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Reflections After The Tsunami TragedyOver the last few months hundreds of thousands of people have reached out with genuine concern and hard cash towards the people of SE Asia. The tsunami was no respecter of a person's religion in an area where Muslims and Christians, Hindus and Buddhists, have been killed or traumatised. Our respective religions are an integral part of our self identity but so is the common spirituality that we share as human beings. Surely now is the time to reach out in a new way, with the same love and respect, in order to get to know one another better. Integral to this process is getting to know more about our different religions and learning how to honour each one. We need shared sacred space to help do this. The Warped Psychology of IslamThe London Bombings are just the beginning. Londoners are probably wondering what they did to deserve it. After all, Great Britain has proven to be a place of refuge for Muslims. Parliament to the BBC has been united in their continued attacks and twisting of truths against Israel and in favor of the Palestinians, even when Israel has been the victim of a thousand days like the one London just faced. Do We Really Need God?The human being is endowed with ability. We have the capacity to do things. However, our ability is inherently limited. The human being is not almighty and so cannot accomplish all things. Because human capability is finite we find that a person cannot by his own powers alone ensure the success of all his pursuits and undertakings in life. A human being is not able to ensure his good health and the safety of his life at all times. A human being is not able to ensure his welfare throughout life. The fact that we experience anxiety, worry, fear and doubt is clear indication that our ability is not always sufficient to handle life's hazards, difficulties and challenges. Lets Restore the Word of Christ"What? Trying to spread the gospel message without quoting from the New Testament? Impossible!" That may be your first reaction, but just think about it. Scholars tell us that the first New Testament book, either Galatians or First Thessalonians, was written in about 50 CE, nearly 20 years after that glorious Pentecost when Christ crucified was first proclaimed as the only possible remedy for sinners. The last New Testament books, probably the letters of John or Revelation, were likely written in the 90s, close to three generations after the Resurrection. The New Testament as a unit was probably unavailable until the mid-second century. And yet Christianity experienced some of its most dynamic growth during this period when its Bible consisted only of the Old Testament. VegetarianismMillions worldwide suffer from malnutrition and the threat of starvation. One-third of the grain in the world is being used to feed to animals to fatten up for slaughter. The amount of grain fed to animals being raised for slaughter is higher in the United States than other parts of the world. We could feed straving humans this grain instead of fattening up a cow for a fast food restaurant to make a hamburger. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. It makes weight loss easier and lowers cholesterol. Animals are given hormones and antibiotics, both of which humans can do without in excessive amounts. An added benefit to being a vegetarian is that we do not have to worry about mad cow disease or salmonella poisoning. Rainforests are being destroyed at a rapid rate to make room for cattle to graze. There is a lot of cruelty and abuse present when animals are being raised for slaughter. Biblical Hermeneutics ? Part 1Hermeneutics is the science and art of the interpretive process which begins by determining the original meaning of the Biblical text and leads to elucidation of its sense for the body of Christ today. It is concerned with the presuppositions that are brought to the interpretation of texts because it consciously or unconsciously influences conclusions drawn. Balancing the Apple CartAbout forty women squatted in small clusters on the floor in the room. They had assembled for a special meeting of the self-help groups that would be led by their supervisor. The poor women, whose husbands were marginal farmers, depended on the loans they could secure from the banks through their groups. Seeking after the Knowledge of GodAs you will see in the Scripture verses I will list in this article, God the Father places an extremely high value on the pursuit of knowledge - especially spiritual knowledge. He says that gaining knowledge is greater than all the silver, gold and material things of this world. Why do Humans Need a God?Many have asked why people need a God to cope with life? There must be a reason, because it appears that every culture in recorded history had some belief in some type of god. All the different cultures, tribes, societies and civilization had their Gods, trinkets, traditions, rituals and temples. But why; we know now, or some of understand that all these stories and myths were nothing more than figments of our imagination. Most all ancient writing has in it; Invisible ghosts, invisible friends and/or Gods. Isn't it amazing that even modern day civilizations cannot seem to shake this and those who wish to lead use it to manipulate us into their created realities. Just look at the Evil Muslim Clerics who twist and turn the people commit atrocities against humanity? Look at the Witch Doctors in Haiti with their Voodoo Dolls? Look at the Catholic Church and their strangle hold on their followers, while they allow their leadership to rape and molest our children? Teach Your Child to PrayThere are so many books out there on being a praying woman, or a praying wife, husband, nation, etc, but I'm not familiar with one about teaching my child to pray. A child that prays can have such an impact on his family, friends, and nation. If we as parents could teach our children this awesome phenonemon, we really could change the world one kid at a time. |
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