Joshua

Sounds more like hope to me, Xeno... I think if it was love it would be already knowing what you're waiting for then just "hoping" for something better. Love has hope for what is being waited for but isn't dedicated to the hope itself but to the hope for the someone it is dedicated to. Love comes from attachment, from knowing well that which you love, if you just like an idea or potential outcome I don't think that's love but idealism or optimism. And as for waiting, I think the right person is worth waiting a lifetime for, and that we should keep our eyes open for that which is best, and once finding it, never give up. This applies to a lot of things as well. And waiting will change you, I think you value things more when it takes trials and perseverance to bring you to something.

So Hotart, you must be the first player I've met before who is actively opposed to the idea of multiplayer rather than singleplayer games... Interesting that you can even abide the idea of forums then... And by "normal baseball" do you mean just singleplayer baseball games or baseball outside not involving video games?

I'd highly suggest you don't just start dating because "everyone else is doing it," that's got to be one of the worst reasons to do something. Comparison is the enemy of contentment. Just be friends with people, don't get into serious relationships with people you don't even like, and until you know you can handle a simple friendship relationship with someone don't try to take it any farther than that. Once you try moving past a friendship relationship with anyone the possibilities of jealousies and commitments whether formalized or not enter the equation, and it may mess with your judgment. Just content yourself with being friends and if you really get along well with a girl as a friend then maybe you can consider it as dating. Just my thoughts.

I personally have found Charles Dickens reading extremely boring... I've heard The Once And Future King highly recommended back when I did a lot of reading. I'd highly suggest the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court as one, I haven't read it in about 6 years or so now (maybe more) but I remember that it's very good and very engrossing. That's definitely your best bet there. And then either the Once and Future King one or the Last of the Mohicans would probably make a good 2nd pick. I read the Hobbit one many years ago too but don't like that stuff anymore, it would be an entertaining book to read however. Jack London or Johnathan Swift would make for decent reading as well. I would suggest the Connecticut Yankee one as a certain pick however, definitely. You'll enjoy that one, I'm sure.

Why not try using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox as your browser then? It might have to do with the browser itself. Also, you could try using Spybot Search & Destroy or Ad-Aware SE to find the popup if they weren't the spyware scanners you used.

DG, have you seen what some of the founding fathers of America have said about the Bible and Christianity in particular? George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, etc... Let me know if you want the quotes.

I've always liked yahoo better but lately have found myself using google a couple times. I still like yahoo better, and google is just a search engine without all the extra stuff yahoo has.

Actually a part of the definition of true love is that it does no harm to others.

This could have a huge impact on the sale of clothespins as well, for all those poor people who need to open their gastanks.

Sorry Becca, noticed afterward I'd missed the [ mark for the first code thing so it didn't put it in the right format... Just one more instance of why I miss an "edit post" option And I'm sure this won't be the first time I'll have that regret either.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Note that the Bible calls noble those who genuinely question what it says and search it honestly to see whether such things are so, so long as they do so with all readiness of mind. I'm not sure where this idea came in that blind faith is required, Ravi Zecharias, Josh McDowell, and C.S. Lewis, along with Paul all use reason. In Acts 17:3 we see Paul "opening and alleging" with the Greeks, legal terms used of a lawyer's action to present his case.

[list]Abortion: No, as it says in Hebrews 7:9-10 we're human and responsible as such even before leaving our father's bodies.Afterlife: Definitely, we'll all spend eternity in one of 2 places, the new Heavens and the new earth God will create after this is destroyed, or a place the Bible calls "The Lake of Fire"Aliens: I suppose what the Bible calls cherubim, seraphim, angels, and some of the creatures in Revelation and Daniel might be what some having seen think aliens.Alternate dimensions: I believe God walks through time like we walk through water, one day with him is as 1000 years and vice versa.Angels: Of course.Animal - favorite: LambArchitecture: The one temple I really care about is that of the believer's body indwelt by the Holy Spirit, since God doesn't dwell in temples made with hands.Best Smells ever: Probably the sweet savour God smells from a sacrifice well offered.Black/White: I think the Bible sets everything forth as black and white, although there are a few things pertaining to prophecies that are unclear... but that's not what this question meant, is it? Gotta be more specific then that :DBooks: The Bible is the best, I like stuff by Josh McDowell ("More Than A Carpenter" is awesome) and C.S. Lewis too, just read something called "The Cure of Souls" by Oswald Chambers, pretty good.Burial: Take out whatever organs are needed, do whatever you want with the body, my hope isn't in this world.Cereal: Anything crunchy that doesn't involve chocolate flavoring, stuff with fruits or natural stuff is pretty good too.Children: The only way we get to Heaven is as little children, too bad kids these days lose the innocence and other qualities that once charachterized them as such so much more quickly.Church: Ah, the universal body of believers. Oh, you mean which one I go to? Morningstar Community Church Classic Rock: Boston has some good songs, lot of good classic rock songs out there.Classical composition: Classical Music? It's okay, not my choice of music though.Cloning: Just say no. Ironic that so many kill their natural-born children and so many are in orphanages and here they're trying to make more through unnatural means.Color: Green, especially a rich slightly dark forest type of green. Cerulean blue would be a 2nd choice.Comics: Frazz, Dilbert, Boondocks, Brewster Rockit, In The BleachersCountries: I'm just a citizen of Heaven passing through.Cursing: Bless and curse not. And as far as profanity, I don't like that either.Creativity: Like writing poems, helped people write songs before, invented a new math formulaCremation: Don't care one way or the otherCrush: The pop's not too bad... but I don't really like popDancing: Don't dance, haven't danced, don't plan on it eitherDemocrat vs. Republicans: I'm kind of an anti-democrat, anti-republican voter... I side more with the republican's stances but it seems that's all they really are, stances... and the republicans are too warfaring... but the democrats are worse because they support abortion... Me, I voted PeroutkaDestiny: HeavenDream Car: Car that doesn't need to use gas so I don't have to worry about the gas prices anymore.Education: Majoring in computer programming so far, graduated high school a few years back.Email: jzyehoshua1@yahoo.comEvolution vs. creationism: Creationism, evolution should really be said macroevolution, and is not completely unproveable, but completely illogical, and violates the Law of BiogenesisFashion styles: Khakis and shirts with sayings that make people think, Bible verse shirts are nice tooFate: Child of God, redeemed among men, one who has found mercy through faith in Jesus Christ... should I go on?Fiction vs. nonfiction: Nonfiction, as long as it reveals truthFood: Living water, Bread of LifeForeign Language: Messed around with learning spanish, Greek, and Hebrew alphabets, don't know languages thoughGlasses: Wear them but eyesight is borderline good enough to drive with legally, so I wear them when I feel like it. Like wearing them though because it's the difference between slightly bad eyesight and having eagle eyes.God: dwells in me as His templeHair care: High Stakes testing: Don't know much about it, doesn't look too good though.Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip is about all I likeInternet: It's got it's good aspects and bad...Jerusalem: Well, the new Jerusalem isn't on earth yet but when it is it will be da bomb :DLetters (Snail Mail): As in postal mail? What about it?Loneliness: Good to know now that God is always beside me and will never leave me nor forsake meLove: see GodLove at first sight: I think it can happen, but is very, very rareMarriage: It's good, and all sex or even lusting after people you're not married to is adultery and worthy of death. Just one more reason we all, the whole world, is guilty of death.Monster Movies: Umm... Not a big movie watcherMonth(s): August is my favorite, any time during the summer is awesome thoughMost Interesting/Funny/Horrifying Experiences ever: Hmm... Horrifying: Seeing pictures on aborted childrenFunny: Recently some spammers on a yahoo games message board were posting ads and I put one of my own, "Are You A Yahoo Games Board Spammer? Sick Of Being Made Fun Of For Bad Grammar? learn-english-grammar.com; Interesting: Saw a video called Hell's Best Kept Secret recently that was pretty interesting.Movies: Time Changer, "Hell's Best Kept Secret" (viewable online at http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/; Arena Rock is good, hymns are awesome, I have a ton of music I like from just about any given genre though, so...Musical Piracy: Who needs piracy when there's StationRipper which is 100% legal? Nicknames: Everyone pretty much just calls me Joshua... Or Zambrano... first name or last :DObesity: Half the world eats too much, the other half doesn't eat enough. I think I may see a society morality problem here.Opinions: Good as long as they don't insult or put down others without doing anything else, and as long as you can keep an open mind while maintaining what you think.Orthodontia: Umm... tooth care is good.Patriot Act: Don't even get me started on the coming of the Antichrist and Armageddon.People I Hate: I don't "hate" anyone, people who close their minds and use charachter assassination alone to defend their beliefs annoy me however.Personality: Umm... yeah, I've got one. Don't you? Well, you can't have mine :DPets: Shelties are awesome, cats, collies, horses, and irish setters are cool too.Poetry: My poem "Freedom" (posted on the site) took 1st place for the state and I was one of the semifinalists recently for poetry.com's contest with my poem "The Pitcher"Prayer: is awesome.President Bush: I was very disappointed last election when him and Kerry failed to get themselves marooned on desert islands before the election.Profession: Was a clerk for the Census Bureau last summer, working on a job this summer, am majoring in computer programming.Rappers: should be outlawed, with the exception of Akon and the guy who does the "Baby Got Book" video.Reincarnation: The Bible says it's appointed to man once to die (Hebrews 9:27), but in the case of animals in Ecclesiastes 3:21 it speaks of the spirits of animals as going back to the earth, so maybe reincarnation for them happens *shrugs*Republicans: Got a couple good stances on abortion but are completely off the mark with war and giving to the rich.Romantic Comedy: Is there such a thing? :DScience vs. religion: See Acts 17:11 if you think the Bible supports blind faith. Science is simply truth, like the Bible.Silver/Gold: Umm... I guess they look nice... *shrugs*Slavery: Just say no.Slavery Reparations: If you want to make them shouldn't it be specific people who have to make them? Might as well make reparations to the Native Americans if you want to try to follow complete justice... That's it! Everyone in North America get out!Sleep: Ahhh... sleep's cool I guess :DSociety: is in trouble.Soda: Prefer water, milk, or fruit juiceSoul mates: definitely.Suicide: The recourse of a soul without hope. And a person without Christ is in that dilemma.Stem-cell research: It's great! Except Embryonic, which is murder.Television shows: comedies: Not a big tv show watcher.Terrorism: Only God has the right to take life according to the Law, since only He is without sin, as Christ said, there is none good but one, God. Otherwise we fall into the danger of the Pharisees, of casting stones when we ourselves have sin. Vengeance is God's, not ours.Ultimate Freedom: Jesus Christ.Valentine's Day: Seems kind of a typical Catholic holiday, focus on buying stuff and physical stuff, don't think about God. Violent Television: What's the point of it? Just symbolic of our society's decline?Violent video games: See violent tv.War on Iraq/Terror: Even if there WERE WOMD (which apparently there weren't) I don't know that we should have gone in there. Figures that our nation thinks a president lying to the country is ok...X-rays: *shrugs*Zodiac: Nebuchadnezzar had some astrologers and magicians and wise men, but it didn't help them. What good is astrology?[/list][NOTE note=Becca] You kinda didn't open not properly it in the first place.!

Does or does not the Catholic Church say it still has the right to take the lives of others? I read of a pope saying that because of the Inquisition and what not it meant the Catholic Church did have the right to take life. I have never heard that recanted by the organization before, do you know of it being recanted? All your sites failed to show me any suggestion that it has. And I was not judging people because of their religion, I was judging the religion and its institution itself.

God kicked our ancestors out for disobedience, you only need to rebel once to be a rebel just as you need to break the Law only once to be a Lawbreaker. It is departure from God's standard that sends us to Hell, a standard that we can never live up to. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. God's standard is having the glory of God and being perfect, without sin. None of us can live up to that, which is why God Himself came to earth so that whoever trusts in Him alone for their righteousness might find eternal life.

I read through your new links (except for the 3rd since it was just a large collection of links) and still see nothing claiming such things were wrong and in several cases simply further attempts to defend them... From this fourth link of yours it says: The Bible says you will know them by their works and if an institution has not only proven that it will continuously kill whoever stands in its way but still says it is alright to kill again then I would say that counts as bad works. Whatever happened to Christ saying to turn the other cheek, love your enemies, and as Paul said, to let vengeance be God's, and for us to not give place to wrath, to not be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good? The things in the past are bad but what makes it even more troubling is that the Catholic Church shows every inclination of doing such things again given the opportunity, because it still says it is alright for those other than God to take the lives of others even though since we are all guilty God alone can be a just judge and taker of life.

Who said anything about religion? I was just talking about God specifically If a person views it only as a slip of paper and not a formalized bond then they will hold it in low esteem. I think people see marriage as only a way to avoid certain taxes or something for their children to be proud of rather then a bond which will tie them to each other for the rest of their lives, God's way of doing things which brings into the relationship His blessings, and vows which are meant to make them give themselves wholeheartedly to each other so that they are no longer 2 people, but one. Well, I was getting at the question of why we treat any relationships before marriage as anything more then friendships with any higher a level of intimacy then from a friendship before marriage. But if dating is treated simply as friendship with no sexual or intimate relations (which should be reserved for marriage) then where does the jealousy you think dating must involve come in? Well, I have heard the saying said before. And the difference between new cars and used ones is not that they have been driven but that they have been owned and thus subject to abuse. But if you testdrive something and cause any damage or anything to it you are obligated to buy it. With a new car there should be few if any worries about it already being damaged. My point lay not in my being better than you which you seem to take it as, but that when we treat something as commonplace it is no longer special and we will never be able to view it as special, in essence, you are destroying the blessings you can have from marriage and which God meant for you. God does forgive (if we confess) but we do not forget, and when we stray from His ways He still loves us but we lose out on the blessings. God wants the best for our lives, and there are those who simply refuse that "best." You seem to think sex outside of marriage is simply a "testing phase." But in reality it is much more dangerous then that, aside from the obvious risks not only to your physical body but also to you emotionally, which God never intended for you, there is also the matter of who you are seeking out. You're seeking out people who place no value on the relationship and simply consider it a testing phase but when in marriage the blessing for marriage God created as sex has no special meaning because it was never upheld as special to begin with. If you wait something becomes special and is upheld as such, if you treat something as commonplace it will be to you as commonplace. And finally, the other person will be focused on the physical side rather then the emotions. If you catch someone by physical means, what kind of person do you think you'll get? A physical person. Love is not physical, and if you are expecting to find it from people more worried about physical gratifications I think you are sadly mistaken. Well, why is cheating considered cheating? Do the relationships around dating commonly use the term "cheating" and involve jealousy because they treat dating as marriage? I think it is a valid point and 100% related to the conversation, or I wouldn't have brought it up. My post did not involve profanity and was not a "nothing but charachter assassination/insults at other people" post so if it offends other people it is simply because it is a concept they do not wish to deal with.

My friend, we all all guilty, as it says in Romans 3:19, all the world is guilty before God. And as it says in Galatians 2:16 by the works of the Law will no flesh be justified. There is no way to reach God through being good enough or doing good enough things. There is noone you can pray to, noone who can help bring you to God, but Jesus Christ alone. He is the only way to the Father and eternal life, and His is the only name given under Heaven that we need to know to be saved. Like Abraham, it is by trusting in God, in Jesus Christ alone, that He will save us, if we are trusting in our own works, or Mary, or anyone else to save us He will not answer. We are the children of Abraham through faith in God and thus in Jesus Christ alone. Mere knowledge of God is not enough, as said in James 2:19-20, even the devils believe in God, and tremble, and without works that faith is dead. But as said, works can never save us, and so it is faith in Jesus Christ alone, trusting in Him to save us, that we can reach God. Faith as belief in one God, or intellectual orthodoxy cannot save, this is the faith which can: Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I think violence stems from a variety of sources and it's not just the games sending the messages kids interpret to mean violence is ok. Our naturally competitive society is bringing up kids to be more and more aggressive in reaching the top and acquiring material wealth. However, I think violence in video games and music as someone said are culprits in the increasingly violent atmosphere in which we live. That kids should be able to get stuff like this so easily shows how far our society has come that it deems anything appropriate even for its children. Perhaps another clue to how little our society values its children, and why we hear of such horrific crimes involving children these days? If the retailers can't prevent children from getting this stuff then maybe it should only be sold specially through ordering and not in general stores. Or maybe *gasp* it shouldn't be sold at all.

Well, good at least that it requires paper signing there before they make you go through with it. I wouldn't be surprised though if they try to push to make everyone go through that stuff regardless. And what about Health class in High School?

I already gave a reply to those links here: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

I've thought before on where the idea of "cheating" originates from. Is it because people are trying to have the blessings of marriage without the responsibilities and institution God created to go with them? Long story short, I think it's because we treat dating as marriage is supposed to be treated, with much the same level of intimacy (I assume it doesn't involve sex, it still involves hugging and kissing and levels of intimacy and bonding) yet without the protections of marriage and the responsibilities/bond that marriage brings. You're expecting another to be tied to you when they have never made the official commitment to do so.Also, because there is no level of patience or waiting, of commitment without satisfaction, the relationship is devalued and people base their commitment to the other person on how they feel and what pleasure it brings them without caring about the other person. So what is being cheated on if there was never a commitment made on which to be cheated? As soon as the person feels the "magic" of the relationship, or what they could get out of it, is gone, they too are gone. I see it as something like sex. As they say, having sex before marriage only serves to put you on the used car lot. I'm sure I've just offended about 9 of 10 people who will read this post Sorry, just my opinions

Last I heard however, the Catholic Church hasn't apologized for the witch trials or Crusades or the Conquistadors... This isn't something done by a few but still condoned by the institution. I read the first 2 links, the first seemed pretty accurate from what I saw while skimming over it, the 2nd is making a common error or else lie, in identifying anyone it doesn't like from the time period as anabaptist, an old ploy by the Catholic Church. Here's are some selected historical statements concerning anabaptists from: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Let me ask you a question? Which would you term as hate? A) Killing off hoardes of people who never hurt anyone, cutting their garments short and leaving them in the cold, starting wars with nations and committing countless atrocities, burning people at the stake for no reason, and committing the greatest act of genocide the world has ever known. Saying the above is wrong.

How long has it been now since you had these account problems? Did you email them from the contact us link on the main page? I hope Xisto can resolve this for you.

Well, the situation is in a foreign country and the article is less then 3 months old... Christ said to love others as yourself, He said to beware the leaven and doctrines of the Pharisees, not "love" them. In Romans it says that we are the children of Abraham through faith, those who came before are justified as we solely through faith in God, but if Christ had not come then there would have been no payment for their sins and they would not have been able to enter the kingdom. As for divisiveness, Paul spoke of those who would depart from the faith: 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. He also said to mark those which cause offences contrary to the Gospel and to avoid them. He didn't say ignore them and proclaim a doctrine of unity. The Bible speaks of opposing the world, and to come out from among them and be ye separate, not to join them or to suck up every pagan doctrine and belief system you can to enlarge your borders.