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Shelbyville, Tennessee ~ Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Took A Trip
Posted Monday, April 28, 2008, at 6:08 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
I went to visit Victory Celebration Revival Church last night and had a blessed evening.
The guest speaker was Rev.Rod McLain who gave a just in time message on how Jesus defeated everything from poverty to sickness to all things of Satan , it is not him [Jesus] who sends it but us who accept it.
Christian's need to understand who they are and the power they have to rebuke these evils.
I did not know that Brother Jessie Sellers went there , very nice man and a nice church to.
I am going to frequent other churches when I can to do some research on how a member of God's Kingdom as a whole is treated in the different camps around the area.
Don't be surprised if you see me at a church near you.
The Kingdom is divided and is falling.
I heard a scary story that over 630,000 people leave the Christian faith per year and convert to Islam.
I have said that Islam would try to destroy from within .
Sure people have a right to worship or not to worship whatever God they want to and that is fine by me, but don't infringe on the Christian's rights for fear of offending some others.
All the news on how the Muslims get all ill and threaten violence when a carton or drawing or news article against their faith is shown.
Yet as Christians we see crosses in a glass of urine or movies or T.V. shows that denounce our faiths.
Lawsuits for sermons in the pulpits or the A.C.LU. involved in violating some Christian's rights.
I guess if we threatened to blow something up or worse that we would be taken seriously.
The Christian's who do take to violence are not following the elementary principles of Christ. To love the neighbor.
I love all and pray for all but I will speak my peace.
All the camps in the Kingdom had best pull together for a Holy War is coming !
It is not on which God that we worship is stronger for God is not Baptist Methodist Pentecostal or any other but he is GOD!
The war will be those who follow Jehovah God and his Son Jesus Christ against those who follow Allah or all the rest of them.
Where the ones who don't follow anything fall , your guess is as good as mine.
War is looming Jesus is drafting a army to defend his honor I have enlisted in God's army to fight till he calls me home.
Be Blessed!
Pastor Mike. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Those interested in learning more about how the American Civil Liberties Union affects believers' rights can read these statements from their website:
"The ACLU vigorously defends the right of Americans to practice religion.
But because the ACLU is often better known for its work preventing the government from promoting and funding selected religious activities, it is often wrongly assumed that the ACLU does not zealously defend the rights of religious believers, including Christians, to practice their religion.
The cases below - including several where the ACLU even defended the rights of religious believers to condemn homosexuality or abortion - reveal just how mistaken such assumptions are.
Although the cases described below emphasize "the free exercise of religion," the guarantees of the Establishment Clause also protect the rights of religious believers (and non-believers) from having the government promote some religious beliefs over others.
The following selected recent cases (mostly since 1995) show that the ACLU defends the rights of those who identify themselves as Christians (Part I) and as well as those who have other beliefs (Part II).
Part I: Defending the Rights of Those Identifying Themselves as Christian
The ACLU of Florida (2007) argued in favor of the right of Christians to protest against a gay pride event held in the City of St. Petersburg. The City had proposed limiting opposition speech, including speech motivated by religious beliefs, to restricted "free speech zones." After receiving the ACLU's letter, the City revised its proposed ordinance.
www.aclufl.org/pdfs/StPeteLetter.pdf
www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyi...
The ACLU of Oregon (2007) defended the right of students at a private religious school not to be pressured to violate their Sabbath day by playing in a state basketball tournament. The Oregon School Activities Association scheduled state tournament games on Saturdays, the recognized Sabbath of students and faculty of the Portland Adventist Academy. The ACLU argued that the school's team, having successfully made it to the tournament, should not be required to violate their religious beliefs in order to participate.
www.aclu-or.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Lit_tp_na...
www.aclu-or.org/site/DocServer/Lit_OSAA_mtgmry_3_0...
The ACLU of West Virginia (2007) sued on behalf of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) university student who won a prestigious scholarship to West Virginia University.
Although the state scholarship board provided leaves of absence for military, medical, and family reasons, it denied the ACLU's client a leave of absence to serve on a 2-year mission for his church.
The ACLU filed a religious freedom claim in federal court.
www.aclu-wv.org/Newsroom/PressReleases/07_19_07.ht...
The ACLU of Eastern Missouri (2007) represents Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church, whose religious beliefs lead her to condemn homosexuality as a sin and insist that God is punishing the United States.
The protests in which she has been involved have been confrontational and have involved funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq.
While the ACLU does not endorse her message, it does believe that she has both religious and free-speech rights to express her viewpoint criticizing homosexuality.
www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/26265prs20060721.h...
The ACLU of Wisconsin (2007) filed a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that individual pharmacists should be able to refuse to fill prescriptions that violate their religious scruples, provided that patients can obtain prescriptions from willing providers in a safe and timely manner.
www.aclu-wi.org/wisconsin/rights_of_women/ 20070201_Pharm_Refusal_amicus_complete.pdf
The ACLU of New Jersey (2007) defended the right of an elementary school student who was prohibited from singing "Awesome God" in a voluntary, after-school talent show for which students selected their own material.
The ACLU submitted a friend-of-the-Court brief.
After a favorable settlement was reached for the student, the federal lawsuit was dismissed.
www.aclu.org/religion/schools/25799prs20060605.htm...
The ACLU and the ACLU of Pennsylvania (2007) prevailed in their case on behalf of an Egyptian Coptic Christian who had been detained and who claimed he had been tortured by the Egyptian government because he refused to convert to Islam.
After permitting Sameh Khouzam to stay in the United States for nine years based on evidence that he would probably be tortured if he returned to Egypt, the U.S. government changed its position in 2007 and sought to deport Mr. Khouzam based on diplomatic assurances from the Egyptian government that Mr. Khouzam would not be tortured upon return.
As a result of the ACLU's advocacy, a federal court granted Mr. Khouzam an indefinite stay of deportation to Egypt.
www.aclupa.org/legal/legaldocket/egyptiantorture.h...
The ACLU of North Carolina (2007) wrote a letter to the Dismas Charities Community Correction Center on behalf of a former resident who was not allowed to consume wine during communion services while staying at the Center.
After the ACLU advised the Center of its obligations under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, the Center revised its policy to comply with federal law.
The ACLU of North Carolina (2007) challenged a North Carolina Department of Corrections policy making all religious services in prison English-only, thereby denying access to many inmates.
The North Carolina Division of Prisons agreed to review the policy and the need for religious services in languages other than English in the state correctional system.
The ACLU of Delaware (2007) prevailed in a lawsuit brought on behalf of Christians, pagans, and Wiccans, alleging that a department store violated a Delaware public accommodations law by canceling community courses after individuals complained about the religious beliefs that were being taught in the centers.
(This case is also listed in Part II.)
The ACLU of North Carolina (2007) assisted with the naturalization of a Jehovah's Witness who had been told he could not obtain United States citizenship because of his conscientious refusal to swear an oath that he would be willing to bear arms on behalf of the country.
The ACLU of Rhode Island (2007) prevailed in its arguments on behalf of a Christian inmate, Wesley Spratt, who had been preaching in prison for over seven years before administrators told him to stop based on vague and unsubstantiated security concerns.
After the ACLU prevailed in the First Circuit, the parties reached a settlement under which Mr. Spratt is free to preach again.
www.projo.com/news/content/ Preacher_07-31-07_T76IHBQ.34294dd.html
The ACLU of the National Capital Area (2007) brought suit on behalf of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish firefighters and paramedics who wear beards as a matter of religious observance.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia agreed with the ACLU that the District of Columbia's policy prohibiting these individuals from wearing beards violated their religious freedom rights.
www.aclu-nca.org/boxSub.asp?id=84
(This case is also listed in Part II.)
The ACLU of Louisiana (2006) reached a favorable settlement after filing a federal suit against the Department of Corrections on behalf of an inmate who was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon).
The inmate, Norman Sanders, was denied access to religious services and religious texts including The Book of Mormon.
www.laaclu.org/News/2005/Aug26SandersvCain.htm
The ACLU of Texas (2006) filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a Christian pastor and his faith-based rehabilitation facility in Sinton, Texas.
The ACLU of Texas urged the court to reverse a decision that prohibited the pastor from operating his rehabilitation program near his church and also sharply limited the reach of the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
www.aclutx.org/article.php?aid=391
The ACLU of Louisiana (2006) filed a lawsuit defending the right of a Christian who wished to exercise both religious and speech rights by protesting against homosexuality in front of a Wal-Mart store with a sign that read: "Christians: Wal-Mart Supports Gay Marriage and Gay Lifestyles. Don't Shop There."
www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/27266prs20061027.h...
The ACLU of Georgia (2006) filed a federal lawsuit to help obtain a zoning permit for a house of worship on behalf of the Tabernacle Community Baptist Church after the city of East Point denied the request.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/25518prs20060419.htm...
The ACLU of Nevada (2006) defended the free exercise and free speech rights of evangelical Christians to preach on the sidewalks of Las Vegas. When the County government refused to change its unconstitutional policy, the ACLU filed suit in federal court.
www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3379553&nav=15MVaB...
The ACLU of Louisiana (2006) reached a favorable settlement on behalf of a student teacher at a public school who objected to classroom prayers led by her supervising teacher.
After disagreeing with her supervisor's unconstitutional practice of telling children how to pray, the student teacher received a failing grade and was not permitted to graduate from the teaching program.
Under the settlement obtained by the ACLU of Louisiana, the university removed the failing grade and allowed the student to reenroll and complete her graduation requirements.
www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=17478
www.laaclu.org/News/2006/ aclu_settlement_ThompsonvSLU_Oct0306.htm
The ACLU and its affiliates (1999-2006) have been instrumental supporters of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which gives religious organizations added protection in erecting religious buildings and enhances the religious freedom rights of prisoners and other institutionalized persons.
The ACLU worked with a broad coalition of organizations to secure the law's passage in 2000.
After the law was enacted, the ACLU (2005) defended its constitutionality in a friend-of-the-court brief before the United States Supreme Court and the ACLU of Virginia (2006) opposed a challenge to the law before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
www.aclu.org/scotus/2004/ 20956res20041230039877/20956res20041230.html
www.aclu.org/religion/frb/26018prs20060612.html
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union (2005) defended the rights of two teenage girls who, for religious reasons, sought to wear anti-abortion t-shirts to school after school officials threatened to punish them.
www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12852prs200...
The ACLU of New Mexico (2005) helped release a street preacher who had been incarcerated in Roosevelt County jail for 109 days.
The case was brought to the ACLU by the preacher's wife and was supported by the American Family Association.
www.aclu.org/religion/gen/19918prs20050804.html
The ACLU of Michigan (2005) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Joseph Hanas, a Roman Catholic who was punished for not completing a drug rehabilitation program run by a Pentecostal group whose religious beliefs he did not share.
Part of the program required reading the Bible for seven hours a day, proclaiming one's salvation at the altar, and being tested on Pentecostal principles.
The staff confiscated Mr. Hanas's rosary beads and told him Catholicism was witchcraft.
www.aclu.org/religion/govtfunding/22354prs20051206...
The ACLU of Southern California (2005) defended an evangelical scholar who monitored the fundraising practices of several ministries and their leaders after a defamation suit was brought against him in order to silence him.
www.aclu-sc.org/News/Releases/2005/101364/
The ACLU of Pennsylvania (2004-2005) won two cases on behalf of predominantly African-American churches that were denied permits to worship in churches previously occupied by white congregations.
In 2005, the ACLU of Pennsylvania settled a case against Turtle Creek Borough brought on behalf of Ekklesia church.
After the ACLU of Pennsylvania's advocacy, the Borough of West Mifflin granted Second Baptist Church of Homestead an occupancy permit in 2002 and, in 2004, agreed to pay it damages and compensate it for its losses.
www.post-gazette.com/neigh_south/20021029churchsui...
www.post-gazette.com/localnews/20021116aclureg6p6....
www.post-gazette.com/pg/04111/303298.stm
www.aclu.org/RacialEquality/RacialEquality.cfm?ID=...
The ACLU of New Jersey (2004) appeared as amicus curiae to argue that a prosecutor violated the New Jersey Constitution by striking individuals from a jury pool after deciding that they were "demonstrative about their religion."
One potential juror was a missionary; the other was wearing Muslim religious garb, including a skull cap.
The ACLU-NJ also argued that permitting strikes based on jurors' display of their religion would often amount to discrimination against identifiable religious minorities.
www.aclu-nj.org/legal/closedcasearchive/statevlloy...
(This case is also listed in Part II.)
The ACLU of Nebraska (2004) defended the Church of the Awesome God, a Presbyterian church, from forced eviction under the city of Lincoln's zoning laws.
The ACLU of Nebraska also challenged city ordinances requiring religious organizations to meet safety standards not imposed on non-religious groups.
www.aclu.org/religion/frb/16347prs20040811.html
The ACLU of Pennsylvania (2004) prevailed in its arguments that the government had to allow Amish drivers to use highly reflective gray tape on their buggies instead of orange triangles, to which the drivers objected for religious reasons.
www.post-gazette.com/localnews/20021020amish1020p6...
The ACLU of Virginia (2004) threatened to file suit against the Fredericksburg-Stafford Park Authority after the Park Authority enacted an unconstitutional policy prohibiting religious activity in the park and the Park Manager stopped a Cornerstone Baptist Church minister from conducting baptisms in the park.
Under pressure from the ACLU, the Park Authority revoked the prohibition and allowed baptisms in the park.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/16230prs20040603.htm...
www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A16839-2004Jun4
www.aclu.org/ReligiousLiberty/ReligiousLiberty.cfm...
The ACLU of Washington (2004) reached a favorable settlement on behalf of Donald Ausderau, a Christian minister, who wanted to preach to the public and distribute leaflets on the sidewalks around a downtown bus station in Spokane, WA.
www.aclu-wa.org/detail.cfm?id=57
With the help of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter (2004), an Episcopal social services group was able to keep its program of feeding the homeless running.
The County Health Department reversed its decision that meals served to homeless people in a church must be cooked on the premises, as opposed to in individual homes.
Had the decision not been reversed, the ministry would have been forced to cease the program.
The ACLU of Virginia (2004) told the city of Richmond that it would file suit unless Richmond officials reconsidered their decision to close a Sunday meal program for the homeless at a local church because of zoning violations.
"[T]he right of a church to perform a core function of its religious mission," the ACLU wrote, "is protected by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993."
web.archive.org/web/20040109051557/archive.aclu.org/news/ w091196b.html
The ACLU of Nevada (2004) represented a Mormon high school student, Kim Jacobs, whom school authorities suspended and then attempted to expel for wearing T-shirts with religious messages.
Jacobs won a preliminary victory in court when a judge ruled that the school could not expel her for not complying with the dress code.
www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/text/2004/sep/0...
The ACLU of Michigan (2004) represented Abby Moler, a student at Sterling Stevenson High School, whose yearbook entry, a Bible verse, was deleted because of its religious content.
A settlement was reached under which the school placed a sticker with Moler's original entry in the yearbooks and agreed not to censor students' yearbook entries based on their religious or political viewpoints in the future.
www.aclu.org/religion/gen/16093prs20031222.html
The Indiana Civil Liberties Union (2004) filed suit on behalf of the Old Paths Baptist Church against the City of Scottsburg after the city repeatedly threatened to cite or arrest members who held demonstrations regarding various subjects dealing with their religious beliefs.
www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/11484prs20040716.h...
The ACLU of Massachusetts (2003) intervened on behalf of a group of students at Westfield High School who were suspended for distributing candy canes and a religious message in school.
The ACLU succeeded in having the suspensions revoked and filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit brought on behalf of the students against the school district.
www.aclu.org/StudentRights/StudentRights.cfm?ID=11...
The ACLU of Rhode Island (2003) interceded on behalf of an interdenominational group of carolers who were told they could not sing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve to inmates at the women's prison in Cranston, Rhode Island.
The ACLU of Virginia (2002) and the late Rev. Jerry Falwell prevailed in a lawsuit arguing that a Virginia constitutional provision banning religious organizations from incorporating was unconstitutional.
www.aclu.org/religion/frb/16040prs20020417.html
The ACLU of Ohio (2002) filed a brief in support of preacher who wanted to protest abortion at a parade, but was prohibited from doing so in an Akron suburb.
www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?docume...
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union (2002) filed a friend-of-the court brief supporting a group of Christian students who filed a lawsuit against Davenport Schools asserting their right to distribute religious literature during non-instructional time.
www.aclu.org/studentsrights/religion/12811prs20020...
The ACLU of Nebraska (2002) filed a friend of the court brief in a lawsuit challenging the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission's definition of a church as excluding religious organizations that do not own property.
ACLU lawyer Amy Miller said the "definition of a church established by the Liquor Control Commission violated the rights of members of the House of Faith to the free exercise of their religion."
www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?docume...
The ACLU of Massachusetts (2002) filed a brief supporting the right of the Church of the Good News to run ads criticizing the secularization of Christmas and promoting Christianity as the "one true religion."
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority had refused to allow the paid advertisements to be posted and refused to sell additional advertising space to the church.
www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=10206&c=...
The ACLU of Virginia (2000) represented Charles D. Johnson, a street preacher who was convicted under Richmond's noise ordinance. The Virginia Court of Appeals reversed his conviction in 2000.
The ACLU of Massachusetts (2000) defended inmate Peter Kane's right to exercise his religious beliefs after prison officials confiscated his rosary beads.
The rosary beads were black and white and prison rules allowed only solid-colored beads.
www.firmstand.org/news/rosary.html
The ACLU of Virginia (1999) represented Rita Warren and her right to erect a crèche on Fairfax County government space that had been set aside as a public forum.
The ACLU argued that restricting the use of the public forum to county residents only was an unreasonable restriction. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed. www.providence.edu/polisci/cammarano/article-Maste...
www.catholicherald.com/eddesk/97ed/ed971211.htm
The ACLU of Eastern Missouri (1999) secured a favorable settlement for a nurse, Miki M. Cain, who was fired for wearing a cross-shaped lapel pin on her uniform.
The ACLU of Virginia (1999) filed suit against the Department of Defense and the Office of Personnel Management on behalf of Michelle Hall, a Jehovah's Witness who was fired from her job as a produce worker at the Fort Belvoir commissary because she refused to sign a loyalty oath.
Ms. Hall objected to a phrase in the oath, that she would "bear true faith and allegiance to" the Constitution, because it contradicted her undivided allegiance and faithfulness to Jehovah.
In a settlement, Ms. Hall was reinstated and given back pay.
www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?docume...
The ACLU of Florida (1999) filed the first case under Florida's Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The suit sought to prevent the removal and destruction of religious symbols, including crosses, stars of David, and other religious symbols placed on the gravesites of the plaintiffs' family members.
www.aclu.org/temp/pr1999/13603prs19990322.html
(This case is also listed in Part II.)
The ACLU of West Virginia (1999) represented a minister in the Church of the Firstborn at New Jerusalem in his suit seeking a religious exemption to the state's requirement that he take a photograph on his driver's license.
The minister's religious beliefs prohibit the use of "graven images," including photographs.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/16173prs19990720.htm...
The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter (1997) represented Carlyn Kline, a fundamentalist Christian woman who challenged the legality of a mandatory divorce-counseling program conducted by Catholic Charities.
Her religious beliefs prohibited her from attending "non-Christian" counseling.
The ACLU of Iowa (1997) represented Conservative Christians in Clarke County and won the right to force a county referendum on gambling.
www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12852prs200...
The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter (1997) intervened on behalf of a Mennonite nurse and prevented his state employer from firing him for refusing to shave his beard for religious reasons.
The employer demanded the nurse shave his beard so the state-issued mask to guard against tuberculosis would fit tightly despite the employee's offer to purchase a more expensive mask approved for work with T.B. patients that would fit properly with his beard intact.
After receiving telephone calls and letters from the ACLU, the employer agreed to accommodate his religion.
The Arizona Civil Liberties Union (1997) brought suit jointly with Children of the Rosary, a pro-life religious organization, challenging a Phoenix policy banning all non-commercial advertising on city transit buses.
web.archive.org/web/19971122003414/www.aclu.org/news/n012397b.html
The ACLU of Massachusetts (1996) filed a friend of the court brief in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on behalf of two women who were fired for refusing, on religious grounds, to work at a racetrack on Christmas Day.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter (1995) represented a 17-year-old foster child who was being forced to attend her foster family's church.
The foster child was Methodist and the church she was being forced to attend was not of the Methodist faith.
After the ACLU threatened to sue the county allowed the child to attend a Methodist church and placed her in a different foster home.
The ACLU of Vermont (1995) brought suit on behalf of a family that held sincere religious beliefs preventing them from obtaining social security numbers for their children.
The Vermont Human Services Board agreed with the ACLU of Vermont and ordered the Social Welfare Department to make an exception to its general rule requiring children who receive government benefits to have social security numbers.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter (1995) secured the right of a minister from the United Methodist Church to hold meetings in the Harmony Township Borough building that was open for use by community groups.
The ACLU of Iowa (1995) represented and vindicated the free speech and religious expression of a conservative Christian activist, Elaine Jaquith of Waterloo, who had been denied access to broadcast her message on public television.
www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12852prs200...
Amish farmers benefited from the ACLU of Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter's letter (1995) threatening a lawsuit if the Elk Lick Township failed to rescind a municipal ordinance prohibiting farm tractors with steel wheels from traveling on or over the township's roads.
Amish religious beliefs dictate that they maintain steel wheels on their tractors; the ordinance prevented Amish farmers from moving their tractors from one farm to another, and in some cases from one part of their property to another. T
he township rescinded the ordinance in 1995 and dropped all charges against the various persons charged under the ordinance.
The ACLU of Idaho (1980) represented Evangelical Christian parents of public school students at North Fremont High School who disputed their school's decision to hold graduation ceremonies at a Mormon church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Although the proposed church was larger than other available facilities and was air conditioned, the parents believed that their children should not be required to attend a public high school graduation in a Mormon facility.
The federal judge agreed. (This case illustrates the same principle as the ACLU of New Jersey (2007) case (cited below) that was brought by a Muslim student who did want his graduation to be held at a church.)
www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/reimannvfreemont_acluid...
Part II: Defending the Rights of All Religious Believers
The ACLU of New Mexico (2007) represented four Muslim football players in their religious discrimination suit against New Mexico State University. The players received a favorable settlement after the ACLU of New Mexico argued in federal court that the University's head football coach violated the players' religious freedom rights by repeatedly asking them questions about al Qaeda, removing them from the University's team, and requiring all players to recite the Lord's Prayer at the end of each practice.
aclu-nm.org/News_Events/news_6_21_07.html
sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2204478
The ACLU of North Carolina (2007) won its lawsuit against the state of North Carolina to permit witnesses at trial to take oaths on the religious scriptures of their own religious beliefs (in this case Islam) rather than on those approved by the state.
www.aclu.org/religion/govtfunding/29872prs20070524...
The ACLU (2007) argued that veterans and their families should be able to decide for themselves which religious symbol is placed on a deceased veteran's headstone at federal cemeteries.
The ACLU challenged the constitutionality of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs policy that had restricted religious symbols only to those that had been approved by government officials.
The Department of Veterans Affairs settled the case by agreeing to allow a Wiccan five-pointed star encased in a circle included on the plaintiffs' loved ones' military headstones.
(The ACLU has frequently, and inaccurately, been accused of attempting to eliminate religious symbols from federal cemeteries.
To the contrary, the right of veterans and their families to choose how to represent their beliefs belongs to them and not the government.)
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/26970prs20060929.htm...
The ACLU of West Virginia and the ACLU of the National Capital Area (2007) represented a Muslim Iranian-American couple, both of whom were terminated from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) because of their religion and without due process.
The ACLU negotiated an agreement with NIOSH under which the husband and wife were reinstated to their previous positions with back pay, benefits, and damages.
www.aclu-wv.org/Newsroom/PressReleases/12_18_06.ht...
www.aclu-wv.org/Slideshow/AfshariSlideshow.htm
The New York Civil Liberties Union (2007) successfully brought suit on behalf of a Muslim prison guard who was told that he had to remove his head covering (known as a kufi), while working, even though he had worn it while on duty for many years.
A federal judge ordered the New York Department of Corrections to allow the guard to wear his head covering on the job again.
www.nyclu.org/node/1062
The ACLU of Alabama (2007) represented Native American inmates in their successful religious liberty suit requiring the state of Alabama to permit sacred sweat lodge ceremonies at designated correctional facilities on holy days.
After winning that case, the ACLU of Alabama represented some of the inmates again when the State attempted to transfer them to a correctional facility in Louisiana that does not allow such religious ceremonies.
The ACLU of Delaware (2007) prevailed in a lawsuit brought on behalf of Christians, pagans, and Wiccans, alleging that a department store violated a Delaware public accommodations law by canceling community courses after individuals complained about the religious beliefs that were being taught in the centers.
(This case is also listed in Part I.)
The ACLU of Georgia (2007) wrote a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on behalf of a Sikh physician.
The doctor had been instructed that he must, contrary to his religious beliefs, shave his beard and remove his turban in order to work at the Public Health Commissioned Corporation of CDC.
After receiving the ACLU of Georgia's letter, the CDC implemented a new, individualized process for requests for religious exemptions that creates a general presumption in favor of religious accommodation.
www.acluga.org/docket.html
The ACLU of the National Capital Area (2007) brought suit on behalf of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish firefighters and paramedics who wear beards as a matter of religious observance.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia agreed with the ACLU that the District of Columbia's policy prohibiting these individuals from wearing beards violated their religious freedom rights.
www.aclu-nca.org/boxSub.asp?id=84
(This case is also listed in Part I.)
The ACLU of West Virginia (2007) brought suit challenging a company's refusal to permit one of its employees to wear a skirt to work.
The employee's religious beliefs prohibited her from wearing trousers.
The employer refused to accommodate these beliefs despite the employee's offer to pay for a uniform skirt with her own funds.
www.aclu-wv.org/LegalProgram/Docket%20July19,2007....
The ACLU of Missouri (2007) sent a letter to the Kansas City Water Department demanding that a Muslim employee be permitted to attend Friday prayers.
The Department responded by extending the employee's Friday lunch to accommodate her religious observance.
The ACLU of Nevada (2007) appeared before the Nevada Equal Rights Commission (NERC) and the EEOC on behalf of a Jewish Orthodox employee of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department whose request to wear a trim beard and yarmulke while at his non-uniform, desk job was denied.
When the Department still refused to grant the employee a religious accommodation, the ACLU brought suit in federal court.
The ACLU of Virginia (2007) filed a complaint under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act challenging a Virginia Department of Corrections policy requiring inmates to be clean-shaven and to keep their hair short.
The policy infringed on the beliefs of Muslim and Rastafarian inmates who have religious objections to cutting their hair.
www.acluva.org/newsreleases2007/Jan6.html
www.acluva.org/newsreleases2006/May19.html
The ACLU of New Jersey (2007) filed a religious discrimination case on behalf of a Muslim student who otherwise had to choose between following his religious beliefs that forbid him from entering buildings with foreign religious symbols and attending his public high school graduation that was scheduled to be held in a church.
The ACLU argued that the school's decision unlawfully forced the student to choose between attending his graduation and violating the religious beliefs.
(This case illustrates the same principle as the ACLU of Idaho (1980) case cited above that was brought by Christian parents who did not want their high school children to attend graduation held at a Mormon church.)
www.aclu-nj.org/news/schoolviolatesreligiousfre.ht...
The ACLU of Louisiana (2007) filed a Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act claim in federal court after the David Wade Correctional Facility refused to permit a Muslim inmate to receive a religious newspaper.
www.laaclu.org/News/2007/LeonardPR_050907.html
The ACLU of Massachusetts (2007) represents a Muslim man who lost his job with a communications contractor at the State Police headquarters for unspecified reasons (but presumably because he was Muslim).
When the State Police Information Officer responded with highly redacted documents showing the real reason for the termination, the ACLU of Massachusetts filed an administrative appeal.
The ACLU of Maryland (2006) urged Howard County school officials to retain a school policy permitting Muslim students excused absences, such as those allowing students to leave for doctors' appointments and religious holidays, for prayer on Fridays.
www.aclu-md.org/aPress/News%202006/060806_HCT.html
The ACLU of Southern California (2006) filed suit on behalf of a Vietnamese Buddhist Temple (Quan Am Temple) against the City of Garden Grove and its officials for violating the congregation's First Amendment rights to free religious exercise and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.
The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the City's zoning codes, as well as the City's application of the zoning codes to Quan Am Temple.
A federal judge issued a preliminary ruling requiring the City to allow "the Temple, the Abbot, and his congregation [to] peaceably practice their Buddhist faith at the Chapwood Property immediately."
www.aclu-sc.org/News/Releases/2006/102100/
The ACLU of Massachusetts (2006) helped a Rastafarian baggage screener wear his hair in accordance with his religion.
The screener had been employed for three years by the Logan Airport for the Transportation Security Administration. The ACLU filed a complaint before the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission defending his religious rights.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (2006) filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan defending the right of people wearing religious head coverings not to have them removed for identity photos.
The case was brought with the New York University Law School Civil Rights Clinic against a Coast Guard regulation denying merchant marine licenses to those who would not remove the coverings for photographs.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/24780prs20060328.htm...
The ACLU of Virginia (2006) filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting an inmate's allegation that the Virginia Department of Corrections violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by refusing to provide him with meals consistent with his religious beliefs.
www.acluva.org/newsreleases2006/Jun12.html
The ACLU of Nebraska (2006) brought a free exercise claim on behalf of followers of the Church of Scientology who alleged that Nebraska's mandatory testing of newborn infants for metabolic diseases violated their religious liberty by preventing them, as new parents, from exercising their belief that a newborn should be kept quiet and serene during the first days of life.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (2005) filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Department of Homeland Security from enforcing a policy of detaining, interrogating, fingerprinting, and photographing American citizens at the border solely because they attended Islamic conferences.
www.nyclu.org/node/1097
The ACLU of Washington (2005) represented The Islamic Education Center of Seattle, a small Muslim nonprofit organization that holds prayer services, education programs, and cultural activities, after the city of Mountlake Terrace denied the Center a conditional land use permit.
The City denied the Center permission to operate even though it granted an allowance to a Christian church next door to the Center.
With the aid of the ACLU, the Center eventually received its permit from the City.
www.aclu-wa.org/detail.cfm?id=294
The ACLU of New Jersey (2005) settled a lawsuit with the New Jersey Department of Corrections on behalf of Patrick Pantusco, an inmate who was denied religious books and other items while in prison.
Although it permitted persons of other religions to obtain materials for their religious practices, it denied Mr. Pantusco's requests because it did not recognize Wicca as a legitimate religion.
In the settlement, the state agreed to permit Mr. Pantusco access to all requested items and pay damages.
www.aclu-nj.org/legal/closedcasearchive/pantuscovm...
The ACLU of Northern California (2005) filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging restrictions on an asylum seeker's right to wear a religious head covering.
The plaintiff, Harpal Singh Cheema, a devout Sikh, had been imprisoned since 1997, while awaiting a decision on his asylum application.
The Sikh faith requires men to cover their heads at all times, but Yuba County jail authorities would not allow Mr. Cheema to leave his bed with his head covered.
www.aclu.org/immigrants/asylum/11736prs20050518.ht...
The ACLU of Wisconsin (2005) filed suit on behalf of a Muslim woman who had been required to remove her headscarf in front of male prison guards in order to visit her husband at the Columbia Correctional Institution.
Ms. Rhouni offered to be searched by a female guard, but the prison would not accommodate her request and respect her religious belief that her head should not be uncovered in the presence of unrelated males.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania (2005) sued on behalf of a devout Muslim firefighter, Curtis DeVeaux, who was suspended for refusing, for religious reasons, to shave his beard as required by city regulations.
www.aclu.org/religion/gen/16268prs20050601.html
In response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Colorado (2005), the Department of Corrections agreed to resume providing kosher meals to Timothy Sheline, an Orthodox Jewish inmate, whose kosher diet was revoked for one year as punishment for allegedly violating a dining hall rule.
www.aclu.org/prison/restrict/21226prs20051013.html
The ACLU of Nebraska (2005) settled a lawsuit against the city of Omaha on behalf of Lubna Hussein, a practicing Muslim woman who wore a headscarf and long sleeves for religious reasons.
Hussein was twice denied entry to Deer Ridge pool property to watch her children swim because she refused to wear a swimsuit.
The city changed its policy to allow for medical and religious exceptions.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/16248prs20050218.htm...
www.wowt.com/news/headlines/822012.html
The ACLU of Delaware (2005) filed a federal lawsuit after Muslim children in a public school suffered harassment and discrimination by teachers, administrators, and fellow students.
Mrs. Doe and her children sought, among other things, a judgment requiring the defendants to cease their discriminatory activity, to develop policies to foster a peaceful learning environment, and to implement mandatory training programs for staff on issues of religious and cultural diversity.
The ACLU of Southern California (2005) represented a Native American inmate who refused, for religious reasons, to cut his hair.
Prison officials punished the inmate by revoking his visitation rights and extending his time in prison.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the prison ban on long hair violated the prisoner's religious freedom and ordered the prisoner released immediately.
www.aclu.org/religion/frb/16223prs20040526.html
www.aclu.org/religion/gen/16235prs20040331.html
The ACLU of Southern California (2005) supported Jewish residents of Orange County after a special election was scheduled on the first day of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah, called on the county to make accommodations for Jewish residents who wished to vote early in the election.
www.aclu-sc.org/News/Releases/2005/101281/
The ACLU of Virginia (2005) filed suit on behalf of Cynthia Simpson, a Wiccan woman whom county leaders refused to include in a list of religious leaders invited to give invocations at meetings of the Chesterfield County board of Supervisors.
The Board's reason for refusing to add her to the list was that "Chesterfield's non-sectarian invocations are traditionally made to a divinity that is consistent with the Judeo-Christian tradition."
www.acluva.org/docket/simpson.html
The ACLU of Louisiana (2005) successfully represented a Rastafarian mother and her fourth grade son before the Lafayette Parish School Board.
The Board seized the child's books and suspended him for having dreadlocks.
The nine-year-old child was allowed to return to school.
www.laaclu.org/News/2005/Dec0705DreadlocksRapides....
The ACLU of New Jersey (2004) appeared as amicus curiae to argue that a prosecutor violated the New Jersey Constitution by striking individuals from a jury pool after deciding that they were "demonstrative about their religion."
One potential juror was a missionary; the other was wearing Muslim religious garb, including a skull cap.
The ACLU-NJ also argued that permitting strikes based on jurors' display of their religion would often amount to discrimination against identifiable religious minorities.
www.aclu-nj.org/legal/closedcasearchive/statevlloy...
(This case is also listed in Part I.)
The ACLU of Nevada (2004) brought an action challenging religious discrimination against a Muslim high school student who wore her traditional hijab to school.
The student suffered repeated harassment by her peers with school officials' knowledge and, at times, participation.
The ACLU of Alabama (2004) represented a Muslim inmate who was charged with creating a security hazard after he started a discussion about reparations for African-Americans during an Islamic service at a prison.
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the ACLU that a lower court erred in dismissing the inmate's claims.
www.aclualabama.org/News/PressReleases/FreeSpeech/...
The ACLU of Florida (2003) represented a Muslim homemaker whose driver's license was revoked after she declined on religious grounds to remove her veil for a driver's license photo.
Noting that the state allowed others to obtain driver's permits without photographs, the ACLU argued that the photograph requirement imposed a needless burden on the woman's exercise of her religion with no benefit to public safety.
www.aclu.org/religion/gen/16218prs20030527.html
The ACLU of Pennsylvania (2002) supported the members of Congregation Kol Ami in their fight to use a former Catholic convent as a synagogue.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania argued that the Abington Township Board of Commissioners' opposition to the proposed use of the convent violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person Act.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/16057prs20020107.htm...
The ACLU of Oklahoma (2000) filed a federal lawsuit against Union Public School District No. 9 on behalf of 15-year-old Brandi Blackbear, an honor student who was accused by school officials of making a teacher sick by casting a hex.
School authorities forbade the student to wear or draw any Wiccan symbols and suspended her for 15 days for allegedly casting spells and 19 days for the content of her personal writings.
www.aclu.org/religion/schools/16295prs20001026.htm...
The ACLU of Maryland (2000) called on the Baltimore Police Department to rescind grooming rules prohibiting dreadlocks and to reinstate Rastafarian police officer Antoine Chambers who was suspended for refusing to cut off his dreadlocks in violation of his religious beliefs.
www.aclu.org/religion/discrim/16289prs20000711.htm...
The ACLU of Florida (1999) filed the first case under Florida's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The suit sought to prevent the removal and destruction of religious symbols, including crosses, stars of David, and other religious symbols placed on the gravesites of the plaintiffs' family members.
www.aclu.org/temp/pr1999/13603prs19990322.html
(This case is also listed in Part I.)
The ACLU of Michigan (1999) obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of Crystal Seifferly with Lincoln Park High School.
As part of the settlement, the school changed its policy prohibiting the wearing of pentacles, a symbol of the Wicca religion of which Seifferly is an adherent, and deleted the policy's provision that stated that pagans and witches are inappropriate in a school setting.
www.aclu.org/temp/pr1999/13596prs19990325.html
The ACLU of New Jersey (1999), the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and the Anti-Defamation League won a lawsuit on behalf of Muslim police officers who were barred by department grooming standards from maintaining their beards, as required by their religious beliefs. The officers, Faruq Abdul-Aziz and Shakoor Mustafa, are devout Sunni Muslims.
www.aclu-nj.org/issues/policepractices/theacludefe...
The ACLU of Southern California (1996), together with the Native American Heritage Commission, filed a First Amendment challenge to a state university's plan to erect a mini-mall and parking lot on the sacred site of the birthplace of a Native American god.
The California Court of Appeal held that the university could not pursue its development plan without taking mitigation measures, or, if none could be taken, showing that the public interest nonetheless requires development."
If there are no defenders for the views we despise,there may be no advocates for our side either.
AMEN quantumcat... AMEN...
Michael, we have heard ALL of this bull before. You're little world of incessant fear mongering in order to provoke a mass return to the Christian faith is beyond hysterical. You can't substantiate ONE single thought instead you say it like this "I have heard..." Please, teachers and preachers don't talk about things they have heard, they talk about things they have experienced.
And there is still NOBODY taking your rights away. Because you're still talking about the same crap you started slinging last August. Have you been stopped? Nope. Would the ACLU defend you? Yes! I thought you said, many many many months ago you were going to do some reasearch before coming across as completely uneducated (see your blogs about the heroin needles, snakes etc in the Mcdonald's play area, the HIV needles under the gas pump handles, etc).... Your entire message is surrounded by kryptic fear and has become so sour, that it's hard to see any place for agreement.
If Jesus is building an army you'd think he would pick people who understand the difference between truth, half truths, and total opinion.
"Sure people have a right to worship or not to worship whatever God they want to and that is fine by me, but don't infringe on the Christian's rights for fear of offending some others.
All the news on how the Muslims get all ill and threaten violence when a carton or drawing or news article against their faith is shown.
Yet as Christians we see crosses in a glass of urine or movies or T.V. shows that denounce our faiths.
Lawsuits for sermons in the pulpits or the A.C.LU. involved in violating some Christian's rights.
I guess if we threatened to blow something up or worse that we would be taken seriously."
-->ROFLMAO! And hmm, I just can't get over the fact that the ACLU (in your words, ANTI CHRISTIAN LIBERTIES UNION) has defended and won many lawsuits protecting CHRISTIAN religious freedoms... Wow, isn't that completely contradictory to everything you have said? Kinda like your entire spill on the Bible... You lack credibility, and a little research would reinstate some of it.
Yes Michael.
It's time for christians to unite.I get so frustrated when I hear christians putting down their brothers and sisters just because they are of a different denomination.If they teach Christ crucifed and rose the third day.Also that Jesus is the only way to salvation.then they are a brother or sister in Christ.Their is no difference.Just some man made differences.Their are some things in the Bible that we are required to do or not do.
But this junk of judging people on some personal beliefs has got to stop.Apostle Paul mentioned it in the book of acts about us all being in the same religion "JESUS CHRIST" THEIR ARE NO DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, just one Jesus, that's the one we follow. Some of us may feel,that we personally have different requirments, but that does not apply to all.There are certain ministeries,where their are certain things we need or need not do,but is not a requirement for everyone.We should stop judging people by our own personal convictions and use the Bible as our guide.The Bible says you will know them by the fruit they bear.Their is one thing we all must agree on,is that the only way to salvation is thru JESUS CHRIST.
God Bless you, and have A great day
I think Michael is the only Christian that I have come across that feels as though he is being persecuted. I think the only reason he feels persecuted or feels his religion is being violated is because he feels his religion is the only religion that should exist and no other religions should be tolerated. That is definitely irony at its best considering he claims Christian's rights are being taken away but yet demands other religions to submit to his beliefs.
If his church is anything like him then I would want them to be persecuted because they are teaching fear and hate and false doctrines but that is just my opinion. Fortunately for him, groups like the ACLU protect his rights to teach his radical ideas. Michael is no different than the Muslim terrorists that incite fear and hate to justify their actions and unjust causes.
God is love and he wants people to come to his fold not out of fear but out of love for its easier to fear something and be coerced into doing something than it is to do something out of love and commit yourself to God out of your own free will. God wants people to come to his fold for the right reasons . . . not just to escape the burning fires of hell.
To be honest, I am tired of Michael coming on here and making a mockery of my God and Christianity just because he doesn't like a group of people and doesn't understand how to read the word of God.
Amen jaxspike. He needs to read his bible and quit being so judgemental. He is trying to predict the end of time as if he knows when it is. He needs to read the whole bible not just revelations.
This isn't "Jump on Michael Day."
It's just a good idea to stay open to all the facts and respectful of others' views.
Sometimes,there are things we have to learn and sometimes the other folk need to get a new perspective.
That's more difficult for them if they think they're being totally dismissed for being evil or stupid.
quantumcat
Thanks for the info.I had always heard the bad side of the A.C.L.U.
It appears they are neutral,helping everyone.
I am not saying that the ACLU would not defend a Christian.
Like all lawyers that have to defend even if they know the party is guilty.
Lets say that somebody took a statue or picture of Jesus and a bunch of bibles and piled them up and torched them[ that is his legal right]
Nothing would be said.
Take a drawing of Allah or Mohammad and do the same and lawsuits and threats would arise for the Muslims would scream that they were offended and the law here would try to appease them.
Why can Christians and Jews be offended and nothing is said but offend a Muslim or other faith and people have hell to pay.
Romans V 28-32 states that God turned some over to a reprobate mind [which means it's worthless] because they knew and still know the judgment of God and still continue.
God is a loving God he has spared the worlds because he does not want to see one person sent to hell.
He sent his Son to die on a cross to give salvation by grace.
Most people still see baby Jesus or the mangled blood soaked body on the cross.
Take a peek in Revelation and see how he is coming back!
As a warrior and King of Kings and Lord of Lords with a sword to wipe out sin once and for all.
God has Marcie and grace but remember Ananias and Sapphira Revelation 5 to 18 there is your love and grace for you.
God does have a judgmental side and you will see it.
I won't because I will have flown out of here before all the happens.[you know the RAPTURE]
You still have time to ask for mercy and grace I pray you all everyday.
jaxspike,
I do not think Michael demands other religions submit to his beliefs.
He is also not the only one who feels the rights of Christians and more importantly Christ himself is being trampled on.
If Michael is making a mockery of your God and Christianity it is probably because you have a different God and Christianity that you have devised to fit your lifestyle you enjoy but does not line up with the teaching of the Bible and is therefore not the God of our Bible. I think he pretty well understands his Bible and knows when he sees people that are being deceived by the deceiver himself.
He is not teaching only fear and hate. Unfortunately whether you like it or not the total displayed character of God does include a wrathful side that has destroyed entire peoples and cities and you have to acknowledge it in order for you to even start to grasp the loving side of him. God is the potter and you and I are nothing but the clay. Some of you people want to have your hands in potting when it is not going to be. The sooner you get your roles lined up the better off you will be.
God quite clearly let it be known he indeed has a wrath and a half to sin and can not be in its precence. It is so simple. You can concoct all the Gods you want to fit your carefree lifestyle but frankly you are going to have to peddle that boat up a stream into the current without a paddle. You have been deceived into thinking you can create a God that is going to be like you want him to be and accept you as you want to be accepted. Wrong, wrong, wrong!!! He is what He is. Like it or not that is reality. Escape it as you think you see fit. It is your delusional dream to wake up from one day.
Yep.
They're letting themselves in for getting jumped on by all sides out of dedication to fairness.
They aren't perfect but neither are those on the other sides.
If it looks as if they are getting unbalanced in their support,then they might need our influence rather than our absence and attacks we might make from outside.
LMAO at parkerbrothers.. LMFAO!
He and Michael only know the "wrathful side of God".. you poor souls.
Let me pose a question. Does wrath or anger as expressed in the context of the New Testament denote the absence of love? Can the two emotions co-exist inside God's character?
Well parkerbrothers, get Michael to give one situation in which he personally has been denied his rights as a Christian?
No mine has not been denied Yet!
All I am doing is stating that peoples rights are being infringed upon.
Then again I don't hang out in the places or get into the situations where they would.
If my children's rights were questioned whether in or out of school then my rights would.
God is righteous and God is love but no sin will enter Heaven.
God gives the way the only way and that is his Son.
God gives the way out whether you accept that way is you.
He told Noah to build the boat Noah didn't have to.
He told Abraham to sacrifice Issac Abrahan didn't have to.[God did stop him]
He parted the Red Sea for Moses he could of chose another route.
He told his Son to die on the cross he could have chose not to but he didn't.
After I die, if there is nothing to the bible and heaven or hell then I have lost nothing by believing in Christ.
If what the bible says is true about heaven and hell and you have not accepted Christ as your Saviour then you have lost everything.
Call me stupid or whatever but I am betting and having faith in a sure thing.
If all you have been taught is the fuzzy duck and cotton candy then I feel for you.
Jesus will come back to judge and to past sentence.
I have done been blood bought and have a mansion waiting for me.
Take time to listen to T.D Jakes or John Hagee or Perry Stone or Rod Parsley or my pastor Jay Pope men who aren't afraid to teach the Whole Bible not just what the flock wants to hear.
A shepherd loves his sheep and will die for them, but if one strays he will take the staff and snatch him by the neck or grab that nose and jerk him back before he goes off a cliff and perishes.
AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME.
Hallelujah to the Lord Jesus Christ who shed his blood for mankind , but mankind has to accept it.
They,re not preaching hate. they,re just telling you the consequence,s of a life lived without the accepted mercy of Jesus Crist. You determin what happens to you after you die. Jesus does not send anyone to hell.You send yourself to hell.By not accepting Jesus as your saviour. The words in the Bible will be your judge.Did you obey it or not,It's your decision.
jesuslovesevery1,
I am not speaking for Michael but I know both sides of God's character. Anyone who reads his inspired word can not help but see the total character he so choose to reveal of himself. Yes there is a wrath of God that is beyond human comprehension along with a love that is also beyond measure.
I think the real problem is YOU are not capable for some unknown limiting factor of acknowledging the full character of our God. It is reality whether you choose to accept it or not. It is there to read in the simplest terms. Fantisize to you little hearts content on this make believe God you have conjured up out of the depths of your imagination. He reminds me a lot of this Santa Claus fellow we liked so well growing up. Eve had the same problem.
devan,
Wrath and anger do not denote the absence of love in the New Testament. They actually prove the existance and depth of the love. Without the first there is no last.
If there was not an anger and wrath to appease what in the world was there a need of a sacrafice???
How can you love what someone has done for you when you diminish what they they have done to literally nothing? What do you think Christ was doing while hanging out on the cross? He sure wasn't working on a full body tan.
Not only can they co-exist they have always and still do!
This was not directed at you Devan. I know you know which end is up.
sand-flea,
You are right. There is no hate whatsoever, preached or not not preached. Only love.
Your statement.... "Jesus does not send anyone to hell. You send yourself to hell."..... is a good point. I think the same train of thought should also be kept in mind here in our law of the land. We do not subject criminals to cruel and unusual punishment. They subject themselves to it. If the law claims that someone guilty of murder should likewise die by the electric chair or hanging and that was the law then they who commits the crime subject themselves to the punishment. It must not of been that cruel and unusual of a punishment if they knew that was a possible consequence and they still choose to go and commit the offence.
Remember Michael
If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. Man's facts change. GOD's don't. Keep on the fireing line, most of your shots hit the target. That is why satin wants you out of the ball game. One day, Jesus will say well done Michael Bell welcome home.
If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. Man's facts change. GOD's don't. Keep on the fireing line, most of your shots hit the target. That is why satin wants you out of the ball game. One day, Jesus will say well done Michael Bell welcome home.
-- Posted by jesse sellers on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 10:12 AM
He is right Michael. Keep standing for simply what is in the Bible. Do not give in and start going along with these New Age Gods they are all creating in the depths of their depraved minds and trying to promote. He is what He is and will always be what He is. Period, end of it. Let them get the rude awakening one day soon that will finally shut them up if that is their hearts desire.
That is why satin wants you out of the ball game.
Posted by jesse sellers on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 10:12 AM
I really hope SATIN wants me out of the ballgame, it makes me itch and it's really hard to sleep on ;)
If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. Man's facts change. GOD's don't. Keep on the fireing line, most of your shots hit the target. That is why satin wants you out of the ball game. One day, Jesus will say well done Michael Bell welcome home.
-- Posted by jesse sellers on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 10:12 AM
hmmmm...well I see a different scenario coming from God. More like "Thanks for all the people you turned off from me Michael, thank you for preaching hate and bigotry in my name, thanks for spreading fear by using my name and an extra special thanks for putting yourself in my shoes and judging others." IMO I don't think it will be such a warm homecoming (or maybe it will be LMAO!!)
Disturbia,
You are simply mixed up and disturbed when you do not have to be. There is help.
Thanks vindicated, hope you are.
Depraved minds??
Parkerbrothers has now annointed himself God and thus can look into our minds and souls and judge us.
Plus, I never knew people that attend Church of Christ worshipped new age gods?
If no-one responds to Pastor Mike or give him attention, he will merely go away.
That is what you might think , whether I get any comments good or bad I will keep writing.
People ignored Peter and Paul and they kept on preaching.
I ignored the call for 22 years but the Lord kept tugging and I now know what I am supposed to do.
Maybe God has hardened your hearts [those who don't like what I write] to allow his glory and his truth to come to me.
Remember God is in control of it all and shows mercy to whom he wants and uses some to show his glory
Cain
Pharoh
Esau
and countless others all the way up to Judas.
It is his glory not mine.
To say it in my native tongue"Redneck"
I AIN'T GOING NOWHERE !
Keep wishing!
But Be Blesed!
If Jesus is building an army you'd think he would pick people who understand the difference between truth, half truths, and total opinion.
-- Posted by darrick_04 on Mon, Apr 28, 2008, at 9:00 AM
Maybe thats' why you have not received a draft notice.
I thought it was because he enlisted.
jaxspike,
Does not matter where you attend a church. God is the same today as he was yesterday and the day before. He was the same 1000 years ago, 20000 years ago,etc.,etc.,etc.,. No change. Only people change and try to bring their new concept of God with them. It is really quite simple if you allow it to be. No new God. What part of that can you not understand?
quantumcat,
The Father must call.
LOL to all of this. Hilarious. And hey Vindicated, I didn't realize "SATIN" had anything to do with ballgames? LOL...
Meanwhile, Disturbia (or as Parkerbrothers likes to call it, "Disturbed"), there is help, but I wouldn't take any advice from a friend of Tom-Turkey. LOL. He has ficticious friends that he thinks is effective in getting his childish points across. But, as always, it doesn't work. And somehow I remember reading something along the lines of not being negative, Marvin. You and your relapses are getting pathetic. Help, perhaps you should defog the mirror.
LOL to all of this. Hilarious. And hey Vindicated, I didn't realize "SATIN" had anything to do with ballgames? LOL...
Posted by nascarfanatic on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 9:10 PM
Maybe the players wear SATIN uniforms? only thing I could think of...how FABULOUS would that be? lol
Extra fabulous... I need some humor to lighten Michael's "THEY'RE OUT TO ATTACK US AND TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY B/S" attitude. LMFAO!
nascarfanatic,
When the truth is seen as negative you positively have been identified as the false.
LOL... Okie doke.
I understand just fine Parkerbrothers . . . I just wonder if you do?
Anyway, I was joking on the fact that most of time people comment to me on how strict the beliefs are of Church of Christ and how conservative we are and I have never had anyone like you to say that my beliefs are directed toward a new age God and such. I just find that statement so . . . I doubt there is a word for it.
Oh well, maybe I need to attend a church that involves snake handling or something. LOL!
jaxspike,
Maybe you were just joking like you were when you were giggling about the Bible being compared to the sex toy. Real funny?? Try your luck at being a comedian.
Oh well, maybe I need to attend a church that involves snake handling or something. LOL!
-- Posted by jaxspike on Tue, Apr 29, 2008, at 11:17 PM
You can attend every church in America that has a front door on it and still be as lost as the pew you are sitting on until you allow the Holy spirit to teach you. When he becomes your teacher you will stop the giggling and LOL's concerning his lessons.
I guess I am laughing at the fact that I see how ridiculous you and Michael sound and how you judge others. Laughing keeps me from getting upset about how you distort God's word for your own personal agendas.
Plus, how do you know if I am lost or not when your own directions are so misguided and built on your misconceptions of the Bible and not that of God?
Also, you might need to learn to read the context in which comments are written. I laughed at the comparison of the Bible to the sex toy because there was no comparison . . . I laughed at the thought of how someone could compare the two. I wasn't laughing at the Bible. But hey, since you loved to misread the Bible then I should expect any less from the comments in here either.
Look, I have a real problem with this entire way of "recruiting of God's Warriors" type of mentality. We are not supposed to do that. Never says that in the Bible nor does God want us to do that.
Jesus NEVER did recruit anyone, all he did was good works, speak to whom WANTED to hear and listen to the people that came to HIM. Why does anyone feel the need to express their beliefs OVER and OVER and OVER when it never says to do so. To be someone of Jesus Christ is to mimic his footsteps and to SHOW people by your actions, grace, love, and total adoration of Jesus.
When Jesus returns is when he call upon his army, THAT is when you should fight, NOT now. It is pointless, you will lose because it is not the time. So keep wasting your breath, keep "preaching" your so called meanderings, it is not going to work until you realize you are way too early. Take my advice or leave it, that is up to you. God makes the decisions, it is your choice whether to follow it.
Exactly Evil Monkey . . . one should focus on their own spirituality and beliefs instead of going out and condemning others. If you set a good example of what a Christian is then people will follow.
God and Jesus are calling up an army? I understand that many feel the call to preach to others, but I feel that the term warrior is an inappropriate word for that.
Jesus did not stand in the town's marketplace and extort others to follow him. He walked out into the fields and those that felt His call followed and listened. He didn't yell, threaten or call people names. He spoke quietly and people crowded close to hear His message. His quiet voice in the wilderness has been heard loudly through the centuries. Should we not try to follow his teaching in the same manner?
I believe if we are truly called, then others will follow. If we must threaten and define ourselves as warriors, then we are not leading people to Christ, but pushing them. If you push someone, they will stand their ground, regardless of your intentions to move them to a "safer" spot. We should not have to push or threaten to lead.
To paraphrase The American Heritage Dictionaries definition: Warrior - a soldier engaged in open and armed hostilities against another.
I think that to lead people to God it is not appropriate do so in a warlike manner. Let's demonstrate that we can follow God and Jesus' teachings by emulating the manner in which Jesus taught. He taught quietly to those that were called, he spoke lovingly to all. His admonishments were gentle, (except for the moneylenders in the temple) because he wanted people to hear the message.
If you want to be a "warrior" then fight the evils of hunger, war and pestilence, not other human beings.
I confess I'm getting weary of the implication that one faction is God's army and others have been conscripted by the enemy.
Instead,I see God's Army,His Navy and his Marines.
Some of you are called to be SEALS or Green Beret and others Seabees.
There may be rivalry among the branches and disagreements over whose methods accomplish more but there is one war fought on many battlegrounds with ONE commander.
He will work with each of His soldiers differently but it is His call (not ours) to determine if any one group follows His strategies and tactics better than another.
During the "peace times" that are more like Cold wars starting to simmer,it is not His warriors' job to weaken His forces by attacks on one another.
A far better course of action would be to gather intelligence,build up our strengths and prepare to co-ordinate our efforts and bolster one another's efficiency.
I'm not as well-versed in the Bible or the Strategikon as I should be but I seem to remember that positive morale and co-operation are important ingredients in obtaining the victory.
God will not gather His defenders by using press-gangs.
He will issue a call to arms and it won't matter whether the world sees Gomer Pyle or John Rambo,Judy Benjamin or Jordan O'Neil.
His recruits will be volunteers that He will train into an elite fighting force with weapons and armor the foes cannot defeat.
There won't be one that couldn't be trusted to watch the back of his messmates.
Why should we be so anxious to break the sword of our compadres before we're even done with training?
Please,PLEASE try to find some respect for one another as God's creations.
(A little more of this and I'm going back to figuring out whether the Lord had girls in His Air Corps.)
Quantumcat
Maybe we should join the His Peace Corps?
Sounds good to me.
Jesus NEVER did recruit anyone, all he did was good works, speak to whom WANTED to hear and listen to the people that came to HIM.
Posted by Evil Monkey on Wed, Apr 30, 2008, at 9:18 AM
Evil Monkey - I think you forgot about a few little things in the Bible when you made the above statement. Just a few reminders for you below.
#1 - 18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
#2 - 9And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
#3 - 23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
#4 - 43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
#5 - 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
#6 - 34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
#7 - 6And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Looks like a little recruiting to me??
LOL... So funny, I love watching you try to explain everything... while explaining nothing.
Evil Monkey,
A few more than came to mind when I read your erroneous statement on the nature of Christ.
#1 - 19And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
20And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
#2 - 7And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
#3 - 14And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
#4 - 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
#5 - 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
#6 - 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
#7 - 24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
#8 - 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
#9 - 20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
#10 - 12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
#11 - 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
#12 - 14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
#13 - 14For many are called, but few are chosen
#14 - 16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
#15 - 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
#16 - 3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Definitely looks like recruiting to me and hinges on a draft.
nascarfanatic,
14For many are called, but few are chosen.
nascarfanatic,
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
When I watch TV I see the Christian faith being laughed at and made fun of more than any other. We are always labled as either a Bible thumping, banjo picking redneck or some other crap. It is so easy to make fun of someone for trying to live a moral life, because its not cool or politically correct unless you accept and/or embrace every lifestyle out there. If we as Christians dont agree with something, whether it is homosexuality or witchcraft or whatever, and we speak out then we are hate mongerers. Although, alot of times when some other religion is made fun of, somebody gets blowed up, sued or called a racist.
For every instance that the ACLU has helped a Christian there is another where they have helped someone sue a Christian for practicing their religion.
God is loving, he is also wrathful. If you dont believe that God is both, then you dont understand the true God of the Bible.
Well said greasemonkey.
Some people on here seem to think that Jesus was A mild mannered teacher.From what I understand he spoke with authority, you can't teach with authorty and be mild mannered like A sissy.He offended A lot of people.They called him names,and he called them names like,hypocrits,fools,devils,blind leading the blind.This does not sound like A meely mouth sissy to me.He was loud. He had to be, they didn't have loud speakers.He was right about every thing he said, he didn't have to cower down to anyone,and he didn't.So don't try to make him look like A door matt that everyone walked on.Yes, he had compassion and love,but don't mistake that for being A wimp.He stood toe to toe with the best of them,and they left from him, angry and nervous.
Sand-flea,
I agree, and most Christians should use that as an example to live by. We should all speak with authority and not let everyone walk on us. I have been praying for God to make me more bold, and to speak out more, because I have been a coward in that regard. When asked about my faith or when it comes up in conversation I dont deny or back down, but I am not out professing my faith like I should be.
It's A fact, not many of us do.
parkerbrothers,
Are you Jesus? What about Michael, is he Jesus? Ok, Now did Jesus say, "James, cast down your nets and grab your sword, we have some fighting to do" Nope. He merely said "come." What point are you trying to make? He is the Son of God, Not a "wanna-be" Pastor Mike. So how the hell am I erroneous in my assertation of the situation of recruiting God's Warriors?
Really think about this, we have talked on the phone twice now and you know where I am coming from. And I know where you are coming from, but You can't 100% believe there is a way to win this holy war by condoning Michael's hatemongering? Really think about this, very calmly, because I know for a fact you have a logical brain due to our long winded conversations.
Michael,
Something I just really want to know:
Jesus went to the multitudes of people that were not saved, the disciples preached to people that did not know. So WHY the hell are you preaching to the same people OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
You talk about going to places where they believe as you do, talk as you do, and read what you read. Doesn't seem to be a very fruitful way of spreading the word. Guess it is pretty damn easy and safe to go to church, or behind a computer monitor and preach to the same people over and over without one reply based on the topic that you started.
So please, I really want to know what is the basis of your blog. What is it's purpose and how do you feel it contributes to spread the wonderful news of Jesus.
This is just one of many places I spread the Word!
Call this a training ground for my own church someday.
Unless by a miracle you probably won't attend so I will still do it here so we can futher our relationship.
Evil Monkey,
I really do not see Michael as hatemongering. I hope you do not see me that way also. I actually think we (you and I) just have a little different view as to what Jesus was and how he conducted himself. I see both sides of him and the father. I've listened to Jesus pronounce woes to the scribes and Pharisees. I heard him call Peter Satan and to get behind him. I've seen him heal the sick. I've seen him feed thousands of the hungry. In another breath he has told of wailing and gnashing of teeth. I saw him wither the fig tree.
Would you call Jesus hatemongering?
I think he loved when he warned of the reality to come.
Either way it is just something to think about. I am glad we got the time to talk on the phone. I wish everyone on here would at least try the same. The tone of someones voice can be quite different than what the imagination leads you to believe from reading the keystrokes sometimes as I saw with you.
sand-flea,
They had not heard one speak with such authority as Jesus did. It probably made them shutter like the demons do when they heard him. They almost immediately set out to find a way to destroy him.
They were probably so shook by this authority that they could not commprehend the temple being rebuilt in 3 days.
parkerbrothers,
Ok so specifically picking out groups of people based one their belief, sexual preference, or occupation IS hatemongering because it induces people to attack back.
And Michael,
YET AGAIN, you didn't answer the question. So please, I really want to know what is the basis of your blog. What is it's purpose and how do you feel it contributes to spread the wonderful news of Jesus.
It's easy to forget there are people behind those computer screens.
It's easy to make up a version of who they are to fit the opinions we wish to hold.
The world has done this with God.
Is the Father some sort of ego-driven Sky Bully?
Is Jesus a wimp?
Is the Holy Spirit merely a "Force" more akin to electricity or gravity than a Person?
Perhaps the Father is a nurturing Creator.
Perhaps Jesus embodies the definition of meekness as "God-controlled" (the ultimate strength).
Maybe Shekinah,the Sabbath Bride is not only the means by which the world was made,Jesus was conceived,wisdom is granted and the gifts of the Spirit are bestowed.
Maybe she is our Helper and the source of holy power rather than that power itself.
If we find it so hard to comprehend all the qualities in one another,how are we to have perfect knowledge of the Almighty?
The way to avoid misunderstanding one is the same as figuring out the other.
Set aside what you think you know long enough to talk to them one-on-one ,listen to what they have to say and witness their actions.
Does that mean all of your current concepts will be proven wrong?
Not necessarily,but you will have a richer,more complete idea of that individual than if you settle for a human-generated image instead of the reality.
Evil Monkey,
It is not specifically picking out a group of people. It is the sin that is to be discussed. It just so happens that some are engaged in a particular sin that is discussed and they feel singled out. Yes, there has been more discussion of certain sins on here more than others or at least it does appear that way. I think part of the reason it appears that way is that the ones that are guilty of these overdiscussed sins differ from others in the fact that they are the ones that are most vocal about trying to pass their vice off as something we should accept and change our point of view on and try to convince us that God now has a different view of this sin. God does not change. He is the same today as yesterday and tommorrow. If 99.9% of the human population evolve into homosexuality it is not going to change my view of it. My view will be the same just because I know clearly what God's view of it is.
I do not hate a homosexual. I love them in a way that cares for their eternity. If it induces them to fight back that has to just be a consequence of the truths affect on their conscience and heart. Homosexuality is the same today as it was in the past and will be the same in the future for eternity. It is sin. Never will change. Not in a trillion years.
I ask you to stop and question why you think this subject appears as it does. Have you noticed that if other sins are mentioned the group that struggles with that vice does not come to arms and try to defend their vice as do the homosexuals. They do not try to cram their vice down our throats as something that is now alright to do and label us as hatemongers because we simply tell them their vice is still a sin and needs repentance from. They do not try to use the gene thing as a pardon for their vice. I believe the homosexual thing currently is such a hot topic not because of Christians expressing their view of it but the homosexuals themselves adamantly seeking acceptance of their desired lifesyle. My only advice to them is that they may gain the 99.9% acceptance of the human race but they are still right where the Bible says they are. Deceived!!!!
Do you wish to see any homosexual stay in his or her lifestyle and lose their soul for eternity? Do you just not care and only worry about your own self? Do you do ever feel compelled to snatch them out of harm?
I am saved and covered by the blood of Christ. Nothing, absolutely nothing can snatch me out of his hand. Never will. I would like to see everybody held in this grip and experience this blessed assurance.
marvin,
Are you not reading or understanding what I am saying, Look at these quotes below, he is singling out other beliefs... And then announcing war... It specifically states Jesus will call upon his when he returns. It is getting old, why do you keep saying I am wrong when it clearly states in EVERY SINGLE BLOG of his about a certain race, religion or preference is the cause of the world's problems. Something is wrong about this type of preaching.
"All the news on how the Muslims get all ill and threaten violence when a carton or drawing or news article against their faith is shown. "
"War is looming Jesus is drafting a army to defend his honor I have enlisted in God's army to fight till he calls me home. "
When the battle lines are,at last,clearly drawn,will we be able to accept the soldiers fighting alongside us?
Or will we join with those who would destroy us rather than ally ourselves with those we look down on who serve beneathe the Lord's banner?
Evil Monkey,
Let me read what you are saying when I get a little rest. I may be missing something. I just took a 15 minute nap and do not need to focus on anything just yet. I mowed grass from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. yesterday and the pollen has took a toll on my body.
yeah it seems this season the pollen is really affecting alot of peoples health. Hope you feel better, you know what I do when I mow? I take one of those white filters and dip the direct center of the mask in baby oil.
Wash your eyes and nose out with a nasal syringe or Neti pot,as well.
That helps with colds and pollen.
DO NOT use any mower that doesn't go "baaaa" while tired or under the influence of anything that could make you drowsy.
(Remember to use plenty of water and sunblock,too.)
What is a Neti pot? EM said to dip the center of a white filter in baby oil. What does the baby oil do?
parkerbrothers
Sorry to hear your under the weather.I'll say a prayer for you.I also get that allergy -sinus problem.I usually take some nyquil and don't call me until morning. Hope you get to feeling better soon.
Evil-Monkey---off topic
Is the program "RegCure" a good one to help my computer.
http://a1061.g.akamai.net/7/1061/5412/home/www.wal...
This is a Neti pot (one brand anyway. SinusCleanse is also good. They can be found about anywhere they have colds and allergy stuff).
An empty nose drop bottle would do pretty much the same.
The idea is to wash out the congestion and irritants.
As for the baby oil,I'd guess the pollen and stuff would stick to it before it reached your breathing passages.
Is that it,EM?
P.S. Don't use the nasal equipment on your eyes.
Wearing safety glasses or goggles can protect your eyes from all kinds of injurious materials.
Bathing your eyes with warm water and maybe a smidgen of baby shampoo will help remove debris,grit or flaking skin that's already there.
Liquid Tears and/or eye washes made for allergies will help with the rest.
Get your doctor's advice.
sand-flea,
Honestly, I never use any registry cleaner programs because it might remove an entry that could cause issues with an application I have installed. If I want to clean the registry, I do it manually by doing a regedit command prompt in the run menu. Then going through each entry. Yes it is tedious, but it works the best. What seems to be your computer problem?
Yeah the baby oil will not allow the pollen to "dust" off after removing the mask. And it prevents the pollen from accidently going through the mask if you were to breathe in too hard.
Evil Monkey,
I have read the topics of Michaels' post as I told you I would. It is probably just me but I still do not see hatemongering in any of them. Explain to me what you are seeing that I am missing.
Are there any false statements in what he has said?
I also wonder what people think and this is not directed at you or anyone in particular but what did Jesus do on the cross? What in particular was he doing on it?
Among other things,he was thwarting a legalistic devil.
The enemy was ready to take down Mankind for running up a sin-debt it couldn't pay.
God couldn't just dismiss the debt.
Someone that owed that debt would have to pay it.
(But no one who sinned could pay it off.
They could only add to it.)
God then becomes human through the Logos and becomes heir to Man's obligation without having Adam's legacy of a fallen nature.
Instead,He applies the wealth of Heaven to erase all the world might owe-past present and future.
His taking our place on the cross and assuming punishment he never deserved not only gives us the means of getting out from under the sin-debt and starting fresh,it gives us riches of wisdom and compassion that we can invest in our world and reap dividends for Christ to present to His Father.
He could have set aside a penny's worth of His grace to redeem us.
Instead,He gave all He had because he knew we could give it increase.
He believed in us before we ever had the intelligence to believe in Him.
God would not be content to dismiss those who left His protection.
He called for His strays and when He was told that He would have to pay to reclaim His own,He paid the necessary price rather than let them perish.
But,they will not be lost again.
They bear His name and the same Law that endangered them demands that His ownership be acknowledged because He has taken on responsibility for them.
We belong to God three times.
Once,because we were born to His household.
Secondly,because He ransomed us to bring us home.
Thirdly,because we have given Him our love freely and with our whole being.
(A being He made whole in the first place.)
Christ redeemed us and got us adopted into His family as joint-heirs with Him.
We can sit back and wait for the clan to bail us out every time we get stupid-or we can "go into the family business" and build on what Christ did with what our Father founded.
parkerbrothers,
"War is looming Jesus is drafting a army to defend his honor I have enlisted in God's army to fight till he calls me home. "
False. why would Jesus need to fight in his honor? He is Jesus.
"I heard a scary story that over 630,000 people leave the Christian faith per year and convert to Islam."
False.
Christians are leaving because there is nothing more to learn, they are not joining Islamic sects. They just refuse to be told things that don't make any sense.
"All the news on how the Muslims get all ill and threaten violence when a carton or drawing or news article against their faith is shown."
Half-Truth, because he is generalizing all muslims have no humor.
"I have said that Islam would try to destroy from within."
False, Extremists have been saying that for centuries. It is a known fact, it is nothing new.
"Lawsuits for sermons in the pulpits or the A.C.L.U. involved in violating some Christian's rights."
False, because there is seperation of Church and State. Most of the lawsuits took place because the situation took place within State and Federal buildings and grounds. If a Muslim were to do something in school like pray in class, I bet you would want it stop immediately too.
I have never been a God fearing person,I was not required to go to church growing up.(my mama was a God fearing Southern Baptist).I have tried to keep an open mind when it comes to different Religions.I have been on a spiritual search if you will, for several years now. after reading what Mr Bell has written I feel I am getting closer to Buddhism for my spiritual path. I do not beleive I will go to hell if I'm not a Christian, I do not feel there is a hell.I believe there is a place everyone goes when their time comes to die. I also believe we are given a chance to come back and try to get thing rights.Mybe thats hell, who knows.I'm sure I will get alot of negitive things from this but thats ok.Maybe we should all try a little compassion.When it comes to religion I have so many un answered question, like if god loves his people then why are children,tortured and killed.Why does it seem the good are put thru so much and the evil people of the world seem to have a free pass.And what about spirits,ghost, or what ever you want to call them how do you explain that.Any help with these question would be appreciated.Thank you for your time.
redcat00,
Hopefully no one will give you a lot of negative for your comments. They seemed like they were coming from an honest and open heart.
All the questions you have are ones we all have in life at times. I do wish you would search for the answers in the word of a living God. The Bible has the answers to all questions if we search for them. The spiritual search you are on originates from the call of God for you.
Evil-Monkey
Thanks
Not quite sure what the problem is. It reboots a couple of times on start up.Sometimes it just freezes,have to reset.
Thank you Parkerbrothers, May is just not a very good time for me, my Mom died 14 years ago on Memorial day and my Sister who was my best friend died 8 years ago on Mothers day,and my Dad 3 years ago on my Grand Daughters birthday it just seem I have lost so many family members including 3 nephews, in such a short time.They were all sudden deaths. I guess I'm really looking for answers as to why and is there really life after death. Thanks again.
redcat00,
Sorry to hear of all the family members passing. My wife lost a son 20 years ago this last week and I see the toll it takes on her every year during this time. We discuss a lot of the same questions you have all the time.
I want to assure you there is life after death here. It is a life I look forward to and has given me something worthwhile to live for. All the money in the world can not buy the contentment and peace that knowing and having a personal relationship with a living God can bring.
I understand the spiritual search you are on. I have lived it myself. I truly believe it is a living God that is calling you and wanting to answer your questions. I struggled for years looking for answers and only finding more questions.
I am free now and the torment and struggles has been replaced by a peace and assurrance that surpasses all understanding. I am not the best person to talk to but I would be glad to explain it to you as best as I know how if you ever want to hear about it. It worked for me and might be something that could help you. It is just my simple personal story and has nothing to do with trying to get you to go to any certain church. I do not attend "church" myself on any regular basis and did not find my answers in a church building. I actually only came away from church with more questions. I was looking for answers.
Feel free to call me anytime at 931-224-1571 or email me at parkerbrothers@charterinternet.com.
sand-flea,
Is your computer a tower? if so, open the side up and after it has been running awhile and see if the heatsink on the cpu is very hot, it sounds like it might be overheating. Don't touch it, just see if there is alot of heat coming from it.
If it is not that then the next culprit would be the GPU, which is the processer that run the graphics (video). Do you get any errors?
redcat00
My blog name is Unique-Lies. Don't let the name scare you. I have discovered after years of reading the King James version of the Christian Bible that the churches have been teaching their congregations Unique-Lies. Are they harmless lies? You tell me!
I will attempt to explain just some of these Lies to you as I reveal the truth to you about the questions you want answers to.
I went to church when I was a young boy, while my parents stayed home. Even as a child I didn't think that was right nor fair. It didn't matter because my family was a christian family who believed in God and His only begotten son, Jesus, so they knew about Them somehow. If we used the Lords' name in vain, we got a bar of soap in the mouth. That was always my Moms' job to do. Dad would just use his belt and that would be the end of all discussions.
I was Baptized when I was a baby as a Methodist. I don't see how that can count as anything because as a baby you aren't aware of what you are doing or what is being done to you. Baptizing with water is symbolic of washing away your sins. How many sins do we have as a baby? I believe it is NONE! Or so that is what the Bible says. I have been to several different churches and they are pretty much the same except for their own personal bylaws.
This MAY be LONG so you will have to pay close attention or just scroll on down and keep searching for the answers you want for ever.
Forget about religions and think Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. God is His Father, Jesus is the Son and the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) is the helper we get when we accept Jesus as our Christ.
God would just as soon have you go into a closet to pray to Him because there you can say the things that need to be said. You can confess your sins and ask for forgiveness in private or publicly. When you read the Bible God is talking to you. When you pray you are talking to Him. If you don't read the Bible for yourself, God can't talk to you. When you go to church, you are trusting that God has spoken to the preacher of the church. Most churches teach what the head church send them to preach on. They also teach what the head church teaches rather it is the truth or not.
>>I do not beleive I will go to hell if I'm not a Christian, I do not feel there is a hell.
Let me explain Hell to you! When people die, they go to one of two places. One is Hell and the other is a place across a big Gulf from Hell so neither can cross other to the other side. This is locate deep in the lower earth. I believe this other place is called Hades. Hades was never spoken of in the Old Testament, only the New Testament. There wasn't a place for righteous peole in the old Testament because the only way to God is through the son, Jesus Christ. Everyone went to Hell. That is why Jesus had to go to Hell those three days while His body was in His tomb. Jesus witnessed to the dead in Hell to save all who believed Him.
Right now you are searching for the truth. You are thirsting for the water of Life. God is touching your life and sending you to become a follower. If you ignore this calling, you gain nothing. If nothing else, go to a church and go up to the altar call and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Your life will change and you will know it.
If you don't accept Christ and you die tomorrow, your soul will go to Hell, because God has put the yearning in your Heart to know Him and you refused His invitation. If you weren't searching for God you would be ignorant of God and would be blameless and not sent to Hell but Hades instead.
>>I believe there is a place everyone goes when their time comes to die.
Yes there is a place, but we don't know where we are at that time, because we are sleeping! The Scriptures say that we Know Nothing and Do Nothing when we Die. We are NOT aware of anything going on after we Die. Our thoughts are shut down. What a Blessing that is! Think about it?? We don't have to worry about the last thing we said to a loved one or the last thing we done to them before they died. We don't have to worry about them watching everything we do here on earth and judging us. They are sleeping and don't Know Anything Nor Do Anything. That also means they don't know where they are, Hell or Hades, Heaven or Paradise!
NOW Where and What are these places?
->Hell... Deep in the Earth somewhere where sinners and nonbelievers go and sleep until they are judged.
->Hades... Deep in the Earth across a big Gulf from Hell where Christians go and Sleep until they are resurrected.
->Heaven... The Heaven you are thinking of is where God lives. This is the Highest Heaven and No one has gone there except Jesus Christ. This haven is Jesus' home but not our home. We didn't come from Heaven. We came from the dust of the earth.
->Paraidse... Paradise is in the New Heaven which hasn't been created by God Yet. He creates it after the last trumpet is sounded. SO as of right now, there is no Paridse to go to. Paradise is referred to as a TRANCE that we go into when we die (SLEEP).
>>I also believe we are given a chance