text:
Are Twice-Yearly Wellness Checks Necessary for My Older Dog?
Published on March 20, 2012
Q. Now that my dog is older, my veterinarian wants him in for "wellness checks" twice a year and wants me to OK blood tests and X-rays. Legit or not?
A. Absolutely legitimate. We all know that preventive care in human medicine saves lives and money. It's the same in veterinary medicine. By catching diseases early — or, better yet, preventing them altogether — your veterinarian can reduce the risk that your pet will suffer and can potentially prolong the life of your pet.
Why Does Wellness Care Matter?
I've been a veterinarian for more than three decades now, long enough to see this coming and to be delighted by the shift in emphasis toward wellness care. I can't tell you — because, sadly, I don't know — how many times I've had to give someone the worst news possible about a pet, knowing that if I'd had a chance to catch and treat a medical issue earlier, I could have saved that dog or cat.
If I can keep your pet's care on the right track — such as by fine-tuning his diet and exercise plans and preventing dental disease — I can help you give your pet additional years of good health. Even better, if I can catch something early on a diagnostic test, such as an enlarged heart on a chest radiograph, I can often treat that problem before it kills your pet.
How Often Should You See The Vet?
While your veterinarian will tailor her suggestions to your individual pet, I believe that the minimum for wellness checks should be an annual veterinary visit for young pets and a twice-yearly visit for seniors. Because pets age at different rates (big dogs age the fastest; cats and small dogs the slowest), exactly when those twice-yearlies begin will depend on the animal. But, again, your veterinarian will advise you on the best course of wellness care for your dog.
If you think about it, twice-yearly exams make sense because the lifespan of a pet is sadly much shorter than ours, so more frequent wellness checks will catch changes more quickly, giving your veterinarian time to treat problems promptly.
What Will The Vet Look For at These Visits?
These wellness visits should include a thorough nose-to-toes physical examination, including a dental check. I also believe in the value of diagnostics. Simple blood, urine and fecal tests are usually enough for younger animals, but older pets may also need radiographs of the chest and possibly an ultrasound and a blood pressure test. With all this information in hand, your veterinarian will be able to suggest changes and treatments that will address any health problems now; more important, these tests also provide a baseline to which future diagnostics are compared.
I always tell people that the best money spent at the doctor's office is on preventive care. That's true for me and true for you — and it's true for our pets, too.


text:
The closing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant at the end of next year will leave the state with an $11 million dollar gap in tax revenues.
But some politicians – including Gov. Peter Shumlin – suggest Yankee should continue to pay the state. They're talking about a fee or tax on the storage of high level nuclear waste in Vermont.
The revenue shortfall will arise because when Entergy Vermont Yankee stops producing electricity, it also will stop paying the state's generation tax.
In a recent interview on VPR's Vermont Edition, Shumlin suggested there's another source of money from Vermont's only nuclear power plant.
"Obviously we know the generation tax is going to end whenever Entergy stops generating," he said. "But I would not suggest that's the end of Vermont's revenue needs, when in fact I believe we deserves compensation for obviously storing high level nuclear waste as long as it's going to sit on the banks of the Connecticut River, which I don't believe is the best place to keep it."
Entergy stores the waste both in steel and concrete casks and in a spent fuel pool in the reactor building. The waste will be there for the indefinite future, because there's yet no national nuclear waste repository.
Shumlin said he wasn't looking to replace all the revenues that will be lost from the generation tax. But he reiterated that he's thinking of asking Entergy to pay for the privilege of storing its waste in Vermont.
"The question for us as a policymakers now is, is there an appropriate compensation to Vermonters for storing high level nuclear waste here that we weren't promised?" he said. "And that's something we will be looking at."
Some lawmakers, however, seem gun shy about a new tax. Senate President John Campbell, D-Windsor, said he's concerned about new legal challenges from Entergy. The company has successfully sued to overturn two state laws that would have forced the plant to close.
"While I certainly do not care to have those nuclear wastes sitting there on our shores, I am not sure if we have the actual authority to implement a tax of that nature," he said.
But Campbell said he wants to see if Entergy has continuing tax liabilities after Yankee stops generating
"I see Vermont Yankee as being no different than, let's say the Acme Tool and Die Corporation, that if they close their doors (and) if there is something that is still occurring that would call for some type of tax liability, then that tax liability will be continued," he said.
Tax legislation has to start first in the House. House Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Janet Ancel, D-Calais, said lawmakers have to first decide whether they need to come up with a new revenue source to replace the generation tax. Ancel said the waste tax idea has been floated in the past.
"It's too early to know whether that's the place to look. But … if we decide to replace the revenue, we decide what the figure is, I expect that would be one of the things that we would consider," she said.
Entergy hasn't said yet when it will close the plant, so Ancel said it's unclear when the full impact will be felt on the state's revenues.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.
Abbottabad, Pakistan became world famous in 2011. Osama bin Laden was killed at his hiding place there. Now, the city plans an image makeover. It plans a family-friendly amusement park. The Hazara Heritage Park and Amusement City will include restaurants, mini golf, a butterfly zoo and a lake. A lawmaker tells the Guardian newspapers the park should reassure the world the city is not full of militants and is safe.
It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text: I remember Fred was every where back in the early and mid 90's. You couldn't open a paintball magazine with out seeing him. He even had a signature series tank from air america. He was also the MC for the Amatuer Open players party for a few years. I think it was in 97 he just didn't show up to MC. He was there at the tournament but he was a no show for the players party and after that Fred just disappeared.


text:
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Interview with Robert Spencer
53 comments:
- thegrandverbalizer19 said...
For those who are really interested in seeing a good debate and let's hope that Jay Smith is an inspiration to many of you. Why not post the recent debate/dialouge between Shabir Ally and John Gilchrist? Is it because Gilchrist actually tries to eveangelize? Is it because Gilchrist shows a peaceful side of Christianity that's not angry bitter and internally agitated to the extreme?
Is is that Muslims are not allowed to see a well poised, calm, rational Christian give his points in a way that is not angry bitter and agitated?
Is it because we would rather not have Shabir Ally who comes off as polished, poised, well prepared, calm and able to answer questions being shown to the audience that visits this web site?
Well in the end I guess it doesn't really matter does it? - November 18, 2009 at 4:29 PM
- Michelle Qureshi said...
Grand Verbalizer--
Are you saying none of our debates are "poised, calm, and rational?"
Or are you saying that all the Muslims we debated are not "polished, poised, well prepared, or calm?"
Just wondering who exactly you're attacking in the name of poise and rationality. - November 18, 2009 at 4:46 PM
- David Wood said...
We know you're a Muslim pretending to be a Christian. If you want to practice Taqiyya, do it somewhere else (or at least make it more difficult to investigate your claims about your beliefs). - November 18, 2009 at 6:00 PM
- minoria said...
I do not see anything wrong with what Robert Spencer says,grandverbalizer.Have you seen the movie 2012?
Notice in the film ST.PETER's CHURCH falls crumbling to the ground with people in it on Dec 21,2012.Also the gigantic statue of JESUS on CORCOVADO hill in RIO DE JANEIRO crumbles to pieces.Hmmm.
The DIRECTOR HIMSELF of the movie said he originally intended to have the KAABA in MECCA also crumble in the movie.Then he decided not to because he was afraid a Muslim would kill him.Hmmm.
That shows the Islamification of the West,fear of reprisals by Muslims,it is not complete but it is there.Now would the majority of Muslims agree with the freedom of speech right of the film director to show the Kaaba being destroyed or would they be for jailing him for "Islamophobia","incitement to hatred","hurting their religious feelings."?I think they would be for throwing him in jail. - November 18, 2009 at 7:43 PM
- Bryant said...
I keep hearing Christians say all the time that radical Muslims like Barack Obama. I'm wondering if this is true though because every time I hear radical Muslims speak, they seem to either insult or condemn Obama.
Al-zawahiri, revolution Muslim, Sami Zaatari, etc. have all condemned Obama.
Despite Obama's attempts to reconcile the middle east with the west, I think the vast majority of Muslims consider him a traitor.
Just my thoughts. - November 18, 2009 at 10:32 PM
- WomanForTruth101 said...
It becomes clearer to me everday how the laughable Robert Spencer is loved by christians.
30+ years of studying islam, nothing for 23. Absolutely nothing.
Funny how his 6-7 claims seem to be direct copy and pastings from the serval sites targeting us.
Of course, all christians tell the "truths" about Islam. Which is why we should ditch scholors who actually study and know a thing or two.
Christianity=Speaking for Islam
I'd love to see how christians would react when a scientist speaks for them. - November 19, 2009 at 2:09 AM
- Brianman said...
You're not a good scholar if you don't assess, analyse and understand the Islamic teachings, but rather quote things out of context and make them absolute statements.
I was analysing trinitarian arguments for a long time, they are all weak.
The last thing I was counting on for the trinity was john 1:1...even that one let me down...By Biblical unitarian christians. Has anyone got a response to this article made by biblical unitarian, or do you have your view, and they have theirs, both are fully established, so it is up to the "truth searcher" to choose? - November 19, 2009 at 4:25 AM
- Brianman said...
I guess that is who I am right now, a unitarian christian who does not believe in the blood atonement of Jesus and the resurrection.
- November 19, 2009 at 4:25 AM
- Brianman said...
Don't abuse me, or throw patronising comments at me. The people (not scholars in my view) who post on this site (the trinitarians) write with hostility, then they write something like "dear brother" and "May God bless you" after patronising me. It just makes no sense whatsoever. This is not how Jesus would act.
Jesus would not allow someone to laugh about someone elses religion like the man in the video who is not what I personally call a scholar. - November 19, 2009 at 4:29 AM
- Nakdimon said...
My guess why the debate between Gilchrist and Ally is not posted is because Gilchrist let Ally get away with all kinds of distortions of Islamic sources to make Islam seem peaceful. Shabir knows full well that the battle of Bard wasn't an attack by the Meccans, but nonetheless he twisted it into making it an attack on the Muslims. It was the other way around. Shabir knows that the Meccans didn't break the treaty of Hudaybiya, but that the Muslims broke it, yet he twisted the story in order to make the Meccans look like the aggressors. Shabir knows that the wars of Muhammad weren't defensive but that they were overwhelmingly offensive, but he twists the stories to make it look as though the Muslims were the victim of the attacks of the pagans.
Now I expected this of Shabir Ally. I really did. Because that is what Muslims always do. They are revisionists. Everything that is historically true they claim to be a lie and everything that Muhammad did that was morally bad they make morally good. But I can't come to grips with Gilchrist's pacifistic attitude in allowing to let Ally make those fundamental distortions of Islamic historical sources and his failure to challenge Shabir on anything he said.
It was not a good debate. It was a debate where one side (Shabir) twisted it's sources to look good and the other side (Gilchrist) failed to correct the distorted accounts of his opponent. Not to mention Gilchrist's complete negligence in highlighting the teachings of the New Testament to contrast it with the violence in the history of our faith which he mentioned in his presentation. Having read reviews of Gilchrist's debate with Deedat decades ago and having listened to his debate with Buchus, I expected more from him in the debate with Ally. It is as if Gilchrist has given up the good fight.
Nakidmon - November 19, 2009 at 5:21 AM
- Fernando said...
Hi thegrandverbalizer19... How are you? When will you start to show your're a «well poised, calm, rational» muslim thate knows whate he's speaking aboutt? so far you did no such thing...
Perhaps, iff you allow me to quotte your supposed prophet, you have a head thate «looks like a raisin» (Sahih Bukhari 9:89:256)... see how easy is to say and do the same things you muslims are obliged to say and do? Perhaps the main point is thate muslims habe a different meaning aboutt whate it means being «well poised, calm, rational»... I woulde say these woulde be "insulting, menacing, threatening, lying, killing, and so on"...
Oh... just for a thought... Although I'm not an Afro-AMerican (whenwill we see people calling themselfes Euro-American or Ocean-American?...) I'm, white a great humble pride in it, eben darker than you...
May God, the Only true God, the God off the Bible, the Holy Trinity, bless you and your familie... - November 19, 2009 at 6:04 AM
- sam said...
first of all Obama is a muslim and second hes trying to keep peace around the world and if he turns against the american people u will c riots and wut not in the country. so hes some wut doing wut the american people want. im not a political person but obama is a snake. he doesnt knw his stuff. ya hes agood guy and all but thats just a face america wants to c. nobody likes to hear or see the truth. i think obama is a good guy but i dont like his political views sepecially the worldly issues. - November 19, 2009 at 7:36 AM
- IslamSINS said...
thegrandverbalizer19 isn't quite so grand, is he? Stringing words together that result in stupidity might impress his ummah, but we all know Muslims use a different standard for assessing everything on the planet.
An "allah" who thinks sperm becomes a blood clot, the sun sets in a mud puddle, etc., is "all knowing". I won't even address allah's apparent dementia, nor question which Koran he keeps on his nightstand, nor why he turns sin into sunnah, accepting all filth as acts of worship.
TGV, no matter you oil your way with a proper subject and predicate, you obviously, being Muhammadan, cannot "see" anything.
This site is host to many poised, calm, rational Christian debates. What we non-Muhammadans are looking for is a Muslim with a brain. Oh, wait, allah's slaves who find their brains are called, "apostates".
In case you haven't noticed, TGV, Shabir isn't a bit prepared to defend your feculent Koran; he can only question true Holy Scripture, but I see it doesn't take much for you to be impressed with a Muhammadan who doesn't resort to threats and name-calling. You haven't even noticed that he can't/won't try to defend the "many discrepancies" in your book.
I think you're more "grunt" than "grand". Maybe you should offer your blather to a Muslim audience. If they're impressed with Naik, they'll be impressed with anything. - November 19, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- Apollos26 said...
It is very good to see that many christian brothers standing up and confronting the false and unsustainable claims of islam.
I think every country should have some apologists who aren't afraid of telling the truth.
How many persons who are born into islam, really know what islam is all about? I know so many that never have heard of the "satanic verses", never heard of the hadith where killing of apostates is ordered, or the drinking of camel urin etc.
The more I get to know islam, the more it makes me wonder and sad how people can believe in those things.
I think this heretic believesystem doesn't allow intelligent thoughts or thinking in general. Had many discussions with muslims attacking christianity and they come forth with the most stupid arguments I have ever heard. Not even atheists come up with such made up misinterpretations and taking verses out of context.
We christians always have to realize, that WE are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
God bless and helps us to live this. - November 19, 2009 at 12:42 PM
- Sunil said...
>> That shows the Islamification of the West,fear of reprisals by Muslims,it is not complete but it is there.Now would the majority of Muslims agree with the freedom of speech right of the film director to show the Kaaba being destroyed or would they be for jailing him for "Islamophobia","incitement to hatred","hurting their religious feelings."?I think they would be for throwing him in jail.
I am not sure, if we as Christians need to worry too much about the political aspects like Isamization, loss of freedom of speech etc. Of course we can talk about what is right/wrong in politics, the importance of freedom of speech etc. But I am not sure, if that is the most important/significant part which is addressed in engagement with Muslims/Islam. I think our single most important concern has to be spiritual in nature, reaching out to the people for true God/Christ, as led and willed by God.
In Luke 13, we see some people coming to Jesus to tell about a incident about some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices! A very provocative incident. But Jesus did not respond about how to fight against political injustice, freedom etc. Instead, he said – 'unless you repent, you too will all perish'. In other words, the focus is on matters that are spiritual and not political. (One of the reasons I am not a big fan of Robert Spenser is his focus on the political rather than spiritual). The ministry for Christ is not to fight to save our freedom of speech/religion etc. Many Christians have lived under very oppressive conditions and we also can live if called upon by God to do so (like, if God allows a Islamist takeover, like how God allowed Assyrians/Babylonians to takeover Jews). Again, I am not saying that political aspect is not important, but the primary concern has to be spiritual as followers of Jesus. If not, we end up doing the same mistake that some Jews of Jesus' time did by rejecting Jesus, as they were expecting a political Messiah. They could not digest/understand that the ultimate kingdom of God is not of this world.
I would like to know what other posters think about this. - November 19, 2009 at 12:52 PM
- Fernando said...
Womenfortruth (or Ali) saide: «I'd love to see how christians would react when a scientist speaks for them»...
so whate? would thate be a problem? Iff he got his things correct from true and consubstanciated Christian sources why should anyone be impeded to talk aboutt anything? Why are you so afraide off someone who only speaks from true and consubstanciated islamic sources?
That's not, nontheless, the case of islam tahte from its start started sayieng, withoute any real knowledge off whate is Christianity, aboutt Christian faithe...
Shame on you Womenfortruth (or Ali)... the lie, hipocrisy and inconstancy that is deeply rroted in islam is getting rooted in you... - November 19, 2009 at 1:19 PM
- Fernando said...
Brainman = t_a_s = ashraf (tahte is now a Jehowas Witness) saide: «Jesus would not allow someone to laugh about someone elses religion»...
well, tahts the evidence off your totallky lack off knowlege off the Holy Bible... false religions thate distorte willingly the true one do deserv being laughed at... nott the person who folloow them, butt the intself...
may God, the Holy Trinity, bless you and your familie... - November 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM
- Fernando said...
I made a mistake thate could make my statement seem not understandeble...
I saide: «I'm, white a great humble pride in it, eben darker than you...»
I meant, obviouslie: «I'm, withe a great humble pride in it, eben darker than you...» - November 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
- ubiquitouserendipity said...
david and/or nabeel,,, please capture this video:
G_d bless you. Peace, in His love, papajoe - November 19, 2009 at 2:24 PM
- Unknown said...
They like him for playing in their hands, but he is, of course, still their enemy.
"I guess that is who I am right now, a unitarian christian who does not believe in the blood atonement of Jesus and the resurrection."
It seems to me that you are no christian then. - November 19, 2009 at 3:52 PM
- GreekAsianPanda said...
Fernando, exactly how are you making all these connections between people, like Brianman, t_a_s, and ashraf being the same person? Just wondering....
- November 19, 2009 at 4:27 PM
- Fernando said...
Hi brother Sunil...
I understand whate you mean. Nontheless I do think thate proclaiming God (a spiritual realitty) is inseperable from helpping Him creatting and recreating a society where love/charity can exist, and I think you woulde agree thate true love onlie can existe where there's true freedom and true dignity in all off its aspects... its not a "or"/"or" situation, rather a "and"/"and" situation...
Christianity is not an des-incarnated religion likke some branches off budahism, neither an political ideologyy likke islam (and thate must be denounced politequely so others tahte are non religious persons can grasp this realitty), butt standes in a dinamic equilibrium in being spiritual, and, as God Himself (thate gave His Son so He coulde save it), loving this World...
yes, tahts true thate Christians can existe under harsh conditions, butt I, as a Christian, do not only want freedom and dignity for Christians butt for all persons... muslims included: thates why I do point the lack off coherence in muslims arguments... anounce and denounce...
May God bless you and your familie... - November 19, 2009 at 4:49 PM
- sam said...
im sorry but my stomach cant take peoples head being cut off. and i cant stand these muslims and there sick act cause of their religion. if i was in the army. i wud be in the special task force especially for taking out these radical muslims terrorists people like osama bin laden and these mullahs who teach and preach this hatred. my stomach turns when i c something gorey and sick. islam with NEVER conquer this world.
- November 19, 2009 at 4:57 PM
- Fernando said...
Hi GreekAsianPanda...
brianman is t_a_s as himself acknowledged... aboutte brianman being ashraf, just four hints:
#1: I was debatting brianman aboutte an natural example for the Trinity in a long last thread (more than a month ago) and ashraf gave the answer insted off brianman... coincidence thate he appeared there , in thate long lost thread, out off nowhere?
#2: ashraf is blocked and who does appear? brianman...
#3: habe you noticed thate all off us habe some peculliar way off writting? Brother minoria, for instance, do not place "space" after a final point (for example: «the qur'an do not say thate.The Bible does»)... others habe other peculliara spects, and iff you take notice ashraf and brianman do not place "space" after three points (for example, and from one off brianman's texts in this thread: «john 1:1...even»);
#4: (this one is secrett)...
butt I can bee wrongue... I ounce identified Yahya Seymour as being Ibn...
God bless... - November 19, 2009 at 4:59 PM
- WomanForTruth101 said...
Yes it would Fernando christians always get upset when the word "Darwin" appears.
Isn't that Darwin movie, i dont know if it's out yet, being a concern to Christians? I read an article how some church leaders didn't want that to be played in America.
Sorry Bryant, but Christians here are well educated, they know on judgement day their deeds will come directly from this blog.
I'd hate to see any god, that approves what Christians love to do.
Nakdimon, the Quresh tribe was very violent to the Muslims. Their leader humiliated and critisized any convert to islam (some sources say even tortured or killed). Meccan's had a habit of attacking muslims. I dont think who started the war matters, since the Quresh were a major threat.
And Fernando, my name's Amy, not Ali. - November 19, 2009 at 6:53 PM
- Bryant said...
Make no mistake. I am a Christian, and I approve of everything Robert Spencer had to say in his video.
I'm just not sure that Obama is the Muslim enemy we paint him to be. I think radical Muslims are afraid that he will make the west more attractive to moderate Muslims. The same moderate Muslims that Al-Qaeda and Revolution Muslim are trying to recruit. - November 19, 2009 at 8:18 PM
- Letitia (The Damsel) said...
thegrandverbalizer said:
Is is that Muslims are not allowed to see a well poised, calm, rational Christian give his points in a way that is not angry bitter and agitated?
Well, in this I think you have spoken truly. If it were not for the internet, then no Muslim would be allowed to see any Christian speak at all against the beliefs and doctrines of Islam. There is no such thing as freedom of speech in Sharia law, especially for the non-Muslim. Isn't that right?
Sunil said:
The ministry for Christ is not to fight to save our freedom of speech/religion etc. Many Christians have lived under very oppressive conditions and we also can live if called upon by God to do so (like, if God allows a Islamist takeover, like how God allowed Assyrians/Babylonians to takeover Jews). Again, I am not saying that political aspect is not important, but the primary concern has to be spiritual as followers of Jesus. If not, we end up doing the same mistake that some Jews of Jesus' time did by rejecting Jesus, as they were expecting a political Messiah. They could not digest/understand that the ultimate kingdom of God is not of this world.
I would like to know what other posters think about this.
Sunil, you raise a good point about the nature of the relationship between the spiritual mission and the earthly mission of the Christian in this world. I think the short answer is the both/and. We have the kingdom of God within us AND we are to exhibit the grace and justice of that kingdom on earth wherever we are. For some who are burdened and called for political action, such is needed (as in the case of Rifqa Bary). Thank God Rifqa lives here in the US where help is possible--it is a blessing absent in countries of persecution, as you have mentioned yourself.
I believe the kingdom of God should be evident in all aspects of life, not just the spiritual. Christians take their cues from James 2, where the injustice of personal favortism is considered a sin. This teaching naturally extends itself outward to injustices experienced by our neighbors at the hands of other people. It's a matter of consistency. - November 19, 2009 at 9:36 PM
- minoria said...
I do not really think Obama is a Christian according to the NT definition.I mean,let's get real,he was going to a RACIST church for 20 years,where the white man is the devil,and he never left.It seems Obama has never heard of the Golden Rule by Jesus in MATT 7:12.I think if I asked him a few simple questions about the NT he would not be able to answer them.
What non-Muslims have to learn quickly is that most Muslims approve of Islamic-Sharia Law and that that law violates human rights.You don't have to be a genius to see it.It can not be denied.
Now if Womanfortruth and Ali and the other Muslim people want that for their own people,then so be it.But I have noticed Muslim clerics TRY to CONVINCE non-Muslims Islamic law is COMPATIBLE with the West,human rights as in the 1947 UN Declaration,modernity.
It is not.It is THAT that ROBERT SPENCER points out.For example:
CUT OFF HANDS OF THIEVES(male and female)
It is in the Koran.A good Muslim can not say "throw it away."
It is also in the Koran
SURAS 23:5 and 70:29-30 say a man has to "guard his private parts/chastity" except for his WIVES and "the ones your right hand possess"(female slaves).
Notice we have 2 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.And the slave is NOT a wife yet he can still sleep with her.And there is NO limit,technically speaking.There is for the number of WIVES (sura 4:3)of up to 4,but not for slave girls. - November 20, 2009 at 12:04 AM
- minoria said...
Now some Muslims point to 4:3 and 4:24 as proof that a Muslim has to MARRY a slave girl before he can sleep with her.
SURA 4:3 just says to marry only 1 woman if he can not treat 4,3,2 women fairly,or " a slave girl".At the most it says to marry a slave girl to count as your ONE WIFE,but remember 23:5/70:29-30 also CLEARLY authorizes a man to sleep with women who are NOT his wives,as long as they are his slaves.
In other words, 4:3 can be easily reconciled with 23:5/70:29-30.
It says a Muslim can NOT marry MARRIED women EXCEPT if the MARRIED WOMAN is a slave girl.A strange law,but again,he can NOT surpass 4 wives and again it can easily be reconciled with 23:5/70:29-30.
Now a Western feminist who is really honest about feminism would have to condemn the religion itself,for 100 lashes for adultery and other things.But you read them and their comments about Islam and you are shocked by their lack of intelligence in making claims about a religion which they have NOT really analyzed.They are supposed to be intelligent and they are not.
Again,if a Muslim person wishes to accept it,then so be it,but to say "Islam treats women BETTER than any other religion" is incorrect and Robert Spencer points it out. - November 20, 2009 at 12:21 AM
- minoria said...
Now it is important for non-Muslims to know about these strange doctrines-ideas that are in the Koran,not to ridicule Muslims,but because it is the reality of things.Or take:
Where we have TAKIYA.It says not to deny Allah "EXCEPT under COMPULSION","or if you are FORCED".
What is compulsion?Under WHAT circumstances are you being forced?SUNNI Muslims say it is when your LIFE is in DANGER,you can be KILLED.
It is too general.I believe many Muslim clerics see the obvious and that compulsion can mean other things than danger to one's life.The way they HIDE parts of the Koran in their presentation to Westerners(like saying it treats women the best and hiding about sex slaves)shows they practice 16:106.
Or when a MUSLIM says the Koran forbids suicide(sura 2:195,true) so the suicide bombers are anti-Islam,yet does NOT say 9:111 says if you kill for Allah or are killed fighting for him you go to heaven,and that it is even found "in the TORAH and GOSPEL".That is hiding info and is takiya.And the journalists who never investigate and check the accuracy. - November 20, 2009 at 12:38 AM
- minoria said...
"Be as INNOCENT as DOVES and as SLY as SEPENTS"(translated:be GOOD but do not be STUPID)
That is why we non-Muslims have to really find out about Islam,not to ridicule the Muslims but to know reality.
A last example.Sometimes a Muslim points to SURA 8:61:"If the ENEMY inclines to PEACE,then incline to PEACE and trust in God."
Noble words.But it would be CONDITIONAL because we have SURA 47:35:
"Do NOT be LAZY and CRY for PEACE when YOU have the ADVANTAGE and God is with you and he will not bring your deeds to nothing."
So if the Muslim is WEAK,he can be peaceful with the non-Muslim but what if he is strong,like in Egypt,Lebanon,Pakistan,Iran?
Again,non-Muslims in Europe who live in PREDOMINANTLY Muslim areas all say they are not free to speak out as they wish and there are many fanatics in the population who are violent if they say negative things about Islam. - November 20, 2009 at 12:53 AM
- Nakdimon said...
Womenfortruth: Nakdimon, the Quresh tribe was very violent to the Muslims. Their leader humiliated and critisized any convert to islam (some sources say even tortured or killed). Meccan's had a habit of attacking muslims. I dont think who started the war matters, since the Quresh were a major threat.
Amy, you are again saying things that are contrary to your sources. Your sources say that the Meccans didn't mind Muhammad's preaching as long as he didn't attack their gods, their forefathers and their traditions. But Muhammad kept doing just that. It was Muhammad that promised the Meccans that he would bring them slaughter. It is also reported in your sources that Muhammad's uncle Hamza drew first blood and NOT the Meccans. The Meccans were not a threat, the Muslims were a threat. If the Meccans were such a threat then how come that Muhammad could preach his message for 13 years in Mecca of which a long period was without persecution? Unlike when one preaching against Islam, that would get you killed in a second in an Islamic society. - November 20, 2009 at 3:01 AM
- Fernando said...
WomenforTruth (or Ali... since we habe seen in somme off the latter threads some off you using ythe other supposed name) saide: «Yes it would Fernando christians always get upset when the word "Darwin" appears»...
well, I do not know where you got thate idea... perhaps from a psychological deficiency derived from progecting one's believes into others... perhaps your're a friend off Nuh Ha Mim Keller who saide: «As for claim that man has evolved from a non-human species, this is unbelief (kufr) no matter if we ascribe the process to Allah or to "nature," because it negates the truth of Adam's special creation that Allah has revealed in the Qur'an»...
or, perhaps, from all those muslim countries thate forbadis the teaching off evolutionism in schools...
ohhh... I see, I'm not talking off madrassas where children onlie learn how to recite the qur'an in a language thate they do not understand and do not eben know how to writte theire names or make simple mats (those obviously beliebe in evoluciounism), butt from proper schools...
As for me, a normal Christian, I do nott habe a single problem withe interconecting, on one hand, mie believe in God, the Bible and, in the other one, the scientific evidence thate the material support for the human being (not his soul) derives from an evolution from not-yet-human forms... butt then itt occured an onthological jump when thate support was prepared to become a spiritual being... in this case I do believe in some sort off an anthopic process thate states thate the Universe in witch we leave in, with all its compexity, is intrinsequely structured to developp human beings...
more: we Christians, on the contrary to the muslim obcession to the (false) miracle evidences in teh qur'an (in whitch that The Osama The Great Abdallah is your top exponent... and thate sayes all... bie the way: hi Osama; may God, the Blessed Trinity, bless you...), do nott think thate the Holy Bible is a book off science... our faithe is upon the live, dead and ressurection off Jesus, nott upon the false kwoledge thate muhammad borrowed from pagan sources... hey, the Sun layes down in brown watter; the semen comes from in between the blackbonne and the ribs; the eart as being egg-shapped... buttocks... - November 20, 2009 at 4:24 AM
- Hogan Elijah Hagbard said...
Brian wrote:
I guess that is who I am right now, a unitarian christian who does not believe in the blood atonement of Jesus and the resurrection.
Elijah replies:
You are not a Christian at all. The term Christians was first used of the Christians in Antioch being those who followed Jesus, or followed 'the way' the Christians followed.
To be a Christian you need to follow Jesus and believe in his teaching. His teaching includes his death and resurrection. - November 20, 2009 at 5:36 AM
- Brianman said...
Well actually I confessed that I am t_a_s pretending to be a muslim because there are muslim arguments that I wanted you to answer (because that is my religion of interest, although right now I am more or less a unitarian christian).
I swear on my life, I am not ashraf hahaha
But honestly, please please please give me your best interpretation of john 1:1 and rebuttal to unitarianchristian explanation of john 1:1.
One more, please give me your interpretation of:
Psalms 146:
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
Because Jesus is a 'son of man'. - November 20, 2009 at 5:37 AM
- Fifth Monarchy Man said...
Brian wrote:
I guess that is who I am right now, a unitarian christian who does not believe in the blood atonement of Jesus and the resurrection.
I say:
I'm a Trinitarian Muslim who does not believe that Muhammad is a Prophet or that the Quran is the word of God.
Glad to meet you Brian
peace - November 20, 2009 at 7:15 AM
- Hogan Elijah Hagbard said...
What exactly is the problem you have with John 1: 1, what Unitarian article are you referring to??
However, let me also point out that this thread is about Spencer in connectino with Rifqa not the Trinity.
It is amazing how muslims manage to divert a topic. - November 20, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- Hogan Elijah Hagbard said...
Good one, Fifth Monarcy Man
- November 20, 2009 at 11:18 AM
- aussie christian said...
I was watching a video from the rifqa rally on the 16th and heard a wonderful analogy of what islam is.
Islam is not a religeon, it is a 1 party totalatarium system. Very apt in my humble opinion.
Don't ask questions, just do what we tell you to, if anyone asks, lie or kill them. yep islam completes all the nessessary requirements to be a cult and a fascist system alrighty. Criminalise islam, arrest and deport all clerics and muslims who go against the laws of the land, problem solved.
And to our Muslim "friends" please stick to the topic at hand, instead of constantly throwing in subjects which have nothing to do with the thread. If you have no REAL comments, then close thy mouth, lay thy hands off the keyboard, and sit quietly. the more you bluster and blow, the more you show yourselves to be a waste of space.
And before you jump up and down yelling, islamaphobe, hate writing, etc etc, I am just calling it as I see it. So either be on subject, or be silent.
Peace and Love. - November 20, 2009 at 4:54 PM
- minoria said...
Reflecting on what Sunil said one's interaction with Muslims has to be respectful but also firm.I mean if a Muslim does not want to stay on topic then it should be pointed out.How can I explain myself?One should ask for a yes or no response:
Yes or no,do you believe Islamic law oppresses non-Muslims?
If no,then if I showed you Islamic laws that do,would YOU reject Islamic law?Yes or no?
You see an avoidance of saying yes or no among Muslim clerics in the West.Now if the typical Muslim wants to continue to believe in all that then so be it,but he or she should know non-Muslims are not to be fooled by word-games from their spokesmen.I think there is enough to prove that we have a real "clash of civilizations".It is not a myth and many Muslims have finally realized alot of non-Muslims have noticed it,and know alot about Islam.
How do you DEFEAT an IDEA,asked JOSE MARTI,one of Latin America's greatest writers,and the hero of Cuban Independence.He said:"You DEFAT it with ANOTHER IDEA." - November 20, 2009 at 4:58 PM
- aussie christian said...
Thegrandverbalizer made a comment that it is bad to debate certain islamic appologists, normal statement from islam when said appologist loses debate.
Here is the simple reason Christians debate all muslims who ask for debate.
1. If we do not debate (insert name of muslim), then the catchcry of "this is islams newest greatest debater, because Christians have no answer to them and are running and hiding".
2. We have blown their arguments out the window cause they cant answer (insert name of muslim).
3. If we do not keep answering the same sad arguments over and over, time and again, islam yells, "see they know we have them on the ropes cause they cant answer this simple question".
So no matter how you word your "arguments" we just keep answering the same back, why you ask, because the truth never changes no matter how you change the wording of the same sad incomplete arguments against Jesus Christ.
Also, please keep your "arguments" to doctrine instead of basing Christianity on some persons personality. It is becoming sad.
Peace and Love - November 20, 2009 at 5:11 PM
- Dragostea said...
Brian man...
You keep hearing us talking about Jamies White...he has a good talent at explaining very simply john 1:1, i just watched it some time ago..here is the link about what you asked: A GOOD EXPLANATION OF JOHN 1:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M812Fzv3L3g
hope you'll watch it...
God's blessings be with you... - November 20, 2009 at 8:21 PM
To Brainman:
"I was analysing trinitarian arguments for a long time, they are all weak. ".
"Well actually I confessed that I am t_a_s pretending to be a muslim because there are muslim arguments that I wanted you to answer (because that is my religion of interest, although right now I am more or less a unitarian christian)."
Didn't I showed a clear argument from Qur'an and arabic for Jesus divinity&eternity and I challanged you Brainman which you are a muslim to answer that challange ?
Here's the challange again.
In Surah 4:171 Muhammad is calling Jesus "Kalimatuhu"(Word of Allah). We also know that Kalimatuhu is uncreated therefore eternal=>Jesus is eternal.
More to the matter, let's analize the text from Surah 4:171:
'Alqaa' means "to throw, cast, fling, offer, commit, or convey". This meaning of the physical throwing or casting of an object is strongly reflected in the story of
Moses when he threw a rod "Then (Moses) threw[alqa] his rod['asa], and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! [Faalqa AAasahu fa-itha hiya thuAAbanun mubeenun]" Surah 7:107 "(God) said, `Throw[alqi] it, O Moses!' [Qala alqiha ya moosa] He threw[alqa] it, and behold! It was a snake, active in motion. [Faalqaha fa-itha hiya hayyatun tasAAa]." Surah 20:20,21 "So (Moses) threw[alqa] his rod ['asa], and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! [Faalqa AAasahu fa-itha hiya thuAAbanun mubeenun] " Surah 26:32 "Moses said to them:`Throw[alqoo] ye - that which ye are about to throw!' [Qala lahum moosa alqoo ma antum mulqoona] Then Moses threw[alqa] his rod[asa], when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake! [Faalqa moosa AAasahu fa-itha hiya talqafu ma ya/fikoona] " Surah 26:44.45
Before one can throw an object, that object must have existed in the first place. Hence, His Word[Kalimatuhu] and also called Spirit[Ruhu min hu] must also be in existence before Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb. Jesus as Kalimat and Ruh existed with God before he was born !
Surah 4:171
Ya ahla alkitabi la taghloo fee deenikum wala taqooloo AAala Allahi illa alhaqqa innama almaseehu AAeesa ibnu maryama rasoolu Allahi wakalimatuhu alqaha ila maryama waroohun minhu faaminoo biAllahi warusulihi wala taqooloo thalathatun intahoo khayran lakum innama Allahu ilahun wahidun subhanahu an yakoona lahu waladun lahu ma fee alssamawati wama fee al-ardi wakafa biAllahi wakeelan.
This is my argument against Muslim argument that Jesus was created when God said "Be!".
Please refute it.
Paul. - November 20, 2009 at 10:10 PM
- Brianman said...
Thanks a lot Dragostea :)
I'll watch it now. - November 21, 2009 at 7:42 AM
- leviMichealathan said...
thegrandverbalizer19, now that u mentioned John Gilchrist...
i would like to ask u the same question...
why don't islamic channels show the debate he had with deedat? or the debate deedat had with josh mcdowell?
why r debates that deedat had with jimmy swaggart and co. still shown? - November 21, 2009 at 11:21 AM
- Apollos26 said...
you know, it is incredibble easy to get into discussion with a peson of the islamic believe, cause everything we christians use, are just the islamic ressources all the muslim sheiks, imams, professors etc. are using.
That is the BIIIIIIIIG difference to muslims who want to atack christianity. They make things up, they come with ditorted out of context uotations, they use always the OT and want to proof that we christians have to kill - why doing this? Well, you need this kind of silly argumentation to justify the unchristian atrocities made by your prophet.
I am still waiting for he proof that our holy scriptures are corrupted. Stil waiting for this and you know what, my waiting will be in vain, cause you never will have a single proof for that, and please don't come up with scriptural variants, cause that is no corruption. Don't come up with John 8, that is an addition, that might be very justified to be added to the Holy Bible. Why it was added, we only can speculate. And what if will be taken ut from the Gospel of John, will this in any way change christian theology? Will it shake the foundations of Jesus divinity? - NOPE!!!!
WomanOfTruth, he only thing that you have to do is just read your islamic sources if you don't beliebe the apologists that are doing there work greatly.
If you want to debate, be fare and the most important thing, be courageous! Don't defend islam in advance before not checking up what is written in your sources.
You say that christianity is the wrong path. Do you really have reasons for this? You are a muslim because you don't understand the concept of the holy trinity? You believe in your arabian prophet because he proclaimed the quran to be a miracle (which by no way can be proven) and that he was foretold in the OT and NT (that cannot be proven too)? You are a muslim because you have checked all the ressources, you investigated christianity and finally came to the conclusion that christianity can't be true?
Jesus said:
I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE, nobody comes to the FATHER but through ME. THE TRUTH will make you free, that means JESUS will make you free. If you follow your dead arabian prophet, you will be lost in eternity.
May the mercy of our LORD and GOD Jesus come upon you and open your heart and eyes.
Apollos - November 21, 2009 at 10:08 PM
- Brianman said...
Such disrespect on this forum on behalf of the trinitarians. They all act cold yet say things like "Dear brother" "May God bless you at the end".. then they say things in a harsh TONE such as "your dead arabian prophet"...such split personality behaviour.
- November 22, 2009 at 7:42 AM
- Fifth Monarchy Man said...
You say:
Such disrespect on this forum on behalf of the trinitarians.
I respond:
Let us review shall we….
So far
You have blasphemed my Lord and savior by calling him a mere mortal.
You have belittled my scriptures picking and choosing those parts you like and ignoring the rest .
You have discounted my only hope for salvation with a wave of the hand.
And now you accuse others of being disrespectful. How Ironic
You say:
They all act cold yet say things like "Dear brother" "May God bless you at the end".. then they say things in a harsh TONE such as "your dead arabian prophet"...such split personality behaviour.
I respond:
Everyone agrees that Mohamed is a dead Arabian. Why is speaking the universally accepted truth so objectionable to you?
Is it because of the obvious contrast between a dead "prophet" and a living Christ?
peace - November 22, 2009 at 3:53 PM
- Brianman said...
Oh Hi paul.
IT would take forever to refute it, I have a great refutation for it. But I really can't be bothered WRITING IT ALL UP.
How can you accept the trinity based on the Gospel of John (the most trinitarian gospel according to Christians). I have read it so many times. It is all about the controversy of him being the Christ and not God. - November 24, 2009 at 4:16 PM
- Fernando said...
The SOA Brianman said: «the Gospel of John (the most trinitarian gospel according to Christians)»...
whate Christians? Oh, I see, ounce againe you cant be bothered... perhaps you'll, next, as you did withe me in a previous threat, will start menacing and demanding people not to writte back to you... to sad... - November 24, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Hi Brianman,
I don't mind your refutation to my "Jesus Divinity in Qur'an". Please give it to me. It's not enough to say that you have it. Share it with me.
And I don;t accept divinity of Christ based on Gospel of John alone. I accept it based on a few facts that are in both Old & New Testament:
a)God is the only savior and only forgiver of sins, giver of the peace. Yet both in the Old & New Testament there is an other one that does the same. One that must be born from a virgin and have no sin and suffer for mankind.
In the new testament it's revealed that Jesus Christ was the one. Don't think of Jesus as Created, but rather as his body as created, but the Spirit as God.
b)The son must be honored as the Father there for He must be God.
The son and Father are one.
c)The amount of evidence for His divinity in Gospel of Matthew&Mark&Luke is overwhelming: Jesus forgives sins, gives peace, stays with the believers to the very end. Only God does that. Only God can do this.
d)the body of believers belongs to God, yet from the very first century the testimony of the church was that every follower of Christ belongs to Christ. Therefore He must be God.
e)The testimony of first leaders that had to deal with christians had to deal with the fact that they were denying emporer divinity and attribute it to an other(in their mind they fought He was a man)-Plinius the Young to Traian- around 112. That shows us that nothing changes since the church of the first century.
The Bible(BOTH Old & New Testament), the History, the archeology(the caves of persecuted christians shows God coming in flesh-pictures on the walls) is overwhelming.
Jesus Christ is LORD(Creator of Universe), GOD and SAVIOR(of humankind from the sin).
Brainman I know that many times the muslims can;t understand why christian worship a man or a flesh God. I do believe that you believe the same. But what I'm saying to you is this: the body was created, the SPIRIT WAS GOD.
Paul. - November 24, 2009 at 5:30 PM
- Fifth Monarchy Man said...
Hey Brian:
You said:
How can you accept the trinity based on the Gospel of John
I respond
Who accepts the trinity based on the Gospel of John?
Christians accept the trinity based on the self revelation of Jesus Christ the risen Son of God . This revelation is found all through the Bible from Genesis through Revelation.
Christians know this Bible is the Revelation of God based on the testimony of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit.
In practical terms the doctrine of the trinity is grounded in the claims and promises of Jesus. These promises and claims find their grounding in the resurrection.
Here are some of the ways this plays out
1)The OT Claimed that the messiah is God and Jesus proved he is that messiah by rising from the dead.
2)In his incarnation Jesus claimed to be God and proved it by rising from the dead.
4) The entire New Testament claims that Jesus is God and offers as proof his resurrection.
3)The Holy Spirit testifies to the believer today that Jesus is God and proves this by pointing to his resurrection.
If you want to disprove the Trinity you are looking in the wrong place. You should start by looking at the empty tomb.
If you deny the resurrection you will reject the Trinity if you accept the resurrection and are consistent you will accept it. It's that simple
peace - November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
To brainman:
Still waiting for the refutation on Jesus divinity in Quran.
Paul. - November 28, 2009 at 5:13 PM


text:
Chapter 15
Lehi's seed are to receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days—The gathering of Israel is likened unto an olive tree whose natural branches will be grafted in again—Nephi interprets the vision of the tree of life and speaks of the justice of God in dividing the wicked from the righteous. About 600–592 B.C.
1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.
2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.
3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be aunderstood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.
4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men.
5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine aafflictions were great above all, because of the bdestruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall.
6 And it came to pass that after I had received astrength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the aolive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye ainquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: aWe have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will aperish, because of the hardness of your hearts?
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in bfaith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.
12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a abranch of the house of Israel?
13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have adwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the bMessiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the cgospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the dGentiles unto the remnant of our seed—
14 And at that day shall the remnant of our aseed bknow that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the ccovenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and dcome to the eknowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their arock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true bvine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God?
16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be agrafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree.
17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be arejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.
18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy aseed shall all the kindreds of the earth be bblessed.
19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the arestoration of the Jews in the latter days.
20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of aIsaiah, who spake bconcerning the crestoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did dhumble themselves before the Lord.
21 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the atree which he saw?
22 And I said unto them: It was a representation of the atree of life.
23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the arod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24 And I said unto them that it was the aword of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ctemptations and the fiery ddarts of the eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give aheed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the bfaculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.
26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the ariver of water which our father saw?
27 And I said unto them that the awater which my father saw was bfilthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.
28 And I said unto them that it was an awful agulf, which separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God.
29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful ahell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked.
30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the ajustice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming bfire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end.
31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of aprobation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the bdeath of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal?
32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their aworks, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of bprobation.
33 Wherefore, if they should adie in their wickedness they must be bcast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be cjudged of their dworks; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be efilthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot fdwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of afilthiness prepared for that which is filthy.
35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that aawful bhell of which I have spoken, and the cdevil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that djustice of which I have spoken.
36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that atree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most bdesirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the cgreatest of all the dgifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.


text:
I was first introduced to Epiphany by way of my LuckyFABB Gift Bag and loved how decadent they were. They create handmade chocolates inspired by creative flavors, audacious adventures and passionate people. Imagine handmade soft center nudges enrobed in chocolate with unique, surprising flavors and a signature keepsake box.
Details on the Holiday 2012 flavors are below. My personal favorite was the Sgt Peppermint but my mom loved Her Hot Toddy. I was nice and shared the chocolates with my family, but I made sure to eat one of each ;)
THE BIG KAHLUATo share the holiday cheer, Epiphany Chocolates will be sending one of my readers an 18-Piece box of their "Get Cozy" collection with new holiday flavors!
Kahlua Fudge
Dreaming of an island getaway? Grab your swimsuit and sunnies...surfs up! A taste of cool Kahlua drenched in white chocolate and a little piece of macadamia nut heaven. You will be one tiki chic. Alo-ha!
Buttered Rum Fudge
Naughty or nice this year? Either way, this is undeniably one hot toddy. Baby, it's cold outside so warm up with buttered rum enrobed in rich milk chocolate. Winter RX: Sip chocolate, it'll soothe body and soul.
Peppermint Mocha Fudge
Beware: Visions of sugarplums may dance in your head with one taste of this cozy combo...pepperminty mocha covered in rich dark chocolate with candy cane crunch on top. You may just leap across the room to salute this sassy sergeant.
The giveaway is open to my readers in the United States AND Canada and will close on December 4th. Epiphany have also offered you 25% off an order from now until December 31st with code SPARKLE25!
Mandatory Entry: You must be a follower of my blog with google or bloglovin. Don't forget your email.
Bonus Entries: Leave one comment for EACH additional entry. Each comment counts as an entry so if you put all your extra entries in one comment that only counts as 1 entry...
- Like Epiphany Chocolates on Facebook
- Follow Epiphany Chocolates on Twitter (@EpiphanyChocs)
- Follow Closet Fashionista on Twitter (Closet_Fashion)
- Like Closet Fashionista on Facebook
- Follow Closet Fashionista on Instagram (Closet_Fashion)
- Follow Closet Fashionsita with Google AND Bloglovin
- Tweet about the giveaway; link to the post and include @Closet_Fashion and @EpiphanyChocs [leave a link to the tweet]


text:
Tlaxcala Declaration on the Revitalization of Small Settlements (1982)
The participants attending the third Inter-American Symposium on the Conservation of the Building Heritage devoted to the subject of "The Revitalization of Small Settlements", organized by the Mexican National Committee of ICOMOS and held in Trinidad, Tlaxcala, from 25 to 28 October 1982, wish to express their gratitude to the representatives of Mexico and the organizing committee for the very kind way they have been received and express their satisfaction at the high standard of the proceedings and at the results achieved.
They wish most particularly to thank the government of the state of Tlaxcala for its hospitality and are happy to observe the efforts it is making to preserve the architectural and urban heritage entrusted to its keeping by history, which is of extreme interest to all the peoples of America.
The delegates, after examining the situation now prevailing in America from the point of view of the dangers which threaten the architectural and environmental inheritance of the small settlements, decide to adopt the following conclusions:
1a. They reassert that the small settlements are repositories of ways of living which bear witness to our cultures, retain the scale appropriate to them and at the same time personify the community relations which give inhabitants an identity.
2a. They reaffirm that the conservation and rehabilitation of small settlements is a moral obligation and a responsibility for the government of each state and for the local authorities and that their communities have a right to share in the making of decisions on the conservation of their town or village and to take part directly in the work of carrying them out.
3a. As established by the Charter of Chapultepec, and as reflected in the concern expressed at the Morelia Symposium and at other meetings of American practical conservationists, the environmental and architectural heritage of small settlements is a non-renewable resource and their conservation calls for carefully developed procedures which will ensure that they run no risk of being impaired or distorted for reasons of political expediency.
4a. They agree that initiatives for the purpose of securing the well-being of the communities living in small settlements must have their basis in strict respect for the traditions of the places concerned and their specific ways of life. They also agree that the situation of economic crisis at present affecting the continent must not restrict efforts to preserve the identity of the small settlements; on the contrary, if such difficult circumstances are to be overcome, reliance must be placed in the cultural achievements of the past and in the material forms of expression of our collective memory.
5a. They further observe that the introduction of patterns of consumption and behaviour foreign to our traditions, which make their way in via the multiple communications media, assist the destruction of the cultural heritage by encouraging contempt for our own values, especially in the small settlements; they therefore urge governments, institutes of higher education and public or private bodies interested in the Preservation of the heritage to use the media at their disposal for the countering of the effects of this process.
6a. They reassert the importance of regional planning as a means of combating the process of desertion of the small settlements and progressive overpopulation of medium-sized and large towns - a phenomenon which strikes at the very existence of the said settlements. And they point out that any action designed to preserve the urban setting and the architectural qualities of a place must essentially be a fight for the improvement of its population's socio-economic conditions and of the quality of life in its urban centres. They therefore appeal to governments and to competent bodies to provide a suitably integrated infrastructure together with the practical equipment for the arresting of the depopulation of small settlements.
7a. They consider that if the traditional environment of the rural settlements and small towns is to be preserved, and if there is to be continuity of expression in contemporary vernacular architecture, traditional materials and techniques must remain available, and they propose that, where these cannot be found, substitutes be used which do not involve any marked impairment of the visual effects and which meet the requirements both of the local physical and geographical conditions and of the way of life of the population.
Those attending the Symposium reassert the principles which inspire the work of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, as laid down in miscellaneous international texts, including the recommendations made at the meetings held previously in America, at Quito, Chapultepec and Morelia, concerning the conservation of small settlements, and adopt in their turn the following recommendations for circulation by the ICOMOS Committees in America and by any other specialists and for submission to the authorities, the professional associations, the institutes competent in the field concerned and the universities, schools of architecture and other bodies.
It is recommended:
1. That any initiative with a view to the conservation and revitalization of small settlements must be designed as a part of a programme embracing the historical, anthropological, social and economic aspects of the area and the possibilities for its revitalization, failing which it would be fated to be superficial and ineffectual.
2. That encouragement be given to interdisciplinary participation as an essential prerequisite of any effort in favour of the conservation, restoration and revitalization of small settlements.
3. That the public services administrations concerned with such things as communication, health, education, electrification, etc., should be duly conscious of the fact that their activities undertaken with the best of intentions can on the contrary cause harm to small communities if they are ignorant of, or fail to appreciate, the values of the cultural heritage and the benefits deriving from the conservation of that heritage for the community as a whole.
4. That if better results are to be achieved both in national policies and in specific legislation and in technical progress, the sharing of experience in a variety of areas is essential. Information, whether of an international nature or specifically relating to the American world, is most important. Emphasis is laid once again on the utility of publications designed for the purpose, and it is proposed that American working groups be set up on the various individual subjects involved.
5. That the use of regional materials and the preservation of the local traditional building techniques are essential to satisfactory conservation of small settlements and do not conflict with the general principle that any new work should bear the mark of our age. It is urgent that an effort be made to recognize and enhance the prestige and value inherent in the use of such materials and techniques where they exist, and to keep them alive with increasing forcefulness in the minds of the communities concerned. It is recommended that encouragement be given to proficiency in the skilled building trades in the form of awards and prizes.
6. That the governments of the Latin American countries consider as in the public interest the granting of funds for the acquisition, maintenance, conservation and restoration of dwellings in small settlements and the lesser towns, as a practical means of keeping alive the building heritage and the housing possibilities it affords. For this purpose there must be amendment of the norms governing the allocation of funds to enable buildings for which vernacular techniques and materials have been used to be eligible for mortgage loans.
7. That schools of architecture should institute and maintain M. A. degrees in restoration and doctorates of restoration and assign due importance in their basic training syllabuses to appreciation of the architectural and town-planning heritage, conservation and restoration problems, and knowledge both of vernacular architecture and of traditional building techniques, to enable their graduates to fit usefully in their professional capacity into the communities requiring their services.
8. That the recognized colleges and societies of architects should set up commissions for the preservation of architectural heritage capable of promoting improved awareness of the responsibility devolving on them for the maintenance of the small settlements, of compiling and circulating information on this problem and of recommending programmes and operations to this end.
9. That the representatives of the countries in the region make every effort to have their governments, if they have not yet done so, approve the Protocol to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (16 November 1972), so as to be eligible for the support and technical assistance of the international bodies.
The undersigned certify the authenticity of the present text, to be known as the "Declaration of Tlaxcala", which contains the conclusions and recommendations approved at la Trinidad, on 28 October 1982, by the plenary session of the third Inter-American Symposium on the Conservation of the Building Heritage.


text:
MAK Group Buy
I talked to MAK grills & they said they dont normally discount their grills but they said if it was a big enough group they might be able to work something out. So I guess we need to see how many would be interested to see what they can do. So please respond if youre interested. Or, if RWalters wants to step in & take this over since he seems to be the most knowledgeable on all things MAK, He can. Up to him. wink wink!
Thanks |
Paging Jason TQ. Come in Jason.
:mrgreen: |
I'm interested
Im in, and totally wiling to facilitate! Spoke w/ the guys at MAK and theyre excited to give this a whirl. Should know the specifics soon (hopefully tomorrow), but I do know that the more sold the better the discount/deal. Under 10 will be one deal and over 10 will be another deal.
With that said, anyone that is interested in buying a MAK 1 or 2 Star at a discounted price better chime in now as I have never seen MAK do anything like this. They almost never discount, nor do they give things away... so any discount/freebie they toss our way is gonna be a rare opportunity to see any savings at all on this lifetime cooker :) |
A year a go I would have been in, we love our 2*. If your on the fence it would be a great time to jump in.
The deal will be nowhere near what you got... lol. Youll never beat gently used. |
Yall gonna really make me go down the slippery pellet road arent ya? |
Lots of peeps about to get tax refunds... just sayin :)
Im interested but it depends on price if I could do it
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Depending on the discount, I might be able to be coaxed into upgrading to a newer model with some of the features I've been longing for.
With all the Smokefire returns going on - I bet you could get a good number to jump in. If I were a pellet guy, it would be a MAK over everything else.
Count me as very interested in a 2 star.
I will obviously look into it more when I have more than a phone, but what are the big differences between the 1 Star and the 2 star?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
These photos from Rwalters should sell more than a few MAK 2 star Generals!!!!
2 Star provides: -304 marine grade SS cooking chamber -Side shelve with cold smoke box -Funnel Flame Zone for grilling -Lower shelf -Extra slide in rails for up to 3 additional grates vs 1 on the 1 Star All of that can be added to the 1 Star w/ the exception of the cold smoke box and extra slide in rails... but by the time you do that, youre approaching 2 Star pricing. I have owned and cooked on both... and both are top notch! Really depends on budget and what youre wanting out of the cooker? |
MAK Group Buy
Hopefully they sell MAKs and not MACs... lol [emoji12] |
Just messing w/ you :) |
Oh well... I have one of his $$$$$$$$ iPhones... hell be fine... lol. |
Well, seeing that I'm holding onto the Weber until I find something else to buy,I am interested. The 2 star is a dream but so $$$.
Thanks |
I'm interested in a 1 Star as I don't like the gas grill look of the others. IF the price is right! I could sell the other 2 pellet grills if the Mak is really all it's supposed to be.
[emoji23] Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk |
My pleasure buddy... I kinda like the MAK product :) |
It would be very cool if they made a BBQ Brethren edition with a "Fear the Pig" logo or cover. Maybe if they offered a run of twenty smokers with some free extras like a full size upper rack, searing grate, cover, etc. Even if they offered discounted freight for Brethren members they would see some additional sales and they get lots of great press here.
Just a thought... |
Isn't free shipping standard?
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk |
From the Mak site. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a75435674f.jpg
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk |
MAK Group Buy
Yep, free shipping and no tax. Thats a big deal. Love the special edition idea!! Ill mention it tomorrow and see what they think. Cant hurt to ask :) A couple of years ago a fellow MAK owner was asking if anyone knew of a high temp vinyl that could be purchased, and from that made into a USMC logo, and then placed on the lid of his 2 Star. The owner of MAK happened to see the question and simply commented, how would you like that laser cut out of steel and bent exactly like the standard hood? Ummm, yes please! A week or so later a laser cut logo, bent to perfectly fit on the hood was received from MAK Grills. It was even precise enough to outline the feathers with super thin cuts. How cool is this? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...3660142e36.jpg |
Aint no free shipping from my BBQ store buddy. But I do recall there being a free hopper full of pellets! Oh yeah, and I think the cooker even came pre-seasoned. So suck it up butter cup :) |
Anyone know the story behind their controller? I've heard their claim to fame is they put out more smoke than any other pellet grill on the market. Is it one of those half PID controllers that allow for more temp swings? Also, why is WiFi $300 extra?
Rwalters, can you nudge them for a mini-mak for me?
Trying buddy :) |
Good question. What I do know is that their controller is proprietary to them. It keeps a fairly tight temp range, but does allow for a bit of swing. On the Smoke setting, it swings between 170-190°... and as you go up from there, the swing tightens up. I have cooked on other pellet cookers, and I have yet to see one that smokes like the MAK. I do know that maximum smoke production was a top priority at the inception of MAK Grills, and 10 years later nothing seems to have changed. As far as charging extra for the WiFi module, I dont have the reasoning behind that. I suppose they could include it, but my guess is that base price would change. No denying that MAK Grills are not cheap... and are definitely not for everyone. Heck, I sold a backyard full of cookers to fund my first 2 Star. That said, I look at grills/smokers like this as more of an investment than a purchase. Cookers manufactured at this level will probably outlive you and me. |
Wowsers... yeah, this virus sure has half the world scared to death. The first case was just reported in my area... and of course the evening news is blowing the story through the roof. Better wipe that MacBook down with bleach wipes when it eventually arrives. |
Very interested in a 1 Star, depending on discount, could be interested in a 2 Star. Please add me to the list
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Had an idea that might make them sweeten the deal...if everyone in the purchasing group committed to one social media post per month for a year (cross-posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook), we would essentially create an influencer marketing program for them. We would all become MAK brand ambassadors during a time when companies like Weber and Treager are spending a ton on advertising. They need help with their advertising and something like this could go a long way in doing that for them.
To do this. The purchasing group would need to provide their numbers of followers across all networks to show what the impact would be. Depending on our numbers, could easily justify an additional 20% discount. If you a guys all agree, I could help put this story together (I lead Advertising for a large Fortune 500 company). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Hi all, Debbie Downer here, So you get a group of BBQ'ers getting a "special deal" then you advertise how special you are across social media then you get all the other "special groups" wanting their "special deals" and MAK having to add a "special deals" dept. with "special deal" options and Mak going "crap why did we start this"?
If you do end up getting a "special deal" I would suggest just grabbing it and silently disappear to your cooking area. Ed |
Wifi has been $300 as long as I can recall, don't have it, don't need it, you can program the controller up to 6 different steps, be it time and temp or IT or a combo of both. I can see an advantage for someone that wants todo a long cook while away from home say at work to monitor the grill incase of a flame out or power outage. |
Great point, Kevin. The way that the Pellet Boss controller manages the variable speed fan clearly plays an important role in smoke production. A lower volume of airflow across the fire at those lower temps definitely gets the smoke rolling... |
Interested to see discount amount...
Just because someone owns something and can post on social media does not necessarily make them a good representative for the product. |
I might be interested. As I canceled the weber fire before they shipped.
If it is only single digit savings I don't believe I could be swayed. |
Try buying a lead vapor face mask ... :mad2: Lets see, I live in rural <insert remote rural area here> and I put my TINFOIL HAT on to fight it. I know! Lets buy all the 3M filter cartridges we can find. Oil resistant, GREAT! Aresenic and asbestos resistant, GREAT! Only have XL size paper masks available, BETTER THAN NOTHING! When you see people wearing paper masks in public in rural TEXAS, things are skewed out of reason. I get relative risk but, I'm more concerned by being hit by a car from a distracted driver than catching Cornovirus from a neighbor that hasn't traveled outside of East Texas for 6 months and the state for a year or two. :mad2: I would like to think they are protecting me/us from the FLU :sick: but, sadly that wasn't the case, at least with the people I ran into. Masks for the FLU while in public, NO WAY but, for a fear of a pandemic that isn't here, SURE! |
MAK seems to be one of those quiet, focused companies that does not do much advertising. It seems their primary marketing strategy is their existing customer base (the MAK family). Whether they want to invite the MAK family into the role of social media influencer would obviously be up to them. They kind of already have a social media influencer group in the fact that there are MAK family members (MAK owners) in groups/forums that are regularly interacting with the BBQ community and showing the goods visually and through written word. No harm in asking though :) |
M Grills is another one! Pretty quietly making a really good product that serves a niche of the BBQ/Smoker world.
Whether MAK or M Grills really want to go big-time SOCIAL MEDIA and all the hype and overhead is an unknown to me. A huge spike in demand that dies off has killed many a successful small "Mom and Pop" business. |
Again, it was just an idea. We dont have to do that. But, companies pay good money for social media influencers, and it wouldnt be much work on our end, so...led me to that idea.
To Eds comment, as an influencer you wouldnt talk about the deal you got. You would talk about how great the cookers are and further spread the gospel making people think twice before getting a Smokefire or anything else. Social media is a powerful tool, which is why companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars advertising on the different networks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Absolutely! I have a few buddies that are brand ambassadors for Traeger. Traeger pours a lot of resources into their social media influencer program... no arguing with that. |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:04 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
2003 -2012 © BBQ-Brethren Inc. All rights reserved. All Content and Flaming Pig Logo are registered and protected under U.S and International Copyright and Trademarks. Content Within this Website Is Property of BBQ Brethren Inc. Reproduction or alteration is strictly prohibited.


text:
Nearly $152,000 has been donated online to help Billy Ray Harris, a homeless man in Kansas City who returned an engagement ring to the woman who accidentally left it in a cup he uses to collect change.
Here's his good news story:
Last Friday, as local KCTV reported, Sarah Darling "unzipped her wallet and dumped her change" into Harris's cup. She'd forgotten, though, that earlier in the day she had taken off her diamond engagement ring and put it in her coin purse.
The next day, she retraced her steps. The Associated Press writes that "she went back to Harris, squatted beside him and told him that she might have given him something valuable. 'Was it a ring?' he recalled asking her. 'And she says, Yeah. And I said Well, I have it.' "
"It seemed like a miracle," Darling said, according to the AP. "I thought for sure there was no way I would get it back."
Darling says she gave Harris all the cash she had with her in thanks. Then her husband, Bill Krejci, launched a Give Forward page to collect money for Harris. As of mid-morning Tuesday, close to $152,000 had been pledged. Krejci wrote over the weekend that he had spoken with Harris "about what he's planning to do with the donations. The details would be better left for later but know that he has a very solid plan and a very solid way of making it happen."
As for why Harris didn't pawn the ring when he had the chance, he told KCTV that "my grandfather was a reverend. He raised me from the time I was 6 months old and thank the good Lord, it's a blessing, but I do still have some character."
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.


text:
Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
I installed on an friends PS3 for them and I worked just find.
and the ps3 is powerfull enought, however, sony don't let driver goes too deep !!