

Chatter / Re: White Supremacy White House

« Last post by velkyn on Yesterday at 06:27:43 PM »

Trump would be happy to be a Nazi and his minions wouldn't flinch about it either.   The apologists who always claimed it was the economy were simply wrong. 

23

General Religious Discussion / Re: Have you ever gotten into a discussion about God with a friend or family membe?

« Last post by Chronos on Yesterday at 06:06:55 PM »

Yes, I have, but not many. I'm not sure if I want them to think less of me or me think less of them. Luckily I have some family members that are atheists and we can just blow some steam on occasion.

Mainly I stay on my side of the DMZ.

However, in deepest darkest western Pennsylvania (where Trump got a lot of votes), they can't admit this too loudly.   This is a place that a St. Francis statue gets comments because you might be one of those damn Papists!

But what about the hundreds (possibly thousands) of Virgin Marys in front yards going up 220?  I'm sure they voted for Herr Drumpf. They likely just tolerate the current pope as the unfortunate interregnum before The Return of Jesus^TM (coming in August 2021 to a theater near you).

24

Chatter / Re: Plastic bags

« Last post by One Above All on Yesterday at 05:07:30 PM »

Addendum: Paper bags aren't a thing in Portugal, outside very specific uses in supermarkets and most stores. When you ask the cashier for a bag, it's understood to be a plastic bag, since there is no alternative.

25

Chatter / Re: Plastic bags

« Last post by wright on Yesterday at 05:03:23 PM »

I use reusable bags most of the time. Most stores in my area still offer paper bags for a dime, so if I forget my reusables, I get paper and use them as garbage or cat litter bags.

26

Chatter / Re: Plastic bags

« Last post by Mr. Blackwell on Yesterday at 04:50:04 PM »

I can't remember the last time I saw paper bags in a grocery store or a Walmart or the mall or gas station. We also reuse plastic bags as trash bags but even then, they all still eventually end up at the local landfill. Funny thing about trash being tossed about and floating in the wind or on the sides of roads is that I don't see much of that going on where I live. However, I do see some of that trash floating around where I work.

27

Chatter / Re: Plastic bags

« Last post by One Above All on Yesterday at 02:31:37 PM »

We do have plastic bags in Portugal, but they cost 10 cents each. We also have canvas bags that cost 50 cents, but are much sturdier. I have half a dozen canvas bags that I keep for various purposes (including shopping) and 10-20 plastic bags that I use (and reuse) for shopping. I usually keep a couple canvas bags in the car for "emergency shopping", plus a few plastic bags.

28

Chatter / Re: Plastic bags

« Last post by LoriPinkAngel on Yesterday at 02:27:30 PM »

Stores around here offer an option between paper and plastic.  They also very prominently display reusable bags for sale for $1.00.  People very largely seem to prefer the plastic.  When the subject of banning plastic bags is brought up people complain that they need the plastic bags because they reuse them as garbage bags.  That does not explain the plastic bags always littered around.  I use reusable bags for groceries but in other stores I end up getting plastic bags.

29

General Religious Discussion / Re: What happens when you believe things on faith

« Last post by stuffin on Yesterday at 12:05:36 PM »

Hasidic 'defectors' find challenges, isolation in pursuing a new life

"The less they know of the outside world the better it is."

“Often they don’t have the tools,” said Samuel Heilman, a sociology professor at the City College of New York and an authority on Hasidic Jews. Hasidic leaders, he said, "do their best not to teach males secular subjects -- this renders them unfit for many jobs. They grow up speaking only Yiddish. They’re functionally illiterate.”

Deen wrote that he often felt clueless when listening to his non-Hasidic friends chat: “I had never been on a date. I had never heard of the Beatles. And I thought ‘May the Force be with you’ meant ‘May God be with you."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/06/13/hasidic-defectors-find-challenges-isolation-in-pursuing-new-life.html

30

General Religious Discussion / Re: Have you ever gotten into a discussion about God with a friend or family membe?

« Last post by YouCantHandleTheTruth on Yesterday at 11:22:44 AM »

I've tried - every single time it led to "well how did everything get here then?" and it's said in a smarmy matter.

If you're going to have these discussions, you'll have to do so calmly, and even tell each other "I'll give you 5 minutes then you give me 5 minutes to respond, with no interruptions."

If it's just "Oh I can't wait to get in my insulting zinger," it'll be a disaster.  I've been there too many times and it's very frustrating.  These people are essentially of the same mindset as Branch Davidians or any other cult.  They're in a bubble so you have to proceed gently.