Matt, I can certainly empathize with your position.  I was raised in
a Christian cult, of all things, attending from birth through
completion of high school (10 years ago).  For those who haven't
experienced what a cult can do to your mind, it's not pleasant.
Being ingrained with the idea, from birth, that you are special,
chosen, called out of the world, privy to the one and only truth,
etc, etc, can be, as you imagine, extremely damaging.  I know it
seems crazy to those on the outside, but a powerful tool was used to
keep you believing, and stop you from doubting the leadership/
organization, and of course, the Bible--that if you DID experience
any doubt, then Satan was creeping into your heart and influencing
you.  Satan was the author of all doubt and confusion, God was the
author of faith and trust.  Unfortunately, even now in my adulthood,
this mindset has stayed with me.  It's not an easy thing to shake.
Like you, Matt, I just can't accept the Bible as the inspired word of
God.  I've been a Deist for a long time now.  BUT, somewhere in the
back of my mind, I can't stop thinking about how I may be wrong, and
one day God is going to say, "the truth was right before you, why did
you reject it?"  I know that's nuts, and I don't REALLY believe it,
but emotionally, it still grips me.  Yep, lots of contradictions in
the 'good book'; what's interesting is to watch believers squirm when
you bring it up--either that, or watch them completely overlook
glaring inconsistencies.  I think if the God of the Bible were true,
he would be a very unfair God--expecting people to take other
people's word for it that the stories written were true.  The only
true conversion, and only honest belief, in my opinion, seems to be
something that is entirely personal, occuring in your mind, and
through your mind only.  Me reading the gospel stories doesn't fit
that criteria, b/c I'm reading about OTHER people's conversions.  And
by their conversions, I'm supposed to be convinced enough to
convert.  Just doesn't fly.  I think God is bigger than a book, or an
organization.  When I finally broke away from the cult, I still
embraced the Bible; then, I finally wrenched myself away from it,
too.  It's not an easy thing, rejecting the foundation of your
upbringing.  But now my mind feels free, and I feel able to explore
all avenues without guilt.

One final note--I think it only fair to at least leave open the
possibility that the Bible is true, or has some truth (of a divine
nature).  While my "theology" now is thoroughly grounded in reason
and logic, I don't confine myself SOLELY to their domain.  I know I
may get blasted on here for saying that, but I'm paraphrasing
rational 20th century thinker Karl Popper when I say that, there are
some things in the human sphere not subject to logical/rational
analysis.  Essentially, emotion and creativity are the ones that come
to mind.  Popper laid the groundwork, as many of you probably know,
for the concept of science as a "superior" epistemological system to
others through his definition of true science as that which has the
ability to falsify claims.  Religion, and certain secular
philosophies like Marxism, for instance, do not offer the mechanism
for falsification and are therefore self-contained systems that only
seek to strengthen themselves.  Things like art, music, even
literature--the creative, emotional sides of human thought--are
equally valid, in my book, as logic and reason, AS ways of
experiencing life, that is.  Don't get me wrong--I am not saying they
are equally valid as epistemological systems.  When I listen to great
music, for instance, I'm discovering some kind of truth about myself,
humanity, and the universe, but it's not the kind of truth subject to
logical analysis.  I guess where I'm going with all of this is that
there are some things strictly verifiable, some things not.  The
former is what one should base articles of belief on, but the latter
is kind of the "gray area" which one must admit he/she is unsure
about.  Reason tells me there is a God; my emotions react by
saying, 'no there's not, look at the absurdity of the world and human
life, and all the suffering that goes on.'  Reason tells me, if there
is a God, though, he remains hidden, distant, independent from the
creation; emotion reacts by saying, surely God would not leave us
alone.  Reason then asks, is it more logical to suggest that God
created the universe, and beings who could think, feel, love, and
suffer, and not play any role in their existence, and bear no
relationship to them in their condition; or is it more logical to
suggest that God IS somehow involved, intimately, with his creation?
Here, of course, is where I'm stumped--I see no evidence of God in
the world; it operates by natural law, as do we, and we seem as alone
now as did King David looking up at the stars and composing his
psalms.  But, IF the story of Jesus were true, think of the meaning
that holds--God in human form, living as we live, suffering as we
suffer.  I know, it seems completely absurd, just a mythical fairy
tale.  But, IF it's true, it's about the profoundest thing one could
imagine.  Reason would tell you, if it is true, that humans could
never blame God for not understanding them, nor could humanity lament
the Deity's 'uncaring' absence.  But alas, I don't have the "faith"
required to believe the story.  The book that contains the story is
contradictory, its origins questionable, and overall, its God a
morally questionable being.  Hence, I'm a Deist!

Sorry for being longwinded--just my two cents, and then some.

Greg





--- In deistsociety@yahoogroups.com, Matthew Green <mjgliberty@y...>
wrote:
>
>  From: Matt G
>
>   Claude, you are correct. Deism isn't something you
> join..it's something you come to realize about
> yourself. You discover that you are a Deist. I would
> guess that is what happened this last month or so. I
> discovered that I was a Deist and that I am not a
> Christian anymore. Part of me wonders if I have given
> up "too easily" on the Christian faith..but I feel
> that I haven't. I have come to accept the fact that I
> am a Deist and I was still lingering on to some faint
> hope that the Bible was inspired by Yahweh but the
> nail in the coffin came for me two days ago.
>
>   I was reading in the epistle of James how God cannot
> be tempted and how the gospels portray Christ as being
> tempted and came to conclude that Christ cannot be
> God. But my hopes of salvation were dashed when I read
> the two different accounts of how the "Field of Blood"
> got its name when Judas Iscariot died. I can't deny
> the force of the contradictions..I tried rationalizing
> them away myself, knowing deeper down that they were
> there. So now..I have forced myself to be absolutely
> honest. I am a Deist and I doubt it will change.
>
>   Matt.
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
> http://mailplus.yahoo.com

>>Once again, I applaud your courage.<<

At first I didn't understand, but then I stepped back
and saw that it would indeed be VERY courageous to
leave a well defined faith and embark upon a new line
of faith.
    I have seen myself as a Deist since High School and
when I explored religion through college I approached
my studies from that point of view.  And when I
decided I was a Deist, I already was one, I just
didn't know of the actual term.

Yet to me, Deism is not so much against other faiths
as it is a personal alternate approach toward faith;
not faith custom built for the masses but a faith
personally built for yourself.

~mike's cat

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com

--- In deistsociety@y..., Matthew Green <mjgliberty@y...> wrote:
>
>  From: Matt G
>
>   Claude, you are correct. Deism isn't something you
> join..it's something you come to realize about
> yourself. You discover that you are a Deist. I would
> guess that is what happened this last month or so. I
> discovered that I was a Deist and that I am not a
> Christian anymore. Part of me wonders if I have given
> up "too easily" on the Christian faith..but I feel
> that I haven't. I have come to accept the fact that I
> am a Deist and I was still lingering on to some faint
> hope that the Bible was inspired by Yahweh but the
> nail in the coffin came for me two days ago.
>
>   I was reading in the epistle of James how God cannot
> be tempted and how the gospels portray Christ as being
> tempted and came to conclude that Christ cannot be
> God. But my hopes of salvation were dashed when I read
> the two different accounts of how the "Field of Blood"
> got its name when Judas Iscariot died. I can't deny
> the force of the contradictions..I tried rationalizing
> them away myself, knowing deeper down that they were
> there. So now..I have forced myself to be absolutely
> honest. I am a Deist and I doubt it will change.
>
>   Matt.

Good for you Matt. I know it is a difficult thing to say
that you are no longer a Christian. When I finally began
to realize it enough to say it, it was like losing my
rudder in life. Now, many years later, I am very
comfortable with it.

Deism, as you know, has had some very famous adherents.
Not that Deism is validated by the noteriety of its
followers, but I memtion them because they are people
whose minds and thinking I respect.

Thomas Paine
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
Baruch Spinoza
Albert Einstein
Carl Sagan
Richard Feynman

Voltaire, another deist, once said, "Doubt is not a
pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." In the
future, you should cultivate doubt. It is only by
doubting that refinement of knowledge takes place. A
person who harbors certainty ceases to seek truth.

Here are some other links you may like.

http://www.scaevola.com/deism/index.html
http://www.sullivan-county.com/deism.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/deism.htm

Once again, I applaud your courage.

Claude

From: Matt G

   Claude, you are correct. Deism isn't something you
join..it's something you come to realize about
yourself. You discover that you are a Deist. I would
guess that is what happened this last month or so. I
discovered that I was a Deist and that I am not a
Christian anymore. Part of me wonders if I have given
up "too easily" on the Christian faith..but I feel
that I haven't. I have come to accept the fact that I
am a Deist and I was still lingering on to some faint
hope that the Bible was inspired by Yahweh but the
nail in the coffin came for me two days ago.

   I was reading in the epistle of James how God cannot
be tempted and how the gospels portray Christ as being
tempted and came to conclude that Christ cannot be
God. But my hopes of salvation were dashed when I read
the two different accounts of how the "Field of Blood"
got its name when Judas Iscariot died. I can't deny
the force of the contradictions..I tried rationalizing
them away myself, knowing deeper down that they were
there. So now..I have forced myself to be absolutely
honest. I am a Deist and I doubt it will change.

   Matt.



__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com

--- In deistsociety@y..., Matthew Green <mjgliberty@y...> wrote:
>
>  From: Matt G
>
>   Hello everyone. I am a new member to this group and
> I strongly considering becoming a Deist and already
> consider myself much of one. I grew up in a
> quasi-fundamentalist Christian home and Church and for
> many years I strongly believed in the faith. The fact
> of the matter is that I have been actually reading the
> Bible as well as several other freethought
> publications such as Farrel Till's "The Skeptical
> Review". I think I have found some provable
> contradictions in the Bible and I am having serious
> doubts that the Christian faith is indeed true.
>
>   I decided to join this group because if my
> suspicions are true about the Christian faith and
> Bible then I would like to find a network of fellow
> Deists for support and to make the transition to Deism
> and freethought easier. I have spent over a decade as
> a Christian and I am strongly considering becoming a
> Deist. Can I feel free to ask any questions in here
> about the faith or Deism?
>
>   Thanks,
>
>   Matt

Welcome Matt:

The thing about being deist is that it is not something
you "join". When the light comes you find that you just
"are" a deist.

As for the Bible and the contradictions therein, they
are numerous. The Bible starts out with a contradiction
in the first two chapters of Genesis. Both chapters
are an account of creation, and they disagree with
each other.

Noah's flood? That never happened. It could not have
happened.

The sun never stood still in the sky for Joshua which
would have required the earth to stop its rotation and
then start up again. Ridiculous.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

This list is kind of slow, but there are deist
organizations that are around.

http://www.deism.com
http://www.deistnet.com
http://www.deism.org

Enjoy.

Claude Shouse

From: Matt G

   Hello everyone. I am a new member to this group and
I strongly considering becoming a Deist and already
consider myself much of one. I grew up in a
quasi-fundamentalist Christian home and Church and for
many years I strongly believed in the faith. The fact
of the matter is that I have been actually reading the
Bible as well as several other freethought
publications such as Farrel Till's "The Skeptical
Review". I think I have found some provable
contradictions in the Bible and I am having serious
doubts that the Christian faith is indeed true.

   I decided to join this group because if my
suspicions are true about the Christian faith and
Bible then I would like to find a network of fellow
Deists for support and to make the transition to Deism
and freethought easier. I have spent over a decade as
a Christian and I am strongly considering becoming a
Deist. Can I feel free to ask any questions in here
about the faith or Deism?

   Thanks,

   Matt

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com

An atom is an atom is an atom.
     *
     All that does exist is always...
     contained by laws of conservation.
     *
     What does exist, therefore...
     In total, has always existed.
     *
     Every change in a state of being
     Is within the laws of conservation.
     *
     Change of any identity...
     is forced into new identity...
     *
     Within the laws of conservation...
     by those laws of conservation.
     *
     Anything not now in the highest...
     state of being is changing...
     *
     Bodily to various black holes...
     Mentally to an infinite wisdom.
     *
     *
     dtaluttn@...  30oct02

Verily! I believe that Man created God, in Man's image; far more
than God created Man, in God's image.

    The very concept that, 'God created Man, in God's image', is a Man-
centered, conceited conivence; conceived and created by Man, for Man;
that Man may have better dominion over the concept of, and control
of: God.

    Does this diminish God? I doubt it. Does this diminish Man? Yes!

    For Man's "religion" is man's relationship to God; even if Man's
relationship with God is to deny the deity, deny the existence of
God; then that denial relationship, is the denier's religion. Thus
all Man, right or wrong, acknowledgeing it or not, "has religion";
even if that religion, that relationship, is the rigorous rejection,
or abject acceptance; of God.

    Man's relationship to God, a possesor of power far greater than
Man's power; makes Man uncomfortable with that greater power, that
Man can not control; and thus to bring God down to Man's level via
the tactic of lifting Man to God's level, by the doctrine that 'God
created Man, in God's image', empowers Man to manifest a more
magnificent self perceival of Man; to take make more mentally
comfortable, Man's relationship, with the Almighty.

    Man thereby, made less, un-all mighty; by the leveling image
strategy, that is Man's doctrine; not God's doctrine.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freethinkingsingles/

alexonly87 wrote:  "Can a Deist believe in love?

I can assure you that there is no greater love that
one human being can show another, than respecting
their right to their opinion, especially when it
clashes with your your own.  Love is the door, but
tolerance is the key.

Sincerely,
Freethinker57

--- alexonly87 <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> Can Deist believe in love?
>
>


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free
http://sbc.yahoo.com

Can Deist believe in love?

Ahh thanks for the summary.. Unfortunately, I missed it... :( I got off work
right when crossfire was starting and unfortunately by the time I got home, the
Lynn debate was already over :(

Anthony




---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "freethinker57" <freethinker57@...>
Reply-To: deistsociety@yahoogroups.com
Date:  Thu, 27 Jun 2002 15:42:51 -0000

><html><body>
>
>
><tt>
>Well, the debate between Rev. Lynn and Rev. "Fundie" was unequal, <BR>
>patrio-spiritually barbed, and gave the Far Right the opportunity to <BR>
>spew their views on a broad scale as I expected.<BR>
><BR>
>I've yet to see ONE Fundie give an equal chance to anyone of opposing <BR>
>view to defend their point of view.  I guess they [christians] figure <BR>
>that if it doesn't relate to what they believe to be the "absolute <BR>
>truth", then it shouldn't have equal air-time.<BR>
><BR>
>Like George Carlin once said in a comedy skit of his:<BR>
><BR>
>Fundie:  Do you believe in God?<BR>
>1st Freethinker:  No<BR>
>Fundie:  Bang! (shoots victim)<BR>
>Fundie: Do YOU believe in God?<BR>
>2nd Freethinker:  Yes!<BR>
>Fundie:  Do you believe in MY God?<BR>
>2nd Freethinker:  No<BR>
>Fundie:  Bang!<BR>
><BR>
>God help us all!<BR>
>Freethinker57<BR>
><BR>
></tt>
>
>
><br>
><tt>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:<BR>
>deistsociety-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com<BR>
><BR>
></tt>
><br>
>
><br>
><tt>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the <a
href="http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/">Yahoo! Terms of Service</a>.</tt>
></br>
>
></body></html>
>
>

Well, the debate between Rev. Lynn and Rev. "Fundie" was unequal,
patrio-spiritually barbed, and gave the Far Right the opportunity to
spew their views on a broad scale as I expected.

I've yet to see ONE Fundie give an equal chance to anyone of opposing
view to defend their point of view.  I guess they [christians] figure
that if it doesn't relate to what they believe to be the "absolute
truth", then it shouldn't have equal air-time.

Like George Carlin once said in a comedy skit of his:

Fundie:  Do you believe in God?
1st Freethinker:  No
Fundie:  Bang! (shoots victim)
Fundie: Do YOU believe in God?
2nd Freethinker:  Yes!
Fundie:  Do you believe in MY God?
2nd Freethinker:  No
Fundie:  Bang!

God help us all!
Freethinker57

I also heard that Barry Lynn... the executive director of American's United For
Seperation of church and state will be on CNN's crossfire tonight to debate the
ruling. Crossfire comes on at 7 PM EST.

Anthony

Here is the  URL to the full article!

http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/06/26/pledgeofallegiance.ap/index.html

Anthony



---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Anthony Stott" <anthony@...>
Reply-To: <anthony@...>
Date:  Wed, 26 Jun 2002 12:31:55 -0700

>>Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 14:57:03 -0400
>>From: BreakingNews@...
>>Subject: CNN Breaking News
>>Sender: BreakingNews@...
>>Approved-by: listeditor@...
>>To: TEXTBREAKINGNEWS@...
>>Reply-to: newseditor@...
>>
>>-- Federal appeals court rules Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional
>>because of words 'under God,' according to The Associated Press.
>>Watch CNN or log on to http://CNN.com /AOL Keyword: CNN for the latest news.
>>
>>********************* Connie Chung Tonight ************************
>>Connie Chung on CNN, weeknights, 8 p.m. ET/PT! News veteran
>>Connie Chung unravels the news through people who experience it.
>>For more visit http://cnn.com/conniechung
>>*******************************************************************
>>
>>To unsubscribe from CNN.com's Breaking News E-Mail Alert, log on to:
>>http://cnn.com/EMAIL/breakingnews.html, go to http://cnn.com/email to
>>sign up for additional e-mail products
>>
>>(c)2002. Cable News Network, LP, LLLP.
>>An AOL Time Warner Company.
>>All Rights Reserved.
>>
>>
>>
>>CNN Interactive email id:11665145702231
>
>
>

>Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 14:57:03 -0400
>From: BreakingNews@...
>Subject: CNN Breaking News
>Sender: BreakingNews@...
>Approved-by: listeditor@...
>To: TEXTBREAKINGNEWS@...
>Reply-to: newseditor@...
>
>-- Federal appeals court rules Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional
>because of words 'under God,' according to The Associated Press.
>Watch CNN or log on to http://CNN.com /AOL Keyword: CNN for the latest news.
>
>********************* Connie Chung Tonight ************************
>Connie Chung on CNN, weeknights, 8 p.m. ET/PT! News veteran
>Connie Chung unravels the news through people who experience it.
>For more visit http://cnn.com/conniechung
>*******************************************************************
>
>To unsubscribe from CNN.com's Breaking News E-Mail Alert, log on to:
>http://cnn.com/EMAIL/breakingnews.html, go to http://cnn.com/email to
>sign up for additional e-mail products
>
>(c)2002. Cable News Network, LP, LLLP.
>An AOL Time Warner Company.
>All Rights Reserved.
>
>
>
>CNN Interactive email id:11665145702231

Heya all,

There is a cool new Deism site!

Check out the
PONDER: Presence On the Net of Deists for Enlightenment and Reason
site at
http://www.deistnet.com/

Anthony

Heya... if you want to vent a little steam at the Religious Right
then go to this new group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ReligiousRightWatch/

Anthony

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the deistsociety
group.

   File        : / Click Here!
   Uploaded by : georgehinjios <georgehinjios@...>
   Description : Look at all these different credit cards you can get! Good, bad,
or no credit.

You can access this file at the URL

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deistsociety/files/%20Click%20Here%21

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit

http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files

Regards,

georgehinjios <georgehinjios@...>

What do you all think Tom Paine drank? :)

Anthony


At 10:51 PM 5/6/02 +0000, you wrote:
>I've always been more partial to vodka myself. : )
>
>Lorn
>
>--- In deistsociety@y..., "lightnut2002" <lightnut2002@y...> wrote:
> > I hope you baptize in Jack Daniels.
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>deistsociety-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.

I've always been more partial to vodka myself. : )

Lorn

--- In deistsociety@y..., "lightnut2002" <lightnut2002@y...> wrote:
> I hope you baptize in Jack Daniels.

I hope you baptize in Jack Daniels.

Yes you do! and while you are at it...send in your first tithe in the form
of a check or money order  and make it out to myself :P

Anthony



At 06:44 PM 4/20/02 +0000, you wrote:
>Just joined today!! Do I need to be baptized? Just kidding!!
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>deistsociety-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Just joined today!! Do I need to be baptized? Just kidding!!

Oh yeah, I bet we all want to meet a partner THERE.

Religious Singles Online


WWW.RELIGIOUSSINGLESONLINE.COM Officially Launched


Religious Singles, Inc. is pleased to announce that
religioussinglesonline.com is open for business.  Religious Singles
Online is inaugurating its service by offering 2,000 free one-month
memberships to the first 2,000 individual who sign-up.

RSO's focus is that segment of the Internet that defines itself as
religious in orientation.

Historically, one of the most important features of the Internet has
been the growth of personal communication options between
individuals.  The purpose of geographically-based chat rooms and
subject-based chat rooms are to meet new people.

The purpose of Religious Singles Online is to provide a safe and
secure option for Religious singles to meet or search for others
without the sometimes ugly or vulgar aspects of unregulated chat
rooms.

Religious Singles Online is a subscription-based service and offers
its users:
	 Profile-based search capabilities
	 Secure system messaging
	 Photo up-load capabilities

Come visit us today at www.religioussinglesonline.com

LORN!

It is good to hear from you...


I have been spending alot of time in a private Deist group too...

Yeah... we need to get messages posted here.

Anthony


At 07:05 PM 3/31/02 +0000, you wrote:
>Well, I'm still here. I have just been real busy recently. But,
>interesting post about that book you went through.
>
>I spend a lot of time in a private Deist group, but would not want to
>see this one here fall apart. Maybe we need to spread the word around
>about this place and build the membership back up.
>
>Lorn
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>ADVERTISEMENT
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>deistsociety-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Well, I'm still here. I have just been real busy recently. But,
interesting post about that book you went through.

I spend a lot of time in a private Deist group, but would not want to
see this one here fall apart. Maybe we need to spread the word around
about this place and build the membership back up.

Lorn

Looks like Yahoo managed to lose our membership in the shift from
Clubs to Groups. I was wandering in the Void myself for a few weeks
there; Yahoo wouldn't let me in without my password (which of course I
had forgotten). Had to ask for a new password and start all over
again.

Just finished a book some of you might find of interest, RELIGION
WITHOUT GOD by Ray Billington, Routledge, London and New York, 2002.
BIllington is an "External Examiner in Philosophy for the European
baccalaureate" (whatever the hell that is) with experience in Eastern
religious traditions. In the book he discusses the concept of a God
figure in belief systems as well as those systems (Buddhism, Taosim,
etc.) that seem to get along just fine without a specific deity. He
closes with a description of what a "God"-less religious man would be
like, which I found most satisfying from a Deist perspective. Deism
itself comes up for some discussion, with Billington identifying it
more closely with agnoticism and atheism than with theistic traditions
(I might quibble a bit with that). Still, a good read. I found my copy
at Borders. I doubt your local Wal-Mart will be stocking it there
beside the "Left Behind" series.

Has anyone seen the stories about how Easter is becoming the new
Christmas, with kids passing on their demands to the Easter Bunny at
the mall, and parents going shopping for Easter presents, complete
with Easter wrapping paper, Easter cards and Easter tinsel? Quite a
hoot. Of course, the devout are not well pleased, but the merchants
are.

While subbing a high school class the other day, in which I was
directed to just run videos for the kids (so much for education), I
noticed one female student had turned her back to the tube and had
nere nose buried in a Bible. I jokingly asked her if the tape -
Jurassic Park - was too intense for her or if she was offended by
dinosaurs, and she replied, "No, I promised God I would only watch ten
and a half hours of television a week as part of my youth ministry."

I would like to think that God, given the current butchery in the
Middle East, has weightier matters on his mind than keeping tabs on
this young woman with his watch.

hey how is everyone, I havnt seen any messages in a while