Anybody who misspells half of the words in a two-word insult has no business deriding someone else’s supposed lack of intelligence.
Man, but I miss the days where you could call someone out on the carpet for this one. Now-a-days you’re more likely to be branded a grammar nazi. It makes me sad when someone who is insulted by this is considered an unnecessarily-strict grammarian.
It’s amazing, the amount of trust, the amount of faith, that we need to have in our day-to-day living.
How do you know that Africa exists? How do I know? I’ve never been there. Now, I’ve known people who’ve said they’ve been there. But even there, by necessity I’m presented with needing to decide for myself whether or not a.) I believe that what they are saying is what they believe, and b.) even if it is, that I believe their information to be correct and factual.
“But there’s so much information supporting the existence of Africa! Everybody believes it.” By and large, we as a society believe that people during the time of Columbus believed the world to be flat, when in reality this theory was not taken seriously at this time (See Wikipedia’s “Flat Earth” page). But do you believe the explanation that is contained on this entry?
Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. There’s nothing mystical about that. The necessity of faith does not require the allowance for the existence of the supernatural.
I’m sure that I hope the red light at the intersection that I stop at will turn green in the imminent future. I’m certain of it doing so, even though I don’t see what is going on inside, mechanically or electronically. I’ve developed this faith because I’ve experienced traffic signals that have functioned similarly, where they are red and then they turn green.
Faith does not happen in a vacuum. It is logical conclusion based off of observation.
Greetings Interwebers.
My good friend Jinky Williams approuched me some time ago and asked me if I would be interested in posting upon this here blog. Now here we are. I am definitely excited to get the ball rolling and see what will come up next.
I guess I should say a wee bit about myself. When I am not playing Bagpipe Hero or crafting tasty treats, I seem to find myself goofing off with my wife or Jinky. I enjoy shooting the breeze, reminiscing on old video games, watching clouds, Seattle Stouts and attempting to be a good husband. I do not really have much to say as introductions really are not my thing. Maybe you all will have to let me know if I am doing theHouse of Jink any good.
Jinky and I have talked about putting some avatars to use.
Best regards and looking onward,
Splintofewnious
The Bible, from many sources, appears to purport an unexpected view on slavery. At its most moderate, it looks lke it is possibly content to let it go as is; at other times, it appears to outright condone it.
With a conversation about slavery and the Bible, there must also be a discussion about the culture in which the Bible was speaking to and about.
In ancient Hebrew culture, slavery held considerably different meaning.
Curse of Ham = really curse of Caanan.
In the New Testament (Eph 6:5, for instance), slaves and masters are referred to. A better translation is “bondservant”. This is more of a lifetime employment contract, entered into by agreeance from both parties. Paul then gives clear instructions that Christian “masters” are to treat such individuals with the respect that one would like to be treated with. Most importantly, their employment position did not affect their standing in the church.
Leviticus makes many statements of the importance of treating foreign individuals well.
Slavery was already established by the time the Bible spoke regarding it. That it speaks about it is not conceding that slavery is right. Rather, like divorce, slavery is something that will happen because we are fallen, and in God’s infinite wisdom and mercy, He knew that this would take place. So instead of leaving people high and dry if they found themselves on that path, He displayed how we would be able to follow His heart, even in these adverse conditions. Like support for drug users, this should not be construed as an endorsement of the lifestyle. It is simply God meeting people where they are at.
Slave traders are listed as sinners in Tim 1:10. And in Exodus 21:16, it states that one who kidnaps and sells someone shall be put to death.
So, it is evident that slaves in Hebrew culture came to be by their own volition, and that “slave” does not carry the same connotation as today, nor is it for the same reasons.
per christiancourier.com, “It may be stated with absolute confidence that it was never the ideal will of God that one may should own another, as a piece of property. The fact that each human being was and is and will be created in the image of God militates against the concept that slavery is a divinely designated relationship.”