Ricky Labit, a disabled offshore worker, said he had been a regular for eight months at the Manchuria Restaurant in Houma, eating there as often as three times a week.
On his most recent visit, he said, a waitress gave him and his wife's cousin, 44-year-old Michael Borrelli, a bill for $46.40, roughly double the buffet price for two adults.
"She says, 'Y'all fat, and y'all eat too much,'" Labit said.
Labit and Borrelli said they felt discriminated against because of their size. "I was stunned, that somebody would say something like that. I ain't that fat, I only weigh 277," Borrelli said, adding that a waitress told him he looked like he a had a "baby in the belly."
I like the verbiage of a sign they now have displayed in their restaurant: Food is for eating, not toys for your child or 20% is added.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Does a restaurant have the right to keep customers from coming back because they take advantage of the offerings of the restaurant?
-How would you have remedied this if you were the restaurant owner?
-Did Mr. Labit handle it correctly?
-Does our culture discriminate against those who are overweight? If yes, in what ways?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Christianity & Islam Unite For Peace?
"As Muslims and in obedience to the Holy Quran, we ask Christians to come together with us on the common essentials of our two religions," the letter says. "Let this common ground be the basis of all future interfaith dialogue between us."
Noting that Christians and Muslims make up an estimated 55 percent of the world population, the scholars conclude that improving relations is the best way to bring peace to the world.
You can read more here.
You can read a reaction to the letter here.
You can read the actual letter here.
Some questions:
-Having read the article, do you think this will bring about peace?
-Biblically speaking, do you think this is the best way to bring peace to the world?
-Do you think it is okay for Christians & Muslims to come together to make the world a better place? Should it matter on what issues they come together on?
-Overall, how does this sit with you?
-If you are a Christian, what part should being at peace with all men play in your world view?
Noting that Christians and Muslims make up an estimated 55 percent of the world population, the scholars conclude that improving relations is the best way to bring peace to the world.
You can read more here.
You can read a reaction to the letter here.
You can read the actual letter here.
Some questions:
-Having read the article, do you think this will bring about peace?
-Biblically speaking, do you think this is the best way to bring peace to the world?
-Do you think it is okay for Christians & Muslims to come together to make the world a better place? Should it matter on what issues they come together on?
-Overall, how does this sit with you?
-If you are a Christian, what part should being at peace with all men play in your world view?
Teamwork With Johnny & Chachi
I don't know why I am so intrigued by this video but it has held me captive for over a week and I still smile when I watch it; I guess it is my type of comedy. It was on the list of top 2007 YouTube videos as rated by Denny Burk (the best of 2007 post below). I can't say I understand the point of it and after looking into their "ministry" I can only conclude that they intend to use satire to cause people to think. I find satire more effective sometimes than I do straight truth as you can gain a wider audience who will listen and may not understand until a later time. Anways, watch below and check out some of their other videos- especially the World News Today Interview.
Robots Made For Sex (With Humans)
If you can't tell whether the thing is man or machine, what difference does it make? You'll treat it as if it were alive. The rest is philosophical hairsplitting.
So who will avail themselves of 21st-century sexbots?
Sad cases, for one, people so physically unattractive or anti-social or isolated or emotionally crippled that they have trouble finding human romance. People who love their computers more than their fellows. Hey, they're out there already.
"They're lonely; they're miserable," Levy said. "I think society will be a much better place when they have an alternative that satisfies them without doing any harm to other people."
Add in those who have a satisfying sexual relationship but are simply curious and somewhere between 20 percent and 50 percent of the population will experience man-machine mating at least occasionally, Levy predicts.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Does scripture speak to copulating with robots?
-Can you lust after metal and oil?
-Do you think David Levy is right in that this will be a viable option for the social outcasts?
-Will this alleviate dangers from say, sex predators? Young looking childlike robots for pedophiles?
-How should the church respond to such things as this?
-Would this be the lesser of two evils?
-If you had an encounter with one of these would your spouse consider it the same or different than an affair? Would you consider it different?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord
Below I have copied verbatim the words of an email I recieved from a long time friend of mine's husband. They have been compelled by the Lord to move to Nepal to share the gospel with the people of Nepal. They have sacrificed much for His name and it encourages and shames me in the same thought to know that their faith has been tested and they praise God all the more in spite of it. I long to have faith such as what they are demonstrating at this time.
Background:
Shanee was pregnant. All was reported well and good about a week ago. Thursday it was reported that the baby may have fetal hydrops and that could result in a 20-30% survival rate or it could just be infection that hopefully could be treated. They asked for prayer and that it only be infection but either way, they wanted the Lord to be glorified. After that email I received another update stating they never made it Bangkok but to New Dehli. Hopes were still high that it may only be an infection. Several tests were ran and nothing was found to be causing the fluid in the chest and abdomen that would give credit to hydrops. Still prayer was asked for and their desire was that the name of the Lord is to be praised regardless. Then I received the following email:
Priya Jean was born by C-section at about 4:30 on the evening of Dec. 31st. After struggling through the night she went to be with the Lord around 6 am on New Year's morning. She weighed about 5.5 pounds (1 pound of which was fluid), and she was unable to overcome the fluid that had built up in her chest and abdomen. She struggled throughout the night as her blood pressure kept dropping and the doctors tried everything to overcome it.
Shanee and I were able to hold her and say goodbye to her with our mothers there by our side.
Shanee is doing fine after her C-section. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow or the next day. Shanee and I are so thankful for your prayers and for all the support we've received here. Our good friends Nathan and Kari Shank were here in Delhi and they were there with us at every step. Also, our good friends Glen and Marvella Thompson flew straight here to Delhi from Thailand and were like another set of parents to us throughout this ordeal.
This has been, without a doubt, the most difficut thing we've ever been through. We are pleased that our daughter is through with the troubles of this world and in the arms of her Lord. And we praise Him. We praise Him. Job said it best in the wake of losing all that he valued on earth: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That conveys our feelings better than anything we could say. The Lord gave us Priya, and He has chosen by His gracious will to take her away. Blessed be his Name. Her life was an undeserved gift to us. We wouldn't trade one moment of the seven months we had with her. And we praise God for it from beginning to end. We don't know the reason why she was taken, but we know the God who made that decision. And He is enough for us. He is our glory and our strength. We want to praise Him right now as the God of all grace and comfort. He has been our truest and most constant companion in the midst of all this.
We are in the midst of arranging the details for a flight back to Missouri. We should be there in the coming week. We'll hold a memorial celebration there--details will follow. Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. It is our desire that you would praise the Lord with us at this time. He is always worthy of it.
For His Name,
Jesse and Shanee
May the Lord grant them much grace during this time and may their request be granted: Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Background:
Shanee was pregnant. All was reported well and good about a week ago. Thursday it was reported that the baby may have fetal hydrops and that could result in a 20-30% survival rate or it could just be infection that hopefully could be treated. They asked for prayer and that it only be infection but either way, they wanted the Lord to be glorified. After that email I received another update stating they never made it Bangkok but to New Dehli. Hopes were still high that it may only be an infection. Several tests were ran and nothing was found to be causing the fluid in the chest and abdomen that would give credit to hydrops. Still prayer was asked for and their desire was that the name of the Lord is to be praised regardless. Then I received the following email:
Priya Jean was born by C-section at about 4:30 on the evening of Dec. 31st. After struggling through the night she went to be with the Lord around 6 am on New Year's morning. She weighed about 5.5 pounds (1 pound of which was fluid), and she was unable to overcome the fluid that had built up in her chest and abdomen. She struggled throughout the night as her blood pressure kept dropping and the doctors tried everything to overcome it.
Shanee and I were able to hold her and say goodbye to her with our mothers there by our side.
Shanee is doing fine after her C-section. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow or the next day. Shanee and I are so thankful for your prayers and for all the support we've received here. Our good friends Nathan and Kari Shank were here in Delhi and they were there with us at every step. Also, our good friends Glen and Marvella Thompson flew straight here to Delhi from Thailand and were like another set of parents to us throughout this ordeal.
This has been, without a doubt, the most difficut thing we've ever been through. We are pleased that our daughter is through with the troubles of this world and in the arms of her Lord. And we praise Him. We praise Him. Job said it best in the wake of losing all that he valued on earth: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That conveys our feelings better than anything we could say. The Lord gave us Priya, and He has chosen by His gracious will to take her away. Blessed be his Name. Her life was an undeserved gift to us. We wouldn't trade one moment of the seven months we had with her. And we praise God for it from beginning to end. We don't know the reason why she was taken, but we know the God who made that decision. And He is enough for us. He is our glory and our strength. We want to praise Him right now as the God of all grace and comfort. He has been our truest and most constant companion in the midst of all this.
We are in the midst of arranging the details for a flight back to Missouri. We should be there in the coming week. We'll hold a memorial celebration there--details will follow. Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. It is our desire that you would praise the Lord with us at this time. He is always worthy of it.
For His Name,
Jesse and Shanee
May the Lord grant them much grace during this time and may their request be granted: Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Fred Thompson's Appeal
I like to say that I'm only consumed by very, very few things and politics is not one of them. The welfare of my country and my kids and grandkids are one of them," he said. "But if people really want in their president a super type-A personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night thinking about for years how they could achieve presidency of the United States, someone who could look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning -- I ain't that guy.
I go out of my way to be myself cause I don't want anybody to think they're getting something they're not getting. I'm not consumed by this process. I'm not consumed with the notion of being president. I'm simply saying I'm willing to do what's necessary to achieve it if I'm in synch with the people and if the people want me or somebody like me.
I was excited when I heard that Fred Thompson was running for office of the President. Over the past several months that excitement has turned to dissappointment due to Fred's apparent lack of effort on the campaign trail. Even with my dissappointment, the above quote somehow causes me to rethink my dissappointment and reconsider with what it is a President should be concerning himself.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Does this mode of thought sound appealing? Refreshing even?
-How were elections won before the campaign trail was ever blazed?
-Could a man survive as President if that man was not a politician?
-How far have we come from the campaign days of Douglas and Lincoln? Would it be wise to return to them?
-Do you think that what we see today is a fear realized by those who fought against such a system as federalism?
I go out of my way to be myself cause I don't want anybody to think they're getting something they're not getting. I'm not consumed by this process. I'm not consumed with the notion of being president. I'm simply saying I'm willing to do what's necessary to achieve it if I'm in synch with the people and if the people want me or somebody like me.
I was excited when I heard that Fred Thompson was running for office of the President. Over the past several months that excitement has turned to dissappointment due to Fred's apparent lack of effort on the campaign trail. Even with my dissappointment, the above quote somehow causes me to rethink my dissappointment and reconsider with what it is a President should be concerning himself.
You can read more here.
Some questions:
-Does this mode of thought sound appealing? Refreshing even?
-How were elections won before the campaign trail was ever blazed?
-Could a man survive as President if that man was not a politician?
-How far have we come from the campaign days of Douglas and Lincoln? Would it be wise to return to them?
-Do you think that what we see today is a fear realized by those who fought against such a system as federalism?
Stop Reading Your Bible Or Get Off The Bus
A passenger on a Fort Worth bus says the T. Bus Service discriminated against her religion. Christine Lutz says she was reading her Bible to her children when the bus driver asked her to stop or get off the bus.
Christine is a Seventh Day Adventist and refused seeing how it was her sabbath and she was reading the Bible to her children while on the way to their worship service. She states it was a clear case of persecution. The T. Bus Service says it was a clear case of policy. Anyone being loud or abusive will be asked exit the transportation service.
You can read more here.
You can watch the video here.
Some questions:
-Is this a clear cut case of persecution?
-What do you think of the Seventh Day Adventist's views of what it means to be a Christian?
-According to the article, if someone complains or someone is loud enough to distract the driver, then they are asked to stop. If you are reading scripture to your children, do you think you would be so loud as to distract the driver?
-Do you think the lady was for a confrontation?
Christine is a Seventh Day Adventist and refused seeing how it was her sabbath and she was reading the Bible to her children while on the way to their worship service. She states it was a clear case of persecution. The T. Bus Service says it was a clear case of policy. Anyone being loud or abusive will be asked exit the transportation service.
You can read more here.
You can watch the video here.
Some questions:
-Is this a clear cut case of persecution?
-What do you think of the Seventh Day Adventist's views of what it means to be a Christian?
-According to the article, if someone complains or someone is loud enough to distract the driver, then they are asked to stop. If you are reading scripture to your children, do you think you would be so loud as to distract the driver?
-Do you think the lady was for a confrontation?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)