Comments on: Sharing the Hookah http://www.metroi4news.com/2010/02/sharing-the-hookah/ Highlighting the News from Florida's Central Corridor Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:47:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Rod http://www.metroi4news.com/2010/02/sharing-the-hookah/comment-page-1/#comment-1409 Rod Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:17:12 +0000 http://www.metroi4news.com/?p=4033#comment-1409 Well, let's just say that when you believe in the supernatural, all bets are off when it comes to who has the better way to interpret disaster. If earthquakes are not just a consequence of plate tectonics, then it becomes amusing to see the mental gymnastics required to see these disasters as all part of the plan of a loving god. As in, Yes, I know your family was crushed but don't you see how all this is part of God's plan for his greater glory? Cliff thinks they died deservedly because of their sin...and then seems to scratch his head at right-wingnuts who stress the god-fearing aspect of religion. When you believe that a two-thousand year old book holds a god's words, you truly have jumped ship from any possibility of rational understanding of reality, and the best way to deal with it. Blaming the victim for being sinfull and at the same time trying to explain YOUR continued non-sinless existence as due to a god's mercy has to be the definition of Stockholm syndrome. Chris and Cliff, I have no real reason, from what you have said, to think that either of you would have been the one person in Salem who didn't believe in witchcraft. Well, let’s just say that when you believe in the supernatural, all bets are off when it comes to who has the better way to interpret disaster. If earthquakes are not just a consequence of plate tectonics, then it becomes amusing to see the mental gymnastics required to see these disasters as all part of the plan of a loving god. As in, Yes, I know your family was crushed but don’t you see how all this is part of God’s plan for his greater glory? Cliff thinks they died deservedly because of their sin…and then seems to scratch his head at right-wingnuts who stress the god-fearing aspect of religion.

When you believe that a two-thousand year old book holds a god’s words, you truly have jumped ship from any possibility of rational understanding of reality, and the best way to deal with it. Blaming the victim for being sinfull and at the same time trying to explain YOUR continued non-sinless existence as due to a god’s mercy has to be the definition of Stockholm syndrome.

Chris and Cliff, I have no real reason, from what you have said, to think that either of you would have been the one person in Salem who didn’t believe in witchcraft.

]]> By: Carol http://www.metroi4news.com/2010/02/sharing-the-hookah/comment-page-1/#comment-1408 Carol Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:34:31 +0000 http://www.metroi4news.com/?p=4033#comment-1408 Thank goodness to hear a (I assume) Christian person admitting admonishing their fellow "believers" on their hateful judgments. I thought Nicholas Kristof had a great column on a similar theme Saturday (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28kristof.html) Thank goodness to hear a (I assume) Christian person admitting admonishing their fellow “believers” on their hateful judgments. I thought Nicholas Kristof had a great column on a similar theme Saturday (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28kristof.html)

]]> By: Cliff Wheeler http://www.metroi4news.com/2010/02/sharing-the-hookah/comment-page-1/#comment-1404 Cliff Wheeler Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:21:36 +0000 http://www.metroi4news.com/?p=4033#comment-1404 My first comment , Craig, is that I hope it was just a good quality tobacco mixture that you were smoking. My next comment is that I believe the world is simply full of individuals that want a "god" that is utilitarian and who does only what "We" wish him to do and on "Our" standard. The use of capitalization is intentional. The reality is that There is "GOD" and "He" is in control. I don't pretend to know the answers as to why God allows terrible things to befall "good people" or catastrophic events to happen to nations. I do believe there is a bigger plan than that envisioned by my small mind and with my pitiful understanding. The question that comes to my mind with events such as the horrendous quake in Haiti is "how is God by His Grace going to turn this to His glory?". I believe that many people do not understand the extent of the love of God and His immeasurable grace and patience with the world including the greatest of his creation (us). We are to blame in our sin for deserving the death and destruction that occurs. We have fought against our Creator from the beginning. The Christian is not immune to the events that create grief and hardship, but we do have the hope of salvation from the evil that plagues the world. I concur that there is a lot of hype regarding God as a fierce, vengeful being as opposed to a loving , sustaining, merciful one. The ones who are most anxious to express their views, unfortunately, are the Right wing conservative, hell fire and brimstone theologically oriented,and self-righteous individuals who have their own agenda to promote. The God I know looks upon the lost ,first child following an abortion with tears for both, and grief for the people of Haiti. My first comment , Craig, is that I hope it was just a good quality tobacco mixture that you were smoking. My next comment is that I believe the world is simply full of individuals that want a “god” that is utilitarian and who does only what “We” wish him to do and on “Our” standard. The use of capitalization is intentional. The reality is that There is “GOD” and “He” is in control. I don’t pretend to know the answers as to why God allows terrible things to befall “good people” or catastrophic events to happen to nations. I do believe there is a bigger plan than that envisioned by my small mind and with my pitiful understanding. The question that comes to my mind with events such as the horrendous quake in Haiti is “how is God by His Grace going to turn this to His glory?”. I believe that many people do not understand the extent of the love of God and His immeasurable grace and patience with the world including the greatest of his creation (us). We are to blame in our sin for deserving the death and destruction that occurs. We have fought against our Creator from the beginning. The Christian is not immune to the events that create grief and hardship, but we do have the hope of salvation from the evil that plagues the world. I concur that there is a lot of hype regarding God as a fierce, vengeful being as opposed to a loving , sustaining, merciful one. The ones who are most anxious to express their views, unfortunately, are the Right wing conservative, hell fire and brimstone theologically oriented,and self-righteous individuals who have their own agenda to promote. The God I know looks upon the lost ,first child following an abortion with tears for both, and grief for the people of Haiti.

]]>