The Neverending Story (The Christian Chronicles)

Associated Press ^ | 3/24/01

[malakhi]

The Neverending Story
An ongoing debate on Scripture, Tradition, History and Interpretation.

Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue. - John Adams

Previous Thread

[SoothingDave]

Suffering should, where possible, be overcome or ameliorated. If we truly thought suffering was redemptive, we would want more of it, or at least would not make any effort to minimize it.

The fact remains, that like the poor, we will always have suffering in this world. It would seem that attempts to make meaning and use of it would be welcomed. And not be interpreted as calls for more and better suffering.

SD

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Right. Like when I won the basketball torunament, I would not have been opposed to having everyone send me $5. LOL

We can't lay down the terms after the fact. :-)

[ventana]

Patronizing snob!

Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

If you believe Scripture says something that other Scripture contradicts, something is wrong. If you cannot see the logic in that statement, something is preventing you from seeing. If that something is what someone taught you, you have been lead astray.

Is it patronizing to reach out to help another Christian? Am I a snob because I see this OSAS blind spot as a problem?

Isn't that what we do here? Correct each other?

v.

[OLD REGGIE]

" . . . can you agree, as I gave an out earlier, that suffering helps to sanctify us?"

NO! In some cases it may, in others, absolutely not.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Me understand now.

BigMack

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Have you ever gone to a carnival, shelled out money for 3 softballs, and tried to knock down bowling pins in an effort to win a teddy bear or something?

[SoothingDave]

SD:But that does not change in the least the argument that buying life insurance is indeed a gamble with a financial payoff. That was Doug's definition of a sin.

Doug: I don't believe I ever said that.

Reggie: You did say it after Dave got through massaging your words and thoughts as only Dave can do.

Well. Let's see what Doug said in post 51590:

You can gamble without it being about money, but it becomes wrong when you gamble for money.

It becomes wrong when you gamble for money. That's what he said. I said to "Gamble with a financial payoff." I suppose you will now, rather than apologize, find some way that what I said was different.

SD

[OLD REGGIE]

Isn't that what we do here? Correct each other?

If you recognize you are coming across as a patronizing snob in your dialogue with Cindy then my retort is worthwhile. Otherwise it is wasted.

[SoothingDave]

" . . . can you agree, as I gave an out earlier, that suffering helps to sanctify us?"

NO! In some cases it may, in others, absolutely not.

Reggie corrects my statement again. Of course I meant that suffering may help to sanctify us, depending on our own attitude. Suffering turns some in to saints, and others into, ironically, insufferable people.

SD

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Speaking of coveting :) any of you guys millionaire's, and has anybody read the book the Millionaire Next Door? If so and you pratice the methods in the book do you consider this coveting?

BigMack

[OLD REGGIE]

2413 Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.

What's to be expected from the group which invented Bingo?

[SoothingDave]

If you recognize you are coming across as a patronizing snob in your dialogue with Cindy then my retort is worthwhile. Otherwise it is wasted.

Where is your rebuke of Jim for being a patronizing snob in ipso facto finding every Catholic who makes a gesture insincere in their hearts?

You would be taken much more seriously in your efforts if you were even the slightest bit fair in your assessments.

SD

[malakhi]

So He trumped the very idea of animal sacrifice, and left us with a symbolic (so to speak) alternative sacrifice.

So to speak -- meaning that it was not "symbolic" at all. The answer to animal sacrifice was not to "trump" it with the sacrifice of a God-man, but rather to replace it with repentance and prayer.

Return, O Israel, unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.
Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips. (Hosea 14:2-3)

[SoothingDave]

What's to be expected from the group which invented Bingo?

We didn't "invent" it, merely saw its use for fundraising.

SD

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Speaking of coveting :) any of you guys millionaire's,

I don't have your kind of money. I'm selling my house, remember? :-)

and has anybody read the book the Millionaire Next Door?

There's no need for me to.

If so and you pratice the methods in the book do you consider this coveting?

Without reading the book I'm gonna take a guess and say yes. :-)

[SoothingDave]

Never heard of it.

Tell us more.

SD

[SoothingDave]

The answer to animal sacrifice was not to "trump" it with the sacrifice of a God-man, but rather to replace it with repentance and prayer.

Baby steps. You've got to admit the efficacy of animal sacrifice really took a nose dive compared to the God-man.

SD

[OLD REGGIE]

(DouglasKC) "... I answered that life insurance isn't a sin because you don't buy it out of covetness...the person who has life insurance on himself doesn't ever get to see the money if it pays off."

It becomes wrong when you gamble for money. That's what he said. I said to "Gamble with a financial payoff." I suppose you will now, rather than apologize, find some way that what I said was different.

Typical Dave

[al_c]

BTW, it took a mere handfull of cards to play 20 seconds of Mary Had A Little Lamb.

Maybe I have the actual playing time of his composition wrong. He's very much the programmer (among other accomplishments) and is quite brilliant. In fact, he does a lot of work for our gubmint and for NASA (has a level 5 security clearance). He's also at the top of Apple's list of instructors for Final Cut Pro and other utilities ... that's how we found out about him.

[OLD REGGIE]

Reggie corrects my statement again. Of course I meant that suffering may help to sanctify us, depending on our own attitude. Suffering turns some in to saints, and others into, ironically, insufferable people.

Learn to say what you mean. Your "open ended" pronouncements leave too much for later "modification".