"happy" poems tend to be harder to write for some people, because
their writing reflects their moods. I for one know that when I'm in a good mood,
I'm not usually struck with poetic inspiration. But if I'm not feeling too
great, it happens on occasion.
Quote by ProgramZEROI believe war is
only necessary to maintain the peace... It's something of a paradox... I
know...
I love paradoxes.
I find things like that to be intriguing; at first glance, it makes no sense,
but after some thought it really does. I'm not sure how it pans out, in
practice, but in theory it does seem logical.
Speaking in generalities here: If someone (country, rebel factions, etc.) is
causing trouble, and exerting dominance over another group, then the answer
might very well be to challenge their authority with your own. But at the same
time, you're doing the same thing they did by exerting your dominance. But
again, if you don't do anything, is there really peace?
Sorry, sometimes my line of thought gets fairly abstract.
Your point of view on things rather intrigues me, ProgramZERO, because in ways
it's so different than what I grew up learning. (that's not a bad thing, of
course)
Also, I want to apologize for my sparseness in the group... classes have kept me
pretty busy this quarter. Horrible excuse, I know, but it's true; I swear, it
really is. ^^;
Wow; you guys make it kind of hard to keep up with all the posting here because
you're going back and forth so much... but that's a good "problem" to
have! I'm glad to see discussion going on; I'd join in, but I'm not sure where I
stand on some of the stuff coming up, nor am I well-versed enough in the
apologetics of Christianity to make arguments like Persocom does. I stopped
doing that a few years ago... anyway, in catching up, there was one thing I
wanted to say:
Quote by vatican92And beside.....
that's what war is like..... you kill him, I kill you, the vacuum cleaner
salesman kills me, we're a happy family... and we should kill barney as
well
Amen to killing Barney!
Sorry, but I just had to say that; honestly, he scared me when I was a kid! A
big purple dinosaur with tiny arms who goes around trying to hug kids less than
half his size? *shivers* Talk about creepy...
Quote by gracerHI! may i join u guys? i'm
really happy 2 know dat there's a christian-fellowship here.
Of course you can join, gracer. All you
have to do is click the "join group" link on the left side of the
page, and either wait patiently for an admin to check for new applications (eh
heh ) or leave a note asking to join. You left the note asking, but I
can't approve your membership unless you follow the link.
Quote by ProgramZEROI missed
something... I know it...
It was nothing too important, I
don't think; just an debate between marfish and kingray that got a little out of
hand.
Quote by marfish14Wow, I think thats
being a little paranoid.
...
There is dark matter mentioned, but so are souls. Everyone in the book has a
soul. I think that this is over reacting and Im sure kids could safely read the
trilogy, without being "tainted". If there is symbolism, youd have to
be looking for it. I think what has gone on, has been greatly exaggerated by the
church and/or media.
There are two things I'd like to address
from this statement, if you don't mind, marfish?
It is possible that that viewpoint might be a little more extreme than some
would take... honestly, it reminds me of the stink that Harry Potter roused back
when it came out. I know a lot of Christians that may have had an over-the-top
reaction (in my opinion), but to them it was justified. You're right about being
able to read or view something without being "tainted"; it's possible,
especially if parents sit down with their children and explain the concepts of
reality, fantasy, fiction, etc., mean. If they do that, then it's possible to
view the stories as just that: good stories, written to entertain.
At the same time, it's possible that Persocom01 has a point. If the man was so
against what C.S. Lewis did in his series Chronicles of Narnia, it is possible that his books could be
written with opposition in mind. There could be aspects about the books that
conflict with Christian doctrine or teachings. I haven't read the series,
myself, or even seen previews for the movie, so other than that, I can't really
give an opinion on the matter.
Anyway, the other thing I wanted to say was be careful what you say when you
mention souls... just because a work mentions a soul, doesn't automatically make
it religious or nonreligious.
Thank you, marfish and kingray. I don't mind alternate opinions being discussed
here, because discussion is one of the reasons this group exists in the first
place!
And while I don't want to come across as some strict, dictatorial admin, I think
the debate's gone long enough. When insults start flying along the opinions
being given, it's time to stop. It just means that you are getting so
defensively worked up that you attack the other person.
Quote by mei-samaso vacation u r a
christan? sorry im confused ><! sorry if im
offending
you're not offending people, mei-sama, no
worries.
vatican has been struggling, I think, like most Christians do at some point or
another. The point of his comment, though, is that Christianity isn't an
inherited trait. To be a Christian is a personal choice and commitment by
someone, when they've accepted what Christ did for them on the cross, and His
resurrection.
That faith isn't something that can be passed down, because even though your
parents can teach you what they know, you still have to choose to believe it.
Quote by kokuyumy my......did i ever say
i'm atheist? i never mention before that i am....
all the while, i know Christians are very warm welcoming people. and i've attend
their invitation to church countless times
first time i see a hostile Christian, kingray100
and was sharing this good news to everyone a bad news to
you?
i believe that you've identified yourself as a free
thinker, or something along those lines.
and as with every other religion, the reception will vary person to person. i've
met or interacted with people on (or near) both extremes of hostile or
pushovers.
again, i do ask that we keep things either within friendly bounds, or at least
at an intellectual discussion level... we're not out to stuff the Truth down
other peoples throats, or to attack anyone for thinking differently. we try our
best to model our faith with the way we live, and answer questions brought to us
as best we can. please, everyone... keep that in mind. thank you
Quote by kingray100why is alex here?he
isnt a christian from what i heard.
you don't have to be a
Christian to post in our guestbook here, as long as it remains a good
discussion. that means that things stay respectful (even when joking around), and there are no personal attacks on
anyone for anything they say or whatever it is they believe.
This is what I get for being caught up in school and work for the past few
months; pages of guestbook postings to read through so I can catch up to what's
current. o.O
Quote by kokuyui don't think there are
atheist chatting here, vatican92, for i'm just a free thinker of another
religion. for weeks i only see you, nejika and a few christians just
now.
I say you guys are just as welcome to post here as
members who "fit the name." I created this group for people who were
interested in having a place to go where people held similar beliefs, but as
long as discussions stay civil, I
welcome differing opinions. So, ProgramZERO (and anyone else), you are
welcome.
to vatican: I'm sorry that I haven't been here to listen while you've been
having trouble and questioning... I think everyone goes through that sort of
stage at some point. I wish that I had been present to try to help... *sigh* I
apologize =(
And you know, some of what you say sounds legitimate; why shouldn't God help
with the state of things today? How can a loving, just, righteous God just sit
back and watch some of the chaos going on? It seems like a contradiction... but
I think that, when joined with other things we know from Scripture, it's more of
a paradox. Simply put, I believe it has to do with free will. I don't want to
just dismiss it as something we don't understand, and just have to believe, but
the complexity of the idea of free will is very... abundant, I suppose.
Why, if He loved us, would He allow us to choose what's not the best for us?
Would a loving parent stand by and watch their son/daughter make bad choice
after bad choice, with the end result of them going to jail for the rest of
their life? The analogy fits, but at the same time, it doesn't, because the
answers seem to be different. God chooses not to interfere, and let us learn,
but a parent would likely try to assert some kind of authority/influence to help
their child. In some cases, I think it's more like a little child learning; if
your mom tells you not to touch fire, you won't understand why as well as the
actual experience (being warned as opposed to actually feeling the heat of the
flame).
Anyway, to answer your question about becoming a Christian... I've never really
liked giving my testimony, because I felt that it was unaffective. I was raised
in the church, and a Christian family, so it's always been a part of my life. I
always thought that the stories that involved some sort of life-changing event
were better than my own... and to be honest, that's still something I grapple
with, at times.
Anyway, I've gotta jet... I apologize to everyone for the inactivity of our
group, in general. :/ I'm not sure what to about it, or if anything can really
be done. I'll do my best to keep checking in and posting; feel free to PM me
with complaints, questions, arguments, etc. Later, everyone. *waves*
If they are bothering you i'll tell them to back off.
Peace out
Shinsengumi89
(group co-admin)
My apologies for the (very) late response,
Shinsengumi89; I've been caught up with work and school for awhile, and haven't
taken the time to log into MT and see what was going on.
I just wanted to say that you and members of this group are welcome to come and
post in the guestbook over on Christian Fellowship. My
only request is that, if you do, there be no bashing on people or what they
believe (this rule applies to the club members, as well). I like seeing good
discussions between people whose opinions differ, because it makes people think.
Again, my apologies for the 2+ week delay. Have a good day.
Quote by vatican92Yeah....... I must
agree that God isn't as interesting as anime....... and really.....mmm........
stupid
when did God get stupid? or rather, why do you think
He is? (just asking, not attacking, i promise)
and i do apologize for my lengthy absences, everyone. i know it sounds like a
lame excuse, but with classes, work, and hw, things are a little crazy for me at
the moment. it'll last awhile longer, as i've got almost another month before
i'm out for the summer... and then i start working more hours ^^; we'll see how
it all works out, i guess.
well, this could be a rather depressing kind of poem to read, especially
following that last post by miraku-spike... but it's one of the few things I've
written over the last span of months that I don't mind sharing right now. so
without further ado....
who...?
who's the girl, with
the smiling eyes
the laughing smile
the winning ways
who is she, that
lies without words
misleads by air
decieves with guise
she's not me, not
who I could be,
who I want to be,
but who I am...
... is she.
well, that's it. and now, just to get things a little "back to
normal", I've got some commentary for the last two poems left here.
>> miraku-spike - wow. that was really sweet; the kind of thing pretty
much any girl would love to hear from her guy. if this is dedicated to any
special someone, I'm sure they feel lucky. I'm not sure about any of the
technical aspects of it, and I'm totally stealing time away from working on my
last final right now, so I won't try to go into them; hope you don't mind.
>> gilesaquil - I can't help but wonder who (or what?) the inspiration
behind this was... again, it was a sweet piece. You always work at describing a
feeling in your writing, and I think that's one thing I like about it so much.
The emotion behind works like this are what resonate with me more so than any of
the technical aspects of it, and you're good with capturing it.
I understand this kind of situation, too, though it may not necessarily be in
the same context (I do not have a significant other, nor have I ever had one).
It just doesn't make sense, to leave something that means so much, but yet to
stay feels... unnatural, perhaps? Anyway, well done yet again.
Eep... it's been to long since I've stopped by here; I'm sorry, guys! I'm a bad
admin... *blush*
Quote by Persocom01merged: 08-28-2006 ~ 10:36pm
It looks like a long time since anyone's posted anything, however I've have some
issues about a certain topic and I'll like to ask the question here to hear
other's opinions on it:
Is the Bible, in any sense sexist?
That's a really heavy
question, Persocom. Kind of funny... I had to write a big paper for my UTT
(Understand the Times, senior Bible) class last year, and I wrote about women's
roles in teh Bible versus today. Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot about
what I wrote... but I do remember some of the research I did for it.
I suppose the easy way to answer would be that, in it's time, no it wasn't. But
that's also dodging the question, and not giving a real answer. I'm just barely
a freshman in college, and by no means do I have the authority or knowledge to
be able to answer this question fully. All I can do is give my own opinion...
and even then, it's something I struggle with.
Back in Biblical times, most of the time women were considered possessions...
that's why in the geneologies women weren't usually mentioned (father's name begat sons's name). There were five women mentioned in Jesus', but that
wasn't typical at all. They weren't as important, in a way.
I think that there's a fine line in this issue. On one side are those who
believe that women shouldn't be allowed to do anything other than tend the house
and children (even thoug they were allowed to be involved in business), and on
the other are those "Biblical feminists" who claim that Jesus
demolished the gender barrier when he came ("...male nor female, for you
are all one in Christ Jesus" - Galatians 3:28). I don't think that either
side is right, exactly... I mean, how do you justify all the passages about the
male being the head of the marriage just as Christ is the head of the church?
All that to say, I really don't know what to tell you, Persocom. Anyone else
have an opinion on this?
Quote by DarkIngramI think, it's
better if the admin of this group will place the names of its member like this
in the userpage of this group: .....
It'll help us to become more familiar with each other's religions... that's
only my suggestions...
It's nice to see that you're thinking, DarkIngram. But
there are two thing sI'd like to mention in regards to your idea: one, how is it
you propose to display that? Over under the Members section? If so, do you know
how to do that, because I sure don't. And two... why is it you'd like to be able
to see other people's religions? This is the Christian fellowship group, so I'd
assume that at least most of us are Christian. And some denominations don't
agree with others; they believe differently in different areas, so do we really
want to bring that up? Isn't it enough that we all believe that Jesus was the
Christ, the prophesied Messiah; that He was the Son of God, who took on human
form to die on the cross for our sins? To be our sacrificial lamb, only to rise
from the grave three days later... that's enough for me.
But this isn't a monarchy; I may be one of the admins, but we're equals here.
You guys can make the decision on this. I'll go along with what you
decide.
Quote by tobiast88Eleven poems. Seeing
as practically no one reviews, and seeing as usually people post one or two
poems they're particularly proud of, I would advise you to review other people's
work and not post every scrap of poetry you write. Your poetry may be
shakespearean, but no one wants to read that huge a post and review every single
thing.
Whoa there, tiger; down bud
Hey, this is a place to post your work... but tobiast makes a point about
getting reviews on your work. You're more likely to get them if you post one or
two at a time, or highlight one as the one you want comments about. But if you
want to post all, feel welcome to...
I do ask that people review when they can; I realize we alll have lives outside
of MT, even if it may not seem like it, and so it's sometimes hard. But please,
guys, make an effort; think of how good it feels when someone comments on what
you write, and do that for someone else. And no, I'm not a hypocrite; I'm
working on reviewing the... 23 pieces since my last commentary. Sorry for being
so slow, but I've had a hectic month or so; I haven't even had to to write my
own! But I'll do my best nonetheless. Lecture now over; catch you all
later!
Oh, and congrats on winning the Life contest, Tobiast. Thanks to all who
participated, both with entries and with voting. I hope we have a higher level
of participation next contest round, though
Random comment:
One of the things I love so much about Fruits Basket is how there is no such
thing as a simple character. Each of them has a past that helped shape them into
who they currently are, or even some sort of secret motivation that makes them
act as they do. I'd go in to more detail if it didn't spoil parts of the manga
or anime... but those aren't really allowed. Besides, it's more fun to discover
them all yourself
As to the current thread of conversation going on here...
Wow... I mean, I know the guys are pretty hot and all, but I never expected to
see this kind of talk going on, haha! Though I must admit, what
JenosydesWhisperMatrix said about a lot of the guys in reality aren't up to the
same standard as the anime guys. *Sigh* And what a tragedy, too... that's the
one thing I hate about reading manga, because I usually end up wishing that
there were really people like that. And maybe there are, but I don't know them,
unfortunately... oops, sorry, totally ranting there
Umm... hard to choose who's my fav or the hottest, 'cause each is in their own
way. Ayame: definitely good for the girl who
wants a sense of humor, or even to balance out the more plain girl. Haru: has the classical rebel/bad-boy
hottie look going for him. Hatori: very sophisticated appeal for
those who prefer responsible, somewhat stoic men (talk about a challenge). Hiro: Seemingly a brat, but incredibly
loyal to the one he likes; very protective and possesive. Kureno: Don't know much about him, but
he actually seems normal... well, in comparison, at least. Kyo: determined, and popular but
socially awkward. Momiji: innocently adorable! 'Nuff
said. Ritsu: Cross-dresser, but he puts quite
a few girls to shame with his looks. Attractive in both men's and women's
clothes... a bit obsessive, but cute. Shigure: more a devious appeal, for
those who don't mind the occasional plotting and hints of a pervert. Love his
hair, though. Yuki: nice mix of feminine and masculine
appeal in looks, very polite/reserved but secretly rather insecure (so cute!).
The girls are cool, too, but I don't really want to go through and describe
them, too.... forgive me, but I've left a long enough comment already. Sorry
about that, everyone
Oh yeah, if anyone has any ideas we could talk about (like the prayer in school
type of thing), feel free to post them here or let me know or something. It's
appreciated ^^
I realize that there are many different religious debates going on right now in
various threads, and I wanted to say somethign about it.
Religion (especially a personal faith) is a tricky subject to discuss. I want to
encourage everyone to steer clear of insults or immature responses by others
trying to bait you. Don't stoop so low as to directly attack a person just for
their beliefs - or lack thereof. Am I saying not to argue? By no means; we are
called to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks why we believe. But at
the same time, keep control...
I'm not trying to preach, but I've gotten caught up in the same sort of thing,
and it often hurts whatever points you mihgt attempt to make. Thanks for reading
this, and God bless.
Quote by Persocom01There are too many
atheists on the forum right, now, and I'll have to ask for help. The MT-Atheists
group numbers only 14 yet is alot more vocal than Christians are. So far people
who support my stands are mostly non-believers. However being constantly
double/triple teamed by atheists makes them seem right just by the voice of the
majority, and stifles the voice of reason.
I'm working on it,
Persocom01; one thing about these threads is that people get all angry and
emotional and such when it comes to arguing about faith...anyway, I'm trying to
join in at least two threads you've been participating in, so we'll see how that
turns out...
Quote by vatican92Wow...
The groups kinda dead.
Sorry I haven't visited for a while (unfaithful Christian here )
Naw, you aren't being unfaithful 'cause you're not dropping
by; you're just busy, that's all.
Unfortunately, this group isn't all that active...anyone have any ideas to help
that?
I can understand why things have slowed down, though; there's only so much you
can say without getting repetitive unless you want to get into deeper
theoligical issues. And that's what threads are for, especially in the Religion &
Science forum.
Oh yeah, this was something I wrote awhile ago off of a chapel message in
school: it's supposed to make you think, so enjoy!
An unreachable goal. Something you have to work
for, someone you see on a pedestal. Someone completely out of your league; you
have to try hard to be worthy, even if only of notice. Someone so important that
you feel completely inadequate, and therefore don't even try to know. Someone
you work for, someone untouchable, so much better than you could ever
be.
Someone who loves you infinitely. Someone who desires you; your presence, your
voice, your words, your attention...you. Someone who craves to hear from you,
each day, each hour, each minute. Who's constantly thinking of you, hoping
you'll talk and let him know how you're doing; sure, he may know, but he still
wants to hear it. Holds a jealous love...when you're whisked away by someone
else, it hurts, and causes pain. Think about it.
Quote by AnjhurinHum just a question :
who do we send the poem to ? Because mine is all ready, and it's hot in my
hands, so i'll gladly pass it on
Ohoh giles is joining in... can't wait to read his entry... and everyone else's
!
You can send the poem to either inochikyo or I, Anjhurin;
it doesn't matter too much, since we'll end up collaborating on the entries and
such, anyway. And I'm quite excited for reading peoples' entries, as well.
Well, I've got a new poem for you all; something I wrote awhile ago but found
within the last few weeks. It's very simplistic, but that's one of the things I
find appealing about it.
Gone
If I close my eyes,
Will I disappear?
If I hide away,
Will you forget?
Darkness covers
And I am saved...
If you've got comments you can post either here in the guestbook or in my
thread: [Poem]
Gone. Thanks in advance for any comments any of you may have
Quote by YugureKaze merged: 05-01-2006 ~ 08:30pm
*pokes everyone's body with a stick*
o.o *blink blink* everybody died?!
i'm a orphan now T.T
*pats Kaze* I didn't die; don't worry,
you've still got one cousin who's still alive, so we'll be orphans together *hehe* So
how'd your testing go, Kaze? Well, I hope...
Sowwie I've been gone for so long...life's gotten really busy. School's taking
up so much of my time, and when you add a sport into the mix, it gets really
crazy!
*looks around* Wow...there really isn't much going on, is there? Umm...I just
dropped by to say hi to everyone, but it seems that few people are actually here
for me to actually say hi to. Sadness...where'd the family go? Well, life's
life; I know what it's like to be busy.
Quote by EC6456Did any of you do anything
for national day of prayer yesterday? Our community didn't, and I wish we had.
What did you do?
My school held a prayer time out by the
flagpoles before school started. It's always cool to see how many people come,
and to see them united in one purpose: praying for our school, our state, and
our nation.
Other than that, I didn't really do anything special...my church had a prayer
meeting last night, but I couldn't go to that 'cause I had a school sporting
event that I had to participate in.
Anyone else do anything fun, special, or in remembrance of the National Day of
Prayer?
"happy" poems tend to be harder to write for some people, because their writing reflects their moods. I for one know that when I'm in a good mood, I'm not usually struck with poetic inspiration. But if I'm not feeling too great, it happens on occasion.
I love paradoxes.
I find things like that to be intriguing; at first glance, it makes no sense, but after some thought it really does. I'm not sure how it pans out, in practice, but in theory it does seem logical.
Speaking in generalities here: If someone (country, rebel factions, etc.) is causing trouble, and exerting dominance over another group, then the answer might very well be to challenge their authority with your own. But at the same time, you're doing the same thing they did by exerting your dominance. But again, if you don't do anything, is there really peace?
Sorry, sometimes my line of thought gets fairly abstract.
Your point of view on things rather intrigues me, ProgramZERO, because in ways it's so different than what I grew up learning. (that's not a bad thing, of course)
Also, I want to apologize for my sparseness in the group... classes have kept me pretty busy this quarter. Horrible excuse, I know, but it's true; I swear, it really is. ^^;
Wow; you guys make it kind of hard to keep up with all the posting here because you're going back and forth so much... but that's a good "problem" to have!
I'm glad to see discussion going on; I'd join in, but I'm not sure where I
stand on some of the stuff coming up, nor am I well-versed enough in the
apologetics of Christianity to make arguments like Persocom does. I stopped
doing that a few years ago... anyway, in catching up, there was one thing I
wanted to say:
Amen to killing Barney!
*shivers* Talk about creepy...
Sorry, but I just had to say that; honestly, he scared me when I was a kid! A big purple dinosaur with tiny arms who goes around trying to hug kids less than half his size?
Of course you can join, gracer.
All you
have to do is click the "join group" link on the left side of the
page, and either wait patiently for an admin to check for new applications (eh
heh 
) or leave a note asking to join. You left the note asking, but I
can't approve your membership unless you follow the link. 
It was nothing too important, I don't think; just an debate between marfish and kingray that got a little out of hand.
There are two things I'd like to address from this statement, if you don't mind, marfish?
It is possible that that viewpoint might be a little more extreme than some would take... honestly, it reminds me of the stink that Harry Potter roused back when it came out. I know a lot of Christians that may have had an over-the-top reaction (in my opinion), but to them it was justified. You're right about being able to read or view something without being "tainted"; it's possible, especially if parents sit down with their children and explain the concepts of reality, fantasy, fiction, etc., mean. If they do that, then it's possible to view the stories as just that: good stories, written to entertain.
At the same time, it's possible that Persocom01 has a point. If the man was so against what C.S. Lewis did in his series Chronicles of Narnia, it is possible that his books could be written with opposition in mind. There could be aspects about the books that conflict with Christian doctrine or teachings. I haven't read the series, myself, or even seen previews for the movie, so other than that, I can't really give an opinion on the matter.
Anyway, the other thing I wanted to say was be careful what you say when you mention souls... just because a work mentions a soul, doesn't automatically make it religious or nonreligious.
Thank you, marfish and kingray. I don't mind alternate opinions being discussed here, because discussion is one of the reasons this group exists in the first place!
And while I don't want to come across as some strict, dictatorial admin, I think the debate's gone long enough. When insults start flying along the opinions being given, it's time to stop. It just means that you are getting so defensively worked up that you attack the other person.
Thanks, guys.
you're not offending people, mei-sama, no worries.
vatican has been struggling, I think, like most Christians do at some point or another. The point of his comment, though, is that Christianity isn't an inherited trait. To be a Christian is a personal choice and commitment by someone, when they've accepted what Christ did for them on the cross, and His resurrection.
That faith isn't something that can be passed down, because even though your parents can teach you what they know, you still have to choose to believe it.
i believe that you've identified yourself as a free thinker, or something along those lines.
and as with every other religion, the reception will vary person to person. i've met or interacted with people on (or near) both extremes of hostile or pushovers.
again, i do ask that we keep things either within friendly bounds, or at least at an intellectual discussion level... we're not out to stuff the Truth down other peoples throats, or to attack anyone for thinking differently. we try our best to model our faith with the way we live, and answer questions brought to us as best we can. please, everyone... keep that in mind. thank you
you don't have to be a Christian to post in our guestbook here, as long as it remains a good discussion. that means that things stay respectful (even when joking around), and there are no personal attacks on anyone for anything they say or whatever it is they believe.
that's why
This is what I get for being caught up in school and work for the past few months; pages of guestbook postings to read through so I can catch up to what's current. o.O
I say you guys are just as welcome to post here as members who "fit the name." I created this group for people who were interested in having a place to go where people held similar beliefs, but as long as discussions stay civil, I welcome differing opinions. So, ProgramZERO (and anyone else), you are welcome.
to vatican: I'm sorry that I haven't been here to listen while you've been having trouble and questioning... I think everyone goes through that sort of stage at some point. I wish that I had been present to try to help... *sigh* I apologize =(
And you know, some of what you say sounds legitimate; why shouldn't God help with the state of things today? How can a loving, just, righteous God just sit back and watch some of the chaos going on? It seems like a contradiction... but I think that, when joined with other things we know from Scripture, it's more of a paradox. Simply put, I believe it has to do with free will. I don't want to just dismiss it as something we don't understand, and just have to believe, but the complexity of the idea of free will is very... abundant, I suppose.
Why, if He loved us, would He allow us to choose what's not the best for us? Would a loving parent stand by and watch their son/daughter make bad choice after bad choice, with the end result of them going to jail for the rest of their life? The analogy fits, but at the same time, it doesn't, because the answers seem to be different. God chooses not to interfere, and let us learn, but a parent would likely try to assert some kind of authority/influence to help their child. In some cases, I think it's more like a little child learning; if your mom tells you not to touch fire, you won't understand why as well as the actual experience (being warned as opposed to actually feeling the heat of the flame).
Anyway, to answer your question about becoming a Christian... I've never really liked giving my testimony, because I felt that it was unaffective. I was raised in the church, and a Christian family, so it's always been a part of my life. I always thought that the stories that involved some sort of life-changing event were better than my own... and to be honest, that's still something I grapple with, at times.
Anyway, I've gotta jet... I apologize to everyone for the inactivity of our group, in general. :/ I'm not sure what to about it, or if anything can really be done. I'll do my best to keep checking in and posting; feel free to PM me with complaints, questions, arguments, etc. Later, everyone. *waves*
My apologies for the (very) late response, Shinsengumi89; I've been caught up with work and school for awhile, and haven't taken the time to log into MT and see what was going on.
I just wanted to say that you and members of this group are welcome to come and post in the guestbook over on Christian Fellowship. My only request is that, if you do, there be no bashing on people or what they believe (this rule applies to the club members, as well). I like seeing good discussions between people whose opinions differ, because it makes people think.
Again, my apologies for the 2+ week delay. Have a good day.
CLAMPchic
(group co-admin)
when did God get stupid? or rather, why do you think He is? (just asking, not attacking, i promise)
and i do apologize for my lengthy absences, everyone. i know it sounds like a lame excuse, but with classes, work, and hw, things are a little crazy for me at the moment. it'll last awhile longer, as i've got almost another month before i'm out for the summer... and then i start working more hours ^^; we'll see how it all works out, i guess.
why don't you see a point in celebrating Easter, vatican?
well, this could be a rather depressing kind of poem to read, especially following that last post by miraku-spike... but it's one of the few things I've written over the last span of months that I don't mind sharing right now. so without further ado....
who...?
who's the girl, with
the smiling eyes
the laughing smile
the winning ways
who is she, that
lies without words
misleads by air
decieves with guise
she's not me, not
who I could be,
who I want to be,
but who I am...
... is she.
well, that's it. and now, just to get things a little "back to normal", I've got some commentary for the last two poems left here.
>> miraku-spike - wow. that was really sweet; the kind of thing pretty much any girl would love to hear from her guy. if this is dedicated to any special someone, I'm sure they feel lucky. I'm not sure about any of the technical aspects of it, and I'm totally stealing time away from working on my last final right now, so I won't try to go into them; hope you don't mind.
>> gilesaquil - I can't help but wonder who (or what?) the inspiration behind this was... again, it was a sweet piece. You always work at describing a feeling in your writing, and I think that's one thing I like about it so much. The emotion behind works like this are what resonate with me more so than any of the technical aspects of it, and you're good with capturing it.
I understand this kind of situation, too, though it may not necessarily be in the same context (I do not have a significant other, nor have I ever had one). It just doesn't make sense, to leave something that means so much, but yet to stay feels... unnatural, perhaps? Anyway, well done yet again.
*looks around at empty page* anybody there? hello?
*no answer*
*blinks confusedly* where did everyone go?
Eep... it's been to long since I've stopped by here; I'm sorry, guys! I'm a bad admin... *blush*
That's a really heavy question, Persocom. Kind of funny... I had to write a big paper for my UTT (Understand the Times, senior Bible) class last year, and I wrote about women's roles in teh Bible versus today. Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot about what I wrote... but I do remember some of the research I did for it.
I suppose the easy way to answer would be that, in it's time, no it wasn't. But that's also dodging the question, and not giving a real answer. I'm just barely a freshman in college, and by no means do I have the authority or knowledge to be able to answer this question fully. All I can do is give my own opinion... and even then, it's something I struggle with.
Back in Biblical times, most of the time women were considered possessions... that's why in the geneologies women weren't usually mentioned (father's name begat sons's name). There were five women mentioned in Jesus', but that wasn't typical at all. They weren't as important, in a way.
I think that there's a fine line in this issue. On one side are those who believe that women shouldn't be allowed to do anything other than tend the house and children (even thoug they were allowed to be involved in business), and on the other are those "Biblical feminists" who claim that Jesus demolished the gender barrier when he came ("...male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - Galatians 3:28). I don't think that either side is right, exactly... I mean, how do you justify all the passages about the male being the head of the marriage just as Christ is the head of the church?
All that to say, I really don't know what to tell you, Persocom. Anyone else have an opinion on this?
It's nice to see that you're thinking, DarkIngram. But there are two thing sI'd like to mention in regards to your idea: one, how is it you propose to display that? Over under the Members section? If so, do you know how to do that, because I sure don't. And two... why is it you'd like to be able to see other people's religions? This is the Christian fellowship group, so I'd assume that at least most of us are Christian. And some denominations don't agree with others; they believe differently in different areas, so do we really want to bring that up? Isn't it enough that we all believe that Jesus was the Christ, the prophesied Messiah; that He was the Son of God, who took on human form to die on the cross for our sins? To be our sacrificial lamb, only to rise from the grave three days later... that's enough for me.
But this isn't a monarchy; I may be one of the admins, but we're equals here. You guys can make the decision on this. I'll go along with what you decide.
CLAMPchic out for now.
Whoa there, tiger; down bud
Hey, this is a place to post your work... but tobiast makes a point about getting reviews on your work. You're more likely to get them if you post one or two at a time, or highlight one as the one you want comments about. But if you want to post all, feel welcome to...
I do ask that people review when they can; I realize we alll have lives outside of MT, even if it may not seem like it, and so it's sometimes hard. But please, guys, make an effort; think of how good it feels when someone comments on what you write, and do that for someone else. And no, I'm not a hypocrite; I'm working on reviewing the... 23 pieces since my last commentary. Sorry for being so slow, but I've had a hectic month or so; I haven't even had to to write my own! But I'll do my best nonetheless. Lecture now over; catch you all later!
Oh, and congrats on winning the Life contest, Tobiast. Thanks to all who participated, both with entries and with voting. I hope we have a higher level of participation next contest round, though
Random comment:
One of the things I love so much about Fruits Basket is how there is no such thing as a simple character. Each of them has a past that helped shape them into who they currently are, or even some sort of secret motivation that makes them act as they do. I'd go in to more detail if it didn't spoil parts of the manga or anime... but those aren't really allowed. Besides, it's more fun to discover them all yourself
As to the current thread of conversation going on here...
Wow... I mean, I know the guys are pretty hot and all, but I never expected to
see this kind of talk going on, haha! Though I must admit, what
JenosydesWhisperMatrix said about a lot of the guys in reality aren't up to the
same standard as the anime guys. *Sigh* And what a tragedy, too... that's the
one thing I hate about reading manga, because I usually end up wishing that
there were really people like that. And maybe there are, but I don't know them,
unfortunately... oops, sorry, totally ranting there 
Umm... hard to choose who's my fav or the hottest, 'cause each is in their own way.
Ayame: definitely good for the girl who wants a sense of humor, or even to balance out the more plain girl.
Haru: has the classical rebel/bad-boy hottie look going for him.
Hatori: very sophisticated appeal for those who prefer responsible, somewhat stoic men (talk about a challenge).
Hiro: Seemingly a brat, but incredibly loyal to the one he likes; very protective and possesive.
Kureno: Don't know much about him, but he actually seems normal... well, in comparison, at least.
Kyo: determined, and popular but socially awkward.
Momiji: innocently adorable! 'Nuff said.
Ritsu: Cross-dresser, but he puts quite a few girls to shame with his looks. Attractive in both men's and women's clothes... a bit obsessive, but cute.
Shigure: more a devious appeal, for those who don't mind the occasional plotting and hints of a pervert. Love his hair, though.
Yuki: nice mix of feminine and masculine appeal in looks, very polite/reserved but secretly rather insecure (so cute!).
The girls are cool, too, but I don't really want to go through and describe them, too.... forgive me, but I've left a long enough comment already. Sorry about that, everyone
Hey everyone, just wanted to bring a thread to your attention in case you're interested in the issue. Prayer in School: Should it be allowed?
Oh yeah, if anyone has any ideas we could talk about (like the prayer in school type of thing), feel free to post them here or let me know or something. It's appreciated ^^
Just a note to others...
I realize that there are many different religious debates going on right now in various threads, and I wanted to say somethign about it.
Religion (especially a personal faith) is a tricky subject to discuss. I want to encourage everyone to steer clear of insults or immature responses by others trying to bait you. Don't stoop so low as to directly attack a person just for their beliefs - or lack thereof. Am I saying not to argue? By no means; we are called to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks why we believe. But at the same time, keep control...
I'm not trying to preach, but I've gotten caught up in the same sort of thing, and it often hurts whatever points you mihgt attempt to make. Thanks for reading this, and God bless.
I'm working on it, Persocom01; one thing about these threads is that people get all angry and emotional and such when it comes to arguing about faith...anyway, I'm trying to join in at least two threads you've been participating in, so we'll see how that turns out...
Naw, you aren't being unfaithful 'cause you're not dropping by; you're just busy, that's all.
Unfortunately, this group isn't all that active...anyone have any ideas to help that?
I can understand why things have slowed down, though; there's only so much you can say without getting repetitive unless you want to get into deeper theoligical issues. And that's what threads are for, especially in the Religion & Science forum.
Oh yeah, this was something I wrote awhile ago off of a chapel message in school: it's supposed to make you think, so enjoy!
An unreachable goal. Something you have to work for, someone you see on a pedestal. Someone completely out of your league; you have to try hard to be worthy, even if only of notice. Someone so important that you feel completely inadequate, and therefore don't even try to know. Someone you work for, someone untouchable, so much better than you could ever be.
Someone who loves you infinitely. Someone who desires you; your presence, your voice, your words, your attention...you. Someone who craves to hear from you, each day, each hour, each minute. Who's constantly thinking of you, hoping you'll talk and let him know how you're doing; sure, he may know, but he still wants to hear it. Holds a jealous love...when you're whisked away by someone else, it hurts, and causes pain. Think about it.
So tell me...what is He to you?
You can send the poem to either inochikyo or I, Anjhurin; it doesn't matter too much, since we'll end up collaborating on the entries and such, anyway. And I'm quite excited for reading peoples' entries, as well.
Well, I've got a new poem for you all; something I wrote awhile ago but found within the last few weeks. It's very simplistic, but that's one of the things I find appealing about it.
Gone
If I close my eyes,
Will I disappear?
If I hide away,
Will you forget?
Darkness covers
And I am saved...
If you've got comments you can post either here in the guestbook or in my thread: [Poem] Gone. Thanks in advance for any comments any of you may have
Keep writing, and good luck to all contestants!
*pats Kaze* I didn't die; don't worry, you've still got one cousin who's still alive, so we'll be orphans together
*hehe* So
how'd your testing go, Kaze? Well, I hope...
Sowwie I've been gone for so long...life's gotten really busy. School's taking up so much of my time, and when you add a sport into the mix, it gets really crazy!
*looks around* Wow...there really isn't much going on, is there? Umm...I just dropped by to say hi to everyone, but it seems that few people are actually here for me to actually say hi to. Sadness...where'd the family go? Well, life's life; I know what it's like to be busy.
Well, I'm out now, so God bless!
My school held a prayer time out by the flagpoles before school started. It's always cool to see how many people come, and to see them united in one purpose: praying for our school, our state, and our nation.
Other than that, I didn't really do anything special...my church had a prayer meeting last night, but I couldn't go to that 'cause I had a school sporting event that I had to participate in.
Anyone else do anything fun, special, or in remembrance of the National Day of Prayer?