HelenM

Sorry, no, I don't understand the point you are making

Is it that you invited some non-Christians and they turned you down? That is their right - no-one has to accept an invitation if they don't want to. And if you said on the invite "put up or shut up", then if they didn't want to "put up or shut up" then it was better that they declined to come than had they come and not "put up or shut up" which would have been rude of them, as guests in your home.

Helen

hope's daughter

No Helen maybe what my words are trying to convey is not coming through. No I would cook dinner for them because I truly love these people and would want to serve them, despite how they actually treated me on this website. Of course let's say I am a weirdo (they know me though) there is a way to be respectful and decline such an invitation but to me they took too much pleasure in declining. Remember the parable about the banquet and people were invited and they turned theior noses up. Well then people were invited from the streets...in other words there were others to take the original people who had been invited. Well helen in this case I invited them and I am not going to scour websites for any more. It was a special invitation to grace my home. Period. This was the respect I wished to give despite their undeserving selves.

p.s. the invitation was over the internet and I meant it.

HelenM

hd, some people have been unkind to me and I have struggled with that, but I chose to let go of it rather than let my happiness be held hostage to them. If I were to keep thinking about it, then each time I would be letting them hurt me over and over again.

Anyway, the Bible says if we don't forgive others God won't forgive us.

But even if it didn't say that I think those people who have chosen to let go, would be saying it, because they understand how much more freedom they have that way, compared with when they carried the anger around with them all the time.

Forgiving doesn't mean pretending what happened was ok, or didn't happen. It's more about moving on and letting go so that you can be free.

Helen

hope's daughter

[QUOTE]Originally posted by HelenM
Actually Helen I do not let it worry me. I actually extended to them agian the invitation just today. It is up to them. Heck I make good fried chicken and remember those firemen and cops I spoke of when I came on here. It was true make them cookies every year. This year will be no different at Christmas time. I think my husband always thinks I am nuts because when someone hurts me, I expose myself more to being kind and giving. It is so true that people can't resist love.

Well I brought it up because not only did I extend to these people the invitation again but I value your opinion and wondered if you thought it was weird that I would even do this over the internet. I mean some would not and shun such an action.

My goodness Helen I am not angry about it at all JC um.. I mean these people actually are good people underneath their calloused hearts. Some have children like B. Their kids would get a kick out of seeing my hampsters and I would have a riot showing these guys to them.

Helen in a way I was quite honored because I was invited even though I did not take the person up on it to another site. It was one of those mean people I speak of. But no mind. Things always work out the way God wants them to.

Sincerely,
Hope's daughter

HelenM

But - with all due respect - I don't think you can have completely let go of it because you mention it quite a bit.

I don't think it's necessarily weird but I probably wouldn't invite people to my house that I knew only through the Internet. Like I said I'd rather meet them on 'neutral' territory. I guess there might be one or two exceptions, but my husband probably wouldn't want people here I'd only talked to on the Internet, unless I'd also met them.

That would be fun

But as I said, if you write about it, it's still with you.

See, there you are again, mentioning it...

But you did mention it.

Hmmm...but even God doesn't lead a pain-free existence, according to the Bible.

Gen6:6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain

Anyway, how's your job going? Well, I hope

Helen

hope's daughter

Helen,

Can't you lie to me just once? Your post had me laughing my head off. Yes I mention it quite a bit. Let me know if I mention it again...maybe I have not got it out of my system yet? Ya'd think after how long? This is 2003. It was in 2001 I went onto that website. It was a fun website Helen. Don't want to paint it like it was all gloom and doom. Thanks for asking about my job. I work tomorrow. I am only working 20 hours a week. I might get another job. We will see how it goes.

HelenM

I guess I could but I thought I was supposed to speak the truth in love!

The things that happened to me were 3 years ago, so, no, 2 years ago does not seem that long ago to me.

Ok...but it's in the past now, right? They banned you permanently? So...move on; forget about them. If they won't have you, that's their problem...let it be theirs and not yours.

I'm glad your job is going well

Helen

hope's daughter

Helen, thanks. You know when I came here I felt very welcomed and this is a secular website. Everyone I have come across knows I am a Christian and so far I have no complaints whatsoever. Of course King Rat here could change that in a heart beat.

Truly Helen I like conversing with you. I think you are one of the best assets of Internet Infidels.

Sincerely,
hope's daughter

mongrel

No worries. It's been a tiring day, and I feel like a refreshing dip...

You made a blanket statement about atheists- seemingly all atheists- not about individuals who's words you had read.

No argument here.

Here is the problem, as I see it. You claim christ is not a myth, but what evidence do we have to substantiate that claim? Perhaps if we are to believe unsubtantiated claims, we should all become raelians, or something?

No, I don't pray. Why would I pray to a being I don't think exists?

I was raised to make up my own mind on this and every other subject. The choice I made wasn't a popular one in my family(when I was around 12-13 years old), but it was respected. It had nothing to do with any institution I've ever been involved in. If anything, they encouraged a belief in xianity, so I was going against the grain a bit. I've seen no reason to change my opinions on religion since.

No, I'm the type who dismisses extraordinary claims, which don't have any credible evidence to back them up.

Can you also see the similarity between what you claim, and what John and Mary claim? There's no real difference, from what I can see.

You're quite correct- I would have a hard time proving you exist. For starters, it appears we live on opposite sides of the planet, and I don't have the means to travel that far.

But, I stated your existence is provable, not that it is provable by me.

As for a bunch of monkeys typing, I would simply file any claim to that effect in with all other wild unsubtantiated claims. Unless, of course, it could be proven...

Also, and I'll have to check up on this, but I believe the only written account of somebody named Jesus who was supposedly a messiah(as is the meaning of the word christ) from around that time and place, were second- or third-hand accounts re-written by someone who also claimed(in some of his other writings) that(paraphrasing) it is ok to lie to further the interests of the church. Let me see if I can find that again.

That may be so. But I was talking about the people who post on these boards. Many here have a very high degree of knowledge(I'm not including myself in this group, either) of scipture, and have dismissed it as myth.

HelenM

I'm glad you felt welcomed. Me too.
Everyone I have come across knows I am a Christian and so far I have no complaints whatsoever. [/b][/quote]

There is strong opposition to theism (including Christianity) here but many posters here aren't opposed to theists (or Christians) per se.

Some posters will take on your beliefs and argue them with you; others won't.

Thanks

I think I understand some of what you've been through - I know how hard it is and my heart goes out to you. You sound a bit happier now than when you registered and I'm glad to hear that.

Helen