Examining the nook

5.6.04 As the end sweeps by and fades into the past, I still linger on, and focus on new dreams.

Nooks an' Crannies anyone? Aw come on. They're satisfactory. In other words, they'll satisfy you, at least for a few seconds. But the best thing is the delivered punch. A real cranium buster for sure. And, of course, medics will be standing by, anxiously waiting for your accident account number.

A new aire of ringing tones has entered into the lair of craziness (New thoughts are coming to my mind). Indeed the fortunes of late can and very well so carry significance with us here in the latter times (these thoughts, being from back in the day, still matter).

I will now proceed to talk normally for the rest of the email.

My views on Tobacco™ and Alcohol™ products: First of all, I have the utmost respect for those who carry beliefs different from mine own. I grant you the benefit of the poodle (I think poodles are freaks of nature, therefore, I grant them the benefit of their freaky beliefs). As for those who not only carry the same beliefs as I, but also indeed shape their every action in life after my fashion, I grant you the hinges that hold my front door (I in fact don't like this action and would show these guests the front door, never again to pay me visit). I believe that neither tobacco nor alcohol carry any inherent evil. The same is true with many other things. Furthermore, like many other things, these two substances can be abused.

Dendall got a pipe today. I'm proud of him. Yes indeed. I would say that a good pipe every once in a while is like a good zebra cake. Too much pipe--oral cancer. Too much zebra cake--clogged arteries. Both lead gradually to death.

But I also shove tidings of bewareness of the doom that should befall him should this new hobby become a hobbit.

Now it's time to talk theology and philosophy. Now today I experienced a humbling truth: that I am a rambling idiot. I know practically nothing when compared with some of my good friends. Today at the bookstore, a friend of mine went from shelf to shelf pointing out good authors and books he had read. I felt belittled.

Here I pose a striking slap in the stomach with a very important truth: although many of the books he had read were good, quality material, they don't come even close to the quality, the truth, and immense gold found in the Bible. It seems almost to come alive as I read it. I want to point out that there are many points in the Old and New Testament where it seems contradictory and flat out wrong. But I'm here to attest to the fact that preconceptions and misinterpretation play a key role in these doubts.

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe the Bible despite evidence or contradictions. It seems every time I find a verse or two that seem out of place or against what I believe in, my mind eventual reconciles the matter logically, either by a slight shift in my beliefs or a greater understanding of the matter itself.

Again you may point out that I'm naively just adjusting my beliefs to the Bible so that I'll feel right and feel good about myself. No sir. Even the seeming contradictions I find occur more on moral terms than factual terms. For example, I used to get scared and frustrated when I discovered that God could order the Israelites to utterly destroy the people in the Promised Land to be. But I read on. These people, utterly sinful and perverted in their ways, were worshipping false gods. Thus the reason for this apparent atrocity was that the one true God used his chosen people to dispossess these nations of their land and reveal his true glory and might and judgment to the entire world.

Strange. I never heard this take before.

Christianity is not a feel-good religion. On the contrary, it is not a set of rules that I have to strive to follow. Christianity is simply based on truth--the word of God, the Bible.
And although some may not believe it to be true, that does not make it any less true, and it does not make Christians cringe, except for the fact that we have concern for our friends. The centre of Christianity is indeed the Cross—the greatest expression of love any being ever had for another. For, as all the brothers know, God is love.

I was thinking the other day about animals and how they interact with each other and how their actions somewhat resemble humans. It should not frighten the Christian to see that the emotions of animals closely resemble human emotion. In some ways perhaps the animals were created with their respective emotions for the purpose of resembling and maybe characterizing some human emotions. For example, the dog is very emotional and typically can range in emotion from sad, depressed, lonely, to fierce, territorial, loving, energetic, goofy, and happy. Cats, on the other hand seem more “laid back”, self-centered, curious, but sometimes seem annoyed, defensive, and uncomfortable. I personally believe that as animals embody some of the characteristics of humans, humans embody some of the characteristics of God. Just as we rule over the animal kingdom, God rules over the human kingdom, although sometimes he allows us to stray.

What? God allows us to stray? You might as well say he wills us to stray. Yes. Perhaps. God willed that the Israelites stray in the wilderness for 40 years. Many of the Old Testament prophets strayed across the land without secure resting places. But wait, you’re using a different sense of the word stray. Very well then. Abraham strayed from God when he slept with his handmaid and she gave birth to Ishmael. Jonah strayed when he didn’t go to Nineveh. We stray in our personal lives so that we will learn to depend more on God. I stick to that believe.

Not that we sin more that grace may abound (Romans CH. 6). Quite the opposite is true. Because of grace, we are free from the law and the bounds of sin to serve God. But does that mean we never sin again? No. That is why sanctification is needed.

Enough theology. Why do I continue to cram my beliefs down your throat? Well first of all I am not forcing any belief on anyone. I am exercising my right to freedom of speech. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but if the material herein offends anyone it is not my fault. The offense is not with me; it is with God and the Bible. If I have spoken any untruths, I truly hope that you would tell me. Tell me of my logical, biblical, factual errors. Respond to these blatant aggressive remarks I have spoken. I truly want to hear back from you.

On that note, the Clydesdale shall resign for the evening, as tomorrow holds quite a variety of occurrences.

Shikes. All of you.

Don

p.s. To those who were joined to the forum today, this is only the beginning.

p.s.s. Redundancy is the key to persuasiveness, at least according to most Southern Baptist pastors.

p.s.s.s. Tell me your thoughts on easy believism and self-willed sanctification.