Thanks Nina!! Duh, I didn't understand the 3-letter code thing the first time. Passionate speech, there.
(And thanks for putting that up, Leolaia.)
bebu
Posts by bebu
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37Cruzanheart was on national TV (Dateline, Murphy Texas)
by Big Tex indateline has been running a series of programs on internet child predators.
just a few months ago, they (along with perverted justice) made an appearance in sleepy little murphy, texas.
they used a house 2 blocks from where we live (all those evil, wicked apostates who've been to my home should know).. tonight they ran the episode, complete with the arrest of a local school teacher who was trolling after what he thought a 13 year old boy, a neighbor (literally) and a public prosecutor who killed himself rather than be arrested.
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20
What do I tell my wife about the MORMONS?
by OnTheWayOut ina mormon declared his intention to run for president of the usa.. my wife starts talking about it and says that they are mainstream christianity.
except for the multiple-wives issue.. i told her that the official church doesn't allow the multiple wives, but i cannot .
see them as a normal mainstream religion.
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bebu
I think you could use this as a time to say: "Let's use the internet to investigate Mormons. We can see what is being said, pro and con, and double-check what might be construed by Mormons as rumor. The internet is a perfect tool for research and for finding resources." --Let me warn you that soap operas for the next 10 years can draw from Mormon history/scandals (faithful Mormons were exceptionally good at diaries, letters, newspapers, and recording sermons, and these are an embarassing paper trail... sound familiar?).
Language is used to confuse. They say they believe in all the things that mainline churches believe, but only a short bit of digging shows that the content of the words are worlds apart:
- There are doctrinal flip-flops, like JWs. Adam/God, polygamy, and many others.
- There are different definitions to words used by mainline Christians.
- God used to be a man, who was redeemed by another God via another Christ... (Karma?)
- Jesus and Satan (Lucifer) are brothers (but not getting along well, obviously)
- "Spirit" is matter, just more "refined".
- No virgin birth doctrine: Mary had sex with God the Father and produced Jesus.
- There are degrees of reward/exaltation after death. No hell, as I recall, but people who don't get sealed into a temple ceremony (marriage in a temple, which is a mirror to the Masonic temple rites, and wasn't introduced into Mormon theology until Joseph Smith started up with the Masons and progressed to higher levels) don't get to become a god with their own planet, multiple wives, millions of children... and a new civilization to be saved by a ransom sacrifice. Everyone else just gets back to living on earth, more or less, although hopefully much nicer to each other by now.
(Mormons are asked to please correct me on this if I have anything wrong.)
Mormons don't usually spill all these (and other) beans when they are out knocking on doors. It all comes eventually... after baptism, when by now the person has had a strong "testimony" to the MORMON faith (not God or even Jesus).
Other similarities:
- The Mormon church requires tithing... and subsequently they are a financial powerhouse.
- There is a small group of men (apostles and a Prophet) who have been given divine authority. You really don't question them. BTW, the eternal "command" (that's not the word, but I can't recall the right one) of polygamy, given by Joseph Smith, was voted off by this group back when Utah was hoping to gain statehood fifty years later. You can read it in their book Doctrines and Covenants. Now that's power!
- If a Mormon leaves the church, there is a general avoidance (personal and business customer) of the apostate (same term). Wives are encouraged to leave husbands who leave the church. Thankfully not as severe as shunning by JWs, but still extremely emotionally (and often financially) devastating.
- Mormons are urged to avoid all apostateliterature, or else risk losing their salvation.
- Mormons have no peace about whether they will be really attaining godhood (their goal). Like Muslims and JWs, you need to work out salvation. And work. And work...
- Image is very important. Happy, happy families with no problems. Clean-shaven young men... and, like JWs, a strangely higher rate of depression among women.
BTW, an emotional experience is the bedrock of their faith: a burning bosom, which proves that the Mormon faith is true. (No solid scripture to back this up, just a weak appeal to the comment by the 2 men going to Emmaus.) The "Wait on Jehovah" mantra is parallel to the "I give you my testimony that this church is true" mantra, sometimes with glassed-over eyes (I've seen this).
If your wife loves soap operas, she'll love investigating the Mormons. And it might help her think about looking at characteristics of cults... and maybe the WTS.
bebu
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37
Cruzanheart was on national TV (Dateline, Murphy Texas)
by Big Tex indateline has been running a series of programs on internet child predators.
just a few months ago, they (along with perverted justice) made an appearance in sleepy little murphy, texas.
they used a house 2 blocks from where we live (all those evil, wicked apostates who've been to my home should know).. tonight they ran the episode, complete with the arrest of a local school teacher who was trolling after what he thought a 13 year old boy, a neighbor (literally) and a public prosecutor who killed himself rather than be arrested.
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bebu
I would like to see the clip... but am I supposed to join megaupload in order to see it? I don't see any clickable download link for the video clip.
Advice appreciated!!
bebu
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28
My Bethel Experience part 13
by new boy inmost of us went back to bethel, thinking we wanted to make it our life long career......what better place to be right before 1975?.............that dream ended for the vast majority after just few months there, when they found out that something was very wrong.
other wise why would anyone want to leave a spiritual paradice?....
with only 2-5% staying after there 4 year commitment, and a very big percentage leaving before there time was even up.
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bebu
Very interesting stuff. I have never been a JW, never been to NYC. But I can really feel the pain thru your experiences!! Great details about everything.
bebu
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6
How Do You Know What's Good? A Question for Believers?
by Perry ini know that there are not very many born again believers on this board.
but for the ones that are here, what say you?
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bebu
1) Seriously, I don't perfectly know what is good. To everything there is a season, and in the context of the whole which only God knows, certain things we consider bad on one level can work out a higher and better good. I am not one to construct or implement this system, I do believe in God's will and work toward this, however.
2) Though I don't know how certain things God allows can be good, I think that Rom 12:2 gives good advice: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Discernment is a result of discipline, looks like (and seems like in my experience).
3) In another I wrote somewhere earlier that goodness has to do (imo) with the goodwill of God toward mankind, that He takes our welfare upon Himself and makes it His, so that we may be become like Him. That is the general purpose God has (I think), and whatever it takes to get all/most of us there is truly good.
4) I think the best practical model of goodness is Jesus. Following him would be good/make one good.
bebu
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52
The Moment You Have All Been Waiting for Has Arrived:
by Crumpet inplease congratulate me on my posting prowess - have reached my 4000 post mark!.
cakes all round!
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bebu
Well the moment has arrived... and it has gone! Time is like that...
Unfortunately, there are no prizes for a 4000 post milestone.
Guess we'll need to wait for MY 4000th post for the next big moment.
bebu
PS: Congratulations, Crumpet!!
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37
Have got myself in a bit of trouble
by Zico innot a big amount of trouble, only a little bit of trouble.
it's not like i'm going to be disfellowshipped or anything.
but would appreciate some information anyway!
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bebu
I wouldn't come off again as angry, nor demand an apology. You could explain that you were feeling truly insulted when your simple intentions were to act as a gentleman to a sister who was walking home in the dark.
Play the upper hand gently and firmly. The downside of this though, is that they may think you are really pretty spiritual and give you some new privileges down the road you really didn't want!!
bebu
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21
Establishing a household budget....anyone good at it?
by onlycurious inwe are going to be building our first home this fall or next spring.
kind of depends on the finances because all the prep work with the septic, utilities and retaining walls has really put a dent in our savings.. in the meantime, i did a little quick analysis on our spending habits and found that we spend on average about $1000.00 on food a month for a family of 6. one of them is a baby.. so, we need to bite the bullet and draw up a budget because this is ridiculous!.
so, can anyone offer advice on the simplest way to do this?
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bebu
I lived hand-to-mouth in college, so I am very conscious of money that I spend on food. We spend around $600 a month and there are 6 people I'm buying for (3 adults, 2 teens, one child). To me, $600 is still an enormous amount of money!
First of all, I write out our MENU. If you plan a menu you can go to a store and get exactly what you need and nothing else. No fun, of course, but if you are tightening a budget that's important. Not only that, but if you always over-fill your cupboards and fridge there is the tendency to ignore good leftovers, and food eventually gets thrown out (wasted). I don't like buying food in order to compost it in my fridge until I finally decide (weeks later) it's beyond hope...
I get half of our stuff at Costco, and like mentioned, I am careful to not buy stuff that I won't use. I sometimes go halves with a friend on some produce items. I don't buy lots of snack foods, mostly what goes into the kids' lunches, and something a little different for fun.
Keep an eye out for good bargains, esp with meat in your case. Maybe turn your tastebuds onto pork--it's a lot cheaper than beef, and there are some good cuts out there.
BTW, we hardly go out to eat at restaurants. Maybe once a month, if that. We do get pizza once a week, though. I don't know if you included eating out in your numbers, though (I didn't).
bebu
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25
Bluetooth Headsets: Geeky or Sexy?
by Elsewhere inas a programmer i am exposed to high technology all the time and ironically this has given me an odd aversion to it!
i like gadgets and gizmos like anyone else; however i demand it be discrete.
when i'm out-n-about i want to be connected, but at the same time i don't want anyone to be able to see it.. for years i have avoided the bluetooth headsets that appear to be gaining in popularity, however im still not quite ready to get one because of the obvious geek factor and the simple fact that many people who wear them appear to be making the "look at me, i've fancy" statement.
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bebu
I vote geeky. I can't help but think of the Borg on Star Trek.
That said, I think they should be very practical when driving. And I tend to be very practical, so there's a slim chance I may get one someday...
bebu
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15
what the hell is up ...
by BlackSwan of Memphis inis <> dangerous?.
it's not atheists, christians, buddhists, pagans...i'm not singling out any one group.. religion is so evil.
atheism is so stupid.
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bebu
When the chips are down, people are very tempted to take the easy route of "X is the problem, so let's obliterate X (and everyone who believes X) entirely". The cure becomes worse than the illness.
I think the coca-cola love is nice, but not deep enough. Real love is a tough thing to do, because it means that when people really fundamentally differ from you (such as, are willing to punish/kill you because you don't see eye-to-eye with them), you still have to have grace to forgive their "messed-up thinking" (my point of view, of course ), even while they are set to behead you.
bebu
love never fails class