As a lifelong churchgoer who often struggles internally with questions of faith and religion, I had some long and lively cyber-discussions with Seth, in which he articulated (forcefully but respectfully) his atheism. That doesn’t mean he was right. But somehow I feel respect for Seth must involve respect for his beliefs, or at the very least his right to hold them.
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tom Virgil Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 12:49 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [RBW] Re: The why post? You decide. "It isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." Seth Vidal Seth is riding in heaven. I am certain of it. And experiencing the glory of being in the presence of God. As to our dogs... Most of us can't picture a paradise of unspeakable beauty without flowers, trees, and animals. Would it be heaven for an avid birdwatcher if there are no birds? Would a fisherman want to spend eternity with no fish? And would it be heaven for a cowboy without horses? While theologians may be stubborn in classifying animals' "souls" as inferior to those of humans, those learned scholars must admit that descriptions of heaven in the Bible are sketchy at best. The Bible does not give a definitive answer on the question of whether we will see our pets in heaven, but it does say, "... with God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26, NIV<http://christianity.about.com/od/faqhelpdesk/p/newinternationa.htm>) My Cairn Terrier, Charlie, is an important part of my life and I often feel he is a gift God has given me. You probably feel the same way about your pet. That’s why I like the story about the elderly widow whose beloved little dog died after fifteen faithful years. Distraught, she went to her pastor. "Parson," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks, "the vicar said animals have no souls. My darling little dog Fluffy has died. Does that mean I won’t see her again in heaven?" "Madam," said the old priest, "God, in his great love and wisdom has created heaven to be a place of perfect happiness. I am sure that if you need your little dog to complete your happiness, you will find her there." Take care dear friend, Tom On Tuesday, January 21, 2014 3:35:13 PM UTC-8, hsmitham wrote: Sort of off topic...not so much about specific Rivendell bikes, parts or RBW HQ doings but there were two Hilsen's involved isn't that enough? So read a rambling report about a recent ramble here<http://velocipedemusings.blogspot.com/>. ~Hugh “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein http://velocipedemusings.blogspot.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ **************************************************** To ensure compliance with Treasury Department regulations, we advise you that, unless otherwise expressly indicated, any federal tax advice contained in this message was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provisions or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related matters addressed herein. **************************************************** **************************************************** This email (and any attachments thereto) is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email (and any attachments thereto) is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error please immediately notify me at (212) 735-3000 and permanently delete the original email (and any copy of any email) and any printout thereof. Further information about the firm, a list of the Partners and their professional qualifications will be provided upon request. **************************************************** ============================================================================== -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
