Re: Hurricane Bertha

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:19:00 -0700, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Kris Krieger wrote:
Joerg <notthisjoergsch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:Jn4fk.18017$N87.14630@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

<snip>

A classic example where I saw trouble coming (and boy did it
come):

a. They don't eat dinner as a family.
b. Kids constantly on cell phone or in front of TV.
c. Kids tune out surroundings, don't even recognize who visits.
d. Parents don't really know how kids feel.
e. No family trips on weekends.
f. No religious beliefs.

Why is trhat a :prerequisite" for having a loving gfamily? Some of the
most miserable, hateful families I've personally known were ultra-
religious. ...

Then they are not living according to the bible. Which they should. Or
maybe they got into some cult.

May as well add another buttinsky to the pile, I suppose.

Heinlein's story, "And He Built a Crooked House" begins this way:

Americans are considered crazy anywhere in the world. They will
usually concede a basis for the accusation but point to California
as the focus of the infection. Californians stoutly maintain that
their bad reputation is derived solely from the acts of the
inhabitants of Los Angeles County. Angelenos will, when pressed,
admit the charge but explain hastily, "It's Hollywood. It's not our
fault?we didn't ask for it; Hollywood just grew." The people in
Hollywood don't care; they glory in it. If you are interested,
they will drive you up Laurel Canyon "?- where we keep the violent
cases."

Put in Heinlein's style, Christians have a faith, anywhere in the
world. If asked, they will usually concede they have some basis for
their belief and point to the Bible. The Bible is thick, though, and
if asked more closely they will confirm that Christianity derives from
the New Testament. Even the New Testament can be daunting, so when
pressed more closely still they will admit that difficulty and
suggest, "It's about Jesus and the Gospels." The Gospels can still be
a bit drawn out in places, so when really pressed to the wall
Christians will admit that it's truly about the Sermon on the Mount --
where the really important messages get delivered by Jesus.

And chapter 5, 6 and 7 of Matthew, for example, is where one finds
what it is to be Christian.

My summary of the core teachings of Jesus is this:

* Love your enemies
* If struck on one cheek, offer the other
* Give to everyone who begs
* Judge not and you won't be judged
* First remove the 'log' from your own eye
* Go out as lambs among wolves
* Carry no money, bag, or sandals.

In addition, Jesus says not to wear your faith on your shirt sleeve,
because even the hypocrites do that: "Be careful not to do your 'acts
of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will
have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the
needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the
truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to
the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who
sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Basically, put in just three words, live like Diogenes.

Everyone else not steering a very steady course in this direction is
one of those hypocrites Jesus talked about, but not a true Christian
in my mind.

Jon
.

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