Society & Culture - 20 October 2007

on the subway train, and then all of a sudden, they change seats far away from me, why would they do that, even on a crowded seat for no reason, if I didn't do or say anything to them

2007-10-20 15:12:51 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Etiquette

as the government has access to your searches and emails? This is not a conspiracy theory. It has been questioned by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. I have often thought of boycotting due to this practice as many people have been jailed in other countries (aside from the U.S.) for speaking out against the government in emails etc.
I'm sure it's happened here. Do you feel any moral obligation to boycott such things? I know that I've been very seriously considering it. Thanks for your thoughts.

2007-10-20 15:12:34 · 11 answers · asked by Yogini 6 in Religion & Spirituality

First off, let me state that I'm an atheist, that I don't believe in organized religion, and that I specifically hate Evangelicals. That said, studies have shown that one can alter the brain to feel spirituality, and that spirituality can bring with it a certain amount of inner peace (without the hate). I'm looking for some helpful advice for achieving spirituality through practice. Any legit advice?

2007-10-20 15:12:15 · 14 answers · asked by voidedlives 3 in Religion & Spirituality

somethin thats been floating around in my head for a while.

2007-10-20 15:11:49 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

I had an abortion 32 years ago, and have repented as far as I knew for it. I since then have received communion and was happy to repent thinking that everything was ok. Now today I heard on EWTN that if you abort a child you are automatically excommunicated from the church and that the only way that this sin can be absolved is through the Pope. Is this so. I was terrified when I heard this. Or did I understand what he was saying. I thought I did. Help please!!

2007-10-20 15:09:08 · 33 answers · asked by Brenda M 4 in Religion & Spirituality

I know I am a Baptist and I live in the Northeast but what in the world is a southern Baptist?
People say they are hypocritical do you agree?
Thanx!

2007-10-20 15:07:58 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

My brother-in-law had a lump come up on his back. The CT scan showed a spot on his lung, liver, and the lesion on his back. I expected the worst. The biopsy revealed stage 4 lung cancer. Several people took him into their prayers, in fact, quite a few people. I asked friends and relatives to pray for him, but I was thinking more about his soul than his life. I figured he was done. Before the Oncologist could even start a chemotherapy routine, the lesion on his back had grown to the size of a small tangerine, larger than a golf ball. After the first treatment, my brother-in-law reported that the tumor had all but disappeared. His pain went away (he was, however, still receiving pain meds which could account for this). A couple days after the Chemo he spoke to the Dr. and asked how quickly he might see results. The Dr. said that he MIGHT see some improvement within a week or two. My brother-in-law saw these results in a single day.
Is this the hand of God at work?

2007-10-20 15:07:43 · 41 answers · asked by plezurgui 6 in Religion & Spirituality

Why not man and man or woman and woman marriages, what is the difference, isn't love, love??
-Is the main issue that homosexuality is considered 'unchristian'??
-Do you think it is an example of the governments inability to separate church and state?

I would love to just hear any opinions on the matter, and if you have read anything on the topic recently that you could tell me about, I would love to read it also.

Thank you!!

2007-10-20 15:07:09 · 36 answers · asked by Smilingcheek 4 in Religion & Spirituality

im trying to say: on monday my monster wears one orange short pants and blue shirt. Is that correct? and how do u spell shorts (clothes) in spanish?

2007-10-20 15:06:09 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Languages

2007-10-20 15:05:16 · 22 answers · asked by sahara_springs 3 in Religion & Spirituality

I was browsing Godtube (it is funny) and found this: http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=0da60aeb079c36b4938d

You don't have to be Christian to find this deeply disturbing.

To summarize for those that don't want to watch, this guy says he is the second coming of Christ, and the antichrist. He says that is an incorrect interpretation, it really means New Christ or second coming.

This is a news stations report on the matter. Apparently, they are highly against other religions, and many fear violent action from them.

My question is: what is your reaction to this? As shocked and disturbed as me?

2007-10-20 15:05:14 · 23 answers · asked by Khana S 3 in Religion & Spirituality

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and was raped. I'm 14 and a teen mother and proud of it. Abortion wasn't for me but I don't agree with taking the right from others. Why do people assume that we hate kids and everything to do with them? Or that I will raise my kids to hate Christianity and everything to do with it? Can't we just get rid of all the religious and pro choice/pro life hate?

2007-10-20 15:03:56 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-10-20 15:03:49 · 4 answers · asked by Iced Mice 1 in Other - Holidays

2007-10-20 15:02:40 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

IS THERE A CURE!?! I am really sick of people who steal blankets. It really bothers me when I wake up cold and tired with no blanket to find the person next to me warm and snuggly in about four layers of comforter. THEN! When I try yo pull the blanket back I either get whapped at by a flailing hand or I get rolled onto by my neighbor! Really I am fed up with it. HELP! Is there something I can do? ADVICE IS NEEDED! No joke guys. What in the world am I supposed to do. I am just as tired as them, why can't I get the same amount of sleep. One thing I did notice is that the same people who "can't sleep without a second pillow" are the same ones who rol around at night and kick people. LOL!

FROM!

help_me_i_need_some_sleep_dang_it!

2007-10-20 15:02:31 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Etiquette

The Jews do not believe in Jesus as the messiah, because he did not fulfill the messianic prophecies. Or did he? Was it figurative when the bible said, "No nation shall learn war anymore"? Figurative in the fact that if you accept Jesus, then you won't learn war in your heart? I really don't think this is true, but because I am converting to Judaism friends will throw this at me. I need to know the comforts that JUDAISM gives, because Chistianity just confuses me. Any thoughts?

2007-10-20 15:02:08 · 21 answers · asked by scottishbeauty 2 in Religion & Spirituality

How do you keep love and joy in your heart when the customers are so rude to you that you want to cry and scream? It's getting so bad that I've begun to think about abandoning work until after college! Someone tell me how you remain calm and sympathetic and nice when you hate the way you are being treated!

2007-10-20 15:01:58 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Etiquette

I don't believe science is a religion, but if you say believed it that it was, and could pick any religion you wanted, wouldn't you go with the religion that cured polio and made the internet?

2007-10-20 14:59:55 · 17 answers · asked by Don't Fear the Reaper 3 in Religion & Spirituality

Is there any religious significance to serving perogies at Easter? (I'm thinking of the Ukrainian custom.)

2007-10-20 14:58:45 · 4 answers · asked by hermione_speaks 3 in Religion & Spirituality

I want to tell you that it really will be OK. I was a born again, spirit-filled Christian who was in love with my precious Jesus for over ten adult years.

I found a way out, and truly it was a miracle. I fear for Christians, as the evidences begin to pile up against the very foundations of Christianity, and worry about so many who have devoted their lives to this faith.

It took a few years of wrestling, emotionally and spiritually for me to find the path to atheism, but it is as if I have been a captive bird let out of a cage.

When you are able and ready to escape, I want you to know that for the first time, you will know what Love is - not just some second-hand effluence trickling down from a superbeing, but from your true selves.

Oh if I could express the joys of having let go of God.

Bless you all!

2007-10-20 14:58:16 · 27 answers · asked by The Burninator 1 in Religion & Spirituality

The Fear of Hijab: Nothing strikes fear in the Western psyche like a piece of cloth on a woman's head
by Naheed Mustafa
In September 1994, 13-year-old Emilie Ouimet was sent home from Montreal (Quebec, Canada)’s Louis Riel High School because her Hijab did not conform to the school's dress code.

Two months later, a second Quebec girl, 15-year-old Dania Baali, was told she would have to transfer to another school from College Regina Assumpta if she wanted to observe Hijab.

It is incredible to know nothing strikes fear in the hearts of Western man like a piece of cloth on a woman's head.

The Hijab is Perceived As A Radical Statement

To some, she is making a radical statement about her violent political ideas.

To others, she is the symbol of absolute subjugation and is in dire need of rescue.

For them, having such women as part of the North American landscape is frightening.

She is “the veiled woman,” belonging in a foreign place, an actor on an exotic stage.

We are seen as poisoning this “free and democratic” culture with our “weak and submissive ways.”

Thus, various school boards in Quebec have decided that rooting out the unwanted influence at the earliest point possible is the best way to avoid contaminating their haute culture.

The Fear of Hijab is Legitimate

I have often wondered why a woman in Hijab participating freely in this society is perceived as so threatening.

I have always thought that fear of such women was unfounded. After all, her wearing Hijab has nothing to do with anyone else-it only has to do with her commitment to Allah. But now I realize the fear is legitimate.

Muslim women are a threat.

Hijab Sends a Message of Acceptance and Rejection

A woman who covers herself out of the love of Allah is not just stating something about what she accepts but she is also saying something about what she rejects.

Any woman who refuses to play the gender games that are so basic to all societies is going to be pushed out.

Women have always been expected to play some kind of role in every society.

In North America, a great part of this role revolves around sex and the aura of sexuality. Any relationship involving men and women has some kind of sexual undertone.

When a woman covers herself she is rejecting that role, she is saying sex will have nothing to do with her public life. It is the fact that she has taken out of the discussion her physical self that people find so upsetting.

A Woman in Hijab : More than "Just a Woman"

A female doctor, writer, electrician or plumber may be appreciated in the work environment for her skill, but is still basically seen as “just a woman.”

But put her in Hijab so that what makes her a woman cannot be appraised and all of a sudden you are dealing with a person.

It is a radical idea not liked by many.

She is Rejecting The Politics of Gender

This person is not only rejecting preset gender roles but also the associated politics of gender.

She is therefore rejecting the basic social structure which also means she is seen to be rejecting the political system and its tied economic setup.

So educators in Quebec should feel threatened. Emilie and Dania are more than just two girls whose headgear does not conform to school dress code. They are representatives of something bigger, of a different way of life and of living.

It took me some time to come to this conclusion.

Hijab : An Act of Faith

I had always seen Hijab as a private matter between myself and Allah.

I chose to wear Hijab because I felt my Iman (faith) had to be translated into action and if Allah asks me to cover, then I should.

If I could not act out my faith then what was the point of saying I had any faith?

But, unfortunately, those around me did not see my wearing Hijab as a personal act of worship.

Rather, they saw it as a personal attack on them. I wore Hijab and that automatically meant I disapproved of everything they did.

I found the hostility difficult to understand. Just because my head was covered, people were unable to relate to me.

I had a newfound freedom and a greater sense of confidence in myself as a Muslim but most others saw me as a throwback.

Women's Progress Still Tied To Appreance

Progressiveness for women is unfortunately still defined by how much they are willing to reveal.

The more power women seem to gain, the more compelled they are to take off their clothes.

This paradox is at the root of the confusion faced by North American women.

They are supposed to be strong, independent and assertive yet, at the same time, they are made slaves to an ideal physical image which cannot be achieved by the vast majority of women. This duality is a marketable commodity.

Take the fashion industry for example; the latest from Paris says “glamor” is the hottest look of the season with its glossy lipsticks, slip dresses, and spiked heels.

Women object saying that fashion designers are expecting them to dress like prostitutes at the office.

They loathe the fact that the female body is used for selling everything from cosmetics to clothing to cars.

Yet when Muslim women cover themselves up and protest the very same thing, they are conversely regarded as being oppressed.

Terminal Confusion About Women's Freedom

The confusion is terminal. While some fight against what they see as objectifying women, others feel the ideal way to ultimate freedom for women is the right to got barechested in public.

The rationale seems to be that once our bodies are desexualized then it will be safer for us to go out on the streets.

We just have to give up our dignity, our modesty and our privacy.

And it is in the midst of all this confusion that women in Hijab have arrived. Their unwillingness to play into the hands of either side has earned them scorn.

Hijab has become a Political Statement

Hijab is fundamentally part of worship but, right or wrong, it has become a political statement as well.

We may only be expressing our commitment to our Deen (religion) but Hijab is seen to symbolize a rejection of the West.

The Mistake of the Secularists

This perceived rejection has affected liberal secularists so profoundly that they are willing to push aside their own basic principle of individual freedom to stave of the “oppressive” influences of Islam.

It would be a wise person indeed who would realize that it is the very culture secularists are trying to preserve that has led people to search for something else.

And for those who are truthful to themselves, they will see that Emilie and Dania have it figured out.

http://www.islamawareness.net/Hijab/

2007-10-20 14:57:58 · 15 answers · asked by muslim-doctor 3 in Religion & Spirituality

Ever since i recieved God's precious gift, (eternal life) I just can't read the Bible enough, it is awesome. I gave my heart and entire life to Jesus on july 20th. of this year and i just want to share his love with everyone. I want to tell everyone who don't know God that he is very, very real. I came to find that we have to watch what we say on here or else we will get reported. But i don't care about being reported because Jesus loves us so much that he died on a cross after being tortured beyond humanity just so we would have eternal life with him and our father God so i think it is the least i can do to try and bring as many souls that will come before him. I can't hardly wait for that awesome day, but i do pray that everyone who hears about him will be saved as well.

2007-10-20 14:56:24 · 23 answers · asked by ? 4 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-10-20 14:55:17 · 3 answers · asked by tony200423man 2 in Other - Holidays

I want to be a good coach for my team.

and does this sentence make sense..
hiciste ganar el juego?

2007-10-20 14:55:01 · 6 answers · asked by ashley**xoxo 1 in Languages

If so, please link it. It would be like witnessing a miracle for me because I'm getting very disillusioned with the sheer ignorance these people "think" up.


This isn't an attack, I really want a link. I have hope.

2007-10-20 14:53:40 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

The only thing I can think of is to watch us suffer and die. So maybe god isnt caring but sadistic & cruel. He only lives to torment us with his holier than thou crap because he enjoys it

2007-10-20 14:52:17 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

I don't read Arabic. I have a Qur'an translation by Abdulla Yusuf Ali which I have been reading. I came across another translation by Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem. The comments say this book is written in modern English. So I'm thinking I might understand it better. Has anyone read this translation? Is it accurate?

2007-10-20 14:51:14 · 6 answers · asked by Gatekeeper 4 in Ramadan

2007-10-20 14:50:57 · 25 answers · asked by Patrick the Carpathian, CaFO 7 in Religion & Spirituality

River Phoenix left this world on halloween night 1993. were you a fan ?

2007-10-20 14:49:39 · 16 answers · asked by ⓑⓐⓨⓢⓐ ™ 6 in Other - Society & Culture

2007-10-20 14:49:31 · 30 answers · asked by courtneygass 1 in Religion & Spirituality