Ugh. Religion makes my brain hurt.

one of my brothers married a blue-blood from mexico city – she carried both her mothers maiden name and her fathers last name, when they married, she dropped her mothers maiden name and added my brothers last name after her fathers name. from what i understand this is a cultural thing at least from the part of mexico where she’s from. this was back in the early 70′s, and all of us gringos that she became related to thought that was a very neat way. and of course this was way before the whole hyphenation thing even started

and just because i don’t feel like hunting down the right thread here’s a quote to stir the pot:

“I am not sure exactly what Heaven will be like. But I do know that when we die and it comes the time for God to judge us, He will not ask, “How many good things have you done in your life?” Rather, He will ask, “How much love did you put into what you did?” – Mother Teresa

and yes, i’m a pagan, but there are some things that are universal…

Wish I’d thought of suggesting something like Schlumpfenhausen as a new surname for us though, just to see the look on my intended’s face. . .

The Trinity is a timeless mystery. Anyone who claims to understand how “One God in Three Persons” works is probably simplifying it too much. There are some things that we just can’t understand (because they don’t fit neatly into the world that we live in). Some people tend to make Him into three gods, which is polytheistic. Others don’t put any stress on Jesus and the Spirit, which isn’t Biblical. Other say that Jesus wasn’t God, which is heretical according to the tenants of Christianity.

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to us, but the best way I can describe God is that He manifests Himself in terms three diverse and completely harmonious ways, kinda of like facets on a diamond. Each way you look at God, it’s still Him, but it’s reflected differently.

It makes a little more sense when you understand that God is love (scripture says this over and over). If God is love, He was love before He created us, but who was there to love? Since He was three Persons in one God, His love was expressed in His relationship to Himself. The Trinity was a perfect harmony before time began.

Anyway, this is way over my head, and I’ve studied this stuff for years. So, if you’re confused, I’m right there with you.

Not precise definition, but very close. By making someone chattel, they are worthless slaves.

Artificial distinction.

Sexuality is intrinsic to identity. Heterosexual people have options as far as having physically intimate relationships – there are contexts in which it’s considered from a Christian POV to be “okay”. What do homosexuals have?

Just don’t do it?

Ever?

The Bible been used to back up a variety of ugly prejudices and this is one of them IMO.

ht tp://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibl.htm

Since keeping the law is not what gets us into heaven (asking for and accepting God’s forgiveness is what Christ opened up for us), the rules have changed, so to speak. This is not to say that what is moral and immoral has changed, but laws regarding priestly duties are no longer necessary (we don’t need priests since we can have a personal relationship with God) and doing what’s moral isn’t what saves you. So people who argue that everything has changed are wrong. What is good is based on the character of God and that never changes.