jazzypaul

And why is that Lon? It certainly isn't because of the musical discussions, I am sure. But, rather, because of divisive commentary about politics and religion. For me, when it comes to politics, I have an incredibly thick skin. I'm a third party guy, I get jabs from every which direction. Fair enough. But when it comes to the religious stuff, I think people have an even bigger prediliction towards pushing buttons, and I don't like it. There are some who feel the need to act in a very condescending manner, and those who absolutely feel the need to spit in the face of those who believe. But, seemingly, it only comes to the fore when religion is brought up. So, again, I agree with Evan and Machiavelli, preserve the forum and axe the religion. But that's me. This is made doubly hard for me as I can't very well just avoid the religion discussions and sit idly by while someone posts a picture of my religious icon in a jar of urine with the line "where's your saviour now?" I'd much rather it be a situation where it doesn't or can't come up at all. I'd shut up, they'd shut up, and the world would be a better place. At least at Organissimo, anyway. And, you know, I consider some of these people to be pretty cool. I'd rather not change my opinion of them. I'd much rather think that I have a possible drinking buddy in every port. I hope this doesn't offend.

I totally get it. Let's face it, the politics forum, and all of the religious discussions have most certainly made enemies here. They never make friends. And where there are enemies, there are skirmishes, and those skirmishes turn into battles, and, left unchecked, into full blown wars. No one wants that, and I for one, as a religious guy, would rather see religious discussions banned here. That's one thing that AAJ got right from the git-go.

Yeah, straight from the Morrissey school of "I'm-so-cold-and-I'm-shivering-in-my-loneliness" sung like he's in a perpetual state of "I'm about to sneeze." Al, I like you...don't start rippin' on the Mozz...things could get ugly...

I can't believe I'm gonna say this, and please don't flog me... Bright Lights was (and is) a fucking great song. The rest of their recorded output deserved this article like nothing else I have ever seen.

my word, 205 on a motorcycle...I can't even fathom that...I mean, 160 in a car is a car is a riot, but even in a fully enclosed automobile, you feel like the doors are gonna fly off. Man, I must admit, I'm jealous.

My trio once played a hawaiian themed wedding, and for the entrance of the bride and groom, we broke into the theme from Hawaii 5-O. That was good for a $500 tip.

sheesh, you rockafellers need to come to chicago...well, cicero anyway. There are two old mexican ladies that own a barbershop that charge $5. They also spend forever on your hair making sure it is just perfect. So, I pay the five and tip another five, and I've still come out well ahead of all you suckas...

I only own one rock box set, so it's my favorite, I guess...Velvet Underground: Peel Slowly and See.

The true test of this study will be to see the life span of star trek addicts. They probably masturbate more than anyone... except for pudgy jazz drummers who dig Millie Jackson

The Smoke Daddy is awesome, but I'm a bigger fan of Moonshine (about 8 doors down), and Mac's (across the street). As for BBQ, I've been spoiled by growing up on the south side. A couple of dudes with an oil can and a recipe to die for did their thing right up the street from us (near "The Cell") and BBQ has never, ever, ever been the same for me since I moved when I was 12. Sigh.... Now, when it comes to music, if you're lookin for grease, the Smoke Daddy can't be beat. And the Reckless is in Wicker Park, on the 1400 N. block of Milwaukee.

oh....RDK is right...well, Jesus never ate instant grits. Of this I am certain. better?

I wish I had a written transcript of Bill Hicks' take on waffle house. You'd probably all hang me for my sentiments, but hell, they don't have 'em in Northern Illinois, and after doing Phish tour in 1995-7, I experienced too many of them for my own good. There's like what, 6 items on that menu, with the opportunity to douse them in either cheese or sausage gravy? ewwwwwww....

Why order from the bastards when I can go see them? New place is 8 blocks doorstep to doorstep. I get my healthy two mile walk in (well, it'd be healthy if I didn't stop at Moonshine for a Haacker-Pschorr) and some cool atavistic sides all in one Saturday afternoon!! Actually, the new place is awful for keeping money in my wallet. Dusty Groove (the bespectacled girl behind the counter is too cute for me to refer to them as bastards) is down the street, Reckless is up the street, the JRM is a Blue Line trip away, as is Virgin and Tower. This doesn't even mention the fact that Myopic Books is right by Reckless, and...shit, I'm gonna be broke by November...

See, and these are the moments in life that make me smile...people finding new and interesting ways to enjoy themselves. it's never too late.

Jim, you and I are totally cool. I ducked out for the same reasons that Al said he was...I found myself getting away from the very message that I was trying to get out there...that not all Christians are assholes. Then I was being an asshole. At that point, it's time to step back and say, "you know, people are going to think what they're going to think. who am I to stop them?" As for Alexander and Take 5, I am reminded of the great Shakespeare quote: "The woman doth protest too much!!" But yeah, I'm out of the religious discussions too. No good is coming of these, from my point of view.

Maybe I am misremembering, but I don't recall you being so subtle, or charitable, in your characterizations of 'real atheists' and 'bad atheists'. Mostly because most atheists try to butt their way into my business. I won't witness to anyone unless they ask me about my beliefs, and I am pretty sure that most of the Christians on the board (Shrdlu excluded) will do likewise. However, every day I am bombarded by atheists preaching their religion of no god at me. Want me to be charitable and subtle to the atheists around here, do likewise. While I will gladly exchange viewpoints with you if you wish to discuss things, don't go around telling me that my God doesn't exist (a pretty heavy thing to say), if you don't want a little bit of it thrown back at you. Respect commands respect, after all, doesn't it? Fair enough. If more than 90 percent of Americans rate themselves as believing in God and something over half going to church, where do you live or what circles do you travel in where "most atheists try to butt their way into my business"? If people disrepect your faith, obviously that's not cool. But when you say "don't go around telling me that my God doesn't exist (a pretty heavy thing to say), if you don't want a little bit of it thrown back at you", you're not equating someone simply stating their belief that God doesn't exists as disrepecting your faith, are you? Take 5, Alexander and Shawn have been downright nasty about it. That's what I am talking about. I have absolutely no problem with someone saying that they don't believe in God. That's their thing, and who am I to take that away from them, unless they ask for my testimony. But, when people put up articles that are so poorly written as to be chided by even the other atheists on the board to goad me and other Christians, that's where I draw the line, and I will fight for what I believe in. When those veiled attacks become outright, I will be more than willing to fight just as hard as they'd like to. As for the circles I travel in, I see more atheists than the average person, I can assure you. Or maybe I just notice them more. I dunno. But they're out there, and when they get militant about it, I can too.

Once again, you prove you have a god. Once again, you prove you have a religion. Once again, you prove that you are willing to worship your god. I haven't seen that much passion and faith in a long, long time. You've got a lot of Bible banging Christians beat, Alexander. I just wonder how much different your opium tastes than mine. And, I gotta say, that inspires me, Alexander. When I see someone with that much passion about something, I am moved. When I see someone with that much faith in an idea, I am touched. And when I see someone so devoted to their cause that they're willing to evangelize, even to the point of annoying their neighbors, just like a jehovah's witness, I am impressed. And I want that kind of faith in my life. So, thank you Alexander. You have made me stronger in my walk for the day. And this, once again, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that atheists are satanists. If there is no good and there is no evil, then do what thou wilt shall be the extent of the law. Right Mr. Crowley? And in proving your satanism, you have proved the existance of God to me. You see, no one argues this hard about something that they actually don't believe. Nobody has ever gone to court to prove that Elvis is dead or that aliens don't exist. No one here has started a thread discrediting the guy who bought the lost Buddy Bolden cylander on e-bay, and no one has ever tried to put up a fight to prove that Wynton Marsalis never hired a Rhodes Player. If you know something in your heart of hearts, you believe it, and you move on. You, on the other hand, Alexander, fight so very hard to prove that there is no god, that you end up sounding like you're trying to convince yourself more than you're trying to convince anyone else. **Note** If anyone has a problem with me saying this, talk to Alexander. He was the one who said that there is no good and evil, and therefore, by definition, no moral code of ethics. **End of Note** Who says I'm in it for the death game? Death is a long way off for me, brother. And face it, there's a hell of a lot more comfort in your game than in mine. With you, you die, that's it. You're done. Really, not a bad way to go. Don't worry about hell, don't worry about whether or not Heaven will get boring just worshipping God all the time, don't worry about coming back as a cockroach (if hinduism is your game...), don't worry about whether you did enough good works to justify Allah letting you into paradise. Just die. I wish I was foolish enough to play that game. That's a lot less of a crapshoot. See, I'm in it for the life game. Can you think of a better way to live than to follow Jesus' teachings? Compassion, giving, love and strength are at the core of his teachings. When we see people that followed Christ's example we see Martin Luther King, Jr, Mother Theresa, Thomas Merton, Bono (who, while a pompous ass, is trying to do good throughout the world, you must hand it to him), Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and even Gandhi (who kept a picture of Christ in his office and always spoke highly of Jesus, even if he didn't speak well of Christianity...). I would think that those would be people that we would want as role models. If I can live a life comparable to any of them, do I have anything to fret about when I die? Even if I find out that there isn't an afterlife, wouldn't I be able to sit there on my deathbed and look back saying, I think I did alright? We all have role models. Jesus is mine. And along with Jesus comes his divinity. I love the fact that my God is a loving and caring and compassionate God, not a god who is quick to anger or vengance. If I'm wrong, I can live with it at the end of the day. Can you? As for your question about God not intervening, all I can say is I don't know. I don't know why God allowed 9/11. I don't know why God doesn't allow dollars to fall out of the sky and onto my porch, either. But I accept it. I figure it will all come into focus one day. And on that day, I'll be glad that I wasn't swayed by other people's rants and raves. We'll see I guess. There is more to be said, but I am getting too tired to type. I will be back.

Maybe I am misremembering, but I don't recall you being so subtle, or charitable, in your characterizations of 'real atheists' and 'bad atheists'. Mostly because most atheists try to butt their way into my business. I won't witness to anyone unless they ask me about my beliefs, and I am pretty sure that most of the Christians on the board (Shrdlu excluded) will do likewise. However, every day I am bombarded by atheists preaching their religion of no god at me. Want me to be charitable and subtle to the atheists around here, do likewise. While I will gladly exchange viewpoints with you if you wish to discuss things, don't go around telling me that my God doesn't exist (a pretty heavy thing to say), if you don't want a little bit of it thrown back at you. Respect commands respect, after all, doesn't it?

Totally agreed, to a point. Don't punish me for my father's sins, and don't tell me that my faith is bad or corrupted or the like because other people (wrongfully) did horrible things in the name of that faith. Yes, people who called themselves Christians killed off the Jewish population in Spain, killed off the American Indians and had a hand in hundreds or thousands of other disgusting atrocities. But the real Christians of the world have always been a good lot, trying to do good by their fellow man while preaching the good news to those who will listen. Anyone and everyone should be able to tell the difference between words and action. Boney James says he's a jazz musician. Dave Holland actually is one. Same difference.

You know, we're told to be meek, but I can't just sit around and watch people take cheap pot shots at my faith when they obviously aren't even close to knowing what they're talking about... Yes, Jim, you're missing something huge. Two things actually... 1) These letters were written to CHURCHES. They were also meant to be codes of conduct WITHIN CHURCH WALLS. How were women supposed to act during church, that's it. Women can still be presidents, queens, bosses, CEO's, musicians, ice cream truck drivers, you name it. They just can't preach in church. 2) These were also written around the societal norms of 2000 years ago. Appearance was huge in the new testament. Not just giving God lip service, but also acting in such a way that everyone around you would say, "wow, these Christians really have it together!" (For proof of this, look throughout Corinthians and Romans, where it talks of acting like Christ and acting in such a way as to not be a stumbling block) Sadly, we've let that one slip through the cracks pretty badly. So, is Christianity degrading to women? Nope. Are people that take the Bible out of context one verse at a time degrading to the very notions of human thought and logic? Yep. Next time, quote entire passages, and read them for yourself instead of taking them from the "we're atheists and we'll take anything out of context to prove our point" website. Please. And Alexander, no, I haven't had enough. Please, bring it on... edited to say thanks to Big Al for keeping his cool way better than I can. And that quote in Peter ties it all nicely together. See how much better things look IN CONTEXT?

degradation of women, Jim? Hopefully you can back that up with some verses, not just what people tell you to think about the Bible. I know some that you will think of, and I can refute them pretty easily... And, where, oh, where, oh where do you find support of racism? This I've gotta see, because you are most definitely reading a different Bible than I am.

Spy, if I'm not mistaken, was done by the same guys that brought us National Lampoon, which was truly mad magazine for big kids in its prime. Why do all of the great humor magazines have to die such long horrible deaths?

Chrome, you're right. Not only do you still have to deal with your consequences here, but you'll also have to deal with them in Heaven. Let's face it, I'm probably not going to be nearly as close to God as Mother Theresa or Billy Graham. There is still reward (or the lack thereof) for your actions here in heaven. As it should be.

yeppers.

I used to get Details, back when it was the GQ of Gen-X. I could be dapper, get decent articles about a multitude of things, it was a great magazine. Then it tried to be the new Maxim, and intelligent hipsters throughout the world lose out. I used to get the UTNE Reader, and to tell you truth, I have yet to figure out why. Good reading, though. If nothing else, I was always engaged, even if I ended up spending half of my reading time rolling my eyes.