|
Post by revmichael on Dec 1, 2007 9:25:15 GMT
For me Christmas is also (as well as all the religious connotations) a time for family - and children. We will be having it with some of my children and two of our little grandchildren. that will be lovely.
Of course, no one knows on what date Jesus was born but 25th December is as good as any other. It's always helpful to have a point of reference to remember any event.
Yes - Hi Nat. Nice to see you.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 19:02:29 GMT
They got New Years Day and in lots of places the 2nd off as well - they were public (bank) holidays Aahhhh, that probably explains why they didn't get Christmas Day off. Being of sound and sober mind we Southerners didn't need two days off to get the stench of the alcoholic fumes from our systems.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 18:04:22 GMT
You're right about the origin, but they have all been embraced as traditions within the church. Indeed, the only thing about Christmas that has a Christian origin is the church service. As I mentioned in another thread, it's all Pope Gregory's fault with a helpful nudge from settlers in America and more recently Victoria and Albert. But traditions change. My grandfather told me that until WWII, christmas was almost a normal day (ie you went to work as in a normal day and got paid that day's rate). The only holiday around this period was New Year. Easter was marked as a special time, as it was about the resurrection of Jesus. But did they get New Year's Day off in Scotland? When I was a boy New Year's Day was not a holiday in England.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 7:35:30 GMT
My recent purchase of two X12 books of second-class postage stamps depict a clearly female seraphin sorry mature, thus an angel with trumpet with a banner displaying 'Peace'. So the stamps bearing a seasonal religious theme are perhaps more freely available than it seems. Depicting an angel is a clever twist on not causing offence - Judaism and Islam also believe that there are such things as angels since both Judaism and Islam share the first five books of the Old Testament, which are believed to have been written by Abraham, with Christians. Hinduism doesn't, but the religion itself is so inclusive that I'm sure that Hindu's would not be offended by an angelic stamp. The first five books of the bible are sometimes called 'The books of Moses.' I believe that both Christians and Jews believe that he wrote them (apart from the bit which records his death). Abraham died in the earlier chapters of Genesis (the first of the five).
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 11, 2007 10:50:31 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why? Thanks for pointing to that one Fi. I believe it was last week that Indigit Singh said, on Pause for Thought' that he gladly signed a document saying that Christmas should be observed - and that it was NO offense to him, or anyone he knew in another faith. It seems to me that the ones who are objecting are not those of other faiths, but the secularists who will use any occasion to make their point that following a religion is rubbish.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 10, 2007 19:45:33 GMT
Thanks Paul. I saw that notice also and forgot to post it. I'm grateful that you have alerted us, on the Rectory, to that.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 3, 2007 14:10:25 GMT
It seems that Twain is making a point to get people to talk. Exaggeration is often used to start off a discussion. Fair enough - but I think all generalisations are dangerous, including this one (I mean mine, not yours). I'd rather think well of people until I have evidence to suggest otherwise. I've never been able to equate 'loving my neighbour' with drawing attention to their myriad faults, either real or assumed. That is because my experience has been that most people live up to other people's expectations, so rather than treating them all as potential sinners, it would be far more profitable to treat them as potential saints.Exactly. The Bible places more emphasis on 'examine yourself' than 'look how bad other people are.'
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 1, 2007 16:26:37 GMT
Many of Twain's quotes make for interesting points of discussion, probably enough to keep the rectory going for a good few months You've been reading my mine, my friend.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 1, 2007 9:27:28 GMT
I've no doubt it does - but not inevitably as Twain suggests - but then I've never acccepted that the concept of original sin has any validity either It seems that Twain is making a point to get people to talk. Exaggeration is often used to start off a discussion.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 30, 2007 13:16:58 GMT
Are you really sure about that Michael? It seems to suggest that any human who is helped out of poverty will eventually turn on those who helped them! 'Twern't me wot sed it Miss. It's that Twain fella and I suppose his views and those of some others may differ and we're left with the situation that never the twain shall meet. Seriously, of course you are right Fi. Not everyone turns on those who have helped them in the past - but it does sometimes happen - honest.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 30, 2007 8:09:11 GMT
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man." (Mark Twain)
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 29, 2007 8:03:47 GMT
At the construction site of a new church, the contractor stopped to chat with one of his workmen. "Patty," he asked casually, "didn't you once tell me that you had a brother who was a bishop?" "That I did." "And you are a bricklayer. It sure is a funny world. Things in life aren't divided equally, are they?" "No, that they ain't," agreed Patty, as he proudly slapped the mortar along the line of bricks. "My poor brother couldn't do this to save his life."
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 29, 2007 7:57:59 GMT
It took me a very long time to get the confidence to speak to complete strangers, but I'm glad that I can now do it, the turning point came for me when I had my lad and didn't want him to be as shy as I once was. It doesn't matter what you talk about, it generally ends up with us both going away with a smile on our faces, and that's what makes it worth it. Some of my best conversations have been with the ladies on the tills at Sainsbug's who don't have the most exciting of jobs in the world, and must be bored out of their minds but I also enjoy saying howdy to the elderly gent who goes for a brisk walk along the same route that I take the dog, but in the opposite direction...we generally meet up twice that way and have 2 chats! I wouldn't say that it's purely a Christian thing though ( sorry Mal !), I believe we all have good in us, and I'm an atheist. I suppose the only time religion comes into it is if it is the subject of the chat. I rememebr shortly after I went to university, I was telling my mum about chatting to the porter t the hall of residence I lived in. She made a comment along the lines of "Oh you, you'l talk to anybody", which I thought was a bit off since I'd learned to talk to anybody while accompanying her on shopping trips. I think it's one of those things that, if you learn it as a child, it stays with you. Aberdeen is always a bit challenging, it's so dour, but in the smaller towns and villages down the east coast, from Stonehaven to Arbroath and beyond, it's absolutely the thing to do. And I entirely agree about supermarket checkout operators - it must be a pretty thankless task and with not much pay to make it feel worthwhile. Those that remain cheerful and helpful, and that is most of them in the supermarkets I use up here, get my unreserved admiration - I always make a point of having a short chat, irrespective of their age, even if it's just a couple of sentences and not just to show my appreciation. There's a lot of interesting people from very diverse backgrounds totting up the bill - they make using a supermarket bearable.Having taught for sixteen years at a local school I have the benefit of knowing a good many of our local Sainsbury's supermarket - I always chat to them - even to the blokes. I usually ask the Saturday boys/girls if they are studying and what they are hoping to do. The older people are always interesting and helpful people. I think the ones who are miserable are usually put to work out of the back somewhere. I know our local manager insists that the check-out staff engage in conversation with the customers. Few of us know what is going on the lives of those we meet, and perhaps our general conversation might make their day more cheerful.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 28, 2007 17:10:26 GMT
My wife continually asks me if I know the person to whom I have just spoken.I say no I didn't have to. I always say hello when passing someone on the street even if they try not to(the British trait). There is an Instore cleaner (who just happens to be Afro Caribbean) in Tescos hereand people walk past and completely ignore him-not I think because of his colour but because of his job.His face lights up when I stop to have a chat with him. So go out and try it-speak to people-it will give you agreat feeling! Good point Mal. I always try to do that, whoever they are, but I do feel guilty when I walk past the Central European lady who standing trying to see 'The Big Issue.' I must try to speak to her - and even buy one of her magazines.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Dec 8, 2007 8:33:52 GMT
Yes. This stuff is not always so simple as it looks. Where people are concerned there are liable to be misunderstandings and wrong conclusions drawn people people can only see (initially) things from their own frame of reference.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 30, 2007 20:09:26 GMT
But by discussing it the topic of religion could not be avoided, thus justifying it's move. All views are welcome here, so far as I am concerned - regardless of who posts them or their subject (so long as everything is stated in a polite way - without any undue unkindess)
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 30, 2007 8:01:11 GMT
Yes, this story has many facets to it. We can't go judging the standards of anther country by our own. It seems to me that this sentence is something that everyone (except the poor lady) can live with. As Elaine says, 'its much better than a longer sentence and/or many lashes.' It seems that extremists have been forcing this issue but also it seems that there has been a lot of lobbying going on in the background. Let's hope the lady can be back here soon and the whole thing will be smoothed over with a minimum of harm being done to her and the children in her class. I find it heartening that many British muslims are unhappy that the lady was arrested.
Let's also pray that good sense will prevail on the wider scheme of things and that the Sudanese government will start to act more fairly in the Dafur region so that those poor refugees will be protected.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 29, 2007 7:53:11 GMT
Yes Fi. Change the word 'god' for 'angel' and you have the same idea. As 'angel' can mean 'messenger' so, perhaps can a Hindu god be thought of as a messenger - but perhaps there is more to a Hindu god than someone who brings a message. I spent a little time working in India, and came to the conclusion that the variety of beliefs within the faith are so complex they are almost inpenetrable. But the word 'God' an mean lots of things, from being as one with the supreme god to being a lesser, but no less revered God. The diversity of beliefs probably stems from the vast length of time since Hinduism was first practised - sometime about 5500 BCE. Just as Christianity and Islam evolved from Jewish beliefs, so Hindu beliefs have changed and diversified over the millenia and include the offshoots of Buddhism and Jainism. It's hallmark is inclusivity, so these different manifestations have not led to the dreadful persecutions that have given Christianity and Islam a bad name. For instance, it was explained to me that if anyone is a Christian, or even an atheist, then a Hindu would still consider the possibility that they may be a Hindu God. However, before I stray further from the point, from what little I understand, any Hindu God is not a messenger as such, but a deity or soul that can be worshipped. I went to India in 1977 and have wanted to return ever since. It's without question the most fascinating country I've ever been in and I've travelled widely. All of the Hindus I met there were unfailingly courteous, kind and welcoming. Add to that a country with a rich history and overflowing with frequently ravishingly beautiful and always interesting historical sites - it's impossible to be bored. Thanks for that Fi. But your description has made me want to go to India even more than I did before. PMR went on a visit to a missionary friend in India around 32 years ago and she found it fascinating. I've never been so perhaps it should go on the list. We are contemplating going to Sri Lanka in 2009.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 28, 2007 21:58:05 GMT
Converted into what, Beau? A dog. Where do I claim this miracle? You could try the Vatican, but I seem to have lost their number.
|
|
|
Post by revmichael on Nov 28, 2007 17:08:17 GMT
I think it's more of a: Be kind to other people, because you don't know who they really might be. They may be angels in disguise, or they may come round to your house and set fire to your cat!!! They can't set fire to my cat, as it has been converted. Converted into what, Beau?
|
|