Montana wrote:dora17 wrote:i don't understand how you couldbe totally unsympathtic to these people. what would it feel like to suddenly be told you were no longer allowed to be married to the person you had chosen as your spouse? i just feel bad for those who have had their rights trampled on again. i don't understand how this country has become so stodgy, judgemental, and so unable to allow people to be different. the religious right promotes their so-called "culture of life" and obsesses over the rights of Terri Schiavo and unformed fetuses, and yet denies rights to normal, loving, functional people. a culture of life and a culture of hate all in one.
I agree! People are people and I could care less who sleeps with who. They're not hurting anyone, so I don't get what the fuss is about. Some people just aren't happy if they don't have something to bitch about!
(From
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com)
Canadians Publicly Reading Aloud the Word of God in Coast to Coast "Proclamation"
by Aimee Herd (BCN Exclusive) : Apr 11, 2005 : Canadian Bible Society
In the book of Nehemiah chapter 8, it describes the desire of the people for God's word and what happened when Ezra began to read it.
NEH 8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
NEH 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
NEH 9:3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
Ministry These are the roots of the Canadian Bible Society's "Proclamation" events which have been happening each Spring across Canada, for over a decade in some provinces. True to the above passage, Proclamation is simply the public reading-aloud of the entire Bible. Readers usually encompass many different ethnic groups and denominations, the event being held in churches and other venues. Sometimes the Bible is read in other languages, the blind reading from a Braille Bible, and the deaf, signing the words. The readings are usually done over a 10-day period, 14 hours each day.
Denise Blouin, a participant in Proclamation explained, "When you read Scripture silently, you can meditate. But by reading together, I feel like I'm sharing in the faith of others. The Proclamation helped me appreciate how the Word of God addresses all people, regardless of their doctrines and practices."
Ministry The Power of the Word:Just by reading the Bible aloud in public, lives have been changed, as testimonies come in from various areas that have participated in the event. One of those stories surfaces from a Proclamation gathering in Montreal, and is posted on the Canadian Bible Society's website:
One evening last year while a men's group was reading at St James United Church in Montreal, there were several walk-ins, but one in particular stood out - a young "Goth" wearing a long black coat with heavy chains. He asked if he might sit and pray quietly but he soon became restless in the pew and began to weep. A minister approached him and they talked quietly.
The young man said he had been involved in satanic activities. "The power of the words being read crushed me and filled me with horror at the atrocities I'd committed." The minister privately counseled him. Eventually the tears gave way to smiles, then hugs. The minister offered his business card and the two agreed to meet again.
Ministry Another testimony from the website is from a pastor who was skeptical at first at whether the readings would hold people's interest.
Yet as the word got out and the momentum built, the Proclamation became "not only a spiritual discipline but also a moving spiritual experience for readers and listeners alike." One man wroteÂ…saying he had found a second home at the Proclamation soaking up Scripture.
Another discovery stemming from the public reading of Scripture is the unity it brings, crossing all denominational and ethnic lines. In Edmonton, the Bible was read in 23 languages including, Urdu, Maori, and Nepali. The Moncton, New Brunswick Proclamation involved 30 Catholic and 35 Protestant congregations and is being called by some, the greatest ecumenical event in the city's history.
Some of the Proclamations for 2005 in Canada, have already been held, yet some are planned for next month. A complete schedule can be viewed at the Canadian Bible Society's website.
