Emma wrote on Mar 15^th, 2013 at 8:06pm:


you can believe it or not. or research it. But you might be very very surprised to find that the vast majority of charitable organisations are church run or church initiated. Are you even aware that schooling for anyone but the elite was a church initiative? Or the age of consent (firstly a mere 10yo) - brought in by pressure of Christians and opposed by the atheists of the time.

Slavery... ended by pressure from Christians.
Social welfare -  started by the church and still to a large degree delivered by it.

if you want to give to an organisation with no Church affiliation past or present, you may find it harder than you think.

Just something to consider when you next feel the need to berate the church over its failings. perhaps its failings exceed the atheist's contribution by a significant margin?

Isaiah
52:13 Behold, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
52:14 As many were astonished at him ­­
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the sons of men ­­
52:15 so shall he sprinkle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they shall see,
and that which they have not heard they shall understand.
53:1 Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
53:2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
53:3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,
and with his stripes we are healed.
53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb,
so he opened not his mouth.
53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
53:9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him;
he has put him to grief;
when he makes himself an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand;
53:11 he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous;
and he shall bear their iniquities.
53:12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out his soul to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

..................Just something to consider when you next feel the need to berate the church over its failings.............
Longone

Hello how are you .?    longone..    ... what you said??

is a classic example of people reading   'something'  into a straight out statement..
you see what I said ... I don't approve of church institutions
... that is not berating  ... that is my opinion..
Seems you are super sensitive...  perhaps you have doubts???  is that scary?? 

honestly...
perhaps the only relevant part played by the churches today IS  the efforts for the poor and disadvantaged..


That is what churches should do....   

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Mar 16^th, 2013 at 5:21am:


I think you meant 'knew', you uneducated moron!