Depressing News Item of the Day

Pastor builds $1.7mil mansion, 16,000 sq ft, says it is a Gift from God...while members of his congregation continue to pay in, subsidize the church with their tax money, and hope for any improvement in their dismal economic situation.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...l#.Um6JtHCsh8E

http://www.christianpost.com/news/st...ansion-107414/

The church has given $10mil to charities...the pastor says the house was financed from book sales, not his church salary...so if that makes you feel warm and tingly about it, good for you.

Furtick is 33 and living the ideal simple-servant-of-god life.

So you're depressed because this guy sold books and then spent the money on a mansion? Or is it because he thinks it was a gift from God?

Oprah has a bigger house and has been preaching her message for years and written books & you didn't get depressed as she acquired her billions.

Now if the guy didn't give a tenth of his income to the church, then you got a story here. Otherwise quit trying to be like Obama and wanting to tell everyone how they are supposed to LIVE.

AMEN
Pete4256

In other DEPRESSING NEWS ... there are only two more games left to watch this season.

Get Going there CARDS!!

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“Shun, as you would the plague, a cleric who from being poor has become wealthy, or who, from being nobody has become a celebrity.”
—Jerome

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I consider it depressing when anyone claims they are a humble servant, yet collect money from the public, supported by tax-exempt religious status, and then spend it on a lavish estate. Doing that in an economy like we have today is even worse. Considering that some of these churches now have coffee shops, gift shops, and even ATMs inside them - well, it kind of tells you what they are after. It's not your soul, unless your soul can be expressed via greenbacks.

As someone that spent years studying religions and trying to find something true and real, seeing daily further proof that it is truly 'all about the benjamins' makes me sad. Maybe I'm not jaded enough yet, who knows.

I missed a day, but here's a short one:

Your Commute is Killing You

Glad I work at home! Unfortunately, in front of a laptop all day...

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Originally Posted by Alloutwar

I missed a day, but here's a short one:

Your Commute is Killing You

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I typically bike commute.
So, other people's commutes are killing me as I inhale their exhaust.
Oh well, at least I have nice legs while I'm alive.

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Originally Posted by Pete4256

quit trying to be like Obama and wanting to tell everyone how they are supposed to LIVE.

AMEN

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Yeah, I hate being told how to LIVE

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Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
"And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."
"Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

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And so on and so forth.

@filihok .. These are the guidelines to what please the Lord.

It was a ritual custom of the heathen to cut or trim their beards and hair into special shapes in honor of a particular pagan deity. To honor the sun god Ra, the ancient Egyptians had their dark locks cropped short or shaved with great care so the hair that remained on the crown appeared in the form of a circle surrounding the head (from which the halo derives), while the beard was dressed in a square form. Alternatively, a round bald spot might be shaved on the head.

It is this type of false worship the Bible forbids. Shaving one's beard and cutting one's hair for normal good grooming is something entirely different and not at all condemned in the Scriptures. In fact, the apostle Paul takes great pains to address proper grooming of one's hair in I Corinthians 11:2-15.

BUT ... you don't believe in this GOD .. so, I guess you can do what ever you want.

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Originally Posted by Pete4256

@filihok .. These are the guidelines to what please the Lord.

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So...telling people how to LIVE?

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In fact, the apostle Paul takes great pains to address proper grooming of one's hair in I Corinthians 11:2-15.

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So...telling people how to LIVE?

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BUT ... you don't believe in this GOD .. so, I guess you can do what ever you want.

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Nope.
Since I don't believe in god the Bible is pretty much a book in which some people tell other people how to LIVE.

today's item: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbre_du_Ténéré

A solitary tree, the only one around for 250 miles, with roots stretching 120 feet below to reach the water table....likely the last of its kind from a different time period in Africa, possibly thousands of years old...

...was hit by a drunk driver in 1973 and died.

Yay, alcohol.

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Originally Posted by FloydtheBarber

It was the only tree for 250 miles, how exactly did a drunk driver manage to hit it?

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Apparently it wasn't the first time it was hit either. Bizarre. Interesting article.

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Originally Posted by filihok

So...telling people how to LIVE?
So...telling people how to LIVE?

Nope.
Since I don't believe in god the Bible is pretty much a book in which some people tell other people how to LIVE.

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It is a book telling you what is pleasing to God. Don't read the book and you don't have to worry about it.
You have to purchase health insurance, it's the law of the land. ACA is telling you must buy insurance or pay a fine.

Hmmm, you can either please God or go to Hell. The ultimate end of Hell is to be destroyed and since you don't believe in life after death ... your plan will be fulfilled.
With your knowledge and understanding of world events, I wouldn't be worried about it.

In other depressing news Boston Red Sox are the 2013 Champs.

But just wait until next year.

Ugh, live in northern VA and saw like 50 red sox shirts from people who have never worn them before until today, claiming they're legit boston fans. Same people who trashed the nats when we were losing 100 games and then claimed to be fans when we won 98 last year.

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Originally Posted by Pete4256

It is a book telling you what is pleasing to God. Don't read the book and you don't have to worry about it.
You have to purchase health insurance, it's the law of the land. ACA is telling you must buy insurance or pay a fine.

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Hmm...
so which is worse?

There's an actual law saying you have to buy insurance or pay an actual fine.

OF

There's a totally impotent law telling you how to LIVE or you will receive a fictional punishment.

I mean, my gut instinct is to say that the actual law is worse, since that's real.

But...people who live their entire lives in fear of a comic book character and never experience their own lives due to a fear of a fictional representation of what will happen to them after their death. Yeah. That's much worse than paying a fine.

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Originally Posted by Pete4256

Booga booga booga

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yawn.

Your delusions don't scare me.

Not a believer of God either, I have a thought that if I was wrong and based on that book that I would be tormented in hell for all eternity for not believing what I cannot see, than you know, I really don't want any part of a god like that anyway.

Maybe Pete can toss me down some Cloud Marshmellows for me to roast while I give god the finger.

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Originally Posted by filihok

So...telling people how to LIVE?


So...telling people how to LIVE?



Nope.
Since I don't believe in god the Bible is pretty much a book in which some people tell other people how to LIVE.

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Agreed with all of this. Laws and social norms are much better tools for telling other people how to LIVE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ8hefESt7c

On a side note, I love how Jesus would be a democrat (free healthcare for those even with pre-existing conditions, render unto caesar what is caesar's, turn the other cheek, give to charity, etc), but the fundamental idea of religion (a business where you sell nothing, pay no taxes & have most your help working solely on a voluntary basis for no money) is just too republican for the elephants to pass up claiming as their own

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Originally Posted by etothep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ8hefESt7c

On a side note, I love how Jesus would be a democrat (free healthcare for those even with pre-existing conditions, render unto caesar what is caesar's, turn the other cheek, give to charity, etc), but the fundamental idea of religion (a business where you sell nothing, pay no taxes & have most your help working solely on a voluntary basis for no money) is just too republican for the elephants to pass up claiming as their own

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really....those don't seem remotely alike at all lol. one is apparently good though while one is evil. thanks for not framing your bias in an obvious manner.

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Originally Posted by dickay

Agreed with all of this. Laws and social norms are much better tools for telling other people how to LIVE.

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So...the Bible and Obama aren't really that different?

Why didn't I think of that?

SMDH

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Originally Posted by filihok

So...the Bible and Obama aren't really that different?

Why didn't I think of that?

SMDH

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I don't know why you didn't think of that either. Seems so many look at him as a god and all.

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Originally Posted by dickay

I don't know why you didn't think of that either. Seems so many look at him as a god and all.

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Yeah. Idiots see gods all over the place.

Attachment 40739

Attachment 40740

There are no gods.


But, you're missing the point.

Go figure, eh?

Pete is ranting about someone wanting to control his LIFE all the while wasting his LIFE listening to the writings of a long dead group of people who wrote about ways to control peoples LIVES.

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Originally Posted by filihok

Yeah. Idiots see gods all over the place.

Attachment 40739

Attachment 40740

There are no gods.


But, you're missing the point.

Go figure, eh?

Pete is ranting about someone wanting to control his LIFE all the while wasting his LIFE listening to the writings of a long dead group of people who wrote about ways to control peoples LIVES.

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yes, i was blinded by the irony of a non-believer telling someone else how they are wasting their LIFE. That might sting....i think this is the point where I end this.

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Originally Posted by FloydtheBarber

Does anyone else think that those stains surrounding Jesus on the Shroud of Turin resemble diseased vagina's?

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agreed

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Originally Posted by filihok

Yeah. Idiots see gods all over the place.

Attachment 40739

Attachment 40740

There are no gods.


But, you're missing the point.

Go figure, eh?

Pete is ranting about someone wanting to control his LIFE all the while wasting his LIFE listening to the writings of a long dead group of people who wrote about ways to control peoples LIVES.

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I saw two owls................OWLS ARE LORD!

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Originally Posted by FloydtheBarber

Does anyone else think that those stains surrounding Jesus on the Shroud of Turin resemble diseased vagina's?

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Reality is one big Rorschach test and...well...that's an interesting perception.

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Originally Posted by dickay

yes, i was blinded by the irony of a non-believer telling someone else how they are wasting their LIFE. That might sting....i think this is the point where I end this.

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The realization that you should enjoy your life and that's it's not just a test to see if you get into some other life later made you want to 'end this'? I hope by 'this' you're not referring to your life. I mean, people talk about social Darwinism in reference to things like welfare all the time. Perhaps religion is the same way - so many people kept alive and functioning by the carrot dangling at the end of the stick. Without that carrot...

let's keep the depression rolling

20 minutes of effort from one scout buffoon ruins 170 million years of intricate rock formation

Humans! Dominant species: yes. Deserving of all that we inherited: meh

That isn't depressing as much as SMH.

Curious for Pete's take on the Incognito/Martin situation

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Originally Posted by Alloutwar

let's keep the depression rolling

20 minutes of effort from one scout buffoon ruins 170 million years of intricate rock formation

Humans! Dominant species: yes. Deserving of all that we inherited: meh

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Treehugger.com! Lol!!

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Originally Posted by MichelleWie

Treehugger.com! Lol!!

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lololol alloutwhore amirite??!?!

This is quite a depressing news item

Attachment 40773

I mean, I really though, being a god and all :rolleyes: that Obama could go back in time.

nothing new here, but:

some wackos in Texas want to teach the Garden of Eden in science class

I would hope that even the most religious folks here would see the problem with that

My wife voted straight democrat in the 2012 election - except for the Governor's race. Our democratic guy wasn't strong at all, and she liked Pat McCrory, previously Charlotte mayor, who had done some work on public transit and some seemingly forward-thinking stuff. For a republican - especially in the south - this seemed worthy of a chance.

Well he's been terrible in office, trampling abortion rights, early voting, passing a strict voter ID law, and basically doing the normal 'screw the poor/women/minorities/schoolkids' thing that is making the Republican party so abhorrent today.

Well when he wasn't refusing to expand Medicaid or cutting teacher pay, apparently he was plotting $230,000 in upgrades to the governor's mansion. You know, super necessary stuff, like replacing the fireplaces with gas, and redoing everything in fancy marble.

The article points out that other governors have had expenditures on the mansion, but not while cutting funding for everything, which is especially hypocritical/slimy.

McCrory has been a major disappointment, and while I knew better and opted for the shitty Democrat over the Republican, my wife has had to see the fallout of her decision, and will probably never give a Republican another chance. And she voted for Dubya!

This sort of crap saddens me though, because it could be any politician - setting rules for the populace, and then spending taxpayer money lavishly on themselves. It's made me start looking into the governor's mansion laws, and if quotes are required, how approval is obtained, etc. There are so many ways we as a people should be keeping track of our elected officials and making sure they never step one bit out of line...but we don't, cause we're busy or apathetic or just expect terrible behavior by now. I think, instead of the stupid laws on the books about sodomy and making women go to 7 doctors and 6 counselors over a 4 week span when they seek out an abortion, we should have laws that restrict our elected officials from spending money without good reason, or redrawing districts to benefit their party, or making political decisions that hurt the people of their state.

Oh man you mean a person affiliated with the two major parties partakes in reprehensible behavior? Pardon me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.

Yet another reason behind Colony Collapse Disorder - insight into how we are killing the bee population so fast that it threatens our food supply in the near future.

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Quartz notes, "Bee populations are so low in the US that it now takes 60% of the country’s surviving colonies just to pollinate one California crop, almonds. And that’s not just a west coast problem—California supplies 80% of the world’s almonds, a market worth $4 billion."

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Originally Posted by Alloutwar

insight into how we are killing the bee population so fast that it threatens our food supply in the near future.

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Silly liberal, we don't eat bees

Attachment 40782Attachment 40783

Do you take supplements? Trying to solve some issues without prescription medication, or just improve your body's health? Well, you may be spending your hard earned money on crap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/sc...they-seem.html

A study shows that nearly a third of the nutritional supplements studied with new DNA testing contain none of the product indicated. St John's Wort, Ginko Biloba, etc - nope, not in the bottle. You'll find filler, rice, wheat, and other crap, but none of what you think you are buying.

About 60% of the products contained something not indicated on the label - often something that could cause allergic reaction (black walnut, ragweed, etc).

Why aren't these products more heavily scrutinized or regulated? Thank senator Orrin Hatch for his 1994 legislation, and his proud, staunch defense of the supplement industry since.

Is this a liberties issue? Do companies have the right to make crap and sell it to us as if it were a supplement to help us remember, lose weight, sleep, etc?

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Originally Posted by Alloutwar

Do you take supplements? Trying to solve some issues without prescription medication, or just improve your body's health? Well, you may be spending your hard earned money on crap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/sc...they-seem.html

A study shows that nearly a third of the nutritional supplements studied with new DNA testing contain none of the product indicated. St John's Wort, Ginko Biloba, etc - nope, not in the bottle. You'll find filler, rice, wheat, and other crap, but none of what you think you are buying.

About 60% of the products contained something not indicated on the label - often something that could cause allergic reaction (black walnut, ragweed, etc).

Why aren't these products more heavily scrutinized or regulated? Thank senator Orrin Hatch for his 1994 legislation, and his proud, staunch defense of the supplement industry since.

Is this a liberties issue? Do companies have the right to make crap and sell it to us as if it were a supplement to help us remember, lose weight, sleep, etc?

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where did you get the 60%? The article states that of 44 reviewed, one-third of them did not have what was indicated on the label. Did I miss it?

One-third did not have the main item on the label at all. 60% had filler, or something else not indicated on the label - posing a serious health or allergy risk. Some of those had the original item - and just a ton of other crap not listed.

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Many were adulterated with ingredients not listed on the label, like rice, soybean and wheat, which are used as fillers.

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the video at the 2min to 2:30 mark mentions this - 1/3rd had none of the product, 60% were 'adulterated' with unlabelled items. Obviously there's some crossover between the two.

So the results are like
<= 40% were 100% right
60% were adulterated in some way
~33% had none of the named/marketed item at all

Pretty scary if you are considering buying those supplements, or currently take them