General Chat (Non-Music-Related)

What is this country coming to???

Every time I look around I see another story about some atheist group or other trying to stop Americans who are observing their chosen religion. Houston mayor issuing subpoenas to force pastors to send her their sermons. Remove a religious statue that's been on school campus for over 50 years. There's a long list of them recently, and just a few days ago another story about them trying to force a town (in MA I think) to remove their nativity scene.

As an interesting side note, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee started a move to get pastors all over the country to send the Houston mayor their sermons and a Bible, she received over 1000 Bibles and I don't know how many sermons. I thought it was fantastic, she finally backed down. Score one for the Christians!

Where are the American people screaming about this trampling of the Constitution? I don't get it...As I've mentioned before I'm a non religious person, my beliefs are more spiritual than religious, and I don't believe in organized religion but I strongly support everyone's right to religious freedom. I think it's appalling to see the things going on in the Middle East, Christians being beheaded on a daily basis, and right here in our own country the Christian/Catholic/Jewish groups are constantly under attack in one way or another.

I see it t his way. If you want to observe any particular religion, go for it. If I don't like your religious statues nobody forces me to look at them. I can simply walk on by and ignore it. (no, they don't bother me at all) Nobody has ever tried to force me to go to their church. I've been invited many times, usually very politely. But nobody has tried to force me. My next door neighbor is a Pastor, we've had several very interesting discussions concerning religion, he knows the basics of my beliefs and never argues, and agrees with some of my viewpoints. In particular, the one most important statement in the Bible, considered to be the golden rule according to most of the world's major religions.

Treat other people the way you want them to treat you. Not sure I can quote the original verse exactly, but ...

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

I think that's about right...

That one statement is the most important one of all as far as I'm concerned. And yes, I've read the Bible, cover to cover, around 8-10 times or so. If the people in this world would try to live that way it would be a very good place to live, and you don't even have to be religious. Just treat other people the way you want them to treat you. It's not just a religious concept it's a great guideline to live by and makes a whole lot of sense. It's not always easy to actually do, I try all the time, and I'm pretty sure I'd have to admit I don't always make it. But I try...

That's why I don't understand all the lawsuits by athiest groups. Would they want Christians to do that to them? Nope. Would Isis want another religious group to treat them the way they treat people who observe other religions? Not a chance. I'm pretty sure if a Jewish or Christian group started kidnapping their people and beheading them they would be rather upset. So why do they treat other religions that way? Why would anyone?

Just like a number of other things about this country it's time for Americans to start standing up for their rights and beliefs. Our government is not going to do it, they have been letting it happen for a long time and not once do I remember the good old US Government stepping up to the plate and telling athiest groups to sit down and shut up. If you don't like it walk on by, nobody is forcing you to join their religion. No, they sit there and watch while religious rights are trampled on again and again. Hmmmm...sounds like what they do about almost everything huh??? Well, except put money in their own pockets...

On the other hand - this is the norm. USA had a sort of lull for a bit then turned against God just like always - the world doesn't like Christ. If they despise the Master, how will they treat the servant?

This not the America you and I grew up in. A plurality of us regret that - not enough to make a difference. But it is what it is.

Law is whatever some asshole deems it to be. Even Zero himself, that clown; claims to be a 'constitutional scholar.' Yep, and I'm a brain surgeon. When we were a republic - we lived under rule of law. Now that we are a multicultural democracy ...well there it is. Adios freedom.

Sadly, if we deserved our previous blessings, we'd still have them. Zero and his republican buddies just think they are in charge. It makes me sad when they mock Him but it makes me sad for them too; how dreadful to not be in a state of Grace.

Merry Christmas
Talbot

Yes. To spread hatred and contempt towards both the Jew and the Christian is a goal for those in power today. What would you expect from wanna b dictators, traitors, tyrants, liars , and thieves? The lawless hate everything that is good,for that is their nature..The Jew and the Christian stand for everything their father hates. Those who love God stand for justice whereas those in power today hate justice and love injustice. Our beliefs are a threat to them and their way of life so we must systematically be eliminated. Our voices must be stilled for them to thrive. For those who are perishing we are the stench of death, for those being saved we are the fragrance of life.

the same phenomenon took place 1600 years ago to the ancient Romans when the Christians upset the old religion... the Romans for the most part were as pious as the Christians and virtue was one of their strong points..but the Christians were good salesman and swayed them over in time..the atheists really need to get a grip on reality, listen to the lyrics from Burt Bacharach's "Alfie"
What's It all about Alfie? is it just for the moment we live? As sure as I believe there's a heaven above
Alfie, I know there's something much more
Something even non-believers can believe in

Dayne

I played 'Alfie' in a crappy little band years ago. What a dreadful song! No changes - just meanders along - I had to use sheet music. (of course I only had one day to prepare)

I remember 'Alfie' and 'Mahogany' as the two biggest pain in the ass cover tunes I ever played.

Talbot

"Religion" is really complicated here in Israel. I could understand why an atheist would be tired of it, because it's the extremely religious starting all the fights. (Mostly muslim but not completely) There is an interesting bumper sticker here in Tel Aviv of an arm throwing all the religious symbols into a trash can.

Still, I think people are a lot more tolerant about what someone else wants to believe here, as long as they aren't violent about it. There are mosques, next to synagogues, next to churches, next to dance clubs.

Very good thread and Posts. The USA Inc. is Godless now. The tragedy is that most of its "citizens" are not even aware of this. Regarding the Nativity scene .... as I write this this evening I look out the window of the Cafe and across the Street at the Church here on the Square of The Old Port and there is a Nativity Scene on the steps all lit up and loads of people walk by and look, even getting their photos taken in front of it. Where I used to live in Sonoma, /ca. they banned the Nativity scene a few years before I left ... it was always put in the Plaza next to City Hall. A sign of the TIMES I am afraid. On a final note "understanding" as it is used in the Bible is very informative in all this in my opinion. Check it out as one may find it rather interesting.

Pretty much, Vamp.

However the god of "self" appears to be doing quite well from the highest to the lowest, at least in America.

I found this on the Blaze.com this AM. Nice to know that Christianity can't even be mentioned in schools but this is OK.

Mom Says She Uncovered ‘Very Shocking’ Content When She Decided to Look Over Her Child’s Vocabulary Lesson

from theblaze.com

The parents of a high school student in Farmville, North Carolina, are seeking answers regarding a Common Core-aligned vocabulary assignment given to their child that they claim is essentially Islamic propaganda.

The assignment was reportedly given to seniors at Farmville Central High School and included several pro-Islamic messages.

The worksheet reportedly read: “In the following exercises, you will have the opportunity to expand your vocabulary by reading about Muhammad and the Islamic word.”

The assignment used the words astute, conducive, erratic, mosque, pastoral, and zenith in sentences about Islam.

“The responses to Muhammad’s teachings were at first erratic. Some people responded favorably, while other resisted his claim that ‘there is no God but Allah and Muhammad his Prophet,” one sentence read.

Read some of the other sentences via FoxNews.com below:
Source: FoxNews.com

Source: FoxNews.com

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous, told the news outlet that it was “very shocking” to read the religious material.

“I just told my daughter to read it as if it’s fiction. It’s no different than another of fictional book you’ve read,” she said.

One of the students who was reportedly in the class in which the assignment was given told FoxNews.com that she was “caught off guard” by the content.

“I just looked at it and knew something was not right – so I emailed the pages to my mom,” the student added.

A Pitt County Schools spokesperson reportedly confirmed the assignment is from a state-adopted workbook that meets “Common Core standards for English Language Arts.”

“Our school system understands all concerns related to proselytizing, and there is no place for it in our instruction/ However, this particular lesson was one of many the students in this class have had and will have that expose them to the various religions and how they shape cultures throughout the world,” the district said in a statement.

Here is the part that I couldn't copy, what they are to study as examples.

"It is entirely possible that Mohammed was an astute, or shrewd merchant but at about the age of forty he gave up his career as a merchant and became a religious hermit"

"Mohommed, who was familiar with the teachings of Christianity, found solitude to be conducive to understanging the properfaith. He also found meditation to be helpful"

The response to Mohommads teachings were at first erratic. Some people responded favorably, while others resisted his claim that "There is no God but Allah, and Mohommed is his prophet"

So is this where we are heading in America?

Joh 16:2 You will be chased out of the Jewish meeting places. And the time will come when people will kill you and think they are doing God a favor. They will do these things because they don't know either the Father or me.

I agree, Jimmy. But with one caveat. I'm better than you!

I get a chuckle from the one fb meme "Religion is like a penis. It's OK to have one and even be proud of it, but it is not OK for you to wave it in my face". All religions are faulty therefore all of the wars and hatred based on them are unfounded and a waste of time and lives. Man has spent most of the past two million years trying to kill off everything and anything we can, even ourselves, it's what we're good at.
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Why would an ignorant man, a non believer who is by nature oblivious to the nature of God, post anything to display his ignorance concerning him? Most religions require the believer to warn the unsaved of their condition and of their fate if they deny God. That is why the believer warns the unbeliever. Read it for yourself and gain wisdom.

Eze 3:19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

"Ha, what exactly that is I hope remains a secret. Remember, you don't need to be better than anyone else, just good enough for yourself." <really??

Isa 64:6 But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth. And we all fade as a leaf, and like the wind our iniquities take us away.
Rom 3:10 The Scriptures tell us, "No one is acceptable to God!

Psa 14:1 (A psalm by David for the music leader.) Only a fool would say, "There is no God!" People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right.

No offense meant. Just a bit of truth to enlighten you.