Firestone was telling me about different charedi subgroups...Daniel: the lubavitcher rebbe was chabad's longtime figurehead
Daniel: who they worshiped as a messiah
Sharmin: oh. what is a rebbe?
Sharmin: is it like a rabbi?
Sharmin: only
Sharmin: lolcatDaniel: yes but it's more, besides adding lolcat ( Read more... )

This reminds me of my Bible class two terms ago. Only my class came with an awesome professor and not as much snark.

You should still read it, though. And if you're at MIT, you should take The Bible. It is most excellent.

nhw  points out that daegaer has some good stuff! about the Gospel of Judas.
From the National Geographic article:

As told in the New Testament Gospels, Judas betrayed Jesus for "30 pieces of silver," identifying him with a kiss in front of Roman soldiers. Later the guilt-ridden Judas returns the bribe and commits suicide, according to the Bible.
( What the Gospel of Judas says )

So apparently kissing in public in Tangerang, Indonesia  is ok as long as you keep it to five minute make-out sessions.
Actually, I don't mind this rule too much. I mean, it would reduce the number of over-affectionate, saccharine couples I have to watch. (Yes, Frank, I'm talking to you. And Ali. And Paula.) The whole get a room thing.

I'm a bit confused about why everybody is so preoccupied about the fact that prayer does not help heart problems. I mean, even if it did, I don't think beginning to pray because of heart problems would be sincere enough to have an effect ( Read more... )

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Sixth Level of Hell - The City of Dis!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
LevelScorePurgatory (Repenting Believers)Very LowLevel 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)LowLevel 2 (Lustful)HighLevel 3 (Gluttonous)ModerateLevel 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)ModerateLevel 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) ( Read more... )

Anne Rice has...
Discovered God.She is now a Born Again Christian. Slightly scary. This woman writes (wrote) soft-core porn, damnnit! She invented Lestat (teehee) and the incredibly sexy slashiness that is Louis ( Read more... )

You know what's really funny? and, in some probably very twisted way, cool?
The fact that bible slash exists. And that there's not one, but two active communities on lj dedicated. bible_slash  and christ_slashThe funny thing being the incongruity of seeing the word Jesus in a piece of fan fiction. I find it strange enough in evangelical literature, but slash ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

So yesterday I got into a conversation with Hillier, and I mentioned that I considered him wholesome. Being male, he of course objected and claimed I didn't know what he did. I explained I meant emotionally wholesome, well adjusted, "normal" without the bother of mediocrity, and he agreed. Which got me thinking about wholesomeness, optimism and all ( Read more... )