"old" testament.

Ya, probably not to many Schwartz's in the Baptist church, but who knows, I could be wrong.

"May the Schwartz be with you."

By 1993 there were 160,000 adherents of Messianic Judaism in the United States and 350,000 worldwide.[15] By 2003, there were at least 150 Messianic synagogues in the U.S. and over 400 worldwide.[15]

And still growing,I know many of them personaly.

Amen to that.

Why?

Well, let’s see –

Some of those folks are zealots, or worse still absolute moralists.

Don’t get me wrong, the Bible is a good book, but it is not the only book. And there are a few out there that believe in their own literal and singular interpretation of some version of the Bible they have chosen. Then they press on to tell the rest of us where and how we are wrong – because they alone know what is right.

It is the ultimate act of arrogance to purport to know the mind of God.

I'm more frightened by the ones who like to say or pretend that they've read it, but instead just take things out of context as a way to put people down and be judgmental. Let's face it, feeling holier-than-thou and pointing out faults or alleged sin in others is just a way of making yourself feel better about you - and without doing any legitimate work yourself - like actually, you know, helping people or something.

My Daddy was a Baptist preacher, so I've seen a little about this first-hand (explains a lot about me, doesn't it? Hahahahaha).

Imagine what the world would be like if all the energy that went into condemning one group or another actually went into doing something good for someone else? -B

Yogurt!!!... I hate Yogurt!!!

Love that movie. Just saw it with my daughter over the weekend.

Ernest Becker laid it out in a grid. But then, it takes a keen eye to see beauty in truth . . . .

See that's the greatest part about being an American.

You have certain freedoms. They want to wrap themselves up in the Bible and act all Holy Rolly and you want to fear them. It's allowed. You don't have to cower in fear or drop to the fetal position and cry because someone reads a Bible!

There are people that have actually even created a Bible from the Klingon language of Star Trek. A made up show with a made up race with a made up language that was somehow able to translate the Bible so they could play dress up while uttering their verses. THAT should cause reason for alarm, not a FEW people with closed minds warping what they read.

Why can't you simply ignore people that are preachy? Don't have coping skills? Can't say to them..."Thanks, I already have one!" and have a nice day?

Don't know nor do I care where YOU live but damn you've got strange neighbors if they're walking around town spouting they know the "mind of God". I'd pack up and move to a better neighborhood. You might get some sleep.

It is a compliment to say that someone is ‘unassuming’. I trust you have not had to deal with that particulate assessment.

People - hell, even Americans - may do whatever they please; up to the point it effects others. Transcribe the Bible in Klingon? Hell, they can roll their sh*t into little ball for all I care.

But what many of the ‘holy rollers’ do is invasive. They even scare children with tales of fire and brimstone. They condemn others so that they might feel virtuous. Reason to be scared indeed.

Oh, and I’m not the one cowering in fear. With so many locked into superstition and licking the boots of death – well it makes me feel somewhat brave . . . . .

Yeah...you gotta believe it to believe it I suppose.

Like I said, move. You sound like you're in FundieLand. As opposed to Atheisttucky or Agnosticville which is just as bad.

Keep on telling people you're not cowering in fear...they might believe it. You're the one rambling about Hell...brimstone...superstition and boot licking Death!

Try the decaf.

Thanks Scarecrow, but the caffeine keeps me regular.

As it would happen, I live in my own little “Agnosticville”. It is a land of philosophical beliefs, not religious ones. For me, fear really is the one thing we have to be afraid of. Not the wrath of the unseen, or the loss of the unknown life, eternity in a lake of fire – that’s what terror means, doesn’t it?

That’s what it used to mean . . . .

Yeah...I KNEW it.

You have an axe to grind when it comes to religious freedom. You DON'T have the right to shut them down so relax and take up knitting or baking cookies like the other lib Einstein from Jersey. Always the same with people that share that close-mindedness. They want to paint others in the corner but feel they can do whatever. Your slip was showing!

You can be afraid of whatever you want. I don't share your beliefs. Learn to walk like a man.