The religious right keeps insisting that the United States is a Christian Nation founded on Christian values and they use this claim…
The religious right keeps insisting that the United States is a Christian Nation founded on Christian values and they use this claim to justify their efforts shape legislation that affects every citizen in one of the most racially, ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse populations in the world. Religious groups continue to lobby for constitutional amendments to ban abortion in most all cases and to ban gay marriage by defining marriage as between only one man and one woman. Even the Public Broadcast System (PBS) has come under attack following the recent airing of a program on NOVA about biblical archeology. This program has been called “anti- Christian” and some are calling for viewers to boycott PBS. Recently, the religious right whipped itself into a frenzy over the possibility that President Elect Barack Obama might be a Muslim. Despite continued assertions that he is a Christian (not that it should make any difference, in my opinion), they simply would not accept the possibility that a person with a name like Obama could be anything but a Muslim. The assertion has been made that “only a Christian” is fit to lead the country. A few weeks ago, I questioned a Christian about this assertion. This person’s response to me was, “Christians are a complete human being, and as such they can be inspireed [sic] by God to do the right thing at the right time. So yes, as a Christian, I believe that Christians are the best people to run the country.” I am aware of no way to change the mind of anyone who holds this belief. It is not my intention to attempt change the mind of anyone who holds this belief. The purpose of this writing is to let the rest of the community know that not every American holds this view. Another Christian I recently had the pleasure of debating, told me “The congress open their sessions with prayer for god’s guidance, and ended the prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, until The 60’s when eastern religions were introduce into American culture, through The hippie movement, made popular by rock group such as the Beatles, and the Rolling Stone.” I made an effort to appeal to recorded history, rationality and critical thinking when responding to that statement. There were people of the Eastern religions in the United States in the early 18th century. The slave trade brought many people of the Muslim faith to colonies In 1730 Ayuba (Job) Suleiman Diallo was a well educated Muslim who wrote several copies of the Quoran from memory. Lamine Jay was a noted linguist. In 1753 Muslims from North Africa, appear in the records of South Carolina. South Carolina Council Journal Hinduism probably arrived with early immigrants to the colonies as servants (i.e., slaves). The number of Hindus increased to a significant number following the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act of 1965. Seems Congress may have opened the door to the Hindu faith (which in my personal opinion was a good thing). Significant numbers of Buddhist immigrants from East Asia began to arrive in the New World. In the United States, the first immigrants from China entered around 1820, but they began to arrive in large numbers following the California Gold Rush of 1849. Seems Buddhists have been in the United States since the 19th century. Source It was also offered as evidence that the Sunday Blue Laws (prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sunday) were based on Christian principals. However, these laws have their origins in the non- Christian Jewish tradition of sabbath or a day of rest. It was adopted by various religious organizations in the United States to force Puritan religious beliefs on society. Most have been repealed or declared unconstitutional. Where blue laws still exist, they prohibit the sale of alcohol only before noon on Sunday. I think the rationale for this law is that people should be in Church on Sunday morning, not out buying alcohol. The assertion was made also that the Founding Fathers of our country were Christians. That is not exactly true. Some of the more prominent Founding Fathers were anti-clerical or vocal about their opposition to organized religion, such as Jefferson. Some of them often related their anti-organized church leanings in their speeches and correspondence, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson (who created the “Jefferson Bible”), and Benjamin Franklin. However, notable founders, such as Patrick Henry, were strong proponents of traditional religion. Several of the Founding Fathers considered themselves to be deists or held beliefs very similar to that of deists, including Franklin, Jefferson, and Ethan Allen. Source George Washington, the first president, has been hailed as a deeply religious man. While his religious views and faith can not be determined with complete accuracy there is evidence that while Washington may have held some Christian beliefs, he was in no wise a deeply religious man. After the revolution, Washington frequently accompanied his wife to Christian church services; however, there is no record of his ever taking communion, and he would regularly leave services before communion —with the other non-communicants (as was the custom of the day), until, after being admonished by a rector, he ceased attending at all on communion Sundays. Prior to communion, believers are admonished to take stock of their spiritual lives and not to participate in the ceremony unless he finds himself in the will of God. Historians and biographers continue to debate the degree to which he can be counted as a Christian, and the degree to which he was a deist. He was an early supporter of religious toleration and freedom of religion. In 1775, he ordered that his troops not show anti-Catholic sentiments by burning the pope in effigy on Guy Fawkes Night. When hiring workmen for Mount Vernon, he wrote to his agent, “If they be good workmen, they may be from Asia, Africa, or Europe; they may be Mohammedans, Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be Atheists.” In 1790, he wrote a response to a letter from the Touro Synagogue, in which he said that as long as people remain good citizens, their faith does not matter. This was a relief to the Jewish community of the United States, since the Jews had been either expelled or discriminated against in many European countries. Source In reading many letters and other writings attributed to George Washington, I have never read that he considered himself a Christian. I have also never read that he declared Jesus to be his Lord and Savior, which one would expect a true Christian to do. A few formerly popular books written by theologists often cite one letter from Washington’s grand daughter attesting to his devotion to the Christian faith. One letter from a relative speaking about her belief about Washington’s religious views is interesting, but not compelling. It is especially not compelling in view of the observations of the ministers of the Anglican Churches where he attended services: Rev. Dr. James Abercrombie, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, related a story in which Washington himself said he was never a communicant. Washington regularly left services before communion along with the other non-communicants. When Abercrombie mentioned in a weekly sermon that those in elevated stations set an unhappy example by leaving at communion, Washington ceased attending at all on communion Sundays (communion was not celebrated every week in the Episcopal Church at that time). Long after Washington died, when asked about Washington’s beliefs, Abercrombie replied: “Sir, Washington was a Deist!” Washington took his oath on the King James Version of the Bible at his first inauguration as President. (There is no known record of a Bible being used at his second inauguration.) Source (emphasis added) Further support for the contention that the Founding Fathers envisioned a secular government may be found in the Constitution of the United States, Article II, Section 1, the Oath of Office of the President of the United States Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” It is the Constitution itself that the President swears (or affirms) that he/she will defend. There is no inclusion of the words, “so help me God.” Since 1797 the President is sworn in by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, not a religious leader. Source Library of Congress In Architect of the Capitol. Documents For every secular historian who presents a more human view of the Founding Fathers, there will be another religiously affiliated person to counter with evidence to support the view that they were all devoted Christians. The truth of the matter remains, that the Founding Fathers held various beliefs. The Treaty of Tripoli Article 11 states clearly that the United States is a secular nation not founded upon religious doctrine (“The United States is in no sense founded upon the Christian doctrine.”) The treaty was negotiated during George Washington’s second term, so there is every reason to believe that President Washington was aware of the entire contents of the treaty as he was still president ( 1789 – 1797 ). Source The critical historian has to ask, if this nation was founded upon Christian principals and not the political philosophies of John Locke and David Hume ( among others ), why did Washington remain silent and offer no objection to the inclusion of Article 11 in the Treaty? Why didn’t Adams or Jefferson offer an objection to the inclusion of Article 11? Its inclusion appears to neither add to nor detract from the terms of the Treaty itself. It is merely a statement that the United States was not founded on religious doctrine and bears no animosity toward the Muslim world. Dr. Ed Buckner noted in his speech given to the Humanists of Georgia on June 22, 1997 and at the 1997 Lake Hypatia Independance Day Celebration: President Adams signed the treaty and proclaimed it to the nation on 10 June 1797. His statement on it was a bit unusual: “Now be it known, That I John Adams, President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the said Treaty do, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, accept, ratify, and confirm the same, and every clause and article thereof. And to the End that the said Treaty may be observed and performed with good Faith on the part of the United States, I have ordered the premises to be made public; And I do hereby enjoin and require all persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and all other citizens or inhabitants thereof, faithfully to observe and fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof [emphasis added].” Liberty is the birthright of every human being. It is neither given nor granted by any person, power, or deity. The author of Notes on the Constitution summed up the question of the source of liberty insofar as the role of religion in the formation of the United States Constitution: The Framers were an elite group – among the best and brightest America had to offer at the time. But they knew that they were trying to forge a nation made up not of an elite, but of the common man. Without the approval of the common man, they feared revolution. This first part of the Preamble [to the Constitution] speaks to the common man. It puts into writing, as clear as day, the notion that the people were creating this Constitution. It was not handed down by a god or by a king – it was created by the people. (emphasis added) James Madison contributed to the Federalist Papers which are persuasive essays written to convince the newly formed States to ratify the Constitution. At the time of the writing of the Federalist Papers, the United States was laboring under the inadequate provisions of the Articles of Confederation. “In a free government, the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other, in the multiplicity of sects.” Federalist no. 51, February 6, 1788 “As a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights. Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.” National Gazette essay, March 27, 1792 It is important to note that James Madison was not in favor of requiring that those seeking public office be Christians. He also opposed public funding for religious education. Madison apparently had no use for religion in the political realm. During his second stint in the Virginia body [house of delegates], he blocked a proposed tax to support the teaching of Christianity and brought about the passage of a bill that both decriminalized heresy and abolished the religious test for public office. Cato Policy Report The Declaration of Independence makes mention of a Creator as the source of the inalienable rights of the people. Thomas Jefferson acknowledged a creator when he wrote the Declaration. This acknowledgment in now way suggests that the entire government of the United States is founded upon a particular religious doctrine. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,“ The “truths” set forth in the Declaration are “self-evident” (meaning that they need no proof). Every person is entitled to liberty and freedom by virtue of being born. The signers of the Declaration of Independence acknowledged a Creator. The original premise of this essay is that the nation is not founded upon Christian doctrine, but upon the universal understanding of liberty, freedom and the right to self- governance. The Founding Fathers acknowledge a Creator, but they did not declare who or what that creator is. The signers of the Declaration state clearly that governments derive their power from the people by the consent of the people. Governments do not derive their authority from a creator or from a god. Power comes from the people—period. This is classic Lockean political philosophy, also called the Social Contract Theory discussed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The Founders were well acquainted with these political theories, and modeled the Constitution along these lines. Further evidence that the United States Constitution was written based upon Lockean political philosophy is evidenced by the fact that when Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, he took the concept of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness directly from Locke, changing “possessions” to “happiness” no one ought to harm another in his life, liberty, or possessions The phrase, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is included only in the Declaration of Independence, and not in the Constitution. The Declaration, while an important historical document, is not law, nor is it a legal document carrying any weight of law in the United States. If one reads the Declaration in its entirety, it is a letter to King George outlining a list of complaints and reasons why the colonies should be independent. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,“ The government derives it powers from the people. Our government was formed by the people as they conferred that power via the Constitution of the United States, which is a legal agreement between government and the people. The Constitution is the foundation of the government of the United States. CONCLUSION My conclusion, as well as the conclusion of many American and constitutional historians is that the Constitution of the United States of America is based, and indeed the founding of this country was, upon political philosophies and not upon religious doctrine. This country was founded upon the principals of freedom, diversity and equality, for which Christianity does not have an exclusive claim. John Locke Two Treatises of Government David Hume Political Theory Social Contract Theory – Jean-Jacques Rousseau Bill of Rights 1689 Cato Policy Report The essay is also published on Bascom Digital Art and Flickering Light of Freedom This Essay FEATURED by C.O.R.E.
NSFW
I’ve been quiet about The Rev. Rick Warren as President- Elect Obama’s choice to give the invocation at his inauguration on 20 January 20…
I’ve been quiet about The Rev. Rick Warren as President- Elect Obama’s choice to give the invocation at his inauguration on 20 January 2009. I was hoping it was a terrible joke. The Rev. Warren calls to his followers to emulate . . . . well just watch the video. This is a scary person. Whatever it takes? Joint Congressional Committee Inaugural Ceremonies News Release P.S. I don’t own a brown shirt. Should I buy one or will Rick Warren provide one for me?
Thank you so much for the features ! I am truly honored !!!!! Two features tonight…............. The first, In The Living Christiani…
Thank you so much for the features ! I am truly honored !!!!! Two features tonight…............. The first, In The Living Christianity Group, I am truly humbled ! Thank you ! The second, comes right from my very own group, LIVE, LOVE, DREAM ! I am humbled and it came unexpected for sure ! I am deeply honored that you would chose my work as a feature ! God bless each and everyone of you and may you always soar in love and in life ! Bonita
I logged onto RB tonight to a very pleasant surprise, one of many wonderful experiences here on “the bubble”, to find that I had reache…
I logged onto RB tonight to a very pleasant surprise, one of many wonderful experiences here on “the bubble”, to find that I had reached a milestone and turned over 70,000 views. Thank you to ALL you wonderful people out there on redbubble !!! / I am so very grateful to everybody that has taken the time to view and comment on my work and am somewhat humbled by your support, thoughts, comments, bubblemails of support and purchases. / I have made so many wonderful supportive friends here and it is a real privilege to know so many talented and Gifted artists in their fields and genres of expertise, and to be able to view, comment and liaise with each of you in this wonderful community. / Thank you ALL once again, and I wish everyone increased creativity, prosperity, popularity and many “Magic Moments” to capture. / Blessings, / Phil / /
What a week on redbubble !! I’d just like to express my overwhelming joy and thanks to ALL in the RB community. / My week has been full …
What a week on redbubble !! I’d just like to express my overwhelming joy and thanks to ALL in the RB community. / My week has been full of highlights and Blessings firstly with “The Covenant”being featured on the Art page. Secondly the sale of two cards of ‘The Covenant’ and ‘Blades on the Locks’, then my image ” The Broken Vessel” being chosen as the avatar for Living Christianity. To top it all off, I opened up redbubble to find that “The Covenant”had made the Home Page!! / I would like to offer my very sincere thanks to everybody who took the time to view “The Covenant” and make ALL those wonderful comments, it really is very overwhelming and somewhat humbling to have such beautiful and genuine comments from a community of very talented people, here on RB !!! / I would also like to express my thanks to those who voted for “The Broken Vessel”, it is real joy to be able to represent the group, like that !! / In regard to “The Covenant” it really was one of those Divine appointments where i was in the right place at the right time to capture “The Magic of the Moment” / The image was taken just after a rainstorm, towards sunset at the close of a rather hot, humid, stormy summer’s day near Geelong, Australia. / Once again thankyou for your wonderful support, / Phil T.
i decided to post my letter to pilgrim as i believe the topics in hand are serious enough to demand public debate. if you wish to join in…
i decided to post my letter to pilgrim as i believe the topics in hand are serious enough to demand public debate. if you wish to join in, please have the decency to read the entri text thoroughly, and not to skim-read or jump to the end halfway through. thankyou. mister pilgrim, i’m writing to you as a representative of big bubble, as it has been you in the past that i have in the main had communication with. i’m not normally one to take issue, but i’m afraid i have an issue. i recently tried to join a group called ‘living christianity’. they kicked me off. they didn’t even write to tell me why, i think i lasted four minutes. slightly put out, i tried to engage the moderators in dialogue, both through bubble mail and an open letter- again no reply, no explanation. the thing that made me rather angry was that i was subjected to clear prejudice. i hadn’t even submitted any work. they just decided they didn’t like me. any way you look at that, it’s just plain wrong. thus my issue with the self appointed leaders of this expression of christianity is twofold- i understand that the general tone of my output is probably not to their taste, but they could have said- ‘welcome rabbitollah; although we welcome your input with the warmest of hearts, we do feel obliged to warn you that the general tone of your output is not to our liking, and we’d basically like our group to be kept free of anything that might be considered either offensive, or not really suitable for kids- we’re a family oriented group of guys, and though we appreciate the fifth amendment and all that, we’d like to keep things clean! in short, to use your own language, we’re basically into ‘bumper stickers’, and one offensive word and you’re out. we look forward to your contribution…..’ and the rules would have been set. but no. they just blanked me. i bubble mailed the group moderators- no reply. no explanation. not even an acknowedgement of communication. that- in my book is not on, regardless of sensibilities. i joined again., three minutes later, kicked out again. this ‘closed book’ nature alerted my second concern was seeded by this response. if i remember correctly, redbubble is an artistic community (although at times it does seem to resemble an online asyslum for the insane involved in some sort of creative therapy)- i believe religious belief is as valid a binding interest for a group as ‘llamas’ or ‘fugilicious’, but the wholesale- ‘my way or the highway’ attitude shown does suggest a tone of religious bigotory- i began to think… if i was a roman catholic and started posting shit hot shots of the pope on the phone, would they allow them? is it the ‘right kind’ of christianity? oh, hang on a minute, we’re already not judging on ‘artistic criteteria- we’re judging on affiliation to a narrow channel of belief- what the fuck has that got to do with making pretty pictures out of pixels….?’ basically what it looks like is a closed private online church, and the continued lack of communication from it’s leaders, doesn’t instill one with confidence to the contrary. the group is called ‘living christianity’. not ‘living evangelicism’, or ‘half dead protestantism’. and christianity is big. if it was an islamic group run by sunnis, who were rejecting the membership of shi’ia, would that be tolerated? (in this respect i regard myself somewhat as a sufi, finding the concepts of art, beauty, mysticism and universal love at the heart of god, and god to be found in my heart) as it happens i believe in jesus. although my belief’s aren’t entirely conformist with any single branch of popular church, i was baptised into the orthodox faith (the oldest, most mystrical and unadulterated of the popular variants), i own a crucifix, more than one book on jesus, and like to get stoned and go to ancient churches and monastaries pretty to meditate. i have a wide interest in religious art, and am fascinated by the influence of spirituality in the history of art as a whole, though not so much by bumper stickers. however- why the hell am i defending my credentials as a christian? do i need to be a christian to join the living christianity group? what’s next? groups for white people? groups for black people? surely it is the theme or topic of the art displayed in the group that merits inclusion, not that you belong to this or that religion, denomination, race etc. could i not join the ‘adelaide’ group if i wanted to post pictures of adelaide, just becasue i live, for instance, in melbourne? i will not patronise you by continuing. you clearly know what i’m talking about. thus i would be interested to know bigbubble’s policy on the use of groups primarily for progeneration of specific political or religious attitudes, as opposed to theme or topic specific art- for thus it would appear that this is exactly what this particular group is involved in, consciously or not- and i’m not entirely sure that’s healthy, opn any level in my opinion, if the group moderators are autonomous in this respect, and have the final word in the respect of who and who cannot join their group without having to justify their decisions (as this group has done) then this group in partuicular must change it’s name to something a little more specific like ‘north american living christianity’ to clarify exactly who is allowed to join, for if it discriminates so, it cannot singularly claim to represent the embodiment of the range of worship practiced in the world’s largest religion. i’m quite ragged about this. the word communication has the same root as the word community. one does not exist without the other. i think that the fragmentation of red bubble into a a host of seperate self-interest mini bubbles was not the vision that you and your folks had when you conceived this remarkable parallel universe. by insisting on communication, i do not mean that i wish to engage in theological debate, but rather that i want to make and post some positive stuff on jesus, and get it to the right audience- an audience with whom i would otherwise have very little contact with- neither in daily life, nor on the bubble- and the title of the group ‘living christianity’ thus fits my purpose, which is why i want to join it. generally i try to make a difference with my pictures; some of them are crass statements, others absolute fucking cliches, but they are all done with the best of intentions. first there was anti-facist stuff, then the anti-american colonialism series, more recently the pro-whale anti-whalers stuff. my core messages are clear, love and peace in a global context. i want to move onto jesus, who you can’t really argue with as a banner waver for being nice to everyone and everything, though i can’t help but feel he’s been a little misrepresented in the east recently, in much the same way as muhammed has been in the west. i’d just like to add that in my opinion neither my current tendancy to name myself ridiculously nor have a comedy avatar should count against me as i am clearly just entertaining myself and various other members (nobody has told me that they are offended if they are) nor the nature of any of my other writing or work affiliated to other groups (namely the eponymous parody and lampoon group) should prejudice my right to join any other group. regardless of the treatment i’ve suffered at the hands of the moderators in question, i am still keen on joining the group and getting on with my jesus stuff, because as i said, it’s the best place for my jesus stuff to be. i would appreciate your counsel, opinion, and arbitration respectively on these matters. yours sincerely mister khan.
I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful person who purchased a mounted print of my image “The Covenant” / I d…
I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful person who purchased a mounted print of my image “The Covenant” / I do hope and pray that you enjoy viewing it and share some of the Blessing, enjoyment and excitement that I experienced as I stood there in awe and had the utmost pleasure in capturing that “special moment” in time. / Again, Blessings and thanks, / Phil
I would really like to thank the person who purchased two mounted prints, earlier today (AEST). / 1x Great is Thy Faithfulness and / 1x T…
I would really like to thank the person who purchased two mounted prints, earlier today (AEST). / 1x Great is Thy Faithfulness and / 1x The Covenant / I really do appreciate it and hope you will enjoy viewing them and experience the overwhelming joy and excitement that I did, when they arrive, as much as I did when I had the pleasure of capturing the wonderful atmosphere at those times. / Sincerely, / Phil Thomson
I just now received some terrible news…...... A really good friend of mine from another site has been involved in a motorcycle wreck…...
I just now received some terrible news…...... A really good friend of mine from another site has been involved in a motorcycle wreck… He and his wife…... his wife seems to be ok , other than some bruising, however, He has suffered 5 broken ribs, punctured lungs and a lacerated liver. WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF we all gather together in unity in prayer for my dear friend, GOD WILL HEAR US AND OUR PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise be to the Lord in all things !!!!!!!!!!!!! Bonita
Personally Offensive Art / Anti-War, Pro-War..
Personally Offensive Art / Anti-War, Pro-War You can scream war and watch a roomful of people hit the deck while a city block raises their fists in salute to your call to arms. You can scream fire and a city of people will come to your aid while only a handful of people tuck tail and run, absolved of responsibility. You can scream rape and the nation will mourn with you. Terrorism and we all grit our teeth. Evil and we pray… Pedophile – execute Capitol punishment / Let them live Human rights / Nazi regime Not to mention a very long list of vilifying words and their reactions to follow so long I would crash RedBubble’s servers trying to upload them. As a nation we have developed the idea that being aware of stereotypes and dangers and race issues will help us to be more sensitive to it and ensure that we will not offend anyone who falls into one of these categories. This is wrong… I grew up in Cornwall and a friend of mine from a different province came to see me. He had no idea that racial tension between the Indians (North American Aboriginals for those of you about to freak out about the word Indian). I of course was the ever present walking-talking-encyclopedia that had to ensure he was informed. Because I told him about the racial tensions he stammered, stuttered and made an ass of himself when he met one of my Indian buddies. It took me half an hour to talk them out of kicking his face in. He had no idea there was a problem until I told him there was…so… To you OVER-CHRISTIANIZED-NAZI-FUNDAMENTALIST-IDIOTS on RedBubble going around trying to tell people there’s a problem with their art and making the admins take it down, I have this to tell you. I don’t care what color you are, how old you are, what language you speak or what deity you believe in…if you try to tell people how to live, you are evil. If you think you have the only right answer, you are stupid. If you get a single piece of my artwork banned or another piece of art from a single person I know on this network again, I will personally hack your IP addresses and hand them out to a few hackers I know who delight in deleting people’s RRSPs, bank account, credit cards and putting out warrants for their arrest – erasing the fact they even exist once they’ve been put in jail so that they get lost in the system and then publish a list of your names and home addresses through an anonymous friend of mine on 4Chan so they can see if yoru families get the joke you missed. . . . . . . /
I am featured and so very thankful ! Thank you so much to the host’s of For The Love Of Jesus for the feature of my piece, I AM ….........
I am featured and so very thankful ! Thank you so much to the host’s of For The Love Of Jesus for the feature of my piece, I AM ….................. I am truly honored and more thankful than words can say ! God bless you all ! / Bonita
Thank you Living Christianity Group for featuring my work “Out Goes The Old And In Comes The New” !http://images-3.redbubble.net/img/a…
Thank you Living Christianity Group for featuring my work “Out Goes The Old And In Comes The New” Thank you The Scots Are Coming Group for featuring my work “Trees” I appreciate it very much!
I know, it’s pathetic that I’m finally getting around to doing this but I just finished my very first YouTube video and wanted to share i…
I know, it’s pathetic that I’m finally getting around to doing this but I just finished my very first YouTube video and wanted to share it with you all. I did it to the Newsboys “Stay Strong” which I absolutely love and find extremely encouraging each time I listen to it. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for looking. Any comments and ratings would be much appreciated. HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Ruth Palmer Christian Art Slideshow Lyrics to the song `Stay Strong` by The Newsboys: You’re in the moment now / A bitter root / A wandering eye and then / The ties that bind start wearing thin, thin You’re in the moment now / When all you’ve been blessed with / Is not enough / Here’s where the ground gets loose / Here’s where the devils call your bluff Stay strong / You are not lost / Come on and fix your eyes ahead / There’s a new dawn to light our day, our day / You’ve gotta stay strong / You and I run / For the prize that lies ahead / We’ve come too far to lose our way, our way We’ve seen the tragic flaws / The tortured souls / The saints with feet of clay / Here’s where sin becomes cliche’ We’ve come through wilderness and watched / The cloud by day / The burning sky into dawn / Have you forgotten who you are? / Did you forget whose trip you’re on? Stay strong / You are not lost / Come on and fix your eyes ahead / There’s a new dawn to light our day, our day / We’ve gotta stay strong / You and I run / For the prize that lies ahead / We’ve come too far to lose our way, our way Get up, there’s further to go / Get up, there’s more to be done / Get up, this witness is sure / Get up, this race can be won / This race can be won We’ve gotta stay strong / You are not lost / Come on and fix your eyes ahead / Our Father’s dawn will light our day, our day / Come on and stay strong / His grip is sure / And His patience still endures / There’ll be no letting go today, no way Come on, and stay strong / You and I run / For the prize that lies ahead / We’ve come too far to lose our way, our way
I SUGGESTED THIS AS A HOME PAGE ON THE HOME PAGE FORUM… *NOT SURE IF THIS WAS SEEN OR NOT….SO I’M PUTTING IT BACK IN THE POSTS A…
I SUGGESTED THIS AS A HOME PAGE ON THE HOME PAGE FORUM… NOT SURE IF THIS WAS SEEN OR NOT….SO I’M PUTTING IT BACK IN THE POSTS AGAIN…... I think in this horrible time of many people getting laid off or loosing their jobs, relationships failing, and people turning to either violence or addictions….WE as a NATION need to focus on GOD….and his healing. Therefore I thought I’d submit a home page devoted to images and clothing from Living Christianity group. Please think about using this as a home page….I am sure these people as well as all of us in the group would be so honored!! / OH MY….there are so many AWESOME images, clothing and writings in this group….It’s so hard to just pick 8!!! Blessings….I hope you all will pick this as a home page soon. It has been brought to my attention by Paul McClintock that / “Redbubble might prefer to stay away from political or religious themes for the homepage as that has caused a bit of commotion in the past. It’s a bit of a sore spot for many people. The problem is that people will see it as an endorsement by redbubble, even if it isn’t.” Here is my response to those ppl, NOT PAUL…. HOW SAD! I can’t believe that we can’t use the political or religious art on the homepage because of “small minded” ppl. I would careless if they put up political ads. If I do not agree…it is my choice, and I keep my mouth shut….end of story. I apologize first hand if I sound abrupt but I am so sick of hearing that things offend ppl….we all need to get over it! You can’t please everyone all the time, and if someone gets so offended that they think they need to speak out….then they have issues. jmo If I came to the bubble and saw naked ppl on the front homepage, and I didn’t agree…so be it….but I do not have the right to judge…others may like it. Therefore I believe that we need to get GOD out in the open as well as we do the NAKED pics. JMO!! My question is….How do you all feel about this?* Be honest BUT TACTFUL, AND RESPECTABLE at the same time. Thanks & Blessings…. / ~S / Please go to this link if you’d like to voice your opinion on this matter…. / forum topic I started
http://www.philadelphia33.org/ Jesus He called my name. For all who are Christian, those who…
http://www.philadelphia33.org/ Jesus He called my name. For all who are Christian, those who have been born again and received Jesus as lord and Saviour, there was a time when you heard Jesus Call your name. A time when you knew that The Lord loved you and wanted your heart. This is what I mean when I say He called my name. for those who have read my personal testimony, you will know that he called my name. When I was a chronic Alcoholic, gambler and one who practiced witchcraft. *. Due to the requests of friends I have met via Redbubble, I have decided to share with you, how the lord called me to serve him in Africa. A call to service. [As the Lord lives and is true and holy, I certify that what you are about to read is a true account of how Jesus called me into Missionary Service. This is still as fresh in my memory today as it was when this incredible event took place in my life] On Friday 26th August 1994, I was troubled in my spirit all day. I sat and watched Television and read a book, but yet I felt God wanted to speak to me, but I did not know what he wanted. So my wife said to me that I should just go to the park and pray. It was 6.05pm in the evening when I arrived at the park, and I parked my car and started to walk around the park. / I was walking and looking at the swans on the pond and praying at the same time. Then with not warning at all, I became aware that someone was walking close behind me. I did not look back, but knew someone was behind me. I continued walking along a narrow footpath and as I did I felt a person’s hand holding mine. There was no fear or indeed any desire to look to see who this was that was holding my right hand. / It was very strange looking back now to why I did not want to see who it was. This would have been anyone’s reaction at the time. I felt warm and at peace, not knowing that It was *Jesus who was the one actually holding my hand. I was Praying in the Spirit [speaking to God in the gift of tongues]. Then Jesus said my name, Trevor. It was the softness and Love in his voice that caused me to look and as I say my Masters face, I knew that It was him. He did not need to tell me it was Jesus. When Jesus comes to you my friend, you won’t need any introduction or explanation, for you will know it is the King of kings that has called your name. In an instant tears my friend flowed down my face, and I was crying like I have never cried before. My emotions were overwhelmed with sadness and sorrow, because his eyes were filled with tears also and he was quietly weeping. Here was my Jesus holding my hand and he was crying. I could not understand why I was not jubilant with Joy. His sorrow pierced my very fibre of my being. By now, I was transported away from all consciousness of being in the park on a bright summer evening and we were in a dark place. The Only way I can describe this pace is to use a well as an example. Imagine a deep round stone well, empty, and you are at the bottom of it. It is very round and very wide. So can hardly see the other side of it, and you can just make out the huge stones that form the round sides of it. It’s dark at the bottom and you cannot see any light, except the light that emanates from Jesus Garments. This is how it seemed at that point. As I Gazed into his face, he spoke these words to me. / “Trevor, My Son, I want to show you something, do not be afraid my son for I am with you”. There was a short silence as these words took hold of me. He gently squeezed my hand and began to walk forward in this dark place. As we went forward, he was still weeping, and I could hear voices in the distance and different kinds of noises, like doors opening and closing, and A smell that I had never experienced before. I was crying as the Passion and sorrow of Jesus seemed to flow into my heart. It was so hard to carry such sadness and I have never experienced this before or after. Then I began to see people at my left side and all were chained to the walls and terrible sores were all over them, and all were shouting things at Jesus. I could not make out what they were saying, but Jesus was crying and weeping. The smell was terrible and there were some that when they say him cried as well. As we went forward the light that was so white lit up the side and a little ahead. The place was so big and wide I could not see the other ends. Then he again spoke to me “Trevor my Son, Do not be afraid”. I was scared, but his words just melted away any fears I had. We then came to a place where I saw am Casket alone and as we walked pass, a man spoke and said “Jesus, Why have you let me come here?. Jesus with tears answered him and said “Judgement has been set”. Again the man shouted at him and started to explain to Jesus that he was a pastor and that all his life he served Jesus and Preached and give to those in need. Jesus said again to him, “Judgement has been set”. / / All the time Jesus was weeping and I was looking at Jesus all the time, and I never did see the man, but knew he was a man, because of his voice. Again the man pleaded with Jesus and told him many other good things he had done and as he was talking, Jesus raised his other hand and stopped the man from speaking. Then Jesus said to the man, “ I sent you warnings, I sent messengers to warn you and you did not repent, for the woman you slept with was not the wife I had given you, and you died in your sins, therefore Judgement has been set”. Jesus was very sad, and began to lead me further into this dark and cold place. Then we came to another place like a very large open place with walls so thick and wide and there were like empty prison cells all around. One cell stacked upon another and I could not see where they ended, and they were so high. Then Jesus knelt down on his knees and was now crying and I could feel his body shaking. All this time he was still holding my right hand. I stood beside him with tears flowing down my face and my heart was breaking with compassion and sadness for my Lovely Lord Jesus. I then knelt down beside him and wanted to hold him close, but I was so troubled to see My Lord cry like this. Then I asked him the only question I asked through all of this. “Lord, why are you crying, there is nobody here?. In what seemed like a long time we both cried and cried. Then still kneeling, Jesus looked deep into my eyes and said, / “This Place is prepared for all those who do not know my name”. / As I looked all around, I now could hear screams and fluttering wings and rustlings above our heads high above where we were. I saw in the darkness shadows of what I can only describe as winged demons, hellish beings flying about. Jesus was weeping so hard and as he stood up, I was still on my knees. He looked into my face and said to me “My Son, Go to Africa, to the villages and proclaim my name among the people, Go tell them who I am and that I love them, and I will be with you each step you take” Then Again suddenly, as if no time passed, I was back in the park. The first thing I became aware of was that I could not feel his hand in mine. I cried and begged him to come back again, and I remember saying Lord there is so much I want to ask you. The Holy Spirit then opened the eyes of my understanding and I realised that God had allowed me to have a vision where Jesus came and called my name. Where he had appeared to me and called me for service. I was deeply shaken and all they way back to my car, I was worshipping my lord in tongues [heavenly Language]. How I drove home, I do not know, and as I told my wife and we both just praised God and give thanks. I told my pastor the following day Saturday 27th August 1994, and the response are you sure it was Jesus. I was upset and few in the church the following day had any encouragement. So On Monday 27th August 1994 I went to my local travel agent and asked how much a ticket would be for Uganda. As a boy in School we had a visiting teacher from Uganda. I marvelled at the little round huts they lived in and the photographs she showed us was amazing. So I settled it that Uganda was the place God wanted me to go. The ticket was £530.00. I had no money so I sold my car. I was determined to get to where Jesus sent me and do what he told me to do. All this time and even now. I still see my Lord and the love in his beautiful eyes. Yes I still cry and know someday I will be with him forever. I Got the exact money from the sale of my car. It was then that the Church saw that I was committed to following my lords Commission. A Little money came in and I went to Africa on Saturday 24th September 1994. I arrived in a country where I knew nobody. I asked the taxi driver at Entebbe airport to take me to a Christian Guesthouse. He took me to marimba Guest house. That evening as I lay alone in my little room, a house girl knocked my door. She asked if I would like to attend a church. I was so happy. The following Day I who knew nobody was preaching to a Church of Over 2000 people. That evening I was speaking at Chief of Police Wedding anniversary, and in that audience were Government officials, and others. The following week I was given a small house to live in free of charge, a Vehicle and driver, and the mission to extreme poor and isolated villages was born. Since that time I have dedicated my whole life to Preaching the Gospel in remote areas of Africa, South India and have never had a salary. I have trusted and depended on God to meet my needs and that of my family. There have been and still are difficulties in rising the cost of Travel, But God always blesses me with Good people whom he has given a passion and heart to pray for these precious children and to sow financially into his work. This is how the Lord called me to service. I pray It will bless and inspire you. Thank you to all who have asked me how God called me to be a missionary without having a job to fund it. Isa 49:5 [COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE] Even before I was born, the LORD God chose me to serve him and to lead back the people So the LORD has honoured me and made me strong. Evangelist Trevor Irwin. Please visit Charity mission website by clicking link below. / http://www.philadelphia33.org/ Link to all my art: / http://www.redbubble.com/people/joshuatree1
A very big thankyou to the hosts of “For The Love Of Jesus” Group and ALL those that voted for my image Wait...
A very big thankyou to the hosts of “For The Love Of Jesus” Group and ALL those that voted for my image Wait / in the My Favourite Scripture Challenge. It is truly an honour, somewhat humbling, and a very wonderful surprise to come home to, this evening. / I do hope that it has blessed those who have viewed it and taken the time to read the Scripture reference, as Psalm 37 in its entirety, has been a Blessing, Rock and Comfort for many years. / Once again thankyou to everyone involved, / Phil
Thank You Living Christianity Group for featuring “Angels Dance We Shared “For Supporting Me and Artists In Collaborative Projects Writin…
Thank You Living Christianity Group for featuring “Angels Dance We Shared “For Supporting Me and Artists In Collaborative Projects Writing All Things Positive… / I am very Grateful… / Blessings Amber Elizabeth Fromm Angels Dance ~We Shared / Author: Amber Elizabeth Fromm As A Child …I lay to sleep / Frightened… Feeling Scared … / I Prayed Angels.. Watch Me In My Sleep / Prayed God… I Might / Be Spared! An Angel , Pure Her Spirit / Room Filled Of Golden Sun / Feeling Joy… Come Over Me / An Angel’s Dance Begun… Beauty Shone Through Spirit / Guide Me Through Night / No Worries / Without Care… Yes It Was / The Angel Dance… / An Angel Dance / We Shared… As A Child I, Prayed To Sleep / To Sleep… Without A Care / Scary Creeping Monsters / Frightened Ran…Yes Ran / From Angel Stare… My Angel, She Watched Over Me / As I Slept…. My Angel / Protected Me From Harm… And Yes, The Darkness / It Did Run… / The Darkness, / Did Run Far… The Angels Danced / In Laughter / My Angel… / Danced In Glee Forrever Darkness…. / Yes He’s Ran… / For She’s … / Protecting Me. So When the New Day / Coming Yes, Glorious.. / Light Bright Sun… Remember Yes The / Angels Dance… Darkness Found / Ever On The Run So Now I Lay Me Down / To Sleep….Without Worry / With No Cares… Remembrance Of / The Angel Dance … The Angel Dance / We Shared
I would like to personally thank you Judi Taylor for your purchase of a collaboration with myself and Nancy Chambers entitled One Man, On…
I would like to personally thank you Judi Taylor for your purchase of a collaboration with myself and Nancy Chambers entitled One Man, One Purpose. We are both so very grateful by your purchase and we appreciate it more than you could possibly know. May it bring you much peace, happiness and pleasure and may GOD BLESS you always sweetheart ! We are truly humbled! / Bonita
_This quality of restraint in Jesus – one could almost call it a divine shyness – took me by surprise. I realized, as I absorbed the sto…
This quality of restraint in Jesus – one could almost call it a divine shyness – took me by surprise. I realized, as I absorbed the story of Jesus in the Gospels, that I had expected from him the same qualities I had met in the southern fundamentalist church of my childhood. There, I often felt the victim of emotional pressures. Doctrine was dished out in a “Believe, and don’t ask questions!” style. Wielding the power of miracle, mystery, and authority, the church left no place for doubt. I also learned the manipulative techniques for “soul-winning,” some of which involved misrepresenting myself to the person I was talking to. Yet now I am unable to find any of these qualities in the life of Jesus. If I read church history correctly, many other followers of Jesus have yielded to the very temptations he resisted. Dostoevsky shrewdly replayed the Temptation scene in a torture cell of the Grand Inquisition. How could a church founded by the One who withstood the Temptation carry out an Inquisition of forced belief that lasted half a millennium? Meanwhile, in a milder Protestant version in the city of Geneva, officials were making attendance at church compulsory and refusal to take the Eucharist a crime. Heretics there, too, were burned at the stake. To its shame, Christian history reveals unrelieved attempts to improve on the way of Christ. Sometimes the church joins hands with a government that offers a shortcut to power. “The worship of success is generally THE form of idol worship which the devil cultivates most assiduously,” wrote Helmut Thielicke about the German church’s early infatuation with Adolf Hitler. “We could observe in the first years after 1933 the almost suggestive compulsion that emanates from great successes and how, under the influence of these successes, men, even Christians, stopped asking in whose name and at what price…” Sometimes the church grows its own mini-Hitlers, men with names like Jim Jones and David Koresh, who understand all too well the power represented in miracle, mystery, and authority. And sometimes the church simply borrows the tools of manipulation perfected by politicians, salesmen, and advertising copyrighters. – excerpt from The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey it is for this reason that, even though I am a Christ follower, I can only be so offended when people like Bill Maher (whose show is extremely insightful, entertaining, and funny) are quick to bash Christianity. If you listen very closely, insults like Maher’s are nearly always directed at Christians, but hardly ever Jesus himself. If anything, it sheds a light on how much we need God’s grace: believer or not, nobody does a good job of walking in the same footsteps of Christ, and every time we try to pave that road into something that’s a little easier on our feet, we do such a lousy job of it that it should come as no surprise that so many people roll their eyes at Christians. Ghandi said it best: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” And Margaret Cho put it a little more bluntly: “Many of my contemporaries are atheists, and for good reason. God isn’t really the problem; some of His followers are big assholes.” That being said, I kind of feel the need to let people know that JESUS is the true face of Christianity, not other Christians, not Jerry Falwell, not the misguided believers (that’s pretty much all of us) who get the most media attention when you turn on the news. So, to my atheist friends, I won’t fault you for sniping or rolling your eyes at Christians in general – in truth, we deserve it, more often than not. But, if whatever doubt you have in your heart is really that strong, I hope it motivates you to find some answers – I hope it motivates you guys to study the Man whom I find it difficult to stop listening to/ thinking/ praising/ writing/ singing/ talking about. And if you really take a good look at Him, read about him, who He was, and what He did, from all viewpoints and perspectives, then I hope you’ll understand why I call myself a follower of Jesus Christ, why the most anyone can be is a poor reflection of Him, and why I keep trying to be a little more like Him in spite of the fact that I seem to fail at every single attempt.
Somedays, we struggle to find our way…........ Somedays satan comes at us and lies and tells us things we know are not true....... So…
Somedays, we struggle to find our way…........ Somedays satan comes at us and lies and tells us things we know are not true....... Somedays, we have to close our eyes, and ask OUR ALMIGHTY GOD TO POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT AND LOVE UPON US AND MOVE US FORWARD…............My heart has been somewhat burdened today…............I just now logged back on to see that not 1, but 5 of my pieces are featured in the LIVING CHRISTIANITY GROUP ! GOD BLESS YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would like to take this opportunity to tell each and everyone of you how blessed I am to know you. How thankful I am that I am given the opportunity to spend my days here with each of you. I was just about to write a friend of mine an email and tell them that I was going to stop RB for a little while….......... PRAISE GOD ! HE IS ALWAYS ON TIME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALWAYS ON TIME ! Satan, I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED FOR YOU A LIAR AND KNOW NOT THE TRUTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For anyone that does not understand the Love and Grace of GOD…...... I PRAY THAT YOU WILL OPEN UP YOUR HEARTS AND LISTEN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SERVE AN ALMIGHTY AND AN AWESOME GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL NEVER BE ASHAMED AND I WILL ALWAYS PRAISE HIM !!!!!!!!!!!! ALWAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Living Christianity Group ! I am truly honored and humbled…......... GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bonita Moore
Well, I’ve done it. My first book! Not of images, but stories. Arables Short stories aimed …
Well, I’ve done it. My first book! Not of images, but stories. Arables Short stories aimed at developing (and sometimes challenging) your Christian faith. They are funny, they are sad. They will amaze, they will suprise. As with most of my works, they are very, very different. Look at your beliefs from a different perspective….. and deepen them. Arables
Thank you so much for the feature of my piece Holy Is The Lamb ! I am so grateful and honored ! Your group and members are amazing and ag…
Thank you so much for the feature of my piece Holy Is The Lamb ! I am so grateful and honored ! Your group and members are amazing and again, I am truly honored ! / Bonita
Thank you so very much for featuring my latest piece titled POWER . I am truly honored ! / God Bless Each and everyone of you ! / Bonita / ...
Thank you so very much for featuring my latest piece titled POWER . I am truly honored ! / God Bless Each and everyone of you ! / Bonita
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