tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post5781056112761204118..comments2008-09-02T13:37:57.501-07:00Roland Hulmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979437320446956987noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-38016926026274179542008-09-02T13:37:00.000-07:002008-09-02T13:37:00.000-07:00Warning: Comments section may contain nuts.Roland Hulmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979437320446956987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-70012810656242254162008-09-02T13:28:00.000-07:002008-09-02T13:28:00.000-07:00Militant ginger ...<BR/><BR/>Imagine a person dominated by satan .. what do you think? ... It can't happen to me ... well, anyways, believe it or not, history will tell you the truth ... GOD talks about mercy to that person that had stumble .. don't think you have no chance to reach heaven 'cause Jesus did give you the chance ... Do behave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-8407869556723049362008-07-03T06:58:00.000-07:002008-07-03T06:58:00.000-07:00Hi Roland - I saw your comment on Coffee Bean's post this morning. That took courage for you to admit she had opened your eyes to a few things. Regardless of your thoughts on God and Christianity, you continue to gain my respect. <BR/><BR/>You don't have to apologize for offending me. This your space and no one is forcing me to read it. I just ask that you please keep in mind that not all Christians are judgmental. Not all of us are fundementalist robots who believe the earth is only 6000 years old. Not all of us condemn homosexuals. <BR/><BR/>Some of us have more questions than answers, yet we still choose to believe in a God who is loving and forgiving.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10546710584372716343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-2587569300961458942008-07-03T06:09:00.000-07:002008-07-03T06:09:00.000-07:00Chemist- I will HAVE to read that book. It looks fascinatingly bizarre!Roland Hulmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979437320446956987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-36068394725963232282008-07-03T05:53:00.000-07:002008-07-03T05:53:00.000-07:00To be clear, I was never raised a Christian. I've never read the Bible nor am I likely to "find Jesus" in the near future. However, lately I've been reading <A HREF="http://www.ajjacobs.com/books/yolb.asp" REL="nofollow">this</A> hilarious little tale, and it offers up some insight on the subject of the prodigal son.<BR/><BR/>It's more about not bearing a grudge, especially against family. The father says to his good son, <I>"thou art always with me, and all I have is thine, ...but thy brother was dead, and is come to life, was lost, and is found."</I> <BR/><BR/>If your kid runs away and leaves you anxious and sad, but then comes back reformed, you can't very well hold it against him and give him a lukewarm reception. The brother was there, and he was great, but he didn't come back from the dead or perform the feat of changing his worldview. It's more unconditional love, and less tough love.The Chemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15970398885870679916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-68413213129788188642008-07-02T19:09:00.000-07:002008-07-02T19:09:00.000-07:00Okay Roland... I responded on my blog. I didn't go through your post and debate you on those points. I only told my story or where I am coming from in an effort to maybe give you some perspective on one conservative Christian. I am feeling more than a bit naked now after posting it... but it is what it is.<BR/><BR/>http://righteousbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/07/up-close-and-personal.html<BR/><BR/>I don't know how to do links in comment sections.Coffee Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104334929864681297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-85383314990112188612008-07-02T18:52:00.000-07:002008-07-02T18:52:00.000-07:00Hi April! I appreciate you comment and you're very astute - yes, I am angry with religion and you're not the first person to point out how futile it is to be angry at something you don't believe in.<BR/><BR/>I wrote a post earlier about the seemingly minor incident that made me lose my faith - but since then I've been so frustrated by the religion I followed for the best part of the three decades.<BR/><BR/>I didn't mean to offend you with the 'dick' comment - but when it comes to ideas like Original Sin and The Book of Job and Abraham being demanded to sacrifice Isaac - there's no other way to describe him!<BR/><BR/>The Bible, time after time, presents God as a vengeful, petty, insecure, jealous being who put his most loyal followers through horrible 'tests' of faith.<BR/><BR/>Jesus was, of course, completely different and was a wonderful, kind, patient and understanding person. For example, he never once said anything to condemn homosexuality (Paul, a guy who'd never met him, put those words into his mouth.) In fact, if you read the King James Bible version of Matthew 5:22 it's actually clear that he defended his fellow men accused of homosexuality.<BR/><BR/>However, Jesus wasn't God. I believe he was just a man - an amazing man. The greatest philosopher and humanist in history. Compared to the Bible's 'God', in fact, a million times better (but still mortal, not divine, not born from a virgin. I don't believe any of that is true.)<BR/><BR/>'God' is a horrible creature by the Bible's accounts of him.<BR/><BR/>Besides, most of the ideas of Christianity came AFTER the Biblical times. The Catholic church cynically patented ideas like Mary's virginity and purgatory hundreds of years after the events of the new testament to make Christianity a more 'marketable' religion. That's why I'm so cynical about ideas like original sin.<BR/><BR/>But whether he was the son of God or just a guy, you probably can't go wrong following the teachings of Jesus (just ignore everything Paul wrote. It's rubbish.)Roland Hulmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979437320446956987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-79672019319607462902008-07-02T17:46:00.000-07:002008-07-02T17:46:00.000-07:00Roland Roland Roland....<BR/><BR/>Saying God could be "an enormous dick" was a bit unnecessary. I respect your freedom of speech but can't help pointing out you are using pretty strong language on a someone you don't even believe in. Your words read very angry. How can you be so angry with Him if you don't believe He exists?<BR/><BR/>It's your blog and you are entitled to express your opinion. I am just not sure how much of what you write is really what you think and feel, or are you just trying to initiate conversation?<BR/><BR/>Either way, it seems to me that you are very open minded about everything but this one subject.<BR/><BR/>I still love you. Because that is what Jesus would want me to do. ;)Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10546710584372716343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313594.post-38098208305596861632008-07-02T15:00:00.000-07:002008-07-02T15:00:00.000-07:00Oh boy, here I am being sucked into your blog once again...<BR/><BR/>I am a Christian but I was not raised as one. I've struggled a lot spiritually and have written about some of it on my blog under the label Food for Thought. I cannot explain why I believe, I just do.<BR/><BR/>I've spent many years trying to be good and earn my salvation... although, during all those years I did not see it that way. We've been going through a terrible time with our oldest daughter and it has shaken me to the very core. This has been a very hard year and I've been reassessing everything I've believed.<BR/><BR/>I am going to take some time and gather my thoughts into a more coherent response. I really like your blog and I love your honesty. I can only speak for myself and share my thoughts on these issues. I really want to understand you and where you are coming from.Coffee Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104334929864681297noreply@blogger.com