The Personal Web Page of Ray Hobbs
Author, Lecturer and Generally Nice Guy
Meet Ray Hobbs
T.R. (Ray) Hobbs was born in Pontypridd Wales, in 1942, and is a Canadian citizen. He is an author of three books and several articles on Theological and Biblical subjects, with special emphasis on the social and cultural background to the Old and New Testaments.
Ray received his education at the University of London (B.D., Ph.D.) at the University of Zürich, Switzerland (three years’ postgraduate study) and at the International Theological Seminary, Rüschlikon, Switzerland (M.Th.)
From 1969 until 1995 he taught at McMaster Divinity College and McMaster University, Hamilton, where he was Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Interpretation. From January 1996 until June 1998 he was professor of Old Testament at the International Theological Seminary, Prague, The Czech Republic. Since 1998 he has enjoyed an early retirement from ‘regular’ work, but writes much and lectures occasionally at McMaster University and elsewhere.
Ray’s special interest is in ancient military history, especially as it applies to Old and New Testament interpretation.
(E-mail address at link.)
betterdaze
JoinedPosts by betterdaze
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59
I Called the Headquarters About the "Slaughter of Apostates" Quote
by DT inin case you haven't heard, the november 15, 2011 watchtower, page 5 made this comment.
"today, no servant of jehovah uses physical force against opponents of pureworship.
"vengeance is mine," god says.
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betterdaze
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Reading Between the Lines: Belgian architects construct see-through church
by betterdaze inbelgian architech duo gijs van vaerenbergh constructs see-through church.
amir iliaifar | september 25, 2011. .
inspiration for art can be found anywhere, from the most banal things to the most extraordinary.
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betterdaze
Belgian architech duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh constructs see-through church
Amir Iliaifar | September 25, 2011Inspiration for art can be found anywhere, from the most banal things to the most extraordinary. Sometimes what begins as banal, through art, can become extraordinary and Belgian architect duo Pieterjan Gijs and Arnuot Van Vaerenbergh have achieved just that with their construction of a see-through steel framed church.
The term ‘transparency’ has found its way into many aspects of society, from politics to policy, economics to religion. And it is the latter that the young Belgian architects have chosen to focus on and take inspiration from. Known collectively as Gijs Van Vaerenbergh in Belgian architectural vernacular, the duo have collaborated to design and construct a see-through church in the Belgian region of Haspengouw. This particular project is part of a long-term art installation in different locations of Limburg, the Netherlands over the next five years as part of the Z-OUT project for Z33 House for Contemporary Art.
The ten meter structure is made of 100 stacked layers and 2000 columns of steel plates. Depending on where you stand, the church can appear to look like a traditional structure, however change your point of perspective and the seemingly solid walls seem to vanish before your eyes.
According to the architects, the amount of people attending churches is on the decline, particularly in the Netherlands, with increasing amounts of abandoned churches which is an issue of concern among several artists. With this in mind, the architects in cooperation with Z33 named this project “Reading Between the Lines” - which implies a perceived, obscure, or unexpressed meaning. While most associate the meaning of transparency to mean that nothing is hidden, everything is in plain sight, the idea behind “Reading Between the Lines” extends this idea of transparency onto the church and equally onto the observer who must learn to read between the lines even among things that are seemingly transparent.Just because you can see something doesn’t make it real, neither does something not exist because it can’t be seen.
[Photos copyright Kristof Vrancken/Z33] -
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: the Holocaust didn't happen, there are no homosexuals in Iran (he thinks he killed them all?), and....
by glenster iniranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad has said he believes - as an.
engineer - the world trade center towers could not have been brought.
down by aircraft.. interviewed after his address to the un general assembly sparked a. walkout, he told the ap news agency some kind of planned explosion.
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betterdaze
Apparently, "He will come alongside with Jesus Christ."
~Sue -
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: the Holocaust didn't happen, there are no homosexuals in Iran (he thinks he killed them all?), and....
by glenster iniranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad has said he believes - as an.
engineer - the world trade center towers could not have been brought.
down by aircraft.. interviewed after his address to the un general assembly sparked a. walkout, he told the ap news agency some kind of planned explosion.
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betterdaze
Ahmadinejad United Nations Speech: Full Text Transcript
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Does A City Have A Right To Limit "Bible Study" In A Home With A Group Of People?
by minimus ini saw an article today about a ban on home bible studies in california (san juan capastrano).
if more than 3 were involved, it was considered by the town, a "church".. i don't think this was posted here.. to me, this is really going too far!!
!.
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betterdaze
As has already been brought out on the two previous threads, it is a simple zoning issue.
~Sue
WHAT IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP) allows a city or county to consider special uses which may be essential or desirable to a particular community, but which are not allowed as a matter of right within a zoning district, through a public hearing process. A conditional use permit can provide flexibility within a zoning ordinance. Another traditional purpose of the conditional use permit is to enable a municipality to control certain uses which could have detrimental effects on the community (Neighborhood Action Group v. County of Calaveras (1984) 156 Cal.App.3d 1176).
Consideration of a CUP is a discretionary act. A CUP application tendered by a project proponent is considered at a public hearing and, if approved, is generally subject to a number of pertinent conditions of approval. Depending on local ordinance requirements, hearings are typically held by a board of zoning, the planning commission, or a zoning administrator. The owners of property near the site are sent advance notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing.
Examples of common uses allowed with a conditional use permit can be found in any city or county zoning ordinance. For example, Santa Rosa's zoning ordinance lists uses which may be permitted within single-family residential districts with a conditional use permit. These uses include churches, public or private schools, public building or utility structures, parking lots, temporary subdivision sales offices, and community care and health care facilities. Chico's zoning ordinance lists various uses permitted with a use permit issued by either a planning director or planning commission. These uses include temporary amusement attractions, the placement of a building or structure on a lot or parcel which has been moved from another lot or parcel, public buildings and facilities, parking or access located off-site from the site being served, private recreation centers, and planned developments. Each city or county may include in their zoning ordinance a wide variety of uses which they will permit with a conditional use permit.(More at link.)
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betterdaze
He's obviously "mentally diseased" with the "unholy spirit" of this world.
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?JW guy and Taser attack during Cowboys - Jets game?
by james_woods ini just saw this on the morning tv news - and did not get to hear enough of it to make sense:.
but, they were saying something about a patron sneaking a taser into the sunday game and using it on another fan.. they also said that one of the guys (i assumed the victim) was "a devout jehovah's witness who does not believe in saluting the flag or standing for the national anthem".. anybody know what happened here?.
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betterdaze
And this is how it begins… Did someone actually PAY this Southern-fried POS to do this? Come up to NYC to create a premeditated violent disturbance on 9/11 so now it must suck for all fans everywhere?
~Sue
Sep 15, 2011
NFL wants pat-downs from ankles up at all stadiums
By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
The NFL wants all fans patted down from the ankles up this season to improve fan safety.
Under the new "enhanced" pat-down procedures, the NFL wants all 32 clubs to search fans from the ankles to the knees as well as the waist up. Previously, security guards only patted down fans from the waist up while looking for booze, weapons or other banned items.
The stricter physical screening policy impacts the 16.6 million fans expected to attend live regular season NFL games this season. The more thorough searches will spell longer lines for ticket-holding fans seeking entry to games. It's sure to raise the ire of some fans who consider it an invasion of privacy.
The NFL recommended the new guidelines before the kickoff of the 2011 season which coincided with the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The league hopes fans will be "patient," says spokesman Brian McCarthy, and arrive earlier to games to avoid long, punishing lines.
"The enhanced security procedures recommended by our office before the start of the season will further increase the safety of fans but will require some additional time," McCarthy told USA TODAY in a statement Thursday. "We encourage fans to come early, enjoy their tailgating tradition, and be patient as they enter the stadium."
The NFL suffered damage to its family-friendly image when a South Carolina man was arrested for using an illegal stun gun on other fans at a New York Jets-Dallas Cowboys game Sunday night.
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betterdaze
The newspaper I where I was working, just over the river and GW bridge on the Jersey side of the Hudson, won awards for its 9/11 coverage.
Not that we hadn't won awards before. This was LIVE and it was US.
All our "wires" into NYC were down. Yet so many of our people… family, friends, neighbors were downtown desperately calling in with their live stories.
Trying to get home. Home to Jersey. And us, our medics and volunteer firemen, going "there." We are inextricably linked. Most of US, came from THERE.
We got the story. We LIVED the story. We still do. Well over 700 lives taken from NJ. "Only" three from my town.
Headline: "The Mourning After"
It was suggested by our art director. He was on a Maureen McGovern kick at the time. Apropos, 10 years later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KClpLzFftU
~Sue -
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New movie: Higher Ground
by betterdaze inpregnant, married, and awkward at eighteen years old, carolyn briggs grows more and more interested in jesus, eventually giving herself over to a radical new testament church.
amidst her community of self-described "jesus freaks," carolyn's daily life consists of hours of bible study, alternative family practices and bracing for the oncoming rapture.
it's only when her marriage begins to unravel that carolyn dares to question the religious dogma she has embraced for her entire adult life.. .
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betterdaze
Pregnant, married, and awkward at eighteen years old, Carolyn Briggs grows more and more interested in Jesus, eventually giving herself over to a radical New Testament church. Amidst her community of self-described "Jesus Freaks," Carolyn's daily life consists of hours of Bible study, alternative family practices and bracing for the oncoming Rapture. It's only when her marriage begins to unravel that Carolyn dares to question the religious dogma she has embraced for her entire adult life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOxHv3ERsdY
Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, HIGHER GROUND, depicts the landscape of a tight-knit spiritual community thrown off-kilter when one of their own begins to question her faith.Inspired by Carolyn S. Briggs' memoir, This Dark World (screenplay by Carolyn S. Briggs and Tim Metcalfe & Carolyn S. Briggs), the film tells the story of a thoughtful woman's struggles with belief, love, and trust.
Faith, love and honesty are the cornerstones of this story of a woman who learns that no matter how many times she loses her footing, she has within herself all that's necessary to get to a higher place.
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Former JW. money counter at district conventions tells all.
by koolaid-man inhow much money flows into the watchtower coffers at their annual fund raiser the district convention?.
former witness lurene stanley working along with her high ranking jw.
husband had the opportunity to see what goes on in the back room at disrtict conventions.
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betterdaze
Iamallcool, that's Byron Brown, mayor of Buffalo, NY.
~Sue