Joshua

I think my favorite ever would be this All-Star 2003 baseball game or something like that for the GameCube, lots of players on a baseball game with tons of management options, team customization, great gameplay... I intend to rent a more recent version of it sometime, probably not until the winter though when I'm stuck inside and can't play normal baseball

While I do use both Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware, Spybot's been getting on my nerves lately since when it runs on startup it still rarely fixes the problem and just says it still couldn't fix it. Also, Norton Internet Security (from Norton SystemWorks) just showed an attempted attack and for the first time I messed around the Virus Tracking stuff and it showed the attacker's IP address and their hosting company info I just sent an email to the hosting company to see if they can handle the situation knowing the attacker's IP address So yeah, I'm liking SystemWorks now, now that I'm starting to realize more of what it's capable of concerning virus attacks

Lol (and I really am right now), I only use lol when I just have laughed out loud. Is a bit annoying when people use it just to punctuate things or act in agreement. It's almost like girls can use it as a defense mechanism to act like they're agreeing with you so they don't have to show how they're really thinking/feeling. Interesting observation SN.

I'm going with kremit too, the render and background made the whole thing seem rather bland. Maybe some fur details and making the wolf look more vicious might've swayed my vote, but a light wolf on a light background with text that didn't fit in just didn't catch my eye. I liked Kremit's with the detailed render and a background that both complemented it and made it stand out. Now how about a Mike-Johnny battle? (Johnny is slumping right? )

Well, I think happiness and peace stem partly from a cleansed conscience. I'm guessing I'm not going to figure out the "peace that passeth understanding" but looking at who I've become I feel something of it is due to an utterly clean conscience knowing I don't have to struggle or feel guilty about anything. I'm not trusting in my own righteousness or what I can do to get me to Heaven. If I had to do that I'd be a nervous wreck because there's no way I'd ever be good enough Fortunately Christ came to pay for my sins and I'm trusting in His payment and His righteousness to pay for my sins. It means an utter freedom from worry, problems still arise that can bother me, but I don't worry or have cares about things. I suppose looking at it it must seem strange to people that someone shouldn't worry about the future or what will come... but it's the way God's changed me *shrugs* If stuff happens it happens, my hopes aren't in this world but in the next, and if tortures or evils come upon me I can not only gain rewards for the next life by patiently enduring and suffering but I can even bring glory to the One to whom I owe everything to. I have looked, and some of the people in this life who have the most material possessions are the most miserable. It's like the Beatles song about the guy who seemed to have everything only to end up killing himself. Happiness isn't something brought by material possessions or ease in life, it's within you, if your heart is right and your conscience clean you can know peace and joy even when times or worst. I know from experience that having peace and joy within your heart means that when trials that would break other people and would have once broken you come upon you when your faith is in God you can rejoice and thank Him for the blessings as Paul and Silas did. Imprisoned for serving God they didn't question what was happening but actually rejoiced and praised God because their hearts were right inside. It's a peace and joy that lets you rejoice no matter what's happening on the outside while on the reverse if you don't have it even if things are going very well you can still see only the problems in life and nitpick. Kind of a glass half full or half empty thing I suppose. Your perceptions are altered by the state of your heart. Acts 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And so, I believe true joy and happiness comes indeed from God by the utter cleansing of one's conscience and a lack of guilt or fear of things done or things to come. By a joy in knowing that one is safe for all eternity no matter what happens and that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. From not having to worry about striving or struggling in life, so that you're free to instead seek only to please God out of a gratitude and love for the One to whom you owe everything. It's knowing you have everything you need for eternity and that come what may in God you have treasures which no one can take away. It means the peace and joy and love which comes from God within you and you needn't worry about past mistakes for God has literally formed you a new person. I can look back at the guy who made all the mistakes which made him realize what an awful person he was so that he came to God... and I can say with complete honesty and sincerity... I'm not him for he is dead, crucified with Christ. (and I can have an almost ear-splitting smile in saying it ) When the trials come I know that the worst that can happen is a death that will bring me to God anyway, indeed to die would be better for me, but God has a reason for keeping me on this earth and that is to do His will, and so I live to please Him. I live as a living testimony to how God can change a person and what He can do in a person's life. Well, I realize I went a bit more in depth here then I was originally planning but hopefully this provides yet another perspective on joy and happiness for you to see.

Alright, there are dragon legends from North America to China to ancient Australian peoples. If they are based on dinosaurs then that of course causes problems with the evolution theory. But do you think they exist or what are the legends based on? First, let's see what the Bible says about them: In the book of Job God speaks of 40 (if I recall correctly) different animals to Job, only 3 of them, the leviathan/dragon, the behemoth, and possibly the unicorn which may mean a wild goat/ox as well are presently unknown to us. It's also interesting that Job did not ask God what any of the animals were so it could be assumed that he knew of all of them from personal experience or had learned of them. But let's see what is spoken of concerning the dragon here: It would seem the leviathan:-is huge: 41:1-2,5,7,12,25 -has airtight scales: 41:15-17 -has impenetrable skin/scales: 41:7,23,26-30 -can breathe fire: 41:18-21 -has fearsome teeth: 41:14 -has a strong neck: 41:22 -has eyelids "like the eyelids of the morning": 41:18 -lives in the depths of the sea: 41:31-32 -is utterly without fear: 41:33 -has something of a personality (pride) and may be quite intelligent: 41:34 If you still doubt just how big he is: But here's the interesting part. According to this passage, the leviathan will not be destroyed from the earth until the end of time: Well, I'm sure quite a few people out there must be surprised the Bible tells of dragons dwelling in the depths of the sea until the end of time that have airtight scales, breathe fire, are immune to many of man's weapons, and can play with ships. And again, there are drawn pictures by Australian tribesmen picturing a water dragon surrounded by tribesmen attacking it, Native American tribes have ancient legends speaking of huge dragon creatures dwelling in lakes and seas, in Europe there are of course the legends of firebreathing dragons, China has the legends of scaly dragons which breathe fire... Thoughts?

Advocating torture by dragons now Mike? (your last sentence) Seriously though, you just gave me a great idea to start a post on dragons and what the Bible says about them. Thanks for the idea

The eye for an eye meant only for the one who did it, if they killed someone they were guilty of death themselves. If they took out someone's eye theirs was worthy to be destroyed as well. This is very clear from: According to the Law this system of judgement is a perfectly just one. But as I explained in my last post, to judge according to the Law you must be without sin yourself, and only one man, Jesus Christ, has ever fit that bill. This is why vengeance is God's, not ours, and we are not to kill. The Law's sentences can be justly administered by God only, this is why Christ said: Any institutions including those who falsely call themselves Christian which say man has the right to take life or execute sentences/judgements upon other people directly oppose Christ and what He has told us. Great post! I agree wholeheartedly that while homosexual relations are not ok according to the Bible we are not to impose restrictions about them but let vengeance be God's. Indeed, a Christian nation would not allow homosexual marriage or at the least recognize it as binding, since marriage in itself is that recognized in the Old Testament as: Adam didn't set the tone by saying a man should leave his parents to cleave unto his partner, he said to cleave unto his wife, and he did this in reference to Eve as a woman, which is why he used the word "therefore." However, this is most certainly not a Christian nation and if homosexuals want to marry I'm not going to oppose it as long as the government doesn't try to force churches to marry homosexuals when it goes against their beliefs. God doesn't condone such a thing but He hasn't commanded us to execute His judgement but to administer His mercy and love, and to:

I'm probably spending 3-6 hours a day with the exception of Sunday, but depending on whether any sports activities are going on I may not end up being on almost at all some days though.

Good to know someone else on the site agrees Btw, I have a sneaking suspicion that girls can sense guys who're looking for such traits and know when the guy is actually looking at them rather then any physical attributes. Just a hunch. Any thoughts?

Lol @ snlildude. Indeed, he doesn't speak for all of us about what's going through guy's heads :POne thing I see very well in girls and people in general is their sincerity level, how genuine they are. They don't have to say anything, when girls try to put on an act or a set routine for any reason it says something about how they handle life. Almost that they're a bit manipulative. If you aren't disengenuous and are earnest in everything you do and say it makes you a lot easier both to respect and to get to know. I would find it hard to believe that other guys don't side with me in this and prefer girls to put on acts or charades.Humility is another big thing. Genuine humility I think can be one of the most attractive traits a girl can have. As my pastor says, humility is simply confidence properly placed, which is an interesting definition. I think humility goes hand in hand with kindness and gentleness/kindness towards others as well. I have met a girl before who had both an innocence and a kindness towards others that made her reach out to everyone around her in kindness. I think THAT is a VERY attractive quality, and perhaps is tied to what people for lack of a better word call "sweet". And another thing. There's a joy in the smile that is infectious and infects you with their joy. I think it can be seen in the smile and the eyes. That's another attractive quality in a girl. Hmm... I just realized I was getting more into traits and what is attractive rather then what isn't... Oh well :DI think some guys out there at least don't want to hear comments that are supposed to be sexy but actually are interested in getting to know girls, and such comments can be an instant turn-off. Just a thought. Oh, and vanity... I know I already mentioned humility, vanity is the reverse of that and is one of the things least attractive, when someone is utterly self-obsessed and thus will have no empathy or feelings for others. If they're totally obsessed in physical belongings, materialism, that should be another warning sign. Judging by what I've seen of the world I'm assuming this will NOT speak for most guys out there, but for me at least girls interested in the physical, physical relationships and especially certain relationships against God's will are an instant turn-off. I've said before that if you attract someone by physical means you're going to get a physical person. People looking for the physical pleasure are not looking for the alternative in my opinion, which would be a meaningful relationship based upon valuing the other person for who they are.Oh, and honesty of course is another big thing to look for. Well, there's some more input into at least one more male mind B)I don't know that I count as a typical male though There certainly are others like me though so I should be speaking for at least some others then myself *shrugs*

I don't suppose you'd care to elaborate on these so-called contradictions? Also, what makes you think that those who were behind any wars were Christians seeing as Christ's great commands were to love God and love others? And finally, you'll probably want to lay off with the swearing, Xisto doesn't take that too lightly.

Irony is also easily expressed through poetry. I remember having social anxiety many years ago, was bad enough that I didn't want to go in stores or restaurants and was constantly focusing on avoiding embarassment. It hasn't been a problem for quite a few years now though. I guess my confusion with the part about fate and destiny stems from a single word choice, "to" Did you mean "release from fate" rather then "release to fate"? The two are opposites, either you're being released from fate or you're being released into the dominion of fate which is what I assumed you were saying... Oh well, just why I looked at it the way I did. A lot of my early poems dealt heavily with fate and the questions of life. They are things to think about. Despite starting writing poems about 8 or 9 years ago I have only about a dozen total poems. I write them very rarely and only in rare circumstances, often when my feelings are the most intense. And so even ones like the Legacy one which I don't like I don't toss since my writing a poem is so rare and it let's me see something of what I was like and was thinking at the time. And I can enjoy them later on as well

Perhaps some obscure reference to your violent squirrel avatar?

Maybe we should flip a coin to see who gets to say the very cool and extremely appropriate phrase to start this "graphic" battle:"Draw, pardner..."

Yeah, talking to Kayla does sound like good advice as a first resort. If she refuses to talk to you you're probably better off just removing yourself from such a sticky situation however and letting them realize their mistakes on their own.

And I'm 90 in a 20 year old body

The US should try getting the UN more involved in supporting the new Iraqi government so that it can pull out its beleaguered forces as quickly as possible. Not only is the human and resource toll on our nation making America less popular with its own citizens but the prolonged presence of our forces in a country the international community deems us to have wrongly entered in the first place is making us less popular abroad as well.

Usually however you don't get all the home owners either agreeing on something like that or consenting so wholeheartedly to something. I do agree that it can go both ways though, good point.

Punishable by death: You obviously didn't comprehend that I gave only one instance of what the Bible says about it since if I gave more people probably wouldn't check them. But since you so obviously want them: The bible also states that any seed (read seamen) spilt while not for the purpose of procreation is a sin, which means that masterbation is a sin as well. The word interpreted by us as debate is the Greek eris, here's your definition, examine it: The Bible condemns all as guilty and worthy of death regardless of beliefs/religion. You're right, fornication period is considered a sin and there are a lot of things worthy of death, it is why I continually stress that not allowing homosexuals to marry doesn't do any good since none of us can be good enough to find eternal life. What we need is to find forgiveness through Jesus Christ and to turn from our sins to let Him be Lord and Master of our lives. You want passages from the bible that are open to interpretation, here you go: You're getting into the statutes of the Law which we are no longer under. I can give you a more thorough discourse on it if you want, but I'll try to explain the subject as briefly as possible here: First of all, Christ didn't come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it: The Old Testament or covenant existed in carnal commandments and served both as a symbol of the better covenant by Christ that which was to come and to provide judgment of sins until mercy should be revealed as an alternative to judgement through Jesus Christ. I've highlighted the main parts for you to see below: Because the first covenant or testament, the Old Testament made with Israel was found to have fault a new one was brought in by which the doers could finally draw near to God without fear of punishment for their sins since those sins were paid for. There's a reason they call it the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament." The 10 Commandments are reaffirmed by Christ and several parts of the Old Testament are reaffirmed as good in the New Testament like not eating meat with the blood or meats offered to idols since it is a bad testimony... but with the coming in of the New Testament the Old is ready to pass away. As you can see, the Old Testament showed what was wrong. The New Testament showed how we can get right with God. Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.Matthew 18:19This passage states that if two people agree on wanting something on earth God will grant them this.Matthew 26:52This passage states that all who take up the sword will perish by it.Mark 16:17-18This passage states that all believers are able to handle any snake and drink poison without ill effect.Galatians 1:8-9Paul's gospel overrides that of an Angel of God?Deuteronomy 21:18-21Stone your rebelious sons. Not a single one of these passages involves prophecy, they are (with the exception of the two matthew passages and the Mark passage) biblical law. With Matthew 18:19 that is spoken to His disciples and obviously there are quite a few conditions for being Christ's disciple, you have to take up your cross and follow Him, abandoning family, friends, belongings, etc... all to do Christ's will. You will find that God's promises always seem to come with conditions if you look. As for Mark 16:17-18 the word we've interpreted as sword is machaira or judicial punishment. As Christ has said, with what judgement we judge others God will also judge us. 3162. macaira machaira, makh'-ahee-rah Search for 3162 in KJV probably feminine of a presumed derivative of 3163; a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively, war, judicial punishment:--sword. See Greek 3163 (mache) Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. You can see your mistake now right? The signs follow believers as a whole, there will be casting out of devils, speaking with new tongues, taking up of serpents, etc... just as the apostles did and others have done. This does not however mean that all will do it, for that isn't what it says. With Galatians 1:8-9, you forget that both Satan and the devils are angels from Heaven, and the Gospel isn't given by man's power but by inspiration of God. And finally, with the Deuteronomy verse, as I already explained, that deals with the Old Testament Law, and yes it is perfectly just but only God is just enough to pronounce such a sentence. If we try we are as the Pharisees who wanted to stone the adulteress. We cannot be justified by the Law being sinners nor can we administer it properly. This is why God says vengeance is His, not ours, and why He brought in the New Testament and fulfilled the Old. Notice from KuBi: Quote tags fixed? Notice from rejected & BuffaloHELP: Fixed. Looks like only 10

A relationship wouldn't work out? What kind of relationship wouldn't work out? If you like him why not just talk to him while having lunch or something, get to know him, you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of time with him, just get to know him. I'm sure you'll feel better about it later that you at least took the time to get to know him. If you both don't like being around the groups involved with the other person then why not just try talking during lunch or something away from your groups? Groups should not define the person. It kind of bothers me that you might end up regretting never having got to know someone or the kind of person they are if it could indeed lead to regret. Again, it doesn't have to involve relationships or hanging out, just a simple talk to get to know them. Maybe I'm missing something here...

Someone earlier in the thread mentioned hosting reviews... Where can I submit a review of Xisto, some web host directory or something? I love writing and can probably come up with some pretty compelling reasons in a review to convince people to try Xisto

Depending on where my feet are propped up and how slouched I am in my chair (I have a swivel chair and rest my back against an armrest and feet on everything around, including doorknobs if they're close enough ) I can lose some speed and be at only 50-60 wpm

I already gave one example (Romans chapter 1) earlier but since you want further evidence: As I said before, that is the thing, we're all sinners who deserve death, homosexuality is just one of the long line of things that will earn us death. We are all guilty and it's why God Himself had to come to save us if we were to be saved. And He had to come as a man to pay for the sins of mankind as a race that "whosoever believeth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life." I already stated this in the above post, how monitoring sins and what is and isn't allowed here isn't going to get you into Heaven since we can never be good enough. So homosexuality sends you to Hell just like telling a little white lie or hating another person sends you to Hell. However, forcing religious institutions to go against what they know to be wrong in forcing them to institute marriages between couples the Bible doesn't recognize as such is also wrong. If homosexual couples want to marry as long as churches don't have to do marry them according to law I will not oppose it. Just hating someone else is equated to murder and how can we control the thoughts of another? No matter how hard we try we can never be good enough to reach Heaven nor can we help anyone us be good enough either. What I'm saying is keeping homosexuals from marrying isn't doing them any favor since what they need is to find mercy through Jesus Christ by realizing they are sinning and to turn from those sins to follow after Him that they may have eternal life. If someone doesn't submit in such a way and willfully sins against God I would question whether they ever truly allowed Christ to become Lord and Saviour of their life in the first place, and were ever born again at all. Salvation is a heart transaction, but we can see the fruits/results of that changed heart. As for graven images, the word we've interpreted as "graven images" is the Hebrew pecel, here's the definition for it from Strong's Hebrew Dictionary: So the image would have to be a carved idol it would seem, not just a drawing or sculpture automatically. I don't begin to understand the justification behind worshipping statues of Mary but know from experience that Catholics will simply try to defend it by saying they're not "worshipping" them but just showing honor or something like that. I don't agree with it and to get their reasoning for it I guess you'd have to talk to one of them. *shrugs*

You know, if people are so quick to misjudge you and your intentions, how well do they think they really know you? And do you really think they were/are your friends? If they don't want to be your friends you're probably better off just leaving it at that and not worrying about it, maybe someday they'll realize their mistakes and regret it. Until then, if they don't want your help or friendship, why try to force it on them? If they don't want to know you, fine. I'd really suggest letting it be, I'm guessing they'll figure it out sooner or later. Kyle obviously doesn't care about Kayla and if she's got any kind of intelligence she'll realize eventually that you were just trying to help. If she gets hurt from it it will be her own fault and once she realizes that maybe you can still be friends again someday. As for Kyle I don't know that there's much hope of a friendship with someone who hurts people and then threatens the ones who try to help them. Just stay away from that guy would be my best advice to you.