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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Hell: A small group experience in spiritual formation
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Alt Wally
Cardinal Ximinez
# 3245
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Posted
Being a teenager in Southern California in the 1980's left me with some issues Sine. I may not be the model Christian you had convinced yourself that I was...
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
Wally, have you considered a spiritual formation class? Or perhaps a Christian Holiday Camp? (Fun for the whole family I hear.)
I bet either one could fix those issues right up. You just need a support group to spill your guts to.
Baptism is just the beginning of the process you know.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Boopy
Shipmate
# 4738
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sarkycow:
Here you go Boopy. In a spirit of Christian Love™ , I offer you this prayer. Feel free to steal it and use it as you wish:
quote:
Loving Lord Jesus,
I really just wanna thank you for such a *lovely day/wonderful group time/special bunch of people. Lord, you really have just *provided greatly for us/moved mightily here, and I just really wanna *thank/praise you for that. I wanna really just *praise/lift up your name Lord, because you are a mighty Lord, and you do mighty works in our lives. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.
* Delete as appropriate.
Sarkycow
Ooh, Sarkycow has been really really kind to lend me this excellent, well crafted yet beautifully spontaneous prayer, how lovely of her. Can't wait to try it out. Ok, going to practise now so I will be really good at extempore prayer next House Group meeting. Practising...
Grar....arggghh......yah.....urk.
Strange. Can't even get the opening words out without my throat closing up. Why is that I wonder?
Maybe the solution is to get through a group study session without catching the leader's eye. Time to take a few more notes from Sine....
Posts: 1170 | From: UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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The Bede's American Successor
Curmudgeon-in-Training
# 5042
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
quote:
Originally posted by The Bede's American Successor:
At what point do you stand up among the broken pin ball machines and start screaming "We're not goin' to take it!"
![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
BTW, in case anyone found this sentence a bit puzzling, Mr. Successor is making a reference to the Stonewall Riots. Unfortunately, I don't carry a large handbag to class, although I do carry a bookbag with my textbook, the BCP, and the Oxford annotated NRSV, with which I could smack someone.
Actually, for once I didn't make a gay reference (except that Elton John is involved indirectly). I really am amazed that Sine Nomine didn't catch it.
This scene I described is near the end of the movie version of Tommy. I joke about being the only person in North America that actually liked that movie. Maybe it isn't a joke, after all.
Of course, the Stonewall Riots may be a better example. Let me think about it.
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This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride of wealth and food in plenty, comfort and ease, and yet she never helped the poor and the wretched.
—Ezekiel 16.49
Posts: 6079 | From: The banks of Possession Sound | Registered: Oct 2003
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The Bede's American Successor
Curmudgeon-in-Training
# 5042
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
Wally, have you considered a spiritual formation class? Or perhaps a Christian Holiday Camp? (Fun for the whole family I hear.)
I bet either one could fix those issues right up. You just need a support group to spill your guts to.
Baptism is just the beginning of the process you know.
Uncle Tommy's Holiday Camp? Or going to Colditz with Sarky?
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This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride of wealth and food in plenty, comfort and ease, and yet she never helped the poor and the wretched.
—Ezekiel 16.49
Posts: 6079 | From: The banks of Possession Sound | Registered: Oct 2003
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Alt Wally
Cardinal Ximinez
# 3245
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Posted
Hmmmm, I wonder what the elves are like at Uncle Tommy's Holiday Camp.
Posts: 3684 | Registered: Aug 2002
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by The Bede's American Successor:
I joke about being the only person in North America that actually liked that movie. Maybe it isn't a joke, after all.
Believe me, it's a joke, all right.
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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
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Sarkycow
La belle Dame sans merci
# 1012
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Posted
Dear Sine,
Here's a sentence prayer the Lord laid on my heart, especially for you to take to your class next week :
quote:
Heavenly Father, I just wanna offer back to you all that has been shared this week. Take it and use it*. Amen.
*As you say this bit, try mentally adding "To line your trashcan" ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
Have you tried making patronising comments when affirmation time rolls around? Something like:
"Isn't it amazing that God never gives us more than we can handle?"
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Sarkycow
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“Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sarkycow:
Have you tried making patronising comments when affirmation time rolls around? Something like:
"Isn't it amazing that God never gives us more than we can handle?"
I would have, but I would have been repeating someone else. I kid you not.
And thanks for the sentence prayer. I'll write it on the palm of my hand for when it's time to be spontaneous.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Sarkycow
La belle Dame sans merci
# 1012
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
quote:
Originally posted by Sarkycow:
Have you tried making patronising comments when affirmation time rolls around? Something like:
"Isn't it amazing that God never gives us more than we can handle?"
I would have, but I would have been repeating someone else. I kid you not.
And suddenly satirists are out of a job ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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“Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
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jlg
What is this place?
Why am I here?
# 98
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Posted
![[Help]](graemlins/help.gif) I'm having flashbacks to my horrible RCIA classes.
Posts: 17391 | From: Just a Town, New Hampshire, USA | Registered: May 2001
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The Bede's American Successor
Curmudgeon-in-Training
# 5042
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by The Bede's American Successor:
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
Wally, have you considered a spiritual formation class? Or perhaps a Christian Holiday Camp? (Fun for the whole family I hear.)
I bet either one could fix those issues right up. You just need a support group to spill your guts to.
Baptism is just the beginning of the process you know.
Uncle Tommy's Holiday Camp? Or going to Colditz with Sarky?
Mea culpa. That should be Uncle Ernie's Holiday camp from Tommy.
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This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride of wealth and food in plenty, comfort and ease, and yet she never helped the poor and the wretched.
—Ezekiel 16.49
Posts: 6079 | From: The banks of Possession Sound | Registered: Oct 2003
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Originally posted by tomb:
quote:
We have a disproportionate percentage of middle-aged housewives who "do" EFM and suddenly discover a Call to the perpetual diaconate.
And there is nothing scarier than a post-menopausal female with a Christian license to Meddle and Bother.People. Watching one of those women reading the Gospel with that determined glazed-look in her eyes is reminiscent of the original Curse of the Body Snatchers the way those folks looked right after they came out of their Pods.
The only thing scarier I can think of is watching an impotent middle-aged man in polyester pants and a comb-over reading the Gospel between hacking coughs from his two pack a day habit. Reminiscent of all those fat old guys who didn't want to ordain women because women weren't "made in His image".
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sasha:
The only thing scarier I can think of is watching an impotent middle-aged man in polyester pants and a comb-over reading the Gospel
Of course the first thought that pops into one's head is: how would you know that?
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Exactly the same way tomb would know whether or not the woman was post-menopausal.
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
I dunno. Judging from Viagra commercials, post-menopausal is easier to guess than impotent.
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Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
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Posted
Well, "impotent" is a mite more flexible term than "post-menopausal". It could mean powerless.
Like those fat, old guys who tried to block the ordination of women.
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"Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Having read the first 3 pgs of the thread, assorted thoughts:
--{{Sine}}
--RUN! ![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif)
--Get thee straight to a bookstore or library, and obtain "Travelling Mercies" by Anne LaMott. She has an unconventional, gritty, down-in-the trenches relationship with Jesus. She mentions doing something that "would make Jesus drink gin straight out of a cat dish". She thinks, she questions, she rails, she laughs. IMHO, you'll love it, and you'll get plenty of pithy ideas to bring up in group.
--Other books you might find useful: "Pilgrim At Tinker Creek" and "Holy The Firm" by Annie Dillard; "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Br. Lawrence; "Franny and Zooey" by JD Salinger; and "The Screwtape Letters" by CS Lewis. They all have some views of God and Christianity that are a bit out of step with your group, and might shake folks up a bit.
--Re chocolate: It is a sacrament, and worth discussing—and eating—during your group.
--Re Tomb’s suggested lines:
![[Overused]](graemlins/notworthy.gif)
--Why is a pastor running this group? Will probably skew people’s answers something fierce!
Best of luck to you!
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Kelly Alves
Bunny with an axe
# 2522
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Posted
I concur that you should get "Travelling Mercies" and read passages aloud to your group.Spin their little heads around.
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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.
Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
I concur that you should get "Travelling Mercies" and read passages aloud to your group.Spin their little heads around.
...and post pictures! ![[Two face]](graemlins/scot_twoface.gif)
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Alt Wally
Cardinal Ximinez
# 3245
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Posted
I finally had my own last night!!!! I got to go to a reception dinner, drink Merlot and pretend to be an adult. I think I fooled them.
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Lady R of Ashwood
Shipmate
# 4788
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Posted
Hey ho Sine, I just stepped onboard 'specially to see how your spiritual development is going. Glad to see you moving closer and closer to an emotional and life-transforming moment of self-revelation. Have you considered mentioning any recent miraculous healings you have experienced? I was reading some in a C12 saint's life earlier, which I am sure you could borrow...
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Are you kidding? Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Rev***e. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles.
Posts: 420 | From: Glasgow | Registered: Jul 2003
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Scot
Deck hand
# 2095
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Posted
Indeed. Personal accounts of Signs and Wonders™ are always good small group conversation starters. It's even better if you can imply that your own spirituality played some causal role in the event.
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“Here, we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” - Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 9515 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jan 2002
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Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
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Posted
Yeah. This miracle stuff is heady. The next thing you know people will be crowding around a bakery window clammering to see your image in a strangely evocative croissant.
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"Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
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The Bede's American Successor
Curmudgeon-in-Training
# 5042
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Posted
OK. It's Tuesday. Isn't time for the next installment of Sine Joins a Coven? Inquiring minds want to know, particularly if it involves gathering in a circle without any clothes.
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This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride of wealth and food in plenty, comfort and ease, and yet she never helped the poor and the wretched.
—Ezekiel 16.49
Posts: 6079 | From: The banks of Possession Sound | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by The Bede's American Successor:
OK. It's Tuesday. Isn't time for the next installment of Sine Joins a Coven?
We did indeed form our coven. Details to follow later on this evening.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
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Posted
![[Eek!]](eek.gif) ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
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"Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
An absolutely essential element of Christian community that is seldom discussed is a willingness to offer to others one’s true self rather than one’s contrived self.
Well, erm, yes. I suppose so, but on the other hand I’ve only known my new best friends for five weeks. And Monday was the night to formalize our coven.
quote:
What kind of support for practices, decisions, or changes would you welcome from this group? What kind of support would you resist? What kind of support would you be willing to offer others in the group?
Here was the great divide.
I thought Smiley Boy was going to be the major irritant, but he wasn’t even there last night. I would have welcomed his presence. I’m thinking Softball Girl is going to be the fingernail on the blackboard. She apparently really does want to make a lot of friends out of the group. What she would welcome from the group is A) a support group to call her and make sure she’s done her exercises, apparently on a daily basis. B) Brothers and sisters in Christ with whom she can chat about things spiritual that we didn’t get to go into the depth she wanted during the meeting. C) “Lets everyone go out for coffee afterwards and bond.”
The scary thing is she seems to like me, and looks forward to learning a lot from me. She gave me a sturdy whack or two on the shoulder when we took our break. Apparently you can take the girl out of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but you can’t the Fellowship of Christian Athletes out of the girl. She makes me really, really, nervous.
Fortunately, the rector gently and kindly told her that we were all grown-ups and needed to do our own lessons. And that no one in the group was going to be her coach.
At the opposite end of the spectrum was my friend. He thought we really needed to give people permission to quit the course without feeling guilty. Since this is only his second meeting (he joined late) I thought this boded ill. The rector didn’t much care for this either. Apparently the evening wasn’t going as planned.
We discussed jumping ship with impunity for a while. It was decided that although we couldn’t promise to be each other best friends, like Softball Girl wanted, we did need a certain level of commitment. Our lowest common denominator was that we would all agree to show up unless there was a really pressing reason not to. If we couldn’t, we’d notify the rector in advance. We also agreed we needed to commit to having read the lesson and prepared the exercises.
I could live with that.
Then it was Fragile Fran’s turn. (The heart-rending one from last week whose story involved family suicide and alcoholism.) She basically said “Warning. Be very nice to me or I will self-destruct in front of your very eyes and it won’t be pretty.” And I believed her. Implicitly. She is not held together by Super Glue. More like chewing gum and bailing wire. I think one of our ground rules should be “no hand guns in the conference room.” Just in case someone isn’t affirming enough.
So, the coven is formed. I’m sure the next seven months will fly by.
And Bede, sorry to disappoint you. We all kept our clothes on. A good thing, in my opinion.
I did get a big laugh when I reminded everyone that yesterday was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the massacre in Jonestown. I’m such a card.
Right.
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Grits
Compassionate fundamentalist
# 4169
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Posted
We discussed Jonestown at the office today, the sadness that so many people could be duped by the power of one, which I'm sure is many people's take on Christianity, eh?
Give Softball Girl a chance, Sine. She doesn't sound pushy, so you should be able to resist her bonding advances. But maybe you'll discover she's not so bad.
It actually sounds like an interesting group, very diverse. It shouldn't be too painful.
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Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and shut it when I've said enough. Amen.
Posts: 8419 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 2003
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Duo Seraphim*
Sea lawyer
# 3251
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
We discussed jumping ship with impunity for a while. It was decided that although we couldn’t promise to be each other best friends, like Softball Girl wanted, we did need a certain level of commitment. Our lowest common denominator was that we would all agree to show up unless there was a really pressing reason not to. If we couldn’t, we’d notify the rector in advance. We also agreed we needed to commit to having read the lesson and prepared the exercises.
Every year, first Tuesday in November, they run the Melbourne Cup and every year people who have no idea which is the business end of a horse ante up their hard-earned for the office sweep. For those not familiar with the custom, everyone pays some money and draws a horse's name from the hat. Winner takes all - I won A$110 on the chambers sweep.
So sign up here for the Spirituality Sweepstakes! How many of them will be left after seven months? Will it be our hero plus the rector? Or will there be others? Who will be getting their wings?As far as I can see, the field and their form based on the above is shaping up thus:
Sine Nomine ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif) A first time runner on this track, but a hardy weight for age runner. Will the colt from Nashville go the distance?
The Rector ![[Angel]](graemlins/angel.gif) Age and experience will tell.
Fragile Fran ![[Waterworks]](graemlins/bawling.gif) Could blow up in the stalls.
Smiley Boy Other runners may block his run for the hell of it.
Softball Girl ![[Axe murder]](graemlins/lovedrops.gif) Enthusiastic early runner but may fade at the finish. Needs a lead from other runners - unlikely to get it.
Sine's Friend Dark horse with unsuspected previous form.
Ms Mystical Needs a miracle.
Ladieez and gents - pick your horses.
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2^8, eight bits to a byte
Posts: 3967 | From: Sydney Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
I haven't mentioned much about Stay at Home Mom yet. That's because she's even quieter than I am.
However when we were meditating, which translated into my staring fixedly at the floor, I noticed she had on rather peculiar Mary Jane sort of shoes. Funny the things you notice when you're "meditating".
Of course we know the rector will stay the course. She has to. It's her job. And I really do think my friend, despite his baleful comments, and Stay at Home Mom will make it. They have obviously negotiated with their spouses for two hours out a week. Not something to give up lightly when you've a couple of small children at home, which both of them have.
The thought did cross my mind when Softball Girl wanted a post-meeting coffee group "Coffee? At 8:45 at night? When my cocktail hour has already been delayed hours beyond it's normal starting time? Are you nuts?"
But as I mentioned previously she was brought up Southern Baptist and was a high school and college athlete. She positively glows with health. I'm guessing she doesn't drink. But then she hasn't been an Episcopalian long yet.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Duo Seraphim*
Sea lawyer
# 3251
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
Of course we know the rector will stay the course. She has to. It's her job. And I really do think my friend, despite his baleful comments, and Stay at Home Mom will make it.
That's what we need - tips from the stable.
Please add:
Stay at Home Mom ![[brick wall]](graemlins/brick_wall.gif) The quiet ones are the stayers.
No bets on the rector.
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2^8, eight bits to a byte
Posts: 3967 | From: Sydney Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
I forgot to mention Fragile Fran's beautiful journal. You know we're all supposed to be keeping journals, right?
Fragile Fran's is one those beautiful leather bound ones with sheets of high-quality, creamy, unlined paper. The kind that is perfect for recording "menus served to" and "china pattern used" in. Or your deepest thoughts, as the case may be.
In any case, it puts my ratty little notebook to shame. But it did occur to me that I could get one of those pink vinyl Barbie™ diaries to bring to class. I think the lock on it would be particularly appropriate. Especially if I kept the key on a string around my neck and ostentatiously fished it out when it was time to share.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
beautiful leather bound ones with sheets of high-quality, creamy, unlined paper.
I am always buying overpriced stationery of this nature. The problem is that you never have quite the deep insight/amazing poetry/fascinating social document (not to say handwriting) to live up to it. It is rather sad really: like buying a wedding dress when you've never even had a date.
So chose your paperware carefully.
School jotter: lined paper, blue sugar-paper cover. Suggests innocent yet dedicated, autodidact in the tradition of Livingstone with his books propped on his loom. Could appear a little faux naif in your case.
Large, sturdy hardback (ex Government stock a bonus). Battered, with a peeling decal on the back; frayed edges of newspaper clippings peek from its dog-eared pages. Earth mother with a social conscience. You would need to accessorise this with a lot of home baking.
Filofax/binder. Cool plastic cover, no ornament. Its snappy rings hold maps of the Lower Danube, an Aztec phrasebook, the vintage lists for Bordeaux, the business cards of Steven Spielberg, Salman Rushdie and the last three winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics. You write small neat notes, not infrequently employing non-Latin alphabets.
I feel it is just so crucial you have the Right Notebook.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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kentishmaid
Shipmate
# 4767
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Posted
In the same vein, you could always play the 'social conscience of the group card' and get one of those banana paper books made by people in developing countries. In fact, that would be an interesting experiment - I'd love to see if they manage not to disintegrate as soon as someone puts pen to them. (Not that I'm having a go at the workman/womanship of these people, it's just these books always look rather fragile to me).
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"Who'll be the lady, who'll be the lord, when we are ruled by the love of one another?"
Posts: 2063 | From: Huddersfield | Registered: Jul 2003
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Sarkycow
La belle Dame sans merci
# 1012
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Posted
Firenze, you missed the Holier-than-thou notebooks!
Holier than thou I - A spiral-bound, wide-ruled notebook with a smiley face on the front. The words underneath this read "Smile! Jesus Loves You." Hand-drawn hearts and crosses, or a couple of appropriate* bible verses surrounding the smiley face complete the cover.
I'm sure there are others, for the different brands™ of christianity?
Sarkycow
*Appropriate verses are ones about Jesus and love and how much you're worth, not ones about death and destruction, Sine!
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“Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
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Sarkycow
La belle Dame sans merci
# 1012
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Posted
Sine, I had a Word from the Lord for Fragile Fran:
quote:
God says that He will mend a broken heart if we give him ALL the pieces. And in our daily life, we must remember that the caves of sorrow have mines of diamonds.
I'm sure those words will help her
Sarkycow
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“Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
BTW, Sarky, we did the sentence prayer thingie again at the end Monday night. I swear to God I opened my mouth twice to say your prayer, but I was just so afraid I wouldn't be able to get through it without giggling that I couldn't do it.
And for next week we have to share our favorite Bible verse or story, and what it means to us. That has all sorts of potential. I'm thinking something rather icky from the OT.
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
I have just the thing for you to make them all think you're stark staring mad, Sine. You see, one of the IT managers that I occasionally go drinking with went on eBay and found himself -- I swear to God -- a real, live (well, dead) jawbone of an ass. I could probably get it to you by Monday, and between that and one of them Cher wigs you've got in your closet you can reenact the story of Samson.
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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Sarkycow
La belle Dame sans merci
# 1012
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
And for next week we have to share our favorite Bible verse or story, and what it means to us.
You could go for short but sweet - Ezra 2:29?
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“Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
Posts: 10787 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Janine
The Endless Simmer
# 3337
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
I have just the thing for you to make them all think you're stark staring mad, Sine. You see, one of the IT managers that I occasionally go drinking with went on eBay and found himself -- I swear to God -- a real, live (well, dead) jawbone of an ass. I could probably get it to you by Monday, and between that and one of them Cher wigs you've got in your closet you can reenact the story of Samson.
I've got a pair of show-all-you've-got shiny white football tights you could borrow for that reenactment, Sine. And some free weights if you want to bulk up a bit.
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I'm a Fundagelical Evangimentalist. What are you?
Take Me Home * My Heart * An hour with Rich Mullins *
Posts: 13788 | From: Below the Bible Belt | Registered: Sep 2002
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Anna B
Shipmate
# 1439
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Posted
We need background music. I suggest "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix," from Samson et Dalila , for that touch of decadence.
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Bad Christian (TM)
Posts: 3069 | From: near a lot of fish | Registered: Oct 2001
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babybear
Bear faced and cheeky with it
# 34
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Posted
[wipes a tear from her eye]
Gosh guys. This is all so touching, the way that you are all rallying round to help Sign in his spiritual growth.
[wipe]
bb
Posts: 13287 | From: Cottage of the 3 Bears (and The Gremlin) | Registered: May 2001
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kentishmaid
Shipmate
# 4767
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Posted
Wasn't there also a 70s song called Samson and Delilah? Prob'ly entirely the wrong mood though.
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"Who'll be the lady, who'll be the lord, when we are ruled by the love of one another?"
Posts: 2063 | From: Huddersfield | Registered: Jul 2003
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georgia
Shipmate
# 4875
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Posted
Have ordered one each of the catalogue of journals though its hard to go past Sine's Barbie version with key.Earth mother version very tempting and the holier than thou.. couldnt decide.
In terms of really useful Bible verses 'Go and do likewise 'can be very meaningful- or anyone begatting anyone else, obviously.
Sorry to hear about the clothes staying on - didnt you even have to roll up a trouser leg and coat yourself in yoghurt or ANYTHING? Its not even a proper cult then . Still seven months is a long time in theology...
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'I am not much in the mood for deep talk.'. Daisy Ashford
Posts: 129 | Registered: Aug 2003
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The Bede's American Successor
Curmudgeon-in-Training
# 5042
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
And for next week we have to share our favorite Bible verse or story, and what it means to us. That has all sorts of potential. I'm thinking something rather icky from the OT.
Oh, go for broke: the story of Jonathan and David. You start with, "Dad, make David stay so I can make a covenant with him." Be sure to stop by the kissing in the moonlight before David flees. Finishing with David saying that Jonathan's love being better than the love of women.
Considering what has happened to the mis-named sodomy laws in the US, +VGR, and the decision by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this is the year to trot this out if any year is.
If the above doesn't work, "Jesus wept" always works for a verse.
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This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride of wealth and food in plenty, comfort and ease, and yet she never helped the poor and the wretched.
—Ezekiel 16.49
Posts: 6079 | From: The banks of Possession Sound | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by babybear:
[wipes a tear from her eye]
Gosh guys. This is all so touching, the way that you are all rallying round to help Sign in his spiritual growth.
[wipe]
bb
Who says the ship isn't a community. Of course it could also be a case of "with friends like these, who needs enemies."
Actually, the other night my friend from the group was over to dinner with the wife and the rug rats. After a couple of cocktails, I showed him this thread. After reading for a bit, he said "These people seem very caring, and are giving pretty good advice, as a matter of fact."
I'll just throw this in here for the Hell of it...
Godson rug rat asked me for a piece of paper and a pen and disappeared back in the library for a while. He reappeared with a drawing entitled "Poppa Sine". To be certain everyone knew it was "Poppa Sine" I was drawn with a cigarette in one hand with clouds of smoke billowing up. Good thing he doesn't know how to draw a martini glass yet.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Duo Seraphim*
Sea lawyer
# 3251
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Posted
The story of David and Jonathon can't be topped!
If you were looking for something cruel and icky however, I recommend God's bet with Satan on whether being visited with boils etc would make Job curse God.
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2^8, eight bits to a byte
Posts: 3967 | From: Sydney Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
And for next week we have to share our favorite Bible verse or story, and what it means to us. That has all sorts of potential. I'm thinking something rather icky from the OT.
You could always use Ezekiel 23:20.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Sine Nomine*
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 3631
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
You could always use Ezekiel 23:20.
Whoa! I don't think that's in the lectionary. Pity. The Holy Bible certainly is a treasure trove.
That's what I love about the ship. It's so educational.
Posts: 10696 | Registered: Dec 2002
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