imrod

Does anyone know a link that identifies where the milkyway is on the new 3d map of the universe. I have tried some searching and have not been able to find a "We are here sign." Seriously, I am very curious and I can't believe I'm the only one.

Well, I am at least among the ranks of those who have actually completed a novel (all 110,000 words). I am going to start querying agents. The problem is my novel doesn't fit nicely into the standard genres. The most succinct way I have thought to describe it is "My Girl" meets "Fatal Attraction."

I am influenced by Stephen King (but it isn't horror) in the way I use children and childhood to set the stage (the children are 12). My style and voice reveal the emotions of the characters as they live life. To complicate it even more the main character has a religious (Christian) world view, but there is some very graphic language and scenes that definitely don't fit CBA standards. It would certainly be rated "R" if the MPAA rated it.

So do do I call it a coming of age story (half of it is), do I call it Christian fiction (even though it is rated R), do I call it a romance, do I call it a mystery (there are deaths that are unexplained until the end)? I'm afraid the Christian publishers won't touch it because it doesn't fit and mainstream won't touch it because the character is too religious. The main characters doubts, temptations and inconsistencies are not watered down. I think I subconsciously write psychological studies.

I wouldn't mind corresponding by email with more information. Any guidance, suggestions, or even directions to another place to inquire would be appreciated.

Sagan's 100 billion galaxies with 100 billion stars has been revised up. Here's the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101202/ap_on_sc/us_sc...

These numbers are difficult to grasp. The article said that 300 sextillion is the number of individual cells in every human being on the planet right now.

Does this huge number impact your beliefs about the universe? I'm just curious as to how you feel/think it does and why?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_declining_marriage

Honestly, I do want to understand. There are certain things that I just don't get and this is one of them. It's right up there with an atheist using the curse God da_n. That's saying, "May a non-existent God send you to a non-existent hell." Where's the power in that? It seems to me to be really wishy washy. Anyway, I realize my IQ isn't near to what my atheists friends claim there's to be. So I need a little help.

The report is that 40% of Americans believe that marriage is pointless and obsolete. My guess would be this comes primarily from the irreligious or nominally religious. In our country, by the numbers, that's just about all of them. I think we can safely say that 60% of Americans view themselves as religious. If this is the case, then why is there such a push for same sex marraiges? Are you following my question?

I'm honestly not trying to stir up hatred and anger, I'm just looking for an explanation. This seems very odd to me. Why is there a demand for same sex couples to climb onto a sinking ship? Is it just an issue of perceived "equality" or fairness? Is it about economics and participation in benefits that are afforded married couples in society, taxes, and employement benefits? If it was about taxes and employee benefits then why wouldn't rewriting those laws take care of the problem?

I know this is going to generate some mean spirited responses, but I am genuinely curious.

This according to

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20101019/sc_li...

I'll be pushing 100, so unless something happens soon, I will have to request permission to be excused from the reunion.

In this list which books should be read first in high school. Or which should be read in 9th grade and which should be read in 12th? Are there books here you would not have a high school student read?

Damage, A. M. Jenkins

Darkness at Noon, Arthur Koestler

Day of Tears, Julius Lester

Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak

Dragon and Thief, Timothy Zahn

Dreamland, Sarah Dessen

Dunk, David Lubar

Emma, Jane Austen

Essays, Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fagin the Jew, Will Eisner

Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

Fathers and Son, Ivan Turgenev

Feed, M. T. Anderson

Finding Fish: A Memoir, Antwone Quenton Fisher

First Crossing, Stories about Teen Immigrants, Donald R. Gallo

For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

Freaky Green Eyes, Joyce Carol Oates

Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet out of Idaho, Jon Katz

Geography Club, Brent Hartinger

Gingerbread, Rachel Cohn

Go Tell It on the Mountain, James Baldwin

Going Bovine written by Libba Bray

Gossip Girl, Cecily von Ziegesar

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift

Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Heavy Metal and You, Chris Krovatin

Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices, Walter Dean Myers

Hippie Chick, Joseph Monninger

Hitch, Jeanette Ingold

Hole in my Life, Jack Gantos

How Green Was My Valley, Richard Llewellyn

How I Live Now, Meg Rosoff

Hurricane Song, Paul Volponi

I am the Messenger, Marcus Zusak

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

I, Claudius, Robert Graves

In the Path of Falling Objects written by Andrew Smith

In the Path of Falling Objects written by Andrew Smith

Inherit the Wind, Jerome and Robert E. Lee Lawrence

Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison

Jake, Reinvented, Gordon Korman

Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy

Keeper of the Night, Kimberly Willis Holt

Keesha’s House, Helen Frost

King Lear, William Shakespeare

Kira-Kira, Cynthia Kadohata

Left for Dead: A Young Man’s Search for Justice for the U. S. S. Indianapolis, Peter Nelson

Leviathan. By Scott Westerfeld. Illus. by Keith Thompson

Light Years, A Novel

Long Day's Journey into Night, Eugene O'Neill

Look Homeward, Angel, Thomas Wolfe

Looking for Alaska, John Green

Lord Jim, Joseph Conrad

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

Can you help me categorize these toddler books as to the best target age. I know some can be for like 2-4, but what would be a good specific age, like 1, 2,3, or 4? Thanks

A Beach Tail, Karen Lynn Williams Illus. by Floyd Cooper

A First Book of First Definitions, Ruth Krauss

A Hole Is to Dig, Ruth Krauss

A Is for Annabelle, Tasha Tudor

A Jataka Tale from India, Paul Galdone (illustrator)

A Penguin Story, Antoinette Portis

A Pocket for Corduroy, Don Freeman

A Tree is Nice, Janice May Udry

ABC, Jan Pienkowski

Alligators All Around, Maurice Sendak

Angus series, Marjorie Flack

Ape in a Cape: An Alphabet of Odd Animals

Apple Pie, Kate Greenaway

Archie and the Pirates, Marc Rosenthal

Are You My Mother? P.D. Eastman

Ask Mister Bear, Marjorie Flack

Baby Beluga, Raffi, illustrated by Ashley Wolff

Bad Frogs, Thacher Hurd

Bathwater's Hot; Noisy ; Two Shoes, New Shoes, Shirley Hughes

Bears, Ruth Krauss

Bedtime at the Swamp, Kristyn Crow Illus. by Macky Pamintuan

Best Word Book, Richard Scarry

Big Sister and Little Sister, Charlotte Zolotow

Big Trucks, Little Trucks; Fast Cars, Slow Cars, Peter Spier

Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey

Boats: Speeding! Sailing! Cruising! Patricia Hubbell Illus. by Megan Halsey & Sean Addy

Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes, Marguerite De Angeli (illustrator)

Brian Wildsmith 1, 2, 3, Brian Wildsmith

Bubble Trouble, Margaret Mahy Illus. by Polly Dunbar

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business, Esphyr Slobodkina

Casey and Derek on the Ice, Marty Sederman Illus. by Zachary Pullen

Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band, Sarah Weeks Illus. by Elwood H. Smith

Chanticleer and the Fox, Barbara Cooney

Charlie Needs a Cloak, Tomie dePaola

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom, Bill Martin, Jr.

Circles, Triangles, and Squares, Tana Hoban

Class Three at Sea, Julia Jarman Illus. by Lynne Chapman

Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

Colors, Jan Pienkowski

Come to Town Anne F. Rockwell

Cookie Count: A Tasty Pop-Up, Robert Sabuda

Counting Kisses, Karen Katz

Curious George, H. A. Rey

I've seen the 1 Cor. 14 guy ask this question a 100 times. And golly gee, this is something I would just love to know.

Has any atheist or feminist ever given any kind of support to a female preacher? Please respond in detail. Is it because they are disobeying 1 Cor. 14.

Thank you.

I am looking for your comments.

After tedious research I believe I have established without doubt or question, that theists have the superior intelligence. My conclusion is drawn on the religious beliefs of the 10 smartest comic book characters!

A Business Week article (not the Onion) identified the top 10 smartest comic book characters. See

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/may20...

Adherents website has researched and published the religious views and affiliations of comic characters. See http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_rel...

Results:

Reed Richards (theistic humanist)

Batman (Episcopalian/Catholic, lapsed)

Iron Man (secularist)

Ant-Man (atheist)

The Beast (Episcopalian)

Bruce Banner (Catholic)

Oracle (not listed)

Spider-Man (Protestant)

Professor X (religious)

The Atom (Jewish).

Conclusions:

70% of the most intelligent superheroes believe in God or religion.

20% are secularists or atheists.

10% are unknown.

Atheists remain a minority not only in the general population but in the population of genius super heroes.

Case closed!

Repent!

Please, take this for how it was intended and have a great weekend.

Just curious. Oh, and if you don't mind, why?

Definition. While you may disagree with the definition, for the sake of this specific question a "Christian cult" is assumed to be a religious group that rejects Christian Orthodoxy (the beliefs held in common by Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodox churches). As the standard for Christian orthodoxy I'll use the Apostles Creed. For example, a group that rejects the deity of Christ would be rejecting Christian orthodoxy. I realize not everyone agrees with this definition but we need a definition for the discussion.

Let's set aside the Christian sin concept for a moment and ask, why do people belittle?

Last week in answer to a question directed about atheists--why do atheists belittle, I received 5 thumbs up and 12 thumbs down for the response--the reason people belittle is insecurity. Now, certainly an insecure person is not going to respond, "You're right imrod, I am insecure," so the response doesn't impact the truth of the statement. However, I am man enough to admit if I am wrong.

I also think it is reasonable to ask the question here to provide some understanding to our small population here at R&S.

Psychologist Steven Stosny wrote an article in Psychology Today a couple years back that viewed belittling as cyclical, I belittle you, you belittle me. In the article he wrote that belittling is an emotional pollutant (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-a... I assume he is an evolutionist by the way he analyzes the subject, so that would be his cosmological bias.

Anyway, he writes, "The polluter who fails to get others to think he's important will simply regard them as unimportant. Thus he feels more important by downward comparison to those who don't think he's important." So people belittle others because they feel others don't acknowledge them as important.

Christians, are we sending that message? If anyone should believe in the importance of people it should be we who claim to be Christians. We believe every human being carries the image of God even though it might be sin tarnished. Every human being is loved by God.

Enough reflection.

Why do you think people belittle others? By the way, I know I'll get a host of silly answers, and they are fun to read.

What do you think? It can be serious or funny. Caught being naughty? Discovering he/she committed plagerism? An ultra-conservative? What else? Thanks.

A highway billboard was vandalized. It said, "One nation indivisible" leaving out the phrase "under God." Someone spray painted "under God" on the billboard. In your opinion what biblical commands were violated by these vandals? What sin(s) do they need to ask God for forgiveness for?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts2936

So we Christians took a hit this past weekend with the touchdown Jesus. But now that 15 million lbs of SpaghettiOs are being recalled, how are FSM'ers doing? Just a concerned Christian here.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100618/ap_on_bi_ge/us...

Please grant me the lattitude (freedom from normal restraints) that atheism is a "belief system." Christians, I know many of you understand your beliefs as relational, so please also grant me the lattitude that Chrsitianity is a "belief system." So, between Chrstians and Atheists who gets ticked off the most (based on the answers read) when you call their views into question? Feel free to support your position with examples.

Evolutionists, Now that Pyrophosphites are back in the news can you finally forget the stupid concept of spontaneous generation to explain the beginning of life? Or are you finally tired of reaching for an explanation and ready to just admit you have no idea how life began and believe the only sensible alternative, that there is a Creator?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100612/sc_li...

I'm attaching a clip of a 4-5 minute video of Penn Jillette (the really cool illusionists, Penn and Teller) discussing evangelism. If you have ever attended one of their shows you know they are fabulous entertainers and illusionists and Penn comes across both in the show and whenever I have seen him interviewed as being very bright.

http://vodpod.com/watch/2476029-gift-of-a-bible

Anyway, in this clip he says that if someone really believes in life after death, heaven and hell, then they have a moral responsibility to tell people about it, and warn them. He is not shy about talking publicly about his atheism and his take on religion, especially Christianity. I don't think he is suggesting that you have to preach fire and damnation and have your veins burst in your face. He seems very impressed with this guy who gave him a Bible.

Do you agree or disagree with Penn?

Did you know that before April 22 was Earth Day it was a day that honored martyred Saint Soter (170) and martyred Saint Caius (296) and maryred Saint Leonides (202)? Of course I'm probably the only Protestant that is actually interested in this kind of stuff.

Since we Christians are all partied out from Christmas (see the Meriam Webster dictionary for a correct understanding of what Christmas is), Easter (see the Meriam Webster dictionary for a correct understanding of what Easter is), and tea parties (I'm all for lower taxes, but I didn't attend one), we won't be that active, so what are all the rest of you going to do in honor of Mother Gaia?

I know the question is not content rich, but it is an appropriate question directly pertaining to the season of the year, Christian beliefs, the perceptions of others, and the purpose of R&S, providing an opportunity to dialogue.

I'm sure atheists and JWs can find something to talk about.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate Christ's coming. And if you choose to not celebrate Advent, but instead choose to celebrate Yule or Saturnalia or Natalis Sol Invictus, happy holidays. Happy Hannukah to Jews, and to Muslims, have a great Friday. And to JWs and other non-celebrators, have a nice day.