Helena Bike Blessing

Not really a news item, its was a list of good doers. A few listed at least three times( i took them out to save space.
Poor reporting.

Jeff & Karan Lapham, Christian Motorcyclists Association.
Crusaders (militants?)for Christ Helena Chapter No. 521, 5865 Rosendale Road, East Helena,
Pastor Chuck Houk, Crossroads Christian Church, 3125 Walter Drive,
Jamie Neer, Westside Welding, 1030 Euclid Ave.

Over a 100 people Apirl 19 attended the annual Helena Bike Blessing

.... food, prayers, praise and worship and the message of blessing brought by Mongol Sonny, the atmosphere was sunny! Small prayer circles were seen all around the shop throughout the day,

Crossroads Christian Church Praise Team kept spirits uplifted with their superb music!
(Needed uplifting?)

(Who performed the blessing on the Bikes? or was it for the riders. Please be more specific.)

Jamie and Lynne Neer for the use their facility
Westside Welding
Heritage Food Store, East Helena
Wal-Mart
The Leather Store
McDonald’s Restaurant
Crossroads Christian Church Congregation
New Life Lutheran Church
Lerkind’s Coca Cola
Dan Dean Construction
Little John’s Septic Service
Dan Pocha Upholstering

City of Helena Road Maintenance Dept. (is this not illegal??)

The annual event will continue in 2009.

China's Atheists a Minority

I was surprised to learn that the Atheist population in China is only about 8%!? But, about 42% say they are non-religious.

42% of 1.3 Billion (estimated)

http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html
Worldwide
33% Christian
21% Islam
16% Non-Religious (probably much higher)

The biggest thing one needs to take into account. Most people, especially in the US fib about their religious beliefs. Most who check off Christian on a census, rarely step into a church, and only for baptisms, weddings & funerals.

Busted

Dear Humanist, Perhaps you are not aware that you have reprintedcopyrighted material, one of my columns, withoutpermission. Please remove my column from your blog andrefrain from copying my work anywhere in any form.Copyright law has a "fair use" clause that tells youwhat you may and may not use without violating someoneelse's copyright. Copyrights are property right andusing material without permission is stealing. Justthought you'd like to know. You have a perfect rightto make any comments you want about me or my columnsas long as they are not legally defamatory, and fairuse will tell you how much you can quote directly. (Iused to be a lawyer in Helena. So please.) It took me a while to find your name on your blog. Ido note, though, that people who want to post commentsmay not post them anonymously. Interesting. I understand from your comments that you're very angrywith me and other religious folk. I'm sorry forwhatever caused that to happen, since many of us havea lot to offer. Actually I thought, based on myhumanist friends, that most humanist virtues andvalues overlap nicely with gospel virtues and values.I have quite a few humanist readers, by the way, whofeel very differently about my column from the way youdo. Can we not agree on compassion, honesty, patience,kindness and such? I didn't say, actually, that I "saved" Bobbi in anyway. I think if you would read the column carefully,you'd be aware of that. Bobbi was in a hospital whereshe was getting excellent medical care. Lots of uswere praying for her, and for me it was an amazingexperience, one that has stayed with me very vividly.Yes, I believe prayer can and does help many people inmany ways. I don't claim to know how. You know, if you don't like my column, you have theoption of not reading it. I'm sorry that I apparentlygot under your skin. And, obviously, you can say whatyou like -- publicly within the limits of applicablelaw. I assume, given that you're a veteran who caresso much about her country that she was willing to goto war, you believe in upholding the law andConstitution upon which our freedoms are based. I only ask that you refrain from violating mycopyrights and also from misrepresenting me. Themisrepresentation is a cheap shot. Thank you. I wish you all the best. Joan Uda

Inane Comment

IR Letter to the Editor

By Joanne Schaller, Box 120, Jefferson City - 05/05/08

The leper is not pretty.The cross is not pretty.
Sometimes we have to look at what is not pretty in order to change, or love or heal.

Evangelical Manifesto

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/02/evangelicals.ap/index.html
Manifesto or a Credo?

.....'Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars.'

Websters 'evangelical' def
1: of, relating to, or being in agreement with the Christian gospel especially as it is presented in the four Gospels (not Judeo-Christian?)
2: protestant (protest against the evil catholic church and priest-craft)
3: emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion (born again), the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching (the good news or bully pulpit?) as contrasted with (catholic) ritual

'The declaration encourages Christians to uphold (their own?) traditional marriage, as in this Massachusetts protest.' (still bullies)

''The statement, called "An Evangelical Manifesto," condemns Christians on the right and left for using faith to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained Friday by The Associated Press. (I want examples!)
"That way faith loses its independence, Christians become 'useful idiots' (vs. useless idiots?) for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology," according to the draft. (has always been a political ideology)
The declaration, scheduled to be released Wednesday in Washington, encourages Christians to be politically engaged (contradiction?)and uphold teachings such as traditional marriage (still hate gays). But the drafters say evangelicals have often expressed "truth (dogma) without love," (compassionate conservatism) helping create a backlash (yeah!! I saw it coming)against religion during a "generation of culture warring."..... ' (of course it will swing back and forth and back and forth and hopefully less and less until one day no one will need to protest by calling themselves an atheist)

This is an example of the usual delusional mind set of men who are set on saving our souls whether we like it or not. They did not put allot of thought into this manifesto/credo did they. Again its obvious the Christians find it very difficult to agree on interpretation of the truth of their faith. Atheists all agree on one idea. There is not enough proof to justify worship of a supernatural God or Gods.

This should get interesting. I wonder what the pundits will say about this. They are to blame for fueling the culture war. Its their livelihood. Same with Dobson and his ilk.