CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS! (pick me up for progressives)

[MathEducation]

read this; it'll make you feel good http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/4176

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"It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven." If that's true - literally true - where do you think the leadership of the Republican Party will be spending eternity?
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"If Christ hadn't delivered the Sermon on the Mount, with its message of mercy and pity, I wouldn't want to be a human being."
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The spirit of Christmas walks through Vonnegut's veins, and Jackson's, more than it does in a thousand political preachers. It shows itself in anyone who reaches out to the hated and the despised, the prostitutes and the junkies and street people. Jesus defended the "harlot" from stoning, after all.

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well he defied all social convention against mixing between men and women, and "good" and "bad" people. That woman was living in sin, after all. Countless generations of Bible readers needed no more sign of her decadent life than the fact that she had been married five times. Why, that's even more than John McCain or Newt Gingrich!
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And if you're a fundamentalist who simply hates humanists and liberal Christians, here's how to get back at them once and for all. Try living as Jesus commanded. They'll probably die of shock.
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Jesus was a liberal like us... http://www.jesusisaliberal.org/Liberal_Christian.html

No matter your Christian denomination, Jesus Is A Liberal welcomes all Liberal Christians. So
what does the term "liberal Christian" mean? Liberal Christian is an umbrella term for any liberal
member of the many Protestant denominations, or churches within denominations, who view the
Bible as the witness of God rather than the word of God, to be interpreted in its historical context
through critical analysis, and with a focus on Jesus' statements on peace, justice, fairness,
compassion and love.

[babylonsister]

1. If I live my life without Jesus but live it with integrity,

with love in my heart for all living people, with a disdain for divisiveness in religion, with the thought that I will do no wrong to another human being, and with the knowledge that there are people who are in worse shape than me that need help that should be given gladly, is that okay?

[MathEducation]

5. I don't know, really

There are a lot of "so called Christians" that Jesus said he's casting into Hell; ASAP.

The Baptists say, "Once saved, always saved..." and for the most part they suck...

The Catholics say there are seven sacrements.

The Church of Christ say you have to be Baptized in Jesus name and any sin can cost you your soul at any time(or something like that)...

Personally, I'd prefer to spend eternity with people like you than not...

If you believe in math, there were prophecies fulfilled by Jesus...

To get a feel for the probabilities involved, consider this. An author and speaker named Josh McDowell calculated the odds of Jesus fulfilling only eight of the Messianic prophecies as 1 out of 1017 (a one followed by 17 zeros). This is equivalent to covering the entire state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep, marking one of them, mixing them all up and having a blind-folded person select the marked one at random the first time. http://www.bprc.org/topics/fulfill.html


There were over 360 prophecies foretold about the coming Jewish Messiah - hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Jesus fulfilled all 365 of these prophecies. Of these 360+ prophecies, there are 109 that only Jesus (Yeshua) could have fulfilled. See complete list of 365 Messianic Prophecies http://www.bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm


George Heron, a French mathematician, calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling only 40 of those prophecies are 1 in 10 to the power of 157. That is a 1 followed by 157 zeros. Compare it to this; your odds on winning the state lottery are 14 followed by 6 zeros.

Another mathematician, Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, claims the odds of being fulfilled only 60 of them by the only person who claimed to be the Son of God, and who died on a "tree" on Calvary, and who rose the 3rd day are astronomical!... not just one in one trillion, but one out of ten to the 895th power. That is a one over a one followed by 895 zeros.


http://biblia.com/jesusbible/prophecies.htm

[babylonsister]

7. I think you need to take this up in the religion group. nt

[MathEducation]

8. Look, it's Christmas...

Much of the world is celebrating the birth and life of Christ (thus Christmas...)

...with a focus on Jesus' statements on peace, justice, fairness, compassion and love...

If someone is offended by the thought of the world celebrating the birth of a man, I'm sorry.

Please don't take offense...

BTW: My step-son had his Christmas leave cancelled. He's shipping out to Iraq Jan 4 or sooner. He's just a kid. I found that article on smirkingchimp.com and it made me feel better. Can you give me that?

[babylonsister]

10. There are many people in this world who don't acknowledge

Jesus but are as religious as you, thus my suggestion. I'm not offended, but the big picture is worth looking at. In the majority of the world, Jesus doesn't enter into it, believe it or not.

: http://users.gazinter.net/melan/Warn/Warnenu.htm

[MathEducation]

11. that's fine, and I'm not offended...

but you got to believe in something...

I was born in America to a family of Baptists; indoctrinated into the belief of Jesus Christ. I accept His stories. That's OK..

I have Mormon friends that believe Jesus was just a man like them. I have Jewish friends who believe Jesus was a lie made up by His early church. I have atheist friends who reject His stories. I have Muslim friends who say He was a prophet.

That's OK...

It doesn't make me mad when they tell me what they believe. I don't spit in their eye when they tell me what they believe...

It's OK...

Tomorrow much of the world celebrates Jesus' birthday. That's OK...

Merry Christmas!

[babylonsister]

14. I believe in myself and the way I was raised. I have what it takes to

to be a good human being and a citizen of this country and this world.
My youth may have inspired that, but my parents were the key to my youth. Mom died 16 years ago, but her 5 kids are still here and somewhat sound (except the boys, who are repugs and have problems.) Roll lots of eyes there!

[MathEducation]

15. Cool...

Two of the very best human beings I've known in my life did not believe in Jesus. It's a choice/decision. That's OK. I still have the greatest respect and admiration for them. I would rather spend eternity with people like them than any number of persons like GW Bush or Falwell or Dobson or Hinn or Robertson or...(you get the picture)

I don't know if Jesus really existed. I wasn't there. I didn't see Him. But I believe. It's OK for me to believe. The stories of Jesus are GREAT. He kicked butt... The man was a genius... I admire that...

May you have a wonderful day tomorrow and a very happy new year!

[ChazII]

2. About the rich

where will Sens. Kennedy and Kerry be? Sorry, it is the cynic in me. All the senators will find it hard to get to heaven -- assuming it really exists.

[MathEducation]

3. read the article...

The author indicates that many Americans fit into this category... Perhaps...

Who really knows. You have to DIE to find out...

[babylonsister]

6. About the rich

where will Sens. McCain and Lott and Warner and McConnell and Dole and Graham and Cornyn and Hutchison and ec./ad nauseum be? Sorry, it's also the cynic in me.

[MathEducation]

13. that's a tough subject...

Jesus didn't say there'd me NO rich people in heaven, just that it's harder for them to get there... Many of the leaders of the Old Testament were rich (David, Job, Solomon, Moses, etc.)... When the rich man asked Jesus what he had to do to be saved, Jesus said you must be WILLING to give all your riches to the poor. He wasn't willing...

Jesus was somewhat sarcastic in His responses to those who tried to trick Him. He often responded to them in parables which they could not understand. According to the stories in the Bible, He knew what they were thinking and why. I find that VERY amusing. I only wish I had that "gift".

Honestly, I don't know where Jesus/God/ALLAH/"whatever you choose to believe" in draws the line... I'm not rich. If I were perhaps I'd spend much more time investigating the issue...

Once again for the record, the Bible is a book with stories in it. If you are offended by these stories, please forgive...

[TahitiNut]

4. It has taken HUGE amounts of money to ...

... breed very, very small camels and build very, very large needles.

[babylonsister]

9. Oye!

:rofl:

Might I add, it's not so late, but it took me awhile to get that?!
Merry Christmas to you, TahitiNut! Here's to good, important stuff in 07! :toast:

[TahitiNut]

12. Seasoned Gratings, m'dear!

(Spicy parmesan?) :hug:

May the child who lives within us
Gently teach us how to find
Joy and trust in one another --
Lasting faith in all mankind.