Belle

Come on, OM! You know darn well there's documentation of where he lifted stuff word for word!!! JK, it's not worth fighting with him. I usually just ignore him. It keeps me from....welll....acting unladylike.

Not sure. Never heard any rumors, but I was considered close to the Moneyhands so most people would have never said anything negative about them to me.

I remember them all having cable and some had satellite when we were all foregoing cable TV because it was an "unneccesary" expense. Bobby Moneyhands belonged to a community pool and Dottie took dancing and art classes. Most of us would have loved to, but were unable to afford those kinds of things. They also took nice trips we could only dream about. Dottie and Linda McDuff** took trips together, too, but not as frequently.

Please do let us know, Mark! I'm going Saturday night! I soooooooo can't wait!!!

WELCOME, THEMEX!!!! Great first post! You're right - we are ALL ONE BODY - regardless of where and with whom we worship. Pity TWI doesn't teach that or see it that way. They sure are missing out on some wonderful people. Hopefully the children will realize this and learn that they can live outside the walls of TWI and that TWI and it's logic isn't the end all and be all of life. Since it's afternoon already, may I interest you in a little snack? I'm sure Raf will be along with some coffee as well....

I guess I've been pondering whether the Bible really is the end all and be all source of all answers. It seems to be fallible and therefore NOT the God breathed word. I also consider that there most likely were political agendas involved with the writing of some of the books as well as the decision on what should be included in the Bible. Considering the Presidents in Lifted's post - many of them were Diests and also seem to have felt the same way. Historical and modern Deism is defined by the view that reason, rather than revelation or tradition, should be the basis of belief in God. Deists reject organized/revealed religion and promote reason as the essential element in making moral decisions (but still rationally conclude tolerance of such religions). This information came from Wikipedia. Not sure about the integrity or lack of agenda there either, but I believe I have read and heard most of this information in other places as well: Washington – Diest W Wilson – Presbyterian Grant – No Religious Affiliation McKinley –Methodist T Roosevelt – Dutch Reformed Church A jackson – Presbyterian J Adams – Unitarian/Diest JQ Adams - Unitarian/Diest Reagan – Disciple of Christ Freedom of belief: Individual members are free to follow their consciences; they are expected to extend that freedom to others. Members are encouraged to seek guidance from scripture, study, and prayer, but to develop their own opinions about most issues. Herbert Hoover – Quaker Early Friends believed that Christ, not the Bible, was the Word of God; for example, according to Robert Barclay the scriptures "are only a declaration of the fountain, and not the fountain itself, therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal ground of all Truth and knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary rule of faith and manners" (Apology prop. 3). In nearly all cases however, modern Friends believe in the necessity of being continually guided by the inward light. Divine revelation is therefore not restricted to the Bible, but rather continues even today; this doctrine is known as continuing revelation.

I missed this! I saw them in Mississippi when I was in college......AWESOME CONCERT!!! Please do give us the details! I want to live vicariously through you....I really should get out more often!

PRICELESS!!!! This one makes it around the office today, Moony! Thank you!

Awwww, Psalmie! I can't imagine anyone not eeking out as much time with you as totally possible. You must be the white sheep of the family. :) I'm very, very, very lucky to have a wonderful loving family and I'm the only one who's been a twit in the whole group. They always came to me if I couldn't/wouldn't come to them. BUT, my neighbors, who have adopted me as their grand-child, have a similar situation to yours. Here's how they handle it...Basically they go about their life and let everyone know what THEIR schedule is and if anyone wants to see them then they know when and where they'll be. They are flexible to a degree, always gracious, forever kind and fun to be around. They just know what their limits are, love to entertain and have a good time, but refuse to let anyone rain on their parade. Our families have had quite a few Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Dinners together - some at their house and others at mine. We always have a blast with whoever is able to make it. I'm so sorry that your feelings are hurt! I really am! I guess what I'm saying is that for YOUR well being, that perhaps you should plan YOUR schedule and let it be known that you would LOVE to include them. That way you can know what to expect and just focus on having a good time with those who DO appreciate your company. I'm not sure how old you are, or how long this has gone on, but it sounds like they really aren't going to change, but you can change how it affects you and how you react to it. Hugs, Psalmie!

Ahhhh, I see where I mis-understood. Sorry about that, must have been wishful thinking on my part. I'm in the symbolic, metaphorical camp. I can't imagine the God that we're supposed to be worshipping requiring us to jump through hoops to be saved, especially when we're in the GRACE administration and not under the law.

It's been fun watching the discussion, guys. Thanks and thanks for being so civil about it, too. I think you both agree that it's NOT NECESSARY, though, right? It's merely the symbolism and whether or not it was condoned and promoted where you disagree?

I looked it up just to make sure. I'm right! So here's my lyric: Woman you want me, give me a sign And catch my breathing even closer behind

awright, Ron, I'm no Arkie, but I shore kin relate to them thar qualy-fa-kashuns. 'Cept the Swap Shop 'un. I remember puttin' my make up on in the car with the ac blasting cold air because we didn't have ac in my college apartment and if I put it on inside it would melt off before I even got to class. :ph34r:

This is from last year, but I still think it's funny. When Ivan was coming through a bunch of LA residents evacuated to Jackson, MS and the surrounding areas. Some you may not get unless you're from either state. 1. Tailgating in the hotel parking lot is prohibited before 7 a.m. 2. Convenience store clerks in Mississippi are not elected officals, and as such, there is no need to offer them a bribe. 3. There must be one person over the age of 16 in any group that spontanuously breaks into a Go to Hell Ole Miss cheer. 4. You can look in that ditch all you want, their ain't no crawfish in there. 5. When driving on the interstate, its perfectly acceptable to continue driving 45 mph in the left lane; however, feel free to drive over in that other lane as well. 6. If you run into Mr. Herbert, here its pronounced her-bert, not hay-bear. 7. The Saints look just as bad on TV as they do in the Dome. 8. And speaking of the Dome, the Coliseum may not be as big, but at least it will be paid off prior to 2285. 9. You can talk all you want, no way is the murder rate in Jackson higher than New Orleans. 10. There are no Zydeco Bars in Winona. 11. There is no truth to the rumor there is actually another "Manning" son being hidden in the delta. 12. Just because we don't have 4 or more vowels in out last name, one of which is an X, doesn't make us bad people. 13. Thats the reservoir, not a bayou, and no, I've never heard of anyone catching shrimp there. 14. There is too a place called Atlanta, Louisiana! 15. .....and, I don't care if Billy Cannon's picture is on it, we don't take $100 bills!

You have FEMA's number on your speed dialer. You have more than 300 C and D batteries in your kitchen drawer. Your pantry contains more than 20 cans of Spaghetti-Os. You are thinking of repainting your house to match the plywood covering your windows. When describing your house to a prospective buyer, you say it has three bedrooms, two baths and one safe hallway. Your SSN is no secret, it's written in Sharpie on your arms. You are on a first-name basis with the cashier at Home Depot. The road leading to your house has been declared a No-Wake Zone. You decide that your patio furniture looks better on the bottom of the pool. You own more than three large coolers. You can wish that other people get hit by a hurricane and not feel the least bit guilty about it. You rationalize helping a friend board up by thinking "It'll take only a gallon of gas to get there and back." You have 2-liter coke bottles and milk jugs filled with water in your freezer. Three months ago you couldn't hang a shower curtain; today you can assemble a portable generator by candlelight. You catch a 13-pound redfish... in your driveway. You can recite from memory whole portions of your homeowner's insurance policy. You consider a "vacation" to stunning Tupelo, Mississippi. At cocktail parties, women are attracted to the guy with the biggest chainsaw. You have had tuna fish more than 5 days in a row. There is a roll of tar paper in your garage. You can rattle off the names of three or more meteorologists who work at the Weather Channel. Someone comes to your door to tell you they found your roof. Ice is a valid topic of conversation. Your "drive-thru" meal consists of MREs and bottled water. Relocating to South Dakota does not seem like such a crazy idea. You spend more time on your roof than in your living room. You've been laughed at over the phone by a roofer, fence builder or a tree worker. A battery-powered TV is considered a home entertainment center. You don't worry about relatives wanting to visit during the summer. Having a tree in your living room does not necessarily mean it's Christmas. You know the difference between the "good side" of a storm and the "bad side."

I found these while I was pondering and looking around for something and thought they were funny and some true and others thought-provoking.... Thought I'd share: One man's theology is another man's belly laugh. Robert A. Heinlein I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. Galileo Galilei Theology is never any help; it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight for a black cat that isn't there. Theologians can persuade themselves of anything. Robert A. Heinlein If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction. Judith Hayes The biblical account of Noah's Ark and the Flood is perhaps the most implausible story for fundamentalists to defend. Where, for example, while loading his ark, did Noah find penguins and polar bears in Palestine? Judith Hayes We are punished by our sins, not for them. Elbert Hubbard Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear. Thomas Jefferson It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui. Helen Keller The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance... logic can be happily tossed out the window. Stephen King There seems to be a terrible misunderstanding on the part of a great many people to the effect that when you cease to believe you may cease to behave. Louis Kronenberger This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. Dalai Lama You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do. Anne Lamott The Bible looks like it started out as a game of Mad Libs. Bill Maher Born again?! No, I'm not. Excuse me for getting it right the first time. Dennis Miller The Christian resolution to find the world ugly and bad has made the world ugly and bad. Friedrich Nietzsche I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. Stephen Roberts The Bible is literature, not dogma. George Santayana No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means. George Bernard Shaw Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn't! George Bernard Shaw We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. Jonathan Swift When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. Desmond Tutu But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most? Mark Twain God made everything out of nothing, but the nothingness shows through. Paul Valery Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God. Lenny Bruce The "what should be" never did exist, but people keep trying to live up to it. There is no "what should be," there is only what is. Lenny Bruce

Try to find ya one who's gonna give ya true lovin' My Mama Told Me - Ya Gotta Shop Around Smokey Robinson I know this one! I couldn't even read the line without the tune popping into my head.

OM, I refuse to enter into a battle with you. It's just too dang frustrating. You already know how I feel and I already know how you feel and we're just never going to agree on this.

Here's a Googlism on Rosalie: rosalie is jumping on the bandwagon rosalie is a gemini rosalie is helemaal thuis in de wereld van glitter en glamour rosalie is a darling little cub actress who someday wants to be on a postage stamp rosalie is stretched out on the sofa in an old terrycloth bath robe rosalie is a talented singer rosalie is a magnificent example of the federal style of architecture and is one of natchez?s stately antebellum mansions rosalie is considered to be the oldest continuing european settlement on the mississippi river rosalie is watching rosalie is wearing rosalie is rosy rosalie is about 2/3rds mystic rosalie is warm and loving rosalie is also murdered and the inspector starts to interrogate the remaining people named in the will rosalie is an important minor character by virtue of her connections to all the instigators in the major events rosalie is much stranger rosalie is not a common name and its closeness to that of "rachel" is suggestive rosalie is an elegant national historic landmark rosalie is a legend rosalie is also the princess of the tiny balkan nation of romanza and set to wed a prince who is himself in love with a friend of rosalie?s rosalie is somehow overlooked rosalie is god rosalie is keenly aware of all that rosalie is steeped in history rosalie is almost seventy rosalie is familiar with the urban city life and she is always ready to enjoy the peaceful setting of the country side too rosalie is saving her virginity for the man of her dreams rosalie is drawn to in people rosalie is really about movement rosalie is holding up a carving rick made of a santa holding a carton of doctor pepper

Very acute observations, JKB! I think you're onto something there. They taught us how to recognize them for what they are but we didn't see it till we left - or, for some, once we saw it - we left. Reminds me of this quote: I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. Mohandas Gandhi

I love going to www.googlism.com and putting in names. Mine always has a lot of porn quotes in it, though. My real name in Google comes up with all the wins I've had with Vixen....shows my ex's name, too... :o He would be none too happy about that!

The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself. Richard Burton Seems dear Mr. Burton may have been onto something....think he knew LCM or TJ?

Now I know where Craig got his little tirade about wearing crosses: If Jesus had been killed twenty years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little electric chairs around their necks instead of crosses. Lenny Bruce

The Moneyhands mostly lived in neighborhoods the bulk of us could only DREAM of living in and they friggin moved every year! They taught about travelling light, but their example was far from it! It took the whole branch and two huge moving trucks to move them. Ridiculous! And Bob refuses to eat on paper plates, so while everyone else used plastic utensils and paper plates in the few days before the big move, Bobby had his china and sliverware for HIS food. To give them credit, they DID have Angel* C*pillary living with them most of the time and an additional roommate at irregular intervals. Even so, they lived at a standard much higher than the average joe in their limb.

Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich. Napoleon Bonaparte vee pee found a way he could make money and live high on the hog without having to do a lick of work. Then he took that absolute power and absued it in every way he could. There was never, ever, ever any altruistic motive behind anything he did - there was behind those who fell for his scam, but vee pee never had any true love, concern or compassion for anyone but himself.