Tired_Old_Man

It is not only religious organizations that forget their calling. As an aircraft mechanic, I was a member of the IAMAW union. The IAMAW is headquartered in Washington DC, where it has a large complex of offices and many clerical workers. The clerical workers were not unionized and eventually signed cards, and voted to form a union local. The IAMAW refused to bargain with the clerical workers for an initial contract. A photograph of the clerical workers was published in the national newspapers showing the clerical workers picketing IAMAW headquarters with picket signs reading "IAMAW Unfair to Union Employees".

Carlo Ponti just died a few weeks. Who is Carlo Ponti? An old balding fat man. Why is he in the news? Because he married Sophia Loren, one of the most beautiful actresses in the world, in the 1950's. While Hollywood hunks marry Hollywood hunks constantly in "Tinsel Town" with marriages that have an average life span of a year or two, this couple stayed together for 2.5 times your life-time. Physical attraction may be a hindrance to your happiness.

The article I posted was in response to your request for a reference to my post: I never said anything about the Pope trying to run the USA, and in fact said. "it did not come from the Vatican".

I think that all organized religions are a bit too power hungry, sometimes at the expense of the religion itself. I do not think the Roman Catholic church at this time in history is any worse than other groups. I think that all organized religions should allow their members the free will God bestowed upon us.

I hope this is good enough for you. I am not going to pay the $5 to purchase the whole article.

I remember that when it happened, there was a big controversy on the news. If you insist, I will google for it.

Parallel Runways Due to the Jumbo being 3 times larger than the 757 and being behind, gives the fantastic optical illusion of seeming to fly very near to each other. A Lufthansa 747-400 and a United 757-200 were both on final approach to the parallel runways 28L and 28R at SFO. The actual runway separation is 225 meters.

IMHO, one of the threads, no the thread with the most animosity, has been about religion (and the intertwined politics of both the USA and religion), but the heat has not been about religion, but has been about the refusal of some to except the different ideology of others. Some people feel that their belief system includes giving them the right to question (ad nauseam), and to critique other people's choices, and then to tell them why they are wrong and what they must do. Telling a person that he has no right to question, critique and instruct on the correctness of another person's path is seen as an attack on that person by that person and others of that person's persuasion.

Some Catholics were being threatened with excommunication for voting for candidates that supported abortion in the 2004 election. While it did not come from the Vatican, some US Bishops around the country did put the word out to their dioceses.

I'm a "Synthetic Man", myself.:faint:

More complaints may also mean that people feel more comfortable to ask. On Many sites, people are made uncomfortable for asking "stupid" questions. At LBT, the only "stupid" question is the one not asked.

90%. :faint:

I agree. I can eat something one day and eat only half as much of that same food at another time and get jammed up until I PB and spit it up. There is plenty of good free advice here at LBT.

I go to a great church. It is called the Liberal Universalist Fellowship of Port Saint Lucie. We discuss Buddhism, Hinduism, Toaism and Humanistic teachings as often as we discuss Jesus, and no one is coerced to feel he must think of Jesus as a deity, son of a deity or part (1/3) of a deity. No one is ever made to feel guilty for whatever they believe. We cherish the right to think freely that life is for the benefit of both mankind and for nature. An atheist, Wiccan, Pagan or anyone else is welcome to join our fellowship. The only rule is to follow the decorum of our services and allow others equal freedom as one would want for himself and respect the house as a safe house from ill feelings. I as a Christian have found a place I feel safe in. Safe to tell people how I feel and what threatens me. We live in a world of abuse, both by our families and our institutions, so finding some place to feel safe is a blessing. I said a few pages back that I would read and would not say much, but this thread gives me the same feeling as my fellowship services give me. A feeling of peace and safety. Thank you for the thread and thank you for listening.

One of the ideas we discussed in "Codependents Anonymous" was the need to avoid choices which keeps a person on a roller coaster ride. The choice of who to be attracted to is difficult to change, but after a while, when the pain becomes strong enough to want to be relieved rather than to seek that impossible bad person to fix, it becomes apparent to most people that fixing yourself is more important than trying to fix the world. I have known many women who could never understand why they kept getting hurt over and over, and when I suggested it was their choices of male companionship, veritable clones, they made excuses. A male coworker of mine after three hostile divorces, told me about the new woman he had met the night before after work. He told me about all her good points and asked me what I thought. "Terrible choice" I said. "She sounds just like your last three wives." He couldn't understand why all his women were so flawed (and so similar according to me). Maybe it is because you met each of them in a bar at 2 am? Insanity is sometimes defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Sorry!! If you want a happy life Jodie, you must change your ways.

After reading some of the things on Ron's website, me thinks he is confounded that his expectations of coming to LBT and taking over from the inferior females have been dashed, so rather than admit defeat at the hands (or words) of the inferior gender, he takes it out on a member of his own gender. He calls me an old man, but is older than I am. He calls me a Communist, a Socialist, a liberal, a liberal Christian, a traitor, an America hater, a BuSh hater and a worshiper of an imperfect god. Well, at least I can say that Ron thinks I am well rounded.

That one fits this thread to a "T". :croc:

Try being friends with some men, then see if emotion can become physical attraction. Obviuosly it hasn't worked out too well the opposite way.

Does anyone know what the record for posts in a thread is? And I am not talking a thread made for just bumping to bring up one's post count. This thread, for al its faults has been very instructive. I have learned some things. I would assume just about everyone has.

I would like to hear an explanation from a Conservative Christian who sees no harm in tearing down the wall of separation between church and state, as to why in a game of Chess, which is a game of war, why a Bishop is a powerful piece. And are not the pawns the Christian Soldiers? I will read your link ASAP.

Rebuke from a fool are more to be honored that praise from a King.

I always felt that heat felt better to my body and I hated cold, but I have had a few experiences lately, that have taught me that cold is better, though less enjoyable.

I can't be positive, but I would assume that politics has become so intertwined with religion, that any topic can be traced to a religious or political decision and very often a religious/political decision. Unless you want to discuss Birtney Spears or Anna Nicole Smith, the topic will have something to do with religion and/or politics.

I agree with the vast majority of what you said, even though I am a Christian. I am curious to why you say that Hitler was not a Christian (I include Catholic in the generic word Christian). Any time you want to elucidate me, please feel free to rant. Oh, and one more thing; even though the percentage of US Christians may be dropping, the core group of the Christian Right Political Movement is very active and getting more persuasive because of their decision to vote as a block.

Standing in a Christian church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.