The Top 40

"In other words, we reduce history to a kind of line, when it is more like a rolling catastrophe (as in catastrophe theory) in hyperdimensional phase space. "

Yep... pretty much.

Golly, his thinking is small in this quote. Now, I'd better go read the whole essay.

"The greatest and most important questions of our lives are those that reach out beyond the materialistic, beyond the things we can know, and search in the infinite for the things beyond our knowledge.

"The answer to these great questions can only be found in Faith. We learn that a trustful faith is greater than knowledge. Without faith in a Supreme Beneficent Power, without faith in a resurrection after death to a glorious life eternal, the suffering and trials of this life would be unbearable.

"But our faith is real. It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We walk by faith, not by sight.

"Seek ye to know that which is true and, having found it, hide it close in thine heart and make it thine own, and all these others, fidelity, constancy, loyalty, faith and love shall be added to it."

Very nice quotes Chas.

Where are they from?

The Bible 9New Testament) is a compilation of oral histories, letters, some reported eye witnesses but mostly accumulated stories and tales that were put to paper some 70 years after the passing of Christ.

How much is true, how much is relegated to faulty memory and bad translations of writings from a language that changed over time.

It doesn't make the Book bad, but it cannot be taken literally. And there are several different versions among the Douay and the King James plus the many Baptist Sects, not to forget the Eastern Orthodox branches of Christianity.

John Condon: The Order of the Eastern Star is part of the Masonic family. You know, the Shriners, Scottish Rite Masons, and Freemasons. I am a Freemason and a member of the Eastern Star.

There have been allusions that Freemasons are devil worshippers and some mention of the One World Government cabal including GM, the Catholic Church, The Mafia, so forth. The order is somewhat secretive, with passwords and secret handshakes, but then so are the Elks and the Mystic Knights of the Sea. Harmless, only conferring a bit of exclusivity to members. Any of the "secret work" can be found online.

Each body has written rituals which are used to convey morals, spirituality (just a belief in God, no specific denomination) and present a better way of life through good conduct to a candidate desiring membership. All meetings take place in lodge halls with an open Holy Bible.
It is from some of this ritual that I quoted passages.

The Order of the Eastern Star is a Masonic appendant body open to both men and women. It was established in 1850 by lawyer and educator Rob Morris, a noted Freemason. The order is based on teachings from the Bible but is open to people of all religious beliefs. It has approximately 10,000 chapters in twenty countries and approximately 500,000 members under its General Grand Chapter.

Yeah VW, I overlooked your comment first time through.

Read the Bible for the spirit of the words, not the letter of them.

Yes, the Bible would destroy you if it were the word of God, it would be impossible to bear... unless that loving and merciful God veiled his Glory so that you could bear it. Being all-powerful, and stuff.