Protestantism

» Migisi - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by redback:

.
the 60th's coming up in July
.
Which day in July? Do remind us here so we can wish you a 'happy happy'. Are you (or is someone) planning a big party for your 60th? Sixty IS something to celebrate.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Forthcoming?

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:
.
Well, if congratulations are forthcoming, today is the 54th anniversary of my marriage to the girl I had met eight years earlier at a church supper when we were both thirteen. We were married on May 16, 1953.
.
You can go through a lot of Hell in 54 years; but, one day of Heaven is worth it all. I highly recommend marriage.
.
: ~ )

-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Forthcoming?

In response to Forthcoming? posted by pink101:

.
CONGRATS, Pink and Mrs. Pink!

-- posted by Migisi

» HeadZenCards - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:

Hope you had a great birthday! Wish I could see my grandkids today and tell them more Bible stories... My oldest Granddaughter wants to be a nun! Go figger....

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» Migisi - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by HeadZenCards:

.
Thanks, Ollie. It was fun.
.
Granddaughter wants to be a nun! Go figger....
.
So did I, when I was in eighth grade in parochial school. Look how I turned out (if that's any consolation... tee hee.).
.
My nephew graduates college next year with a degree in criminal law. He now wants to be a prison chaplain. I'm betting once he deals with a few murderers, baby molesters, and the criminally insane, he'll change his mind about 'saving' them.

-- posted by Migisi

» redback - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:

Internet connection keeps dropping out!!!

Mine's on 27, my eldest brother's 30th July. I have organised many other surprise birthdays so tis hard to surprise myself. Actually, it co-incides with Christmas-in-July, a far more practical event. Get that out of the way, fully relax in December. Do you remember I went to the Ebenezer Scrooge School of Christmas & (my) Birthday Celebrations. ABC

Pink: Congratulations!

-- posted by redback

» jlthomp - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:
Okay Migisi, that sounds like an honest challenge, and I expect you to hold my feet to the fire(figuratively) when you see me breaking my own rules. Your comment about my last sentence is well taken, but I didn't actually intend for that to come out as sarcasm. I was just hoping he'd take note.

Honestly, I've grown brutally tired of the cruel joking and all of the above--now hold on a second--when people are speaking within a closed, like-minded group. And that includes myself, as the chief of sinners. In my idealistic gourd, I believe ideas that are worthy of sharing should be expressed civilly, even out of earshot of those with whom we differ. As a wise one once said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Okay, that was a cartoon rabbit, but it doesn't change its truth. Obviously, I'm a work-in-progress. But I have the best of intentions.

By the way, you might guess I appreciate your nephew's vocation. But unfortunately, I agree with you in one sense. The part of prison "spirituality" that gets to me is the games the inmates too often play. They find a goody-two-shoes, bleeding heart Bible thumper and turn on the religious charm. And many of 'em have it down better than most Christians I know. I have a pretty good B. S. detector, and I've been fooled often.

As far as the others--the murderers, rapists, pedophiles--I'm not a bit better human being than they are. Like D. L. Moody once said, "But for the grace of God, there go I." Whenever I'm tempted to pass judgment on someone, I remind myself of my own sinfulness, and God's incredible grace toward me.

-- posted by jlthomp

» EvilChihuahua - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:

My nephew graduates college next year with a degree in criminal law. He now wants to be a prison chaplain. I'm betting once he deals with a few murderers, baby molesters, and the criminally insane, he'll change his mind about 'saving' them.

Who knows. Maybe he'll be so devoted to saving them that he could be doing it for the rest of his life.:)

-- posted by EvilChihuahua

» Migisi - On my soap box this morning...

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by jlthomp:
.
They find a goody-two-shoes, bleeding heart Bible thumper and turn on the religious charm. And many of 'em have it down better than most Christians I know. I have a pretty good B. S. detector, and I've been fooled often.
.
I'm an ex-police officer. There's more than one definition for 'con'. One is 'con-vict', another is 'con-artist' or 'con-fidence trickster'. Oh yes, they've got ~it~ down pat... the religious jargon, the false humility, the holy roller act. I've known cons to be released early because they 'found Jeezus' - so testifies the prison chaplain at their parole hearing. The Bible thumping chaplain invites the parolee to get involved in his church on the outside. What a PERFECT feeding ground for the con - where he can prey upon the trusting and innocent in the congregation. When he's arrested again (see stats on repeaters), the brethren clamor to his defense. Surely, their 'saved brother in Christ' couldn't have raped and tortured the deacon's wife! It must've been somebody else - someone 'unsaved'. What a bunch of suckers!
.
As far as the others--the murderers, rapists, pedophiles--I'm not a bit better human being than they are.
.
If ~you~ think that lowly of yourself, then yes, you're no different than they are.
.
Like D. L. Moody once said, "But for the grace of God, there go I." Whenever I'm tempted to pass judgment on someone, I remind myself of my own sinfulness, and God's incredible grace toward me.
.
A jury of people just like you and me (or a judge) already passed judgment on them. Folks like you and me decided that they were enough of a danger that they needed to be separated from society. The bleeding-heart goody-two-shoes NEEDS to remember that.
.
It's nice to be sympathetic. How about sympathy for and ministering to the ~victims~? No free government-sponsored psychological and medical rehab programs for them, is there. They're on their own to heal their own wounds and pick up the pieces of their lives.
.
I'm going to strongly recommend to my nephew that he work with a victim's advocacy group first, before he dedicates any time to saving the creeps who destroyed lives.

-- posted by Migisi

» HeadZenCards - Re: Brief reply

In response to Re: Brief reply posted by Migisi:

Your example is a great consolation, yes. My daughter's first husband is raising my oldest granddaughter. Catholicism has been a lucky talisman for his families' financial security. May the blessed saints ever keep it so.

My brother spends his retirement years teaching good English and Jesus to prisoners. He bragged once that he was able to teach some fellow good enough English so that his parole board set him free.

One month later, as my brother tells it, he "reoffended" by raping and killing a woman. My brother has no guilt about the incident at all. I think he thinks it was "God's Will".

Scripturally, I cannot argue against his position. As a human being, well, let's just say we don't talk much anymore. I certainly don't listen to him anymore.

-- posted by HeadZenCards