Have you written a very similar post to this before? I was just clobbered with dejavu. I agree with you, but it's hard to focus when I've read this exact thing before.... wierd.

Ah my degree's in don't have one ;) Thanks for sharing your expertise. I told you what dh said (this is why Muslim countries hate us) and I was wondering what you thought about that. Are things, like assuming that all children between 5-8 should know about masterbation, feeding into the stressful relations between us? There does not seem to be room in that lesson plan, or whatever you want to call it, for religious beliefs, or even the more gender biased situations in Middle Eastern countries. Could things like that be the root of hate and distrust?

I think it's good for secular use, but some people disagree. If you're really worried about it, you could try this: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=886236 It was written specifically for people looking for secular history.

Imo, it means you have enough seatbelts. I've learned my lesson, though, and when someone offers to drive my dcs, I specifically ask about seat belts. :glare:

That was my thought as well, as a buyer. I always thought it was personal if it was a transaction that would have been done irl, without much thought towards gains. IOW, I bought a car from my brother, made one payment through paypal. Imo, it's a personal transaction, he's my brother. I guess it could depend on pov, though.

Isn't that wierd. When buying off here, I always click personal, because it always seemed, imo, to be a personal issue. Unlike ebay, where I only have the vaguest idea whom I am buying from... on here, it always feels like I'm a community yard sale. Huh. Well, if I go to buy from someone on this thread and it makes you uncomfortable, please let me know, we can go back (just send me back my money) and I'll click business.

Hornblower, I am really quite ignorant of the UN, who's in it, etc. Never really mattered to me to know, especially since the US has a tendency to ignore it anyway. I'm curious though, how many countries strongly based in religion are in the UN? Dh said last night, THIS is the reason the Muslim countries hate us. Because we come up with blanket ideals and then try to make it seem "normal" thereby making dissenters "abnormal." I can see his point, and I am wondering what you, coming from the far opposite position think.

I guess it depends on how you define intolerant. We don't believe other religions are right and we won't practice those religions just to make another person comfortable. It's easier for me to answer this a different way... I hope you don't mind, but if I tell you what we are supposed to do, then you can see where the windows for personal behavior and interpretation are. Those, imo, are where the "intolerance" lies, but really it depends on how far someone pushes tolerance, imo. So, da rules: (Please note, these are in Juliese, not direct quotes, for the most part) 1. Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and mind. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. (two biggies, the rest are written rather randomly) Do not: have evil thoughts, murder, commit adultery, fornicate, steal, bear false witness, blasphemy, speak against the Holy Ghost (big one), offend the children of God, look to lust, tempt God, be angry without cause, swear/promise, resist evil being done to you, judge, be called rabbi/teacher/master/father. Do: pay your taxes, be baptized, live off the word of God, agree with your adversaries quickly, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use/prosecute you, honour your parents. Because of the very first and most important rule... there is no room for other Gods. I think she's trying to say we are intolerant in that we don't allow for other paths to God, but not so intolerant that we would try to destroy other churches or religious people. I'm sorry it went the way it did. Really, as many Christians as have physically attacked people at certain clinics have shown, there are just as many nuts in our religion that are willing to ignore the actual teachings as there are in other religions.

Prady... I don't want to be mean, I don't want to make anyone feel bad. But. As a Christian, I pray to God through Jesus Christ. Throwing out prayers, either to myself (as that prayer reads, imo) or to unnamed gods would be, imo, dangerous. If only because it opens one up to answers from one that is not God. Personally, I can see the personal danger in such a thing. I don't mind them for public gatherings, the kind where generic prayers are tossed out to generic god(s) or forces, but I could not participate, nor would I allow my children. We CAN stand respectfully by with our heads bowed while someone else does, I mean it is possible to be kind and respectful even if you disagree. I see a lot of Christians struggling with trying to make their religion more pc, more open, more inclusive, but the Bible is clear... leukwarm Christianity does not cut it. I don't like to disagree, it makes me feel bad, like some cruel ogre crushing someone's house... all the same, I feel like I should at least attempt to explain. I hope I haven't come across cruel or thoughtless.

That is even more bothersome. Real nice to think WE are the ones putting this stuff out there. I was not trying to lambast you, Elizabeth, for posting the link. I know the major networks twist things and I appreciated being able to read it first hand. I came to the same conclusions, but it's always nicer to reach them based on my own thought process ;) Thanks, again, for the info.

Thanks for the additional link, Elizabeth. So far (and I'm just starting to read through the Levels) I can see where there would be some issues that would rub religious families the wrong way. Of course, you KNEW that would happen, lol, when does anything so blanket in its approach not rub people the wrong way ;) Except that I see where they could be introducing things somewhat early (imo) broaching the subject of homosexuality being one of those... it's not too far from what I figured it would be. ETA, I really wonder at the emphasis on combating gender roles. I can see where a lot of parents could take issue with this... Also, I'm not seeing WHY an 5-8 yo needs to know about consensual sexual activity... I mean, at that age, should that even be an issue? That couldn't wait for the 9-12 at the very least??? ETAA: nakedness and shame? Is there somewhere in there that sets out exactly what would be taught? Oh... and different body parts, not sure 5-8 need to identify the opposite sex's genitals. ETAAA: Lost me at Concept 5. Sorry. Waaaaaaaaaay to far. Not just a little, more like the line was left in the dust hours ago.

It was on one of the other threads about swine flu, the one about half the population of the US... She posted a link to an article that made an epidemic seem logically/mathematically likely. I don't watch television and I rarely check up on the news at all anymore. I ignore hype and media hysteria, but the article she linked......... it gave me pause.

Are my kids visiting or something?!? I caught dd giving my youngest milk in a brandy snifter....... yes, swirl, then sip sheesh.

:glare: I know exactly what you mean. My mother has put it into dcs heads that it is "gross" to rinse and reuse their cups, of course my mother doesn't have to wash an entire shelf of glasses every single night, only to have people whining, because ALL of the glasses are in the washer.

OP, you are a super nice person. If I didn't have my mom for those times... I can't even imagine how low low low I would've gotten. I did manage to arrange my visits to her schedule, though. I waited till 2 in afternoon, so she could have all morning to get the less important (than me, lol) stuff done.

I wonder if it is not rooted in their own childhood? I am very careful to stand behind my children in public. I give them a chance, privately, to let me know if they're lieing, but publicly... it's my child, my family, and I will do what I think is right. When given a choice, a scenerio where it's he said, she said; I back my child. Imo, that's the right thing to do.

All of the big families I know send their kids to school. The few I talk to on a regular basis all joke that I can homeschool, because I only have a few dcs. They, on the other hand, could not possibly homeschool, because they have too many. Interesting to see it's the opposite in (most) other places :) I would've been a little irked, at first, about the coach's comment (the other wouldn't have bothered me at all, I would've found it curious and that's it). Reading it a few times, I can see he's making a joke because your dc has already been doing school (aren't you other kids lucky you didn't have to start already). That was probably obvious to others, but it took me a minute to "get" the joke. Eh, it wasn't the nicest thing to say, but not really worth any effort at anger. Good luck, hopefully once folks get to know you they'll stop tripping all over their own tongues.

I second the thermal underwear. Also, if you can get the long pjs that are not fleece or sleepers, that could help. Our dcs couldn't sleep in the blanket sleepers, because they were too warm so we went with sweat pants and t-shirts, until they hit their superhero pj faze :) Lots of socks. Tons of socks. Sweats too, I know a lot of people don't like them, but they're great for around the house and warm. What about heavy tights? The thick ones little girls can wear with skirts when it's cold out?

I try to avoid using anything. If the kids have fevers above 101 we'll use Tylenol or Ibuprofen, but only after trying to lower their temps through baths, cooling their heads, fans, etc. If it is not absolutely necessary (bacterial infection that our bodies cannot fight off without risking long term damage), then I don't take it, neither does dh, but we're a little less anti-drug with the kids.

Lol, I thought it was a joke (their activities or there activities - being activities over there). I'm in the same conundrum. I'm a den leader, I don't think I can drop out completely, but ....... Hornblower scared the patooties out of me :(

I agree with the pp as far as freezing. I did not know about the rubbing alcohol :) Thanks for the new tip.

In Jesus Christ. I'm trying to come from a Gentile point of view. It was more, from this day forward you will ------, instead of a go back and learn all the old stuff, first. I'm moving through the NT, and it's giving me things to go back and look up to better my understanding. That doesn't, imo, make me a non-Christian, it just means I was not raised in the law and before I can go back, I HAVE to go forward. Again, that sounds really nonsensical, but I hope you know what I mean. I can see where someone would be skeptical about the OT, but I do think that that would change over time. As they moved forward through Christ, the OT would become more understandable and more believable. After all, God raising His son from the dead, sacrificed His only child, and a man (a MAN) being the son of God are big things to believe. There's a lot needed to allow those things to really soak into your heart, your soul and your mind. Maybe, it's the mind part (probably the hardest part) that leads you to reevaluate preconcieved notions regarding the OT? I'm in such a state of flux right now that I can really truly understand where the OP is coming from and where you are... but I don't know that I can make sense of it to either side. What a great place to be :lol:

1. I feel like I'm moving from the wayside into the good soil. Not sure I've made the trip completely, sheesh those thorns are persistent, but I'm getting there. 2. Carmen. 3. A dear friend got back in touch. 4. Another person just sent me an email, and I went ahead and offered to be friends, which always feels odd to me, but she's new here and I've been praying for friends, for a circle iykwIm, and she could be an answer. 5. I'm still PMSing, but I'm grateful that it can't last forever (lol, with the OP there, never thought I'd look forward to ye olde rag).