Religion & Spirituality - 10 November 2006

Was Phillip dead, or did he steal her away from Phillip?
Was the woman a bad apple, or was it simply over the fact she was his sister in law?
Was John the Baptist the only one who criticised Herod over it?

2006-11-10 06:23:37 · 3 answers · asked by cirque de lune 6

Dear (NAME-WITHELD),

It is now 12:46 at night, October 20, 2006, and I’m sitting in front of my laptop, thinking about where I have gone wrong in my life. For some reason, I feel as though you are the closest thing to a brother that I’ll ever have. After watching (TV SHOW WITH HELD), I learned more about you as a person … your dedication to Islam, the love you have for your family, your intelligence, honesty, loyalty, humor …the list could go on. And I have not yet had the privilege to meet you personally.

I too am a Muslim. I grew up in a big family as well. And I was born from the United States , but my parents were born from Iraq . Similar to you in someway, but also different by many aspects. My friends and relatives see me as the funny guy who is always optimistic. But what they see is only an act. They don’t see how truly miserable I feel in side. Sadly, a day doesn’t go by where I don’t think about my past life experiences. I’m not one to cry, but lately, I cry almost everyday in the privacy of my room, thinking about how much I have done wrong in my life. At times, I contemplate suicidal thoughts just so I could end my life of it’s problems, but that is way too haraam (Arabic for wrong), and would never even do such a thing. I fear death, but hell and Allah (God) even more.

Before I continue, I want you to witness these things I have experienced during my life so that you can understand the problem I am having:

When I was in elementary school, my mom always told me to do good in school so that I can succeed in the future as a doctor and represent the family name. As a kid though, I barely socialized with other kids around my own age group because I was very quiet. From Kindergarten to third grade, I was just a normal kid without any problems. However, in the fourth grade though, my first problem began. I began to have a crush on this girl that was in my class. At the time, I knew it was wrong to have a girlfriend, and I didn’t intend to have one either. My parents already had explained to me the fundamentals of Islam. But everyday, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I was only ten years old too! What the heck? But because I had always watched movies with kids in situations like mine, it influenced me to step up my game. One day, I decided to tell the girl I like her. I walked up to her during lunch and spoke to her about how I felt. So the girl basically rejected me in the worst possible way. She told almost everyone what I had done and told me she didn’t like me. Word got around about this very quickly. I was only a kid, so this rejection hurt. But not only did this bother me, but the fact that I went against what my parents told me about Islam. I recall being so upset at this time, not knowing what to do or who to turn to. I spoke to nobody. I thought I was going to hell. Eventually though, I began to get over it. But rest assured that I never told another girl about my feelings.

So by the time I was in fifth grade, I was still a little insecure about why that girl rejected me. I began to feel hated and disliked sometimes and so I outcasted my self from socializing with my classmates at lunchtime. This became a bad habit. In a matter of time, people began to talk insult me for no reason, cussing at me, and even saying words such as “fag”, “homo”, “gay”… I didn’t even know what that was or why they called me that. Also, as me and my brothers got into fights, my brothers would say those words (and other cuss words) too even though they didn’t mean it literally… they were just angry. Somehow, I found out what those words meant and was disgusted. These insults – they kind of stab you man. I mean, you go from being an average person to being disliked, then insulted, and hated. What kind of childhood is this. Where’d that come from? …this sort of continued until I was in the eighth grade even though I was very popular in middle school and had a lot of friends. (They still had those people who I didn’t get along with.) Yeah I got into fights, but that’s normal where I live. But back to my point…this stuff starts to get to you after a while though… You know how they say if you constantly keep telling a person they’re mental, they will begin to believe they’re mental? Or for example, if you call a person stupid… they might grow up thinking stupid. Well as I grew up, I began to think that something was wrong with me. I couldn’t understand why so many people insulted me the way the did.

More problems…

…while doing a project for History Class in eigth grade, I decided to use the internet as my source of research. It was about “African Americans,” so stupid me, thinking I’d be able to find quick results by just entering “Blacks” into my internet browser ended up with a thousand popups of pornography! I don’t want to describe to you what I had seen as that would be impolite… and even if not so, it is too embarrassing and nasty to describe. My point is, is that I got curious and started looking at bad bad pictures of naked people. But because stupid me became adjusted to thinking I was “gay,” started looking at gay pornography on the internet out of curiosity. This was around the age of puberty so it became an uncontrollable addiction, even though I knew I had the urge to stop it.

The addiction continued until eleventh grade. Here I am today, a college study studying to be a doctor like my mother wanted me to. What I have just described to you is the problem I am having. I want to get married and have children, and marry a beautiful girl. But I’m afraid, and don’t know if it’s even possible. The pressure to get married is becoming even more demanding everyday. I want to change so badly, and would do anything to correct my past so that I can make this possible.

When I look around me …my family, relatives, and people I have known – all dream of knowing what the future holds for them – but for me, it’s the most fearful thing to know. My family could outcast me and I would be the talk of the town If everyone thinks I’m homo. All the dignity and respect my family has upheld will be ruined. I would rather die than leave my family with this much misery and embarrassment.

I do not want to be a homosexual but it’s a disgusting habit that has taken over me. Just as any man or woman is attracted to the opposite sex, it’s very hard or unlikely for them to oppose those feelings. However, I’m different. I never really accepted mine in the first place. They are just here, stuck with me, and now I’m trying to change.

Hopefully as you read this letter, and understand what I’m going through. You’re advice can determine more than you can imagine. My future will be impacted by what you have to say – good or bad. You’re the only person I feel I can turn to.

Inshallah the best for you and your family,
(Name withheld)

2006-11-10 06:23:09 · 8 answers · asked by Pro w S 1

famous statement "let he who is without sin cast the first stone," why did we have the crusades? witch burnings? the Spainish inquisition? etc...Do Christians realize it's not Jesus we have a problem with but Christianity?

2006-11-10 06:22:21 · 14 answers · asked by Dr. Brooke 6

"And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver." -- Leviticus 27:6

2006-11-10 06:22:02 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

Recently, a woman who was teaching at a Catholic school in my area was fired because it was discovered that the child she had just had was conceived through in-vitro fertilization (with her husband, btw). I really don't understand that. I mean, she created a life. Can someone explain why the Church would be against IVF?

2006-11-10 06:20:15 · 7 answers · asked by aldera22 3

2006-11-10 06:17:42 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous

If suppose each living thing on this planet is a recieving 'device', meaning all that we see around us are nothing but signals transmitted to the 'brain' by all our senses-eyes,ear,mouth,skin,nose. So the whole world is just an image formed in our brain made by these signals. So even our brain, body everything is just an image formed in that recieving 'point'. We cannot even be sure if all of our 'past' was just fed into us at one single moment, or if it really did exist.How can we know for sure that the world really exist or if we are 'something' stationary and just that the signals are continuosly being fed into us?The dream state gives more proof for this, coz even in a dream we can feel, touch, hear, smell and see our body someplace else(a different world),which actually doesn't exist in reality!And what happens when we r in deep sleep- no senses,no world, no people-nothing!

I found this to be a bizarre concept, but couldn't find anything to prove it wrong either. What do u think?

2006-11-10 06:17:42 · 4 answers · asked by ssss 3

My wife and I, who recently moved to Denver, have been trying to meet other born again christians in the area.

We invited over a nice couple from the local church for an evening at our place. Tim owns a hardware store. Kate is a mother of 3.

After we had eaten Tim and I settled down with a non alcoholic drink while the women did the dishes. He asked me if I would like to sleep with Kate. Kate is a real knock out, with a pretty face, long legs, and a great rack. I knew I would have my wifes permission. She and I have attended many wife swapping evenings through our old church.

When Kate and I came back from the bedroom an hour later, Tim was waiting for me to say something. After I thanked him, he seemed angry and asked if he could now sleep with my wife. I replied certainly not - I had already had his wife and did not want to share mine.

In the Bible it says "Since we are his children we will share his treasures." - Gal.5:25

Was it unchristian not to share my wife?

2006-11-10 06:16:35 · 7 answers · asked by Pastor Sauce 3

My sincere advice to all Christians:

- Worship God alone
- Ask God alone (for help)
- Pray to God alone

Jesus was a prophet sent by God to convey his message to the children of Israel... He worshiped and prayed to God and asked him for help.

Jesus was not crucified for the sins of people, since everyone is responsible for his own sins and it's God's choice to forgive them or not. God is the one who created us, he doesn't except perfection from us ,as he knows that he is the only perfect... he is the most merciful and can forgive all the sins if one returned to him and repented to him sincirly.

This is the true faith.

2006-11-10 06:16:34 · 5 answers · asked by Kimo 4

being unaccepting of others, and arguing is war, just on a smaller scale. when we argue about religion or other things, all we are doing is taking steps backward, and we're not learning to live with one another. is anyone else aware of this?
your thoughts?

2006-11-10 06:14:42 · 6 answers · asked by ferrari_83000 2

2006-11-10 06:08:29 · 7 answers · asked by chiguy 2

I'm not gonna go read one of her books, I just want an idea.

2006-11-10 06:07:21 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

I watch a show called A Haunting on Discovery last night. It's based on true stories. I believe that things like this can happen. What do you believe should be done?

2006-11-10 06:05:05 · 13 answers · asked by Ha Ha Charade You Are................... 4

Christmas celebrates the day that Jesus was born so why do non-believers celebrate it?

2006-11-10 06:02:14 · 31 answers · asked by Spinach 3

always "witnessing" and using Christian talking points that's so annoying?

It's always, Jesus our savior and devine keeper this...
And, we're all sinners who need God's grace so we don't all perish in eternal condemnation...
I mean, it gets so old....

2006-11-10 05:59:18 · 23 answers · asked by Dr. Brooke 6

Hitler killed Christians who tried to protest their actions or help Jews. Alot of Christians also went through alot of trouble to help them leave the continent or go into hiding before they could be killed. And let's not forget the courageous Danish Lutherans who saved their country's Jews from death and continued fighting the Nazis through the Resistance.

P.S. Who said Hitler was a Christian anyway? he was just a maniacal guy.

2006-11-10 05:57:29 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous

i was watching sally jessy raphael the other day for the first time on ITV2 and this 'pyschic' guy called john was there
and he was like really good
but then i thought, they probably make up all of the stories on there and stuff. i am still unsure haha.
what do you think?

2006-11-10 05:55:10 · 21 answers · asked by Button.Monster 3

courage to root out this from their organization rather then covering it up?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/5389684.stm

2006-11-10 05:55:03 · 7 answers · asked by . 6

How do we know that as the religion works so hard to cover it up?
On how many cases has it been totally successful in covering it up?
Shorely you should be doing all you can to expose this activity before claiming it is not endemic in the religion?
Please not if you deny or play it down then you stand alongside the pedophile.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/5389684.stm

2006-11-10 05:52:38 · 21 answers · asked by . 6

Does anyone out there know of any sigificance to the number 444 in the Jewish religion?

2006-11-10 05:52:13 · 6 answers · asked by ENI 2

2006-11-10 05:52:03 · 15 answers · asked by JIMBO 4

Most of the worlds armed conflicts involve combatents from the 'religion of peace' demanding that their cavelaw, from their angry God, be forced upon the rest of the region.

Whats amazing is that, with every new conflict that arises, involving the same religion and same demands, no alarm is created in the western world other than to condemn 'terror' itself ...continuing to leave the root cause unchallenged.

Even worse, the poor brainwashed people themsevles (religionists) are blamed instead of the source of their brainwashing. The cancer continues to grow unchalleged like some fundy who rejects modern medicine.

Im sure, that future generations...if there is much of a future, will think us stark raving mad, the same as we have looked at historical peoples with amazement for their stupidity.

Myself, I will find some stone or steel tablet, that can weather time, and make clear where I stood.

2006-11-10 05:51:41 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

Do you believe in them? What are your views?

I believe in them, but not in the same way as Christians do.
Angels: I believe that not all angels are "good", but they basically work for a deity. Some angels may act as guardians, guides, etc; while others may have other purposes (ie. "reapers/angel of death"). No matter what they're job is, they're basically working for a deity.
In my belief, fallen angels are still technically angels, not demons. They simply chose to "fall" away from their original job/ working for deity.
Demons: Not all demons are "evil", but they don't fit into the category of angels or nature spirits. Some may act as guardians as angels do, while others may cause mischief or even serious problems. They don't work for a deity and do things of they're own will, not because it's considered their job.
Other spirits can be "angelic" or "demonic", but aren't actual angels or demons.

2006-11-10 05:50:22 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

When people pass a chruch, and make a cross symbol with their hands, in their car, what does this mean?

2006-11-10 05:49:19 · 14 answers · asked by jacking_you_up 1

I mean there is only one God. Even if many divine incarnations came on earth like Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed, Krishna and others they still talked about One God and about our salvation (nirvana, the kingdom of god, moksha etc) people have transformed the oryginal message amd now they think they know everything about God

2006-11-10 05:48:57 · 20 answers · asked by anthony 2

2006-11-10 05:47:23 · 16 answers · asked by Formerly Agnostic Messiah 1

From Wikipedia

"Dawkins is well known for his contempt for religious extremism, from Islamic terrorism to Christian fundamentalism, but he has also argued fiercely with liberal believers and religious scientists,[4] including many who might otherwise champion his science and fight creationism alongside him, from the biologist Kenneth Miller[9] to the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries.[30]
"

What kind of effect will people following this clearly hate-based compaign have on society?

As Christians, perhaps our enemy is not the people or even the ideas, but hate itself?

2006-11-10 05:46:06 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

Honestly, I'm sorry about the witch trials, the crusades, the Native American genocide, and other things that man came up with and God had nothing to do with. But can everyone stop living in the past? Most of us are really funloving and caring people now. Not to mention how we have been persecuted before as well such as in

1) the Armenian holocaust
2) the Assyrian holocaust
3) Imprisonment of millions in Communist China
4) Destruction of Orthodox Curch in Russia under Stalin
5) The Roman Empire persecutions of the early church
6) The disownment of children in the Middle East who convert to Christianity
7) the first and Second Sudanese Civil Wars which killed 1.9 million Christians.
8) the Kirishtan Holocaust in midievil Japan which saw to the death of 500,000 believers and the complete destruction of the church there.
You get the point right? We all live in the same world and have shared the same burdens, trials, and genocides.

2006-11-10 05:45:02 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

it doesn't make sense to me. all the different religions and they all believe they are the only way to make it to heaven. some believe in god, some believe in Allah, some believe in Buddah, some believe in deamons and angles and 6-headed monsters...... so if we don't choose the right religion, we go to hell? sounds like a f'd up game to me.

2006-11-10 05:43:46 · 25 answers · asked by jugglaman 4

2006-11-10 05:42:13 · 14 answers · asked by JIMBO 4