Religion & Spirituality - 29 December 2007

As a daughter of a retired minister, I believe that ministers (in terms of taxes) are considered an employee of the church, and therefore do pay taxes. However, the church is a non-profit organization and therefore does not have to pay taxes.

However, I continually hear that ministers pay no taxes...if you are a minister, can you answer this question?

2007-12-29 12:56:44 · 4 answers · asked by Searcher 7

In Luke, we read that after Mary's time of cleansing was completed (40 days), Joseph, Mary and Jesus went back to Nazareth. We don't hear anything else until Jesus is 12.

In Matthew we read about the Magi, finding Jesus in a house and then leaving. Herod gets angry, Joseph flees with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Herod has all the boys under two years of age in Bethlehem and the surrounding hills killed. Herod dies and the family moves from Egypt back to Israel, settling in - yes, Nazareth.

Nazareth is nowhere near Bethlehem. Yet Matthew implies the Magi went to Bethlehem. So the Magi were there within the 40 days prescribed as noted by Luke. But then, they did not go to Nazareth as Luke relates, if they went to Egypt as Matthew tells.

Has anyone got a way to reconcile the two accounts? (and please don't just say "it's a story" or something like that).

2007-12-29 12:55:50 · 3 answers · asked by awayforabit 5

PATNA, India (Reuters) - A Buddhist monk from Bhutan has burnt himself to death at Buddhism's holiest shrine in India, police said on Friday

Can someone experienced with buddhism, please enlighten me how this could of happened, even though buddhists are tought not to hurt living things (including ones self)

2007-12-29 12:54:15 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

For instance:

I have a contact I love dearly. She is intelligent, expresses herself well, and consistently gives really awesome answers. However, I have found when choosing a best answer, hers is always the second or third best to me. I feel she deserves a best answer because of her consistency, and the over-all quality of her answers, but to do so would mean I would have to not give the answer to the person I believe actually has the best answer. Also, she answers practically every question I post, and I don't want her to stop doing that.

This is just one example of the kind of stress I feel when choosing a best answer. Am I making too much of this? I almost want to start putting all my questions to a vote.

2007-12-29 12:53:49 · 26 answers · asked by frenzy-CIB- Jim's with Jesus 4

Serious answers only, please.

2007-12-29 12:51:30 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

2007-12-29 12:51:18 · 12 answers · asked by Pat 1

I'll Quote their books:
Tabari IX:113 "Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not severely. If they abstain, they have the right to food and clothing. Treat women well for they are like domestic animals and they possess nothing themselves. Allah has made the enjoyment of their bodies lawful in his Qur'an."

Tabari I:280 "Allah said, ‘It is My obligation to make Eve bleed once every month as she made this tree bleed. I must also make Eve stupid, although I created her intelligent.' Because Allah afflicted Eve, all of the women of this world menstruate and are stupid."

Bukhari:V1B22N28 "The Prophet said: ‘I was shown the Hell Fire and the majority of its dwellers were women who are disbelievers or ungrateful.' When asked what they were ungrateful for, the Prophet answered, ‘All the favors done for them by their husbands.'"

http://www.prophetofdoom.net/Islamic_Quotes_Women.Islam

2007-12-29 12:49:55 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

This E.T. is from a non-religious culture. They only believe in things they see - they are very scientific! They also view war as something very primitive and unthinkable.

If you say that the Alien would not choose any religion because the Earth's religions are just for Earthlings, then which religion do you think the Alien would agree is the correct one and why?

What if the Martian said that all of our religions were ridiculous, because he knew better and then proved it!

...and for the Christians, remember Jesus created the universe and everything in it.

Would it be incumbent upon Christians to preach the gospel to these aliens?

2007-12-29 12:49:51 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

Why must I pray to God and then be turned down or blown off by him. It isn't right. I keep praying for him to help me get my boyfriend back, but he isn't answering my prayers. i am starting to think Santa answers more of my prayers then God does. I even prayed to lose weight, but again he has failed me. Who do I talk to idf God isn?'t doing his job right? And what am i doing wrong in my prayers

2007-12-29 12:48:13 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous

Are Muslims the real issue here? Or do we face a much larger problem, disguised by blasphemous tongues?

2007-12-29 12:41:44 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous

Or did you bypass this first step?

2007-12-29 12:40:32 · 10 answers · asked by appalachianlimbo 5

Was God smitten as a child? Did this leave the emotional scars that caused him to continue the cycle of violence?

2007-12-29 12:35:22 · 13 answers · asked by lindsey p 5

okay a part of me believe in god and a small part of me does'nt.in the bible it says to go to heaven you have to believe that jesus died for r sin and be born again.idk if thats really true.i dont really belive jesus came out of a virgin.and also i dont really thing everything thatz written in the bible is fully true.idk i just dont want to go to hell.if your not really a religion is that bad b/c i only believe that to go to heaven u have to believe in god and jesus and also that he died for r sin and be born again.thatz the only thing i believe in.by the way my parents dont know about this.

2007-12-29 12:31:50 · 24 answers · asked by ms.libra09 1

It sure wasn't Quetzalcoatl or Nanauatzin.

2007-12-29 12:29:28 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

Click on this website and see....
http://www.adherents.com/adh_influ.html

2007-12-29 12:29:03 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

the wicked witch and dorothy´s existence???
if in a thousand years millions of people believed Dorothy was real and they worshipped red shoes, would that make the story of the wizard of Oz "real"????

2007-12-29 12:29:01 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-29 12:29:01 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-29 12:28:41 · 17 answers · asked by Julia 1

2007-12-29 12:28:18 · 12 answers · asked by STFU Dude 6

when the sun dies and it will die someday do you think thats what revelations was about when it said our earth will be consumed in flames

2007-12-29 12:27:53 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

is what ever the type of world we are creating at present,can make our children,s lives safe and sound.what you can say about that?yesterday,today or tomorrow what can be the base to our future generations?what we should do about it?your heartly advises pls.

2007-12-29 12:27:00 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-29 12:25:12 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous

For instance if I drink a $1500 bottle of Petrus Pomerol merlot will I be closer to Jesus than if I drink a $10 bottle of wine from a local vineyard?

2007-12-29 12:24:02 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-29 12:21:51 · 10 answers · asked by uncforever555 1

If Christians go to heaven when they die, why was it such a sacrifice for Jesus to die on the cross if he knew he would go to heaven. And besides if Jesus and God are the same surely he would not have felt any pain, being beyond anything human. Please discuss.

2007-12-29 12:18:41 · 17 answers · asked by Bruce 3

2007-12-29 12:18:34 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-29 12:16:05 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous

I am proud to be a muslim! but i am not religious..

2007-12-29 12:14:53 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous

How will the world end and when? I want everyones opion?
Is it soon?

I'm a gnostic and this is what I am going to tell you after all your opions I pick the best one.

2007-12-29 12:14:40 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous

And then named Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire.
10 points to the first one with the right answer.
And hey, atheists, rather than some ignorant pompass answer, why not educate yourselves and find the real answer.

2007-12-29 12:11:34 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous