Twinky

Hmm... So far, 80% American [uSA] which I'd expected. And 70% identify as white/caucasian, which I'd sort of expected but had hoped might be a lower percentage.

FWIW, I never heard of Waydale. I'm glad this place is called "Grease Spot Cafe". Had it been called Waydale, I probably wouldn't have paid any attention. As it was, I found Grease Spot Cafe as I was looking for the zip code, preparing to crawl back to TWI over broken glass because my life was so miserable on the outside. The intriguing diversion to the Cafe...has distracted me ever since. Never made it back to TWI. Phew!!!

The Anglican church I currently go along to has, after five long years, finally received planning permission to build a new church on the same plot as one that was arsoned. The planning authority threw up all sorts of hurdles, from design, to noise, to access... and this church will be in a deprived area where there are few local facililties, so it will also function as a community centre - something the planners never provided. How many mentions of the adversary? None. How many prayers that, if it be God's will that this church be built, then the planning problems will be sorted out? Many. I've been sitting through an Alpha course with a friend who is just beginning to explore Christianity. He finds the discussions after the talks interesting (unlike the non-discussions after a PFAL session) and finds he learns more from those than from the given "lecture." People seem to drift in and out on these sessions - one week there, the next, absent. For what Alpha sees as the highlight of their course (the "holy spirit" day), my friend was the only non-believer there. Dunno where everyone else was, they all made excuses beforehand. How many times did I hear: "The Adversary has tricked them out of the greatness of God's Word"? None. Just a genuine welcome next time the absentees came to a session. If you don't focus on God or on Jesus, what do you focus on? "The Adversary." And, as we were taught, you become what you look at, focus on. No wonder it was so hard to love God when we were fighting off fear of the adversary all the time.

Gut feeling on this is... I don't want to be "like minded" with anyone any more. Not if it means anyone is forcing it, suspending questions, being afraid to explore ideas...being afraid to explore God. Nonetheless I'm delighted if there are others who agree somewhat or completely with what I understand/believe. I am delighted to find "likemindedness" as in unity of heart and purpose, in fellow Christians who are Trinitarians, who attend a range of churches from mainstream/established to small housegroups. We're likeminded even if we differ on "surface" aspects. I'm interested in where and why they differ. At the end of the day, it's our personal relationship with God that matters. That relationship is not found in reading books (not even the Bible) (and certainly not PFAL). It's found in using our God-given brains to contemplate who God is and meditating in the scriptures to understand Him (and our own lifestyle) better.

News made it to Europe, too. Only thing to be said is: Gooooood!!!!!!! One wonders how he might fare in prison with several hundred "spiritual wives" to choose from...or be chosen by... :wacko:

Rummie, did I hit a sore point? Okay, I was poking fun just a little at USA imperialism - but also at Brit imperialism before that, too!!! Look at the whole post...! I like Americans (inhabitants of the USA) as individuals. I have met some pretty nice people, open and generous in a way not found in a lot of places or some other countries. I have visited the USA on a number of occasions over many years, before, during and after my involvement with TWI. I have a problem with USA imperialism and wanting to run other countries. Your immediate past president did no favors in this regard. Ah well, that's for another forum. If you wanna carry on, start something in Politics and Tacks. If you say, Rummie, it was me who lumped the Americas together as one (and I would change the entry on the poll if it were possible, but it doesn't seem to be possible to change the poll) ...what nationality do you call yourself, Rummie? An American? Or a "USA-an?" If someone from Quebec called himself an American, would you object and say, no, you're a Canadian? What about someone from Mexico, Buenos Aires, Columbia, Tiera del Fuego?

WW - yes, what a good idea. In fact, if the USA realized there were actually other countries and civilizations outside the USA it would be a brilliant thing. Summa those places have cultural backgrounds going back millennia. Before, in fact, the American continents were discovered and claimed (as if they were so much abandoned property) by Europeans. (Don't be too harsh, Twinky; which countries did they learn Imperialism from???)

Hap, would love to hear more about your recollections of that very significant time.

9 November 1989 - the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall...

Actually, George, if you're being really pedantic, "Whence come you?" since "whence" also incorporates the "from part. But don't let everyone whence (wince) by getting too fancy about stuff. Whence (Once) upon a time I lived in various other countries. Maybe I should tick them, since I'm not actually coming from anywhere at the moment, I'm here and nearly always have been. (LOL) P-Mosh, I was thinking of USA as "America" which is why I also put Canada and South America, rather than "North America" but agreed it's ambiguous/misleading. Do you identify as being an "Other" rather than white/caucasian? Pleased that you give credit to native American ancestry. Antipodean poster, where do you hail from?

For other ignoramuses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright. Geisha - shoulda known, or at least checked Wiki before asking the obvious! I'll check out some of his work...sometime. Shows how much notice I take of other religious groups. Still trying to think through and read what seems appropriate. Reading all of the Bible without PFAL-colored glasses is a decent start.

I dunno, Rummie, never heard of it before reading in these forums. Yet funnily enough I came across some book in the library about pre-Christian events alleged to have taken place before the time of Christ. Like lots of the gospel miracles, etc, that allegedly occured before. Or in other religions, traditions or mythologies. Unfortunately as my library ticket was maxed out, I couldn't borrow the book.

How strange. I was at a class where new Christians or those simply investigating Christianity can discuss whatever questions they wish. And someone asked, what is the unforgivable sin? Zzzippp...my mind went straight back to the teaching that T-Bone so carefully describes. But the group facilitator (herself a longstanding Christian) simply said that she wasn't sure. So I'll be watching this discussion with interest. Hope it continues.

Two planes crash into iconic buildings... Three skyscrapers fall down... People falling out of buildings, paper everywhere, ash everywhere... About 3000 people killed... Immensely brave rescue efforts from fire services, some of whose officers were also killed... And VB in his Mog-paranoia says, "Look at me! Look at me!!! Gimmee all your money!!!! I'm the only one who can protect you!!!!" ??? It's a bit of a de-rail but this thread seems to have stagnated ... anybody recently out (or even still in) remember the TWI response?

Hey Psalmie, nice to see you back! How's things?

I've always been interested to know who comes to the Cafe. And I wonder where people come from. These days, everyone seems to be into politically correct questionnaires about one's background, whether you're black, white, striped or checkered. So here's a go at a poll, if you want to humor me. Of course, there will be the usual complaints that I forgot your country or racial group. If you live in one country but have roots from another (eg, "Irish American") it would probably be more realistic checking "America" as your country, unless you were born in Ireland. Neither the countries nor the racial groups are in any kind of order. I don't know if we'll end up as a spread of nationalities and racial groups. It always seemed to me that TWI was mostly white, with darker skinned peoples in their countries (eg, Zaire) but not an overwhelming number of black Americans. But post-PoP, that might just be the people I happened to meet while I was in, or the countries I lived in at the time.

Perennial sort of topic, this one. Have a look at these:

I posted something ages ago, and this quote (posted by another Cafe denizen) made it into Grease Spot Gems in September 2006: No doubt if you search the threads, you'll find the original... LOL.

Like, "The Art of Followship," about the joys and pleasures and godly satisfaction of obedience to your husband?

Tonight, I went to my city's public firework display. Pretty good one, too, lasted 20 mins with a wide range of different types of fireworks. All the roads near the central area of the city were blocked by people standing around, and later, by the pedestrians walking away. Great crowd atmosphere. On the way home, saw a few private fireworks being let off in people's gardens. And that was that. 'S all that ever happens. Country areas might have a huge bonfire (and no doubt there will be some of those + fireworks over this coming weekend). Just a bit of fun on a dark evening prior to the Christmas run-up getting under way.

Jeepers, I thought I was the only one with no real friends. Sorry to see that I am wrong. When I first got M&A'd, when I could pick up a Bible again I did some reading in the gospels about what a friend is. It was so miserable and depressing that my efforts didn't last long. Might get different results if I tried the same thing now. There are so many levels of friendship. But the number of folks in one's innermost circle is very small. Actually I have a pretty good support group/ network of friends, who do care and share. And who would help in any way they could. But real intimates? Very few.

Bonfire Night is not a holiday, never has been. Just bonfires and lots of fireworks. These days the fireworks tend to be more in public displays, not privately in people's back gardens. It is not known as Guy Fawkes Day or any such thing. A rocket to the person who mentioned it was LCM's birthday. :-( Burning LCM's effigy might not be a bad thing but wouldn't want his memory perpetuated over the centuries.

Yeah, but don't I remember: "God said it, that settles it, I believe it!"? Did he just twist the little phrase around, or do I remember it wrongly?

Waysider, here's another perspective on Mithraism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithras and you will see that the first para, which is expanded upon in the body, states: "The Mithraic Mysteries or Mysteries of Mithras (also Mithraism) was a mystery religion, which became popular among the military in the Roman Empire, from the 1st to 4th centuries AD. Information on the cult is based mainly on interpretations of monuments. These depict Mithras as born from a rock and sacrificing a bull. His worshippers had a complex system of 7 grades of initiation, with ritual meals. They met in underground temples. Little else is known for certain." In other words, Mithraism is the counterfeit - not Christianity. But we're agreed on your statement: "Looking back, it's obvious Wierwille had discovered that, if there were questions he really didn't know the answer to, he could simply play the "devil's trickery" card."

What holiday?