TheEvan

As were numerous Wierwillianiamisms-ah, Garth. Doesn't make them right or wrong. I think Mr. Strange is more addressing "how" we know what we know, otherwise known in egghead circles as epistemology. I heartily endorse his suggestion (as you well know) as I think it's important for each person to know what they know entirely outside the framework of WierwilleDogma©. It's just healthier that way. But you may not want her to do this as she may come to a conclusion that bothers you, like: 1. What's the big deal? or 2. Jesus really is God after all ...or whatever.

I'd like to respectfully submit that part of the problem may be ours. If we hold beliefs that are unorthodox or heterodox, we can expect the occasional person to overreact. We need to take the initiative in striving for unity. When you have a problem like this come up, first thing to do is talk with the offending party. Let them grill you, if they find it necssary, just to ease their mind. Usually, reassuring the person that you believe Jesus to be the divine, only begotten Son of God will set them at ease. (If that's what you believe). We had this blow up soon after exiting wayworld, at the private school our son was attending. Back then, I still believed a fair bit of Wierdwillia. We sat down with the principal and explained where we were coming from. No problems after that. Communicate and give them a chance...

This veers things toward doctrine, but Paul calls those who receive by grace through faith are true Israel, those who have the law written upon their hearts.

To me the gravesite service was very, very strange. The main person who spoke was Don. He certainly had the right to, though usually the immediate family elects not to. But man, it was surreal. I've been to many funerals that felt right. This one didn't.

43 ...and?

Good God, WTH! If more proof than the above link is necessary, just hold on to your hay. Germany finally has agreed to release all the Nazi records. They were meticulous record keepers. over the next few years many facts will come to the fore...

Being weak on sin made it weak on grace. Grace has meaning only in light of the awfulness of sin

I feel compelled to pipe in here and say that Al Capone never was a gangster, as far as I know. If he was, you can be sure he'd have been jailed for that. All he ever did wrong was get in trouble with the IRS. Right, oldies?

That's a beautiful post, papertrained. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Putting "The Way" and "research" in the same sentence? Isn't that like oxymoron squared?

Geo's assessment is mine. I do hope you're able to help the man. He was a genuinely nice guy before he drank the Way Koolaid. I think some of his antisocial nuttiness he displayed when in power was a result of his being in way over his head...

A candlelit service that is entirely sung. As the music progresses, the candles are extinguished until just one remains. After it is extinguished, the congregations remains silent for a time, then begins to file out in silence. Devastating and moving to the max.

May I add that the road to most serial killing is also paved with porn. Where's part II? That's a good article.

No particular memories as my parents were atheist. But if I were to build memories by choice, I'd choose many of the things I've heard here, plus I'd see to it that a Tenebrae service was a part of each Good Friday evening. Who has done/does Tenebrae?

Since you mention fruit, guessalot, haw 'bout this: (There is such a thing as stretching an analogy beyond its intended meaning, but I think this works) Fruit, though representing desirable qualities for the individual, has two primay functions outside of being 'nice' for the person living with them. Fruit doesn't normally decorate the tree...flowers do that. 1. It contains seed for growing more of the same...it has life. 2. It provides needed nourishment for others. I'll contend that Der Veg was notably weak in this area, weaker than your average church on the corner.

Hi Steve! You still upholstering? Love & blessings.

I think calling them "manifestations" does more damage than the mere error in syntax. (It makes no sense to "operate" a "manifestation". You don't 'operate' the evidence, you operate the gift.) It is quite consistent with other Way teaching to focus on what one is producing rather than the gift that enables. Think about it. That's why I love calling them gifts.

Nice to see you here Zix. Yes, your post is very fine.

On one of my trips to Uganda I met a lovely young Rwandan woman who told me her story. As an 11 year old she witnessed her entire family being hacked to death with machetes and their htus burned. She, along with many other refugees, fled across the border into Uganda. This orphan girl just lived by her wits, homeless, alone, uncared for. Only the kindness of strangers in a foreign country kept her alive. She is now a young woman in her early 20's. She is bright, industrious, cheerful and genuine. She works hard and provides for herself, but has trouble getting work as she is uneducated, having been homeless all those years. That's my personal anecdote. She calls me "Baba" ("Father" in Swahili) and I'm proud to have earned her affections.

pond, the Holy Spirit will teach you. The greatest preparation is the simple prayer, "Lord, I don't understand. Please teach me what you want me to know."

Cynic, I was tracking with your above post until the following: ...in which you seem to imply that doctrine, as expressed, is a salvation issue. I would submit that each of us hold a distorted or deficient view of Christ. Arguing that the Arian/Socinian view constitutes belief in "another" Jesus and therefore disqualifies its adherents from salvation goes too far, imo. While I find the VP description (and its ostensibly clarified/improved derivatives) of the godhead indefensible, I am unwilling to wrest the function of "only wise judge" from the Judge Himself.

Interpretation of the scriptrue is the domain of God by means of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise it's just a bunch of smarty-pants, saved or not, who apply the magic decoder algorithms and BLAMO, out comes some "rightly-divided" truth. That Way myth, the "rightly-divided" word is itself a myth and a misinterpretation of that very scripture. It says "rightly-dividing", doesn't it? It's an ongoing daily adventure in partnership with the Holy Spirit of applying it to our lives' situations.

Wow, that's quite an admission. Of all the Muslim you couldhave transmogrified into, you figure to be one of those two...

If you can find it in the archives, there is a warm and moving Terri gross interview with Doc done some years back wherein the good fellow goes into the loss of his son. My high estimation of Doc shot up yet more when I heard it. Saw Doc & Merle once at the venerable Tulage's in Boulder back in the day. It was an especially wonderful show.

A gas? Pilot Frank scared the bejeezus out of us landing in Gunnison one time. I was never so glad to get my feet on the ground.