Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/psalm+109+8+bumperstickers" target="_blank">http://www.zazzle.com/psalm+10...stickers</a> Anyone seen these around? Apparently they're gaining popularity, they've got bumper stickers, caps, coffee cups, the works. Wanna know what Psalm 109:8 actually SAYS? Psalm 109 (New International Version) For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. 1 O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, 2 for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues. 3 With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause. 4 In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. 5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship. 6 Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. 8 MAY HIS DAYS BE FEW, MAY ANOTHER TAKE HIS PLACE OF LEADERSHIP. 9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. 10 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. 11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. 13 May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation. 14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. 15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. 16 For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted. and so on and so on, bla bla god smite him etc... "may his days be few". Lovely.
Originally Posted By SuperDry When I first started reading this, I thought that it was perhaps a pro-Obama reference. Verses 1-5 could certainly be read as if from Obama's point of view, but if that were the case, it kind of goes south starting at verse 6.
Originally Posted By Mr X lol. Although, in the minds of extremist Obama loathers, HE is the wicked, HE has the lying tongue, HE repays evil for good etc...
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.<< Wow and Christians are supposed to be compassionate?
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^FWIW, the Psalms are from the Old Testament. Still, one would hope that people would pray for the President, not against him. Jesus did instruct his disciples to pray for their enemies.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I am a man of prayer<< hmmm... >>9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. 10 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. 11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. 13 May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.<< Wow.
Originally Posted By Mr F REALITY CHECK: Prayer Doesn't Work. It prayer worked, everyone would be rich, no one would have diseases, no one would die, and everyone would be thin and beautiful. Too bad life doesn't work that way. Prayer is for ignorant hopeless people with is no meaning in their lives who don't realize that goals are accomplished by going out and actively pursuing them, and people who are lazy and would rather wish for something to happen instead of accomplishing it themselves. You can pray all you want but the reality is that it isn't going to do jack squat.
Originally Posted By utahjosh Mr. F, you've seen too much television. Prayer is not a way to make God do what you want. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. As we say around here, "Pray like everything depends on God, work like everything depends on you."
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin Okay,...my name is Happy Medium...and I like to talk to God because i know She's listening when I'm unhappy or heartbroken BUT I know I'm supposed to get up and do some of this crap myself. (Josh, if you could stop sounding like a Hallmark card for a few minutes (you know, the kind you open up and hear the same drivel every 37 seconds?) we'd all appreciate it)"As we say around here,..." kind of adds to that cult image thing...just trying to help!
Originally Posted By utahjosh Sorry Sister Sara, I will continue saying what I know to be true whenever someone asks or feel the need. Also, I didn't realize you spoke for the whole of LP. My apologies, Queen Sara. And guess what? You can think I belong to a cult. Doesn't bother me none.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster If you keep throwing your beliefs in our faces saying you "know" them to be true then you will continue to be seen as arrogant and delusional. Just try to understand why your behavior offends people.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Sorry Sister Sara, I will continue saying what I know to be true whenever someone asks or feel the need. >> Lack of precision in the use of language is how wars begin. "I know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west." "I believe that global warming is a major cause of catastrophic weather." Notice I did not state, "I know that global warming is a major cause of catastrophic weather," because I do not know this to be 100% accurate. It's a solid scientific theory, but not absolute truth. Until you start using more precise language in declaring your religious beliefs, Josh, you will continue to receive remarks such as mine and Sara's and CM's. Religious beliefs are just that, beliefs. They are not facts, such as the sun's path in our sky, or the arithmetic result of 1 + 1. One BELIEVES something to be true that pertains to the ethereal world, such as faith, whereas one KNOWS something to be true that pertains to the physical world, such as mathematics. You do not know any truths pertaining to prayer, nobody does. But you and others certainly have many beliefs, and should state them as such. This is why the backlash against religion continues on. Equating beliefs with facts ultimately leads to prejudice and discrimination based on rigid dogma perceived as absolute truth. No one religion is the ultimate god squad, whether you choose to believe it or not. And every time you take your beliefs and present them as absolute truths of 100% certainty, you further perpetuate the image of your religion as something to be despised. You accuse Sara of being arrogant but you're the one who continually comes off knowing better than everyone else. You have beliefs, not facts. And folks would definitely treat you differently if you presented them as such.
Originally Posted By DAR <<If you keep throwing your beliefs in our faces saying you "know" them to be true then you will continue to be seen as arrogant and delusional. Just try to understand why your behavior offends people.>> That could also apply to the atheist crowd in these parts.
Originally Posted By DAR They did but when Donald Duck tried to get them on the Ark they and other creatures like dragons and griffins just laughed at him.
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin Sorry Josh, but I guess others are tired of your "my way or the highway" attitude, also. I don't mean to bash you, I really would like you to understand how you are perceived. Your message comes through as though everybody elsel is doomed and you don't expect to see any of us on the other side...I don't know who'll be there, I'm just pretty sure we're all in for a big surprise.
