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socks

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Everything posted by socks

  1. Sounds good. I go in spurts. It's fun to play with, I may end up doing mostly muffins and biscuits and not so much loaves, with the occasional pancake or waffle mix.
  2. I dont care what you do, on a certain level. On another I care a lot. Either way I’d prefer to make my own decisions. If I get to, so do you. So when I’m King Dog of the Universe and running things we’ll get along great. Ive managed to live as I see fit without having any issues. The week California closed down last year I drove an RV for 10 hours on a major freeway, got gas, food, used rest rooms, and visited family for a week in another city in another county. No problems at all. I slipped the stupid little mask on when I was in public places gassing up, and sanitized as I went. Easy. 99% of the trip I didn’t wear a mask but in those few situations where I knew someone would have a shit fit if I didn’t I did. The whole thing is such a minor concern to me, either way, I refuse to get in a twist, I just try to do the sensible thing snd get on with what I’m really trying to do.
  3. It came out light, airy, thin crust. Still working on the rise but this tastes really good.
  4. My wif' and I both have gotten the Moderna Vax, both doses. No real side effects, kind of a hit of floozy feelings for a few hours after the second one, but that was it. We both got the Booster for it, same thing, no biggie. I get flu shots every year for years now, I've always been pretty susceptible to colds and flu and those vaccinations helped a lot since I started. I had a serious round of Pneumonia in the 90's, I got within 48 hours of making hand puppets with Jim Hanson, I waited so long to drag my ass into Emergency. I've been careful since. All of those things aren't the same kinds of things but in my lifestyle they're related and connected, so I treat them seriously as part of the same health concerns. For years I've used a disinfectant when I go in and out of public shopping stores, the big box ones, "Wal Mart", all those. I'm careful about sneezing into a kleenex and avoiding people when they're snorting and sneezing all over the place in public, using doors, handles, knobs, picking thing up in public places, etc. It's all gross, seeing how many people treat personal hygiene. So I was in this whole clean thing long before this virus stuff started and frankly I don't mind the world being a little cleaner out there. People that want to tell me I don' need to do that, don't get vaxed, I shouldn't do that, am wrong for doing that, can - how does it go in the original greek...? they can get fukked. Seriously, if I had a buck for every self proclaimed expert telling me what to do I'd have a barrel of bucks. I have no lack of expert sure fire opinion either way I want to go. I've read up on what's going on as much as I feel the need to, I see the different sides to the issues, blah blah blah. I prefer to treat all of this as an individual's choice. That's how I treat it. I don't have all the answers and I don't expect others to either. I'm not going to hate someone because they don't want to get a vaccine or because they get one or because they're not sure. If I can help with my own incredibly insightful expert opinion I'd suggest - see a doctor, make sure of any exceptional conditions you might have that would make a difference and then go with the best you know and sure, get vaccinated. But if you don't, that's fine too, in my world. I know that's not how the government is handling it across the country and it sucks and is difficult for everyone whether we're for this or against that or whatever. But I try to take the high road as much as possible and do what I can to help others with what they need and this is the best I know to do now. PEACE!
  5. Just pulled this out of the oven tonight. I started with my usual proofing period but at about 7 hours it had risen some but not a lot. So I did a second knead, about 6 -7 folds and reshaped it and then let it proof in the baking pan for about 4 1/2 hours - and it really rose that second time. EVOO across the top, sprinkled some salt, and put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees, 30 minutes. At 20 minutes I checked it and it had risen up into a nice round top. I sprinkled some cheese across the top. It came out feeling really light and airy, it's cooling, so we'll see when I cut it.
  6. So here we are a year or so later.... I stopped for the summer, this year, too hot. And I'm finding sourdough does a lot better for me in the winter. I just got a new batch of starter going, the old was in the back of the fridge and probably would have worked eventually ("c'mon! it's a strong starter, it wants to bake!...3 -2 - 1...CLEAR!!! again! charging.....!!!") but I just started over. 2 tblspoons white flour, squirt of water, stir, wait, repeat, build it up, etc. More flour, water, stir and poke, wait. Etc. I end up moving it from a small starter jar to a bigger glass jar and adding a 1/2 cup of flour at a time so as it rises it ends up 2, 3, 4 cups of starter, at least. What I've learned - the starter I've worked with at times is too thin and the chemical process, gas, will bubble but the bubbles just rise to the top and escape. That kind of starter mix doesn't proof and rise at a big enough rate to make a big porous tasty loaf of bread (but it will come out denser, which may be what someone wants). For more classic sourdough I found it needs to be thicker than I usually thought it should be. When the early starter is thicker the bubbling occurs inside the starter dough but "stays inside", pushing the starter dough up and out. Lots of bubbles show at the top surface too - that's the starter "rising" and being active. Starter in that early fermenting stage should be increasing in actual size in the jar container, even doubling in size. Mines looks like a big porous sponge when it's peaking. At that point I take a 1/4 - 1/2 cup of starter, add a little water and thin it out for making the dough ball and mix with my flour and make my loaf. I add a teaspoon of salt at most and whatever I want to go in if I do - like some garlic or dried herbs, etc. Mostly I don't put a lot in it though. I do a not-so-much-knead kneading and I only do it once, for about 3 - 4 minutes to get it mixed into the classic 'ball' and fold it over and into an oval loaf shape. I then let it rise for 8 hours or so directly in the baking loaf pan, pre greased, that it will bake in, once, I haven't been taking it out and refolding and doing a second rise. I go for about a 1 - 1.5 lb loaf, not that big, and muffins I make in standard cupcake trays, 6 to a tray. They bake at 350 edges for 25 - 35 minutes. I start checking at 25 minutes. I do the score cut at the top and might brush some oil or butter on top, sprinkle salt, etc. Nothing fancy. What makes it fly when it does, is getting that initial starter into a mixture where I can stir it with my fork (I took an old table fork and cut out the two center tines, so I have a two pronged fork thingie, works great) and it sort of pulls a little as I stir - not soupy or like pancake mix, and not so thick it balls up, but mid way, almost like fudge. My starter's been blowing up and really active, so I'm getting decent loaves. No pix, but so far so good. I call it my "No Stress-EZ Sourdough Bread" recipe.
  7. socks

    Dead Cult Leaders

    You reminded me of something in relation to this whole topic, maybe, I think - (and I liked that Love Winner-Chicken Dinner book too)....hold on, story time - I was once interviewed by HR at a company I worked for regarding a complaint two employees had made against another employee, who was the manager of both of them and up a link in the food chain, mine also. I knew and had worked with all involved and in fact had been in teams managed by both. I did have some specific insight into the complaint and a first hand opinion of it's validity. So they asked me a series of questions in a phone interview about it all and I was very honest in my feedback and the understanding I had, which supported the view of those making the complaint. The last question I was asked was - did I think the person getting the complaint "could change"......I answered in 2 parts - 1. I can't speak to that, I think that's outside my ability to judge even from a professional standpoint ... and 2. Realistically, "But".....based on my experience with that specific person - no, they likely will not, not without some intervention and guidance...why expect different results if the person has no reason to change, might not see any advantage to changing, and unless a path to change is laid out and agreed to...? So there's some responsibility in judgment - if I were to say someone HAD to change, if there a path forward? Is there a penalty component to it? Etc. Etc. When I think of real people and real incidents and things done and the effect it all has on everyone, past events are the easiest - and the hardest - to work through - and EVERYthing is past. EVERYone can have a different perspective and viewpoint of the same event in the past and everyone does, even when it's "the same". It's the nature of reality, as the individual living it understands it to be. But - we can come to an agreement on it. Like the example of Charles Manson - I could get my Armchair PsychoAnalyst Certificate renewed every year doing a paper on why HE was a nut case. But that's easy and made all the easier because the entire case history of Manson is - over. He's dead. I'm sifting through the grains of facts in a reality that are like the pixels in a multi million color scan, they can be completely laid out and searched both for what and where they are but also for what they mean in an ongoing PRESENT REALITY. Anyway, on a practical level I can say with 100 per cent confidence and without the slightest doubt, and with all the gravitas it deserves - V P Weirwille isn't going to change. He's dead. Wha that meant, means and the effects in an ongoing experience with those of us hmmm, affected by him and what he did, well that will continue as long as there's people who care, wind blows and grass grows. Me, I change all the time, and take my word for it - always for the better. Smarter, faster, better, older, wiser. You can take my word for it. : )
  8. socks

    John Lynn's Legacy

    I can't speak to his legacy, but my thoughts and prayers are with his family and those close to him. I have read that he died with family close by and in their loving regard. May that be true for all of us. https://youtu.be/85_7lEwyu5U
  9. I'm not sure what that's all about, so perhaps is someone else's memory of something else. There may have been something that went on before the Corps course offerings, perhaps that was even what brought Maize into the picture, although his history with PFAL wasn't a secret to at that time. The Dale Carnegie courses I received taught by Bill Maize were when he was a licensed/certified to instruct Carnegie courses in a territory in Ohio where he could offer the Carnegie courses as a Carnegie instructor. None of the materials or the class in toto were relabeled Wayfer versions under different names and presenters, and we got copies of the Carnegie books and materials. (my wife recently crossed professional paths with an educational/trade organization that offers some current work by the Carnegie group and I found a copy of a small Carnegie Booklet we still have from 1973, that she had signed her name inside of, and it gave them quite a chuckle to hear that) I understood Bill's courses on Public Speaking and Sales Techniques were based fully on his material which was based of course on the original books and material of Carnegie. It began with the First Corps and were offered in each Corps thereafter, to the 4th I was in. I believe it was offered then to at least the 5th and "Family Corps" at the Way Nash, under Bill's teaching but I wasn't in the "residence" program at that time, I was on staff in the first iteration of the "interim" year. It may have then been offered after in whatever forms, but I wasn't there attending any of them so can't say what they did first hand. Whatever financial arrangements the Way had with Bill Maize I don't know, his expenses were likely covered and he probably received a fee or honorarium of some sort per student, but he may have also done it gratis or at a reduced fee. Guys like John Somerville who began TFI (The Total Fitness Institute) in the 70's arranged with VPW to have Way Corps come in for outdoor climbing, survival and "leadership" training classes and he received a fee for each Corps person in the early groups that went to help with expenses (he told us when the 4th Corps had the option to go) and he also got at least a day or so of work/labor out of each person to help doing odd chores and tasks for building his camp and cabin, although it was a pretty disorganized affair at times that I was there over two weeks. I mention that to say that over the years VPW cut arrangements with lots of people to barter/trade, that I know and there's probably many others too I'm not, of course. But with Bill Maize it was a straightforward class he taught on prem, one night a week over several weeks, with exercises and assignments we were required to complete successfully. I remember this even more specifically because one of my wife's speeches/presentations was selected to be included in a Sunday Night Service, it was about 5 minutes I believe and was one of two that were picked that week that exemplified the stuff we were learning. She even remembers that to this day. Wuddelse - so, Maize's courses with us weren't secret or anything remotely clandestine. The finances weren't an additional fee for the Corps as we paid tuition/sponsorship to be in the live/work program as it was outlined that year, and whatever Bill and VPW had arranged was between them.
  10. Never heard of that, where'd you become aware of that? It may have been after they opened Emporia, and/or after Bill Maize taught the classes at the Way Nash. His son was also a certified Carnegie instructor and I believe Bill Sr's territory continued through to his son. There wasn't any such conflict with the material that Bill Maize taught. I've worked with other licensed/certified instructors of licensed course work who customized courses for companies and developed offerings for them.
  11. It's kind of an anachronism now but lest I forget Corps training (by and around the 4th Corps) included a sales course and a public speaking course, both taught by Bill Maize. Bill was a certified Dale Carnegie instructor, a PFAL grad and taught the Carnegie material with a specific eye on what we were doing which included teaching, witnessing and of course, signing people up for PFAL. Over time I think Bill's teaching and overall approach were excellent and have held up. I've continued my education in general business and some specific technical fields, completed 100's of hours of CE - continuing education - to increase and refresh my skills and knowledge, facilitated 100's more in my career work and specialized at times in training others in topics like Workflows & Analysis and UXP testing (user experience) related to client-side application development. Plus I've got 1000's of hours of public speaking under my belt teaching on the Bible, Christianity, "sermonizing" and otherwise pontificating on any number of related topics and as a musician taught music and performed all my life (less so these last 30 years or so). For my time and money, Bill Maize taught material that I've used over and over throughout the years and been able to build on. At one time I did fairly well in sales related fields and jobs and the Carnegie concepts served me as did many of the specific methods when they were reapplied and tailored to other settings. For me the combination of Sales and Public Speaking gave me something I think others might have ignored - an approach to communicating with others that helped me learn about others and understand them. The "sales" part for me was defined immediately by the statement we learned - "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still".....so I took the idea of "selling something" through manipulation off the table....I could see that even the most needy person would only go along with something they didn't really want for so long and by continuing expose themselves to possible damage....anything close to full valid acceptance requires more than just accommodating a weakness or need with promises.... And for many the promise of a group of people who suddenly liked you or at the least put up with you, wanted you to hang with them and who were interested in you and what you did and what you needed was pretty heady stuff. And that alone can be a healing balm, to be accepted for who you are - and in Christian thinking for who God wants you to be, but without the the emotional and physical debt of guilt, judgment and condemnation. Free - "free at last!" to be ourselves in God's creation. The Carnegie material is still represented and offered in varying formats by many training and trade groups and the content is refreshed of course. For me years ago, was it really necessary? No, not really. Any caring person willing to take the time to meet others and get to know them with the intent to help them with their friendship and what they know will do most of the important stuff - invest their time, listen, be patient, try to understand, etc. etc. BUT it did something very important for me personally, gave me time and methods to help me learn to communicate and express myself better with others, and start that lifelong journey of doing so. Where all this went south IMO was taking any of it and pushing it into some pre-fab format of quotas and measurements to "get people in the Class".....even if it's vacuums there's always going to be a report of "how many did you sell" but from the human side the report will really say "how many people were helped with the products"?..... Even writing this it sickens me to remember sitting with some of the fk-tard "leaders" sitting on someone else's couch in their home drinking their coffee and yelling at them for not "getting enough signups to start a CLASS!!!!" Sad. But it's all blue skies and berry pies today! PTL! Free!!! Free at last!!!!
  12. Yes, there was plenty of that. For me it boiled down to this - Just as salvation was personal for me it will be personal for others. It can't be mass produced, we're all a crowd of "one's Jesus is "the way", described as the door, the gate, the means by which... Like a door, everyone can't go through at once, all the pushing and shoving in the world will only create a bottleneck. Everyone goes through singly and then everyone can get through. And in that way there's plenty of access, even as we do find ourselves in the arc of a timeline. Time is of the essence but it doesn't control the rules or God's intentions and plan. It's personal, individual - me and Jesus Christ, us and God.
  13. In the Way of the late 60's, 70's witnessing was a mixed bag of helping people, making friends, sharing and teaching what the Bible says and specifically sharing "salvation through Christ". The primary tool of choice for teaching the Bible was PFAL and The Way 'Nash was the "church" that wasn't a church but a teaching ministry providing the structural pinnings for fellowship, worship, and social life - but hold that thought.... PFAL was not intended to be a tool to "just" do that - it was intended to be a tool to teach "the accuracy of God's Word", specifically the array of Dr. Weirwille's critical need-to-know topics that were being "rightly divided" in PFAL. Many if not all of the fundamental creeds of Christian faith were redefined by this teaching - similar in face and look to some degree but fundamentally very different, to the degree that VPW didn't even want to call those who took PFAL "Christians", he socialized the term "Believers" into the Way's vernacular. His "students" BELIEVED, they lambano'd that stuff. (but it's smart to remember - the first "believers" to be called Christians were a Gentile congregation in Antioch, evangelized and taught by Paul and his team and according to VPW were probably taught much the same things and ways as he himself was doing..... VPW liked to say it was because they were always talking about the "Christ in them" and did a kind of word-mash to get the term Christian buuuut...yeah. Anyway, he balked at the term to distance himself from the great unwashed masses of non grads of PFAL and did so at great harm to any effort to actually help others, IMO.) So "witnessing" was essentially signing people up for PFAL classes. And I would argue it's not the worse time I ever spent in a metal chair, speaking for myself. PFAL establishes several things upfront - that the Bible needs to be viewed as a revelation from God, a product of inspired writing and expression. For the person who wants to know God and His intentions for mankind it is not just a book of myths and stories with a few parables thrown in. That with some rudimentary tools and guidelines (historical context, cultural context, language interpretation, chronology amongst others) the meaning of most of it can be understood, and much of that from reading it on face value. PFAL taught me that Jesus Christ once said He came to give life, "abundant" life, that life is beset by thieves who steal, kill and destroy - Christ came to give us Life, real life, and real Love. I learned about the spiritual gifts and "manifestations" and most importantly that God works and wills in us today no differently than He did when Christ was alive and His followers lived. I learned about prayer and the value of a strong Christian social life with real relationships. I learned about Grace, and Mercy, through what Christ did. I learned how loving and kind Jesus Christ was to nearly everyone He dealt with and that even those who wanted to kill him answered to a greater God, just as He did. Now - PFAL taught a lot of stuff and after a few times and some study, I pretty much "got it". It's not a hard set of materials to master. The subjects, the contents, could and will take a lifetime to learn and apply and grow in - and I'd contend that the purpose of what we're taught in the Bible New Testament isn't to make us lifelong students who must be incessantly reminded of what we've learned lest we forget - and sure we all need to be refreshed and reminded of things - but the intention is for us to live the LIFE that God gives us through Christ and insodoing - live. Learn, grow and enjoy. The best way to stay on track in our new life is to mmmm......live in it. I don't look at it and want to be more like it - I'm "it". I just need to remember to be the Me God has made me. Now then to the question of witnessing - for me it was 1. share the knowledge of who Christ is and what He means 2. share specifics of how God wants us to live and what that life means and looks like 3. Guide people to the Bible which is where they'll learn more about all this 4. Sign 'em up! for PFAL! As time went on I do think the goal of ONLY signing people up became part of the problem - yet even then all the years I was involved in the Way including the early years, the Corps and working there on Staff after, I was always compelled to HELP PEOPLE through my direct contact. Still and all, when I travelled with the Way the number one measure of success was the 'signed green card' - and unlike many of the more loud mouthed swaggering "leaders" in the Way who never left the comfort of a well organized meeting lectern or living room where they could pontificate and bloviate all night - I did sign up people for PFAL. LOTS of people and by traveling throughout the entire country, every major city and every place the Way had people large and small, over several years, I put my money where my mouth was and didn't just tell people what THEY should be doing and blaming them when they failed for not "BELIEVING BIG ENOUGH". My prayer is that in that effort they got enough of the love and learned what to do with it. It's been a long haul.
  14. Thanks! I found this news to be so clearly indicative of the root problem of the Way's pay-for-pray teaching ministry. There's always money involved. "Cheap and cheesy" perfectly describes the Way. anyway...PEACE KIDS!
  15. It's just looks like an add on for existing "subscribers" - they ask for your "customer number" when you "subscribe". If you're an existing customer/member of The Way you already have one. Non customer/members have to contact the "Bookstore" by phone or mail to buy individually. When you read it closely what they're selling is access. The stuff you get is whatever that access gives you, in this case it's a "digital" product. They're using the same ol' convoluted control mechanisms wrapped in new money - $2 a pop.
  16. Thank you! I'm proud of the work we put in. The time, and remember - "it was on your dime", as I like to say. As it grew and continued it was financed by the ABS of the Way's members. It honored the music that so many great souls were a part of it. The product itself was a work in progress. I used to wince that people were or felt forced to listen to music they didn't like sometimes, namely ours. I've studied, played and enjoyed music all my life and although I've listened to a lot I don't prefer I would never in my life insist anyone be immersed in music they flat out didn't like. I tried to encourage people to build their own "libraries" of inspirational music, make cassette tapes of stuff that made them feel good, happy, inspired, thoughtful, whatever. Not a terribly profound idea but one that would work well as time went on and technology did too. Today, playlists. On the whole I'm proud of what we did though, the intent was to bless, to inspire, to give an additional source for someone to see and learn what the Word of God taught. It was far from perfect, but it was a hearty effort by everyone involved and as time went on others did things with dance and various arts. Unfortunately some of those who came onboard with Craig had no investment in the legacy of the work and no heart for the love of it and managed to dismantle it.
  17. Did you ever get this answered? The copyright.gov site covers it pretty well. I dealt with this a lot over the years for employers and online content and their lawyers always promoted permission, citation and full crediting for any use of material that was used, when it was being quoted verbatim and specifically if it was in the format of the creator on even the most benign and innocuous material and circumstance. But it also depends a little on 1. your moral and ethical values and 2. how deep those ethical pockets are. In a worst case scenario the worst that can happen to most of us is a cease-and-desist order, which any licensed attorney - well, anyone really, can issue. But who wants that? So your question is valid. Two scenarios I dealt with were typical - if it was clearly for commercial use permission was required and cited in a set of footnotes at the end of the content, document, paper, etc. If it was use of a set of words and phrases that came from a piece of reference material like a dictionary or industry standard reference source - it was assumed that non licensed use was legal unless otherwise stated in the source material itself. It was still always cited and credited as source material in the footnotes. So if someone wrote .... "the definition of the term 'duty of care' may apply here, which in common legal definition is 'a requirement that a person act toward others and the public with the watchfulness, attention, caution and prudence that a reasonable person in the circumstances would use.' "....and it would be cited in the footnotes for the source of the quote. This can be expressed in language many ways, I could say the same thing but write "as it states in the online source dictionary.com.law" blah blah blah.......which covers the citation (and would still get included as a reference source in footnotes listing) but it would assume that non licensed use is permitted...... And your question was generally around "but is it?" You're on the right track. I knew the answers to that for most of the situations I encountered and understood the application of them, so I could actually do a first review of the content if it hadn't "been through legal" yet, and then forward to them for review and in nearly every case they hit that nail again and again with the answer "Let's make sure we have permission and include the statement in the footnotes". I'd consider contacting some reliable sources or an actual attorney to go over your questions. If it were me, and I was using publicly available reference material for the purpose of research, teaching and academic advancement I'd cite and note a nice clear thank you to the sources in my foreword and/or in the footnotes. If I were collecting a charge or donation for the material I'd written for the usual "covers cost and handling", I'd handle it that way too, thus declaring openly my intentions. Run it by an attorney for fast relief and get their answer in writing. Just the facts, please: https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html Some attorney talk about the facts: https://www.janefriedman.com/the-fair-use-doctrine/
  18. That's a cool verse in Deut Twinky, thanks! Your church sounds like it's got the "right stuff".
  19. Thanks! I'm glad you brought this book into the forefront. It can probably be summed up in one of the review quotes, the one you started out with that said "develop a thoroughly biblical imagination that takes in the comprehensive and eternal work of Christ in all people and all circumstances in love and for salvation. Rob Bell goes a long way in helping us acquire just such an imagination." A lot of theology takes an exclusionary view of salvation - working from a platform that keeps the sinner out. Yet if we're sinners we're already "out" and we aren't even born knowing it. We don't need to be kept out or denied anymore than we already are. We need "deliverance", we need to be brought in. Yet the N T asks me "Do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" Then there's the ol' "That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Bell really (to me anyway) sets up the the point that this life, our lives now aren't simply one of justice withheld. I think something I held for a long time in my former Catholic training was the idea that this life is some kind of a test or puzzle and if I pass I get to proceed. That's over simplifying Catholic theology but a lot of it does tend towards an attitude of "this too shall pass" where the human condition is indeed temporary but WHOA! you better get it right or - well, they'll be hell to pay later. Jesus Christ was the epitome of an "ocean in a drop of rain". If He is and was everything I read about and I accept that, then this very moment, this day, year, is of vast eternal significance because the Creator has focused His creative expression ("Love") onto us and into us and this life we're in right now. It's a window to the future yes but in and of itself it's an incredible thing we are living here, now.
  20. So - I finished re reading the book, Mr Rocky and figure to close the loop on this discussion. I can't think of anything Bell says logically or scripturally that makes me want to adopt his position, to be honest. Saying that, I think the emotion, the charis, of his message is closer to the truth than the hell and damnation stuff. As I understand and teach salvation, "hell" isn't really a topic. Jesus did talk about it but not in a way that I think me spreading His message now, needs to deeply consider. In the big context, it's another topic. Jesus Christ revealed God to mankind, gave the pneuma of God a visage, form, in which His intents could be seen, known, considered and even understood. Jesus Christ functioned in a very small corner of the world and the lessons and teachings of His life are better understood in a small community, familial context where a group (He and His disciples) exist within a larger familial style group (Jews) that function in an extended community spread over an area (land, geography, distribution of population) and that all are rooted in the same customs and culture while having their own twists and turns on them as the community border grows and spreads over time...and all of which exists in another different and separate social governmental community that exercises a degree of control over them (Rome and Roman rule and occupation). In that context when Jesus said that seeing Him was like seeing the Father - He made an incredibly powerful point that was impossible to miss by those who were with Him. Jesus forgave, offered mercy and forgiveness, grace. He healed and restored people to health. He wouldn't have done so if it were not what God willed. And He did that in a very small intimate context. Although we live in a time of global awareness I am not of the mind that the Christian message is best understood that way. The "body of Christ" is a very large community of course but it won't be fully congregated until the future and then into it's much larger context. We need to be aware of the larger church community of which we are a part and to which we can have an impact, but our direct part in it is immediate. I think some of today's conflicts in the church come from the desire of members to see themselves on too large a level, where pastors try to teach the entire world, apostles try to speak for the destiny of the entire church, teachers want to reach vast congregations of listeners. The real work of the church that most closely resembles what Christ DID ON EARTH is local, personal, intimate and real. His greater purpose was of course, infinitely vast. Selah, as they say. That's about it for me, just tying up loose ends. Peace n love!
  21. How does that include posts being deleted? because you had a poster who said “fuck off” or whatever it was? and then all related posts are gone. It’s just weird to me. That’s posturing at Posturepedic best. “As you were” simply meant - return to your normal activity. I guess this is it, hey? Good job!
  22. Really??? damn you can’t say anything around here anymore. how weird. It’s like say ing it cant happen because it wasn’t appropriate and offended someone, so it didn’t. Tight ship? GS is an odd bunch these days I’ll give you that, but that’s the wrong way to go imo. put another way - reality’s a bitch but it’s one we know. as you were, all. As you were.
  23. I'm gonna go with "yes he did mean to pull his leg".
  24. We will. All this posturing and BS'ing will be over, we won't have to try and be something we really don't want to be and just allow ourselves to be the lovable lives God has made us. I just don't believe he was a "drug runner" of any type. Sorry, I think he was pulling your leg to appear like he had a deep dark pasta and was some sort of a player. Hey - if you're out there Chris, prove me wrong. We can compare notes. Meanwhile I wish you and your wife health - settle down beavis! We're not kids anymore. PEACE!
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