As a soon to be parent of a daughter I will be teaching her how to protect herself. I'm going to make sure that she doesn't go anywhere with anyone if someone isn't there she can trust to look out for her. If anything happened to her, I wouldn't blame God, I'd blame myself for failing as a parent. I'd see it as me being punished. It's easier to deflect blame though. It was your parents job to be there to protect you if no one else was. God cannot just strip the world of evil (until he destoys it) but he gives us all the resources we need to avoid being seriously harmed by it. Since now you reject God, who do you blame for what happened? Is it just God's fault or nobody's fault? I hope you pressed charges and the person(s) who did that are rotting in jail. I also hope you got counseling along with your parents. Maybe one of these days you'll find a guy that will finally make it all better.
FAR OUT! Samantha! That must have been an awful time for you! When I hear stories like this, I am so stuck for words - because I know that nothing that anyone can say anything to take away the hurt, anger and the mixture of other feelings that you must have felt. Instead, I will tell you what I went through. (lol - everyone loves a good story... ) Last year, at 29 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. As I mentioned before, my husband is a minister, and we have given our lives of comfort and security of income up to serve God the best we can. If anyone deserves God's mercy - and the easy street life, if would have to be children, the defenseless and - well, I would think ministers and their families! So, when we got the diagnosis it was a pretty rough time (understatement of the year...) But through it, instead of becoming angry with God, I realised that bad things happen to everyone. I think that through these terrible things that happen, that the difference that we have is whether we allow God to help us through it or not. That is not a judgment on you at all Samantha! We all deal with things in our own way - and what you had to deal with was shocking. But dealing with my own crisis has strengthened my faith because I know that God can get me and my family through this time, and that out of this I will be a stronger and more empathetic person. It is obvious that through that experience, that it changed your outlook on life. Do you still like the person that you are? Sexuality aside. I am not trying to get you to change teams or anything!!! I am asking, do you feel as safe, secure and loved, as you did just over 10 years ago. Are you happy with the person that you have grown up to be - or are you still angry and bitter? And to DeadCorn - you are an idiot! You come off being all wise and knowledgeable, but all you seem to be is old.
Job is not an easy person to be like. An option to help deal with what happened would be to tell your story so other parents and children are aware of the dangers that are out there and how to protect yourself. A number of people that survive terrible events go on to become public speakers to help others.
Now there is someone who had cause to complain. What a classic example. Samantha. It is very sad to hear the suffering and pain caused by such an event. It is purely an awful thing to happen to anyone. However, even though I can agree with you being angry and want justice because that is only natural, God is not to blame for these things. Man has done this to you and I am not speaking about gender either. I am talking about mankind in general. The atrocities that mankind has inflicted on it's own is unbelievable at times but it still goes on. The Bible talks of a time where all this wickedness will be removed and will be removed permanently. That time is coming very soon where no one will be suffering from anything at all. Jesus said these things will happen and so did the Apostle Paul. I hope you can find solace from the Bible and not mankind. Col
LOL _ I just love the whole passion that a new parent has! I know that you feel so protective of your soon to be daughter - and there is nothing in your mind that can allow you to look 14 years down the track from now. You can be the most protective parent, but the only way to do that is to not allow your daughter out of your home - and then that's abuse! Or - someone might still break into your home - what will you do then?!? It's a fact of life. Bad things happen. I don't think it's fair of you to try and place the blame on the parents - these people who probably thought they were doing the right thing. I seriously doubt that if they knew that their daughter was going to have this happen to her that they would have let her go that night - and are probably still having nightmares over that night.
There's no reason to keep your kid locked up. You just have to make sure there's always a trusted person with them. On first dates if you don't know they guy she's going out with you make sure she's double dating with friends you do trust. And don't let her go out alone with the guy until you do trust him. If the guy can't stand a first date with the mom and the dad then that's just too bad. I hope our daughter is comfortable enough to be able to double date with her parents if need be. Idealy she'd have good friends to take our place for such an occasion. If she's going to a party, make sure she has trusted friends to look out for her and for her to look out for. If she has no friends, well then it's your job as a parent to go with her. Kids should be able to be open with their parents so that if something does happen you will know about it before it escalates. If you do everything right and something still goes wrong then it's a harder call to make. I actually met my wife on-line. Before I met her I never once asked for her information. She knew to avoid guys who would demand her phone number and I knew only jerks make those demands. I even told her straight up that if she decided she didn't want to meet up with me I'd understand. If I had decided to pull something she and her mother had everything they needed to kick my ass. When my daughter meets a guy I'm going to make sure I know how to get ahold of him and his parents before she could possibly go out with him alone.
Dear Cindy, See, what I do not do is pander. I don't pander to pia, I don't pander to SEO, and I don't pander to you. I don't pander to minister's who have their own wives call others diots in His name. You should be spanked I am sorry to hear about your cancer and I will pray for you tonight that you keep God in your sight. But as the single father of five children from the ages of 27 to 7 who lost their mother, I can truly say you are not alone in your misery. And far yet from what many have endured. Keep praying. Now go back to sucking up. I think it is obviously what you do best. You think you're spreading God's love but you cherry pick, I do not. You keep spreading that lukewarm luvin, okay? Leave the real battle to the men and women with the courage to spread truth instead of candy to spiteful little chidren and cult worshipping lost souls. Thou pharisee
kalvin, the greatest fear I have is for my children. And I remember especially when my first was born how incredibly protective I was. (For the first week after I brought him home I would not even allow anyone inside my home without a surgical mask. LOL. Some funny pictures there). You know, wehn I was a kid I lived in a very large city. And there was a park a block from my house we used to play in till our parents started whistling and screaming. I pity those who cannot enjoy this type of childhood anymore. You wouldn't believe what that park looks like now. Protect your kids and don't care less what anyone thinks. I will pray for you and your growing family.
SEO... You may note, or not, lol, that it was a question to you if yours was the cult that believed that Jesus was satan's brother - not a statement. So, indeed thank you for clearing that up. Now, perhaps you could clear a couple other things up for me. Are the following statements true or false? 1. Jehovah God is not a Trinity 2. The doctrine of the Trinity is inspired by Satan 3. Jesus Christ is a created being, who at one time did not exist (a.k.a.Michael the archangel) 4. The Holy Spirit is not a person but is "God's active force" i.e. gravity, electricity etc. 5. Heaven is only for select Jehovah's Witnesses 6. Heaven is limited only to 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses 7. Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true Christians 8. There is no Hell (It is simply the grave) 9. There is no life after death (except for the 144,000) 10. Salvation is by good works not by Grace Thanks for your endulgence.
Seeing you will not pander to anyone (quoting your words here) I will answer as best I can according to what the Bible teaches: 1. Jehovah God is not a Trinity True 2. The doctrine of the Trinity is inspired by Satan True 3. Jesus Christ is a created being, who at one time did not exist (a.k.a.Michael the archangel) True 4. The Holy Spirit is not a person but is "God's active force" i.e. gravity, electricity etc. True 5. Heaven is only for select Jehovah's Witnesses True 6. Heaven is limited only to 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses False 7. Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true Christians True 8. There is no Hell (It is simply the grave) True 9. There is no life after death (except for the 144,000) False 10. Salvation is by good works not by Grace Too vague a question. Please elaborate. I can see a lot of questions heading my way from this. I have no problems in answering any questions as long as you are aware that my answers will be Bible based and not of my own. Regards, Col
I am so surprised at how quick you are to judge and label people! Is that what they teach you in your church - because it's a very unhealthy thing to be doing!!!! Yeah, sure - we find the truth in the Scriptures, but our understanding of these Scriptures changes with each generation! I mean, what were they saying back before Luther!! It is seriously ineffective and unproductive to just get here and make sweeping accusations about anyone - whether it be a 'rude and clumsy amateur boxer' or a 'cherry picker' (whatever that means!!!) Im doing what?!? "I don't pander to minister's who have their own wives call others diots in His name. " Are you STILL of the generation that believes that women must only speak on behalf of their husbands?!? I call it love - you call it pandering!!! Do you really think that you are able to make any kind of difference - if you just come out and insult people? Do you give any consideration to the circumstances that have brought people to the place that they are at in their lives today? It's easy to pick people to pieces, but it takes skill to be constructive in your actions - maybe even take a step back and view them as Jesus would. You could pick a million faults in me in a second - and in anyone who graces this board... but are people going to be able to see God's grace in your actions or do you just make yourself known as a judgmental hypocrite? You did read that bit about throwing the first stone??
The real courage to spread the truth huh? I don't hear of you going to every possible household in the world, in the streets and public places talking to people about the Bible and how it will benefit them?? Please do tell how you spread the word? I am interested in this coming from you. Col
As I said before, I preach to the lost, the hopeless, the addicted, the homeless, the insane, the hateful, the manically depressed... I do this in the streets and at rescue shelters, once in a blue moon I will do it in a church. I council the ones who do not believe in God, and they are a tough crowd I preach to folks who are so lost they will start screaming at you at the mere mention of His Holy Name. I believe some I have preached to have been possessed. I preach with men, who like me, were once there themselves. My favorite man to preach with is a man who murdered his wife, and spent fifteen years in prison for this horrific act. He is one of the greatest men of God I have ever known. I am not one to judge by others but one thing I cannot deny is the love for him his children have, and their mother. I have been accused of judging here, I do judge but I cut it off when it comes to that ol' "therefore"... for that "therefore" stuff is His domain. But I am not certain you would even truly understand His domain. Let's see by your answers what you do believe: 1. Jehovah God is not a Trinity True 2. The doctrine of the Trinity is inspired by Satan True 3. Jesus Christ is a created being, who at one time did not exist (a.k.a.Michael the archangel) True 4. The Holy Spirit is not a person but is "God's active force" i.e. gravity, electricity etc. True 5. Heaven is only for select Jehovah's Witnesses True 6. Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true Christians True I'm sorry, dude, but I don't really think you understand anything.
Hey. No need to be sorry mate. I understand you think that I don't understand. We both know where we are at with this. I'll keep going my way and you yours. I just hope you find what you are looking for. As for me. I know what I have found and nothing will ever change that. My belief could not be any stronger than it already is with my heart mind and soul. The 7 million strong family I have (and growing daily) is by far the best thing I have ever experienced in my entire life in this sick world. I owe everything to God for allowing me to draw close to him in knowing he draws close to me (James 4:8). Col
DeadCorn: I think that you have good intentions. I think it's great to be passionate about promoting the great stuff that God can do - and is doing. But it might be a great investment of your time, to look into understanding people. Maybe do a councelling course or something. Even read a book about reaching people who are "lost, the hopeless, the addicted, the homeless, the insane, the hateful, the manically depressed" You come across as abrasive and uneducated - putting your foot in your mouth more than stepping forward. I truely commend you on your strong beliefs and your passion, but you need to remember that we are living in a different culture than in Jesus' day. Sure, he could go around calling people brooding vipers, and ruffle feathers that way. Believe me - you will get a different reaction if you say that kind of stuff now! It's not that you wont get people attention for insulting them - and calling their difference in theological understanding - or sexual orientation into question.... but people will ignore you! These people are 100% convinced that they have THE WAY! That your way is not the only way. Yeah, sure - you and I know it is (and close your eyes if it's too much to hack there Col... lol) but by coming in, guns blazing and not even giving people a chance to explain their thought process or position in life - you are just wasting your breath. They don't care if you say you have the way. The only way for them to see is for God to show them - through the compassion of Christ. It's a different culture. We are living in a very postmodern society - and that means that the message shouldn't change one bit - but the delivery of it might need to be reconsidered and reevaluated.
SEO, you should probably understand something about my belief. I said earlier I judge, and I do, but I stop short of that "therefore" stuff... if you don't believe in the Trinity therefore you will go to hell. If you don't believe in the endtimes therefore, etc etc etc... I do not believe this. I believe Muslims, Hindus, JW's, Mormons, the "whole catastrophe" as Zorba once said, will be judged before Jesus on one thing and one thing only - the contents of their hearts. I believe the scripture ultimately tells me this in Romans 2:14. You believe differently, and I quote: This is the belief system of a cult member. Does this mean you will not be going to heaven? I surely do not know, not by this erroneous theology alone. Only He will say at your time. My sneaking suspicion is you'll do fine. The shame to me is that someone so spiritual would waste all his time in lies, deception, and fallacies, denying himself the personal relationship with the Truth, the Way, the Light. Such a God awful waste of time. You say you have a personal relationship with Him and apparently you do - but you do not have a personal relationship with the entirety of who He is. And therefore, sadly, it can only go so far. Again, such a waste of time. It's like my Catholic brethren who also pray to saints. Well, as for that I don't think it can hurt, I don't think it will be counted against them, I just think it's a God awful waste of time. But I do not know of any Catholics who think only Catholics will go to heaven, I know of no Batists who carry this belief, or Protestants, etc... I know of only cults that perpetrate this horrible lie. Just think if you were free of this lie and all it entails, all the other lies one must be brain-washed into acknowledging as truth for this ugly falsehood to take root, just imagine if you were free of these lies how much more time you might be able to spend with Him, unencumbered by the layers of falsehoods and cultish fads between you and Him.
You know nothing of me, it is truly astounding how well you'd like to fit me in your box of stereotypes. As for how I handle "sexual orientations" and the like, again, I do not judge with that ol' "therefore" stuff you'd like to slap in my mouth. God has blessed me with a six bedroom house. One room I rent to a lesbian. We have long discussions on the love of Jesus. And with each and every passing day I see Him reaching into her very heart. Does this mean my target is to change her "sexual orientation?" No. He will direct her, if she continues to open her heart, in whichever way He wants her to go. Again, you nothing of what you speak and were very fast to judge. Have you shit in your hat yet?