Please Say a Prayer...

[scarygirl]

I wondered because that didn't seem like you. Not a hoax, I wish it was.... I never want to hear my roommate scream like that again. I still hear it and still expect to see him in my living room.

Ignore Steve. And hang in there. What a shitty thing to happen

Thank you. I appreciate it. This really takes the cake. Never imagined in a zillion years someone would break into my house that way with such harm on their mind.

Scarygirl, I had a few beers and didn't read your post properly. I really thought it was a hoax, hence the way I commented. I'm so sorry!

[Rip Rokken]

I just wrote a very thoroughly detailed reply, and lost it because I wasn't logged in. Too tired to retype it, so here's the summarized version. First off, very sorry to hear this happened to you and know it had to be terrifying -- so glad you are ok. Second, I think it's time to seriously consider ditching faith entirely. Please put some thought into that, because it hasn't served you well. You are asking for prayers to a deity who (assuming he existed), allowed that to happen to you in the first place. And why does it take a group? Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

[Rick]

I just wrote a very thoroughly detailed reply, and lost it because I wasn't logged in. Too tired to retype it, so here's the summarized version. First off, very sorry to hear this happened to you and know it had to be terrifying -- so glad you are ok. Second, I think it's time to seriously consider ditching faith entirely. Please put some thought into that, because it hasn't served you well. You are asking for prayers to a deity who (assuming he existed), allowed that to happen to you in the first place. And why does it take a group? Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

Not helping, Rip. If faith helps her or anyone else get through troubled times, then what's the harm? There isn't any. Your thoughts on there being no God are no different than her thoughts of there being one, really. Neither you nor I nor Elizabeth knows the truth on that. But we believe what we want, know and suppose is the truth. Her beliefs don't hurt you one bit, and while they don't, they may help her substantially.

[steveo777]

I just wrote a very thoroughly detailed reply, and lost it because I wasn't logged in. Too tired to retype it, so here's the summarized version. First off, very sorry to hear this happened to you and know it had to be terrifying -- so glad you are ok. Second, I think it's time to seriously consider ditching faith entirely. Please put some thought into that, because it hasn't served you well. You are asking for prayers to a deity who (assuming he existed), allowed that to happen to you in the first place. And why does it take a group? Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

Rip, while I respect you and love you as a friend, just because you lost your faith does not mean others need to follow suit. Respecting others also means respecting their faith and right to believe in something, something that gives them peace and joy. Do I respect and believe in all faiths? NO. I actually wish the whole Muslim brotherhood would extract themselves from earth.

[Don]

Please Say a Prayer...]

The question would be, to who. Who ever she's been talking to ain't getting the job done if we go by everything that she's been talking about going wrong in her life over the last year.
What's wrong with Rip asking her to reconsider who she is relying on beyond herself? Isn't that why she starts these threads, to get advice?
Are we going to have the Knights Templar as forum monitors now?

[Rick]

Please Say a Prayer...]

The question would be, to who. Who ever she's been talking to ain't getting the job done if we go by everything that she's been talking about going wrong in her life over the last year.
What's wrong with Rip asking her to reconsider who she is relying on beyond herself? Isn't that why she starts these threads, to get advice?
Are we going to have the Knights Templar as forum monitors now?

No sir, not saying anything of the such. My beef with Rip's post is this girl is trying to reconcile what happened and searches for help and hope. Let her have that, if her belief helps.

With all of this said, Rip knows I love him and respect his views. I've been in his great company on a few occasions.

[majik]

Unfortunately bad things happen to good people and that will always happen whether one prays or believes in god or not. Instead of concentrating on what is considered bad notice what is considered good things that are also happening. No one was seriously injured thats good and its a reminder to update security measures for peace of mind. Pray if one wants and notice who hears that prayer is it something that is separate from you....?

[No Surprize]

Unfortunately bad things happen to good people and that will always happen whether one prays or believes in god or not. Instead of concentrating on what is considered bad notice what is considered good things that are also happening. No one was seriously injured thats good and its a reminder to update security measures for peace of mind. Pray if one wants and notice who hears that prayer is it something that is separate from you....?

True. Evil walks on earth as well. Scary, you can get a used shotgun (pump action) for under 200. When someone hears

a round being chambered, it get's their attention in a hurry. The damage they do in close quarters is off the chain & I

assure you, it's a well spent investment. On the flip side, you do need to get familiar with hit, pressed firmly into the

pit of you arm or it will knock you on your ass. And Sushi, yea, dogs shit just like anything else. She lives in NC, so there

should be plenty of woods around. Plus, if she has a yard, it's natural fertilizer!

[scarygirl]

Hey Guys!

I appreciate all your love and care toward me. Rip, I understand where you are coming from and would never RIP into you over it. I appreciate all viewpoints. Today feels better than yesterday, and so it will going forward.

Like my pastor said, our faith isn't supposed to be based on situation. I think that is where a lot of Christians get so mixed up, myself included. If I based my faith on situations, I don't think I would have much faith left. I do question him at times like this, and would be a hypocrite to say I didn't. It wasscary seeing someone breech my home/my safety, but again as my pastor reminded me that according to scripture the lord is my shelter. Since the lord is always with me my shelter can never leave me.

In the case of yesterday morning, I slept through this guy coming into my house though my bedroom door was open and the sliding glass doors were mere feet away. They ARE loud at that because they are rusted. I honestly believe my roommate was used by god if you will. As horrible as what happened to her was, if she had not woken up when she did (she could have easily slept until he was up by her bed) and had the will to scream that blood curdling scream I would have never woken up. Her waking up and screaming just in time to wake me up for my screaming saved us.

Bad things happen to good people of all walks, Christians included. We live in a fallen world of free will. It is a shame that some use their powers for good and others not.

[Rip Rokken]

Not helping, Rip. If faith helps her or anyone else get through troubled times, then what's the harm? There isn't any. Your thoughts on there being no God are no different than her thoughts of there being one, really. Neither you nor I nor Elizabeth knows the truth on that. But we believe what we want, know and suppose is the truth. Her beliefs don't hurt you one bit, and while they don't, they may help her substantially.

Rip, while I respect you and love you as a friend, just because you lost your faith does not mean others need to follow suit. Respecting others also means respecting their faith and right to believe in something, something that gives them peace and joy.

Please understand guys, I'm not interested in taking gratuitous pot-shots at people's individual religious believes for the fun of it. I have no desire whatsoever to take that away from people whose lives are seemingly improved by faith. But I don't feel this is one of those situations, and sometimes an intervention of sorts might actually help. I love ScaryGirl and consider her a friendly acquaintance, else I'd probably rather say nothing at all. I've read her posts for years, and feel they give the reasonable impression that her life is filled with neither peace nor joy -- rather, a lot of pain and fear from what I can tell, and possibly a deficiency in personal accountability. That's no way for anybody to have to live the human experience. There is plenty of harm in faith when it stunts our ability to make good decisions and keeps us from realizing that we are much more responsible for the quality of our lives that we sometimes like to think.

Again regarding prayer, consider the case of the people I mentioned in the article:

“A jury convicted the Schaibles of involuntary manslaughter in the January 2009 death of their 2-year-old son, Kent. The boy's symptoms had included coughing, congestion, crankiness and a loss of appetite. His parents said he was eating and drinking until the last day, and they had thought he was getting better.

The Schaibles were sentenced to 10 years' probation.

At a hearing Monday, a judge told the couple they had violated the terms of their probation, noting the Schaibles had told investigators that they prayed to God to make Brandon well instead of seeking medical attention.

"You did that once, and the consequences were tragic," Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

Prosecutors on Monday sought to have the couple jailed, but Lerner permitted them to remain free because their seven other children had been placed in foster care.

"He feels they are a danger to their children — not to the community, but to their own children," Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore, who prosecuted the couple in 2010, said Tuesday.
Herbert Schaible, 44, and his 43-year-old wife grew up in the First Century Gospel Church in northeast Philadelphia and have served as teachers there. The church's website has a sermon titled "Healing — From God or Medicine?" that quotes Bible verses purportedly forbidding Christians from visiting doctors or taking medicine.

"It is a definite sin to trust in medical help and pills; and it is real faith to trust on the Name of Jesus for healing," says the message, from last May.”

Sometimes faith hurts everybody, undeniably.

My comments aren't focused on ScaryGirl's encounter with the home intruder, but rather her request for prayer -- it bothered me for her sake. I'm offering the best advice I can to help improve the life, and increase the peace and joy of someone for whom faith doesn't seem to have served very well these past few years. If she wants (or needs) to continue to believe in a god and the power of prayer, then ok... maybe start taking more of the approach that "God helps those who help themselves."

I do love ya, SG... you're a good person, and I think you have much more potential than you give yourself credit for.

[Rip Rokken]

Just saw this, and it's a good example of a religious person who understands what needs to be done during times of crisis:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/23/sa ... -attacked/

A Samurai sword-wielding Mormon bishop helped a neighbor woman escape a Tuesday morning attack by a man who had been stalking her.

Kent Hendrix woke up Tuesday to his teenage son pounding on his bedroom door and telling him somebody was being mugged in front of their house. The 47-year-old father of six rushed out the door and grabbed the weapon closest to him -- a 29-inch high carbon steel Samurai sword.

He came upon what he describes as a melee between a woman and a man. His son stayed inside to call 911 while he approached the man along with other neighbors who came to help. The martial arts instructor didn't hesitate in drawing the sword and yelling at him to get on the ground.

"His eyes got as big as saucers and he kind of gasped and jumped back," Hendrix said by phone Tuesday afternoon. "As he was coming through the fence, this is where I drew down on him and told him to get down on the ground," Hendrix told Fox13Now.com. He continued, "he was staring down 29 inches of razor."



The man ran down the street with the barefoot Hendrix and others in pursuit. Hendrix said he couldn't catch the man before he fled in his car, but he picked up ChapStick that the man dropped and memorized his license plate.

"I yelled at him, `I've got your DNA and I've got your license plate: You are so done,"' Hendrix said.

The suspect, 37-year-old Grant Eggersten, turned himself in to police an hour later, said Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal. He was booked on charges of robbery, attempted burglary, trespassing and violation of a stalking injunction.

Hendrix, a pharmaceutical statistician, was one of several neighbors who came to the woman's aid after she began yelling for help, Hoyal said.

The incident began just after 7 a.m. when the 35-year-old woman came out of her front door, Hoyal said. Eggersten was hiding behind her carport and attacked her, knocking her to the ground, Hoyal said.

He took her keys and tried to open the door into her house, Hoyal said. That's when the woman ran down the street calling for help.

The woman did the right thing by fighting back and calling for help, Hoyal said. She suffered minor injuries.

Hendrix, a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said it was the first time in 30 years of practicing martial arts that he's used the sword. He didn't swing it at the man, only showing him he had it.

He said he's proud of his 14-year-old son for alerting him and quickly calling 911. He said the family is still abuzz about the events.

"That kind of thing doesn't happen every day," Hendrix said. "Our neighborhood is a pretty quiet place."

A fourth-degree black belt in the Kishindo form of martial arts, Hendrix owns a collection of swords and weapons that he trains with, said his wife, Suzanne Hendrix. He has trained with the sword he used Tuesday for 20 years and keeps it by his bed.

"Some people have bats they go to," said Hendrix. "I have my sword."

This is good, practical stuff. He's a man of faith, but when the shiz hit the fan, he took immediate action, and doesn't reference prayer once.

[The Sushi Hunter]

This is why we need backround checks.

LOL! Yeah your right about that.

[verslibre]

You are asking for prayers to a deity who (assuming he existed), allowed that to happen to you in the first place.

Here we go again. It's called free will. We're not robots. God is as responsible for that guy entering her home as for Don Dokken's albums all sucking after Dysfunctional -- if not Up From The Ashes.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

Completely agree.

Matter of fact, I was having a very similar conversation with a very good friend of mine about this just the other day, he's completely Christian while I've basically moved away from my Roman Catholic upbringing. My wife is Buddhist and so I tend to go in that direction during times. IMHO religion/faith serves a purpose for a few reasons to various people. People need religion in their life when 1) they can't fathom that this life is the only thing we have and that once we die there is absolutely nothing else (forever) that follows. 2) They can't fathom that they will never again see their loved ones who have passed away. 3) They use "God" as a type of justice/punishment/get even system - "God will punish you for your sins/wrong doing", etc.

Simply if there is a "God" why would "God" allow so much shit to happen to innocent people? For that reason If there is a "God" he must be into serious head games to allow things like the kid getting blown up at the Boston Marathon and such. If I ask my father, who is very religious still today, why "God" allows for such things to happen, my father always says "God works in mysterious ways". That to me that's a bullshit answer. When he says this to me I feel like Gene Simmons in "Runaway" where he says: "That's good Ramsey....but not good enough". And that is why I've basically moved away from what I was taught as a kid in regards to religion.

@ 5:06
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSPIj9u0qw

[No Surprize]

Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

Completely agree.

Matter of fact, I was having a very similar conversation with a very good friend of mine about this just the other day, he's completely Christian while I've basically moved away from my Roman Catholic upbringing. My wife is Buddhist and so I tend to go in that direction during times. IMHO religion/faith serves a purpose for a few reasons to various people. People need religion in their life when 1) they can't fathom that this life is the only thing we have and that once we die there is absolutely nothing else (forever) that follows. 2) They can't fathom that they will never again see their loved ones who have passed away. 3) They use "God" as a type of justice/punishment/get even system - "God will punish you for your sins/wrong doing", etc.

Simply if there is a "God" why would "God" allow so much shit to happen to innocent people? For that reason If there is a "God" he must be into serious head games to allow things like the kid getting blown up at the Boston Marathon and such. If I ask my father, who is very religious still today, why "God" allows for such things to happen, my father always says "God works in mysterious ways". That to me that's a bullshit answer. When he says this to me I feel like Gene Simmons in "Runaway" where he says: "That's good Ramsey....but not good enough". And that is why I've basically moved away from what I was taught as a kid in regards to religion.

@ 5:06
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSPIj9u0qw

Because evil lurks here on earth, Satan. Humans are tempted every day by various sins. One of the most

prominent ones is Gluttony. Ever look around and see all the fat motherfuckers bouncing around you?

Another one Lust. It doesn't necessarily mean only hot women (that's only my case), but you could have

a lust for power or money. I could go on and on. I'm not one to preach and God knows I've done more

than my fair share of sinning. But I believe that there is a higher power. No doubt about it.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Because evil lurks here on earth, Satan. Humans are tempted every day by various sins. One of the most

prominent ones is Gluttony. Ever look around and see all the fat motherfuckers bouncing around you?

Another one Lust. It doesn't necessarily mean only hot women (that's only my case), but you could have

a lust for power or money. I could go on and on. I'm not one to preach and God knows I've done more

than my fair share of sinning. But I believe that there is a higher power. No doubt about it.

Speaking of fat motherfuckers bouncing around, yesterday I was driving through the post office parking lot and a car with the bumpersticker "I (heart) Obamacare" is double parked and blocking everyone trying to get out. Who goes to get into the car? A fat disgusting woman who's probably not missed a fast food meal in over 30 years.

[artist4perry]

Ignore Steve. And hang in there. What a shitty thing to happen

Thank you. I appreciate it. This really takes the cake. Never imagined in a zillion years someone would break into my house that way with such harm on their mind.

Scarygirl, I had a few beers and didn't read your post properly. I really thought it was a hoax, hence the way I commented. I'm so sorry!

I read your comment Steveo and thought...Gee MR. Thoughtful has spoken! LOL Oh well, I have read posts without my glasses from time to time and screw up the meanings in posts before. We all have our day!

[artist4perry]

I just wrote a very thoroughly detailed reply, and lost it because I wasn't logged in. Too tired to retype it, so here's the summarized version. First off, very sorry to hear this happened to you and know it had to be terrifying -- so glad you are ok. Second, I think it's time to seriously consider ditching faith entirely. Please put some thought into that, because it hasn't served you well. You are asking for prayers to a deity who (assuming he existed), allowed that to happen to you in the first place. And why does it take a group? Why isn't one personal request enough to get his notice? That's not love... it's manipulative and self-serving. You and only you truly have your back in this life, and you have the power within you to take all possible measures to keep yourself reasonably safe by making solid decisions on the front end, and hoping it's enough.

Very quickly, here's what faith gets you (this is a headline from today):

http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-child-pa-coup ... 13837.html

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

Faith serves many people in their own way Rip. If you don't find any thing in faith then that is alright for you. But right now the one thing comforting to some is how faith helps them get through rough times. I know you have abandoned it for your own reasons, but many people have their own faith and that is their thing. Asking for others to pray for you is asking them to have you in their thoughts as well. Anyway we could discuss this back and forth to nausea, but not to be argumentative about something this personal, I would just say let her have her way of dealing with things, just as you have yours. You know I love you dearly my friend and this is not a slam on you in any way. Hope to see you sometime this summer.

[Andrew]

Christians are often told that the reason their prayers don't have positive outcomes is because they didn't have enough faith. Well, how about these folks who apparently had too much faith?

You forgot to add Bah Humbug!