Nick Against the World (52 Viewers)

[Zé Tahir]

++ [ originally posted by swag ] ++


That's what I have my wife for.

Though she doesn't natively speak Brazilian Portuguese, or even continental, but rather Azores Portuguese ... which has been pretty much frozen in time since the 1400s :dazed:.

Oh, and I love her to death. Today's our wedding anniversary. arty:

oh congratulations man!
or should I say "Parabéns amigo!!"

 

Buy on AliExpress.com

[The Pado]

++ [ originally posted by Menace ] ++
Tell me about! Seriously...ah fvck

When the Fap have you ever participated in a conversation on this forum?

I love you, but seriously, you don't do a lot of sense making :dazed:

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
Thats jus a cop out lou.... Really the idea of having a worthwhile converstaion in this place has totally disapeared....

Thats what made this thread once...


As to your questions :

Today, yes i do

Irrelevant... If an explanation can only be given to someone of the same beliefs then it has absolutely no validity what so ever..

OK, you asked

I am a big believer in thankfulness. Thankfulness for one's blessings, if you will. I am here (the US) purely by accident. My grandparents married. My grandfather went to America, with the intention of returning soon to get his new wife. Wasn't able to return for 7 years. Only came in the first place because his elder brother couldn't. He was dirt poor here, for many years before he finally made it.

My mom's folks were contadini--share croppers.

So, we have done OK here. I can buy Juve jerseys, afford satellite TV, etc.

So? you say. Well, I have a great sense of being blessed. I feel it is my responsibility to share with those who are in more difficult financial circumstances (donating to relief causes, "adopting" a family in a very poor part of India, etc).

Why do I do it?

1. it feels right (good, you might say)--call this the selfish reason and
2. my Boss told me I should

 

[Gep]

Well .......you've been told! Lol, In your face.

 

[Vinman]

good answers Lou....

is the boss your talking about your wife, or the guy "upstairs" ??

I have 2 bosses- see above



Congrats Greg !!!!!

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Vinman ] ++
good answers Lou....

is the boss your talking about your wife, or the guy "upstairs" ??

I have 2 bosses- see above

:LOL: Very true, amico mio.

 

[Respaul]

++ [ originally posted by Tifoso Lou ] ++


OK, you asked

I am a big believer in thankfulness. Thankfulness for one's blessings, if you will. I am here (the US) purely by accident. My grandparents married. My grandfather went to America, with the intention of returning soon to get his new wife. Wasn't able to return for 7 years. Only came in the first place because his elder brother couldn't. He was dirt poor here, for many years before he finally made it.

My mom's folks were contadini--share croppers.

So, we have done OK here. I can buy Juve jerseys, afford satellite TV, etc.

So? you say. Well, I have a great sense of being blessed. I feel it is my responsibility to share with those who are in more difficult financial circumstances (donating to relief causes, "adopting" a family in a very poor part of India, etc).

Why do I do it?

1. it feels right (good, you might say)--call this the selfish reason and
2. my Boss told me I should

See.. now the problem here lou, is that you answered the wrong question...

You stated / implied that stronger countries had a moral obligation to help less fortunate ones...

Your own personal reasons for helping / not helping others are commendable but have no bearing on said discussion

 

[Respaul]

Then we could also ask... how galant it really is to put your hand in your pocket and donate an amount that has no real effect on your standard of living...

Many would say , donation is the absolute cop out... "oh heres a couple of dollars i dont need... My conscience is now clear"

 

[Slagathor]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
Then we could also ask... how galant it really is to put your hand in your pocket and donate an amount that has no real effect on your standard of living...

Many would say , donation is the absolute cop out... "oh heres a couple of dollars i dont need... My conscience is now clear"

Isn't that what Jesus was trying to say with that comparison of the poor woman donating money in a temple and the rich guy stuffing some coins in there too?

You shoulda been his spokesman, mate. Could've made the bible a tad more legible

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
Then we could also ask... how galant it really is to put your hand in your pocket and donate an amount that has no real effect on your standard of living...

Many would say , donation is the absolute cop out... "oh heres a couple of dollars i dont need... My conscience is now clear"

it's not a couple of dollars, and there were times when we considered stopping,( but talked ourselves out of it--thank God)

 

[Respaul]

++ [ originally posted by Tifoso Lou ] ++


it's not a couple of dollars, and there were times when we considered stopping,( but talked ourselves out of it--thank God)

So its a few dollars not a couple.. so what....

What 5% of your income... 10, ooh not 20... still nothing that...

How does the amount of money effect the question i asked ?

Or are you saying once it gets to a certain level it ceases to be a conscience cleanser ?

For your moral values.. how much actual effort, real help... anyone can stick a hand in their pocket...

I could quite easily drop 75% of my wages in a pot and still my family and I live in a way many around the world could only dream ofr.. fvck, probably 90%

Would ifeel better for that... ? If i had guilt, yeah probably... Would i have actually done anything... not a damn thing... i would have jus eased my soul

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++

not a damn thing... i would have jus eased my soul

Exactly--on both counts.

Tithing was 10%, I believe---so God did not demand 20,30, 90%.


Seems like a reasonable request to me.

And it does matter if you're a believer. Judged by this world's standards, tithing is nuts.....keep the money and buy a few nice Chianti's (well, more than a few) .

 

[Respaul]

So lou, firstly you still havent actually answered either quetion..

Secondly... Under the new covenant you are asked for physical tithing not monetry

 

[Respaul]

If you are titrhing, then you are giving to the church... Where is that money going ?

Would it not be more just, that if you are to donate, you would do so towards recognised charities , that are monitored and match what you personally hold dear... ?

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++


Secondly... Under the new covenant you are asked for physical tithing not monetry

I wouldn't argue with that, actually. In the widow's mite mentioned above, Jesus' point in pointing her out was to specifically to compare her to the Pharisees/Saducces: they felt superior to the widow because they gave much more, but out of their excess. Also, the giving didn't change them at all, which is the whole point in giving--it is supposed to help the giver and the receiver--yet they remained self-rightious, self centered, self important sh.its. Also, she apparently gave with joy, or surely Jesus would have mentioned the fact that she did so grudgingly.

Again...giving---true giving, in a truly mystical way, benefits both persons involved.

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
If you are titrhing, then you are giving to the church... Where is that money going ?

Would it not be more just, that if you are to donate, you would do so towards recognised charities , that are monitored and match what you personally hold dear... ?

The Church does

There are collections that I will not donate to, BTW.

 

[Respaul]

Lou, it would be far easier jus to say that im right... rather than continually Fudging around saying the same thing i allready stated in a different way


You still havent answered the original question, which by the way wasnt an attack on you or your beliefs... merely a question as to why...

Half of the problems on this planet circle around the supposed missunderstanding of other faiths and beliefs... Yet time after time, when asked to clarify these views that are held so highly, they are either unable to or skirt around and runaway for fear of offense or missinterpretation... An endless circle that is the root of all our problems...

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
If you are titrhing, then you are giving to the church... Where is that money going ?

They provide a pretty detailed account.

Returning to your personal charity point....

I think you are most definitely on to something. St. Francis would have probably gone down in history as just another do gooder (if at all) had he not embraced the one thing in the world that disgusted him, that "turned him off', that made him actually physically ill--a leper.

So, yes, personal charity is very important....another reason to return at least some of it to the local giovernment level and, more importantly, to the individual.

 

[Tifoso]

++ [ originally posted by Shadowfax ] ++
Lou, it would be far easier jus to say that im right... rather than continually Fudging around saying the same thing i allready stated in a different way


You still havent answered the original question, which by the way wasnt an attack on you or your beliefs... merely a question as to why...

Half of the problems on this planet circle around the supposed missunderstanding of other faiths and beliefs... Yet time after time, when asked to clarify these views that are held so highly, they are either unable to or skirt around and runaway for fear of offense or missinterpretation... An endless circle that is the root of all our problems...

True, maybe, if this were the 14th century. The problems of this century are not problems of religion, they are problems of irreligion, of -isms and fanatics.

You make a common mistake, amico mio. You judge faith(s) by those who fail them, not by those who "succeed" (as best as can be in this life, anyway) in them.

It is no accident that people of true faith (the Mother Teresa's and JP2's of my tradition, for example) are held in such high esteem by so many people.

I'm not sure that I can adequately explain my Faith on the net, TBH. Someone once said (Chesterton?) that believers are not measured by one or two acts of notable kindness/bravery/whatever, but in the hum drum "little" kindnesses of "everyday" life.

My Boss loved everyone--so I try to, too.

My Boss forgave, even when the situation screamed not to--so I try to, too.

My Boss hated the sin, but loved the sinner---so I try to, too.

You get the idea.

 

[Respaul]

++ [ originally posted by Tifoso Lou ] ++

You make a common mistake, amico mio. You judge faith(s) by those who fail them, not by those who "succeed" (as best as can be in this life, anyway) in them.

Do I now... And how exactly do you know that... Do you know what my leanings are, do you know my view points on any area of religion ?

Have i at anypoint said my thoughts on what faith is etc etc... I'd love to know how you come to that conclusion, from a handful of questions that werent actually about faith....

You are the one who has swung everything to faith... It wasnt mentioned by myself... i simply asked a question which time after time you refuse to answer....

Why has it suddenly become so dificult in this thread to ask a basic question which could actually raise a decent respectful conversation...