dmiller

Happy birthday!! David

Hmm. Now that you put it that way -----. :) Of course allegorical interpretations are in evidence all over the book. Starting in Genesis with the snake. Serpent is the word *Nachash*, meaning shining one. A heavanly being, angelic persona, whatever, but definitely not a snake (and yes I caught the sarcasm you used). ;) I've always believed that portions of the bible were allegorical. Just not as much of it as some do. My point exactly! Ya got a good point there. Seemed to me that folks who dismiss (or question) the existance of God would automatically do the same when the devil question came up, but I did forget about all the christians who dismiss the devil, yet profess to believe in a literal God. And you made a better point yet, about the agnostic putting *priorities* first!! Thanks for agreeing, but what I said was comparing a literal God to a literal devil, not one being figurative, and the other literal. In my thinking, either both are literal, or both are figurative (unlike aforesaid christians who can pick and choose -- and ascribe qualities to either or, depending on their denomination). ...not as a statement of my own personal belief. I personally do not believe that there is a devil, literal or figurative. I thought that the statement "my bible says he does" did not take into account differing Christian beliefs about the devil and evil. Again, with respect, I'm not sure that you really know what I believe. Well --- I'll agree that I don't really know what you do or don't believe, but I think the statement *my bible says he does* takes into account the entire spectrum of christian beliefs, albeit from one vantage point. Some would say --- my bible says he does. Others might say -- my bible says maybe he does. Others might say -- my bible says no way. Others might say -- what's a bible? Guess this is how the many denominations started, eh? And when I say *entire spectrum*, you can read into it PITST (Private Interpretation Through Selective Thinking)), since every last somebody (myself included) thinks they know what the bible purports to say, or at least are convinced that they have some handle on the truth, and are willing to declare such depending on whatever fellowship, denomination, etc., they choose to follow. Why not?? Again -- you just made the point that if one follows the *biblical position*, that all this is plausible, whereas if one does not follow the biblical position then it is all speculative, in which case you would be right (even though I don't know what you really think). B) Whewwww!!! This took a while to answer, and since everyone needs something to believe in, I believe I'll have a beer now! ;) David

Act 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Act 16:40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Buying real estate??? Naw -- just having a roof over their heads. As usual, twi, comes out second best (at best) with with their presumptious presumptions. Can you say --- they haven't a clue??? It's gonna be hard, but it's the truth. :) Seems I remember --- somewhere somewhere somewhere hearing about going from house to house breaking bread. Were those rental units, so that no man would owe and could move freely to *move da Word* (sorry Evan!) ;) If ya want to take an honest look at it, folks have owned homes since there have been folks, and property to live on. Yuppers -- even in biblical times too. Enter the 20 (whatever) century, and twi says it ain't cool to do what man has been doing since the beginning of time. I guess they skipped over the part in the OT of the Isrealites looking for a place to once and for all put down roots -- ie. -- read A HOME. Nothing twi does these days surprises me. Whatever the *norm* is, I can make a solid bet that twi will counter it -- and though they will lose, I will win. They are behind the eight ball, and haven't a clue that it is even in their neighborhood. I don't know (totally) what they promote (these days), but given past performance, they really have no idea how stupid and archaic their ideas are -- and I'm basing my assumptions from the 1980's, and I can guareen-damn-tee you that what I knew of them then, is most likely still in evidence today. So Oldies -- I know it is a useless plea, but give it up already, OK??. You're backing a losing *team*. David

Dizzydog -- great post!! :)

HA!! I will never forget the one you *spun* about tatoos, and witnessing! You have the gift. You really do. :) David

I did U-joints only once (meebe 15 years ago), with the help of someone who knew how to do it. He did most of the work and cussed a lot, and the little I had to do left me cussin too. I can't hardly even change plugs in a car now. Bifocal glasses have the *high end* of visual perception on the bottom of the glasses, and to put it plainly --- that won't work, when yer looking down at an engine. :( Plus, the fact that engine technology has advanced and outstripped (by leaps and bounds) anything I ever knew way back when. I pay someone else (these days) to do the work. I do have a *crunch-time* story though ----- Saturday -- December 27, 1975 -- I was getting married that day, and my brother decided the 1966 Volkswagen bug I was driving, needed a new muffler. Myself and my intended were headed up here to Minney-soda for the honeymoon (in the Quetico/BWCA area), a remote area north of Grand Marais, Mn., way past the end of the Gunflint trail) about 80 miles north from any semblence of civilization. Eveyone thought we were nuts, cause we had a free cabin down in Florida available to us as well, but we chose the frozen tundra instead. Well -- my brother (Evan) decided that whichever direction we were going, we NEEDED that muffler. :D Without checking into any local part stores (if they had one in stock), he got the old one off, trashed it, and then went shopping for a new one. Suffice it to say, we spent the better part of the day looking for a muffler, cause the shops that shoulda had it, didn't. We finally found one that did, and got it installed. Woops -- here is the *crunch time* part of the story. This was all done the day of the wedding. JAL (yes -- you know who I mean) was doing the *officiating* for the ceremony, and he wanted to do a practice rehersal right before the actual event, instead of a day or so earlier. So, here my brother and I show up at Beck Chapel (Indiana University), with some-what grease stained hands (he was my *best man*), wearing our suits, and feeling smug cause we got that muffler installed (finally) and I received *rebuke and admonitiion* from JAL about our looks, (not too bad) and got Holy Hell from my intended (which was worse -- btw!!). We did the practice of the ceremony feeling like a coupla mechanics from the local garage, and then managed to clean up properly before the actual ceremony began a coupla hours later. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Make sure you send at least 15% to Box 328 You-Know-Where so that God can at least spit in yer direction! Facetiousness aside -- good for you!! Nice to hear you got something out of them. (Take that anyway you want to!!) David

Is that Devotion in Motion??? (with a little bit of lotion??)

Brother Speed Joined: 15-August 05 From: Boise, Idaho Brother Speed -- It's so good to see you left the Iraqis to post west of the Rockies! I think I said it before, but if I didn't -- Welcome home. :dance: David

That is a good story! First off I thought you were spinning one of those great *yarns* you tell so well, but I see it isn't. (If I was the owner, I might have just poured some scotch into a glass, left it on the table, and drink straight from the bottle! Poor guy, what a thing to have happen to him). :wacko: David

Ha. I have ONE pair of pants that are not jeans! Psst -- George, what are shorts?? This is Minnesota, after all! :lol:

I .... was .... joking ....!! Apparently it was a bad joke, eh? Or at least ill-timed. Mea culpa. I certainly believe that it is allegorical in parts (figures of speech, parables, etc.), and I also believe that much of it is literal as well. To me the devil does not fit in the allegory part of it. Were I to hold to an agnostic belief like you do Oak, then I could easily dismiss the devil as allegorical, since I would have done the same with God. (I think I said that right!) If God is not a genuine being but just some *good* force, then the devil would (by default) not be a genuine being either, but just some sort of *bad* force. I see where you are coming from, and it makes sense given what you believe. But since I believe in a real God, to me it follows that there is a real devil as well. No -- I don't believe in a literal talking snake, but I do believe that some kind of literal being was doing the talking there in Genesis, not an allegorical one.

I think Dean was the one who sang that, TF, but not sure about the authorship of it. Now that I think about it, I think it did have something to do with Dean's heritage. Could be wrong about that though. (ps -- Dean and Laura were my twig leaders in 1977 back in Indiana, and he sang that song regularly at coffehouses around town.)

If I recollect correct, it was done by way prod of England. Used to have a tape of that here, and now looking for it, I can't find it. Grrrrrrr. I think that one came out in the early 1980's.

This one would look good full of "s'ketti" sauce, once ya got rid of the pork rinds there!! :D

Well -- I can't get in at all. I used to get into the *new chatroom* (with all the bells and whistles), but now since the new Java is required, it doesn't work for me. I tried the *upgrade now* for Java, but I need more than my MacOS 9.2 to get it. Even the *classic Mac* upgrade won't work, so I can't join y'all until I get a different puter, or a different OS. Hmmm -- lesseeeeeee. It's 8:45 pm. Sushi should be signing off right about now, and going upstairs where Abi has already signed off! :D Am working on getting back in there. The chat room is live GSCafe inter-active, and I miss it. Ya learn more there by accident, than anywhere else by design. :)

manomanomanoman -- sure wish I could treat my checkbook allegorically!! (literal interpretation --- no money left) :( (allegorical interpretation -- I must have money left, I still have checks!)

In a sink or swim ministry --- meebe she just *floated* on up to the top, eh?

Forunateone -- I think THIS IS THE LINK that WordWolf referred to.

Well -- that description certainly puts me out of the running!! The only tan I ever had from work was a T-shirt tan for the past 35 years (or so). :D

Rottie -- don't you remember Ted Ferrell from Way Prod.??? The one and the same.

Rottie -- you've been away for a while. Moony is engaged to Ted Ferrell. David (woops -- I coyrekt the speeling of Ted's name, and moony beats me to the punch!)

Hmmm. It might sound decent, but I can't see playing bluegrass, or old-tyme music on something looking like this. Tim O'Brian now, that would be a different story! :)

Whatza "cabana boy" ??