yachadhoo

This does not apply to ALL atheists, of course...but nevertheless:

Many atheists despise "rules" and "religions" created by men aimed to control people.

Jesus despised "rules" and "religions" created by men aimed to control people.

Many atheists despise hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-righteousness.

Jesus despised hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-righteousness.

Many atheists despise people using religion for worldly gain.

Jesus despised people using religion for worldly gain.

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Could this be why so many atheists end up becoming such fervent Christians when they finally stop looking at "Christians" and start looking at Christ, Himself?

Within my webpage, I have a <div> within the body below a header, with a set height of 200px. Within that <div>, I have a list of several hundred items - in 7 different catgories. So, using a scroll bar, a viewer can scroll within that <div> on my web page.

Now, I would like to jump within that <div> to each of the 7 categories via links above that <div> from just beneath the header. However, when I set up a simple bookmark link, not only does that category jump to the top of the viewable 200px height <div> (like I want), but the whole top part of the web page jumps off the screen above (header and links to the 7 categories included!).

So, how can I jump within a scrollable <div> without my header and links above that <div> from jumping up off the screen??

Please help!

Thanks in advance.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnist...

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Of all people born to Jewish parents:

1) What’s the probability of such a person becoming an atheist?

2) What’s the probability of such a person becoming a Messianic Jew (i.e. Christian)?

3) What’s the probability of such a person getting a hole-in-one in golf?

4) What’s the probability of YOU becoming (or staying) an atheist?

5) What’s the probability of YOU becoming a Christian?

6) What’s the probability of YOU getting a hole-in-one in golf?

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This question brought to you on behalf of one my contacts, and in response to this question (and his answer):

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ao0Bh...

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:)

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The probability (p) of an event is 1 in x

If there are x people, then what is the probability at least one person having an event?

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In this previous question, an answerer stated that the answer is 1 – 1/e or 63%, though he seemed to qualify it with “large enough odds” – i.e. if the odds are slim, like with a lottery, etc.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200807...

But is there a way I can calculate this probability?

The lowest and simplest example is the flip of a coin, which has a probability of 50%, or 1 in 2. Thus, x = 2. So if 2 people flip a coin, the chance of at least one getting heads would be 75% (HH, HT, TH, TT).

I made another quick table to see that if x = 3 (1 in 3 chance; 3 people), then there is around a 74% that at least one will have an event.

Rolling 6 dice (each with a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 6), what is the probability of at least one of the 6 dice being a 6??? I estimate about 71% based on all of this.

For, I assume that the lowest value of x = 2 the probability of at least one event in x people is 75%, and then as x approaches infinity (1 in x probability for x people) it goes to 63%...???

But what are the equations to figure all of this out without making tables of possibilities?

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I was reading this article about how two brothers, ages 9 and 11, hit back to back hole-in-ones: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/0712...

In this article, some math professor from Boston University (Francis Scheid) estimated the odds of two players in the same group making a hole-in-one at 17 million-to-1.

The odds quoted on one PGA Tour golfer hitting a hole-in-one was 3700-to-1.

The odds quoted on one “handicap golfer” at 13,000-to-1.

My questions:

If the odds of one PGA Tour golfer hitting an ace (hole-in-one) is 3700-to-1, then what are the odds of 2 hitting an ace back to back? Isn’t it 3700*3700 = 13.69 million in 1?

And what of two “handicap golfers”? 13000*13000 = 169 million in 1?

Where did the 17 million to 1 come from?

Take two people who have never played golf in their life: What do you think the odds would be of them hitting back to back aces on a 100+ yard par 3?

Last question:

If there were 17 million sets of 2 people, and the odds of each set hitting back to back hole-in-one was 17 million to 1, then what are the chances that at least 1 of the 17 million sets hit a hole in one?

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers_Briggs

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(And if you know, what type are you?)

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Jesus Christ, Himself, is rarely attacked by non-Christians...

...and, sadly, the person and character of Jesus Christ is rarely spoken about by Christians.

It would seem that most Christians focus too much on the “benefits” of Christianity, as if it were all about us...our blessings, our salvation, Christ dying for us, and going to heaven instead of hell. As if our love for God is nothing more than a selfishly motivated emotion.

But it has dawned on me:

As a previous atheist, I did not become a Christian for the blessings and my own self-interest.

I became a Christian when I read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and beheld the person and character of Jesus Christ...and my eyes were opened to see His love, grace, mercy, beauty, holiness, and moral perfection. I loved and love Him because He is irresistibly lovable:

He hates the hypocrisy we hate, harshly rebukes the “arrogant religious” people whose smugness we despise, loves and eats with the “sinners” (i.e. the “average” guys), extends amazing mercy to the guilty, lifts up the down-trodden, feeds the hungry, heals the sick, cares for the poor, practices what He preaches, and courageously stands firm in faith and obedience, even when being persecuted, beaten, and killed!

He is so powerful, yet so meek and so approachable. He loves and invites the children up into His arms, and breaks through social barriers and prejudices we all loathe by speaking one-on-one and on the same level with women and Samaritans and tax-collectors (who were all looked down upon). He doesn’t “put on a show”, and wasn’t afraid to weep with those who were weeping. He doesn’t parade His victory after His resurrection, as if to rub it into the face of His enemies. He was patient, kind, did not envy, did not boast, was not proud, was not rude, and was not self-seeking...

Perhaps it is that last one that struck me the most: Jesus was NOT self-seeking.

Let that sink down deep within you...and feel the awe of this truth and His glory.

But seriously:

What do YOU honestly think about the person, character, and teachings of Jesus Christ?

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Examples:

And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!” -Exodus 32:9

“Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way for you are a stiff-necked people." -Exodus 33:3

For the LORD had said to Moses, "Say to the children of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.' " -Exodus 33:5-6

"If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance." -Exodus 34:9

Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people. -Deuteronomy 9:6

"Furthermore the LORD spoke to me, saying, 'I have seen this people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked people.’” -Deuteronomy 9:13

For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. -Deuteronomy 31:27

Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God. -2 Kings 17:14-15

But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. -Ezekiel 3:7-8

For they are impudent and stubborn children. -Ezekiel 2:4

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…and then later, when you died, you discovered that the Gospel was, in fact, true…and that you were now in heaven for all eternity (rather than in hell for all eternity) because I gave you faith, would you be thankful?

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Obviously, Christians do not have such power and authority. Thus, we cannot “force” someone to believe, and neither can we “shove anything down anyone’s throat”. But isn’t it ironic that when such ridiculous accusations come up, that if such accusations were true, it would lead to the eternal salvation of the very accusers, who would later be ever thankful and grateful?

It is like a sick person who, because they are so sick, becomes mentally incompetent and physically combative when you try to give them life-saving medicine. But you hold them down, shove the medicine down their throat, and it heals them. Later, when feeling better and having a sound mind, they would be forever thankful of your persistent love in saving them!

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Consider these verses within Galatians 5:16-24:

“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

“If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

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Therefore, if everybody “walked in the Spirit” and was “led by the Spirit” and were “Christ’s”…would there be any need for ANY laws, at all?

(Will there be any “laws” in heaven?)

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Would you have absolutely no legal system?

Would there be any need for a legal system?

If you felt there was a need for a legal system, why?

And would you make laws of this new country be identical to all of the laws of God, as given in the Bible?

For example:

Would you make sex before marriage illegal?

Would you make sexually lusting for another illegal?

Would you make adultery illegal?

Would you make all lies illegal?

Would you make unrighteous anger illegal?

Would you make hypocrisy illegal?

Would you make being “unloving” illegal? Impatience? Unkindness? Unfaithfulness?

…etc, to the point in which all things contrary to the “fruit of the Spirit” would be illegal?

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This serves as a COUNTERPOINT to my original question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ao4Hf...

In the United States, we as individuals have power and a voice in what our laws are, based on our morality through the election of people into positions that determine the laws of our society as a whole.

Make no mistake: morality cannot be legislated in such a way to “make” people holy and good (and neither is salvation found in the Law of God, but only by His grace). However, unless you live in a complete anarchy, a law system is developed. And this law system is based on the moral thought of the people in that society.

For a Christians, morality is absolute. This means Christians believe that truth and morality are absolute and objective, established and judged by God, who is just.

For many others, they consider morality to be relative. This means they believe there is no universal standard or Judge, but morality is subjective – “what is right for me (or my society) may be wrong for you (or your society), and vice versa”.

But even if a Christian lives in a non-theocratic society overrun with moral relativism, such as in the United States, this does not completely negate the moral voice of those Christians!

In other words, minorities with aggressive political agendas to legalize (or keep legal) certain things, such as same sex marriage and abortion, would argue that we don’t live in a theocracy and that Christian morality has absolutely no say in our laws. While demanding tolerance and accusing the majority of being judgmental and intolerant, the minority intolerantly (and ironically) shoves their moral thought down the throat of the majority. And being more politically motivated and driven, their “morality” often overruns the majority.

The question is not whether we live in a theocracy. We don’t. However, is it not the duty and responsibility and freedom of ALL citizens, whether Christian or not, to promote “their” morality so as to influence our laws?!

And beyond this, for a Christian, is there not a God-given loving duty and responsibility to be a Light unto the world, seeking that which is best and most healthy for the society in which they temporarily live (i.e. living in the world, but not of it)? Are we not to lay down our lives for the very salvation of non-Christians? And even if the law does not lead to salvation, are we to simply live in a “bubble” in a godless society overrun by evil governing laws that degrades the very moral fabric of the society as a whole until fire and brimstone come down from heaven (i.e. like Lot, Abraham’s Nephew)? Or are we, as Christians, to stand up for our moral “opinions” (as others would call them) for the salvation of our society as a whole?

…is the silent and fearful Christian “voice” just another example of unloving, apathetic, and lukewarm Christian hypocrisy?

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(By asking this question, I am not saying there is...or that there isn’t. It is a question.)

Before *some* Christians spew out hate, here is some food for thought:

If the legal system of a country was perfectly aligned with the law of God (i.e. legislating all Christian morality), then everyone of us would be guilty of breaking the law...even daily. And therefore, we would all be in jail for our crimes. For we are all guilty of breaking God’s law. No one is perfect. Everyone sins. Everyone does that which is “illegal” in the sight of God.

For instance, in Matthew 5:21-6:18:

Jesus condemns anger. Should such anger be illegal?

Jesus condemns lusting. Should sexual fantasy be illegal?

Jesus condemns fornication. Should sex before marriage be illegal?

Jesus condemns divorce. Should divorce be illegal?

Jesus condemns all lying. Should all lying be illegal?

Jesus condemns those who don’t love their enemies. Should “not loving” be illegal?

Jesus condemns hypocrisy. Should hypocrisy be illegal?

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It is NOT as though homosexuals are forcing you to marry them before God in your church, as if they even wanted to be married before God in your church! Furthermore, Jesus stated that the unmarried woman at the well (John 4) had had 5 husbands (5 past sexual partners) while also saying they weren’t truly husbands (i.e. were not considered married in the sight of God).

So, who really cares if the “world” considers homosexuals married and get the wordly benefits (i.e. tax breaks)? Perhaps you, your church, and God Himself would not recognize such a marriage as a sacred and holy union...but what is the harm in them cashing in on a legal union? Even in 1877, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the legitimacy of “Common-law marriage” (i.e. tax benefits for fornicators who are not even legally married)! But you don’t really hear of too many Christians viciously opposing “Common-law marriage”, do you?!?

So, if you grant that even Christians can “legally” divorce, then should you equally grant that homosexuals be “legally” married?

...or is this just another example of legalistic Christian hypocrisy with judgmentalism and condemnation?

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Here is a much abbreviated version of Jesus speaking in Matthew 23:13-39:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

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Questions:

1) The scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders. Do you think Jesus would say similar things about many Christians and Christian leaders today?

2) Do you find it powerfully ironic that the hypocrisy that Jesus so despised is the same hypocrisy that non-Christians despise about Christians and Christianity, today?

3) How does the “Do not judge” teaching of Jesus fit in with these “woes” that He pronounced? Especially when He speaks of them as “sons of hell”, calls them “Serpents” and a “brood of vipers”, and asks, “how can you escape the condemnation of hell?”?

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Is it “judgmental” to say...

...that lusting for women is wrong?

...that pre-marital sex is wrong?

...that adultery is wrong?

...that men having sex with other men is wrong?

...that unrighteous anger is wrong?

...that abortion is wrong?

...that murder is wrong?

Are you being “judgmental” if you think negatively about a serial killing pedophile?

Is the family of a victim “judgmental” when they are consumed with revenge and ceaselessly demand that “justice be served”?

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You have been entrusted with the gospel by God:

But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. -1 Thessalonians 2:4-5

God is sovereign in all things, even in our election and salvation. And it is true that we merely plant and water, and we are nothing. But it is God who brings forth the growth:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. -1 Corinthians 3:6-8

But do you think most Christians neglect their responsibility?

Are many Christians simply ignorant of these verses, or do they just ignore them?

“I [Paul] have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” -1 Corinthians 9:22

Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -Matthew 4:19-20

And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." -Luke 5:10

It is NOT, “I [Paul] have become all things to all men, that GOD might save some”...is it?

It is NOT, “Follow Me, and you can watch Me fish for men”...is it?

It is NOT, “Do not be afraid. From now on, you will watch Me catch men”...is it?

Paul called those that he saved (i.e. those he led to the Lord) his “joy and crown.” (Philippians 4:1)

Do you have a “joy and crown”?

Do you lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel?

...or are you “lukewarm” (Rev 3:16)...and do you disobediently neglect the responsibility that God has given you?

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...fishermen are always asking other fisherman these questions, aren’t they?

;)

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