A related challenge to any relationship- is confidentiality—that is, how open can you be about someone else? These nine questions can help you decide whether what you know should be shared.
1. Am I telling this to someone who can do something about the problem by helping the person or offering discipline or correction?
2. If not, am I telling this to someone who is wise enough to help me sort out my feelings and courageous enough to make me do the right thing: to confront the person or to confess where I was at fault?
3. Is this news approved for sharing?
4. Am I breaking a confidence? If so, is it only because the person is endangering someone's life, including his or her own?
5. Am I willing to say from whom I got this information so the information can be checked for accuracy?
6. When I say this, does it break my heart?
7. Have I taken time to examine my life and confess to God how I also sin like that?
8. Am I praying for the person?
9. Would I feel comfortable if someone were saying this about me?
Taken from Confidentiality
Kevin Miller is author of Surviving Information Overload (Zondervan).
So what do you think? What are your personal rules for deciding what is gossip and what is fine to talk about?A related challenge to any relationship- is confidentiality—that is, how open can... more
I always wanted to "see the light." To unearth the secret of piety and understand religion. But no matter how hard I've tried and closed my eyes to see God, when I open them again nothing is different. Someone once said to me, "God's light shines on you." Oh, if it were only true. I'd love to feel the warmth if it were so. But so often I feel cold and alone. These are not my eyes in the photo--but another young woman's. Maybe she is looking into the light of God. I hope so. I wish I could see this magic so many people believe.
To Read On Visit www.oneof365.com and leave a comment about your thoughts and feelings about this compelling issue.I always wanted to "see the light." To unearth the secret of piety and understand... more
An impossibility in Reality, the concept of "sin" was derived from mythology to explain the cause of human suffering.An impossibility in Reality, the concept of "sin" was derived from mythology to... more
This is the first in a series of videos that address some of the violent, absurd and atrocious Bible stories being taught to children in Sunday School around the world today. This video discusses how Abraham almost murdered his son because he heard god telling him to do so. And people wonder why fundamentalists of all Abrahamic religions are so violent?This is the first in a series of videos that address some of the violent, absurd and... more
In a live webcast, Edward Current explains how God created a perfect world and had nothing to do with creating disease. But letting just anyone write in and comment probably wasn't the best idea.In a live webcast, Edward Current explains how God created a perfect world and had... more
Those who return to speak this truth, such as members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, are our contemporary prophets. But like all prophets they are condemned and ignored for their courage. They struggle, in a culture awash in lies, to tell what few have the fortitude to digest. They know that what we are taught in school, in worship, by the press, through the entertainment industry and at home, that the melding of the state's rhetoric with the rhetoric of religion, is empty and false.
The words these prophets speak are painful. We, as a nation, prefer to listen to those who speak from the patriotic script. We prefer to hear ourselves exalted. If veterans speak of terrible wounds visible and invisible, of lies told to make them kill, of evil committed in our name, we fill our ears with wax. Not our boys, we say, not them, bred in our homes, endowed with goodness and decency. For if it is easy for them to murder, what about us? And so it is simpler and more comfortable not to hear. We do not listen to the angry words that cascade forth from their lips, wishing only that they would calm down, be reasonable, get some help, and go away. We, the deformed, brand our prophets as madmen. We cast them into the desert. And this is why so many veterans are estranged and enraged. This is why so many succumb to suicide or addictions.Those who return to speak this truth, such as members of Iraq Veterans Against the... more
Now it's time for BDSM Jesus Dressup! Dress Jesus up in any of these exciting outfits and punish Him for all your sins! You can dress Him up again and again until He can't take it any more! Just drag the items to Him with your mouse and they'll snap right into place! Don't be so shy, you know He wants it just as bad as you wanna be forgiven for it!Now it's time for BDSM Jesus Dressup! Dress Jesus up in any of these exciting outfits... more
Read this email and see what YOU think of their hate-filled agenda.
When are people going to realize that the vast majority of people cannot choose their sexual orientation? I'll venture a guess that Rock Hudson got almost as many offers from female groupies as Elvis Pressley. If it were REALLY a choice, why would he choose such a hard road to sexual gratification? Evangelicals can't explain Noah forgetting the dinosaurs OR homosexuality.
Their plea to the "Religious Right" and to those who like to legislate "Christian Morality" while supporting immoral wars:
Email from Nom.org:
April 8, 2009 (Trenton, NJ) --April 8, 2009 -- Today the National Organization for Marriage launched a $1.5 million ad campaign to protect marriage and religious liberty throughout the nation. The centerpiece of the new ad campaign is the 60-second TV spot "A Gathering Storm," bringing viewers face to face with the growing religious liberty threat posed by same-sex marriage.
We need your help to keep this ad on the air and to spread our Religious Liberty Campaign into more markets. Help us bring this ad into every household across the country as we bring together a massive army of marriage activists all across the nation! Will you help sponsor an ad today?
I hope each of you join me in contributing to the other side here:
A Vatican report claims that women are prouder than men but men are more lustful, as well as stating that the two genders sin differently.A Vatican report claims that women are prouder than men but men are more lustful, as... more
Saturday's edition of my three times a week talk show. Watch the show here on CURRENT TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats.
In today's show :
Wrestling.
What happened in the kitchen ?
Someone has Itunes problems.
Lisa might be a bit too picky.
Millie wakes me up.
Talking endlessly.
You want forgiveness ?
Nit picking.
I shall let your tyres down.
A blood clot.
I'm not a priest.
Wind turbines - send one round.
Someone who's still alive.
You'll have to go to your local church.
What Toby would use on his plants.
A bit like sinning.
Squat down.
It's like a knife in the back.
The PRS for music licence.
Don't use water.
Taping your own music collection.
When I was married ....
In a rich mans world.
Matty's been eating.
The cat is going mad.
Abbreviations.
You don't wanna know too much !
Kat wins some cash.
Do not be normal.
chris@unitedkingdomtalk.co.uk
WWW.UNITEDKINGDOMTALK.CO.UKSaturday's edition of my three times a week talk show. Watch the show here on CURRENT... more
In a bizarre macabre account of divine intervention, Erik Larson amazingly encounters the All Mighty through a death proof hearse. Empowered to guide the lost, the Minister of Death mobs down the streets in his bequeathed vehicle of demise to enlighten the impressionable, the drug addicts, and the criminal element of the mortality that challenges them. Being scared straight may be the answer toward a future of sobriety.In a bizarre macabre account of divine intervention, Erik Larson amazingly encounters... more
A disgraced conservative Christian leader who was caught in a gay sex and drugs scandal says in a new documentary that he still struggles with his sexuality yet is committed to his marriage for the sake of his children.
Ted Haggard, 52, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired as senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs in November 2006 after a former male prostitute went public with allegations that Haggard paid him for sex and used methamphetamine.
A father of five, Haggard had said he bought the drugs but never used them. He confessed to undisclosed "sexual immorality" and has said, "I really did sin".A disgraced conservative Christian leader who was caught in a gay sex and drugs... more
Great short film by Scott Smith wherein one guy manages to break all ten commandments before breakfast!Great short film by Scott Smith wherein one guy manages to break all ten commandments... more
The Evangelical Alliance is concerned about religious blogs turning from virtue into bitter musings. So, dear bloggers, they have set out a new set of commandments for you.
Thou shall not "make an idol" of your web space (you might think you're godly in your blogging skills, but GOD is the only idol you may worship).
Thou shall not misuse your screen name by using anonymity to sin.
Thou shall not forget the Sabbath, so thou shall take one day off a week from blogging.
Thou shall not use the web to commit or permit adultery in your mind (you dirty birdies).
More at the link. The Evangelical Alliance is concerned about religious blogs turning from virtue into... more
"Most Protestant Christians in Britain believe gay sex is a sin and that practising gays should not be ordained, according to a new survey.
A survey of 517 Christians found that only 3% of non-Catholic Christians believe homosexuality is not a sin, while 81% say it is and 15% say “it is more complicated than this”, reports The Times.
Taking into account all Protestant denominations, 81% believe that gay sex is sinful.
The survey was published as the Government granted asylum to a leading Nigerian gay Christian activist, Davis MacIyalla.
The Archbishop, preaching at St Dunstan's Church in Canterbury this week, had some criticism for the Church: "Our Anglican family badly needs to find some ways of resolving its internal tensions that will set it free to be more confidently what God wants it to be.""
How does your religion affect your view of gay people?"Most Protestant Christians in Britain believe gay sex is a sin and that practising... more
"Indonesian songstress Inul Daratista will face more controversy when she performs at Stadium Bukit Jalil here on Sunday, just 10 days after the contentious cancellation of her concert in Johor Baru.
This is because members of Pas Youth are planning to disseminate 10,000 flyers which state that the concert is not in line with Islamic values and those watching it are committing a sin.
Federal Territory Pas Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad said this yesterday at the City Hall headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut.
Earlier, he had presented a memorandum to Kuala Lumpur Mayor Abdul Hakim Borhan to cancel the concert this weekend.
Kamaruzaman and four other Pas Youth members presented the memorandum to the mayor's special officer, Shaari Ahmad Junid, who accepted it on behalf of the mayor.
On Pas Youth's reason for going all-out to protest Inul's concert, Kamaruzaman said:
"Have you seen her in action? Just go to the YouTube website and type her name and you will see that her shows are quite obscene. Even I can't bear watching her."
He said her concerts were known to make the crowd go "wild sexually" and that this could lead to social problems.
"Once they go wild, some will resort to sex by the roadside. So it's best that her concert does not go on," he said.
He added that City Hall must stop her concert as it did not adhere to rulings by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
"In Indonesia, although Inul is now known as 'Hajjah' (having performed the Haj), she has also been labelled an obscene dancer by the Indonesian Ulama Council. So what more can I say?"
When asked to comment on the perception of Pas Youth as being "Taliban-like and orthodox" in opposing concerts such as Inul's, Gwen Stefani's and Beyonce's, he said the party had a valid reason for doing so.
"In Islam, you cannot just watch others committing sin.
"As long as you are able, you should let those committing sin know that what they are doing is wrong and if possible, stop them from doing so," said Kamaruzaman."
"Indonesian songstress Inul Daratista will face more controversy when she performs... more
Artist: David Dj James
Featured Artist: Senistar
Directed by Senistar
Cameras: Pdadon
Music: Bobby Ruckuss
This song addresses the strong issues of poverty, oppression and world suffering. We intend to share this with the world for the best of societies gain under a flag of unity and peace! Artist: David Dj James
Featured Artist: Senistar
Directed by Senistar
Cameras:... more
"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," he told reporters accompanying him on his first trip as pope to the United States."We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," he told reporters... more
The Vatican has come up with a new list of sins for the modern age. These include pollution, experiments in genetic manipulation, recreational drug use, and causing social and economic injustices, such as poverty, by amassing too much wealth (something the Church could be considered guilty of themselves).
In the past, the Church controlled it all by making themselves the only channel for messages from above and the enforcers of that law. But a recent study by Milan's Catholic University showed that 30 percent of Italian Catholics believed that there was no need for a priest to be God's intermediary. So how can the Church fight back, and make itself more relevant in today's world? By weighing in on what people are already worried about most. It's brilliant!
Godfather of Guilt Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, the Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican body that issues decisions on matters of conscience and grants absolutions, said in an interview with the Vatican's L’Osservatore Romano newspaper, "While sin used to concern mostly the individual, today it has mainly a social resonance, due to the phenomenon of globalization". In case you were worried, Girotti said the Catholic Church continued to be concerned by good old-fashioned sin, such as pride, envy, lust, anger, greed, sloth and gluttony. That's good to know.
Making pollution a sin is long overdue. Really. Pope Benedict has been focused on protection of the environment recently, saying that climate change has become gravely important for the entire human race. (Did God tell him that? Or was it Al Gore?) Benedict and his predecessor John Paul have made the Vatican increasingly "green" by installing photovoltaic cells to produce electricity and hosting a scientific conference on global warming and climate change. This green angle is a step away from the traditional Biblical interpretation that humans were given everything on Earth, including the animals, to do with as we please.
Though we're happy that the Vatican has finally got with the environmental program, perhaps the Catholic Church isn't clear on how the Law of Attraction works. Guilt, long a tool of Catholic parents and teachers everywhere, puts the focus on negative things and feelings. But we enlightened Daily Mantra readers know that to truly make changes, we need to focus on the positive. So instead of listing new sins, let's make new commandments (we can run them by God for approval, we're just co-creating here).
Thou shalt love and honor the Earth, your planetary home.
Thou shalt marvel at the wonders of nature.
Thou shalt be grateful for mental clarity and intelligence.
Thou shalt enjoy sharing the wealth you attract.
Thou shalt enjoy the pleasures of the body as a means uplifting the spirit and sharing joy.
If sins are meant to be things that could send us to hell, and we think of hell as a consciousness or state of being, then we can use these new and old lists as guidelines to make us think twice and connect to our spiritual center before making decisions that might make our lives and our world a living hell.
"Sin" in Spanish means "without," so we can think of sins as decisions made without checking in with our own spiritual guidance and connection, or as mistakes made from missing the target of our highest and best choices.
So my friends, go and sin no more! (And trade-in your S.U.V. for a Prius if you want a ride on the highway to heaven.)
Ex-hooker Annie Lobert shares her compelling story about how she went from selling her body as a prostitute in Las Vegas, to becoming a preacher. Her ministry "Hookers for Jesus" is a non-profit organization that promotes the word of God to ladies of the night in Las Vegas, NV. Annie and her associates hope to save sin city by bringing God to prostitutes, drug addicts, pimps, and others involved in the porn industry. Ex-hooker Annie Lobert shares her compelling story about how she went from selling her... more