You all know how I would vote. So lets see how many like me are out there.

That's the irony of the right wing extremist message to the world. They want us to believe that they are righteous people because they believe they know the exact intentions of God and the Bible, but they are openly scornful of people whom they do not agree with.

You are wrong here. I don't want you to believe that I am a 'righteous' person. I want you to understand that because I am a terribly UNrighteous person, I need God. It is because I am such a sinner that I am happy to know what's in the bible.

These holier than thou self-important fundamentalists often miss the message of Jesus which was love, tolerance, forgiveness, generosity of spirit and the acceptance of all mankind.

Not at all. We do not 'miss' what God has to say about love and tolerance and forgiveness, etc. We just don't ignore the other messages of God. He is also Just, he disciplines, he corrects, he's holy, he demands obedience, he has made a place, seperated from him, for those who choose to ignore him, he hates sin, etc. We see ALL of what God is, not just those qulities about him that we like best. Even though his other qualities are for our own good as well, people prefer to speak only about his 'love' and 'forgiveness' ,and dismiss his demand for righteousness.

Many of them are angry, bigoted, mean-spirited and willing to do harm to others. It is such a strange dichotomy, oddly real and unreal thinking. And some of them have a death grip on the Republican party.

I consider myself right winged. ( What extreme means is anybody's guess.) People like you only "think" we are angry, bigoted, mean and harmful to others. It makes you feel good to put this kind of label upon us. Just how are we mean? How are we biggoted? Because there will always be a small # of intollerant people in every party. I can show you that with democrats as well. So, show me how the 'right' as a whole is biggoted. And you say we are angry. Is anything wrong with getting angry? No. When what you are angry about is justified, there is nothing wrong with it. As for harming others, well, you'll have nuts who harm others in every kind of group. But, as a whole, the right isn't "harming" anyone.:smile2:

I didn't do drugs, drink, smoke, and no one in my family has a special needs or disabled child and all thier babies were term and of good size...so why do I have a special needs, disabled baby and another preemie?

In this life, the majority of people born with a deformity will live like that for the rest of their life. It is the sad truth. Even though they have done nothing to deserve it they will suffer. This is not a direct result of their sin or their parents sin, but is part and parcel of living in a sinful world.

You see when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, God punished them. Part of that punishment was to subject all of Creation to “decay” (Romans chapter 8 verses 18-21). I see that much of the suffering and pain we see in the world is tied up with this. God did it, not because he is vindictive, but because he wants us to be reminded that there is more to life than just what we see around us. we suffer so that we will turn away from our rebellion and turn back to him so that we will not have to suffer the ultimate punishment on the last day. (This is what the apostle Paul is talking about in Acts chapter 17 verses 26-27). This is a difficult thing to grasp and accept - especially if you are the one suffering. But it is not the whole picture.

For Jesus has dealt with our suffering by suffering for us on the cross, paying the penalty for our rebellion and opening up the way for us to come back to God, And when Jesus comes back he will give his followers new bodies that will be free of defects forever. That’s why Jesus healed the man born blind in the New Testament. He showed he is the one who has the power to remove suffering, and if not in this life time, in eternity for certain!

Yep Patty I would sure rather believe Al Gore than some scornful mean spirited idiot who is such a woman hater that he would blame such a mean vicious thing on God who he has "created" in his image. Thats not my God! I think you would do well to apply your energy to saving Gods whole creation which is what Al Gore is doing.

Corliss

Since God created the Heavens and the Earth, I believe He alone is quite capable of handling it without my energy input or Al Gores. God's Earth doesn't need to be "saved" from anything! It's the people who need to be saved.

To my mind, there is a difference between right wing and right wing extremists. There is a difference between a person who is religious and one who espouses fundamentalist and extreme religious viewpoints. That is true with Christianity as well as the Muslim religion and other religions throughout the world.

When any group, religous or not, goes to extremes and becomes rabid and/or a threat to anyone who disagrees with their beliefs, they are capable of harm, both verbal and physical.

That makes them dangerous. I have not called you dangerous. In fact, when I have mentioned the words extremist, fundamentalist, etc., I have generally used it in the context of behavior or thinking. I don't believe that I have said that is actually who you are. It is behavior and beliefs that I've been addressing.

I do this because of what I have observed. Either by the words you and others post or things that I see in our society, plus things that I have been exposed to in my lifetime that knit it all together to form the big picture.

You are willing to lay out your beliefs and your thoughts here at LBT patty and that opens you up for a dialogue and discussion and even debate since you post at Rs&Rs. For example, you have compartmentalized our president so much as to say he wants socialism for this country. That deserves to be rebutted in kind, if that is what we believe.

You can take others' comments as personal or not. That's your choice, just as it is mine. But most of us are simply stating our beliefs, just like you. And we are just as credible as you and our interpretation of the Bible and what we believe God intends is just as valid as what you espouse. You know you're right. I know I'm right. I endeavor to lead you out of darkness and I suppose that's what you think you're doing. And in the end, we will both know which of us had it more right. I have the utmost confidence that I will be redeemed. And I hope you will be too.

patty: "Since God created the Heavens and the Earth, I believe He alone is quite capable of handling it without my energy input or Al Gores. God's Earth doesn't need to be "saved" from anything! It's the people who need to be saved."

As an inhabitant of this earth, we all owe it to ourselves and those who come after us to have a conscience and responsibility to treat our environment with love and respect.

The bad people aren't the Al Gores who are attempting to preserve the earth's pristine environment. The bad people are those whose motivation is greed; those who pollute and defile the earth for us and our children simply to line their pockets with gold are the ones you should put down. Not the other way around. Not if you love and respect God's creation.

Since God created the Heavens and the Earth, I believe He alone is quite capable of handling it without my energy input or Al Gores. God's Earth doesn't need to be "saved" from anything! It's the people who need to be saved.

So God isn't capable of doing that himself, just the stuff that allows us to be greedy and irresponsible with his creation? The fundy folk who are more than a little bit environmentally aware make a lot more sense to me, they are a whole lot more congruent than those who abstain from responsibility to sustain what God gave us and just use, use, use, only giving to themselves and those whom they deem worthy.

Corliss

In this life, the majority of people born with a deformity will live like that for the rest of their life. It is the sad truth. Even though they have done nothing to deserve it they will suffer. This is not a direct result of their sin or their parents sin, but is part and parcel of living in a sinful world.

You see when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, God punished them. Part of that punishment was to subject all of Creation to “decay” (Romans chapter 8 verses 18-21). I see that much of the suffering and pain we see in the world is tied up with this. God did it, not because he is vindictive, but because he wants us to be reminded that there is more to life than just what we see around us. we suffer so that we will turn away from our rebellion and turn back to him so that we will not have to suffer the ultimate punishment on the last day. (This is what the apostle Paul is talking about in Acts chapter 17 verses 26-27). This is a difficult thing to grasp and accept - especially if you are the one suffering. But it is not the whole picture.

For Jesus has dealt with our suffering by suffering for us on the cross, paying the penalty for our rebellion and opening up the way for us to come back to God, And when Jesus comes back he will give his followers new bodies that will be free of defects forever. That’s why Jesus healed the man born blind in the New Testament. He showed he is the one who has the power to remove suffering, and if not in this life time, in eternity for certain!

And this is some of why I do not believe...

patty: "Since God created the Heavens and the Earth, I believe He alone is quite capable of handling it without my energy input or Al Gores. God's Earth doesn't need to be "saved" from anything! It's the people who need to be saved."

As an inhabitant of this earth, we all owe it to ourselves and those who come after us to have a conscience and responsibility to treat our environment with love and respect.

I agree with this statement. We should all take care of the earth and everything in it. God has allowed us to be the stewards of this earth and we should care for it.

The bad people aren't the Al Gores who are attempting to preserve the earth's pristine environment. The bad people are those whose motivation is greed; those who pollute and defile the earth for us and our children simply to line their pockets with gold are the ones you should put down. Not the other way around. Not if you love and respect God's creation.

That would be Al Gore. His motivation is greed. he allows lies to be told to the people about global warming simply to keep his job intact. I don't believe in global warming, and it is a waste of mankinds time and energy to think that they could stop what isn't happening. I don't have anything against people who want to preserve the earth, except when they become extreme in their actions and put their 'cause' ahead of man. I'm all for not polluting and defiling the earth. If everyone would do their share right where they live, the earth would be lookin' good.

geez patty, there is no end to your denials and inability to take responsibility for what you've posted!

In every area where you post, your hyprocrisy is staggering.

I know that hypocrisy seems to be the word du jour, but honestly you give new meaning to it. One can't help but point at it in mouth-dropping amazement.

geez patty, there is no end to your denials and inability to take responsibility for what you've posted!

In every area where you post, your hyprocrisy is staggering.

I know that hypocrisy seems to be the word du jour, but honestly you give new meaning to it. One can't help but point at it in mouth-dropping amazement.

What are you talking about?

I think everyone has the right to do what they feel is right for them. People have no right to judge anyone. The only way you could understand someone is walking in the shoes they walk in and that's not going to happen.. So, Yes I believe in the right to make your on choice...

Seriously patty, what am I talking about? Just drop it. Pretend I didn't say anything. There's no way that I can explain so that you could understand. The denial and hypricisy is too deeply embedded in your mind and in your rethoric.

Sharon, I agree with you totally. It isn't that we believe that abortion is a good thing or a decision to be made lightly. It is that the government just cannot judge each case separately and fairly. The government can only make a blanket law that applies to everyone, no matter what. It just can't work that way.

I of course didn't read this entire thread, I just think it's so funny, that no matter in what venue abortion, politics or religion reside, they all coincide with the other.

I am very proud to be Pro-Choice!

While abortion is not an option for me personally, why in the world would it be OK for the government or anyone else to tell a woman what is right for her? I just don't get it.

I just had to add that I loved the post that stated something along the lines of the gift that keeps on giving-Sarah Palin & Dick Cheney..that was truly hilarious and accurate!!

Good to hear from you Coloradobanding!

It is also great to see that you have found your "sweet spot"! I hope you continue to do well with the band and you reach the goal you've set for yourself!