😦 Those with TDS. I cannot believe the things they believe. I am not talking about anyone on here. These are people who I have learned not to even try to reason with.
😦 Those who take advantage of foolish people and spread misinformation.
🙂 All the bible teachers I have had throughout the years.
🙂 A God who loves me, even when I’m struggling and too-aware of my ongoing flaws and sins.
🙂 The forgiveness of sins and weekly communion — as a reminder of all of that.
🙂 The ability to work.
🙂 Spring is coming.
🙂 A sweet, big dog who lays her head in my lap and is so easily pleased.
🙂 Kathaleena (@11:23), there is now also a TVS — Trump Vindication Syndrome. Our culture seems caught right now between political extremes with many unbelievable beliefs, prayers that this period will pass in God’s time and if He so wills.
Michelle, I find it particularly disturbing when those in church really don’t want to know what the bible says but are willing to just follow any nice pastor. What folly!
Kathaleena – (re:TDS) Many here would probably be surprised to learn that I have stopped following two friends on Facebook who obviously have TDS. One of those I stopped following back in Trump’s first administration, which wasn’t a big deal because I barely knew the guy.
The other has been a big disappointment. He had been one of my most intelligent and intellectual Facebook friends, with good discussions between people of varying views on his comment threads. But he has changed quite a bit over the past couple of years, and has exhibited TBS to a great degree.
He used to be one who I could rely on for double-checking the accuracy of his posts, and freely admitting if he accidentally shared something false. But I have caught him sharing stories about Trump, or some who publicly support him, that are false, and sometimes way out there. After the last one, which greatly twisted a quote from a Trump-supporting minister, I had had enough, and stopped following him.
Politics has become very emotionally-based, which is why it’s important to step back from the feelings and retain discernment (while keeping a biblical approach and lens — rather than a secular/social media view — front and center).
I have a number of ‘friends’ on FB who are on either side of the extreme divide right now — Trump can do no wrong or Trump can do nothing right — ever. Back and forth it goes. Sigh.
I don’t post anything political on social media but see the whipsaw posts, back and forth it goes.
🙂 My friend volunteered to take me to church tomorrow
🙂 I am listening to a book by Diann Mills, Sworn to Protect, written a number of years back, that is so relevant today about the Border Patrol and illegal immigration.
😦 🙂 Second car in two weeks had a dead battery and got towed. Thankful it was not a bigger issue.
🙂 Spring blossoms and blooms
😦 Pollen count is highest ever this early in the season
Anonymous (Michelle?) at 12:07, the recommendation of “The Message” made me shudder. One of our pastors at my church in Chicago used that version in actual sermons. Fortunately the bulletin told us a week or two in advance when he would be preaching, and I usually attended another church that week! (Occasionally he preached two weeks in a row, and then I’d skip one and attend one.)
I’d definitely rather see a person get a study Bible (with good notes) or a person to study with than a paraphrase that at some places does real violence to Scripture (and that is, frankly, really annoying in its overuse of cliche, oftentimes jarringly modern ones).
When I was teaching children in Chicago, I noticed that the children’s Bibles in classrooms were a children’s NIV, basically a really oversimplified version. I convinced the children’s pastor to remove those and substitute an actual version. (I forget whether they went with NIV or NKJV.) I told him it’s much better to use an actual translation and explain it than to have people thinking they are reading Scripture when they really aren’t. I’d say that goes double for a paraphrase, whether The Message or the Living Bible.
We use the Message for our evening Bible reading. We are also going through a liturgical daily worship book on the Easter season. I have had the Message for years but did not like it as per Cheryl’s comments, but realized my children were struggling with their NASB’s even with the footnotes. And I remembered spending my first years as a believer in the Good News and Living Bibles, so, as per Michelle, went with that for this season.
Mumsee, the NASB is really tricky, the most stilted of the translations. I can definitely see avoiding that one with children. But one argument I made with the children’s pastor is that childhood is the best time to memorize; I know quite a few verses that I never intentionally memorized, but that I learned from hearing them (in the KJV). If for that reason alone, I’d choose to give children an actual translation rather than a paraphrase. (I don’t personally like the NIV, but in that situation I’d probably use the NIV.)
Wandering Views 
😦 Those with TDS. I cannot believe the things they believe. I am not talking about anyone on here. These are people who I have learned not to even try to reason with.
😦 Those who take advantage of foolish people and spread misinformation.
🙂 All the bible teachers I have had throughout the years.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Amen on the Bible teachers.
I’m constantly amazed at how few people–including people in ministry authority spots–know the Scriptures.
“It’s too hard to understand,” they say.
“Get The Message,” I say.
How else can you know God except through his Word?
Many, many people have been amazed (for the good) at this teaching:
https://www.michelleule.com/2024/04/30/jesus-three-cs/
LikeLiked by 3 people
🙂 A God who loves me, even when I’m struggling and too-aware of my ongoing flaws and sins.
🙂 The forgiveness of sins and weekly communion — as a reminder of all of that.
🙂 The ability to work.
🙂 Spring is coming.
🙂 A sweet, big dog who lays her head in my lap and is so easily pleased.
🙂 Kathaleena (@11:23), there is now also a TVS — Trump Vindication Syndrome. Our culture seems caught right now between political extremes with many unbelievable beliefs, prayers that this period will pass in God’s time and if He so wills.
LikeLiked by 4 people
🙂 Prayers always for the unity and peace of His church.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Michelle, I find it particularly disturbing when those in church really don’t want to know what the bible says but are willing to just follow any nice pastor. What folly!
LikeLiked by 3 people
True–and of course the problem begins there!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Kathaleena – (re:TDS) Many here would probably be surprised to learn that I have stopped following two friends on Facebook who obviously have TDS. One of those I stopped following back in Trump’s first administration, which wasn’t a big deal because I barely knew the guy.
The other has been a big disappointment. He had been one of my most intelligent and intellectual Facebook friends, with good discussions between people of varying views on his comment threads. But he has changed quite a bit over the past couple of years, and has exhibited TBS to a great degree.
He used to be one who I could rely on for double-checking the accuracy of his posts, and freely admitting if he accidentally shared something false. But I have caught him sharing stories about Trump, or some who publicly support him, that are false, and sometimes way out there. After the last one, which greatly twisted a quote from a Trump-supporting minister, I had had enough, and stopped following him.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Politics has become very emotionally-based, which is why it’s important to step back from the feelings and retain discernment (while keeping a biblical approach and lens — rather than a secular/social media view — front and center).
I have a number of ‘friends’ on FB who are on either side of the extreme divide right now — Trump can do no wrong or Trump can do nothing right — ever. Back and forth it goes. Sigh.
I don’t post anything political on social media but see the whipsaw posts, back and forth it goes.
LikeLiked by 3 people
🙂 My friend volunteered to take me to church tomorrow
🙂 I am listening to a book by Diann Mills, Sworn to Protect, written a number of years back, that is so relevant today about the Border Patrol and illegal immigration.
😦 🙂 Second car in two weeks had a dead battery and got towed. Thankful it was not a bigger issue.
🙂 Spring blossoms and blooms
😦 Pollen count is highest ever this early in the season
LikeLiked by 2 people
😦 Fr I end is not well so we are not going to church
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anonymous (Michelle?) at 12:07, the recommendation of “The Message” made me shudder. One of our pastors at my church in Chicago used that version in actual sermons. Fortunately the bulletin told us a week or two in advance when he would be preaching, and I usually attended another church that week! (Occasionally he preached two weeks in a row, and then I’d skip one and attend one.)
I’d definitely rather see a person get a study Bible (with good notes) or a person to study with than a paraphrase that at some places does real violence to Scripture (and that is, frankly, really annoying in its overuse of cliche, oftentimes jarringly modern ones).
When I was teaching children in Chicago, I noticed that the children’s Bibles in classrooms were a children’s NIV, basically a really oversimplified version. I convinced the children’s pastor to remove those and substitute an actual version. (I forget whether they went with NIV or NKJV.) I told him it’s much better to use an actual translation and explain it than to have people thinking they are reading Scripture when they really aren’t. I’d say that goes double for a paraphrase, whether The Message or the Living Bible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Grandchildren who give their grandparents hugs (Jo)
LikeLiked by 2 people
We use the Message for our evening Bible reading. We are also going through a liturgical daily worship book on the Easter season. I have had the Message for years but did not like it as per Cheryl’s comments, but realized my children were struggling with their NASB’s even with the footnotes. And I remembered spending my first years as a believer in the Good News and Living Bibles, so, as per Michelle, went with that for this season.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mumsee, the NASB is really tricky, the most stilted of the translations. I can definitely see avoiding that one with children. But one argument I made with the children’s pastor is that childhood is the best time to memorize; I know quite a few verses that I never intentionally memorized, but that I learned from hearing them (in the KJV). If for that reason alone, I’d choose to give children an actual translation rather than a paraphrase. (I don’t personally like the NIV, but in that situation I’d probably use the NIV.)
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Not to worry, Cheryl, they have study Bibles.
mumsee
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