Comments for human:divine http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com learning how to be more fully both Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:00:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 Comment on Why do people feel the need to pray before meals? by Shawn http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/pray-before-meals/#comment-655 Shawn Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:28:41 +0000 http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/pray-before-meals/#comment-655 Like I said in the post, I have no issue with simply saying, "Thank you" for what we receive. I am eternally grateful for all that God has given me and my family. Further, I think we should remain in a prayerful attitude, continually in communication (or awareness, as some would call it), with the Spirit. This post simply pokes at two common attitudes that I have personally witnessed among folks who insist on praying before meals: 1) that this prayer makes our food "clean" and without this ceremonial blessing, it's contaminated by the filthy hands of the sinner who made it, and 2) that this prayer sets us apart from the "world" as better than they. Sadly, these two attitudes are far too common. I'd rather talk about the football game with a stranger, and hopefully find something in common from which a friendship could be born, rather than praying before my meal and hoping that everyone notices my "witness". That's all I'm saying. Like I said in the post, I have no issue with simply saying, “Thank you” for what we receive. I am eternally grateful for all that God has given me and my family. Further, I think we should remain in a prayerful attitude, continually in communication (or awareness, as some would call it), with the Spirit.

This post simply pokes at two common attitudes that I have personally witnessed among folks who insist on praying before meals: 1) that this prayer makes our food “clean” and without this ceremonial blessing, it’s contaminated by the filthy hands of the sinner who made it, and 2) that this prayer sets us apart from the “world” as better than they.

Sadly, these two attitudes are far too common.

I’d rather talk about the football game with a stranger, and hopefully find something in common from which a friendship could be born, rather than praying before my meal and hoping that everyone notices my “witness”.

That’s all I’m saying.

]]> Comment on Why do people feel the need to pray before meals? by Laura http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/pray-before-meals/#comment-654 Laura Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:17:36 +0000 http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/pray-before-meals/#comment-654 I really agree with one of the first comments. RELAX. Give thanks whenever you can. The Lord is the one who looks at our hearts when we pray. We shouldn't be judging others and saying " they are making every one in the restaurant feel less-holy" You have your own relationship with Christ! Who cares what others think when you are praying and thanking God for those meals? Didn't King David say encourage believers to go out, yell at the top of our lungs, thank God all the time. He was a true worshiper. Just be guided by the Holy Spirit. I agree that prayer before meals shouldn't become a tradition and not come from our hearts. LIke the prophet Isaiah said. But.. I know of many believers that truly thank God for theirs meals before or even AFTER their meals. For providing it for them. I thank God as much as I can for what he gives me. I think we should do it all the time. I really agree with one of the first comments. RELAX.
Give thanks whenever you can.
The Lord is the one who looks at our hearts when we pray. We shouldn’t be judging others and saying
” they are making every one in the restaurant feel less-holy”
You have your own relationship with Christ!
Who cares what others think when you are praying and thanking God for those meals?
Didn’t King David say encourage believers to go out, yell at the top of our lungs, thank God all the time. He was a true worshiper.
Just be guided by the Holy Spirit.
I agree that prayer before meals shouldn’t become a tradition and not come from our hearts. LIke the prophet Isaiah said. But.. I know of many believers that truly thank God for theirs meals before or even AFTER their meals. For providing it for them.
I thank God as much as I can for what he gives me.
I think we should do it all the time.

]]> Comment on Avoid the phone? Join the club! by namayani http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/10/23/afraid-of-phone/#comment-651 namayani Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:26:02 +0000 http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/10/23/afraid-of-phone/#comment-651 my fear of phones is causing me more and more trouble. I'm going to college next year and i should be making some phonecalls to sort out some things, ask few questions etc, but I keep postponing those phonecalls, sometimes missing deadlines. If I ahve to make an important phonecall, I'll have to prepare for it for maybe even days and all the time i'll be really anxious. I never call to order pizza, I do everything by e-mail. I only call my close friends, on their mobile phones cause then I know they'll answer. Also, when the phone is ringing, i pretend i'm doing something very important so I don't have to answer it. But I also love talking to people, don't have problems even approaching strangers to talk to them.... I really didn't know other people also face those problems. I always thought I am being silly, but it's a huge problem form me, and I can't see it disappearing. I'm really afraid how this'll affect my life in the future. Already now it is, as I'm making up excuses for the college people.... I didn't call because of this or that.. I can't tel them I'm afraid of calling.... and the more important a phone call is, more anxious I am.. so I don't think working in a call center would help that much... and I can't force myself to practice.... did anyone get through this? my fear of phones is causing me more and more trouble. I’m going to college next year and i should be making some phonecalls to sort out some things, ask few questions etc, but I keep postponing those phonecalls, sometimes missing deadlines. If I ahve to make an important phonecall, I’ll have to prepare for it for maybe even days and all the time i’ll be really anxious.

I never call to order pizza, I do everything by e-mail. I only call my close friends, on their mobile phones cause then I know they’ll answer. Also, when the phone is ringing, i pretend i’m doing something very important so I don’t have to answer it. But I also love talking to people, don’t have problems even approaching strangers to talk to them….

I really didn’t know other people also face those problems. I always thought I am being silly, but it’s a huge problem form me, and I can’t see it disappearing. I’m really afraid how this’ll affect my life in the future. Already now it is, as I’m making up excuses for the college people…. I didn’t call because of this or that.. I can’t tel them I’m afraid of calling…. and the more important a phone call is, more anxious I am.. so I don’t think working in a call center would help that much… and I can’t force myself to practice…. did anyone get through this?

]]> Comment on The Bible’s “More Than Literal” Meaning by Shawn http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/the-bibles-more-than-literal-meaning/#comment-643 Shawn Fri, 30 May 2008 22:24:21 +0000 http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/the-bibles-more-than-literal-meaning/#comment-643 The Marcus Borg book I mentioned above entitled, "Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary“ is one of the best I've read. He goes into a number of examples of metaphorical reads, several of which impacted me emotionally with their freshness. Other than that, I am also looking for books like you mentioned, so if you find others, please post them back here. Interesting comments. Hope you come back and comment more in the future. The Marcus Borg book I mentioned above entitled, “Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary“ is one of the best I’ve read. He goes into a number of examples of metaphorical reads, several of which impacted me emotionally with their freshness.

Other than that, I am also looking for books like you mentioned, so if you find others, please post them back here.

Interesting comments. Hope you come back and comment more in the future.

]]> Comment on The Bible’s “More Than Literal” Meaning by nam http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/the-bibles-more-than-literal-meaning/#comment-642 nam Fri, 30 May 2008 19:37:53 +0000 http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/the-bibles-more-than-literal-meaning/#comment-642 I've recently read of this (and always thought it true) in Colin Tudge's book 'So Shall We Reap'. The point he made was about the garden of eden and that the tale was more likely to be about man's loss of freedom from a hunter gatherer lifestyle and instead though an over indulgence in agriculture being forever tied to the land to find food (in that particular region of the earth) which makes perfect sense since as the bible states "forever more man shall sweat for his bread" as he continued to destroy his natural environment to make way for agriculture (1st agricultural revolution) I'd like to know if there are any decent textx, preferably secular and non partizan) which explore the bible without bashing it for as an atheist enjoying the knowledge that the Bible and the Qu'ran as being two of the most important historical documents readily available and being a bit thick...would like some assistance in discovering the "metaphorical meanings of the bible" since language at the time was steeped in metaphor and symbolism (see language in Vico's new science). I’ve recently read of this (and always thought it true) in Colin Tudge’s book ‘So Shall We Reap’. The point he made was about the garden of eden and that the tale was more likely to be about man’s loss of freedom from a hunter gatherer lifestyle and instead though an over indulgence in agriculture being forever tied to the land to find food (in that particular region of the earth) which makes perfect sense since as the bible states “forever more man shall sweat for his bread” as he continued to destroy his natural environment to make way for agriculture (1st agricultural revolution)

I’d like to know if there are any decent textx, preferably secular and non partizan) which explore the bible without bashing it for as an atheist enjoying the knowledge that the Bible and the Qu’ran as being two of the most important historical documents readily available and being a bit thick…would like some assistance in discovering the “metaphorical meanings of the bible” since language at the time was steeped in metaphor and symbolism (see language in Vico’s new science).

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