I am new to answers. I got hooked on the religous section but I can't decide on which reverend to go to for religous questions. Who do you suggest I go to and how would you rate that person?  Please no Jw or any other cults members answer this!
136624
Rev.Kip is the best. He is a real minister and he keeps an open door policy with e mail. I like to look at his blog.
166498
Its opened my eyes about alot actually.  I see how people react to religion. I have learned alot about different religions and understand them a little better.  It has given me links to read more on them and I have and I feel that has given me a better perspective on them.  I havent converted to anything as I am happy being the little witch but it has given me more of an appreciation for it.  It has given me thought on my own faith. And has even given me a little guidance along the way.\nI thoroughly enjoy this section best.  There is too much to learn and understand.  I enjoy learning about religions and societies (ancient and modern) so this place has been perfect for me!
539264
This is the religious forum, it's called religion and spirituality. Why start another forum when this gets more hits than someone's unknown blog? How else would you use freedom of speech unless you are discussing words? Seriously, we like the word, the word is good. But what point are you trying to make here? That people ought to be inclosed and not speak to each other? Do you get it? Or are you just fed up from hearing about it? I already mentioned why this place is better than a blog. If it's tiring why are you here? As for the questions, most of the questions have nothing to do with spirituality, most of the questions have more to do with retards asking stupid questions than anything spiritual (just kidding whatshoudIdo, I actually find your gag funny:). I don't read the bible but am interested in what people have to say about it. Spiritual and religious questions have always been answered but always need an answer, kind of like, how can we make the world a better place. The second you stop asking is the second you stop being human.
478009
dear favordby, I am deeply sorry for your bad experience.  I know we both know that for a person to be disfellowshiped they basically were not repentant. Unlike Christendom, pure worship needs to be clean.  However don't lose hope for your relative, many times they realize their course of action was not a wise one. Disfellowshiping is a form of discipline, and Jehovah disciplines those he loves, all of us fall short from time to time. If you feel like the friends at the hall are treating you different I would suggest confronting them about it; I think they need to know how you feel and what you have been going through and how it has effected you.  I am sure once you open up to them you will find that they really are and will be there for you. If you want to talk further, you may also email me.
486408
I am in the same situation, you need to find the proper guide in your seeking. I attended many different churchs and listened to their versions. I look at the old testement as more of a history book and the new testement as a guide book. Expand your reading in and about the bible and you will find that most organized religions SLANT and hang on certain parts to forward their doctrine. So you need to find your own truths and hopefully you will find Christ as your Savior.
101395
Hey...onanutmission... in case you haven't noticed the Reverend here isn't stirring sh!t up, he is making you closed minded jerks look at yourselves for the idiots you are.  You are the one getting all bent out of shape over what the good reverend here is doing.
615019
welcome to the club sister.  I don't think you have a problem at all.  I think that you are a free thinking and open minded person.  It's when you feel that pressure to conform and be like everyone else and resist it, that you truly begin to gain a greater perspective of reality.  I suggest you read "the herd" chapter from Nietzsche's "Beyond Good and Evil".  This is the book in which the phrase was coined "God is dead".  Don't let that scare you.  What I think he really meant to teach was that organized religion and the God they invent is dead.  He challenges you, in the chapter entitled "the herd", to ask yourself if all these things that people are telling you that "God" has said are indeed from "God".  Or, are they something made up by leaders of church to influence the masses opinions to get a desired social result.  That result is control.  Don't let anyone but God control you.  He wouldn't force control on you.  He doesn't want to control you.  He offers suggestions and you choose freely.  To me though, all this damnation and hellfire are not products of Christ at all.  Christ is like the sweetest friend I have ever had.  I don't live right at all.  I have done bad things in my life.  Yet, he has never left me.  People, on the other hand, have behaved terribly...  and for that matter... so have I at times.  I decided that I would not be controlled by "the herd" either.  People will accuse you of rebellion.  Rebellion it may be, but against whom?  God?  I don't think so...  The "herd", definitely.  I had to separate myself from them, and while it is lonesome at times, it is at least free.  Knowing God should never feel like being in a social or political prison in which you are interrogated and punished.  They're like religious nazis and they have confused social control with God.  Welcome to freedom sister.  You may find groups that you "fit" with...  I never did.  This is the tragedy of the genuine individual.  Perhaps you should start your own "group" on yahoo groups.  If you do, let me know, and I will join.  This topic is certainly worthy of discussion.  Don't feel like you are alone.  There are many, many, people who have went through this...
516175
Hey, bud.  If you look hard enough, you should be able to find yourself a copy online.  That said, you're going to have to look pretty hard because the Church of Satan vociferously defends all of its copyrights and that includes Lavey's Satanic Bible.  If it's really worth it to you to read Lavey, I suggest you shell out the eight bucks at your local bookstore.  \n\nThat said, what you're describing doesn't fit into Lavey's concept of Satanism at all (at least in his later years, what he pushed early on is up for debate).  Anton Lavey taught that ultimately the individual is master of his own soul.  Going to anyone, be it Jehovah or Satan, for punishment or reward would be degradation from what I've read of LaVey.  \n\nBear in mind, I'm not saying your self-description is bad or your belief system faulty, I'm just saying maybe you need to look somewhere else to find information that would complement and grow your worldview.  Personally, I think that intuition that honor is owed to some of what we label good and some of what we label as evil is spot on.  Rather than accepting the definitions handed to you of Jehovah and Satan and viewing yourself as hedging bets between them, consider that this might be your soul nudging you in the direction of a more integrated, expansive definition of the Divine (and thus of yourself, as we usually aspire to be like what we honor).  I kind of agree with our concerned Christian friends - believing in both Jehovah and Satan will lead to spiritual and mental fracture.  It might be best to let go of both of them and move on to a definition that you map out for yourself.\n\nIf you're interested in going that route, I suggest you take a look at the Internet Sacred Text Archive.  They've got a lot of information for you to explore on your own (if you're really interested in satanism, go to their search page and shoot that into the system and see what you get), but not Lavey's Satanic Bible.  \n\nhttp://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm\n\nGood journey to you.
190333
I reckon that if Jen wants to take the Lord's name in vain then she has every right to.But the people who said she shouldn't don't have any right to say so since her question had nothing to do with how she refers to the Lord,and wasn't even posted under a section that relates to their gripe.And let's not forget that we do all have the right to say what we wish about the Lord.So Jen,back to your original question,'Why are you so goddamn lazy?'Well,Jesus,how the bloody hell are we supposed to know?
99800
May I have an incense recipe?  I don't think you would consider me pagan.  I don't know what to consider myself.  I usually answer all of the Mormon questions because I am close to some members of the church and I don't like to see it talked about so terribly (which happens A LOT here).  Other than that, just wantin' some incense ;-)
522443
Well, this isn't the first time something like this has happened and it won't be the last.  \n\nI agree he is better known than people on here seem to realize.  I think this is far more deliberate than some think.\nHowever, none of the men you mention are my pastor, so none of them speak much to my perspective, and I am certainly not under their spiritual authority. \nDo I have similar values?  Yes.  Is the fall of any of these men going to affect my voting or worldview? No.\n\nNew Life Church is just that, a church not a denomination. Their membership rolls are about 14k.  \n\nYikes!  They've even made Wiki!!!  LOL  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Life_Church\n\nYour question is legitimate.  I don't agree with your conclusion. ; )\n\n(And why are you posting questions I feel obliged to answer? LOL)
243716
Hi Tari,\nI met the ChristopherBetchel once, a few weekends ago. I was walking to the corner market for a loaf of bread when I had to pass by a neighborhood church. I was somewhat acquainted with the structure as it was always mentioned in the newspaper's community section. Known as "The loft," folks would gather there on Thursday evenings for poetry readings.\nHowever, this day happened to be a Saturday afternoon and a pair of gentlemen greeted me as I walked by. They invited me inside to sample an hour of their presentation. Ok, I went inside and found myself to be a prospective new recruit for their brand of religion.\n\nMost of the pews were filled with hooded monks chanting a haunting rhythm. There were others who like me, were wearing their regular denims. The service began like most others that church-goers would be familiar with. A grand master of ceremonies led the group through some songs and gave a sermon. Near the end of the hour it was time for their ritual of "laying on of the hands." Some of the parishioners would come forward and ask for prayers for their ailments or for a sick grand mum who fell down in the tub. All the hooded dudes whose faces could not readily be seen would all place a hand on the person and their combined energies were presumed to have a strength and expedite a solution to the problem.\n\nOK now, there was another new guy in the pews who was watching eagerly. I recognized ChristopherBetchel from a wanted poster viewed earlier at the post office. When he saw a chance, he approached the ring of conspirators and described how he was always moving around and never able to settle down. The hooded goons closed in upon him, all to make a physical connection. The master of ceremonies began a prayer, a dogmatic mix of logic and pure hocus-pocus. I immediately saw the effects of the procedure as the tension went out of ChristopherBetchel's body. When the beseeching was near an end, the master asked, "Are the brothers ready?"\n\nA suspenseful few moments passed until he almost shouted, "NOW!"\n\nOn that cue, the brothers began to pummel their hapless victim. Continually delivering blows over head and to the solar plexus until ChristopherBetchel was down on the floor getting stomped. After another minute, the grand Pooh-Bah decided the treatment administered was sufficient to induce a relaxing calm that would assuage the nervousness of ChristopherBetchel for a long, long time.\n\nI can't say for certain if ChristopherBetchel got the comeuppance he deserved as I had a loaf of bread to buy and some other errands to do that day. I hope for you Tari, that you do find a sense of closure to this difficult episode of life.\n\n-Justin
129541
why did u remove ur question about christians in the mid-east. Damn u man, i had a GREAT answer to ur question that i put A LOT of thought into, and then i click submit, and it says u removed the question. i am so pissed. it took me like 15 minutes to write my respone. WHY WHY WHY. I put alot of thought into that. it was a REAL GREAT ANSWER, AND I AM VERY PROUD OF IT.
519444
Did you just accidentally leave out THE REV? Jessee Jackson or are his views more to you're liking so its OK for him?
536624
why would i want to change anyone's mind? if i were a jehovah's witness, then it would be part of my spiritual job, wouldn't it? you sound like you're venting and maybe you're angry--perhaps you should check it out and see what's bothering you about this forum. Peace
259492
save youself some time and worry. HERE I AM!!!don't fret about finding the balance between obedience and cost, i'll teach you all you need to know. you will worship me. btw, i'm not cheap, but i have a line gathering, so hurry up!! MOVE!!
339171
I suggest you guys try and ignore this mouthbreather.  He asks the same questions on Judaism over and over again, with slightly different (though consistently biased and misleading) wording. If you don't believe me, all I can say is that you can verify this for yourselves.  I sincerely doubt that he is here to learn anything, at least in this area (though I feel obliged to at least commend him on his appropriate choice of screenname).\n\nThis guy's online hobby is something called Jew-baiting.  So don't take the bait, as it were, by responding on his terms and lending legitimacy to his line of questioning (which is shallow and insensitive at best, or, more likely from what I've seen, deliberate bigotry).  He has a real problem with Jews.  I don't know if it stems from a negative personal experience with Jews, or if he was raised by klansmen, or what.  But he keeps asking these same questions, and when confronted with information that contradicts his assumptions, he becomes belligerent and disregards the new information anyway.\n\nI once explained to him that he was mistaken in his assertion that a Jew had to have "Jewish blood" because conversion has a history going back through biblical history, all the way to the first Hebrew himself.  This did not sway him in his irrational belief.  And if someone here were to point out that calling Judaism a "cult of ancestor worship" is inaccurate because\n\na) it's not considered a cult\n\nand\n\nb) worshipping anything other than G-d, one's ancestors included, is the most severe form of blasphemy according to Judaism\n\nI highly doubt this gentleman would be swayed on either point.  My advice is not to waste your time.  There are plenty of people on here asking questions about Judaism because they actually want to learn.  If you are qualified to answer, answer those people.  They'll actually benefit from it.