There was a story on the news about this, and I thought it would be an iteresting debate. I am undecided.

I recognized that gluttony was a sin, I desired to be free from it and God helped me by informing me of the lapband. And God did get me through it.

:huh2: I shouldn't do this.... :glare:

I repeat... :glare: I shouldn't do this... :glare:

BUT.... WTH... I'm always intrigued by a statement like this. What makes you think that you didn't find the lapband on your own? Short of an image appearing saying "I have the answer my child - seek out the lapband." What makes you think God had anything to do with it?

If your answer is something like "well because God has a devine plan and therefore if I found the lapband that means he planned that for me so I give him the credit" well... then I'm glad that makes sense to you because it's as foggy as pea soup to me... How can you give a higher power credit for everything good that happens, without conversly holding that power responsible for everything that goes bad?

Brad

Edited January 18, 200917 yr by bambam31

Beth, with all the greatest respect, you put the fun back into fundamentalism. Thanks, eh. This much appreciated.

Hehe, thanks! Most people just offer me a tinfoil hat. :huh2:

I think that's really a shame.

Because I have a problem with most denominations, I don't subscribe to one. I believe denominations have been created to make religion/God more palateable to certain groups of people. If/when I do go to church, I prefer non-denoms who just teach what is biblical rather than their spin on things.

I can pick out things I disagree with and I believe are not biblical in most denominations. I don't condemn them or anything as I believe that that is God's job. I simply find groups that believe as I do. Do I have it right? Maybe not. But all I can do is do the best I can based on what I believe in biblically.

One of my bosses at work is Catholic, and a topic came up that pertained to cry rooms at some churches (somebody said something we did at our work reminded them of the numbers that pop up in relation to cry rooms). She asked what we meant, and I explained to her what it is.

She said, "Well, in the REAL church, kids are with us all through the service." I said that they are not without instruction, just that it's done in children's Bible studies. But she said, "In the REAL church, they stay with us in service, and then they have catechism to learn the other stuff." My co-worker and I just stood there, mouths agape. Show me one three-year-old that understands a THING about what's going on in service and I'll eat my words. :huh2:

Well I'm certain these people exist in all denominations and I'm not intending to Catholic-bash (hell I was even married in a Catholic Church) but I even attended a Catholic school 1st through 8th grade so it's the only religion I been exhaustingly exposed to - but I have seen so much hypocrisy in the parisioners that it turns my stomach. From the priest right on down. The priest at this church is no more a holy man that I am... In fact if I were him I'd be embarrassed to claim that I was a man of God. They act so self-righteous and superior. And it's not just a few... And don't even get me started on the "who you know and who you are" game... This priest had no problem marrying me and my wife there. I had not regularly attended church in more than 5 years and my wife was not even Catholic - but I have friends who he wouldn't even give the time of day to... I have relatives in the church with "clout" so he wasn't about to turn me away... And the money... oh.. boy... don't even get me started on Churches and money....

BTW... I do believe in God - or at least a higher power - I'm just thinking these man made religions are probably not nearly as on course as they think...

Edited January 18, 200917 yr by bambam31

that is true, and I said that to him. He said that you will decrease your appetite some, but it's never the same and is much more easily stretched back out and will take far less time to do it.

that is true, and I said that to him. He said that you will decrease your appetite some, but it's never the same and is much more easily stretched back out and will take far less time to do it.

Well, that isn't what you wrote in your original post. You wrote that it will never go back into position.

You are correct, it will be more easily stretched once it is stretched once. But that does not take away from the fact that your information in your original post is not what you are claiming now.

Your stomach is designed to hold a large quantity of food. That's what it does.

that is true, and I said that to him. He said that you will decrease your appetite some, but it's never the same and is much more easily stretched back out and will take far less time to do it.

Wait a minute - you said once it was stretched out it would stay there... now you're saying that once it was stretched out it would always re-stretch back out easier... That's not the same thing!

Brad

Well, that isn't what you wrote in your original post. You wrote that it will never go back into position.

You are correct, it will be more easily stretched once it is stretched once. But that does not take away from the fact that your information in your original post is not what you are claiming now.

Your stomach is designed to hold a large quantity of food. That's what it does.

Sorry wasa... you posted quicker than me... lol

I think that's really a shame.

Because I have a problem with most denominations, I don't subscribe to one. I believe denominations have been created to make religion/God more palateable to certain groups of people. If/when I do go to church, I prefer non-denoms who just teach what is biblical rather than their spin on things.

I can pick out things I disagree with and I believe are not biblical in most denominations. I don't condemn them or anything as I believe that that is God's job. I simply find groups that believe as I do. Do I have it right? Maybe not. But all I can do is do the best I can based on what I believe in biblically.

One of my bosses at work is Catholic, and a topic came up that pertained to cry rooms at some churches (somebody said something we did at our work reminded them of the numbers that pop up in relation to cry rooms). She asked what we meant, and I explained to her what it is.

She said, "Well, in the REAL church, kids are with us all through the service." I said that they are not without instruction, just that it's done in children's Bible studies. But she said, "In the REAL church, they stay with us in service, and then they have catechism to learn the other stuff." My co-worker and I just stood there, mouths agape. Show me one three-year-old that understands a THING about what's going on in service and I'll eat my words. :huh2:[/quo

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Everything you said. But, I chose to affiliate with the Assembly of God church, so that I could have a place to weekly meet and fellowship. I don't agree with everything they might say, but it ,to me , was the closest biblically that I could find. Besides, you'll never find the perfect church.

:huh2: I shouldn't do this.... :glare:

I repeat... :glare: I shouldn't do this... :glare:

BUT.... WTH... I'm always intrigued by a statement like this. What makes you think that you didn't find the lapband on your own? Short of an image appearing saying "I have the answer my child - seek out the lapband." What makes you think God had anything to do with it?

If your answer is something like "well because God has a devine plan and therefore if I found the lapband that means he planned that for me so I give him the credit" well... then I'm glad that makes sense to you because it's as foggy as pea soup to me... How can you give a higher power credit for everything good that happens, without conversly holding that power responsible for everything that goes bad?

Brad

I can give him the credit for the good things, because God is good. Yet, He also allows bad things to happen. He does not over ride mans will. If you choose to do wrong, he allows the consequences. He also allows the consequences of what we all do, good or bad, to affect others. Hence why all sinful acts affect society as a whole.

Besides, you'll never find the perfect church.

Yes I can. The perfect church is on a mountainside or at a lake with my Bible and my God. Maybe just with my God. I don't need a building full of self-righteous hypocrites to be in church.

Well, that isn't what you wrote in your original post. You wrote that it will never go back into position.

You are correct, it will be more easily stretched once it is stretched once. But that does not take away from the fact that your information in your original post is not what you are claiming now.

Your stomach is designed to hold a large quantity of food. That's what it does.

Did you ever blow up a balloon and then deflate it? If you look at it, it's larger than when you started and then when you put air in it, it blows up with less effort than the first time. You can still put just as much air in it as before you deflated it. You will need to control the amount of air you put into it if you want to keep it at half full say. Sorry, I meant it will go back into that position, but it will never stay there without your control.

Yes I can. The perfect church is on a mountainside or at a lake with my Bible and my God. Maybe just with my God. I don't need a building full of self-righteous hypocrites to be in church.

I stand corrected. You are right. You don't need a building. The church is not the building anyway, it is the people who believe in Jesus. But God did say 'Do not forsake the assembling of one another together.'

Yes I can. The perfect church is on a mountainside or at a lake with my Bible and my God. Maybe just with my God. I don't need a building full of self-righteous hypocrites to be in church.

And to that I can say Amen!

Brad

Back when my oldest DD was in late Junior High, she began going to a local Baptist Church with one of her friends as opposed to going to the local Methodist where we had always gone. They had a bigger youth group and did puppet shows for the young kids....that sort of thing. I had no issue, I kept going to my usual church, and she would go just down the road.

One afternoon the preacher from the Baptist Church she was going to showed up at my door--and invited me to attend services with my DD. I explained I went to the Methodist Church, but appreciated the invitation, and he told me (now these are HIS words not mine)"There are places out there that call themselves churches that are far from it, but in the realm you and I are talking about, I look at it this way, we may all walk through different doors on Sunday mornings, but eventually we will all walk through the same Pearly Gates."

He told me what a great kid my DD was and went on his way.....with me thinking that this was truly a Christian man, in what I knew of him. He was kind, accepting, non judgemental, and made me feel good about ME, about the way I was raising my DD, about the choices I made.

I choose to look at it his way. And this pertains to my own beliefs---not trying to say it IS the way!!

Whether I walk in any door on Sunday, or whether as has been pointed out, I choose to worship on the side of a mountain, or in my easy chair.....where one goes is not getting them any closer, it is how they act in their day to day lives.

Kat

I stand corrected. You are right. You don't need a building. The church is not the building anyway, it is the people who believe in Jesus. But God did say 'Do not forsake the assembling of one another together.'

That was in a day and time when people were really about the church.

I have seen more scandal and BS in church than I do most anywhere else. And where else can you meet a bunch of sanctimonious, clique-ish, hypocritical, judgmental people than in a church? Thanks but no thanks. Today's parishoner is not the type of person God was once talking about.

Let me add this one other thing: Friends of mine who know my beliefs know that they can come to me for some powerful prayer sessions. The fellowship is there, just without all the added drama. There is your congregation.

Edited January 18, 200917 yr by BethFromVA