ClayJay

Sexual abuse could be....Not getting enough sex? :wave:/>

A lovely couple fore shore! Congratulations to you Groucho, and best wishes to you Dot Matrix! With Love Jonny Lingo...

I think that my favorite treat was a Baskin and Robbins triple dip on a sugar cone of two scoops of chocolate mint chip, and one scoop of coffee ice cream!

I liked Hayes Gahagen. I liked the way he referred to the gathering Together as "The Big Snatch".

Please don't be defensive about this Geisha. This gal will never come to this site. I could have said "Mabel" and it wouldn't have made any difference at all. And, if you'll recall, I haven't said that I think praise singing is wrong, I just said it was "not my cup of tea". But I will go on to say that I truly do not like the notion of "singing the Spirit of God into the meetings" as this woman was trying to do. I don't see that anywhere in the Bible. I do know that Jesus said that "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them". No need to use singing as a "lure" for the Spirit of God to come into a meeting, because, He is already there. I also know that "it is the goodness of God that leadeth thee unto repentance", not "exciting singing and repetitive singing". And, you'll just have to take my word for it: This woman was clearly out of line and did more harm than good. And that situation illustrates just what I believe to be obnoxious and counter productive. And I never said we in The Way had it all together when it comes to the gift of Holy Spirit. I just don't think that the situation that I described was appropriate or beneficial because it lacked the main ingredient: Charity. The point of sharing that incident is that using singing in that manner is, according to what I see from the Bible in I Corinthians chapter 13, something that is counterproductive and not profitable. I have no doubt that when you sing in whatever manner you choose to sing, that you are walking in the Love Of God, desiring only to edify those with whom you are surrounded! :)

NewLife said: This is something that I am not very fond of. Oh, I am all about trying to help bring people into the Presence of God if I can, but I prefer to try and do it by "telling them of the good News". But anyway, as you all know, I like to illustrate a point by way of a story. Sorry, guess that's how I am wired. And so: An uncomfortable experience happened to a lot of us at my daughters Baccalaureate, which-I think-is a pre-graduation ceremony for senior high schoolers. And in my experience, these Baccalaureates have always been held at a church with a spiritual connotation to it. Well, the woman running the show at her church happened to be a very dedicated Christian lady. And, she was the lead singer in her church's very own "praise singing band". At the end of the "B"-Service (I don't want to try and spell it again!), her band, with her as the lead singer started playing this last song. And all of us were to be singing along with the song. And the crowd, many of them non-Christians, being polite, sang along with everybody else. My wife, kids and I sang with the song, because were are Christians, and because this gal "Frankie" was our friend. We had had many a conversation with her about God and the Bible, our kids, etc, and we liked her and still do. BUT, when we came to the last chorus of the song, she forced everybody to sing it over and over! With a religious fervor and a belief that she was "singing God into the meeting", she kept making us sing that last verse over and over! It was evident that she held us captive and wasn't going to let us go! This was an "Act of God" and a "move of the Spirit" and she was bound by the "Holy Ghost" to keep going on and on and on and on! By this time, my wife and I and many of the non-Christians were very uncomfortable. And my daughter, sitting with the group of soon to be graduates looked over at us with a look of dismay on her face. And, I became angry at Frankie for hijacking what could have been a very nice service-the pastor's speech had been very nice for all present-and I, like my daughter just quit singing and stared daggers at Frankie. What was also apparent was that Frankie's whole effort was "all about her" and how SHE was the one pulling off this "great work of God", and "if you don't like it too bad! I'm saving souls here!". Finally, it was over. Uggh. Later, a hippy chick whom we know and love came up and said; "Hey "Clay" and "Mary", what was up with all that? I know you guys are Christians too, but I could tell by your faces that you were as uncomfortable as I was with Frankie's music thing. What was she trying to do with singing that last verse over and over like that? Force us to become Christians? Are all Christian services supposed to be like that?" And so, we tried to explain to her how Ist Corinthians 13 is supposed to work, with the love of God being at the center of what we do, and not ourselves. And, we "betrayed" our sister in Christ Frankie by simply telling her that "Frankie has a big ego and that she was not acting very Christian at all in that situation". I think that whole thing "queered it" for a good many of people, and not a few of them being my daughters' friends. Hmmph. "Way Productions", the devil's playground...

Thanks MStar, Geisha, and Broken Arrow! And, thank you too Thomas for starting this thread. And like BA said, I don't think the praise singing thing is a bad thing, it's just "not my cup of tea" as the Brits would say. And hey, it's way way better than "Christian Metal", whatever the heck THAT is! That's another pet peeve of mine: Trying to attract kids to Christianity by imitating seriously worldly music and putting Christian words to it. But, I guess then, Donnie Fugit's "Blue Suede Bible" would then be considered the same. Oh well, I guess it's like somebody here said; "I am becoming my parents". Hah! Who was that? Was that you Broken Arrow?

I too have joined this forum. But not as Clayjay, but rather, as Jonny Lingo. Hope to see you all there! There is much to discuss with so many recent and intriguing events! Rocky, won't you please join us? And Soul Searcher, George St George, RonG, MStar1, LoveMatters, Sunesis, and heya there Pawtuckett, come on ovah!

Interesting thread. Frankly, I miss singing so many of those songs from the Sing Along The Way song books. My wife and I go to this church where they do what is called "praise singing", and I can't stand it. They have a little band up front, amplified of course, but, they don't perform for us, they play and we are supposed to sing with them. Well, that's kinda neat and all, but, the band is loud enough that you really cannot hear the crowd in church singing very loudly. The voices are encroached upon by the band. Plus, they have an overhead tv monitor for us to read doing the "follow the bouncing ball thing" like as in karaoke with the highlighted words. Personally, I like to hear the peoples' voices being the main event when singing with the Believers. And really, so many of the songs just seem boring to me with their modern "groovyness". But that's just me. The other thing they do though, which drives me nuts is that they keep repeating the last verse or chorus over and over and over as the holy hands come up, and I'm like Dude! Let's just finish this song cuz maybe the next one will be better! But no, on it goes. And really, I miss songs like "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (written by Martin Luther), In The Garden, The Old Rugged Cross, Rise Up Oh Men Of God, He lives, My God And I, The Battle Hymn Of The Republic, At Calvary, singing Psalm 100 straight out of the Bible, and then all the little "show tunes" as I called them like, Got any Rivers, Thank You Lord,Tell It Again, and oh! One of my very favorites: "Tell Me Why". And one more although there are still many many more in my Sing Along The Way book. I always loved "Oh For A Thousand Tongues To Sing". I mean, I loved those songs, and I loved to break into harmonies with my wife and kids who are all very good singers. In fact, when I was in the Corps, I used to position myself at meetings near or next to this one guy who loved to sing, and we would put out some sweet harmonies! We'd grin from ear to ear when hitting it right. For me, music and singing is my idea of fun. From time to time to this day, when we get all four kids together, we'll get out the song books and just sit in the living room and sing 'em. My youngest is fifteen, my oldest, twenty six. Actually, we ended up with about fifteen song books that are just like Sing Along The Way, but they are called: "Make A Joyful Noise (unto the Lord)". I guess it is some bootleg knock off we picked up when involved with exWay splinter groups which we are no longer involved with. I don't view this new "praise singing" thing as wrong, or "off", it's just that it's not appealing to me, and if there's going to be a band up front, I say let her rip and we'll sit back and enjoy some tunes while you rock stars up front play for us. But, that's just me, and my different taste is all. I am happy that they all like it. So, now that I have it down as to when they finish the "praise aspect" of the service, I just don't go until they are finished with it. Then, I will sit through the sermon or teaching or whatever they call it, and then leave after that's over but before they start that praise singing again. Hopefully they are simply happy that I come to hear the Bible. I don't really care what they think. I don't buy into the "repetition thing was meant to brainwash us" scenario though. There were more than enough songs in there for as much variety as needed in a one and a half hour fellowship. I never ran a twig longer than 45 minutes, so, we never sang that many songs per meeting when I ran them. And some of the songs in that song book I don't think I have ever sung yet. There are 141 songs in my "Sing Along The Way "knockoff...

Nice. I knew the rudiments of that history, but didn't know the details as to how it morphed along. I didn't know the baseball connection either. Cool...

Shoot, MStar, that brought tears to my eyes when I realized the audience started singing with him to help him with the words! And how cool was that that he just laughed when he forgot the words? Before tens of thousands, he didn't seem to have any sense of fear or shame, just "happy smiles"! Maybe we all need a dose of what he's got. Yeah, that was truly beautiful man, beautiful. And you were there for that huh? Very nice... :) Oh, and Geisha and Sudo. After the Game on Sunday, I googled "three part harmony National Anthem" and came up with those Cactus Cuties and I too have become totally enamored with them. They really are quite something, aren't they? I am a huge fan of harmony vocals, and they really do it for me fore shore...

When my son went to Wasilla High, in Wasilla, Alaska, his band teacher who was also the overall music director, told the class that when a person sings the National Anthem, they are allowed only two "embellishments" which is when a vocalist puts in a "warble" here and a "warble" there. "But only two if you are going to sing it for a Wasilla High game! "And", he would go on, "If you actually have the privilege to sing our National Anthem, it is not "about you" when you do it! It's about respect for your country. It's about those people in the stands, and the Freedoms that we enjoy! So keep it respectful!" Yeah, that was Mr. Pennington of Wasilla High, and I personally thanked him for telling that to his class which, of course, included my son. I was delighted that he took the time to tell them that... Well, I think that Christina Aguilera's blowing it with the singing of The Star Spangled Banner was disgraceful. Not only did she add about 300 embellishments, making it not even sound like the original, she blew it on the lyrics too. Oh, she is a hot looking woman, and she has the "pipes" (great voice), but, it was all about HER, man, and not about our Country, in my not so humble opinion. I mean, the chick is already a superstar, she's already made her millions and has hundreds of thousands of adoring fans, and that is just fine with me. More power to her on that count fore shore! But when it comes to having that privilege, I think far more respect is warranted, and that she should have focused on being honored to do it and not try to display her "greatness". Shoot, her vocal abilities and good looks are already duly noted. That's why she's famous! I remember that Jewel once sang the Anthem at a Super Bowl, and it was clear and clean and beautiful. I think she did her country proud. And once, at a little old swim meet in Haines, Alaska, my wife, son, and I sang the Anthem in three part harmony and we sang it straight and true, and man, it gave me goose bumps as we heard our voices echo off the walls in that indoor swimming pool complex. We felt honored to do it even if for so small a crowd. Also at that swim meet, since a Canadian team came down from the Yukon Territory, a young Canadian gal sang "Oh Canada" (their anthem) in honor of her country, and it was clear, sweet and beautiful. We were all very moved out of honor and respect for Canada. Made us all very proud. So, there it is. I just felt like spouting off on that one. A "rant" maybe. Hopefully next year, whoever runs that damned Game will try to get someone who will simply be thankful to do it, and will do it nicely. And not Roseanne Barr! Next time, how about a straight rendition of it by some high school kid who happens to have a very nice voice? Or, how about the "Cactus Cuties"? Here, check out the Cactus Cuties:

Socks, I cannot compete with that. That as too good and too funny! I think I shot the last of my weak witticisms with the Milk and Cookies thing. Hats off to you and your ability to make stuff up! But, it does remind me of that long ago thread where you spoke of a white rabbitt in the desert that spoke to you in a dream where a wierd naked Indian came up to you and it was very cosmic. Was that on the "Amazing Sea Monkeys From Mars" page? That thread was truly a classic for shore!

Could this conspiracy have been inspired long ago by the late Harvey Milk??!!! Think of it: Milk and Cookies?

Socks, I tried all of those tricks, but, nothing worked. Now it does the same thing here like if I try to go on the Politics forum (from which I was banned) except I get the "error" thing like Sunesis gets. No matter. I was curious about the "Fabio" topic but I can't go there either. And Mstar, no desire for battles, sorry. That's what the Politics forum was for. Must be getting boring over there huh? Have all the battles you want...