Tired_Old_Man

What I was trying to show in the last post is that when someone says, "I have a dollar bill", I know they have money. But when someone says, "I have money", I don't know if they have a dollar bill. When someone says "I am riding a Harley Davidson", I know they are riding a motorcycle. But when someone says, "I am riding a motorcycle", I do not know that they are riding a Harley Davidson. If someone told me, "BJean replied to your post", I would know a member of LBT had responded to my post. But if someone said, "a member of LBT had responded to your post", I would not know that it was BJean who had responded. Words have power. Punctuation can change the meaning of the words as can the order used.

Definition of a rectangle is a 4 sided parallelogram with right angles and opposite sides equal. In other words: 4 sides, 90 degree angles, opposite sides equal. A square has all of those features, so it is a rectangle. It just has one more feature which is that consecutive sides are also equal. There is no rule saying that a rectangle can not have all 4 sides equal. Most don't, but some can and those are squares. How about?: a Harley Davidson is a motorcycle. But a motorcycle is not a Harley Davidson. Or Bill is a boy, but a boy isn't Bill. A girl is a human, but a human isn't a girl. A jet fighter is a plane, but a plane is not a jet fighter. A dollar bill is money, but money is not a dollar bill. Bjean is a member of LBT. But a member of LBT is not BJean.

I noted that you didn't say that "Universal" was the only definition. That was why I said "another word": Liberal. I have argued with many people when I have said: "A Square is a Rectangle, But, A Rectangle is not a Square." Subtle differenced make all the difference.

I didn't have to.

Love is the way to conquer all problems. #1. It is a shame that the people of my generation gave "Love" a bad name during the 1960's by confusing it with SEX. #2. It is a shame that the people of today who claim to be Christians, more specifically the people who are the driving force behind the Christian-Right Political Movement, do not realize that Jesus Christ's main reason for being on Earth was LOVE. By not loving, one is not emulating Jesus. Calling oneself a Christian and showing no love for the poor or thy enemy is making a mockery of the word Christian. The journalist who said that the Amish people who welcomed the school house killer's family to grieve with them were “acting strangely”, must not know what being Christian really means.

The endocrinologist that treated me for diabetes before I considered a Lap-Band gave me a list of banned foods. Fruits and fruit juices were on the list. His famous quote was: "The American Diabetes Association's recommended list of foods for a diabetic to eat is poison to a diabetic".

But dictionaries that I checked mentioned another word Yes: liberal. I guess my definition of liberal and the dictionary's definition must be different. I do find the Roman Catholic Church more Liberal on some issues than the Pentecostal Church, but they are more conservative on other issues. As far as people either keeping away from this thread or not joining in, I wish more people would state their opinions. While some may feel insulted or attacked, I WOULD HOPE that any one particular post would be judged in the context of the surrounded posts and not taken as an affront because the poster's purpose or intent might not be obvious (using that one post as a bar).

I also feel for your loss. I both sympathize and empathize with you. My mother died of breast cancer at 41 when I was 19, so I know what you are going through. They say, "Only the good die young". I hope I can ease some of your pain by letting you know that it gets better with time. Your mother, like mine can never be replaced, but the one way to repay your mother for everything she did for you is to pay the debt owed to her to your children. If you have no children, then adopt the human race and nurture it.

I don't know what troubles me more? Passing laws like the MCRI, Michigan Civil Right Initiative or Calling the law the “MCRI” for “Michigan Civil Right Initiative” Why don't the people who sponsored it call it the MACRI = Michigan Anti Civil Right Initiative or the MECRI = Michigan Ends Civil Right Initiative Similarly, in some states, the cigarette companies have sponsored new ballot proposals with names like the “Smoke Less Initiative” which if passed would allow many smoking bans to be over-turned. If the voters want these laws passed, that is their right. But to call laws by straw-names which hide the real meaning, and more to the point actually have the opposite meaning is a search-light into the soul and character of those who foster these proposals.

I tried acupucture. The practioner hit just the right spot and 90 pounds of ugly fat poured out of my butt cheek. :faint:

I doubt it. I think he would be annoyed at the Republicans who quote his: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." They usually quote it as "I have a dream that...little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." They use that quote to try to eliminate affirmative action and any other programs to help minorities. I would also like to eliminate programs that help minorities and women too. I would vote for any man (or woman) who wants to eliminate the programs which benefit "others" by discriminating against white males AS SOON AS THE PLAYING FIELD IS LEVELED AND THE "OTHERS" HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE in our society. I am not talking about the law; I am talking about the way people are perceived because they are fat, ugly, minority or female and then how they are treated as inferiors because of it. It can't be legislated. It must be from the hearts of the people that comprise the USA (and eventually hopefully the world). Until then, legislation will be needed to give back some of what is taken away from the "others" by the status quo seeking society.

Yes, he cheated on his wife and yes, he was not God-Like. He was just a human being, but we in the USA are lucky he was around as an alternative to groups like the Black Pathers and Black Muslims. However, do you have a link to a reference for "he...even wanted to begin using violence"? I am always interested in learning and would like to see any information on this topic. And while I can not speak for anyone else, I will not hate you or anyone else for stating their opinion about Martin Luther King, Jesus Christ, God, Allah or President BuSh.

We could have a "Rave and Rant" section for (proverbial) Ostriches. Is that better? :confused:

There is a new book out there that agrees that the people in power are taking care of "number one" rather than the people they supposedly represent. The book is called "Tempting Faith" and in it the author claims that BuSh and his administration have been using the evangelical Christians just to get votes, to gain and to keep power. From the Linked article: More than five years after President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, the former second-in-command of that office is going public with an insider’s tell-all account that portrays an office used almost exclusively to win political points with both evangelical Christians and traditionally Democratic minorities.

We could have a "Rave and Rant" section for Ostriches.

"It just so happens that most black men are built the same." Michael Jackson Michael Jordan Shaq O'Niel Prince Bill Cosby Ruben Studdard Gary Coleman Danzel Washington It is a good thing that they have different Facial features or else I could not tell them apart. :faint:

I would not help. Hitler had Jews killed and they were German Jews. He also had Gays killed and they were Gay Germans. In Northern Island, Protestants kill Catholics and vice versa. In Iraq, Sunnis and Shiites are killing each other. In Rwanda, Tutsis and Hutus kill each other. Racism is about power. Race makes it easier to identify "your enemy", but if everyone were green, people would find another excuse to fight.

It was not meant as a cheap shot. By denying a child Baptism because the parents did not donate (or the church didn't think they donated), they are in effect blocking the child's entrance to Heaven. There was nothing personal intended. While I may have quoted you in some posts, I was not speaking directly to you (or about you or your beliefs), but speaking my beliefs.

Yes, I am out of the loop. As a person who has seen organized religion up close and personal including watching members of the clergy fight over my mother's body and having a Roman Catholic priest condemn my mother to Hell because a Pentecostal minister prayed over her coffin, I can say that none of the dogma sits right with me. One week, a few years ago, one Pentecostal family member died and then a RC family member died. The wakes and funeral were separated by a few days, so I got to attend both funerals and about 6 wake sessions. What a difference. One had ministers coming in and talking about sister Santa (yes, her real name) while the other had a group of nuns and about 10 octogenarians come in a say the Rosaries non-stop for two hours. One denomination said personal things in their prayer about my great-aunt and the other never mentioned my cousin's name, but just repeated the same prayers over and over. Not knowing God one on one (and admitting it) unlike the Pentecostals, I do not know which was more beneficial to the deceased, but I wonder if every prayer in the world said non-stop over a body could get an evil person into the Kingdom of Heaven. My ex-coworker who is a Mormon, has a computer program for looking up his genealogy so that he can retroactively get his non-Mormon ancestors into Heaven through prayer. I have a hope and belief that God is a lot more intelligent than we give him credit for. I believe that following all the rules of a man-created church denomination will do less to gain salvation than a pure heart. One of the rulings that came out of the "Council of Trent" was that the Protestant idea that claiming salvation through a personal relationship with Christ is not sufficient to gain eternal salvation, but it also takes good works. Too many Protestants have told me that they have a personal relationship with Christ, but then go on violating everything Jesus stood for and preached about. Yes, I know we all are sinners, but committed an occasional sin and living a life totally dedicated to the opposite of REAL Christian values are two different things. Thinking or "knowing" that you are saved by the “one and only” possible way to be save or "knowing" that you are in the “one and only” denomination that will gain salvation will not mean Beans if when you get to the gates, God says "you followed the wrong rules" or “you only claimed to follow the right rules, but did not”.

I guess I was wrong, the Roman Catholic church did not stop selling entrance into Heaven in 1562. :faint:

Airheaded Airline Cabin Attentant to male passenger: "Would you like some TWA coffee or some TWA Tea?" :faint:

Yeah! But this balloon can type. Remember?

Carlene, please do not think that I am accusing you or anyone in your family, past or present, but churches have been known to facilitate annulments for those with the ability to benefit the poor-box (or collection plate). The Catholic church had one of its biggest scandals when they were selling guaranteed entry into Heaven (indulgence) for a fee which I believed was finally outlawed in 1562 at the council of Trent . I believe most protestants also believe that communion is body of Christ. I have seen Roman Catholics take Communion at a Protestant church and I have seen Protestants take Communion at a Roman Catholic church. I would assume that the Protestants would have been violating Roman Catholic doctrine, but not the other way around, because Communion can not be taken without Confession. :clap2: BTW, I admire you for the fortitude that you shown considering all the adversity that you have been through. :clap2:

I am the elderly. :faint:

They looked natural to me.