bloke wrote:All sarcasm aside, I believe there is something that is bigger than us and that it is omnipotent. From my very limited ability to perceive, the appearance of this omnipotent power only shows itself to us through tiny peepholes (as, likely, that is all that we can really understand).
Those who insist that they have most (or all...??) of "the answers" (definitions of this omnipotence) are - to me - suspect. I do read, study, and contemplate books, but do not worship books. I do have beliefs, but also believe that some of my beliefs (just as are many of my perceptions and actions) could be wrong. I do believe that the omnipotent power can and will put me within its good graces if I recognize its existence, respect/love this existence, and strive to stay on the side of this existence - ie: the side of "light".
As far as being "liberal" regarding others beliefs is concerned, as long as others strive to be on the side of "light" (vs. "darkness"), I believe they may at least partially be on the right track. It is all too obvious what types of things are in the "light" and which are in the "darkness". The omnipotent power makes this quite clear simply by the results of our movements towards things of darkness and towards things of the light. I have little patience for those who represent "dark" as "light" and visa versa. I cannot help but believe that they are horribly misled and are additionally striving to mislead.
I believe the omnipotent power must be somewhat "liberal" in its admittance of souls into its realm. Otherwise, that realm would be vacant. Finally, I do not believe that any particular religioustic symbolic action or man-made religioustic utterance will necessarily move one either towards or away from the light.
All of that being said, it's quite possible that I may have a second grandchild before tomorrow!
the Tin Woodsman wrote:I'll see you reach the Wizard, whether I get a heart or not.
Bingo. I think there's some sort of higher power out there. I don't know exactly whom or what it is, but I do know that if you look at the basic tenets of every major religion in the world, the basic message is the same. The differences, to me, are merely minor details. Who am I to decide who's details are "right" and who's are "wrong???" How could I POSSIBLY know that, with absolute certainty???
Rather than focus on all the details (many of which, I think, are not of great importance to the creator), perhaps we ought to focus more on the core message of love and respect for your fellow man. The world would be a much better place.
TMurphy wrote:Rather than focus on all the details (many of which, I think, are not of great importance to the creator), perhaps we ought to focus more on the core message of love and respect for your fellow man. The world would be a much better place.
We have a saying at work that sums it all up: "Don't be a jerk."
bloke and TMurphy said what I think, and much more eloquently than I could. I am glad I will be getting off at three. By seven in the evening, the triptofan (sp) will have worn off and the family unity will become angry discord, getting my brothers invited to their houses.
Ally"who has seen a Christmas tree exit the house by way of the front window"House
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.
I have much to be thankful for.
The gang always comes to my place. We eat too much, pick and grin, run our mouths, pray and watch football.
The only thing I would like to change about the wonderful thanksgiving holiday is to implore the networks to feature some other pro teams besides the Cowboys and Lions.
toots
bloke wrote:All sarcasm aside, I believe there is something that is bigger than us and that it is omnipotent. From my very limited ability to perceive, the appearance of this omnipotent power only shows itself to us through tiny peepholes (as, likely, that is all that we can really understand).
Those who insist that they have most (or all...??) of "the answers" (definitions of this omnipotence) are - to me - suspect. I do read, study, and contemplate books, but do not worship books. I do have beliefs, but also believe that some of my beliefs (just as are many of my perceptions and actions) could be wrong. I do believe that the omnipotent power can and will put me within its good graces if I recognize its existence, respect/love this existence, and strive to stay on the side of this existence - ie: the side of "light".
As far as being "liberal" regarding others beliefs is concerned, as long as others strive to be on the side of "light" (vs. "darkness"), I believe they may at least partially be on the right track. It is all too obvious what types of things are in the "light" and which are in the "darkness". The omnipotent power makes this quite clear simply by the results of our movements towards things of darkness and towards things of the light. I have little patience for those who represent "dark" as "light" and visa versa. I cannot help but believe that they are horribly misled and are additionally striving to mislead.
I believe the omnipotent power must be somewhat "liberal" in its admittance of souls into its realm. Otherwise, that realm would be vacant. Finally, I do not believe that any particular religioustic symbolic action or man-made religioustic utterance will necessarily move one either towards or away from the light.
I think the basis for Marty's original rant is just more-or-less ignorance on the part of society in general.
On a humorous note.... My tuba/euph quartet played a church service this past Friday evening at an inner-city church. This church projects the words to the hymnal tunes onto a screen. One of the tunes was called "He Exalts Me". The words that appeared on the screen were "He Exhausts Me". The words to every tune contained typos but that was the most 'interesting'.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
"Point made?" What was the point, again? I thought you were asserting that "Newspapers, TV, even retail advertisements now refer to it almost exclusively as turkey day." One example does not serve to make that point.
I live in Seattle, a west coast city in a west coast state - "There are forty-seven states in the Union, and the Soviet of Washington" - and the newspaper that really reflects local attitudes about things is the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Google says "turkey day" occurs 378 times on its web site (http://seattlepi.com), where "thanksgiving" occurs 10,300 times. In this example we seem to have a ways to go before we get to "almost exclusively".
Maybe this is a regional thing that actually has nothing to do with political correctness or other progressive tendencies commonly seen as signs of the decline of western civilization. In fact, "turkey day" is offensive to vegetarians. I think we need more details about where this assault of "turkey day" usage is coming from.
bloke wrote:For quite a few decades now, the term "turkey" has been used as a slang word meaning a fool or a thing that does not function as it should. With (often-enough atheist-leaning) media personages using their term "Turkey Day", it subtly connotes that those who give thanks to God are foolish and dysfunctional.
Are you sure you aren't reading something into the phrase that really isn't there?
bloke wrote:
For quite a few decades now, the term "turkey" has been used as a slang word meaning a fool or a thing that does not function as it should. With (often-enough atheist-leaning) media personages using their term "Turkey Day", it subtly connotes that those who give thanks to God are foolish and dysfunctional.
It's worse than that! The truth is, and you know it's true, the turkey is the big star of this holiday. And, as you note, the turkey has a little image problem. As we call it "turkey day", we underminers of the American way remind people that it's a celebration of an inferior, despised thing, and, ever so subtly, that the people who celebrate it must be in their own way, turkeys. But if it makes you feel any better, we hate ourselves too!
Along with Politics, I think we should also ban Sex and Religion.
thanks, Bruce
And while you're at it....ban drugs, rock-n-roll, free-thought, lively debate, anything bloke has to say..... along with any discussion other than "What mouthpiece are you using?" "What do you think of this horn?" or plethora of mundane questions. (tongue firmly placed in cheek)
Bruce, I am NOT attacking you. You're probably a good person. I am simply arguing that we are becoming a world of restrictions. I think all of these topics and discussions make up who we are.
Have a Happy Thanksgi...Thanksgiv....uhhh.....Thanksgivi.....one more time..... Happy Thanksgiving.
bort wrote:I'm fine with Turkey day as long as we can call Black Friday "Leftover Turkey Day."
How stupid is it that the best name we have for that day is "Day After Thanksgiving"?
How about a different hue? LightGoldenRodYellow Friday?
Reminds me of a scene from an episode of The Simpsons:
Lisa: I'd like 25 copies on Goldenrod.
Clerk: Right.
Lisa: 25 on Canary.
Clerk: Mmhmm.
Lisa: 25 on Saffron.
Clerk: All right.
Lisa: And 25 on Paella.
Clerk: Ok, 100 yellow.
Happy Thanksgiving To All ! On a personal note, we will never celebrate " turkey day" around our house . I'll cook and eat the darn thing but that's about that . Franklin almost made one of Gods dumbest creatures our National Bird . Had he, This might be Eagle Day we'd be celebrating , but I digress , two Thanksgivings back , while out on an early morning bike ride, I spotted a gaggle ( is that correct ? ) of turkey ahead in the road , crossing to my right , hopping a stone wall into the woods. The one straggler to my left ,who I hadn't noticed , took flight , apparently in an effort to catch up with his idiot friends , and struck me mid thigh . Knocking me off of my bike and causing me to separate my shoulder .
I took great delight in stuffing the turkey that year , albeit with one hand !!
I think the usage of Turkey day may be localized...it remains Thanksgiving around here , but , what really annoys me is that once Halloween is over, its Christmas season as retailers and marketers ramp up the Christmas shopping season...oh vey !!!
Is your el-cheapo recipe on par with buying cheap cuts of beef and letting them slow cook in a crock pot or BBQ style? I know that there have been many wonderful recipes over the years that take inexpensive ingredients and produce an amazing meal. I can't help but think that el-cheapo ham will taste like el-cheapo ham. I won't knock it until I try it.
) "bone-in" "water added" store-brand hams (that are shrink-wrapped in plastic)...