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Eyborg
Joined: 08 May 2004
Posts: 429
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
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 Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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I'm happy that you like the www.beliefnet.com site! You're all most welcome. I myself love this site.  |
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SilverMoonLady
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 1201
Location: Breaking in a Brandybuck... *wicked grin*
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| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| SecretKeeper wrote: | | To be honest...I'm more scared about cults after learning so much about them in school. I mean no offense to those of you who are part of organizations like that but in honesty, I'm scared about what could happen, how and why. I know I'm a very vulnerable person who will leap without looking. Then when looking, fall down...HARD! |
I'd be as careful as I could of anyone promising easy solutions to your problems or instant passes to bliss, whether they have a big brick building with a long history or worship in nature with nothing but his own words; "legitimate" religions have as many predators as some of the less accepted groups... Always have your "spidey-sense" on when on the seeker's path!
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Suffering an again off again connection with life...
The joy of motherhood: what a woman experiences when all the kids are in bed.
*local PHF union rep* *tart of the week*
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Monarchsnake
Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Delia House, Lothlorien
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| SecretKeeper wrote: | | That's an interesting thought Monarch. I understand the feeling one gets when out in nature. For example, today it was snowing (HARD) and I had to go out in it for a long walk. I am walking and I'm looking around me and there's this whirling mass of snow. I feel elated and I'm soaring. I feel so grateful to be alive in that moment until I come home and start sneezing. However, the feeling stays. |
LOL! I Know what you mean. I Love the cold greatly, some find the weird but I enjoy walking out in a snow storm. And Of Course the Novelty wears off once your back inside a heated house with a runny nose.
Monarch Snake~
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Aragorn loves baking chocolate chip cookies, and yet he still reeks of old boots. |
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SecretKeeper
Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 228
Location: Cardinal Rule 1: Never state your location.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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 Yes quite.
Silver, yep...Spidey Sense is always useful.
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"Merciful Heavens and Hells! There's a sword sticking out from you! Would you like me to pull it out and make your passing easier?" |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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I know the convo has wandered off into other avenues, but I'm about a month behind. 
I went to a dozen or more different kinds of worship services as a kid. I dated a Jewish man; I married a devout Catholic one. In the end, I believe in, love, and am on-my-knees grateful to a god. One god, though she might take different faces if the mood strikes her. Far be it for me to name those faces. She isn't limited to any organized religion, but she seems to like the attention of prayers and services and the trappings of gratitude, so I do go to mass with my Catholic hubby fairly often.
She and I are very close, and I owe every good thing in my life to her. |
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SilverMoonLady
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 1201
Location: Breaking in a Brandybuck... *wicked grin*
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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Muchly cool, Viv... 
_________________
Suffering an again off again connection with life...
The joy of motherhood: what a woman experiences when all the kids are in bed.
*local PHF union rep* *tart of the week*
Shelob the Cookie Baker |
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SilverMoonLady
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 1201
Location: Breaking in a Brandybuck... *wicked grin*
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Eyborg wrote: | | I'm happy that you like the www.beliefnet.com site! You're all most welcome. I myself love this site. |
funny, that, I just wandered through it, and I'm apparantly a genuine Neo-Pagan
I mean, I am, that's not what's funny; but I'm 100% Neo-Pagan according to this:) I can't tell you why that tickles my funny bone! 
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Suffering an again off again connection with life...
The joy of motherhood: what a woman experiences when all the kids are in bed.
*local PHF union rep* *tart of the week*
Shelob the Cookie Baker |
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SecretKeeper
Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 228
Location: Cardinal Rule 1: Never state your location.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:50 am Post subject: |
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Hmmmm.....Silver why do your results tickle your funny bone? Oh another thing...perhaps we should steer the topic into a better avenue. Like say...what are the pros and cons to certain religions?
An open debate without the hositility about the positive and negative of each religion. Just a suggestion.
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"Merciful Heavens and Hells! There's a sword sticking out from you! Would you like me to pull it out and make your passing easier?" |
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Eruanna
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 426
Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| Viv wrote: | I know the convo has wandered off into other avenues, but I'm about a month behind.
I went to a dozen or more different kinds of worship services as a kid. I dated a Jewish man; I married a devout Catholic one. In the end, I believe in, love, and am on-my-knees grateful to a god. One god, though she might take different faces if the mood strikes her. Far be it for me to name those faces. She isn't limited to any organized religion, but she seems to like the attention of prayers and services and the trappings of gratitude, so I do go to mass with my Catholic hubby fairly often.
She and I are very close, and I owe every good thing in my life to her. |
Viv:
Good for you!
I am only sure of one thing about true faith--you can see it even when stripped of its labels. I have seen virtuous, devout people all faiths: Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims, Presbyterians...you name it. True spiritualism, IMHO, stems for unwavering faith in God, and one has no need to "convert" others. This comes from the deep belief that people will come to God in their own time. Plants and seeds flower when Nature/God wills it. Screaming at a seed will not get it to grow any faster.
Again, JMHO.
This is very sad because I have an acquaintance (a staunch Christian)--and a lover of the world of Tolkien--who recently tried to convert me to her faith, and not so subtly. We're talking a person with grey cloaks, leaf pins, and all that! (BTW, this person despises Catholics! And all know our beloved JRRT was a devout one!)
Anyhow, this individual e-mailed me very Christian e-mails, said, "God bless," at every turn, etc. You get the picture. At long last, I told her, smiling and gently, that I had no wish to be converted. I enjoyed her company and interest in Tolkieniana (she is well-versed in the Hobbit and trilogy...) but I will not miss the proselytising!
I understand the Pope, dear man, participated in the Polish resistance against the Nazis. One Jewish woman, liberated from a concentration camp, was surprised to see a young Polish priest (the Pope in his youth) helping her. That is true love of God in helping someone--regardless of his faith. In the same sense, we see the world rushing to help the tsunami victims, most of whom were Muslims.
If only the world could learn to see God in this light... 
--Eruanna
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"I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again."
Last edited by Eruanna on Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:33 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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SilverMoonLady
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 1201
Location: Breaking in a Brandybuck... *wicked grin*
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:40 am Post subject: |
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| SecretKeeper wrote: | Hmmmm.....Silver why do your results tickle your funny bone?
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You know, I'm not sure I can tell you why... Perhaps because I had a bit of a laugh when taking the quiz; several questions I kind of had to shrug and answer as best I could, even though they had no answer that was spot on mine; a lot of questions I could sense were skewed and/or obvious... It isn't the topic of religion or faith that I find funny, neither do I find my own faith, or anyone else's, a matter for laughter necessarily (though the Lord and Lady seem to have quite the sense of humor to me )... Perhaps it was just that as unconventional as most of us "Neo-Pagans" are, we seem to have been fitted with just as neat a box as everyone else.. *shrug* That's all:)
| Quote: | Oh another thing...perhaps we should steer the topic into a better avenue. Like say...what are the pros and cons to certain religions?
An open debate without the hositility about the positive and negative of each religion. Just a suggestion |
Now, those are shark infested waters!
I certainly agree with Eruanna on this, that it is the goodness across faiths that is a bridge among people and should be encouraged and praised; the greatest evil done in the name of the divine is the division of brothers and sisters from each other and from themselves.
I'm afraid that there is no real way to keep a pro and con debate about faith from hurting someone's feelings; it is hard to describe what one likes or dislikes about a path without speaking (even just implied) of other paths...
Just a thought.
_________________
Suffering an again off again connection with life...
The joy of motherhood: what a woman experiences when all the kids are in bed.
*local PHF union rep* *tart of the week*
Shelob the Cookie Baker |
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Eruanna
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 426
Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:13 am Post subject: Fellowship |
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| SilverMoonLady wrote: | I certainly agree with Eruanna on this, that it is the goodness across faiths that is a bridge among people and should be encouraged and praised; the greatest evil done in the name of the divine is the division of brothers and sisters from each other and from themselves.
I'm afraid that there is no real way to keep a pro and con debate about faith from hurting someone's feelings; it is hard to describe what one likes or dislikes about a path without speaking (even just implied) of other paths...
Just a thought. |
Thanks, Silver Moon! 
Is that not the entire point of the Fellowship of the Ring? Different cultures/races (and one would assume religions...) coming together for a common goal--to fight Evil in the world and do good deeds? 
I am going to plug some great lines here (from bookverse) from beauties Legolas and Haldir during the blindfold incident: (FOTR, "Lothlorien")
(cracks open old copy of LOTR...)
"Alas for the folly of these days!" said Legolas. "Here all are enemies of the one Enemy, and yet I must walk blind, while the sun is merry in the woodland under the leaves of gold!"
"Folly it may seem," said Haldir. "Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him."
Such a great line! As if he is saying to all, "We must put our racial/cultural/religious differences aside to fight for our common spiritual goal." (I personally believe that Haldir, who did not know of the One Ring, did have a knowledge of Nenya...)
--Eruanna
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"I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again." |
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SilverMoonLady
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 1201
Location: Breaking in a Brandybuck... *wicked grin*
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:18 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely! One of the many reasons I so enjoy LotR is this idea that it is to the disadvantage of all that we let such things divide us; indeed it can only lead to disaster for *all*.
_________________
Suffering an again off again connection with life...
The joy of motherhood: what a woman experiences when all the kids are in bed.
*local PHF union rep* *tart of the week*
Shelob the Cookie Baker |
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Eruanna
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 426
Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:27 am Post subject: |
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| SilverMoonLady wrote: | Absolutely! One of the many reasons I so enjoy LotR is this idea that it is to the disadvantage of all that we let such things divide us; indeed it can only lead to disaster for *all*.
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Silver Moon:
Yes, I love the idea of people coming together to fight for the common good. Yes, LOTR is a masterpiece of metaphor!
And Haldir also makes the remark that, "Love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." (They gave this line of his to Galadriel in the movie!)
Good people bond together in the face of adversity against evil.
Personally, I would rather see Haldir's hands upon harpstrings than bowstrings. He said this, too.
(Gee--I wonder if the fangirls would scream over Haldir this much if they knew he was such a linguist and a philosopher!)
--Eruanna
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"I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again." |
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Yavanie
Joined: 02 Jun 2004
Posts: 630
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:42 am Post subject: |
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Eruanna wrote:
"Screaming at a seed will not get it to grow any faster."
in regards to prosteletising (sp?) and trying to convert others to one's faith. LOL this is such a great way to put it!!!
St. Francis said something like : evangelise with all your might at every opportunity, and if you really have to, use words.
how's that for let your actions speak louder than words?
If your faith is true and pure, it will be a light in the darkness. Others will be drawn to it by your witness, rather than your words. If you can draw them in close enough to see the light, they will ask about it's source. But then you better be equipped with the answers!
Nothing is a worse advertisement for any religion than a loud-mouthed, fire and brimstone, you're all dooomed without my god type of evangelist.
At the same time nothing is better advertisement than the inner peace and outward evidence of someone who is confident in what they have found and willing to share when asked.
oaky, way more than two cents, but there it is
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Yavanie
...I understand the sadness of the Elves, and I have seen Mordor.
To be older and wiser you must first be younger and stupider. |
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Eruanna
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 426
Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:22 pm Post subject: Religion |
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| Yavanie wrote: | Eruanna wrote:
"Screaming at a seed will not get it to grow any faster."
in regards to prosteletising (sp?) and trying to convert others to one's faith. LOL this is such a great way to put it!!!
St. Francis said something like : evangelise with all your might at every opportunity, and if you really have to, use words.
how's that for let your actions speak louder than words?
If your faith is true and pure, it will be a light in the darkness. Others will be drawn to it by your witness, rather than your words. If you can draw them in close enough to see the light, they will ask about it's source. But then you better be equipped with the answers!
Nothing is a worse advertisement for any religion than a loud-mouthed, fire and brimstone, you're all dooomed without my god type of evangelist.
At the same time nothing is better advertisement than the inner peace and outward evidence of someone who is confident in what they have found and willing to share when asked.
oaky, way more than two cents, but there it is |
Yavanie:
I hope your family is getting well!
Also, I am glad you like the "seed" metaphor!
Yes, the fire-and-brimstone types...sheeeesh!
This person was a "Bible-thumper" and I was thumped really hard on the head. OUCH! (To this person, any admiration of the LOTR's cast beauties was seen as tantamount to almost fornication and adultery...LOL!)
Yes, converting by example is the best way...
--Eruanna
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"I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again." |
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