Laura

I enjoyed the book. I'm anxious for more details about the past lives, but she can do that in the sequels, as there are still many questions to answer.

She quoted the Bhagavad Gita: "It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection."

The in Bali she learned "You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings."

" The difference between good men and bad is like the difference between heaven and earth, but the difference between good women and bad is like the difference between heaven and hell."

I disagree because it is men who become rulers, CEO's, warlords, generals, etc. then through their decisions make war, and other conditions that make hell on earth for multitudes.

I recently discovered Sarah Waters (writer) through the two part movie 'Fingersmith". Excellent movie with interesting twists, then loved the details of the book. She has two more books made into movies. 'Tipping the Velvet' was a very good movie, and the book was embarrassingly erotic. 'Affinity' not a happy ending but a well written book, haven't gotten to see the movie yet, She has two more books that I'm looking forward to hearing on audio book.

1)Original sin doctrine basically says we are born sinners because of the sin of Adam and Eve.

2)Original blessing says what God created is good, we can make poor choices(sins) but we can learn from our mistakes and encourage each other to be better people.

Please no lists of beliefs. Belief is NOT faith.

The name of your religion is not helpful.

What is this attitude or feeling that you call faith?

'Christpower"

Look at him!

Look not at his divinity, but look, rather, at his freedom.

Look not at the exaggerated tales of his power,

but look, rather, at his infinite capacity to give himself away.

Look not at the first-century mythology that surrounds him,

but look, rather, at his courage to be, his ability to live, and the contagious quality of his love.

Stop your frantic search!

Be still and know that this is God:

this love,

this freedom,

this life,

this being;

And

when you are accepted, accept yourself;

when you are forgiven, forgive yourself;

when you are loved, love yourself.

Grasp that Christpower

and dare to be

yourself!

by Lucy Newton Boswell Negus based on a sermon by John Shelby Spong

"The Gospel of Christ knows no religion but social, no holiness but social holiness...You cannot be holy except as you are engaged in making the world a better place. You do not become holy by keeping yourself pure and clean from the world but by plunging into ministry on behalf of the world's hurting ones." (John Wesley, Preface, Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739)

I've heard that we have a mosque in our city but I can't find a telephone listing, and have not yet found a web site. I would very much like to visit and learn more about their faith practices.

I read a list of things to do for fun, and one was to make a "porno"name to use on line.

First name would be your middle name, then the last name is the name of a street you lived on as a child. If it was a number street, then a school or town or pet name.

In an answer I've already said my middle name is Lee, but I won't tell the street name because it makes a good password that I remember but others can not guess.

Koko is so wise and Qwilleran is an OK human.

In the first HP movie Dumbledore said "To the well ordered mind death is but the next great adventure"

How is restricting the right to marry defending marriage?

It is more than just feeling or God could not command us to love our neighbors and even our enemies. Is it a decision? Can we decide to love others. Romantic love is not just a decision, it kind of happens.

In church we hear a lot about Jesus and who he was/is and why we should believe in him. So separate from that what was his message through the parables and the sayings lumped together in the sermon on the mount? Is there a major theme?

The book our sunday school class is studying suggests that the details in the gospel were added many years later to dramatize that point of faith. Using stories to help others understand how special Jesus was and how they too could enter into relationship with God.