So, yesterday was interesting. During my Bible study, I read about the sabbath, how God felt it was very important for the Israelites to take a day off a week. (That would probably not happen with a second job). Then I read a verse in Psalms "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or his children begging bread" (Psalm 37:25) I really hung onto that voice when everything looked very grim, after Ron's accident. I was unemployed, had no money, couldn't access Ron's money because we were just living together... bad times. But God took care of every need and then some.
On our way to work, I saw a banner outside the mosque "We love [prophet of islam]" which made me very angry. I got even angrier when I read "[prophet of islam] - the prophet of peace". Bull turds. Sura 9:5 "9:5 When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them.
Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent
and take to prayer and render the alms levy, allow them to go their way. God is
forgiving and merciful."
A big difference from my God, who tells me to: "44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44) Quite a difference, I'd say. Thank God I am a Christian. Yes, it is hard sometimes - I have to ask God to put His love into me, on a regular basis. I am always repenting of unkind and selfish thoughts, but God is merciful and I don't have to go stone anyone because they're gay, either (unlike the "religion of peace").
All that had me pretty convinced God wanted me to focus on evangelism, rather than another job, but finding a check in the mail for "more Bibles" clinched it. As a final icing, someone wanted my address so she could send me a check for "more Bibles".
I may have problems but I'm not an idiot. That was enough for me. Around and between all of this, we went to the warehouse, got inventory, stocked it, met the repairman, went home, took a nap, etc.
Today, I had off. I was excited to have a day out. I slept in, really late. I didn't even look at the clock when I got up. I did my God Time, talked to Ron, negotiated couch space with a very large housecat (Bubba has taken over my God Time loveseat), ate, and it was 9:30. I thought that was funny. Here I thought I'd slept until 11 or something.
It looked mild and friendly, so I left. I deposited the more Bibles check and bought some diet decaf iced tea powder. I also got some pudding and gelatin, too.
As I left, it rained. It wasn't so much the rain as the wind blowing rain on my glasses, and my hair into my eyes. I almost got run over by an SUV in the grocery store parking lot. I was also hacked by a vicious depression, too.
I went to McDonalds. I got 2 bunless value burgers. I got one for Ron, too. I looked at the menu board and realized the sundae, which I really wanted, was far fewer calories than the shake. So, I got the caramel. It was good. I took my lithium early (I won't die if I do that, and it helps with mood swings), and realized I didn't order a drink.
I went to the gas station and got Ron a bag of cheddar cheese munchies. With all you hear me buying and feeding Ron, you'd think he'd be 300. No, he is 151 pounds, and watching his figure. I don't know how he does it but he can certainly eat some chips now and then.
In fact, I caught Ron feeding Baby Girl cheetos. "She doesn't like the pretzels" he told me. I have to laugh.
She didn't get sick, that's what I ultimately care about.
I got myself a small bag of chips and a couple cold bottles of soda. Ron let me know Pete is coming by tomorrow, to do something to the house. I trust him completely.
So, I got him some of the grape cigars. Pete loves grape cigars.
I just caught the bus to come home, and home I went, in the rain. I had a nice walk home and dried off.
I watched Criminal Minds for a while (I like Dr Reid's character), then went to bed. I took a nap, woke up with a headache (I can tell it is a Wellbutrin headache), took some excedrin, and am about to embark on a massive purchase at IBSdirect.com.
"For Bibles" go to just that, and they have a free shipping special. Oh, yeah. Talk to me baby.
3 comments:
Hi Heather,
As a not-really-religious person, I kinda sit here at a distance and wonder why seeing a Muslim sign can upset many Christians.
I've researched a bunch of religions and it seems to me that Islam and Christianity are the most closest related and similar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Islam
A fundamentalist Christian is very much like a fundamentalist Muslim, patriarchy, modesty, and all.
I imagine a table full of puzzle pieces with Christianity and Islam locking together and the other religions not quite the right shape and just hanging out there close by. Yet Islam and Christianity have the most problems with each other. I don't get it :-/
Maybe it's like siblings, so close but we fight so much. At least that's how it was with my sisters growing up.
Just thinking out loud here and trying to understand.
Amber
Well, I'm not a theologian.
I think the problem is how people see they get to heaven.
In Christianity - of the New Testament variety - we are only saved by faith in Jesus. God calls us to live a moral life and help others, but at the end of the day we are told our good deeds are "filthy rags" in God's sight.
In islam the believer is only saved by a profession of faith and strict adherence to the "5 pillars". They are not assured entrance to heaven even if they follow everything to the letter - unless they kill themselves in jihad - dying in a holy war assures entrance to heaven. Other than that they don't know for certain.
Christians do not butcher their little girl's private parts. In islam, while the official stance condemns it, in practice no "good" muslim would marry an intact woman. I think that's the biggest difference. Would you hold your daughter down while someone did that? Muslim women had better - or they could end up divorced and homeless, and their daughter butchered anyway.
And, like I mentioned, if I share my faith with you - and you reject it, well, I'll go pray for you but I won't hate you. The muslim is commanded to execute those who reject islam.
These are just a few things off the top of my head. "islam revealed" by Shorrosh is a very telling book, written by a former muslim. He goes into the inconcistencies and is very frank in sharing the kind of person "the prophet" really was.
At the end of the day, I really pity them. I see them in bondage to demons with no joy or hope. I pray for them daily.
Islam, when ideally practiced, should be a religion of peace. The examples that you are speaking of (i.e. female genital mutilation) is not a tenet of Islam, but is a cultural practice.
As for the quotes from the Koran..there's some that sound similar from the Bible, too. Namely, the Old Testament:Exodus, Deuteronomy, etc all have some pretty brutal passages about killing off pagans and those that follow other ways. We're not exempt from the same history. Wars have been fought "in the name of Christ" too..like the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc etc etc.
You are a good example of someone that will pray for someone else and not wish them harm if they are different..but not all are like that. Look at the wars in Northern Ireland that went on for years, for example.
Doing harm in the name of religion isn't the fault of the religion in most cases, it is of the people doing it; they aren't really acting as they are supposed to.
Christians aren't totally assured entrance to Heaven, either, just by belief alone..that might sound contrary to Christian belief, but bear with me a minute. Yes, Jesus saves us, but if we live a horrible life and just assume that in the end we will be saved, I don't think that is right or accurate either. We can be forgiven of anything, but we have to repent and reform: that is expected of us.
I like how it mentions all of that in James 2:14-26, namely, faith without works is dead. If we believe, good actions should follow. We are called to be like Christ.
Islam are called to be moral people, too. Terrorists doing things in the name of Islam, to me, don't represent Islam anymore than a Protestant killing a Catholic in Northern Ireland represents Christian values.
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