Sunday Paper Delivery is crazy.

Moday through thursday, delivering a Paper is not that hard. The major difficulty is being up at 1:30 Am. But Coffee fixes that Problem.

However, Sunday is Killer. We have hudreds of papers (Wheras on weekdays we have a little over 100) to stuff bag and deliver by 8:00. We end up starting the day at 11:30 PM Saturday. It is 10:49, I have been up since around 11:45. I will probably crash here soon.

But, I must admit, I actually enjoy it on weekdays. We pay for it on Sunday.

Pray about the General Convention.

The Episcopal Church is now making decisions that will decide the future
of the Anglican Communion. While I am not a member of the AC, but am a
part of the Reformed Episcopal Church, I still pray that they do the
Right thing.

ECUSA needs to repent, or Ecusa will be abandoned by orthodox Anglicans.

I just registered for classes today

I know that it is late, but I finally registered for classes today.

I am taking Basic composition, Intro to HTML, Pop Culture, and PC
applications.

Whoo.

Cry me a River.

*Sorry. Won't buy the junk. I believe homosexuals are people deserving
of respect. I believe Christ died for them. I believe that many are
sincere in their faith and simply confused.

BUT I WILL NOT ALLOW A BUNCH OF RENEGADES CHANGE THE FAITH HANDED DOWN
FOR 2000 YEARS IN THE SCRIPTURES AND TRADITION OF THE CHURCH!

From http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-06-12-god-gays-cover_x.htm

*
By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Every Sunday there's an intense struggle in the souls of some believers
as one religious denomination after another battles over the rights and
roles of homosexuals.

Gay or not, progressive or traditional, those who disagree with their
denomination's stance wonder:

Should they leave their church?

Has their church left them?

Is this any place to find God at all?

The questions are as fresh as the headlines: lesbian Methodist pastors
defrocked, or conservative Episcopalians distraught over a gay bishop.

And they're as old as Christianity itself. Early fathers of the church
ruled on which teachings were heresy and which were "true."

"Denominations have fractured since Day One. The very word 'denominated'
means divided," says Boston University sociologist Nancy Ammerman.

This week the national governing bodies of two mainline Protestant
denominations, the Episcopal Church USA and the Presbyterian Church
(USA), debate their views on gay clergy and same-sex unions, and whether
the denominational rulings or local churches should have the final say.

But while leaders argue, ordinary people soldier on.

Many, gay or straight, seek a community of souls that welcomes them and
shares their sense of the scriptures and the sacred.

It may mean staying in their church of a lifetime, finding ways to
accept — or overlook — teachings or practices with which they disagree.
Or decamping for a church more fitting to their current faith. Or
walking away from any church to pursue a personal spirituality.

• Boston architect Jim Cullion, 52, is halfway out the door of Trinity
Church because, he says, the historic Episcopal church didn't take a
stand for gay men such as him during Massachusetts' same-sex marriage
battles. "A lot of Sunday mornings now, I just walk in the arboretum and
reflect. ... I'm very hurt. I'm very sad."

• The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, 55, not only left the Episcopal
priesthood but also wrote a book called /Leaving Church/ on why she
hardly attends. One reason: In religious disputes, "human beings never
behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are
protecting God," she says.

• The Rev. Jo Gayle Hudson, 52, had no choice but to switch. Once a
Methodist deacon, she was outed as a lesbian and booted from her post
just days before she was to be ordained as an elder. Now, she's a United
Church of Christ pastor, rejoicing in the Dallas pulpit of the Cathedral
of Hope, the nation's largest gay church.

• Brian Flanagan, 28, a cradle Catholic, openly gay and studying to be a
theologian, says not even an unbroken line of rulings from the Vatican
can drive him from this church. "What's central to me is how this church
talks about Christ, about God," he says.

There it is, the three-letter word that makes all the difference.

Not S-E-X or G-A-Y but G-O-D.

"Gay Catholics, like women who don't like the church's stance on
ordination, tend to place those things on a lower level of authority
than the church's teachings on fundamentals such as the resurrection and
the Eucharist," says the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author
of /My Life with the Saint/s.

They want to stay with the family, the songs and prayers of a lifetime,
because it's a familiar road to the divine, because they have hope for
change, even if it's not in their own lifetime.

"They say to themselves, 'I accept the most important part — the creed —
and the other things I will strive to change and hope they will change.'
It's like being a proud American but disagreeing on foreign policy,"
Martin says.

Still, about 16% of Americans say they have changed their religious
identity during their lifetime, according to the 2001 American Religious
Identification Survey. They may have switched denominations when they
married or moved or just because they didn't like the music or a new
preacher, Ammerman says.

"The openness of American culture encourages people to feel they needn't
stick where they were brought up. They can try something new if they are
dissatisfied," she says.

"They can leave the farm, and they can leave the faith."

Most of the growing denominations and non-denominational community
"Bible churches" in that 2001 survey were theologically conservative
denominations with no openly gay clergy or no same-sex unions blessed.

When the Rev. Mark Coppenger, a Southern Baptist, started a new
conservative Evangelical church in Evanston, Ill., in the heart of
Chicago's liberal North Shore, he soon found students switching in from
liberal Protestant churches "where they didn't find what they later came
to cherish in biblical teaching and preaching," he says.

Doctrine does play a role in the ways religion reflects and shapes
society and culture, experts say.

"Whether it's the 1840s and slavery, the 1960s and '70s and women or the
1990s and 2000s on homosexuality, what is on people's minds in their
communities will show up in their churches," Ammerman says.

Once, black people, women and homosexuals were viewed the same way by
the leading theologians of the times: "They were all cursed by God in
Scripture, inferior in moral character and willfully sinful and
deserving punishment," says the Rev. Jack Rogers, former head of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) and author of a new book, /J//esus, the Bible
and Homosexuality/.

Eventually, most churches found a biblical basis for changing their
stance on race and gender but not on homosexuality.

The largest U.S. denominations — Roman Catholics, Southern Baptists, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and Lutherans in
the Missouri Synod — clearly proclaim that homosexual behavior is a sin.

They don't allow a different theological direction, however welcoming
individual congregations may be. Change is not on their agendas.

Ammerman forecasts it could take another generation before mainline
Protestant groups set a clear direction.

Last summer, the United Methodist Church voted down all proposals to
liberalize its views on homosexuality, including a motion to acknowledge
that "faithful Christians hold differing opinions," but the issue is
sure to return to the 2008 agenda.

And the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America began a four-year process
of examining its views on ordaining gay clergy and blessings for
same-sex unions.

Rogers wonders whether churches can afford the wait, particularly when
some, such as the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches, are losing
members at a rate of 40,000 a year, he says.

"Young adults today can't understand what the fuss is all about. Their
lives are color-blind. They have gay friends and straight friends. They
have good values, but they don't stay with the church," he says.

"The gay rights battle isn't the main reason, but it's one of them. They
don't see in their church a lens to see the world."

And people of all ages "are really tired of all this (fighting)," Rogers
says.

"Most people just want to get on with thinking about Jesus."

Posted 6/12/2006 5:15 PM ET

A sick response to Al-Zarqawi's death. (Further thought on earlier post)

I am glad we got the guy. He was dangerous, and he is no longer so. It
is an unfortunate necessity that we kill men in war.

However, I am appalled at some of the responses I have heard on talk Radio.

Rush Limbaugh said he hoped Zarqawi suffered and begged for help. He
said he hoped he felt immense pain, and that the U.S. Army would drag
its feet in getting him medical help.

Glenn Beck joked about handing out cake in celebration.

Yes, I consider myself a Conservative, and for the most part enjoy these
shows. However I am foremost a Christian, and I am saddened by the fact
that this man is most likely in Hell. We are celebrating a wasted life?

Beck especially. While I do not consider him an orthodox Christian (he
is Mormon) he claims the name of Christ.

Al-Zarquawi dead.

Last night, or early this morning, the army killed Al-Zarqawi. I support
his killing as a matter of security. We needed to kill him. But I mourn
as this man is probably in hell right now.

Sorry about the funny looking posts.

I post via Email, and when I attempt to put something in a "quote"
notation, it does not quite Translate well from the email.

I will find a better way to indicate quotations.

Disruption at a Catholic mass.

>
>
> More than 50 gay rights activists wearing rainbow-colored sashes were
> denied Holy Communion at a Pentecost service yesterday at the Roman
> Catholic Cathedral in St. Paul, Minn., parishioners and church
> officials said.
>

Oh great, here we go......
>
> In an act that some witnesses called a "sacrilege" and others called a
> sign of "solidarity," a man who was not wearing a sash received a
> Communion wafer from a priest, broke it into pieces and handed it to
> some of the sash wearers, who consumed it on the spot.
>
I can find no appropriate words to express my rage.

Let's just say Sacrilege is a soft word for what happened.
>
> Ushers threatened to call the police, and a church employee burst into
> tears when the unidentified man re-distributed the consecrated wafer,
> which Catholics consider the body of Christ. But the Mass was not
> interrupted, and the incident ended peacefully, said Dennis McGrath, a
> spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
>
Violence had already been done by this point.

> "It was confrontational, but we decided not to try to arrest the guy,"
> he said.
> The dramatic episode capped several years of increasing acrimony over
> the Rainbow Sash Movement, an effort by gay Catholics to counter what
> they view as homophobia in the church.
>
The Roman Catholic Church was standing up for the orthodox and
traditional Christian doctrine.

> Beginning in 1997 in England, some Catholics have worn the sashes over
> their left shoulder to Mass each year on Pentecost, the day on which
> the New Testament says the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus's disciples.
> Because the holiday is a celebration of God's gifts, "we think it is
> an appropriate time to celebrate the gift of our sexuality," said
> Brian McNeill, a rainbow-sash organizer in Minneapolis.
>
The gift of sex has been perverted.
>
> For a few years, sash-wearers were allowed to receive Communion in
> some U.S. cities, including Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los
> Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Rochester, N.Y. But since 2004, most
> U.S. bishops have cracked down on the movement.
>
> Last year, Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Vatican department in
> charge of worship, wrote a letter to Archbishop Harry J. Flynn of St.
> Paul, stating that the rainbow sash is a sign of protest against the
> church's teachings on sexuality and that the Mass is not an
> appropriate forum for protests.
>
HalleluJah!
>
> The movement's leaders insist that wearing the sash is not an act of
> protest.
>
Let me wear a leather jacket to a PETA meeting and lets see if it is
taken as a protest.

> "When Archbishop Flynn and Cardinal Arinze say it's a protest, I say,
> 'But you guys aren't the ones wearing it -- we are, and we see it as a
> celebration,' " McNeill said. "The premise of the sash is that gay
> people are part of the Catholic community, part of the people of God.
> We are there proudly celebrating Mass."
> The number of those wearing rainbow sashes has never been large, and
> it appears to be declining. The largest single gathering was last year
> in St. Paul, where about 125 people were turned away from Communion.
> In most cities, there have been only a few wearing sashes.
>
> None were reported yesterday in the Archdiocese of Washington, which
> has a policy of denying Communion to anyone wearing a visible sign of
> protest.
>

Reading the Da Vinci Code.

_/*WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

*/_

Sad. The book can be torn down by a 20 minute Google search, yet people
have lost faith over this.

I mean, I like the story. It is a thrilling mystery novel. I like the
characters, I like the plot, and the pacing gets your heart beating. I
am about 3/4th of the way through it and I can't wait to see how they
get out away from the French Police. I would also like to see what those
letters in Sophie's drawer have to say.

But the supposed history is just plain stupid.

A prime example would be the assertion that the Dead Sea Scrolls and the
Nag Hammadi documents were the earliest Christian Documents. This is
ridiculous as the Gnostic Gospels are Significantly younger than the
Canonical Gospels, and The Dead Sea Scrolls were buried by a Jewish
Sect, and only contained Old Testament Works.

The Canonical Gospels were all written before 100 A. D. Wheras the
Gnostic Gospels are much younger.

Also, the picture the Gnostics paint of Christ are fantastic. The book
claims that orthodox Christianity downplays Christ's Humanity. However
it is the Gnostic Gospels which portray him as a non-physical spirit. I
also don't remember the canonical orthodox Gospels mentioning a Talking
Cross.

/*
> (38) Then, seeing this, these soldiers woke up the centurions and
> elders, for they themselves were all there to keep watch. (39) And
> while they were describing what they had seen, again they saw three
> men coming out from the tomb, two supporting the other and a cross
> following them. (40) The heads of the two reached up to the heavens
> and the head of the one they were leading by the hand went beyond the
> heavens. (41) And they heard a voice from heaven saying, "Did you
> preach to those who sleep?"
> (42) Obediently, there was heard from the cross, "Yes."
*/

Another contradiction to the theme of the "Sacred Feminine being
destroyed by the Church" is this little ditty from the "Gospel" of Thomas.

/*
> /*For every woman who makes herself male will enter into the kingdom
> of heaven. - Thomas 114*/

*/
Wow.

The Gospel is not about the Reformation of Society, but about the Salvation ofthe Soul.

It is common in many circles to talk about "The Gospel" as an act of
Social Reform. "Isn't Christianity about Putting others before yourself"
or "Isn't the Gospel about loving each other and God?".

While both of these concepts are very important, and Scriptural, neither
of these are the Gospel.

The Gospel is the Death of Christ in Calvary for the Salvation of our
Souls from a very real destruction. The Martyrs of the early Church did
not die for the teachings of Christ concerning Goodwill and Charity, but
for the belief that He was the Son of God, sent to the Earth to Redeem
Mankind from His Sin, and that He rose from the Dead proving His Victory
over death.

Paul writes in First Corinthians 15:

1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you,
which also you received, in which also you stand,

2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I
preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received,
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures,

5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

6After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time,
most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

7then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

8and last of all, as to one untimely born, ^ He appeared to me also.

SOOO EXTREMELY HOT!!!!

It is burning up around here. We are in the low nineties and I just
cannot stand to move!

Ahhh!!!!!

Designer Babies.

Apparently its okay to kill an innocent child because he or she is not
quite "perfect".

Our world is going to hell in a handbasket.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=388114&in_page_id=1770&ct=5#StartComments

Personal Blog Entry

Yup, nothing exciting. Just me talking about my life.

I am turning in an application tomorrow to Pizza Hut. I would be taking
orders and typing them into a computer. Decent looking opportunity. I am
currently jobless.

I am probably going to start College this summer. I plan to take out
loans and get a car and a Notebook. Around here those are necessities,
not toys.

Name Calling.

On an Anglican forum I frequent, there is a debate on the "ordination"
of women to the priesthood. And after explaining our position from both
the Scriptures and the Teachings of the Christian Church throughout the
ages, those in favor of female ordination have started calling us Sexist.

I have also noticed this type of thing in the political realm as well.
On the current debate on illegal aliens, conservatives are often labeled
as "racist nativists".

I am neither a sexist nor a racist nativist.

1) I believe that Women can hold any secular position she desires.
However I believe there is one realm where women are at all limited. It
is clear in Scripture, that in the Church, women are not to be in
authority over men. I do not view women as inferior but simply different.

2) I am not a racist. Anyone who comes to our country through legal
means is welcome regardless of race. I simply do not support a porous
border for Terrorists to walk across. I also do not like the drain
illegals put on our economic system. I say again, if you get in line and
prove who you are, and prove you can contribute to our contry. Welcome in.

Name Calling is Silly.

Dixie Chicks Discussion on Ed Shultz

I intentionally have started to listen to both Conservative and Liberal
Radio. I want to be able to say that my conservatism is one of
intelligence. I want to hear what people who disagree with me have to
say before I pass judgement on them.

I am Listening to Ed Shultz on Air America Radio. He is talking about
the Dixie Chicks taking back their Apology. Here are two things he has
said to this point.

1) That they were brave in doing so.

2) That they as Americans have the Right to say what they want. And that
it is foolish for people to boycott them, and spineless for radio
stations to refuse to play them

Here is my response.

1) It isn't brave. I say what I think all the time, even when I disagree
with the President. What is the Big deal? There is no Big Brother Bush,
and I am not afraid. I say what I think. And they are free to do so as well.

2) Yes, as Americans, they have the right to say what they will.
Absolutely. As a Conservative, the freedom of expression is one of the
rights I hold dear. However, I also support the freedom of expression of
those that boycott the Dixie Chicks as well. The Radio Stations can play
them if they want, or refuse to play them if they want. Freedom goes
both ways.

They can say what they say, and we can protest them. Welcome to America
Mr. Shultz.

Star Trek and Christianity

Does anyone else notice that in Star Trek, Christianity (and any
Religion for that matter) are looked at as old fables, or Mythology?

Christianity is demoted to the status of the Ancient Greek and Roman
Religions.

That 70's Show

Last night, a major part of my youth ended.

I know That 70's Show was just TV. But it was a major part of what I
will remember when I think back to my youth.

I actually had an emotional response watching the last show. At the end,
you had the five original friends, sitting in the basement, minus the
annoying replacement. Eric and Donna are back together.Michael is an
idiot, not a 40 year old dating, monster truck driving Punk. Hyde is
going on about the car that runs on water.

Ah. I know it will run in syndication, but I will miss it.

Disgusting

Just click the link.

http://www.episcopalbookstore.org/wc.dll?main~di~&vt=71883&idx=1SZ16RUNQ&idc=1&idi=I18670&ids=&idd=&pn=1

Update

I obviously haven't updated my blog for a few days. I think I should for
fear of neglecting it as I did with my old one.

Nope, no political or Religious topics today. Just a stupid personal entry.

We got the new computer today. The DVDRW drive was messing up, we
brought it in for them to fix, and after two weeks of waiting for a
part, they allowed us to just trade in for the same model.

So far the Drive is working.

Listening to Underoath's "The Changing of Time". I love this Album.

The Sun Still Sleeps.

My Dog's ears are hurting him. Poor guy. I gave him some Epi-Otic and
some Benadryl
.
He's already feeling better.

Fox just broadcast a nice piece of Bile.

I am a huge Simpsons fan. I have watched that show for almost as long as I can remember.

But I am frustrated by tonights episode.

In a nutshell, (I want to go to bed) Seven day Creationist Christians are painted as closeminded idiots who manipulate the court system to help them cope with their sense of denial. I am not a seven day creationist, yet I have much respect for my brothers and sisters who hold to their view based on both Scripture and Scientific findings.

At the end they put forward a nice speech by Lisa to cover up their obvious bias. In short she commented that she respected Flanders' Beliefs and could see that he held them very strongly.

In other words, It's okay to be an idiot.

Simpsons used to be fairly neutral politically and Religiously. However with this episode and a similar one concerning Gay marriage, they can no longer claim this.

I will continue to watch Simpsons, but not as happily as I used to.