BJean

I have attended Roman Catholic Churches all over the U.S. I have been a member of the Southern Baptist Church, was raised in the Methodist Church and was also a member of the First Christian Church. All of them had doctrines that were of course religious, but also because of the churches relationships with humankind and society in general, their doctrines all carry some political weight on certain topics. It comes with the territory. Those of you who say that the Catholic Church or your church whatever it is, does not tell you how to vote, are probably correct in that they do not use that verbage..."vote for this candidate" or "vote against this law". (Although some do specifically that.) However by deliverance of sermons or homilies on their doctrine, which by their very nature have some social and political leanings, they are telling their congregations how to vote. With the Catholic Church, many times political questions are addressed by the Pope and his position and the Church's position is made not only known to the Bishops, but often it is released to the general media. If they feel very strongly about something, they can and have organized political action groups to demonstrate. As in the issue of legalizing abortion. For those of you who protesting and saying that your church doesn't tell you how to vote, then I say you're not listening. You probably agree with whatever your minister or priest is saying to you and they usually intertwine the church's doctrine and political position with various passages in the Bible, so it can be very subtle. But there is much guilt associated with a church members deviation from what comes down from the pulpit. It's all right if you want to be influenced by your church that way. And some people really need the direction. But some people would rather think for themselves. There are also, I realize, some people here who believe that if one questions their church or minister or the Bible, they will go to hell. That's a pretty big incentive to go away from Sunday's service with a very definite idea of how and for whom they should vote.

Lisa: No problem! Jodi: Everytime I thought I needed a guy and wondered where he was, I couldn't find him. When I'd get busy and forget about it for a while, one would show up, just when I least expected it!

Tami: The spinning class sounds great. Keeping in the proper zone for your heartrate will ensure that you lose weight too instead of burning ready sugar. My orthopedist said that stairs are our enemy. Both going up and coming down. He actually said I should probably sell my 2-story house! Both of my knees are so bad from injury and arthritis, I will someday have to have them replaced. They want me to hold off as long as I can because artificial knees are supposedly good for only 18 to 20 years. You don't want to go through it more than once. Anyway, much as I'd like to, I can't do any kind of aerobic exercise that involves my knees except water aerobics. The class I'm in does not actually provide much aerobic activity at all. We are in warm water and do very simple leg and arm movements against the water. After running, exercise classes and racquetball for so many years, it doesn't feel like I'm doing anything. But guess what! My knees are really thanking me. I'm moving around faster than I have in a couple of years. Being able to do that is so much better than sitting on my butt like I had been. I encourage everyone to do as much exercise as you can and find something that is fun for you, like Tami has with spinning. You never know when you might have a body part that goofs up on you and you won't be able to exercise! It's awful when you don't have that choice. I hate to weigh in tomorrow. When I first got this fill I did very well. The past couple of days I haven't done well at all again. I am so exasperated. I just can't imagine that I'm going to have to have another fill so soon! And I really can't believe that St. Paddy's day is so near!!!

nice post, laurend.

Jodie, Green gives good advice.

Green: I don't think that Ron is insane. You know what that leaves as a reason for his way of thinking and posting...

I heard that John McCain announced a couple of night's ago on Letterman. This is going to be an interesting race.

Carlene: I just re-read what I wrote. To clarify, I am not criticizing the Catholic Church. There are many things that I love about the Catholic Church. I found it very easy to worship and learn in that environment. But it just doesn't make sense to me on some levels. I totally disagree with many of the things they believe that pertain to women and families.

Amen to that Carlene- That's why even after we had my first marriage annuled, and even though I attended regular mass and raised my children Catholic, I didn't consider becoming a Catholic. I knew I would never be a full-fledged Catholic.

gadgetlady: I'm glad you can finally understand how we got so hysterical the other night!

Ooops. I've been on and off this thread so often I must have missed some earlier stated poppycock. Mark, if I had to take sides, and no one has to take sides here, but if I did, I would get your back if you needed it. I think you're very capable of taking care of yourself though. Yea! You go dude.

QT it is very nice to read the post of someone who seems to have a beautiful gentle soul.

Oh, now I understand. Ugh that's awful to think that, but the way it all went down, it does make you think it is definitely a possibility. You know I have no idea if Howard is a snake or not. I saw Anna's mother being interviewed when it first happened. I got really bad feelings. I just could not imagine a mother saying the things she said about her own daughter. I'm sure there was a lot of hurt there, but afterall she's the mother! She should have taken some responsibility for Anna leaving home so early. She was just glad when Anna Nicole left town! And the only time I saw her seem upset or tearful was when the interviewer asked her if Anna had given her or the family any money. If her mother really is a bad person (and I have no real clue about that), no wonder Howard would try to protect Anna Nicole. I mean put yourself in her shoes. (Did you see her cousin interviewed on Anna's show? She bashed Anna horribly.) If your family treated you badly your whole life and they always wanted something from you, and only criticized you, wouldn't you want to be protected from them? I sure would. I have a feeling that's what the ceremony of commitment was all about that she and Howard staged. Letting the world know who she trusted. Maybe that trust was misplaced, but they had been in each others lives for a long time. He had probably proven to her that she could trust him. She had to trust someone at some point. Everyone agrees that she was probably not the brightest bulb on the porch. I think she probably did the best she could with what she had (or could buy).

QT: I believe that you're attributing that "ran from religion or God" to me when it was not actually me who said that. I have never run from God. I have done my share of questioning all matters spiritual and religious, plus questioning different churches and the like. But I believe that it has made me a much stronger person and a better Christian, not less of one. I don't know if you read one of my posts where I made comment about the reason why so many of us Christians are offended by some of the remarks made by some who claim to be witnessing through their ministry. It has been said over and over that those of us who do not agree are just plain wrong and that we are fools and are going to hell. It has from time to time gone way beyond that in being insulting and belittling. I honestly do not believe that most of the people who've posted here, Christians and athiests, and undeclared, have seriously taken offense to anyone wanting to win souls over to Christ. What so many of us are up in arms over, and frankly angry over, is the pointing of fingers and profession that we are just plain wrong and if we don't believe what he is saying, don't blame him, blame God. It's infuriating. I agree with you wholeheartedly that human nature can sometimes bring out the worst in some of us - perhaps even all of us. After all, we're just human beings.

Kat: did you mean suspicious? ...made it look suspicious? I totally agree. But when you think about people who are famous (or infamous) it seems that they think and live by the media and how it's going to appear to their public. Maybe she had been told to contact Howard if she got worse or something? Carlene, you're funny. Told them you'd rather die... :eek:

Nope, right laurend, it doesn't! And it's a good thing we're onto the bully on the block because otherwise, we might just forget how to be ladylike. Oops, I guess I mean... ladylike, again. Your stalker-ish comment made me laugh outloud.

Heyyy Carlene, did you hear on the news last night that the Harris Hospital in Hurst's staff learned how to use those ice blankets for cardiac patients? They actually saved a man. They lowered his body temp to below 90 degrees and although he was in a coma for 2 weeks, they gradually brought his temp to normal and he survived the whole procedure. They interviewed both the man and his wife. Very interesting! aaamom: You would have to assume that the bodyguard knew CPR well, wouldn't you? I mean how could he administer CPR if he didn't know how to use it? It would seem that many people who could afford to have a bodyguard, would want a multi-talented one.

QT: Thanks for your thoughtful post! I hope you have the time to read all the posts because if you only read part of them and read them out of context, you could misunderstand the meaning of some of them. BTW, good luck with that. It's a very long thread!

Oh geez, the name-calling, finger pointing, slanderous remarks are here too. The place is filthy with them. How can some people be so stupid as to call anyone who posts here the things that you've been called, TOM? And the last time I heard someone call other people names and claim that others are filled with hate, when nothing they have said indicates any such thing, was on another thread and this ninney-ninney-nah-nah tirade is so unbecoming of an adult.

Aw geez, CJ... I didn't mean to insult you! (Lots of people call me BJ. Or at least they did when I was younger.) So you're a very gentle sounding nice woman. Even better.

TOM: I'm so jealous. Your own classification. Like a plant. I've just gotta see Tommy's four-four!

Oh yeah... there's one of the classics..."For someone who claims to know the Bible intimately, those statements show that you don't have a clue." He's got dozens of them. Doncha just love "... you don't have a clue"? Welcome aboard CJ. Hang onto your hat if you want to play here. Someone is liable to take a big swing at you if you don't watch out! You sound like a very reasonable and intelligent gentleman.

lisalee: Please! It wasn't me who diagnosed Jodie with anything. Maybe it was another B person - betsyjane or somebody! I haven't yet completed my degree in armchair psychology! I have enough trouble with what I DO say at LBT - I don't need someone else's baggage (if you'll pardon the pun.) If we have the most expensive purses, does it mean we win? I have some goodies!! Most of which are too heavy for me to enjoy carrying these days. Hisss. Jodie: I've been where you are. Extreme highs and extreme lows. It comes with the territory of dating and being single and being young as far as I'm concerned. After I got married I was so depressed because everything very exciting stopped - dead. I saw a shrink and you know what she told me? She said that I was never going to be happy until I learned that I didn't need a man to make me happy. I thought she was insane herself. But many years later I finally get it. And I think it's what many of the folks here are trying to say - unless and until you learn how to love yourself and stop trying to prove how cool you are, you are not going to be happy. The best tactic I've learned to try to do that (because I still think I need my man to be happy) is by listening to others instead of trying to do all the talking. It's a very hard trick to learn. But you'd be freakin' amazed at what all you'll learn about the other person when you stop trying to impress them. When you know you're cool, it can go without saying. You exude coolness. Everyone else knows. They want to be with you because you're so cool. The fact is, they want to be with you because you make them feel cool. If you are someone who truly cares about others, you will be so loved there won't be room for all the attention and men in your life. Odd, but really works that way.

Carlene: You make light of the salt on the yard issue, but I've lived in Florida and it does indeed keep away the slugs. That it also keeps away the elephants and 'gators is incidental. Slugs are regularly more damaging to the plants then those darned elephants and alligators.

TOM: Regarding your graph, it is easy to see that you are right. The reason I have a problem with Ron trying to convert and spread his own word the way he does is not because he is telling people about his brand of Christianity or even that he is trying to tell them his way is the only way to interpret the Bible. Nor do I have no problem with him trying to mission for Jesus. I have a major problem with his disrespect for others and his claim that he has proof that he is 100% correct. I have a problem with Christians who have decided that they are the ONLY ones who are able to read and know the Bible with any accuracy and that everyone else is to be scorned because they are inferior and going to hell. I have a problem with Ron because he constantly uses phrases to belittle others and put them down. He says flatly that "YOU ARE WRONG" and similar phrases that declare that everyone who disagrees with him is not necessarily wrong in Ron's eyes, but that they are wrong in GOD'S eyes. And he is emphatically stubborn on the issue of how wrong we are. There is absolutely no discussion on the subject of whether we are right or wrong, or maybe even have a point. It is that he claims that GOD says that we are wrong - Crusano doesn't. And furthermore, if we have a problem with it, then "TAKE IT UP WITH GOD!" You can't debate or even discuss something with someone who has no respect for other viewpoints or interpretations. Someone who is so totally small minded that he or she shows not one iota of respect for fellow Christians speaks volumes about who they are.