Are we a "religious" site? I did not know that. I've never seen God or religion mentioned or prescribed or pushed in Harley's policies. If so, WHAT religion do we all collectively embrace? I don't know who is Catholic, Protestant, Jew or if anyone belongs to a coven and practices white or black magic here on this site. I never ask. Nor do I care.

Our country is a Christian nation, and there is no denying that, founded on Christian principles while "most" people in this country consider themselves Christian of one religious sect or another, in varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Most of us were raised believing in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary, one of them, none of them or perhaps all of them. Some even pray to saints, like my Mother, who prefers to go through a "middle man", St. Jude being her favorite patron saint.

Since "most" people believe in God in some form, knowing full well that they themselves are mere mortals and choose to rely on a Higher Power of some kind to get them through the trials and tribulations in life, it doesn't necessarily make them fanatics or zealots or cultists as suggested by some.

Sometimes people will accuse and label people who merely mention God as "Bible thumpers" and mock and ridicule them in attempt to either discredit them or demean them in some way. They behave as though honoring God in any way is somehow "uncool" or shameful or that aligning oneself to God in some way will make them look unhip amongst their peers.

My Grandfather had a lot of old fashioned euphanisms that were very telling (and hilarious) because they held a lot of truth. My personal favorite was when he would remark about someone as being as "nervous as a whore in church."

I think some people might feel ashamed or guilty about some of the things they have done in their lives or can't bear to face what their actions may have cost themselves, loved ones or innocent people, that they are compelled to justify, ridicule and continue to live in denial by mocking people who mention that they rely on God to see them through difficult times. I think that's playing really dirty and hitting waaaay below the belt.

Personally, I say, whatever anyone believes is fine with me and to mock or ridicule someone for their religious beliefs or core beliefs, regardless of the degree, is as offensive and as disrespectful as being racist.

MB is not presided over by a Pope, a Priest, a Rabbi, a Minister and we never hear anything at all from Dr. Harley (our so-called cult leader) who has been unfairly and ridiculously depicted as our own personal Jim Jones. To perpetuate this preposterous myth and continue to mock anyone who loves God or studies the Scripture and might translate these writings in their own way to understand the mystery of what has happened to them is something that should be accepted and respected by people of opposing views. If anyone with opposing views translates the writings of the Scriptures differently and extracts meanings that give them peace, even if anyone here does not agree, that is your belief, your truths, and must be respected by the people here.

Religion bashing, core belief bashing, race bashing has no place in today's society. Life is tough enough without people with opposing views mocking others who need and want God in their lives in any form. It wouldn't hurt for everyone to find solace in a Higher Power...and I suspect that many of the people who mock others probably have a secret, personal relationship with God that they are too ashamed to admit for fear of ridicule by their peers.

So, if anyone continues this chronic religion bashing, you're on notice that no one here will be cowed or ashamed to declare they have turned their lives over to a power greater than themselves to enhance the lives of their children, their families and themselves, to find answers, to find peace. So, if this tightly held misinformation continues, everyone will know that since there is no other way for the nay-sayers to win an argument, their only recourse is to try to discredit people for their beliefs.

Taking my rosary and going home. Amen.

Cat =^^=

Edited for spelling

<small>[ April 02, 2004, 11:56 AM: Message edited by: catnip ]</small>

Well said catnip.

I second that Amen! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

I cringe everytime I hear people calling others

"Bible Thumpers"
"Holy Rollers".. etc.

When people mock MY God and his followers, it gives me chills for their soul!! It actually makes me uncomfortable and I hate it. I FEAR and LOVE God and would never ever mock him or Christians ever if I weren't one. That IS just like mocking people for their race or their sexual preference- which is just fowl. I am in no way shape or form living my life in a christlike manner, but love God with all my heart and he knows it. There are girls at work who have a bible study at lunch and lots of people in the firm ridicule them- I ALWAYS make it a point to tell them tsk tsk... and that I think it is great. They are close to me so they tease me sometimes about sticking up for the bible thumpers, but the Bible tells us that we WILL be ridiculed in his name! FINE WITH ME!!

These types of put downs have evil written all over them-- and I am just glad that my soul, while imperfected and tarnished, is on the side of the good <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Catnip - excellent post and God bless!

When I was in my late teens or early twenties, I was sitting at the lake with a bunch of people and we were all drinking and listening to music. Someone put on a country western tune and I groaned and rolled my eyes and mocked the music when a guy leaned over to me and quietly said to me, "It's not cool to mock someone else's music."

I was embarrassed that I was so short sighted and so disrespectful that I have often recalled that afternoon and have applied that lesson in a lot of areas of my life.

It's not cool to mock someone else's beliefs....being one of them.

Anyway, where ever we get our strength is simply where ever we get our strength. I've been lucky to have been blessed with an incredible amount of faith despite the fact I have done terrible things in my life. I've been bad, naughty and wild and have paid for all of it in spades, but the wisdom I've acquired because of it is nothing short of miraculous and I am grateful for it even if they were HARD lessons.

I rely on the teachings of the Scriptures and the nuns who taught catechism that my sins are and have been truly forgiven. (Whew)
I rely on that God is a merciful God. For ALL of us.

The trick for me is learning how to forgive myself and accept responsiblity for all the rotten things I have said and done. I've had this tendency all my life to be a scamp and live a little larger than I perhaps should have, but while I've enjoyed most of my life, even some of the bad and the ugly, I've have paid dearly with consequences that have taken the luster from much of my sinning.

I've inspired myself to start going to Church. I guess I should thank the nay-sayers for pushing my buttons.

Cat =^^=

Kudos to you! I agree with you 100%. Where on earth are you hearing that Dr. Harley is a cult leader? How simplistic and totally without any credible support. A proven program that gets to the root of a marriage and how to make it succeed and now it is a clut? LMAO.

Excellent post

Amen Catnip, very well stated.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> I've inspired myself to start going to Church. I guess I should thank the nay-sayers for pushing my buttons.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">And you my dear Cat, have inspired me to look up scamp in the dictionary...Yep, fits!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

In all seriousness. If it weren't for the Holy Spirit working in the lives of BOTH mine and my H's...

A.) I would not have been convicted of my sin. Would most likely still be sitting in the stench of it, lying to my H, trying to pass off baby as his.

B.) My H most likely would not have forgiven me.

We have both been blessed by God's hand in our lives. We have both been blessed by heeding the Holy Spirit, and by being obedient to God's commandments.

Great thread, Catnip!!

Well Said Cat!!!

I was save 13yrs ago, I followed the wrong road for a few years and I finally found my way back. It is a releif to know that God has forgiving me for my sins. I'm proud to say that I've been going to church on a regular basis and even started attending sunday school since Sept. I'm amazed on how much of a good change it has done for me and why I didn't do it sooner.

personally i don't have a pronlem with being called a Bible Thumper, Holly Roler, Jesus Freak, Crusading Christain or whatevr else you can come up with.

i know where i am headed and know right from wrong.

you want to talk about pity, oity the poor guy/gal who has no one to believe in or nothing to look forward to after they leave this earth. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="images/icons/shocked.gif" />

isn't that exactly what religion is? something to give mankind hope, faith, inner peace and a set of values to live by? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

it simply tells you the why's of someones actions if they have nothing to believe in. how sad <img border="0" alt="[Teary]" title="" src="graemlins/teary.gif" />

i don't need to judge or beat you over the head with verbal provocation. juat do the best i can to lead by example. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />