Topic: Take a moment

[Lady Beckett]

We have a long list of good friends who has someone deploying to Iraq next month. This was sent to me . I feel compelled to send it on. Your prayers are deeply appreciated. These guys deserve our love, our hugs and most powerfully, our prayers.



Prayer Request:
I understand that life in Iraq is very difficult to bear right now. Our troops need our prayers for strength, endurance and safety.

Send this on after a short prayer; please don't break it:

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for all our troops around the world.

Thank you

[|BUG| Seven]

I wish for everyone being involved to any kind of war to go back to his home asap and live in peace ever after.
So from a humanitarian view I am with you LadyB. 


But..and I hope I won't upset you, it always fails me how the Lord is behind any soldier's actions (as it says in that photo). I am not a big student of the Bible, holly books or whatever else is describing Christianism. I thought though that Christ was talking about love, forgiveness and "when someone hits you in one cheek you offer him your other" as well as "whoever gives the sword dies by the sword" etc etc etc.
Remember Christ lived in a era where the Jewish ppl were suffering under the Romain Sword and He never asked or implied for any kind of rebellion against the Romains. The first Christians were murdered by the thousands from the Romains without giving any resistanse.

So from where we have this impression that the LORD is with us everytime we go to do something violent really escapes me.
Why the Lord to be with me and not with the other poor fellow that fights against me?

oh well, apologies for highjacking your thread ladyb, you can always shoot me double next time on FT   

S.

[|BUG| Shamu]

Seven, religion is a faith / belief and generally each individual, that believes in a God, will pray for their sides own personal benefit in times of crisis or competition.

Heck you even see athletes praying. Personally I can't imagine any God caring which side wins a sporting event. If He does exist I would think He has many more important things to do.

I certainly can't imagine He is a soccer fan. If He does exist He probably gave us the wisdom to develop American football

Back on subject....

If not in crisis most religions will pray for the good of all mankind.

I am sure the Muslims are offering similar prayers for their soldiers, as are Jews and any other religious based groups in difficulties regardless of their belief in one God or symbols.

What amazes me is that while almost all religions openly promote the good in man is that there has been more killing and torture in the name of religion than any other single issue.

Something about that does not compute.

For me I won't at this time deny the existence of a creator, I just do not see any proof of just who has the right idea. No one has come back to tell us about it, you either have faith or you do not.

However I also cannot say who is right and who is wrong. I just do not know. To each his own until something shows me otherwise.

I'll settle for living my life so that, hopefully, none of them take too much offense should I ever have to meet them someday.

FYI.....when I had my heart issues my heart stopped for 16 minutes........I never saw any bright lights, relatives, or anyother life altering experience.

Maybe I am on my last time around

[|BUG| Seven]

I know Shamu..

I reacted cause it pisses me off connecting christianism with any kind of soldiers. I dunno if I am a christian but Jesus didn't supported violence of any kind, did he?
What's the difference of seeing Christians army Officers (not only US ones) telling their soldiers that the Lord is with them and Muslims ones shouting "Allach Ahbar" before the battle?

it just gives me on my nerves how much religions are manupilated for the "justified cause" of some.

grrrrr! 

S.

[|BUG| Shamu]

I know Shamu..

I reacted cause it pisses me off connecting christianism with any kind of soldiers. I dunno if I am a christian but Jesus didn't supported violence of any kind, did he?

If you follow Judaism in much of the old testament the Jewish God lent support to violence.....Ex. Joshua. If Jesus is the son of God I can't imagine the apple being to far from the tree.

It appears Jesus did not like money lenders in the house of God but today some Christian faiths openly gamble on church property.

What's the difference of seeing Christians army Officers (not only US ones) telling their soldiers that the Lord is with them and Muslims ones shouting "Allach Ahbar" before the battle?

None, it's just a matter of perspective.

it just gives me on my nerves how much religions are manupilated for the "justified cause" of some.

One of the reason I tend not to be religious or have not found a faith that I could truly believe in.

Also understand religion is used becasue it is faith based and can inspire it's believers. In some ways the faith is used by false leaders for personal gain.

It's very unfortunate that the greatest crimes agains society are often done in the name of religion......something ain't right or some God is sorely dissappointed.

[|BUG| K-Man]

......something ain't right or some God is sorely dissappointed.

This is just what I think, but I'm thinking God is severely disappointed.

Something to note is that there are several conservative groups of Christian faith that do adhere quite strictly to a non-resistant lifestyle - more than just applied to war. One such group was recently in the news - the Amish. Following the Amish school shooting where  number of young girls were ruthlessly shot, the Amish community openly forgave the shooter AND his family.

There are other groups (typically of anabaptist background - different than the Southern Baptists) that also are quite strong in theory and practice on the non-resistant in approach to life and take the teachings of the Bible quite literally in this regard.

An author you may have heard of, Samuel Clemens, wrote a thought provoking piece that may apply here. Here is the link.

(Samuel Clemens was better known as Mark Twain.)

[|BUG| Shamu]

Thing is if I really knew who God was and thought he might listen I would be asking him to smite my enemies.

If they lie dead and broken it would not bother me, even at this moment I would like to see a few more of our enemies lying dead and broken.

My problem is that, having been raised Luteran, I do not have faith that my religious up bringing is correct. Nor will I say Jew's, Catholics, Muslims, Hindu's, Buddists or nature worshippers are wrong.

Nor do I think any God is overly concerned with the wars or sporting events of humans.

A strong belief in a God certainly can provide an inner strength in a soldier enabling him to be a difficult enemy. But that strength is more psychological than God given.

Look at Japan in WWII, they believed the Emperor was a God and they fought like hell for the Emperor. Turns out he was not a God, or I don't think he was, but that belief made for a fanatical warrior. Psychological value is the key.

Religion is a powerful tool. For all the good it does and all the good values most religions teach it also has a dark side.

IMHO the best teaching for any individual is a sound family structure lead by socially responsible parenting.

[|BUG| Drago]

I nominate Shamu for God.

any seconds?

I would only desire to be granted some status of lesser deity.
 Such as the "Most Holy Lord of Chipmunks"
They already fear me as an avenging angel...not such a big step really...

He would do some serious smiting for us all...

Seven could be renamed Venus...Figured she would have had a Greek accent anyway.

Didit could be "Lord of unexplained Smells"

Torlog would be perfect as ruler of the underworld. Get to know him better. you will see.

Obviously Woundy would have to take Cerberus' place though...

anyway. thats enough ticking people off for now.

[|BUG| Shamu]

I nominate Shamu for God.

any seconds?

I second it

Whoot!! There would be some changes made

[|BUG| Desert Eagle]

Oh thee of little faith.  Praying for the safety of troops by anyone for any Army has nothing to do with soldiers marching for God.  Last time I checked the US Military was made of men and women of many faiths. One of the nice things about the United States Military is you are free to worship as you see fit, regardless of faith.

[|BUG| Drago]

I shall offer unto the holy whale gifts of cheese and bratwurst...

Great shall be the blessings he bestoweth upon me when the case of steaks arrives...

and it shall be good.

[|BUG| Hutler]

I am atheist and so have no religious beliefs in any shape or form. My thoughts, however are with all our troops from whichever country they belong.

Look back in history, remove religion and most of the wars would never have happened.

Peace out 

Hut

[|BUG| Trauma]

Just my personal oppinion on the matter.
 
::disclaimer:: The following is in no way supported by or in any way a belief of the entire Bug population. Void where prohibited.

God was made up by the upper crust in the old days as a way to scare others into conforming to thier rules and ideals so that they could carve up whatever booty or land they had set before them amongst themselves. There is no REAL proof to the contrary and if im wrong may I burn in hell, if that actually exsists and could be possibly any worse than what we call earth.

             |Bug| Trauma