Lori Alexander 27: Deleting Bible Passages since 2017

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

41 minutes ago, Florita said:

Either Lori doesn't know other denominations exist or she doesn't regard them as Christian. Or she's just that stupid.

I'm going with the trifecta.  As far as I can tell from her comments, Lori attends a non-demonationational "Bible-believing" church. so she doesn't think there are any other types because she doesn't go there.  Plus  Catholics, Jews, Muslims, etc.,  aren't Christian anyway.  And ..... yes she is that stupid to believe the former 2 statements.

Adding -- I've never quite grasped the fundie focus on a "Bible believing" church.  Do they really think there are churches that don't believe the Bible?

Or is this a shorthand way of saying  Bible-believing = KJV only which is the literal word of God that He dictated into KJ's ear and that Every. Single. Word. is the literal word of God?  How do they explain Jesus' parables?

[Imrlgoddess]

56 minutes ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Adding -- I've never quite grasped the fundie focus on a "Bible believing" church.  Do they really think there are churches that don't believe the Bible?

I can't count the number of times during my youth up into my 20's I was told that Catholics weren't Christian because they don't follow the Bible or use it in sermon.  Lawd help me, the arguments.  I left the church 14 years ago and I still get into disagreements about it.  

[Loveday]

4 hours ago, polecat said:

Lori's hypocrisy on display once again on Instagram ... 

• Christians "barely kissing" before marriage -- um ... Check. (Even kisses with men who weren't Ken! For shame, Lori!)

<snipped for brevity>

Oh, Lori. My Christian grandmother had her first child six months after her wedding. My Christian great-grandmother also had her first child a lot sooner than nine months and one day after HER wedding. And her husband was born to my great-great grandmother FOUR MONTHS after HER marriage. I don't know anything else about her, though, so can't vouch for her being a Christian or not. At any rate, I'm thinking that a lot more than 'barely kissing' went on back in the day, even among good Christians. 

[feministxtian]

I just can't with that woman. 

We don't drink. Has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with these 2 facts. First, I don't like the taste of most alcohol. Second, medication + alcohol = bad news. Third, Mr. Xtian is a recovering alcoholic and type 1 diabetic. Nothing to do with religion. 

Games & TV. Watching "A Good Day to Die Hard" right now. 

"fornication" - we lived together for a year before tying the knot. 

My grandparents? On one side - super uptight upper class Spaniards, uber-Catholic and rather patriarchal. Other side - my grandmother was a feminist before feminism was "cool". She had a career (seamstress) and by the time I was born, had moved into management. Not bad for a German immigrant with a 3rd grade education. She also drank like a fish. A scotch on the rocks in the kitchen, the bottle of scotch in the china cabinet in the dining room and another scotch on the rocks in the living room. Yeah...sobriety was SO not her thing. 

My father didn't drink, except for an occasional beer. My mother, scotch on the rocks. 

NONE of them were "Christians" though...at least not Lori-brand Christians. However, they were ALL blessed with an incredibly strong faith. 

[louisa05]

1 hour ago, Imrlgoddess said:

I can't count the number of times during my youth up into my 20's I was told that Catholics weren't Christian because they don't follow the Bible or use it in sermon.  Lawd help me, the arguments.  I left the church 14 years ago and I still get into disagreements about it.  

A friend who is a former fundie was shocked that the Bible was read at my Catholic wedding. She asked me, I kid you not, how I got the priest to agree to do that. 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

I think every fundie should be forced to attend Mass at least once so they can see oro themselves how many times we read from the Bible, take a verse for the homily, do the responsorial Psalm, etc. 

They would be shocked -- not least because there wasn't one single baby sacrifice.  No kidding, a Pentecostal HS classmate told me that "everyone" knows that Catholics sacrifice babies in the churches' sub-basements. 

[BlackSheep]

Regarding Lori's cabin (built by her dad) being next door to the one built by her grandfather... Who's taking caring of it when they aren't there?

A couple of years ago, we visited my husband's brother and his wife in Minnesota. They took us to their cabin, way up in the north woods. It's next door to her parents' cabin and her aunt's cabin. It's all on lakefront property. The property and cabins have been in their family for several generations. The cabins are simple structures - but cozy and clean, absolutely delightful and welcoming.

I never knew that having a cabin was so much work! My BIL and his wife maintain the cabin itself (cleaning and repairs), clear downed trees, and mow the grass. A big shed holds tools, lawnmower, workbench, and assorted parts and supplies in case something breaks. They go there in springtime to clear away snow and check on the cabin. In late autumn, they remove foodstuffs and close it down for winter. In between, they go to the cabin whenever they can - most weekends, and a weeklong stay at some point.

It's a 3-hour drive between their house and their cabin. They love their cabin and they also love the work that's required.

Now, Loriken live in CA. Their cabin is in WI. They have to have hired a local person to keep an eye on the place when they aren't there. Cabins are, as I learned, a lot of work!

[foreign fundie]

Maybe if somebody points out the inconsistencies with her life, Lori will claim she did not write the great-grandparents post. She could say it was not her words but those of some fundie pastor she once heard preach or something . She could say that she thought the quote was worthwhile, and generally true even if she did not agree with everything. And that her note sheet was too full to credit properly. But that would involve lying, which is something the younger generation may do, but not a godly grandma.

[Imrlgoddess]

1 hour ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

I think every fundie should be forced to attend Mass at least once so they can see oro themselves how many times we read from the Bible, take a verse for the homily, do the responsorial Psalm, etc. 

They would be shocked -- not least because there wasn't one single baby sacrifice.  No kidding, a Pentecostal HS classmate told me that "everyone" knows that Catholics sacrifice babies in the churches' sub-basements. 

Yes indeed!! There was a girl in my best friends church who was convinced that the priest threw actual lambs blood on people during the Easter service!  She had my best friend totally believing it until she came with her family for a wedding.  There were a lot of folks from their church that day since the bride was Catholic and the groom Baptist, the ministers got together and did a dual ceremony.  She figured it out when the priest blessed the congregation with the holy water.  While she had her eyes opened, there were others who mocked the genuflecting to the host and even mocked the signing of the cross after the prayers and whatnot.  My mom was not pleased.

 

ETA:  man I miss those baby sacrificing nights...the potluck was amazing! 

[smittykins]

The things I've heard about the Catholic Church supposedly "not being Christian" are "They worship Mary and pray to statues";  "They don't want parishioners to read the Bible for themselves, plus they only read a condensed version(the lectionary)anyway"; and "they practice 'works-based salvation.'"

Although I admittedly have issues with the Roman church, I would never say that Catholics aren't Christians.

[Loveday]

13 minutes ago, smittykins said:

The things I've heard about the Catholic Church supposedly "not being Christian" are "They worship Mary and pray to statues";  "They don't want parishioners to read the Bible for themselves, plus they only read a condensed version(the lectionary)anyway"; and "they practice 'works-based salvation.'"

Although I admittedly have issues with the Roman church, I would never say that Catholics aren't Christians.

I've heard all that, too, from Protestants who question me about why I converted (about 20 years ago). The Church doesn't teach that we're to worship Mary, but in practice I know a fair few Catholics who come really, really close, and one or two who have crossed the line. "Through Mary to Jesus," they say. Well, shouldn't you have gotten to Jesus by now?" I reply. That doesn't go over too well. I have great respect for Mary, but I don't worship her, I don't 'pray to her' (technically, it's 'asking her to pray for us,' we're not supposed to pray TO her or TO the saints), and honestly, I don't believe she was immaculately conceived. I've still got too much of my ancestors' Methodist/Mennonite/Quaker in me to believe everything the Church teaches.

As for all the Bible stuff, we are very much encouraged to read it, we're just not really encouraged to interpret it for ourselves. And the lectionary is the entire Bible, I think, it's just set up to be read through over a three-year period; I don't think anything is actually left out ( except maybe a few chapters of begats. LOL). The missalettes at the pews aren't the entire Bible, of course, just the weekly readings, but they're not condensed. We get the entire chapter and verse, so to speak, of each day's reading. But we can bring our Bibles to mass if we want; no one's standing at the door making us hand them over on our way in! 

Works-based salvation may or may not be part of the official Catechism, but with all the different Catholic sacraments and practices, it's easy to see how it looks that way. I mean, if you miss one Sunday mass because you just felt like staying home, you're in a state of mortal sin and you're going to go to hell unless you go to confession and then do a penance. That's works-based to me. But works-based or not, we ARE Christians, very much so, despite fundie belief to the contrary.

 

(I do love many aspects of the Catholic church, but there are times I wonder what I was thinking when I converted.) 

[louisa05]

My parish gives Bibles to sixth graders as the first step in preparing for confirmation and are encouraged to read it throughout. Religious ed teachers are encouraged to begin each lesson with applicable scripture. There are also Bible studies available to adult parishioners throughout the year. The Lectionary includes the entire Bible read in a three year cycle. If you were to attend mass daily for three years, you would hear the entire Bible read aloud in church. 

The sacraments are not considered works. We do not "perform" sacraments, we receive them. I was taught a simple definition in Catholic school that they are "outward signs of inward grace". Never have I seen them referred to by the church as something to "perform". 

As for works and faith, the book of James says that "faith without works is dead". Or in the words of the great Rich Mullins, "faith without works is like a song you can't sing; it's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine". I think Lori is a good example of faith without works. She claims to be holier than all of us and sits on the pedestal she has built for herself preaching to the rest of the world, but there are no works to back up her faith. Something people here have pointed out time and again noting that she does not tithe, does not offer any real support to anyone, never does anything to serve others. The nuns I knew in Catholic school talked about how we needed to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. When has Lori ever lifted her hands or moved her feet for the benefit of anyone but herself? She barely managed to do it for her own family. 

[Florita]

More mysterious flowers. First the Hibiscus and now the Petunias. Clearly Lori has never gardened or even set one ugly, pampered foot in a greenhouse.

(BTW I think these flowers are very pretty!)

[Loveday]

15 minutes ago, louisa05 said:

<snipped for brevity>

The sacraments are not considered works. We do not "perform" sacraments, we receive them. I was taught a simple definition in Catholic school that they are "outward signs of inward grace". Never have I seen them referred to by the church as something to "perform". 

 

Thanks for clarifying that. I should have made myself clearer--I've never considered the sacraments to be a 'work,' nor was I ever taught that in RCIA. My point was that I think that to many fundies they all LOOK like works, though (I do feel like reconciliation and penance is right on the line, but that's probably a holdover from my previous life as a Protestant, where we don't go to a priest as intermediary, but straight to God).

Quote

As for works and faith, the book of James says that "faith without works is dead". Or in the words of the great Rich Mullins, "faith without works is like a song you can't sing; it's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine". I think Lori is a good example of faith without works. She claims to be holier than all of us and sits on the pedestal she has built for herself preaching to the rest of the world, but there are no works to back up her faith. Something people here have pointed out time and again noting that she does not tithe, does not offer any real support to anyone, never does anything to serve others. The nuns I knew in Catholic school talked about how we needed to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. When has Lori ever lifted her hands or moved her feet for the benefit of anyone but herself? She barely managed to do it for her own family. 

But in most Protestant belief systems, the works themselves aren't part of the actual salvation process. They're the evidence, the fruit, of one's salvation, but they're not necessary in order to be saved. Which is why, I believe, there's so little emphasis, in many fundie circles, on doing for others. Lori being Exhibit A, as we all know.  

[HoneyBunny]

Actually, works-based salvation is one of a few points on which I still agree with the Catholic Church. That whole "good person test" that Evangelicals like to bandy about?  Makes no sense to me. 

Outward signs of inward grace. I haven't heard that for awhile. 12 years of Catholic education didn't stick too much (the education was excellent; the religion is a little shaky for me these days) but I still say a Hail Mary when I hear an emergency siren. Anyone who can't see that we're asking Mary to pray for us, not praying to her, prefers to remain ignorant and judge-y. 

BTW, next baby-sacrificing potluck, I'm bringing the green bean casserole. What can I put you down for?

[Loveday]

 

5 minutes ago, HoneyBunny said:

BTW, next baby-sacrificing potluck, I'm bringing the green bean casserole. What can I put you down for?

Potato salad. I'll make my mother's recipe, it's awesome. She's Methodist, though, is that all right? 

[jerkit]

I love black flowers. I'm surprised Lori likes them. 

[PennySycamore]

@Florita,  Lori would freak out if she saw these black roses I saw in the Jackson-Perkins catalogue about 45 years ago.  They were beautiful, but not as beautiful as those black petunias.  I can't believe that she didn't know hibiscus.  My grandmother had a big hibiscus "Rose of Sharon" bush in her front yard.  I think my dad replanted it in their yard and us kids were all supposed to get cuttings of the bush before we sold the house.  I didn't though.   Of course, Lori may not be familiar with the Rose of Sharon because it's mentioned in the Song of Songs/Song of Solomon.

ETA: @Loveday, your mom's potato salad sounds awesome.  Catholics don't discriminate against Methodist potato salad.

[Curious]

35 minutes ago, Florita said:

More mysterious flowers. First the Hibiscus and now the Petunias. Clearly Lori has never gardened or even set one ugly, pampered foot in a greenhouse.

(BTW I think these flowers are very pretty!)

I have never seen black petunias, but they are easily identifiable as petunias.   Now I SEVERELY want a bed of black and purple petunias.   I will have to see if the nursery here has black ones next year.

[SuperNova]

4 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

 No kidding, a Pentecostal HS classmate told me that "everyone" knows that Catholics sacrifice babies in the churches' sub-basements. 

Aw, man. I grew up catholic and i didn't know we sacrificed babies. Maybe my church didnt because there was no basement? Now that i think of it, everyone did seem really enthusiastic about after mass coffee and donuts. Perhaps we left before the sacrifice.

Anyhoo, @HoneyBunny put me down for carrot cake with an inch of cream cheese frosting for the potluck. Ill put it on a decorative platter with my name taped to the bottom.

[polecat]

I really don't get it.

She has no job, no kids at home, no hobbies beyond babysitting adults online, doesn't read, doesn't seem to have friends to speak of and lives in a gorgeous climate. Gardening would seem to be a fantastic outlet for her.

Maybe some nice, thorny roses for her to kick around in. Some foxglove and oleander that she could add into her big healthy salads. Some wood nettle that she could weave into her hair. Some sneezeweed and amaranth to sniff.

Some hyacinth that she could put in a bucket. 

I seem to be in a spiteful mood tonight. Maybe just ignore me.

 

[Chocolatedefrauded]

As a former Catholic school kid, I was shocked in college to hear that Catholics supposedly sacrifice babies. Also shocked to hear Christians supposedly think Jews sacrifice Christian babies.  Sounds like a lot of sacrifices of babies going on! It made no sense to me cause my family had 6 kids & all the other Catholic families had 5-9 kids. So where did all the babies come from? 

I heard this from a Jewish student from Long Island my first day. After picking my jaw up from the floor, I told her I never heard any of that and did she really think it was true? I just thought it was so weird.

Also, as an atheist, I find this friendly discussion about works & salvation & faith very interesting. Something to ponder.

[Evangeline]

Like a good Baptist, I'll bring deviled eggs! 

[feministxtian]

I was born, raised and educated RC. I left the church some years ago over some theological disagreements. The one thing that stuck with me and is still important is the idea that we are to be the eyes, ears, hands and feet of Jesus (notice, not the mouth). That is something that was and is important to me (well, us). There have been times when others have been those eyes, ears, hands and feet for us...and now, we have been blessed to be the ones who can give. There isn't ONE minute that goes by that I'm not awed and so thankful for all we've survived, and how help seemed to come with just what we needed, just when we needed it. 

Lori has no clue what that's like. You can't understand the "fear" (awe) of God unless you've experienced it. Lori sees God as a cold, hard, legalistic, mean deity just waiting to strike down people. That's not what I believe. See Romans 5:8 -  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

[usmcmom]

4 minutes ago, Evangeline said:

Like a good Baptist, I'll bring deviled eggs! 

I'll bring cheesey potatoes!  Also, to fully represent the Church of Christ, a big jug of red Kool-Aid and a black sharpie to mark all the red solo cups with each person's name. Waste not, want not.