mstar1

Ive had to deal with a couple of these this year myself. In one , one of my best friends got devastated after his wife fell in with one of these man hater groups. She had been unhappy in the marriage but it didnt seem unworkable at least from my vantage point. (I had known them both closely for many years and was the Best Man at their wedding). After a year or so of marriage struggles where they couldnt get on quite the same page she started going to a "support group" of some sort or another. It was in shortorder that grossly overblown imagined problems over rode dealing with any real problems, She got them through her "support' network. From a short distance it was like watching a mental illness spiral out of control. They had been two very stable and very intelligent people, no drugs , alcohol, abuse, affairs, or anything like that--just some communication difficulties....within a six months of her joining this group, he had a restraining order barring him from his own home, was separated and on the road to a heartbreaking and incredibly nasty and vicious divorce. Did I mention they have a three year old daughter? She has now moved halfway across the country twice with their young daughter, is deeply unsettled and imo in need of serious psychological evaluation and treatment , and he is in very deep despair...What once was controllable was rocketed into oblivion once the nitwits were allowed in...Its a real shame--they were two (well three counting the baby) wonderful people and now they are deeply and probably forever wounded.

I'll agree with Mark in that there is more than enough real things happening out there to illustrate a point but I also dont see any harm in illustrating apoint with a story or a fable of some kind but be honest about it--dont try to slip by me as one of your honest experiences I have heard several speakers tell the exact same story as if it is true and it really happened . The first time it may be interesting, the second time I hear it from someone else I feel ripped off and perturbed by both speakers who not only tried to slip one by me--but also pointed out their own lack of imagination in having to resort to something canned... which irks me especially in any religious type context when I am expecting to hear truth. If its a comedian, or a storyteller (like Garrison Keillor) i am expecting them to stretch and make up things -so its a much different story. Even in a teaching context its Ok in my book to a certain extent just dont try to sincerely pass it off as real--Then you are just another liar and that will be the only point you will be making with me

Why? they sold out just about everybody else didnt they? Belize is agood place to do about anything , isnt it?

Congratulations Raf--thats pretty cool! I know you get the title when you win but do they get a statue or something ?

Congratulations Papa, that is great news---good luck with the interview Cambridge is one of my favorite towns.

As much as I respect you Raf I disagree--If he presented it as a joke it would have been one thing, but since he was the 'teacher of truth' and presented it as a true event it does need to be true...at least if any of his words will have any weight -- I realize it was a common trick in leadership teachings to make up some story, steal one or embellish one before launching into their 'biblical' point. It always irked me to no end, especially when I heard the exact same story from different people that was exactly the same and total fabrication...( The other day I was at the store when.......) . If they need a teaching tool find something real. How does someone illustate truth by using something imaginary? If it is a real point, there will be more than enough real illustrations around. Its in the little things that you see where someones concern for truth really lies

Over the years I have probably worked on 30 or 40 stained glass windows that had Adam in them, during the initial stages I always bring it up to the priest/pastor/committee to see if it is an issue or not, so far I have never met anyone in any denomination to who it is an issue or for the most part even thought of it before, in fact most look at me like I have 10 heads for even bringing it up

Well I have been on the road for about 10 days after I requested to join their group. (I was gonna play nice if they let me in.) I went to the site to day and I got this: So in a week and a halfs time it has gone from "you must request to join" to "you must be invited to join" Seems like a good metaphor for Way Theology is in those statements somewhere...the "whosoever" of John 3:16 and other verses is long gone from Waythought....

Ive never heard of it. It does say that has been around since the late 90's. It apparently hasnt made too much of a splash--which wouldnt be anything new in the theater world. The Black Jesus in the trailer is an interesting touch. Cant say if its good or not, but I would think that if it was that it would've taken off or generated some buzz by now...just my opin.

Like nearly everyone has said it depends on your price range--- I have played a lot of different acoustics that I have liked a lot...It took me around 8 seconds to fall head over heels in love with the sound and feel of a Taylor.

A friend and former apprentice of mine who is a bit younger moved recently from Brooklyn to California...i have always liked his sense of wit....When i asked him how he like california --He sent me this back email... I was having an out-of-body experience > and almost astral-traveled away yesterday, > so I grounded myself and > > got centered with the help of my spirit guides and then > > >the phone rang, and sensing the negative vibrations, > > >I threw the I-Ching and checked my numerology chart, > > >nearly having a primal, but my energy was too blocked. > > >So I did some bioenergetics and self-parenting, took > > >some flower essences and ate an organic oat bran ginseng > > >muffin, but my inner child wasn't feeling nurtured yet. > > >To fix this, I had a Rice Dream Frozen Pie, which, of course, > > >made me hyper, so I did the relaxation response technique > > >I had just learned at the Self Healing Angst Tree Defoliating > > >Center while listening to my subliminal tapes. > > >But that left me feeling depersonalized, so I did some > > >polarity work, foot reflexology and past life regression, then > > >rebirthed myself and called Moon Beam, my body worker, > > >to make an appointment for a Shiatsu/ Reike/ Rolfing/ Feldenkreis/ > > >Swedish/ Japanese deep tissue massage. Unfortunately, she > > >flaked out and never returned my call, so I decided to energize > > >my crystals and do some positive imagery because all my > > >visualization techniques and affirmations made my space > > >feel invaded. > > >So to get empowered, I got a psychic reading from Mother > > >Heart Love around the issue of my assertiveness so I could > > >feel my radiance and have some energy for my psycho > > >calisthenics and inversion swing before my harmonic brain > > >wave synergy session. > > >This made me more focused for my actualization seminar, > > >holistic healing class and dream workshop, which in turn, > > >made me clearer for my Gestalt behavioral cognitive > > >transpersonal Rechian- Jungian- Freudian- Ericksonian > > >session at the hot springs, but my aura was too weak for > > >my trance channeling group, so I fasted until noon to > > >recharge my chakras. > > >At that point, I sensed my intuition was high and my cycle > > >was focused, so I turned on my ion generator to open up > > >for my Neural Linguistic Programming session. But I > > >needed to have my pyramid recharged before my guided > > >synchronicity meditation, so I got some craniosacral therapy, > > >which aligned me for the fire walk between my tarot card > > >reading and my sensory deprivation tank appointment. > > >But even after all that, I felt what I truly needed was a > > >meaningful relationship to mirror myself, so I went to my > > >personal shaman, and then to my guru, but they were no help, > > >so instead I went to the Intensive Whole Life Earth Rebirth > > >Cosmic Expo Symposium Workshop to find someone who > > >really knew what was going on. That didn't help either, so I > > >locked myself in a calcium-coated Orgone Box and meditated > > >until 9 p.m.. > > >None of it really worked for me, so I rolled a big fat doobie, > > >got stoned, drank a half a bottle of Cabernet, and ate a carton > > >of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream -- > > >and did I feel right with the world

Well thank you Mark--- I know that it is Ash Wednesday, when we are clothed with "sackclothes and ashes", the time of lent, , it also seem to me that as I have faced this season many times as a believer, as an unbeliever, and as just me, that this period of transition from the long days of winter to the new growth of spring almost always involve some serious change and personal consideration to real renewal. My personal belief is that it is not only part of the cycle of change that is common to humanity, but throughout life --as plants remove from dormancy and begin slowly to bloom and grow, animals change and begin to either migrate back to their summer homes or wake from their hibernation and live again----and people after the long winter of internalization-reemerge out of their cocoons staged for the rebirth of life once again in the spring. This season although spiritualized by all religions--sometimes to the point of turning people off, is indeed a season of renewal and growth that spans custums and cultures or even species. It's of our natural (and if you choose so_God Given) cycle of growth. that even for the roughest 'unbeliever' will by natural course of nature brings new insights, and for those inclined to believe can be an astonishing time revelation and grace---to me its ??? spring coming--when the sun shines and life is lived just a little bit more.. Good ash wednesday to you too

i had a bug just like that --same color --even had the Mass plates....Mine had a sun roof --- (I wont tell you the story of sitting on the roof and steering with my feet like a young fool that I was..)...I could fill it up and run all week for $4.00

Which brings up an interesting point I saw Theo talking about today--a run prevented has as much value as a run produced---consistency in the field is worth a lot more in the long run than a lot of people give it credit for... Gotta run---heading south for a week or two

Of course thats your perspective if you are a Christian,, it would also be your perspective if you were muslim , a wayite, or part of any group that was the one true anything and had the one and only true way to wholeness....We would expect nothing less....Many people here are rightly wary of anyone or any group who has the only one true way or "all the answers'. We've all been down that road before....its narrowness hindered as many people as it helped It is your prerogative to think that way but it doesnt mean that people have not found recovery, transformation, healing and meaning (call it waht you will) based on what they have found here. Some have adopted a christian stance some haven't, but this is not a christian forum --the owner has stated so pointedly many times

ahh---Its gonna be good to see boxscores again soon---I think they are one of the four basic food groups

Here is an old VIDEO CLIP of some people trying to explain it...

Whatever they do-they have it down to a science those sweepers---nothing, slow, fast, ultra fast--they are actually pretty good most of the time at placing the rock--and there seems to be some almost chess like strategy involved... Whats on the end of those brooms? Do they have some sort of special shoes?--its not skates--sometimes they walk--sometimes they glide

It wa strange for me every single time I turned on the Olympics ( about 6 times) every single time I got Curling..... I know that is probably someones favorite sport somewhere but 6 times in arow on worldwide TV? Where do they do this other than the Olympics? are there curling leagues in the frozen north somehwre that I missed? I know it takes skill, like bowling takes skill, but I doubt if any of the sweepers will ever be nominated for athlete of the year

Very interesting and perceptive points laleo. I may read it if for no other reason than I was once part of a fringe subgroup myself , that rightly or wrongly had some fairly strong group dynamics. It would be interesting for me to see what a fringe subgroup of 150AD was up to. I wonder if there will be a Ubiquitous Lost Last Teaching of Judas Chapter.. ..

That Van was an ingenious thing! that was one interesting trip! Now why cant they have that one on video for me to watch again :)

---C got it right --it wasn't the money --i know I ran the light....---but it was way way too 1984ish for my tastes---the videos of me were the kicker---Fri...in' Videos??, Ive heard of these things but this was my first encounter with the big eye compelling me in even the most innocuous circumstances to ....conform ...conform...conform.... Y'know I read these things about Big Brother recording what websites we go to, what library books we take out, our spending habits, etc. etc. ... --now videos of us driving? Made me think what aren't they telling us that they are doing..... I like it here but Im not too thrilled with people watchin over my shoulder every second of the day--its just alittle too science fictiony for me-- Give my best to that cool husband of yours--one of these days we are going to have to get together again--we are due--- ......and thanks for the link! always good to hear that again

Well I wouldnt say ALL, although there are agreat amount of ministers across the board who do fall into that category. Some of you know that I work with alot of ministers--to some its just a job, some (well too many really) are better than you --but every once in awhile there is someone (who could be in almost any denomination) who imo is genuinely the real deal--to me those people are worth knowing. I think that the way and way offshoots are especially susceptible because of the way they have been trained and the way that they have been programmed to think for years--and the erroneous examples that they have had put in front of them.... When they leave--too many go directly into something else--- they may change a few dots in the i's or cross a few t's differently but they are still basically the same people and carry the same things with them...

a $200, 65 Chevy Impala was my first--complete with an 8 track player that I precariously balanced on the hump...I dont really miss the bbbrrrrrrrp... piercing my ears in the middle of a song as it changed tracks... as far as gettin old my grandfather lived to be 113 and my father got married at about 86 and is going strong----The way I figure I'm just gettin warmed up

I got my request in-ive signed their 'green card' ... " Private groups require approval from a moderator to join. Your request to join has been sent" ....lets see if they let me in.