the lights are on all over the tree in a multitude of colours.
under the tree there is a pile of presents.
course, the boys present pile is the biggest.
Merry Christmas, refiners fire!
And I often think of the harsh years. The years of joylessness under the regime of WT terror.
I never forget them. That is why I try to enjoy the life I have now.
I Hope everyone opens their present and theyve got what they dreamed of!!
There is no present under the tree for me this year. Nor do I need one. I have the best present I could ever hope for, and that is my son. I treasure my little guy.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Richard
oh my god, you guys!
some jehovahs witnesses just came to my house--and of course my latest strategy is to hide and let someone else answer the door, or not answer the door at all.
well, my younger brother is home from his first semester at college and he just happened to be near the door when they came knocking... .
Too funny!!!! That one will get whispered around the Kingdom Hall...
Richard
hi friends, my father died saturday morning.
i want to happily say that i sent my dad a print-out of some of your key material re;org, last week and he read it all...witnesses were 'on his back' lately, and he appreciated it.
keep up the positive focus..it is so important..i wanted to write more, but i guess i'm in shock 'cause i just can't do it...thanks to all of you for your support and help with all the stuff that i've been on the board about..peace and love to all of you and your families..nk
Oh, Nancy, I am so sorry to here of your loss. It is bad enough when it is expected and one prepares for it, but an unexpected loss is so hard to bear.
Richard
i was just thinking.
since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.
it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.
LOL, rem! re: mac user
I think at this point, Clash is just having fun. I certainly am. I am not taking this thread seriously at all at this point, but it is a politically safe place to vent.
Richard
katie and i are about to head out to the airport, and by 3 pm tomorrow afternoon will be happy husband and wonderful wife!
we would almost certainly never have met each other if not for this forum, where we have both laughed and cried and healed, with and through all of you friends.
from the bottom of our hearts:.
Congradulations! I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.
Richard
this lucky fellow i have come to know and love celebrates his date of birth two days before jesus does up in heaven!
this is not to say that vallywally was born the same year as good ol' jeezee boy - though his creaking brittle bones are getting close to becoming the same age - valis will have to summon the strength in his monty burnsesque body to blow out that truckload of candles on his cholesterol free birthday pappadum.
i love you, and want to have your babies.. happy birthday my good man!
Happy Birthday, Valis!
i was just thinking.
since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.
it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.
Sorry for the late response I was out shopping and partying.
I hope you had a good time.
No your wrong Christians have been delivered from those sins that doesnt mean that there would be a very few number that would struggle against such a sin and temptation but as the spirit of God as promised by God, will be working in the hearts of such sinners that they will repent of and leave such practice.
That would depend on your definition of Christian.
Another question. How do you know your religion is not just a man-made religion like all the rest?
This is due to the commercial perversion of the meaning and intention of Christmas. This is materialism that has a dollar centered Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas was always Christ centered.
Others could argue that the true meaning of Christmas has to do with pagan gods. Others will argue it is a family holiday only.
Before you do the reductio please pay attention to the first premise. That is when the church did Christmas the intention was to remove all the pagan worship and its meaning, and its meaning is the key. Just because they had some of the pagan toys of the winter solstice does not mean they used them for the intention of pagan celebration. The intention and the meaning was replaced from pagan definitions and uses to that of the biblical account and intention of the worship of Christ. Now I agree this was not done 100% according to the regulative principle that is Christmas is and how it is done 100% biblical but the intention and meaning is very biblical.
And just because people use these pagan toys today does not mean they are celebrating anything pagan or anything Christian. As you said the intention and meaning has changed. Christmas is rapidly becoming, or has become, primarily a secular holiday.
In short if Christian were celebrating winter solstice and throwing some pagan party on Dec. 24-25 then yes your reductio would stand but since Christians are celebrating the birth of their king and savor Jesus Christ God the son come in human flesh and that has and is the meaning of Chris tmas then it is consistent with the worldview of Christianity.
LOL! I am sure Chris is very happy.
And atheists are just celebrating. I see no inconsistency with a atheist celebrating a secular holiday. And even if an atheist celebrated a religious holiday, which I am willing to do, who cares?
Clash, that is the one question you have never answered. Who cares?
First if one were a true atheist then he would true to his assertions and premises that there is no place for religious gods or deities because they dont exists therefore the logical implication there would be no room for religious tolerance and pluralism.
For the closed minded atheist perhaps. Every group has its bigots. Many atheists are more tolerant of different viewpoints, and are willing to respect others' belief systems. And to me, accepting and loving people is more important than militant adherence to some belief system.
Richard
Edited by - Skeptic on 23 December 2002 22:22:45
i was just thinking.
since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.
it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.
Skeptic I like to thank you for demonstrating that atheism cannot be lived and is philosophically false but would encourage you to read the claims of Christ before you seek some great humanistic wazoooo.
You conclude something so final from the fact that atheists celebrate Xmas, which is mainly a secular holiday these days?
You also conclude something so final from the actions and opinions of one person, namely me?
And you don't see the error in your logic?
Richard
i've taken note that the person that goes by the name "outlaw" continues to post daily.
yet, he hasn't entered the thread whose title bears his very own name.
yes, conveniently, outlaw skips past a thread that calls him to account for the lie he spoke about yadirf.
You are one of the few half-way sensible people on this board. But before your ego becomes too inflated over me saying that about you, remember that I said "half-way" sensible.
LOL! Thanks, Yadirf...I think.
well, this is how you do it according to the bible, and, by implication, jehovah's witnesses too:find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes.
(deuteronomy 21:11-13) find a prostitute and marry her.
(hosea 1:1-3) find a man with seven daughters and impress him by watering his flock.
Thanks, Englishman! Now I know what I am doing wrong!
Think I will try #5.
Richard
