I'm currently a part of a large messageboard that has recently started a new dicussion which basically tries to disprove the Bible, specifically the Old Testament.
These people will bring up laws created in 1400 B.C. and then use them as 'proof' of the Bible's irrelevance today. A very popular argument has been brought up time and time again - God's commandment to abhor pigs in many a different circumstance. You can read his laws re this in several O.T. books, including Dueteronomy and Leviticus.
People - please - read very carefully. God's laws always had and always will have a purpose!
The command to not consume meat from, or touch pigs was a huge revelation at the time the books of Exodus, Dueteronomy and Leviticus was written, around 1445 B.C.. Why was this such a huge revelation? Well, as you can imagine, 'medicine' at that time was very immature. Blood-letting had begun around 3000 B.C and that stuck around longer than anyone could have ever imagined. So you can picture the confusion and awe that was created from God's commandment to abhor swine.
Why the commandment and why was it so special? Pigs were and are today known scavengers. They will eat practically anything, which then causes them to ingest tapeworms and develop parasites. Those people who had/have regular contact with pigs are at a heightened risk to acquire these parasites and tapeworms and as a result, develop liver and lung tumors and trichenosis. Pig farmers today still have to be incredibly careful in certain farming practices in order to prevent attaining these diseases.
Considering that many Jews at the time of their exodus from Egypt were shepherds of livestock, (including pigs) that commandment was an absolute divine protection from an unseen harm. Also consider that NO ONE at that time, except the Israeli Jews themselves, received and then practiced this law! It was a huge milestone in public health hygeine practices.
Several Old Testament books provide more of a historical and social backdrop than suggestions to alter our current laws and commandments. Practicing Jews and specific Christian denominations choose to abide by the past laws to ignore swine, shellfish and other meats as a source of food even today. Whether we decide to do this or not, (I do not) the important thing is to practice it not for the sake of tradition alone, but to show it as our personally chosen practice to honor God.
Romans 14:6-8a addresses this-
"Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord."
Monday, February 27, 2006
Saturday, February 18, 2006
I Need This!
Ever seen the movie, "The Jerk"? It was made in the 70's and it stars Steve Martin as, well, a "Jerk". His character came from the slums and as a result of a bizarre set of circumstances, eventually became a multi-millionaire. However, when the very product which turned him into a rich man, the "Opti-Grab", a sort of nose handle for eyeglasses, turned out to be a literal eye magnet, he became bankrupt and ended up on the streets. Before he left his mansion, he decided to make a rant aimed at his wife. He stormed out, yelling "I don't need you! I don't need anything!", until he spotted an ashtray. He began to pull random items from his home and ended up alone on the street dragging his pants and holding an elegant chair, a paddleball, ashtray, and a lamp.
I wonder why we as a people decide what we 'need'. And why do these 'needs' differ so much from person to person? We all start out the same way, in the womb. We had our sources of life in that one tiny little bubble; food, oxygen, silence. Now I can understand how needs will differ based on location and living arrangements, but where do the following 'needs' come from?
"I need a BMW"
"I need an $80,000 dress"
"I need a TV in every other room in my house"
"I need a sensor that e-mails my phone when the mail arrives at my house" (These things DO exist!)
"I need a remote for the lights in my house"
"I need a movie theater in my house"
A need should be something required for survival. A want is a want, no matter how diligently you strive for it. The 'needs' listed above are extravagant, yes. The majority of people, even in America, could not see or possibly afford those luxuries. However, middle-income earners can have special 'needs', too.
-Daily coffee from any other place besides the tin can you bought at the grocery store
-Weekly pizza deliveries
-CD's and DVD's
-Cable TV
-Cigarettes and Alcohol
-Jamba Juice
-Eating out at restaurants/fast food places
-Relatively expensive vacations
Now I'm guilty of 'needing' most of the items in that second list. But I'm making the following resolution : To pray daily about one thing I can let go, one 'need' I can do without, if even for just one day. Here's the question, though - What will you do with the money you save by refraining from any item in any list? Save it up for bigger 'needs'? Or to use it for someone, some idea, or some place that actually has legitimate needs they cannot afford?
I wonder why we as a people decide what we 'need'. And why do these 'needs' differ so much from person to person? We all start out the same way, in the womb. We had our sources of life in that one tiny little bubble; food, oxygen, silence. Now I can understand how needs will differ based on location and living arrangements, but where do the following 'needs' come from?
"I need a BMW"
"I need an $80,000 dress"
"I need a TV in every other room in my house"
"I need a sensor that e-mails my phone when the mail arrives at my house" (These things DO exist!)
"I need a remote for the lights in my house"
"I need a movie theater in my house"
A need should be something required for survival. A want is a want, no matter how diligently you strive for it. The 'needs' listed above are extravagant, yes. The majority of people, even in America, could not see or possibly afford those luxuries. However, middle-income earners can have special 'needs', too.
-Daily coffee from any other place besides the tin can you bought at the grocery store
-Weekly pizza deliveries
-CD's and DVD's
-Cable TV
-Cigarettes and Alcohol
-Jamba Juice
-Eating out at restaurants/fast food places
-Relatively expensive vacations
Now I'm guilty of 'needing' most of the items in that second list. But I'm making the following resolution : To pray daily about one thing I can let go, one 'need' I can do without, if even for just one day. Here's the question, though - What will you do with the money you save by refraining from any item in any list? Save it up for bigger 'needs'? Or to use it for someone, some idea, or some place that actually has legitimate needs they cannot afford?
Why Do I Live Here?
It's cold up here.
How cold is it, Ellie?
Well, it's so cold that while walking outside for a maximum of maybe 2 minutes, my eyelids were beginning to freeze shut.
It's so cold, that when walking by a movie theater last night, a spilled glass of pop had frozen so quickly that you could see the physical carbonation stuck to the ground.
And speaking of movies, it's so cold that when my friend and I went to see, "The Second Chance", during what was possibly the last few minutes of the film, the theater's spinkler system froze and cracked open, spewing water everywhere at the front entrance. This caused all the films to stop and the emergency lights to flip on. We never did get to see the end of it.
It's so cold that even if you were to lather lotion on your hands and then stand outside for a minute or so and come in, your skin would look like the bark on a tree.
It's so cold that your nasal cavities freeze in a matter of seconds.
It's so cold that I've now decided to become a hermit for the remainder of winter and into the first month of "Spring". I've made up some imaginary friends and we're going to watch movies, play board games, and have a rousing rendition of "truth or dare". And you're not invited!
All because it's so cold.
How cold is it, Ellie?
Well, it's so cold that while walking outside for a maximum of maybe 2 minutes, my eyelids were beginning to freeze shut.
It's so cold, that when walking by a movie theater last night, a spilled glass of pop had frozen so quickly that you could see the physical carbonation stuck to the ground.
And speaking of movies, it's so cold that when my friend and I went to see, "The Second Chance", during what was possibly the last few minutes of the film, the theater's spinkler system froze and cracked open, spewing water everywhere at the front entrance. This caused all the films to stop and the emergency lights to flip on. We never did get to see the end of it.
It's so cold that even if you were to lather lotion on your hands and then stand outside for a minute or so and come in, your skin would look like the bark on a tree.
It's so cold that your nasal cavities freeze in a matter of seconds.
It's so cold that I've now decided to become a hermit for the remainder of winter and into the first month of "Spring". I've made up some imaginary friends and we're going to watch movies, play board games, and have a rousing rendition of "truth or dare". And you're not invited!
All because it's so cold.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Doggie Duet - Happy Valentine's Day!
I promise to get back into actually writing on this blog soon, but in the meantime, here's something to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day. This cracked me up.
http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=0114491724316M95813378Y
http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=0114491724316M95813378Y
Friday, February 03, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Tired
If this doesn't make sense, don't blame me....I'm sooo tired and will refuse to remove any following typos.
And just for the heck of it, I'll write a song......it shall be named "The Tired Sleepy ZZZ Song....DON'T WAKE ME UP!"
I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo tired
It's 10:09 and I'm blogging about nothing
*slap slap*
wake up!
Are donkeys miniature horses?
Why do I love "Grey's Anatomy" so much?
Tiny little anvils are pulling down my eyelids
No, I'm not on crack!
My bologna has a first name, it's E-L-L-I-E
My bologna has a second name, it's T-Y-R-U-P-O-L-W-Q-C-X-V-N-M-N-S-M-I-T-H
Stairway to heaven
Oops, I did it again
It's the end of the world as we know it
And i fell fuiiiiiiiiiine
aero'ih;uj;aretg
And just for the heck of it, I'll write a song......it shall be named "The Tired Sleepy ZZZ Song....DON'T WAKE ME UP!"
I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo tired
It's 10:09 and I'm blogging about nothing
*slap slap*
wake up!
Are donkeys miniature horses?
Why do I love "Grey's Anatomy" so much?
Tiny little anvils are pulling down my eyelids
No, I'm not on crack!
My bologna has a first name, it's E-L-L-I-E
My bologna has a second name, it's T-Y-R-U-P-O-L-W-Q-C-X-V-N-M-N-S-M-I-T-H
Stairway to heaven
Oops, I did it again
It's the end of the world as we know it
And i fell fuiiiiiiiiiine
aero'ih;uj;aretg
Friday, January 06, 2006
Just Thought I'd Share...
A Snippet From Ellen Degeneres' Book, "My Point...And I Do Have One"
"Think about it. One hundred poodles are scarier than one leopard. That's assuming, of course that the leopard has no legs. You could come home, open the door and see a leopard with no legs sitting in your living room. So what could it do? It's got no legs. It would be growling away, and you could sit right in front of it and make faces and touch its nose and "Woo" at it.
The only way a no-legged leopard could hurt you is if it feell out of a tree onto your head. I don't know how it got up the tree, maybe some of the other animals lifted it up there. But you have to admit when that leopard fell on you and clamped down on your head with its teeth, it would be pretty bad. You'd start running down the street yelling, "Help, help me, please."
And more often than not, you'd run into a big group of animal-rights activists, a neugahyde of animal-rights activists. And, instead of helping, theyd probabably throw red paint at you. You would scream out, "It's not a hat, it's a live animal! It's got no legs. I would never wear fur. I am wearing it against my will."
So now you've got a live leopard on your head and paint all over you as well. That is pretty darn terrifying. But you know, I don't want to diminish the spider in my shoe. Believe me, loooking back, that was scary enough. I guess all I'm trying to say is you don't have to make stuff up, there are enough scary things in real life.
"Think about it. One hundred poodles are scarier than one leopard. That's assuming, of course that the leopard has no legs. You could come home, open the door and see a leopard with no legs sitting in your living room. So what could it do? It's got no legs. It would be growling away, and you could sit right in front of it and make faces and touch its nose and "Woo" at it.
The only way a no-legged leopard could hurt you is if it feell out of a tree onto your head. I don't know how it got up the tree, maybe some of the other animals lifted it up there. But you have to admit when that leopard fell on you and clamped down on your head with its teeth, it would be pretty bad. You'd start running down the street yelling, "Help, help me, please."
And more often than not, you'd run into a big group of animal-rights activists, a neugahyde of animal-rights activists. And, instead of helping, theyd probabably throw red paint at you. You would scream out, "It's not a hat, it's a live animal! It's got no legs. I would never wear fur. I am wearing it against my will."
So now you've got a live leopard on your head and paint all over you as well. That is pretty darn terrifying. But you know, I don't want to diminish the spider in my shoe. Believe me, loooking back, that was scary enough. I guess all I'm trying to say is you don't have to make stuff up, there are enough scary things in real life.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Wow
Well, today I did a search for books on Missionaries and picked up "Under the Overpass" and "On Being a Missionary". The latter book is supposed to have insights from 100 current and past missionaries. I've also requested information from World Venture. Also this week, I'll be going to the bank to set up a special savings account to use as funds for future missionary costs. This could hopefully be the start of something great!
Friday, December 16, 2005
Homeless
As I've been thinking recently about what I want to do with my life, one idea has been milling around lately. Missionary work. It wouldn't have to be out of the country, state, or even the city. I've always wanted to help people and enjoy it so much when the opportunity arises. In fact, I had a social work major for a short amount of time.
So here's something that's on my "take a step into reaching a major goal" list. Spend at least one weekend a year as a homeless person. No money, ID, or even gum; just the clothes on my back. Mike Yankoski wrote a book on his experience, but he didn't just do it for a weekend, he did it for five months and travelled across the country, from D.C. to San Fransisco. His book is titled "Under the Overpass". He had a good friend travel along with him during the entire experience, which is something I would want as well.
How can I become sympathetic to the homeless crisis, or even poverty in other countries if I never experience it on such a level?
What do you think?
So here's something that's on my "take a step into reaching a major goal" list. Spend at least one weekend a year as a homeless person. No money, ID, or even gum; just the clothes on my back. Mike Yankoski wrote a book on his experience, but he didn't just do it for a weekend, he did it for five months and travelled across the country, from D.C. to San Fransisco. His book is titled "Under the Overpass". He had a good friend travel along with him during the entire experience, which is something I would want as well.
How can I become sympathetic to the homeless crisis, or even poverty in other countries if I never experience it on such a level?
What do you think?
Maid in Manhattan (With a Vengeance)
I don't know if once of my last posts had anything to do with it or not, but I had one of the strangest dreams ever on tuesday night.
Jennifer Lopez, aka "J.Lo" was in Minneapolis and the city threw a huge parade for her. Now I'm not a fan of hers, so having her in one of my dreams was especially odd. Anyway, back to the dream. I'm standing outside in the freezing cold watching this parade happen when the float she's standing on stops in front of me. All of a sudden the mayor walks over to her and declares that its now question and answer time, so he hands the microphone to me and asks if I have a question for Mrs. Lopez. So I come up with the first thing that pops in my head.
"Mrs. Lopez, will you ever stop using fur in your clothing designs?"
J.Lo's expression changes from thrilled to furious in a split second. She jumps off the float, runs over to me and screams, "Don't ever ask me that $*#@ question! I'm going to kill you!" She then smiles, turns around and gets back on the float. The parade then resumes....and I wake up.
freaky
Jennifer Lopez, aka "J.Lo" was in Minneapolis and the city threw a huge parade for her. Now I'm not a fan of hers, so having her in one of my dreams was especially odd. Anyway, back to the dream. I'm standing outside in the freezing cold watching this parade happen when the float she's standing on stops in front of me. All of a sudden the mayor walks over to her and declares that its now question and answer time, so he hands the microphone to me and asks if I have a question for Mrs. Lopez. So I come up with the first thing that pops in my head.
"Mrs. Lopez, will you ever stop using fur in your clothing designs?"
J.Lo's expression changes from thrilled to furious in a split second. She jumps off the float, runs over to me and screams, "Don't ever ask me that $*#@ question! I'm going to kill you!" She then smiles, turns around and gets back on the float. The parade then resumes....and I wake up.
freaky
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