I don't think it matters either way. 

What matters is what each person makes of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter and who THEY thank. If some people only love these holidays for the turkey, the presents and the chocolate eggs, let them.

Why try to appropriate ourselves some holidays that God never asked us for in the first place? Of course I'm sure it makes Him very happy that we remember Him in special ways throughout the year, but He sees the hearts of each individual.

I think anyone can be thankful/grateful and reflect on their blessings. It is not a Christian-only value. This kind of reflection may transform hearts and might even bring people closer to God in the end, why take this chance away from anyone by branding the holiday?

I think trying to exclude people by branding holidays deepens the gap between Christians and non-Christians and pushes them further out.

Let's be inclusive rather than exclusive, when being inclusive doesn't affect our moral standard, which is the case for the holidays.

I hope you have a good Thanksgiving!

Oh that is awesome!  I'm excited for you but also excited for your book to come out.

~Tons of love

Hey, I was just wondering how you're book being published was coming along?  Any chance I could buy it soon?!

~Tons of love

I agree, we should all be grateful for our veterans who have served with honor including the surviving ones from World War Two, Korea, VietNam, The Persion Gulf War and Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the Grenada invasion and any ones from WW1 who are still alive.

CountAngus  

This is a good entry!! I think that MDD's editing system is lame, we supposedly can't call a rooster or a roach by the name cock but people still use the "F" word freely, Is their edit system even working??

[CountAngus]

While I believe in the ultimate sovereignty of God I also believe that God limited his control over the universe when He gave us free will and much of what happens in the world is due to human free will. It is possible that Obama won because some people chose to stay home and not vote. God is not a republican or democrat, conservative or liberal, right wing or left wing, human labels don't apply to God, it is not relevent whether God is on our side but whether we are on God's side. During the American civil war both the Union and the confederacy claimed that "God is on our side" but which side actually followed what the bible says on slavery and justice? ( see my entry on "slavery, racism and injustice")

CountAngus

Politicians are human, not prophets and we have to realise that. A lot of politicians make a lot of promises, once they get the position they then realise the complexity of these promises and realise that simply come cannot be kept. It's through no fault of their own, nothing to do with dishonesty, it's simply to do with the fact that they weren't sure of the conditions they would be faced with when creating those promises.

Obama seems to be a smart and educated man. Law degree and politics degree will surely asist him in his role, which is primarily a spokesman.

Bush wasn't a fantastic president. Nor was he as hopeless as his reputation insists. He was a man faced with a lot of decisions, and he made  alot of bad ones. But in a different political climate he would have really just been overlooked as a president. One of the ones hard to remeber. But there are only so many 'But if's' you can make I suppose.

No matter what the outcome of this USA presidential election change will ensue. 

The leader of the UK has changed just last year.

The leader of Australia has changed earlier this year.

The leader of New Zealand changed today

The leader of the USA changed this past week.

The leader of France changed this year.  

That's all I am aware of. But I'm sure other countries have also experienced shifts of power recently.

My point of all this is that, the world is changing. The reason why so many countries have changed their leaders is because the previous formation wasn't working. Excuse the cliche but change is as good as a holiday.

Obama vs McCain. - It doesn't matter. The world as we know it will change quite substantially in the next few years, because all of these new leaders are out to fight for better for their own people, and I'm sure are going to attempt to reconcile and build relationships with the new leaders of other nations as well.

My rant's point is. No matter who won in the USA, the issues that they will be confronted with, which how they handle will probably determine their credibility as a President is in others hands as much as their own.

“You know what
kills me about you jesus nazis” That has to
be the most oxymoronic thing I have ever heard. 

How so, it fits perfectly…

“who are YOU to say
who is saved and who isnt....” I can’t, but
the Bible can. I can look at the Bible and look at a person’s life and know
whether they are saved or not.

Does that mean since you
are full of pride that you are not saved?

“shame on you
randall...shame on you...I hope to your god that one day you have a damascus experience also.” Do you really know what that means? Probably not
since you only put half of the term there.

I know exactly what it
means….I don’t have to be literal or formal for you to understand it (and you
did).  You are not the only one that has
every picked up the bible.

“One day you will
need to drop that pride before something or someone does it for you.” What pride? I don’t see any pride in my entry. It
is probably just all of those Christian stereotypes that you love to use
against me.

No, and I am NOT the only
one that sees it…Some happen to be your readers… Your entries my not reflect
the pride but your comments always do.

“Also how on earth
do YOU know what god wants??” Because of the
Bible.

No because of what you would want...nothing to do with the bible.

“How do you know
that he didnt want Obama in there??” Because
Obama doesn’t line up with the Bible. McCain didn’t either but he was closer.

How do you know….if we are
talking about abortion…from what I remember the bible doesn’t mention it. Except now that I think about it…the bible doesn’t
value human life often…your own god killed children and babies.

“Dont you think
that everything fits into his plan??” God’s
plan is constantly changing due to man’s free will. After Genesis chapter 2
God’s plan was out. He has been making new plans ever since. Obama wasn’t God’s
plan but he is now. God has an ultimate plan and all else is working up to the
final plan.

I dont buy that, if your god was any kind
of god…humans would have no say in anything…You DON’T know that Obama was not
in his plan…as I said before you assume and put your own prejudices into your
god.

“and this I said to
losthere...you know that you made up your god when they have the same thoughts
and prejudices that you have....” But my God
has no prejudices. He loves all humans equally. He just can’t stand sin.

No he does not….if it were
true no one would be starving…no one would hurt…no one would have been killed
for your god..and he seems to love sin, when he can do something about it and doesn’t…

“Shame on you
Randall....putting words and actions into your gods mouth and hands...” What words did I put in God’s mouth? Or am I
being blamed for all Christianity again?

You put into your gods
mouth who he would vote for…the last time I read about Jesus he sure seemed a liberal…

“I am sorry but Mc
Cain was not in line with your bible either and neither was that nutjob Palin” How do you know? Besides, I wanted Huckabee.

That is indeed scary…Huckabee…even
worse than Palin. I know the same way you
know that Obama isn’t and I know that your god would never allow a woman to
have power over men…did I read those passages wrong?

 “did you ever think that maybe your god
knew what they would make of America??” Yes. He knew. But you are assuming that it is
God’s will that Obama won and not man’s free will.

And you assume that it was
humans who voted Obama in and not god, but if Mc Cain got in…it would have been
god…right?

“How do YOU know that god is a republican??” Actually, He’s not. Neither am I.
I vote my values, as He wants me to do. In most cases that means Republican but
if there were a Democrat that fit I would vote for him or her. George
Washington warned about a party spirit. I believe it was Fisher Ames that
served under three different presidents and all three had a different political
affiliation. But here is a question, would you vote for a republican if he or
she stood for what you believed in?

I am sorry but the republicans are not
about values. They are about greed, war, and
obviously gay s..x, which they try to oppose but get caught having often..You
realize that back when the first president was voted in the opponent that lost
became the vice president to balance the government..too bad it wasn’t like
that now. I have never had a republican
care about the things that I do(Mc Cain is too old and out of touch with what the majority of the American people want)…but if it came to that…then yes I would vote
for the republican candidate. I actually
liked Ron Paul a whole lot…and I would have laid down my vote on him…even
though I did not agree with all that he did.

i voted for mccain

and i prayed wed get obama

i dont think we got good either way

my view is that neither one should have gotten it

but if we bring our troops hme we will have them over here

[sweetliljesusfan1985]

I'm sorry you were in mourning over this.  While you were mourning I was celebrating, but I'm glad the mourning is over for you dear friend.

~Tons of love

I do apologize for my way of saying things to you. I certainly strongly disagree with a lot of what you say, but I do see where you're coming from and the intent behind it. But I'm still trying to comprehend this particular kind of Christian that is only found in America and even after 7 years in this country, it stil rubs me the wrong way and makes me blurt things out.

As for promises: McCain was also a politician, so would he have kept his promises better than Obama (will)? We'll never know either.

Yes, it is a lot easier to deal with the lost attacking you than the Christians.  That's one area that I REALLY need God's help in.  I know that, as much as we have to stand together, we also have to stand alone in a sense.  But I found that when another Christian attacks, I'm not able to handle it.  It tore me down!  But I'm back up.  lol.  And, ready to go at it again.  I don't have time to write an entry yet.  I just stopped by for a second today - between loads of laundry.  Anyways, I've got this thing I want to email you.  Do you think if I put my diary to semi-private (you are the only one on my favs as of yet) that you could give me your email address?  I promise to delete it before I open my diary up and I will never send you any junk.  If you don't want to, that's ok.  Please don't be afraid of offending me if you don't want to give me your email address.  This thing (prophesy) is just too long to post on here, though. 

Yes, definitely agree to disagree. I agree on some things you say but not necessarily their applications.

Dear Called To Worship

“p.s.s.  Don't you ever get tired of all the negativity and nasty comments?  Doesn't it ever wear you down?????  Don't you ever feel like it's you against the rest of mdd?   HOW do you deal with it so well?” There are times when I just want to scream and pull my hair out. Then I just remind myself that, in most cases, they are just lost and blind. What really hurts is when Christians attack me. All I can do is pray.

Spiritsfire

Hello.

Hmm...  I'm not an American, but from a Canadian persepective, I don't really care that much who is president, but I do believe that for the first black president of the united states, God DEFINITLY has something big planned.  I mean, who woulda thought??  I probably should get more involved in politics.  I mean, at least learn the BASICS.  I don't even know what conservative, liberal, or cabinet mean!!  I just think that God is in charge, and if he wants me to vote, I'll be pulled to vote.  But otherwise, it's in God's hands.  Maybe God is using Obama to do great things...  Maybe, through his presidency, Obama will become a Christian!!  Not THAT, would be freakin AWESOME!!!

-Rebecca

p.s.  You've never disagreed w/ me that I know of.  I just wondered if you ever did.

In response to your "I already do" (pray for me):

Hey, THANKS!!!!!

Dear CalledToWorship

“I just want you to know that I'm putting your name on my prayer list right now and I am going to be holding up your hands in the battle.  I hope you'll do the same for me.” I already do.

“Even if you don't always agree with every single thing I say.” I don’t remember ever disagreeing with you, but then again I don’t remember every comment.

“I'm getting ready to make a new diary and I'm going to add you to my favs. I hope you will leave me a comment now & then.” I would like that, and I will comment from time to time.

“Let's really pray for him.” I have been praying for him since he won. He is president now, nothing I can do to change that. So God bless him.

Spiritsfire

And to the rest of you...You seem to forget that man has free will. Oh and, if you count the votes McCain actually won. It is the stupid Electoral College that put Obama in. But he is president now.

I sense fear and a lack of faith that God truly is in control, in this entry.

Do you not know that Jesus was slain before the world was created? Do you not know that God has a plan and always had a plan? Do you think He was caught by surprise by Obama's victory or sin entering the world? Why do you think America should be a theocracy?
What do you think will happen if America's leader is not "truly saved"?

Do you think McCain was "truly saved"? And like MT says, who are we to know who is saved and who isn't... Many think they are but will not be.

Isn't it clear from the Bible that this world will get worse before it gets better and that it will not be accomplished by men? Have you read Daniel? The image of the statue and the rock?

Spiritsfire, I think it's time we Christians truely unite and start backing one another and start praying for, and encouraging, and lifting one another up.  Christians don't agree on every single issue.  We never will.  But it's time to put away petty differences and stand boldly in our faith, proclaiming the truth - regardless of the consequences.  Some will hear and accept.  Many won't.  But we (Christians) need each other's support from here on out.  There is POWER in unity!  There's an army about to rise up.  We (the army of God) need to really stick together because Satan is a pro at the "divide and conquer" game.  He's been doing it to churches all over the nation! There's more I want to say but I will save it.  You'll hear it all later.  I keep on writing it and deleting it.  I just want you to know that I'm putting your name on my prayer list right now and I am going to be holding up your hands in the battle.  I hope you'll do the same for me.  Even if you don't always agree with every single thing I say.  I am your sister in Christ.  I am bound to you by the Father.  I'm getting ready to make a new diary and I'm going to add you to my favs. I hope you will leave me a comment now & then.  And btw, did you read that article called "The Authority of the Believer" by Pastor Mark Cowart?  That was awesome!  That's a really good magazine.

     One more thing: Tomorrow Timesquare Church in New York City is having a day of fasting and prayer for President Obama.  Let's really pray for him. 

the yanks have done something right for once.

it's typical of the religious types to complain about everything.

You know what kills me about you jesus nazis...who are YOU to say who is saved and who isnt....shame on you randall...shame on you...I hope to your god that one day you have a damascus experience also.  One day you will need to drop that pride before something or someone does it for you.

Also how on earth do YOU know what god wants??  How do you know that he didnt want Obama in there??  Dont you think that everything fits into his plan??  But oh...when something isnt what YOU want...it obviously isnt what your god wants...and this I said to losthere...you know that you made up your god when they have the same thoughts and prejudices that you have....

Shame on you Randall....putting words and actions into your gods mouth and hands....

I am sorry but Mc Cain was not in line with your bible either and neither was that nutjob Palin...and you know what...they lost...did you ever think that maybe your god knew what they would make of America??  How do YOU know that god is a republican??

I am a Christian but not an American citizen so I couldn't vote. I would have voted Obama.

Voting based on abortion and gay rights alone is ridiculous... Some people would literally vote for Hitler, if he was against abortion and gay marriage. This is one of the things I do not understand about many Christians in this country. No candidate lines up perfectly with the Bible.

Excellent comments below me. I agree that God puts authorities in place -it's mentioned several times in the Bible- so Obama must have been his choice, for whatever His reasons are.

McCain was the champion of negative campaigning, polarizing Americans and turning his opponent into a devil. If the man couldn't run a campaign, could he have run a country? Doubtful.

"Socialism" is not a bad word (I'm from France, remember). And remember that the church fathers were communists. I think "spreading the wealth" is a very biblical/christian value :)

That was my random comments...

first of all...

thanks again for posting things like this. you're awesome.

i agree completely. i think people are influenced too much by the media and their peer's opinions to really focus on what the candidate's stand is. i think as christians, we should really be sure to pray not only for the choice we make but also for the person who gets elected. christians, and everyone, should be careful to choose someone who reflects their beliefs.

and second of all...

i'm sorry, but i disagree with the two people underneath me.

GO OBAMMA!

i LOVE that soong!! :)

good luck with the mousee thiing hahaha

I love song lyrics and mice.  I'm glad you are going to let the mousie go and not kill it!

~Tons of love

These are some excellent points!! I agree completely. If anyone reading this wants to they can check out my entries on "Proffessor Sally Mander" and "My opinion on the theory of evolution".

Good work, Spiritsfire!!

CountAngus

I know what it is to be abuse, and I really dont know how to love. I gave my heart to the LORD A LONG TIME AGO, then when things went bad I walked away, cause I DIDNT THINK God loved me, I'm trying to go back to church, I know he loves me but I cant feel him, loving me. I know hes out there. Please pray for me

I didnt asked to be abuse all thu my life

In response to xxmycharmxx the book of Psalms actually covers alot of territory, some of them involve thanks to God, some are calls for divine punishment on the wicked, some are prophesies and various things like that .They are mostly poetry and songs. Other poetry in the bible are the Song of Solomon ( erotica about marriage) and the Lamentations of Jeremiah ( a dirge)

To Spiritsfire: this is a good verse, we should all seek such a thing. 

    I've seen more angry and hateful words against your diary and your faith, from Americans than I have seen in Iraq....but even if our motives were impure to invade Iraq...our chastening will come later ,but until then, a proud regime was put down to protect the innocent and possibly oil too....It is a curse to trust man. As much as we may love America,she is as spoiled and rotten and angry as the people who write against your diary.But that same element is inside us is it not? There (as you know) is nothing innately good about us Christians and anything that is even remotely good is all there because of his goodness....and it is that same goodness at work in us that is a salt that preserves a nation and postpones her chastening. It is that same goodness that does promote compassion to people groups who are being oppressed but these others say correctly when they say it is interesting that we did not stand strong against Russia with what she did to Georgia. There will always be evil at work in the hearts of people in every so called "good nation" but only God is truly good and as believers,our devotion is first to a citizenship of the Kingdom of God,not the Presidency of Bush or McCain or even Obama not even to America. As much as I love America,I hate the fact that she is killing millions of her unborn children every year. She is not a righteous nation.She is wrought with confusion because It's murder to kill a mothers child when she wants it but legal and ok if she doesn't. Maybe Saddam Hussein is innocent in comparison. In summary,we are not good as a people or a nation otherwise we find ourselves arguing with God.He said there is none good.But He does love His children and they have been purchased by his son's blood.

  Therefore I commend you for your faith and your willingness to be courageous in the face of criticism...but I think as believers we are delusional if somehow we feel that this nation is walking in Righteousness. I am compelled to believe that He has used us since our founding and  wants to do so with every people group but I believe that whatever destiny that may have been in His heart for us; we are all so walking quickly away from it. So can the goverment of the United States of America be trusted?...The answer...only as much as one can trust their neighbors.War is a hateful thing but the war against the saints is even more subtle.Every October it becomes intense. Keep on in the FAITH!

"They" are the ones making fun of your faith.Would they still do this to you if your faith was different than Christianity? I think not.For you the veil was torn in two and the entrance to the Holy of Holies is a path you are free to take because of the Blood of the Lamb. 

Choronzon thought it was funny. *sticks tongue out*

you know, you truly have lost your "spark". you used to be fun and actually funny too, but now, you just sound like a crab ass.  not a good thing to be.

we here like funny people, you sir, is not so funny.

[XxChoronzonxX]

too late. i already told on ya.

 daemon. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

[XxChoronzonxX]

why is it all christians are out of their fucking minds?

oh yeah and i went to your god (ya know, in my brain) , and told him how youve been ignoring my comments to you and he said that now you are going to hell. so... see you in hell sugah plum.

x syn x 

why god bless me?  

 its a daemon.. HA HA HA.. im sorry, i never got tired of that.

x Gnosis x

what you are not seeing though is we are losing people too. my brother is over there and he doesnt deserve to be. my brother isnt weak but he isnt the strongest. usually i could careless of this entry but fact is, my brother is one of those people. the reason he is over there is my fault entirely. in my mind those bitches deserve to die and i pray my brother kills them all. they hate us as much as we hate them, why should we help?

ive seen pictures where little kids have signs saying fuck america. people over there saying that they should just bomb us and wipe us all out. my fucking brother is over there and honestly, if he gets killed, im not going to just sit here and think oh well he was helping them. id like to just fucking built my own bomb and send it their way.

xx Gnosis xx

so youre still at it eh?

no one wants to accept your god because they are not in denial. they know he doesnt exist and that there never was a god. Movies come from the imagination.their purpose is for entertainment and so the creator wont waste his talent not because he wants to make a statement about how this is what things are. supposed to be. movies come from PEOPLE. not all movies are there to teach people about how the world was created blah blah blah. its called having an imagination and using it without fear of judgment like what you are doing.

xx Gnosis xx

Why couldn't God have created something that evolved? Now, I'm not totally into Darwinism or Creationism perse....I believe in the Bible....and I see it can substansiate a creation that can possibly evolve....I don't put my trust in people....my learning comes soley from the Bible....

Thanks for your comment....keeps me smiling....Have a amazing day....Love, Alice

wow friend, thank you for sharing that revelation about sin to me. it helps me not feel condemned or judged, just safe to be me.  thank you.  you are doing a good work here.

bless you

Absolutely!

I like this rhetorical qestion: "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

This is politics. Politics isn't driven by compassion. It's driven by power. Every move America has made on Iraq or any other country - there's no feeling behind the act. If they were so eager to clean up disastrous countries with hitler-like leadership, we'd be seeing them work their asses of in countless countries identical to that. By suggesting it was compassion you would then have to say that the country is doing this without looking to gain anything in return. What benefits the US by entering Iraq? If there are no advantages, then perhaps compassion can be tied in.

thank you so much! Ive been waiting for someone else to notice as well

I have to respectfully disagree on this one Randall. I can understand what you're saying, and to some extent why you feel the way you do, but this "compassion" that you speak of is just not really jiving well with me. I know soldiers and friends of soldiers that have gone to Iraq as well, and they're just as disillusioned as most of the American public is with all of this. If compassion is the reason we went to Iraq, then we have no compassion whatsoever for our fellow Americans. Why should we be halfway around the world helping people that either hate us, or are too stupid or cowardly to help themselves? I'm a fairly intelligent person, and probably more a....ytical than most people you know, so my objectivity knows no bounds. That being said, Bush is WORSE than the media says and the compassion you speak of is slowly but surely driving OUR OWN country right into a third world poverty level that we might not be able to climb out of. Yes, the people in Iraq have been oppressed, yes they are weak. But it's up to THEM to make a difference, not us to make it for them. Then and only then will they have a government they can call their own. In the meantime, we're just making their government for them, and our government needs to focus on OUR people.

Cheeto