What keeps you faithful?

In the face of an opposing view, what keeps you faithful? There are many arguments for and against. Some are pointless. Some are persuasive. Toss out those that make purely emotional appeals and you're left with personal reasons for taking one side or the other.

So what keeps you faithful?

Comment moderation on...

You know what happens when you take an extended vacation from your blog? It becomes inundated with spam comments. So now we have comment moderation turned on to stem that ever-widening tide. Worry not! I will not censor comments beyond the elimination of junk and spam. Human beings making posts relevant to the discussions here that don't include links to irrelevant content will be let through without modification or delay.

Now I need to get posting again, eh? :)

In an effort to edumicate yerself...

They say it's a good idea to learn about other cultures. If for no other reason, you can then understand where other people are coming from. In the spirit of that effort, I present you an easily-digestible version of the Ramayana:

http://ramayana.tigercoder.com/index.php

For those of you who prefer their religious information is musical & animated form, here's a wonderful modern interpretation of the same text (free to download):

http://sitasingstheblues.com/

Enjoy and respond,

- T.C.

Atheists, Fundamentalists, and Tolerance. Oh My!

This video contains dramatic readings of message-board posts about atheism from christian fundamentalist message boards. Before you watch it, I want to say a few things...

Firstly, this video is Not even remotely Safe For Work!!! (NSFW)

Secondly, I have to ask: Is this how atheists view all christians?

Thirdly, I have to ask: Is this how all fundamentalists think?



Fourthly, how often do people use the term "fourthly"?

LOLcats for Christ

Who hasn't felt this way from time to time...

Whack a god

Okay. Stick with me here... In Japan, someone has set up a modest temple for the god of poverty. Why? So people can come by and.. well... see for yourself:

Japanese beat poverty Video - Yahoo! News UK

This would get so completely out of hand in the US. This is something that could probably only really work in Japan, but I have to wonder if everyone wouldn't benefit from a quick trip to this temple.

How techno-savvy is YOUR church?

We're not quite ready to embrace technology to this extent... yet.

'Twittering' encouraged at Seattle church

I'm not sure how reverent you can be while Twittering, but I'm sure someone will measure it someday.

Sometimes you gotta go with the external pic link...

Couldn't have said it better...

It seems to me that this sums up so much about the source of modern frustration in America:

Principles of the American Cargo Cult

What do you think?

So wrong... but funny

Is it just a coincidence that the Pope has his tiara in a knot about false apparitions about the same time I run across this video?

I think not.

But, hanging on to anger is so much easier.

So think of one person who really yanked your chain since the beginning of 2009. You know, the person you shouted a few nasty things to in your car or grumbled at as you walked around your office/school/church or thought less-than-wonderful things about when you thought about them/talked to them on the phone. Yeah, that person.

Forgive that person.

He/she needs it and so do you. Yeah, I know he said that insensitive thing or she made that uncourteous move, or they disrespected you in front of your friends/co-workers. Let it go. Yeah, it's somewhat soothing to hold on to that upset, righteous feeling, but it just makes you look like a punk and doesn't really help anyone. What about that time you unintentionally (or intentionally) said the insensitive thing or made the uncourteous move or disrespected someone... even if they kinda deserved it? You would want to be cut some slack, right. Time to take the first step by being bigger than all the egos involved and forgive.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm writing this to myself. If it helps you, BONUS! Let me know.