betsy

What about those high-earners that cheats on taxes? If this guy's a real practicing Christian....he wouldn't be cheating the government! If he believes God is providing it, so what? It's his faith that's got you riled up! Admit it. That is persecution, you know. You're ready to turn a blind eye on others who abuse the system in more ways than you could possibly imagine....and you focus on this guy simply because he says, " God will provide. " How did you even managed to find out how much he makes? His total income? Perhaps you ought to mind your own business. You walk around with a calculator tabulating how much salary your neighbor makes? You calculate how much budget they should have for certain items? Golly! You've got too much time on your hands! I wouldn't be surprised if he's really just trying to get your goat.... Anyway, as I said....it's all about priorities.

any tips to kill chinch bugs?

First it was the soda pop, then it was the transfat....and last week, forcing mothers to breastfeed! Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mayor_knows_breast_WqU1iYRQvwbEkDuvn0vb1H#ixzz22hrdjTxy

Take a number. Get in line. Everybody's in a whiny mode these days. Even doctors with their refugee healthcare whine!

Oh yeah I gave my take on the morning-after pill. Go back there and read again!

And if I made a mistake or spoke too soon, and realized my mistake....I publicly acknowledge it. The topic, "Do you feel as we feel," is an example to that.

You're full of "you said this..." or "You said that...." I'm not even going to bother because obviously you didn't understand the gist of what I said....at least, not in its right context. I don't flipflop, AW.

I'd imagine that's what someone would say when he doesn't have anything to rebutt. I guess you ran out of steam again....that didn't last very long.

Between a married couple....no. You can enjoy sex even if you don't plan to have children. Some have this misconception that Christians are not supposed to enjoy sexual relations....well, we're allowed. With our spouses. Didn't Christ say somewhere that if you can't be celibate, it's better to marry? Or something like that.... But you have to know that having children could be the result of having sex. You have to be prepared to accept the child with grace, should you happen to concieve by accident. After all, it's not the child's fault why she/he's been concieved.

Pffft. And I already had a rebutt to that. Go to topic, Abortion Revisited.

Why? Does it bother you in any way....me talking about my faith?

You know, the kind of devastation that could unexpectedely strike anyone at anytime. Anyway, good for you that you've got plan B set in place. I couldn't say anything against that. Practical approach. I guess I should ask someone who actually faced that reality. I did. Inspite of my faith, I'm afraid that I may just be talking with full bravado....just because I haven't experienced much worse than what I've experienced before. Hence my fear that should I be put to the test (ala-Job)...I pray to God not to let me falter but to give me more strength and courage. Chances are, some may not see it that way. Some religious people lose their faith when faced with something devastating. Others commit suicide....lose control. We see the news all the time. Murder-suicide is always on the news. It seems it's no longer enough to just commit suicide these days....some have that need to drag others along with them. Mostly members of their family. I don't know what prompted these people or what belief they may have, or used to have.....but definitely, it's not the Christian thing to do. No, Christians can't just sit and wait. God would want us to take a step.

So? Did you see the OP on this topic? I'm even addressing those Christians who support abortion - thinking the Bible is silent on it. Christians or non-Christians doesn't change the message of the Authoritative Book. It's not a relativist's encyclopedia. I did! I gave you two ways of reality: Christian and non-Christian. This is becoming like the other topic....what's with you? Once you get fixated on your point....you want to see the reply (the exact way you imagine it ought to be!) Re-read my reply to you. If you don't still see my answer...then I've nothing more to say on the matter.

So is the knowledge to create the atom bomb. The nuclear warheads. Chemical weapons. Do you think we'd still be around if every dick, tom and harry can get away using everything invented by man? It is how we should use these things....if we're even supposed to use them at all. Knowledge shouldn't be used for evil purposes. That's why we have the brains to think...and a conscience that helps us discern. We're back to, tadaaaaa - free will. I'm not arguing about it. I'm just stating a fact. Not, "one should have the free will to decide." We already have that free will to decide. It's already been given....so there's no question about having it or not (unless one is incapacitated to make it). It's a question of discerning what is right or wrong. Good or evil. Ethical or un-ethical. I'm not forcing anyone to stop from using the pills or other birth control devices. I'm just stating my Christian belief.....stating my views pertaining to abortion and birth control. If I say abortion is murder....you don't have to take my word for it (although I pray that you eventually would see it that way for the sake of the innocents that are being killed). All I can do is debate and try to prove that it is so. I don't know where you're getting those ideas....or if you actually even understand what I've written.... Generally speaking, wouldn't you pick and choose on anything presented in front of you? Wouldn't you use your better judgement? Be more discerning? Ho-ho-ho....Hitler relied on evolution that's why he was trying for the master race! He had men of science - including doctors - who perform all sorts of horrific experimentations on humans. Tell me you don't approve of them.....or do you?

On Christian ground, celibacy is the answer. Celibacy is the natural form of population control. Education is being given to Africa. Pills are being sent to Africa. Since birth control devices are also being given to people in Africa - not only to prevent pregnancy but more so to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS - so what's the problem? Do they need more? Send more!

See the title of this topic? Did you read the OP? I've debated abortion in another thread without using my Christian values.

Well, if you find that an ignorant response....perhaps you should make harder effort in verbalizing your views. I was just responding to what you've said: You seem to be flip-flopping as you go along....

Well, basing it on this argument: Even if the dads are rolling in dough, why should they be forced to support another life? It's not like money grows on trees....whatever amount of salary a man makes, is obviously been earned through his labor. More so when it's the woman's choice to have the baby....not the man's. Well, how did the egg get in the incubator if nobody opened the door? Or the incubator didn't take the necessary precautions that are readily available, knowing fully well that's what the incubator's been built for?

She's always had that choice. Not unless she's so out to lunch she hadn't heard of birth control! Natural birth control....or UNnatural. Hello? Say again? You hold up the word, "choice" as her badge to rights - she's never been deprived of that, you know. I bring up the words, "responsibility" and |"accountability".....and yes, even the word, "choice!"

Naturally, she's always had control! Heck, even UNnaturally....she's been given by science and society to have that control. What more does she need? Shouldn't she exert a bit of responsibility....and accountability? What I want to know is how far back will you guys bend down to assuage what I can only imagine to be some sort of a collective humongous guilt-trip that you (society) will be willing to empower women with the right to kill. We see now that you willingly and unceremoniously stripped the rights and sacrifice the life of the unborn. Perhaps 10 years from now, we'll be arguing and debating about how you are murdering the non-viable toddlers?

That's good! We have to start somewhere, don't we?

I don't know anything about Christian Science denomination. For all I know it could've been a sect...or another cult like that Jones cult who killed everyone with cyanide kool-aid. We're not talking sect or cult here. I've never heard my church preach that we should only rely on prayers and not use science to heal us! In fact, we do pray for our members (among others) who are in the hospital for some reasons or another. What's wrong with medical science, btw? Don't I believe that science - knowledge - came from God? Why shouldn't we use it if it came from God? Obviously science was given for a reason. Haven't I said that Christians act upon decisions? Didn't our God give us free will to make decisions in life? Your son is dying from bowel obstruction which can be remedied by normal medical procedures....then why not decide to let the God-given gift of science to save your son? Isn't it arrogant of me if let's say with medical science available to do the healing, I ignore it and "pray" and try to force the hand of God to perform a miracle instead? If medical science tried to heal and is unsuccessful....that person will live if God deems it as His will. How many times did we read doctors describe the healing of a patient as a "miracle?"

I guess if you haven't had any real big worries so far (in fact you seem to be among those who'd been lucky enough to have what's described as a "charmed" life), your perspective in dealing with hardships may not be as enlightening compared to the perspective of an atheist who actually experienced real hardship. Nothing wrong with a charmed life - I'm not criticising you for it.

Let's not confuse having a "stiff upper lip" in the face of what is inevitable to mean, "tranquil peace." I couldn't exactly describe that kind of peaceful feeling....but I'll try: It's the feeling of having reassurance that says, "you've trusted in me all along....trust me on this." "it's okay....I'm here. Everything will be fine. As promised."

I spoke about a recent death of a friend....so let me use dying as an example. When one knows death is at the door, the Christian prepares for her meeting with her God. Of course there must be that certain nervousness (if not fear) about dying - since no one knows exactly what happens during the "transitional moment," so for some of us Christians it's not exactly the fear of dying but the fear of what's it like since no one has ever really explained, scientifically, how exactly it feels like. But we heard of near-death experiences accounts - most basically describing a light at the end of a tunnel - which were dismissed as hallucinations or whatever by science or those who seems to be "in the know." To a Christian, dying, as is commonly called by its name, is not actually "dying." "Dying" is just another step - or a state of being - as we wait for the second Coming. Jesus (I think) referred to it as "sleeping." Some seem to actually welcome this much-needed rest, that perhaps instead of being an active participant on earth, one can just quietly watch from the sidelines. Some perhaps, who feel they've still got purpose, or reason(s) or obligations to be fulfilled may not be too keen to leave....but of course Christians know, when your time is up, it's time to go. That's why you shouldn't tarry or procastinate in what you have to do....because you never know when that time comes. To an atheist, dying, as is commonly called by its name, is exactly what it is: the finality of death. Since an atheist doesn't believe in the spiritual....or the afterlife....death is death. You won't exist anymore. For some reason(s) some atheists welcome non-existence (perhaps because of the kind of life they have in this world), for indeed life on earth can be just a life of misery if one has not had the utter luck or random good fortune to have been accidentally born with a silver spoon, or a life of ease. Since atheists believe they have only one chance at life - and the quality of that life is largely attached to enjoyment of all wordly pleasures (which mostly means you have to have money!) - how would it be like for someone who has mostly misfortunes and misery? And then in the face of coming death.....how does that atheist reconcile himself to the fact that he'll become nothing and that one precious chance of living life wasn't what he wished it was. And then to add to that, of course it's not hard to imagine that at some point there will be that slight curiousity - the what-if - that it may not be true all along what he believed in: that there might be a God after all. How is tranquil peace possible in the moment of "death" - the same kind of tranquil peace experienced by a Christian who had lived and prepared for this next step to eternal life?