Society & Culture - 6 December 2007

2007-12-06 18:28:08 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

They dare to take shooting/killing other innocent people to end his life altogether. This seems to be getting contagious. Nowhere is safe. Who is responsible ?

2007-12-06 18:27:08 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

2007-12-06 18:24:18 · 28 answers · asked by Jacinta 1 in Mythology & Folklore

Isn't it a sign of deficient faith when a sick Christian isn't healed or a Christian isn't delivered from danger?
It would be a serious mistake to imply that deficient faith accounts for all instances in which a person does not receive healing or deliverance.
It's true that Scripture tells of people who were healed or delivered from danger because of their faith. Some examples are Gideon ( Judges 7:15-23 ); Naaman the Syrian ( 2 Kings 5:14-15 ); Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego ( Daniel 3:19-29 ); the centurion's servant ( Matthew 8:13 ); the woman with an issue of blood ( Matthew 9:20-22 ); the man with a withered hand ( Matthew 12:9-13 ); and Peter's deliverance from prison ( Acts 12:5-12 ). Even this partial list is impressive.
Clearly, faith in God may result in healing and deliverance. However, the Scriptures also show us just as clearly that there are times when a believer's suffering or sickness has nothing to do with a lack of faith.
When Job lost his family, wealth, and physical health, his friends "comforted" him with the message that his loss and suffering were due to his own moral failure (his lack of faith). But Job was confident in his integrity before God. God Himself had declared him perfect and upright ( Job 1:8 ). Later, God Himself denied the explanation that Job's "counselors" gave for his suffering ( Job 13:1-15 ). Even more importantly, God Himself denounced their words ( Job 42:7-8 ).
Job's faith wasn't the problem. In fact, Job's faith in God was so strong that he, without cursing or disrespect, defended his integrity to God and questioned Him about the injustice of his suffering. Yet, in the midst of his agony, he continued to trust:

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him (Job 13:15-16).

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27).
Job's faith was eventually rewarded and vindicated. But he wasn't spared the terrible suffering that allowed his faith to be tested and proven.
Even at a time when miracles often occurred, God allowed Stephen to be stoned ( Acts 7:59-60 ) and James to be beheaded. Although Acts 12 tells of Peter's supernatural deliverance from captivity in prison, Jesus had already prophesied that he would eventually die a martyr's death ( John 21:17-19 ), as (according to tradition) did all of the other disciples except John.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 Paul eloquently described the suffering and trials from which he hadn't been delivered. He also suffered from a particular "thorn in the flesh" ( 2 Corinthians 12:7, 10 ) for which God had not provided a remedy. When Timothy suffered from a stomach ailment, Paul didn't exhort him to have greater faith. Instead he told him to take some wine as medicine ( 1 Timothy 5:23 ). There isn't the slightest hint in these passages that Paul's trials and Timothy's sickness were the product of unconfessed sin or deficient faith. In fact, rather than proclaiming that our faith in Christ should deliver us from the suffering and trials of this world, Paul extols the spiritual benefits of suffering.
We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance [produces] character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us (Romans 5:3-5).
James also made it clear that strong faith is no insurance against suffering:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).
On the basis of Scripture, we can say that faith is always relevant to suffering. Our reaction to suffering -- whether in faith or in despair -- determines whether it will produce spiritual growth or despair. But because spiritual healing is more important to us than our physical circumstances, faith is not a barrier against suffering.
Whenever we are inclined to presume that the illness or suffering of another person is the result of that person's sin, we should recall the foolishness of Job's "counselors" in attempting to explain the mystery of God's will. Although faith won't always deliver us from tribulation, it will keep us conscious of God's promises and of the assurance that He will work everything out to good of His children ( Romans 8:28 ).

Dan Vander Lugt

2007-12-06 18:22:33 · 24 answers · asked by christian 3 in Religion & Spirituality

it was your parents, why didn't you carry on believing they existed and it was just you who wasn't getting visited? Nobody ever seems to think there might be a reason why santa or the tooth fairy never wants to visit them personally.

2007-12-06 18:22:14 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Somebody asked earlier why there are so few "original" questions asked in R&S, his assumption was that most questions are just recycled versions of questioned already asked.. This may be largely responsible for this phenom, I have another "theory":

Every original question that challenges religious beleif in any way is overreported by the monkies and gets deleted before it is exposed to a larger audience..

2007-12-06 18:22:01 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-06 18:21:15 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-06 18:20:46 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

My daughter father and I are at it again.He is just an angry person, I hate for him to be angry.The only thing that helps me is reading something to lift my spirits.Also if you could please pray for us, and him as well, with his anger problems.I am at work, so I dont have a bible with me.Please write me some encouraging words, and pray for him and I.
Much appreciated

2007-12-06 18:19:19 · 35 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

born again?

I have read the bible and I am also baptized, however, I have never heard the phrase "born again" before. Where is it coming from? What does that mean?

2007-12-06 18:18:47 · 9 answers · asked by ? 6 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-06 18:18:25 · 5 answers · asked by Pronounce 1 in Languages

2007-12-06 18:17:36 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

It just seems like such an unthoughtful gift idea. Its like giving someone a broom for their birthday.

2007-12-06 18:17:08 · 12 answers · asked by CreepyOwl 2 in Christmas

This is my last chance....I need a gift about $50 and under for a 16 year old boy who dresses punk/preppy...i guess...and he likes the hip-hop culture.

Please I've asked this question 4 times already today so no:

I don't know
Buy him a band shirt
buy him a gift card
buy him a video game

Not to sound picky but, those answers dont really help and I want to get him something nice because I like him.

:)

He's also really funny and loves to make people laugh.

2007-12-06 18:16:35 · 2 answers · asked by darkpastkisses 2 in Christmas

Sheeesh!

2007-12-06 18:16:31 · 15 answers · asked by words for the birds 5 in Religion & Spirituality

Fact: One of the worlds largest idols that has ever been constructed is the Statue of Liberty in the harbor of New York City. According to the following research, the Statue of Liberty is an idol which represents something specific:

The sculptor of the Statue of Liberty was Auguste Bertholdi. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge in Paris. Before beginning the statue of liberty project, Bertholdi was seeking a commission to construct a giant statue of the goddess "Isis," the Egyptian Queen of Heaven, to overlook the Suez canal. The statue of Isis was to be of "a robed woman holding aloft a torch" [The preceding information is from, “IS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY PAGAN?” by William Dankenbring]

If Revelation 17 is referring to Ishtar, it would not only be the sins of Christianity, as would be the case with the Roman Catholic Church, but it would include all other false religions on the face of the earth. This seems to be more consistent with the sins of Mystery Babylon.
http://yahushua.net/babylon/liberty/whore.htm

2007-12-06 18:12:03 · 15 answers · asked by Od Ephraim Chai 4 in Religion & Spirituality

When I was an orthodox Christian I was perfectly fine, then when I briefly became anti-Christian I was declared legally blind by two doctors, then when I became Unitarian I was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome and bipolar disorder, and now that I am quasi-agnostic and deistic I am under evaluation again. Is this what happens when you become less religious? Am I living proof that to be mentally stable the best bet is to be a Christian? Also my thoughts are becoming much darker, I want to go to war and burn America to the ground. If this is what happens when I become agnostic, what horrible things will happen under atheism? I also swear a lot now and care very little about people. I've also dropped out of college and lost hope in life and am suicidal. Really all these things happened when I began to forsake Christianity.

2007-12-06 18:10:21 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Is it "koT"

or

"KwoT"?

2007-12-06 18:08:52 · 6 answers · asked by aaloksrivastav 1 in Languages

2007-12-06 18:08:32 · 19 answers · asked by lee b 1 in Religion & Spirituality

Where do I look to find this woman who wants to enjoy life as my love and sex partner.

2007-12-06 18:07:19 · 9 answers · asked by ABC 1 in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender

I've seen this many times in different cultures. When a good friend you respect is killed or dies, people will do a toast to the departed, and proceed to tip some of their drink onto the ground.

2007-12-06 18:05:54 · 2 answers · asked by Mark 1 in Other - Society & Culture

2007-12-06 18:05:28 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

im not putting down any religion. i am buddhist.

what have you experienced or been through that could convince me to believe in god.with all of the miracles in the bible and so on. jesus could have just been some crazy person for all i know. and the bible could just be a big book of hallucinations, coincidences, and lies.


the question... why should i believe in god?

2007-12-06 18:04:35 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

i ask this question because i believe in both. but i dont want my kids going to school and being taught that there is no GOD. i dont want them being taught religion in school either.
im not trying to be rude against atheists. i just want everyones beliefs to be respected.

2007-12-06 18:02:37 · 25 answers · asked by clickyclockhill 2 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-06 18:01:40 · 3 answers · asked by zclifton2 6 in Other - Cultures & Groups

I honestly dont usually block folks and hate to do so as... I am just kinda social but people who rail at you about what is and isnt appropriate seem to be report nazi's to me...

2007-12-06 18:00:36 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

This is in response to a question asked a few days ago. And a further question/comment on a lot of the responses given.

Let me first of say that I believe that everyone has a right to have pride in their culture regardless of race or religion. I don't believe that anyone is better than anyone else due to race or creed.

Here's the question, with the same name that this one has so you can see where I'm coming from:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ao1dT3rWko9m2mSOM7eOCQFIzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071205120806AA74K7Y

A lot of the answerers were saying that white people don't have a culture. They, obviously, were in the American mentality because they reffered to us "borrowing" (read: stolen) our culture from various other cultures from Europe and possibly other places.

Our, white Americans, ancestors were from Europe- obviously- but how can you say that we don't have a culture? How can you say we can't be proud of what we did throughout history?

Yes, the Caucasian race has done

2007-12-06 17:58:31 · 16 answers · asked by aeseeke 3 in Other - Cultures & Groups

2007-12-06 17:57:14 · 120 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Do you think that religious people (ie Churchs) do the most good for people, or non-religious organizations do the most charitable works?

2007-12-06 17:56:30 · 15 answers · asked by colebolegooglygooglyhammerhead 6 in Religion & Spirituality

My kids and I were at the laundromat (yay... GOSH I need a working dryer!) tonight, and they have a small tv there. My four-year-old was sitting and watching a show -- I think it might have been a rerun of the Cosby Show -- when he laughed and announced loudly, "I like that black show!"

At the time, I just shushed him.

If he says something like that again, though, how should I respond? Should I just shush him? Ignore it? Tell him it's not nice?

I can't even tell if I think it's offensive or not. I mean, he wasn't saying anything negative about it. He didn't know the name of the show. But it just seemed to ring an "inappropriate" alarm.

2007-12-06 17:56:12 · 14 answers · asked by CrazyChick 7 in Etiquette