Religion & Spirituality - 16 December 2007

Two beggars are sitting on the pavement in Ireland. One is holding a large Cross and the other a large Star of David. Both are holding hats to collect contributions. As people walk by, they lift their noses at the guy holding the Star of David but drop money in the other guy’s hat. Soon one hat is nearly full while the other hat is empty.
A priest watches and then approaches the men. He turns to the guy with the Star of David and says, "Don't you realize that this is a Christian country? You'll never get any contributions in this country holding a Star of David."
The guy holding the Star of David then turns to the guy holding the Cross and says, "Hymie, look who's trying to teach us marketing."
Billy Graham went to see the Pope in Rome. While he was waiting, Billy noticed a red phone. As he was ushered in to talk to the Pope, he asked, "What's the red phone for?"
"That's to talk to God," came the reply.
"Really," Billy gasped, "how much does such a call cost - it's an awful long way?"
"$10,000 a minute, but it's well worth it." answered the Pope.
Some weeks later, Billy Graham went to see the Chief Rabbi in Jerusalem. He noticed that he, too, had a red phone. "I don't suppose," asked Billy, "that this phone is to talk to God?"
"Yes it is." came the reply.
"And how much does that cost?" Billy inquired.
"Twenty cents a minute," shrugged the chief rabbi.
"How come it's so cheap?" Billy asked, "the Pope has a phone like that and it costs $10,000 a minute!"
"Well," grinned the Chief Rabbi, "From here it's just a local call."
While leading the Friday evening services, the Rabbi noticed a member of the congregation, Bernie, walk in with a St. Bernard dog. The Rabbi, horrified, asked the Cantor to take over the service and went to talk to Bernie.
"What are doing here with a dog?"
"The dog came here to pray."
"Oh, come on." says the Rabbi.
"It's true," says Bernie.
"I don't believe you. You are just fooling around and that's not a proper thing to do in a synagogue."
"Its really true," says Bernie.
"OK," says the Rabbi (thinking he would call Bernie's bluff), "then show me what the dog can do."
"OK," says Bernie nodding to the dog. The dog opens up the barrel under his neck and removes a yarmulke, a tallis (and puts them on) and prayer book and then starts saying prayers in Hebrew!
The Rabbi is so shocked he listens for a full 15 minutes. When the Rabbi regains his composure, he is so impressed with the quality of the praying he says to Bernie. "Do you think your dog would consider going to Rabbinical school?"
Bernie, throwing up his hands in disgust says, "You talk to him, he wants to be a doctor!"

2007-12-16 05:04:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 05:03:41 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 05:02:39 · 40 answers · asked by Maurice H 6

Jesus did not come to overthrow the Roman government, although that's what the Zealots wanted. Neither did Jesus words about the kingdom of God match what the Essenes and Pharisees believed about it. Jesus said to the Pharisees "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-20). What did he mean?

2007-12-16 05:00:34 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

Would the world be a much better place if they all behaved this way?

2007-12-16 04:58:57 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 04:57:51 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

"Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (I Timothy 2:11-14)

2007-12-16 04:54:37 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous

I have seen some websites that state that we should not be involved with the government or submit to its laws. What is their reasoning for this? I just read Romans 13:1-7 and it said:

1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?

Am I misinturpreting this?

2007-12-16 04:53:28 · 15 answers · asked by Murphy's_Law 2

1st this is not meant to offend anyone, I am just looking for answers to help me with my own beliefs.
1. Why do Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?
(I wasnt raised in a religious household so I am ignorant to
just about everything.)
2. Why do Jews believe he isnt the Messiah? (please dont be
rude, these are peoples beliefs)
3. What are the major differences between Judiasm, and
Christianity?
4. Why do people take offense when you wish a Merry
Christmas or a happy Chaunaka? It is a jesture of good
will and warm wishes what ever your beliefs. I have been
wished both and I have also said both to people and
instead of smiling and keeping the spirit, some have been
blatently rude. I appologize and go on but it seems so
trivial to me to get offended when someone is wishing you
well.
I have no religion that I practice or even understand. I would like to understand more about them. TY

2007-12-16 04:53:25 · 16 answers · asked by melissaw77 5

There's no more reason to think that those stories included in the New Testament are "revealed" than that my great-grandmother's snickerdoodle recipe was "revealed."

2007-12-16 04:49:25 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

paul gave a clue that the spirit and soul are two differant things and are not the same thing when he said in one of his opening texts "may your whole spirit soul and body be blessed"

tell me what you think the spirit is and what the soul is

2007-12-16 04:48:55 · 3 answers · asked by Lost Boy 2

An estimate for the number of humans who have ever lived would run from 12 billion to 120 billion, with about 60 billion being a reasonable estimate.

There are at least 125 billion galaxies in the universe. So even if we take the high end of our human estimate, 120 billion, there are still more galaxies in the universe than there have been humans.

Are galaxies more important to God than humans? Physics has already learned that if the universe was designed it was designed for producing black holes. The universe that we live in is perfect if you're a black hole and sub-optimal if you're a human.

2007-12-16 04:47:36 · 17 answers · asked by Defunct 5

so you think that he as doing the will of Jesus and did as he was told to?

I have heard a few other versions from the conventional one and I am curious what Christians think about this? Do you think Judas a traitor or doing the will of Jesus?

2007-12-16 04:45:35 · 31 answers · asked by Legend Gates Shotokan Karate 7

And don't tell me we "adapted"...because that would be evolution.....how do asians have slanted eyes, we have blacks, middle eastern people, white people, and people of other ethnic backgrounds yet we all supposedly came from ONE background....unless of course, "god" is multicolored like a rainbow or a bag of skittles...

2007-12-16 04:44:49 · 22 answers · asked by Dreamy Lover 2

2007-12-16 04:43:12 · 8 answers · asked by 19G30 5

It is a fact that some people have certain metals in them that have a extraterrestrial origin.
Thousands of people every year are abducted by aliens.
Every religion is false!
Scientology is the real religion.
We base our religion on science.
If you don't believe me then how do you explain the Roswell incident?

2007-12-16 04:38:27 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous

homosexualsharks have ever been found.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

2007-12-16 04:38:01 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

Fellow atheists, are we wasting time trying to convince the people on here when we should be getting out towns to build an actual healthy support structure so we can rid the town of churches? Should we focus on getting atheists into public office to make real leadership decisions?

I think that trying to convince them one at a time on here is like trying to get rid of fleas on a dog one at a time, when all we need to do is get rid of the dog itself.

2007-12-16 04:37:52 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

Ref :

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

2007-12-16 04:36:13 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 04:34:53 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

Is "Believe in me or perish" really free will?
Actually, a bit of an answer to my own question (I tend to do that don't I?) I guess in the most litteral sense it is free will its the choices don't strike me as palatable.

2007-12-16 04:31:20 · 13 answers · asked by ? 6

these Bible-fundamentalists think that if other people understand the Bible differently from the way they do, those people are automatically wrong and are hell-bound for being wrong. are they saying they are the authority when it comes to "truth"? isn't that arrogance?

2007-12-16 04:29:06 · 20 answers · asked by Ťango 3

Is it necessary for christians or people to discuss my past sins? Im not proud of them.I came to know Jesus Christ in July 1993.I hate being labled as such.Some people in my Home Group have even chided or treated me differently afterwards.I sometimes just want to quit or runaway from them all.They sure as Hell dont talk about the fornications/pre-marital sex they have had or other sin issues.

2007-12-16 04:25:38 · 6 answers · asked by cmhohioman 1

2007-12-16 04:23:33 · 13 answers · asked by Ace 1

Why would God sentance more than half of his children to eternal seperation from him (or if you go by another belief, seperation from him until he throws them all into a lake of fire)?
A relative seemed to think that it was all, the creation of evil and everything, in order to provide the basis of "Free Will" for the children who will go to heaven. But even he had a problem with the theory.
The more fanatical tend to tell me "You are trying to limit God to your moral code." Which, sorry, seems like a copout and not a way to answer the question.Of course I'm equating God to human morals and characteristics its what He gave me to work with.
Part of my own "free will" is to be curious about these things. And this post has no intentions in tearing down the Christian belief. Its an honest question.

2007-12-16 04:21:22 · 14 answers · asked by ? 6

Nothing like Confession and the Eucharist to put a spring back in your step! Anybody else feel this way after Mass this morning?

God bless you and Merry Christmas!

2007-12-16 04:17:14 · 28 answers · asked by Danny H 6

Before human extinct? Not an imaginary one, please.

What is your opinion? Why?

I'm living in the most-Muslim-populated country where an ethnic or a religion war can happen at any moments...and I'm a minority if you're asking; Indonesia.

2007-12-16 04:17:09 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 04:15:27 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-16 04:12:12 · 18 answers · asked by weegingerone 1

Yahve?,Allah?, Buddha?, or Jesus Christ?

2007-12-16 04:06:55 · 8 answers · asked by zorglub 3