I was asked a question recently and gave my answer as you can see.
I was just looking at it and thought it might go some way toward explaining my position and beliefs regarding the interfaith work I do and why I have no problem accepting that others do not think or sometimes even believe as I do and why it is alright with me.....more than alraight as the short piece explains. ENJOY!
It is important to note here several things that work toward tolerance, a word which by the way, I hate!! I simply "accept" that others think differently and as long as they are not violent that's just fine! I don't simply "tolerate" them! I find that a terrible way to treat people.
Many people believe many things. Are they right? Who can say with certainty.
What I do know is this, my faith is certain and unshakable. The reason for this is not unique to me, but it is unusual in the general population. I have had two major Epiphanies and a few small ones and many, many "God moments".
During candidacy for ministry one is compelled as part of the investigatory process, to go back in life and identify these moments. As you do, it becomes clear that we have prevenient grace with us all, that steers us in directions we would not have normally chosen. And events that can be clearly defined as such.
They are not, as is commonly thought, stepping in front of a car for instance and enduring a near miss. They are more complicated and usually concealed to some degree and require discernment to dig out of ones past.
Epiphanies are of course shattering events as they leave you (at least me) questioning your own sanity, in my case for nineteen years then a second one of which there is no doubt as there were witnesses, that were strangers to me, who saw something taking place. In other words disinterested people witnessed it.
Now that being said I have met others who have had moments of epiphany and with out exception, every one of them is as I am. OPEN!! Totally aware that we know almost NOTHING of God or His plans, all we KNOW is what we were asked to do, or to tell the people.
The other thing is that not one of us has faith any longer. We have knowledge. It is REAL!! No doubts, no questions, REAL!! We are not crazy, we are not deluded, we experienced something witnessed by others as a visible phenomanon and have proceeded with our lives doing as we were asked, in the humility that if we fail God will simply choose someone else. He is no respector of persons, no one knows this more than I and those who have experienced what I have.
I have NO RIGHT to tell anyone their faith or belief is wrong, everyone walks a different path.
The only exception to this is when violence enters the picture. Any excuse for violence against God's children to enforce any dogma what-so-ever is WRONG!! PERIOD!! We as Christians when confronted by derision are to simply walk away, not to confront it, but to not waste time and just walk away. I need no excuse to ignore the ignorant....niether do any of you. And, quite frankly you would be much better served if you learned to do just that. When asked a question in earnest do your best to answer it. When baited, stop exchanging and ignore the baiting. Do not retaliate or attempt further explanation, it is fruitless and you are simply being used by them to appear silly or stupid to others.
If you have a bone to pick with a particular poster tell them what it is, in plain human terms, do not use religion, they don't care about religion! With the exception of using it as a weapon against you!
State your case when posting religious themes and don't debate with people who are NOT interested in debating you, only trying to score points off you. Don't let them do that!
That is why there are some on here I will NOT answer questions from, I don't feel bad about this, they called it, not me.
Keep the faith, don't be dragged down, there is no need folks, really there isn't
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Clergy Letter Project
Several years ago I joined a group effort to bring forward the Clergy letter Project. This is an effort by many around the U.S. and the world to educate people that the conflict between religion and Science need not exist.
Each has it’s place in the human drama and the two disciplines need not conflict with each other. In fact they can, in many instances, compliment each other in the human quest to understand ourselves and the human story.
I have assembled a sort of discussion course, kind of a seminar, that points to the acceptance of ideas rather than the rejection of them out of hand, as being mutually exclusive.
Science doe not reject anything out of hand, as to do so limits investigation into unknown, or unseen, possibilities that become visible with the passage of time and the increasing body of knowledge that time bestows on human beings as it passes.
Religion on the other hand denies the possibilities of new understandings by it’s very make up, as being the “word of God”
Which of course begs the question….”is it really??”
Now this will upset lo, even enrage some out there, but the Bible or The Qu’ran is written by men, not God!
As faithfull as they were in their attempts to bring us what God said, it still had to pass through the filters of men’s minds who were subject to the understandings of the times and culture with in which they lived!
As such, we now many thousands of years removed in time, must try and understand that, which in many cases bears little, or NO, resemblance to the way we live now.
We can see this in the way that God Himself is presented to us in the Old and then the New Testaments.
We can see it in the Qu’ran and the difference between it and the Hadiths which are a compilation of the understandings by which the practitioners of Islam see and practice their religion. The Hadith by the way, in many cases, directly contradicts the Qu’ran.
Too many times we deflect or outright reject common sense when dealing with each other and religion. Also we reject science as a threat to religion, which it is not! It can and should, augment our understandings of God and the world .
To give an example, we look at the story of creation. Science postulates the “big bang”. Religion says at first there was darkness and the Lord said let there be light and there WAS light and the Lord saw that it was good.
QUERY; Were you THERE?? No you were not, niether was anyone else!! Both disciplines tell us that, they do NOT explain why do they? As we have progressed we have come to different understandings of the world. BUT!! Are those understandings correct and why must we reject entire huge segments of humans who believe one way or the other? What does it hurt to say, “well nobody knows.” Because indeed, nobody DOES!!
Then we progress to the story of man’s formation in the Garden of Eden.
We see the elements used to create the first man and woman. Scientists tell us it occured somewhat differently but although the progression may have been different it was essentially the same process! Now if you were instructing stone age, early bronze age man, in what you wanted him to do and how to live, what would you tell him? Don’t forget culture and limits of understanding!!
We now progress to Cain and Able and here is where it REALLY gets interesting!
Cain kills Able we all know the story and is terrified that when God Sends him into the wilderness he will be killed. Roughly paraphrased, When the people see who I am, they will kill me for my brother’s death…WAIT A MINUTE HERE!! WHAT people!!?? God then says “I will put a mark on you and they who would harm you will be cursed.” WHAT ‘THEY”?? WHO will be cursed?? We’re in the Garden of eden …right? There isn’t any body else!! Oh really??? And, Cain is sent forth and travels to the land of Nod……Where the devil is NOD!! And there he takes a wife…WHAT!!?? Who is she??? Where did she come from!!?? And he and his people become the builders of cities….!!!!!! What people, what cities!!!??
Kinda sorta makes ya wonder don’t it?? Why all these contradictions…or are they really? Can anyone seriously think that men as they wrote and copied these passages never asked these questions? Of course they did! But they dared not change a word and believed that true understanding was to be found in the words contained in the stories. AND, indeed they are, but the story is allegory and THAT is the part that the teologians don’t explain to you when you are kids!
The Bible is at least 4300 years old and has within it stories that in many cases are allegory in other words to contain the true meaning within it, not necessarily the factual basis, but the parts God wants you to understand!
I have spent over fifty years doing this and many people have gained an insight and peace from knowing God and the world of man that is reconciled and complete for them. They HAVE a relationship with God that is fruitful and unquestioned. Proven in it’s entirity and blessed with their knowledge of the real world that God has provided us all with.
As science has progressed we have gained a working knowledge of how the “natural laws” work. Something we have brought forward to the miracles of modern existence we are blessed with today. Too many when hearing the words natures laws bristle at them, They are God’s laws they exclaim!! Well of course they are, God made nature didn’t HE!!!
Do you see what I mean? How easy it is to rise up in righteous indignation at what is really….. simple truth?
It is critically important to realize that they do not exclude God they help explain Him!! And, how His world works and our place in it as never before realised by humankind.
We see our place as the husbandmen of the planet today as never before with our increasing understanding of our responsibilties as human beings, to care for the place the way we were commanded to do so long ago.
With the blessings, as well as the curses of the modern world we MUST integrate all this knowledge and use it to reach forward into a future or be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past with destructive energies now at our command that can, and perhaps will, destroy us all.
The knowledge of God is critical and the knowledge of science is critical, to accomplish all this…it can no longer be denied.
Rev. Bruce Holzrichter Sr.
Each has it’s place in the human drama and the two disciplines need not conflict with each other. In fact they can, in many instances, compliment each other in the human quest to understand ourselves and the human story.
I have assembled a sort of discussion course, kind of a seminar, that points to the acceptance of ideas rather than the rejection of them out of hand, as being mutually exclusive.
Science doe not reject anything out of hand, as to do so limits investigation into unknown, or unseen, possibilities that become visible with the passage of time and the increasing body of knowledge that time bestows on human beings as it passes.
Religion on the other hand denies the possibilities of new understandings by it’s very make up, as being the “word of God”
Which of course begs the question….”is it really??”
Now this will upset lo, even enrage some out there, but the Bible or The Qu’ran is written by men, not God!
As faithfull as they were in their attempts to bring us what God said, it still had to pass through the filters of men’s minds who were subject to the understandings of the times and culture with in which they lived!
As such, we now many thousands of years removed in time, must try and understand that, which in many cases bears little, or NO, resemblance to the way we live now.
We can see this in the way that God Himself is presented to us in the Old and then the New Testaments.
We can see it in the Qu’ran and the difference between it and the Hadiths which are a compilation of the understandings by which the practitioners of Islam see and practice their religion. The Hadith by the way, in many cases, directly contradicts the Qu’ran.
Too many times we deflect or outright reject common sense when dealing with each other and religion. Also we reject science as a threat to religion, which it is not! It can and should, augment our understandings of God and the world .
To give an example, we look at the story of creation. Science postulates the “big bang”. Religion says at first there was darkness and the Lord said let there be light and there WAS light and the Lord saw that it was good.
QUERY; Were you THERE?? No you were not, niether was anyone else!! Both disciplines tell us that, they do NOT explain why do they? As we have progressed we have come to different understandings of the world. BUT!! Are those understandings correct and why must we reject entire huge segments of humans who believe one way or the other? What does it hurt to say, “well nobody knows.” Because indeed, nobody DOES!!
Then we progress to the story of man’s formation in the Garden of Eden.
We see the elements used to create the first man and woman. Scientists tell us it occured somewhat differently but although the progression may have been different it was essentially the same process! Now if you were instructing stone age, early bronze age man, in what you wanted him to do and how to live, what would you tell him? Don’t forget culture and limits of understanding!!
We now progress to Cain and Able and here is where it REALLY gets interesting!
Cain kills Able we all know the story and is terrified that when God Sends him into the wilderness he will be killed. Roughly paraphrased, When the people see who I am, they will kill me for my brother’s death…WAIT A MINUTE HERE!! WHAT people!!?? God then says “I will put a mark on you and they who would harm you will be cursed.” WHAT ‘THEY”?? WHO will be cursed?? We’re in the Garden of eden …right? There isn’t any body else!! Oh really??? And, Cain is sent forth and travels to the land of Nod……Where the devil is NOD!! And there he takes a wife…WHAT!!?? Who is she??? Where did she come from!!?? And he and his people become the builders of cities….!!!!!! What people, what cities!!!??
Kinda sorta makes ya wonder don’t it?? Why all these contradictions…or are they really? Can anyone seriously think that men as they wrote and copied these passages never asked these questions? Of course they did! But they dared not change a word and believed that true understanding was to be found in the words contained in the stories. AND, indeed they are, but the story is allegory and THAT is the part that the teologians don’t explain to you when you are kids!
The Bible is at least 4300 years old and has within it stories that in many cases are allegory in other words to contain the true meaning within it, not necessarily the factual basis, but the parts God wants you to understand!
I have spent over fifty years doing this and many people have gained an insight and peace from knowing God and the world of man that is reconciled and complete for them. They HAVE a relationship with God that is fruitful and unquestioned. Proven in it’s entirity and blessed with their knowledge of the real world that God has provided us all with.
As science has progressed we have gained a working knowledge of how the “natural laws” work. Something we have brought forward to the miracles of modern existence we are blessed with today. Too many when hearing the words natures laws bristle at them, They are God’s laws they exclaim!! Well of course they are, God made nature didn’t HE!!!
Do you see what I mean? How easy it is to rise up in righteous indignation at what is really….. simple truth?
It is critically important to realize that they do not exclude God they help explain Him!! And, how His world works and our place in it as never before realised by humankind.
We see our place as the husbandmen of the planet today as never before with our increasing understanding of our responsibilties as human beings, to care for the place the way we were commanded to do so long ago.
With the blessings, as well as the curses of the modern world we MUST integrate all this knowledge and use it to reach forward into a future or be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past with destructive energies now at our command that can, and perhaps will, destroy us all.
The knowledge of God is critical and the knowledge of science is critical, to accomplish all this…it can no longer be denied.
Rev. Bruce Holzrichter Sr.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
QUESTIONING THE BOOK
Some one asked me a question on a different forum today and I thought that this belonged here after my answer to them. As a Christian Pastor I thought it encapsulates my feelings about why I feel what we do here is important.
Rev. Bruce....................tawodi
Questioning the contents of the Book"
From the time I was able, intelectually, to understand what I was pursuing (about twelve and a half ) I have questioned the "contents of The Book".
Why? Because of good old Reverend Bell, of the Bethany Methodist Church on Wells street in Chicago Illinois!!
He very often would explain a point of scripture in Catechism and then would give us the position of the "Roman Catholics". Now look at your foot and repeat after me, AND MEAN IT!! Ah crap!! I stepped in dog 5hit!! Now, listen to the inflection, tone, and accenting, of sylables. That is EXACTLY how he would say the words, Roman Catholic!!
As a twelve year old I knew that was wrong!! Half of my buddies were Catholic and there certainly wasn't anything wrong with them!!
So after confirmation, when my Grandmother gave me my first Bible, I went and took some of the money I had been given for confirmation and bought Harpers Bible commentary and a Bible dictionary, and began reading it all, like I would read any book.
I was told not to do that, as I could not discern the "mysteries with in the "BOOK" unless somebody told me what it meant...silly me!!
I'm almost 64 years old and have contested with many Semenarians and Pastors Priests and Rabbis in my time and with many right here on these threads. AND especially since Beginning the People of Abraham, Christians, Muslims and Jews.
When in the closing years of my life I consider how foolish we all are to concentrate on our differences, instead of our similarities, I mourne for our race of beings and our future.
It is only in knowing that we will be brought into a future that is not now understandable to us, and the mechanisms necessary to make it function are not fathomable either, that I do not despair totally.
Ever since, all those years ago, I have questioned the Book...yes I have....But I have NEVER questioned the intent, or the existence of, the inspiration for it. As the imposition of command STILL allows free will. And that is the true sign, to me, of a loving Creator, one who givess us room to make our mistakes, is standing by to pick us up, dust us off, and send us on our way to try again. That is the meaning of agape' LOVE, UNQUESTIONING, UNENDING, ALWAYS THERE, NEVER FADING, ALWAYS READY TO FORGIVE IF WE LOSE OUR STUBBORNESS AND.... SIMPLY ASK.
And that right there, is the only mystery to me. Why woulsd God do that? Well because he has that kind of love for us, that's why!!!
T
Rev. Bruce....................tawodi
Questioning the contents of the Book"
From the time I was able, intelectually, to understand what I was pursuing (about twelve and a half ) I have questioned the "contents of The Book".
Why? Because of good old Reverend Bell, of the Bethany Methodist Church on Wells street in Chicago Illinois!!
He very often would explain a point of scripture in Catechism and then would give us the position of the "Roman Catholics". Now look at your foot and repeat after me, AND MEAN IT!! Ah crap!! I stepped in dog 5hit!! Now, listen to the inflection, tone, and accenting, of sylables. That is EXACTLY how he would say the words, Roman Catholic!!
As a twelve year old I knew that was wrong!! Half of my buddies were Catholic and there certainly wasn't anything wrong with them!!
So after confirmation, when my Grandmother gave me my first Bible, I went and took some of the money I had been given for confirmation and bought Harpers Bible commentary and a Bible dictionary, and began reading it all, like I would read any book.
I was told not to do that, as I could not discern the "mysteries with in the "BOOK" unless somebody told me what it meant...silly me!!
I'm almost 64 years old and have contested with many Semenarians and Pastors Priests and Rabbis in my time and with many right here on these threads. AND especially since Beginning the People of Abraham, Christians, Muslims and Jews.
When in the closing years of my life I consider how foolish we all are to concentrate on our differences, instead of our similarities, I mourne for our race of beings and our future.
It is only in knowing that we will be brought into a future that is not now understandable to us, and the mechanisms necessary to make it function are not fathomable either, that I do not despair totally.
Ever since, all those years ago, I have questioned the Book...yes I have....But I have NEVER questioned the intent, or the existence of, the inspiration for it. As the imposition of command STILL allows free will. And that is the true sign, to me, of a loving Creator, one who givess us room to make our mistakes, is standing by to pick us up, dust us off, and send us on our way to try again. That is the meaning of agape' LOVE, UNQUESTIONING, UNENDING, ALWAYS THERE, NEVER FADING, ALWAYS READY TO FORGIVE IF WE LOSE OUR STUBBORNESS AND.... SIMPLY ASK.
And that right there, is the only mystery to me. Why woulsd God do that? Well because he has that kind of love for us, that's why!!!
T
Friday, November 6, 2009
Prayers and concerns for our fallen soldiers
It is at times like these that the work of The People of Abraham becomes the hardest, but the most necessary.
I, like all of you, have been swept up in the concern for and the upheaval of, the recent attack on our soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas. When it was announced that the belief system of the person responsible for the shootings is Muslim, my heart broke.
I am a Christian Pastor as most of you know, and an apologist for none! Evil is evil, no matter what religious system is followed and no matter what the color or social standing, the perpetrator of evil professes. There are, and shall be, no such excuses offered from our organisation.
But I do pray that the judgement of many, will not be impaired by hatred of our Muslim brothers and sisters who follow the path of Islam.
Already there is a flood of garbage, of falsities and downright lies, of just what Islam is and what the beliefs of those who practice it are. I do know there will be no stopping this, as those who profess to know are nothing if not persistant, in the lies that they spread.
It MUST be remembered that there are one and a half billion followers of Islam in the world and the number of extremeists is but a tiny percentage of them.
We in America and elsewhere are at war with that segment of radicals but NOT the rest of peaceful followers of the Islamic way, one of whom is Mr. Robert Salaam one of the co-founders of this organisation, who I count myself honored and blessed to know.
I also know dozens of loyal Muslims who have, and are, serving this nation well, and honorably, on both fronts of that war, and elsewhere in the world.
We must not allow a kneejerk response to destoy the efforts of so many toward the lasting just peace, that they have sacrificed so much for.
We must not allow hatred to come forth in our country, as it has in the past, through ignorance. We must continue to strive for understanding especially here at home.
So it is with a heavy heart that I tender to those who have lost loved ones and had loved ones injured in this latest example of insanity, my deepest condolences and hope for healing and comfort from, and in, the Lord, God, keeper of all mankind.
Rev. Bruce Holzrichter Sr. People of Abraham, Christians Muslims and Jews.
I, like all of you, have been swept up in the concern for and the upheaval of, the recent attack on our soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas. When it was announced that the belief system of the person responsible for the shootings is Muslim, my heart broke.
I am a Christian Pastor as most of you know, and an apologist for none! Evil is evil, no matter what religious system is followed and no matter what the color or social standing, the perpetrator of evil professes. There are, and shall be, no such excuses offered from our organisation.
But I do pray that the judgement of many, will not be impaired by hatred of our Muslim brothers and sisters who follow the path of Islam.
Already there is a flood of garbage, of falsities and downright lies, of just what Islam is and what the beliefs of those who practice it are. I do know there will be no stopping this, as those who profess to know are nothing if not persistant, in the lies that they spread.
It MUST be remembered that there are one and a half billion followers of Islam in the world and the number of extremeists is but a tiny percentage of them.
We in America and elsewhere are at war with that segment of radicals but NOT the rest of peaceful followers of the Islamic way, one of whom is Mr. Robert Salaam one of the co-founders of this organisation, who I count myself honored and blessed to know.
I also know dozens of loyal Muslims who have, and are, serving this nation well, and honorably, on both fronts of that war, and elsewhere in the world.
We must not allow a kneejerk response to destoy the efforts of so many toward the lasting just peace, that they have sacrificed so much for.
We must not allow hatred to come forth in our country, as it has in the past, through ignorance. We must continue to strive for understanding especially here at home.
So it is with a heavy heart that I tender to those who have lost loved ones and had loved ones injured in this latest example of insanity, my deepest condolences and hope for healing and comfort from, and in, the Lord, God, keeper of all mankind.
Rev. Bruce Holzrichter Sr. People of Abraham, Christians Muslims and Jews.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
TAWODI!! Where have you been??!!??
Well ya see it's like this.....I got kinda discouraged back through the summer i had some health issues and conflicts with some of the members of The People of Abraham. I was limited in what and how much i could do or contribute because of those health issues and absolutely could NOT get anybody to post articles or help in any way.....What to do??
So I kinda took a vacation. Once before I closed the blog in frustration, but deceded this time I would leave it open and if the sprirt moved write something here.
Nothing moved, never mind the spirit!!
O.K. I watched others who should have known better tear into each other in cross religious disputes...disquieting indeed. Then watched them gut each other like a fish!! What are you doing people!!??
I yelled and screamed ....was ignored....cajoled and gently maneuvered...was stomped!! O.K. when it's time for a holiday...take a holiday!!
Well things have quieted down somewhat those in conflict seem to have left and those who remained in the back ground?? Well, I guess I'll see if they are still around!
So I will write something pretty quickly, probably this, or next week, and we'll see where it goes from here. By the By anyone who wishes can write here, there are after all eleven listed contributors you know....you didn't?? Well, maybe that's because they've never contributed anything!
Mayhap that will change....maybe only to chew me out for bringing it out into the open this way!
We shall see what we shall see!!
Tawodi.............Rev. Bruce
So I kinda took a vacation. Once before I closed the blog in frustration, but deceded this time I would leave it open and if the sprirt moved write something here.
Nothing moved, never mind the spirit!!
O.K. I watched others who should have known better tear into each other in cross religious disputes...disquieting indeed. Then watched them gut each other like a fish!! What are you doing people!!??
I yelled and screamed ....was ignored....cajoled and gently maneuvered...was stomped!! O.K. when it's time for a holiday...take a holiday!!
Well things have quieted down somewhat those in conflict seem to have left and those who remained in the back ground?? Well, I guess I'll see if they are still around!
So I will write something pretty quickly, probably this, or next week, and we'll see where it goes from here. By the By anyone who wishes can write here, there are after all eleven listed contributors you know....you didn't?? Well, maybe that's because they've never contributed anything!
Mayhap that will change....maybe only to chew me out for bringing it out into the open this way!
We shall see what we shall see!!
Tawodi.............Rev. Bruce
Sunday, May 10, 2009
An ongoing conversation
QUOTE;
Documentary for English Al Jazeera shows US military chaplains in Afghanistan coaching soldiers how to violate the spirit of General Order Number One while maintaining plausible deniability.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/2009542250178146.html
My response to this after some wrote supporting these practices of erzatz "missionaries" in the field, is as follows:
The top brass should have some people's guts for garters for this crap!!
But the top brass might be part of the problem!
I wrote about this and talked of it on my show, it's pure double distilled purple poison to do this in the field, as contested as things are now, it's just plain criminally stupid!!
Someone else's follow up: Yeah, I agree, because the word of god is so insidious, hateful, and damaging to those whos lives are heavily subsidized by American taxpayers.
Obvious in it's content.
One more response from me: If some body wants to evangelize people they should not, (one) counsel the direct disobedience to standing orders. (two) do so in a place such as A stan or Iraq where the indegenous people look at us as possible religious conquerers. And our enemies there use this issue to justify their attacks on us.
This is dangerous to our troops!! ALL of our troops, as it makes no difference where they are, they are subject to more aggresive resistance by the indigenous people to our presence.
When you are trying to passify peoples, it is best not to pee in their cereal!!
T
A response from another; Dear Readers,
Please, don't you care about the souls in Afghanistan for whom the Christ died? Have you seen the abysmal statistics for that G-d forsaken land? Have you read Afgan history?
If you are short of time, just pick up a Henty book.
Hasn't Afghanistan suffered long enough?
You question the place of Christianity in the U.S.A. Our Founding Fathers did not. Here are some quotes:
My response to all who participated; "I ask you again...don't you care?"
Of course I care!! Don't you??
Before you approach someone about questions of faith, you MUST first ascertain if they want to hear it!!
To go into a contested society and start to "spread the word", for want of a better term, you had best determine if it will get you, or others, killed!!
Now, once the conflict has ended and cooler heads prevail, THEN you can talk religion....IF, that is IF, they want to hear it!! AND!! After you have PROVED your intentions and actions as a good Christian should, so they approach you wanting what it is you have, not the other way around.
Otherwise respect their choices and leave it alone!!
This is why Christians have such a reputation as arrogant azzes!! We assume everybody is hell bound if they are not one of us. When our own book tells us, "They who have never heard My Name serve Me, and their names are written in the book of life." SO, if God has a problem with them, HE will fix it NOT you.
Now I am an ordained Christian Minister and a good one, not to be falsly humble, but I would NEVER make someone feel their religion is not as good as mine.
That kind of thinking, you keep to yourself!! Down that road lies madness, injury and death, for millions!! Always has, always will!!
Rev. Bruce.....Tawodi.
Now as can be readily seen, we have a problem with our own people doing things that endanger our troops, our selves and the WORLD with this behaviour. PLEASE, if you know people who are doing these things, prosylatising the unwilling, or those in contested areas, tell them the danger they are facing and exposing others to.
Yes, we as Christians are supposed to spread the word of the Gospel, but we are NOT to actively seek death for our selves and others while we do it!!
Reverend Bruce...................Tawodi.....T.P.O.A.
Documentary for English Al Jazeera shows US military chaplains in Afghanistan coaching soldiers how to violate the spirit of General Order Number One while maintaining plausible deniability.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/2009542250178146.html
My response to this after some wrote supporting these practices of erzatz "missionaries" in the field, is as follows:
The top brass should have some people's guts for garters for this crap!!
But the top brass might be part of the problem!
I wrote about this and talked of it on my show, it's pure double distilled purple poison to do this in the field, as contested as things are now, it's just plain criminally stupid!!
Someone else's follow up: Yeah, I agree, because the word of god is so insidious, hateful, and damaging to those whos lives are heavily subsidized by American taxpayers.
Obvious in it's content.
One more response from me: If some body wants to evangelize people they should not, (one) counsel the direct disobedience to standing orders. (two) do so in a place such as A stan or Iraq where the indegenous people look at us as possible religious conquerers. And our enemies there use this issue to justify their attacks on us.
This is dangerous to our troops!! ALL of our troops, as it makes no difference where they are, they are subject to more aggresive resistance by the indigenous people to our presence.
When you are trying to passify peoples, it is best not to pee in their cereal!!
T
A response from another; Dear Readers,
Please, don't you care about the souls in Afghanistan for whom the Christ died? Have you seen the abysmal statistics for that G-d forsaken land? Have you read Afgan history?
If you are short of time, just pick up a Henty book.
Hasn't Afghanistan suffered long enough?
You question the place of Christianity in the U.S.A. Our Founding Fathers did not. Here are some quotes:
My response to all who participated; "I ask you again...don't you care?"
Of course I care!! Don't you??
Before you approach someone about questions of faith, you MUST first ascertain if they want to hear it!!
To go into a contested society and start to "spread the word", for want of a better term, you had best determine if it will get you, or others, killed!!
Now, once the conflict has ended and cooler heads prevail, THEN you can talk religion....IF, that is IF, they want to hear it!! AND!! After you have PROVED your intentions and actions as a good Christian should, so they approach you wanting what it is you have, not the other way around.
Otherwise respect their choices and leave it alone!!
This is why Christians have such a reputation as arrogant azzes!! We assume everybody is hell bound if they are not one of us. When our own book tells us, "They who have never heard My Name serve Me, and their names are written in the book of life." SO, if God has a problem with them, HE will fix it NOT you.
Now I am an ordained Christian Minister and a good one, not to be falsly humble, but I would NEVER make someone feel their religion is not as good as mine.
That kind of thinking, you keep to yourself!! Down that road lies madness, injury and death, for millions!! Always has, always will!!
Rev. Bruce.....Tawodi.
Now as can be readily seen, we have a problem with our own people doing things that endanger our troops, our selves and the WORLD with this behaviour. PLEASE, if you know people who are doing these things, prosylatising the unwilling, or those in contested areas, tell them the danger they are facing and exposing others to.
Yes, we as Christians are supposed to spread the word of the Gospel, but we are NOT to actively seek death for our selves and others while we do it!!
Reverend Bruce...................Tawodi.....T.P.O.A.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Time to do the mission!!
This is a time for reflection on our mission as members of, The People
of Abraham.
We see from the news that a great conflagration is raging with
increasing loss of life and displacement of peoples around the region
of the Holy land.
As The People of the Books, we owe our brothers and sisters who are
caught up in this clash of arms, the offer of solace and support no
matter who they are, or what faith they follow.
We as people of peace will face a test in this time of chos and
tumult. That test will be staying true to our course and calling for
peace no matter who may be at fault in this current clash.
Hundreds of years of war MUST BE STOPPED!! The cycle of death MUST
END!!
It is the INNOCENT who pay the greaatest price, for the hatred of
others. The women, children and men, who just want to live, and find
safety, in the homes and countries where they live, suffer the
greatest.
I am sending you, as members, the request, that you take the time and
effort to send to the leaders of Israel the fervent prayer for their
peace, but also to remind them that killing of the innocent, no matter
who does it IS WRONG!!
Also, the leaders of Hamas should be apprised of this fact, There is
no "right" in killing of the innocent, It is a perversion of what ever
faith you follow. This will be followed by other requests of the same
nature. Be strong, pray hard for God to prevail over the foolishness
of men!!
Be well friends,.......Reverend Bruce
of Abraham.
We see from the news that a great conflagration is raging with
increasing loss of life and displacement of peoples around the region
of the Holy land.
As The People of the Books, we owe our brothers and sisters who are
caught up in this clash of arms, the offer of solace and support no
matter who they are, or what faith they follow.
We as people of peace will face a test in this time of chos and
tumult. That test will be staying true to our course and calling for
peace no matter who may be at fault in this current clash.
Hundreds of years of war MUST BE STOPPED!! The cycle of death MUST
END!!
It is the INNOCENT who pay the greaatest price, for the hatred of
others. The women, children and men, who just want to live, and find
safety, in the homes and countries where they live, suffer the
greatest.
I am sending you, as members, the request, that you take the time and
effort to send to the leaders of Israel the fervent prayer for their
peace, but also to remind them that killing of the innocent, no matter
who does it IS WRONG!!
Also, the leaders of Hamas should be apprised of this fact, There is
no "right" in killing of the innocent, It is a perversion of what ever
faith you follow. This will be followed by other requests of the same
nature. Be strong, pray hard for God to prevail over the foolishness
of men!!
Be well friends,.......Reverend Bruce
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