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Resident Friend (Quaker) checking in. If you like peace, equality, and silence, we have a place for you. Everyone welcome! Politically I am far to the left. Equality and non-violence strikes again!  I'm also the loneliest goonette around, so if anyone feel like a chat, let me know. I need more friends! (Pun intended)
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Jan 13, 2021 17:51
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Nckdictator posted:Hi all! Former evangelical turned Friend/pseudo-Universalist here. Pretty left-wing politically but with a strict commitment to non-violence. That would be me, and you are still welcome to join any meeting. That goes for everyone here of course. As for why Christianity? Well, as I see it, it is impossible for a human mind to fully comprehend God. We can only try to find our own path, and respectfully remember that your neighbour's path may be very different from your own path. God hears all prayers, if said in earnest. If you call your practice Hinduism, Christianity, or Purple Kitten living on an unknown planet in the Andromeda galaxy, is just details, that matter very little in the eyes of God. If your prayers or rituals are done in earnest belief, God accepts your faith, unconditionally.
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Jan 15, 2021 02:01
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I'm recovering from having had a total nervous breakdown. Happy to see you are all still posting. I love to read here, but scared of posting in virtually all threads.
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Jan 31, 2021 19:41
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Tias posted:
The best answer I ever heard was this one: Blowflies may serve a vital role in the eco system. Could God tweak that eco system so blowflies are no longer necessary? Of course. But that would mean something else needing to fit that role. What if the new animal is WORSE than the blowflies? Sometimes God lets horrible things happen, because he knows that if said horror didn't happen, something even worse WOULD happen. But we will never get the truth of why something happened this side of the grave.
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Feb 6, 2021 17:27
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Tias posted:Whoaaa forgiveness, awesome thread material! Thanks for bringing it up, even if I have to look at Bruenig. (Forgive me How do you seek out people who you have lost all contact with, you have no way of contacting, or even dead people? Apologies if that is too personal.
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Feb 9, 2021 17:03
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White Coke posted:My father is going in for surgery tomorrow to have a tumor removed from his remaining adrenal gland, please pray for him. I'll take your father to my silent meeting today. May he find healing and a speedy recovery!
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Feb 12, 2021 14:20
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May you get through this as quickly, easily, and painlessly as possible, Persing, Light surround you! May God receive his servant Mary, nd comfort those Mary left behind.
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Feb 19, 2021 17:20
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Thirteen Orphans posted:Today is the tenth anniversary of my father’s death. Please say a prayer for him, my mother, my sister, and me. Thiteen Orphan's father has found rest. May Light surround his memory, and may those memories bring comfort to those he left behind on Earth. Amen.
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Feb 20, 2021 14:47
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TOOT BOOT posted:I was actually involved in a related discussion on Facebook today, about whether there's such a thing as unforgivable sin. I used the example of Judas and pointed out that one of the gospels says Judas repented, and it's within what we know of Jesus's character to believe that he would forgive Judas. Does this mean Judas is in heaven, or is what he did unforgivable despite repentence? Judas' betrayal was necessary. He repented. I have no problem with him going straight to Heaven. I'm more interested in the Bad Robber crucified next to Jesus. When Jesus clearly say to the Good Robber that they will go to Heaven together, what happened to the Bad Robber? My headcanon is Jesus and GR on their way to Heaven. Jesus turns around and shouts "Hey, BR? Don't you want to come with?" BR finally feels forgiven and loved, able to forgive himself, and all three of them enter Heaven together.
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Feb 27, 2021 14:53
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I read Sola Fida, Faith Only, as rejecting ceremonies that feel meaningless to you. As in IF a ritual helps your faith, GOOD! If a ritual feels like you are simply going through the motions, a chore to get over with as soon as possible, then said ritual is not helping your faith, and it is a sign you need to look elsewhere for a practice more suited to your faith or spirituality. I fully respect Catholics, Orthodox, and others who find a lot of joy rituals. But to me, EVERY meal should be communion, and I hope everyone will feel welcome at my table.
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Mar 5, 2021 14:39
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Nessus posted:You could have signs that humans, life, or Earth were created by an external force - for instance, if we found that humans had indicators of genetic engineering which we discovered by doing genetic engineering on other organisms, but that chimps and orangutans did not. Or if Earth's surface showed a great deal of regularity and uniformity in structure when compared with Mars or Venus. However, this would not necessarily be proof of a particular religious theory - it would not suggest that the Christian concept of God, or Allah, or Brahma, had been the one to actually do it. What my ex-mother-in-law believed: The Earth is old. The universe is old. Then God chose Earth. Out of every planet out there He chose Earth. And created Adam, after He terraformed Earth to be perfect for His new creation. He placed Adam on Earth, 6000 years ago, and THAT is the start of True History, as told by the Bible, which is literal truth! Anyone male who is directly descendant from Adam are PERFECT in the eyes of God. REAL Jews (direct line, male descendants of Adam, not converts or broken lines) are incapable of sin. Because they are God's chosen people, so anything they do is sanctified by God himself! The rest of us are product of evolution, and mixed breeding with True descendants of Adam. We are NOT chosen by God, but we are allowed into Heaven through Jesus, if we submit ourselves unconditionally to the masters God has given us on Earth!
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Mar 6, 2021 12:44
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Lutha Mahtin posted:Sadly, Christians having some convoluted antisemitic angle to their beliefs is not all that original She wasn't actually antisemitic. After all, a son of the son of a son of a son back to Adam was literally incapable of sinning. As in even if this True Jew was a serial killer, he was still innocent, since God, for reasons only known to God, approved of his actions. Of course, her ideas abut who counted as a REAL Jew was extremely limited. Only those with direct, unbroken, MALE line back to Adam counts. Any time a REAL Jewish man dies without a MALE heir, a line is broken, and can never be replaced. Her cult was batshit insane, no doubt about that, but not truly antisemitic? Her hierarchy was thus: Male Jews (by her standards of who counts as a real Jew), Males who follow Jesus, women who unconditionally submit themselves completely to the Masters God has set for them AND (very important!!!) gives birth to at least one son, men who are yet to follow Jesus, women who are believers but fail at being submissive enough but at least they gave birth to a son, women who are submissive but haven birthed a son yet, and "Failed women" who are eternally doomed.
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Mar 6, 2021 22:01
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Civilized Fishbot posted:You're misunderstanding BattyKiara's post. Most literal-minded Christians believe that all living humans are descended from Adam and Eve, and you assume this woman believed that as well. But she didn't; she believed that most of humanity evolved naturally, and then 6000 years ago Adam and Eve were placed on the Earth to join the rest of humankind. But Adam and Eve were REAL JEWS and their patrilineal descendants are REAL JEWS while everyone else is just an ordinary dumb human. That's exactly what she believed! You summed it up better than I did. this is how she explained that the Bible is literal truth!! and science claiming the Earth is billions of years old are both equally true. Her cult has a lot of seriously bad theological takes, this being the second worst, in my opinion anyway. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Judaism but a lot a emphasis on being born of a Jewish woman?
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Mar 7, 2021 00:42
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To make it even weirder, she claimed that "spiritually, all those who follow Jesus are the ADOPTED sons of Adam and daughters of Eve!". Meaning you got none of the inability to sin superpowers, and if you are female? Well....I have some bad news for you! I get your point about this being another kind of antisemitism. I would have called it a form of outsider zionism, but I agree that her point of view was super racist and terrible. BattyKiara fucked around with this message at 12:09 on Mar 7, 2021 |
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Mar 7, 2021 12:06
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I guess I've always thought of antisemite = Jews are BAD!!! while outsider Zionism = Jews are BETTER than everyone!!! type lovely racist opinions? Both are lovely, both are racist, but racist in a different way? Anyway, I posted her ridiculous ideas an example of how some types of bad theology try to reconcile Bible says the Earth is 6000 years old! with Science can prove the Earth is billions of years old! And end up with "Physically the Earth is billions of years old, but anything that happened before the start of the Bible doesn't count. Real history started with God creating Adam and placing him on an already terraformed planet!"
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Mar 7, 2021 17:11
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I've been reading about food taboos. And now I'm wondering. Is there anything at all no (major) religion would object to eating?
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Mar 8, 2021 01:32
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Slimy Hog posted:If we're using holidays as a metric then fasting periods such as Ramadan would mean the answer is "no" You can still eat after sunset during Ramadan. Anyone have an objection to very plain tomato soup? water, tomatoes, salt?
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Mar 9, 2021 00:31
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Speaking of weird, not quite orthodox gospels, have a hymn in which Mary spanks child Jesus after he makes his bratty friends drown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA7gp1OUXvE
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Mar 20, 2021 12:56
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I think it is more of a linguistic problem. God uses "We" to convey that God is more than a mere human. I simply don't think God fits into neat little boxes like singular or plural, male or female, etc. Human language can never fully comprehend the entirety of God, so we end up with linguistic quirks like God speaking in We-form.
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Mar 23, 2021 12:55
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Tias posted:Islam works the same way (tm) I used to have a Muslim friend who was recovering from an eating disorder. She didn't dare to fast, fearing it would trigger a relapse. So she ate her normal diet. However, she abstained from all entertainment, like playing games, reading novels, listening to music, watching telly, etc for Ramadan. she phrased it as "I am fasting, and God knows that I fast in my heart" Also, she would donate the same amount of money she spent on food to charity.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:27
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Zazz Razzamatazz posted:My confirmation / first Communion was tonight, I'm now officially a Catholic! Congrats on finding your spiritual home
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Apr 4, 2021 13:46
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Here is my favourite Easter Poem. Some of you will NOT like it, but I absolutely love it: It was on a Friday morning that they took me from the cell and I saw they had a carpenter to crucify as well. You can blame it on to Pilate, you can blame it on the Jews, You can blame it on the Devil, it’s God I accuse. You can blame it on to Adam, you can blame it on to Eve, You can blame it on the apple, but that I can’t believe It was God that made the Devil and the woman and the man, And there wouldn’t be an apple if it wasn’t in the plan. Now Barabbas was a killer and they let Barabbas go. But you are being crucified for nothing that I know But your God is up in heaven and He doesn’t do a thing With a million angels watching, and they never move a wing. It’s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me I said to the carpenter, a-hanging on the tree. To hell with Jehovah, to the carpenter I said. I wish that a carpenter had made the world instead. Goodbye and good luck to you, our ways will soon divide, Remember me in heaven, as the man you hung beside
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Apr 4, 2021 21:52
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How much of "God is Father and Male!" theology is a quirk of language? A lot of languages have difficulty with genderneutral pronouns. Is there a way in Hebrew of saying "God, the Parent, who is neither male nor female but something more, which does not fit into human categories" summed up as easily as "Our Father"? I don't like trying to fit God into simple human terms. It takes away from the magnitude and mystery of God.
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Apr 14, 2021 11:06
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Jesus was male. I don't think there is any question about that. But could God, if it wanted to, have chosen to send a daughter instead of a son?
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Apr 15, 2021 13:13
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When it comes to war, I have this to say: Make sure your cupboard has enough food, and your house enough safe beds, to welcome those who flee from war. Welcome them all, those who can no longer walk, those who can no longer see, those so far gone they can no longer tell their story.
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May 20, 2021 00:57
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The chicken lays eggs, the cow and goat gives milk, the sheep gives wool. The pig offers nothing until you slaughter it. Meaning it is more expensive to raise pigs than other animals in a bronze age society. Since pigs also drink quite a lot of water, they are not really suited to nomadic desert life.
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May 22, 2021 18:08
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CommonShore posted:Someone sent me this story today and it is relevant to the current conversation That was absolutely amazing!
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May 24, 2021 16:56
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Friendly reminder that Society of Friends (Quakers) welcome love in all forms. Honestly. If you find love with someone of the same gender, same sex, or any other configuration, you are welcome, and your marriage is 100% valid. Gay, straight, cis, trans, it really does not matter. Love is love, and you are welcome to (silently, unless called to share) pray with us.
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Jun 15, 2021 11:11
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NikkolasKing posted:I've only ever heard very good things about the Society of Friends, from Christians and non-Christians alike. But I dunno if I've ever met one in real life or if there are any even nearby where I live in Fort Worth. Some people are called to the simple living, and feel closer to God by wearing bonnets and stuff like that. That is fine. Others come to meetings in full make-up. Which is also fine. If God wants you to dress a certain way, or give up something, God will let you know. If God calls you to worship dressed as a drag queen, who am I to question your reasons? We are all called in different ways. Do no assume that your calling, be it dress, diet, or lifestyle in general is what is meant for your fellow Friend. Maybe you feel called to work for animal rights, or ending homelessness, or gay rights, or humane prisons, or stopping wars, or volunteer to welcome refugees, or a number of other wonderful and much needed societal changes. the important thing is to listen to God, and follow your own calling. Remembering that your calling is personal, and that God have different plans for each of us stops most whataboutisms. This is why most Meeting houses have a sign saying Everyone Welcome. The only absolute is peace, so a Quaker with a gun is an almost impossibility. I say almost because there is a story about a young nobleman who met George Fox. The young noble was worried because on one hand, he knew that Peace was the right way he truly wanted to give up violence. But on the other hand, he could not face society as an unarmed noble when unwritten rules demanded he wear a sword. George Fox told him: "Keep your sword for as long as you need it. God will tell you when it is time to cast it away!" The other absolute is equality. Equality before God. So treat the lowest of the low as you would treat a queen, and speak to a king in the same way you would talk to a homeless person. We have no rituals as such. Instead of communion we say that you should keep an extra plate ready for an unasked guest, and treat each meal as if you are serving The Lord's supper. Treat ever day as a holy day. Live in such a way that you are a good example to others, make others want to copy your life, rather than tell them how they should live theirs. If you want to join an online meeting, send me a PM.
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Jun 15, 2021 18:40
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Thirteen Orphans posted:The Old Guard of the thread might remember my long and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to enter religious life. It’s been almost 6 years since my last attempt which was with a Trappist monastery. Out of nowhere today I got a call from the Vocations Director of that monastery. He was wondering where I was in my “discernment journey” and told me he would remember me in his prayers. It was nice to hear from him, he’s a kind older monk. But the call kinda made me wonder, well, why? Not why did he call but why did this happen? Is this some kind of, for want of a better term, sign that maybe I should start thinking about trying again? My health is getting better and I’m still young enough that most places would consider me. It’s like I told my sister, I won’t get excommunicated no matter how many people say no. I’m not going to try anything anytime soon, but I might start changing how I live in a way that anticipates it. Increased prayer, etc. That would be a good thing no matter what happens. May you find fulfilment in whatever path God has called you to, be it in a monastery or in the world. Amen.
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Jun 17, 2021 12:27
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Congrats, may you have many, many happy years together!
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Jul 2, 2021 12:29
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Quoting James Herriot from memory: "Of course there are pets in Heaven. It wouldn't be Heaven unless our pets are there waiting for us"
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Jul 22, 2021 12:05
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Thirteen Orphans posted:Please pray for my aunt P. She is super morbidly obese to the point she can’t release enough carbon dioxide from her lungs so she had to be hospitalized and put on a ventilator. The doctor says if she can breath without the ventilator later on she will be OK, but that’s a big if. My mother is, obviously, quite upset and will be driving 500 miles there after work tomorrow and then 500 miles back on Sunday for work Monday (my mother is a beast). Please pray for her as well. Light surround Aunt P and all her family. May she find the strength to get through this. Amen.
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Jul 23, 2021 11:45
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Jesus needed to experience the depths of human emotions. Including the really dark ones. God wanted to personally understand what it is like for a human to feel that God has forsaken you. It was important, on a spiritual level, for Jesus to explore both utter despair and the feeling of God as a loving parent.
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Aug 3, 2021 11:27
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Slimy Hog posted:I broke my foot yesterday and can't get a cast until next week. If the bone moves too much between now and then I'll need surgery. May your foot heal as fast and as painless as possible. Amen.
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Aug 7, 2021 19:08
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ProperGanderPusher posted:My Pentecostal MIL does this all the time and it honestly drives me nuts. At least she isn't going "God told me you are going to give me the jewellery your gran gave you!" "God told me to remind you that you are not allowed to have long hair!" "God told me you are going to do all the cooking this week!" I do not trust people who claim God speaks to them in this way, no.
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Aug 19, 2021 11:41
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There is no concept so good it cannot be turned into something evil....
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Aug 22, 2021 12:02
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NikkolasKing posted:I'm not trying to be negative or attack anybody in here. I just spend a lot of time reading and don't really have anybody to share what I learn with so I figured somebody here might be interested. I meant in general, not your views on original sin. As in "No matter how good you think a concept is, someone out there has taken the same concept and turned it into something utterly horrible". This seems to be one of those unfortunate laws of human behaviour.
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Aug 24, 2021 00:55
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Welcome, friend!
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Aug 27, 2021 17:49
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Friendly reminder that you are ALL welcome to join our prayer meetings. We are all called by God, but not all are called to the exact same manner of worship. Find your way to God, and God will accept you.
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Sep 9, 2021 22:50
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