"Constantine" wrote:

"Aasiyah" wrote:

thanx for answering... and theyr all good reasons! to be honest the Catholics i know are much more practising Christians, as compared to Protestants.
I had a Sri Lankan teacher who was Catholic, she was the nicest lady, bless her.
Is it true that Catholics follow the Old Testament more closely? (which is y they seem to have loads more in common with Islam too). :idea:

Quite welcome;

Actually from what I have experienced it's the Protestants that are more practicing - but really that depends on what you mean practicing. In my experience Protestants are evangelical and therefore are more often proclaiming the faith and attempting to spread it (id est convert you). On top of that they are more Old Testament centered than Catholics and militant. They are also more political.

Meanwhile the Catholics - depending on the people I suppose are a little less practicing. Annettes family like mine are Christians in name only - Annette is quite devout in a serious manner and I consider myself the same; actually she is probably the reason I take religion seriously.

My experience with Catholicism is that it is more New Testament centered since that is the source of the Catholic church's power. Honestly I don't think I would be such a horrible Catholic - the Protestant churches, especially the Presbyterian church have been overrun by the evangelical movement which I have serious problems with. Whereas Protestant clerics were once the intellectual crowd of both society at large and the Christian community, they are now ranting idiots that water everything down to "you're forgive" "jesus died for you" "convert the unbelievers." The Catholic church is once again the scholarly branch of Christendom.

I think you'll find that most American Protestant churches have more in common with Islam than does the Catholic church.

I guess to revisit an earlier comment I don't think i'll be such a terrible Catholic; I respect the history of the church and my theology has remained bedrock solid whilst the trends of the Christian community have floated into such an orientation I have more in common with the Catholic or even Eastern Orthodox churches now, than I do with the Protestant Churches. I'm usually rather irreverant of ideas that make no sense to me which might prove problematic.

right so i guess it depends on the individual whether theyr 'practicing' or not, as opposed to whether theyr Catholic or Protestant. that makes sense. btw i didnt mean 'practicing' in evangelical terms i.e. nothing to do with preaching, more in terms of: ppl who actually read the Bible and try to implement its teachings in their life.

but its interesting tht u say protestants have more in common with Islam. maybe due to them being 'watered down' as u sed, this is less the case nowadays? for example, most of my Protestant friends dont believe in abortion being a sin, whereas Catholics do... :?: but then again, Americans are, broadly speaking, more into religion as opposed to the British public, where everything really is 'watered down' to cliches, so as to pull ppl back into the church - the protestants i know go to church rarely too, usually just on xmas.

"Aasiyah" wrote:

right so i guess it depends on the individual whether theyr 'practicing' or not, as opposed to whether theyr Catholic or Protestant. that makes sense. btw i didnt mean 'practicing' in evangelical terms i.e. nothing to do with preaching, more in terms of: ppl who actually read the Bible and try to implement its teachings in their life.

but its interesting tht u say protestants have more in common with Islam. maybe due to them being 'watered down' as u sed, this is less the case nowadays? for example, most of my Protestant friends dont believe in abortion being a sin, whereas Catholics do... :?: but then again, Americans are, broadly speaking, more into religion as opposed to the British public, where everything really is 'watered down' to cliches, so as to pull ppl back into the church - the protestants i know go to church rarely too, usually just on xmas.

lol I guess my problem with the word practicing is that you have to ask two questions: do they think they are genuinely implimenting Christianity in their lives? and what are they actually practicing?

Like Pat Robertson who genuinely believes everything he is saying and tries very hard to impliment the "teachings of Christ" - he's definitely a devout guy.

But I don't recognize anything he is saying.

You are right though, it does depend on the individual.

I think what I was really trying to get at with the watered down comment was that Christianity is naturally more mystic than both Judaism and Islam. On a fundamental level it is a lot closer to Sufism than anything I can think of in the Islamic example. When the fundamentalist movement started it had that clearly in mind, however as time went by they started relying on the Old Testament more and the New Testament less.

That was a dangerous move because they ignored how much OT was abrogated by Christ.

I associate the OT with Islam and Judaism, and I associate the New Testament (and new covenant) with something akin to Sufism. Look at the example of Al Hallaj.

Anyway the evangelists killed "the point" - Christian thinkers in the Protestant world are now less focused on discussion and discovery and more on presenting a simple unified sound clip to sell to mass audiences. The Church is far less so than what it was in say... Medieval times.

It's not so much about whether you believe in abortion, or whether you go to church - that's all orthopraxy and while important has never been the central focus of Christianity. Even during Medieval times while orthopraxy was the big deal for the lay ~ the church thinkers themselves were very orthodoxy oriented, the works of St. Thomas Aquinas really demonstrate that point well I think.

On a related note my parents are what you describe - they go to church on christmas and figure God will forgive them so don't worry. That's actually a result of the evangelist movement which constantly gives you the soundbite "Jesus Saves" - it kinda turns Christianity into a club where if you get your card you can do whatever you want and you will be forgiven.

There are seriously probably about 15,000 Christians in the world and I highly doubt any of them are in the west - even me.

"angel" wrote:

"Darth V-Hayder" wrote:

Shalom Shabbot

(thawt that alreayd happened?)

merry xmas

happy diwali

eid mubarak

Isnt that goodbye or farewell which jewish ppl use?

Hayder and angel,

Thanks. I sometimes say Shabbat Shalom at the end of a week, especially if I know I won't be commenting here over the weekend. As well as being a greeting it has the benefit of explaining why I may leave a conversation sharpish on a Friday. I am not consistently observant and sometimes on Shabbat I do scan these forums, but with more observant friends or family I do not even use any electricity. Shabbat means Sabbath, which is every Friday night to Saturday night. Shalom means peace, and is both a hello and a goodbye. Shabbat Shalom is like, Shabbat Greetings, a nice way to acknowledge people near to or on Shabbat. We also say 'Gut Shabbes' in Yiddish, which has become 'Good Shabbos' in almost-English. When I transliterate any Hebrew I usually give it a Sephardi (S. Europe, Asia, Africa) inflexion which is close to how Israelis pronounce Hebrew. I am Ashkenazi, but modern Ashkenazim like myself often prefer the Sephardi pronunciation, which we take to be more authentic than anything like Yiddish (Yiddish was originally a ghetto language used in Russia and Eastern Europe (Ashkenazi communities), a mixture of mostly Germanic languages and Hebrew that could be written using either alphabet. One advantage of knowing Yiddish was not compromising the Holy Tongue, Hebrew, in day-to-day conversation, and it was quick for migrant Jews to learn, with many of it's rules derived from Hebrew. On similar logic the Talmud was written in Aramaic, using an unadorned Hebrew alphabet (Torah Hebrew is full of adornments with special significations). Today most Jews do not know Yiddish and use it only casually, words like 'chutzpah', 'shmuck', 'oy gevalt', some are quite accepted in English. In many chassidishe and litvak communities, though, Yiddish is still a pretty common first language, but it is giving way).

oh man you never mentioned you are an ashkenazi...

The holocaust must have hit your family especially hard then.

Sorry for not picking up on that sooner

Really no worries Constantine. Most of my close family were in Britain by then, and I was born in the seventies - no personal complaints! My grandparents lost most of their families. I do get very emotional when I look at what was done in the holocaust, and respect very much the people who draw lessons from it, but I am inspired by the values and the chein, the spiritual warmth, that survived that age of persecution. Last week I was celebrating the 75th birthday of a man from Germany who lost all his family and was saved by the Kindertransport, a British-Jewish initiative! That was pretty special, although again it was a birthday celebration, the subject of the holocaust didn't come up. They are one of the most cultured, respectful and kind families I know. Thank you very much for offering concern!

Salaam

(I'm sure there was a "Work" thread here somewhere?)

I’ve started part time work and its fun as well as hard at times. I am registered to work with kids with special needs in primary schools.

However, even though I have clearly told the agency that I only have experience of working with kids at primary level and that this is the career path that I wish to pursue in the future they STILL send me nurseries and high schools..(and I’ve always found it hard to say No).

The other day I was working in this posh nursery for rich kids…it was great, the babies were beautiful, I enjoyed playing with them and feeding them, it was all going good until I was asked to change a nappy!?

I have never changed a nappy in my life…I’ve always managed to dodge it. I’m very extreme about this kind of stuff…its disgusts me. So, I changed the babies nappy holding my breath…and cos I’m not that fit I can’t hold my breath for very long. The smell was atrocious and had me coughing in the sink…my eyes were watering and I had to calm myself otherwise I would have brought my lunch back up … babies just put anything in their mouth-I don’t know how mother do it…. I’m going to try to get out of nursery work from now on.

Today, I was sent to a high school…I’ve been through high school and I KNOW that there is no way I can work in one-this was once again confirmed today. Two huge black guys, twice my size started a fight in the corridor…they were F’ing and Blinding and beating one another up…I knew that “Miss ‘Leena” couldn’t in a million years separate two huge boys without getting hurt herself so I went to get someone who could…..but by that time one guy had stabbed the other guy twice in the arm and three times in the back…and the police were on their way…. That’s high schools for you…. In another class I was helping out in a kid used to shout out “BOGIES” whenever the teachers back was turned…but we could never work out who said it….

Even Islamic schools are sometimes very hard to work in…once I was covering lesson in a class full of reluctant kids who were forced to attend by their parents…I was supposed to teach them “Stories of the Prophets”…so I was covering the story of Prophet Musa (as)…..the kids got a bit too involved in the story and offered their commentary all the way through….for example if I said something like “And Prophet Musa (as) was blessed with direct conversation with Allah (swt)”…the teenage kids would shout out “Wa Wa, Mashallah, Subhanallah!!”…and if I said something like “The Pharaoh used to make people do Sajda to him” they’d be like “ASTAGFIRULLAH”….it was blatantly said in jest….and after every sentence of mine they would either shout out “Astagfirullah or Mashallah”…..but I do remember giggling in private in the corridor when I was on my way to call the head of year to sort them out…

Anyways, that’s my work-btw I talk too much about myself don’t I? :?

Wasalaam

What the hell kinda agency is this?!

Maybe you should find another one... these people are obviously trying to kill you or something.

Are there normally stabbings in British schools? I thought you guys didn't have those kindsa problems...

This hasn't adversely affected your intentions to go into teaching has it?

I am in the process of changing agencies...this one don't look after you.

However, high schools in area's where unemployment is high is are usually scary places to be in...

I still want to teach...but I never want to teach in high schools (or nursuries)...I knew that from day one.

Wait a minute. Are you a supply teacher?

If so, what do you expect?

A supply teacher's life is hard. It's the rule.

"irfghan" wrote:

Wait a minute. Are you a supply teacher?

If so, what do you expect?

A supply teacher's life is hard. It's the rule.

I only do supply work as I'm still not qualified yet...also I don't want to sign anyones contract as I want to remain flexible....I want to work only when I feel like it.

However, some decent agencies don't allow "failing schools" to register with them. Thats why I'm looking to change agencies...

normally we do not have much violence using weapons in schools.

However in recenrt history i know of three incidents.

A girl recently got slashed no her face. and Another in a separate school was slashed in a canteen, but I think to the back of her head.

Last year there was a murder aswell (or was it the year before?), where some kid stabbed another.

However this is a fairly new situation. It is due to a lack of discipline in schools. A teacher cannot touch a student. only request that the student leave. the student can refuse, or even just walk off... all that a teacher can do is bring the parents in.

Now Blair is saying he reintroduce resonabe chastisement. Something I think is needed.

I remrember what it was like in school. I would not like to teach.

We made a class resolution to get a teacher to quit before christmas. he left in november. nothing could be done about behaviour. and that was before 'reasonable chastisement' was banned. (reasnable chastisement not really being chastisement... )

"MuslimSister" wrote:

However, some decent agencies don't allow "failing schools" to register with them. Thats why I'm looking to change agencies...

So you don't want to be teaching in multi-ethnic schools? :?

"irfghan" wrote:

"MuslimSister" wrote:

However, some decent agencies don't allow "failing schools" to register with them. Thats why I'm looking to change agencies...

So you don't want to be teaching in multi-ethnic schools? :?

No way.

A multi ethnic school is where the stabbing took place today...I also studied in a muti ethnic high school and come to think of it during my time there a stabbing took place there too.

"Admin" wrote:

normally we do not have much violence using weapons in schools.

However in recenrt history i know of three incidents.

A girl recently got slashed no her face. and Another in a separate school was slashed in a canteen, but I think to the back of her head.

Last year there was a murder aswell (or was it the year before?), where some kid stabbed another.

However this is a fairly new situation. It is due to a lack of discipline in schools. A teacher cannot touch a student. only request that the student leave. the student can refuse, or even just walk off... all that a teacher can do is bring the parents in.

No no no.

We had a guy who had his face slashed in school. One of my mates used to get into fights with a hammer. A teacher got beaten up in our school once. And one time a student hit a teacher with a malet in the head.

Extreme violence in schools is nothing new.

It's just that it's starting to happen in middle class well-to-do areas that's all.

"irfghan" wrote:

One of my mates used to get into fights with a hammer. A teacher got beaten up in our school once. And one time a student hit a teacher with a malet in the head.
.

That happened in my high school too..

You sure you didnt attend the same school as me...

My school was just awful...the pretty teachers were always sexually harrased.

wow... kinda sounds like if you were allowed guns you would be as bad as us...

"Constantine" wrote:

wow... kinda sounds like if you were allowed guns you would be as bad as us...

Interesting...

UK would not be much better than the US if guns were allowed...

"MuslimSister" wrote:

"irfghan" wrote:

One of my mates used to get into fights with a hammer. A teacher got beaten up in our school once. And one time a student hit a teacher with a malet in the head.
.

That happened in my high school too..

You sure you didnt attend the same school as me...

My school was just awful...the pretty teachers were always sexually harrased.

My school was OK. Telling these little snippets makes it sound bad but I'm glad I went there.

Other schools around here are much worse.

I heard gun rights were extremely restrictive in the UK - like you can get them but there is a lot more state security around it.

Here I know where to pick up hand guns without serials and assault weapons with dubious backgrounds

"Constantine" wrote:

Here I know where to pick up hand guns without serials and assault weapons with dubious backgrounds

hey, they are available here aswell.

illegal weapons are probably easier to obtain than legal ones...

"Admin" wrote:

"Constantine" wrote:

Here I know where to pick up hand guns without serials and assault weapons with dubious backgrounds

hey, they are available here aswell.

illegal weapons are probably easier to obtain than legal ones...

well well well going the restricted files in British national pride.

lol I got the impression you all looked down at us through your noses because of our gun security and school violence problems

They are not freely legally available.

They are pretty freely illegally available.

We look down at you americans for everything. That is our God given right.

:twisted:

What we look down upon is the ammount of public violence. Other developed countries with legal guns have a much lower rate of weapons use. Such as japan. It hardly has any.

"Admin" wrote:

They are not freely legally available.

They are pretty freely illegally available.

We look down at you americans for everything. That is our God given right.

:twisted:

What we look down upon is the ammount of public violence. Other developed countries with legal guns have a much lower rate of weapons use. Such as japan. It hardly has any.

I guess we are just violent people.

Probably explains why our military is so effective

"irfghan" wrote:

No no no.

We had a guy who had his face slashed in school. One of my mates used to get into fights with a hammer. A teacher got beaten up in our school once. And one time a student hit a teacher with a malet in the head.

Extreme violence in schools is nothing new.

It's just that it's starting to happen in middle class well-to-do areas that's all.

In college I once happened to crack my mate in the nether regions with a wooden mallet, t'was an accident but even he was laughing...amidst the pain. good times, good times.

"Constantine" wrote:

"Med" wrote:

Thats some gud advice naj. Stressing is a waste of time, and if its a specific person who is giving u stress then Im sure he wont do it anymore.

Order some pizza, get a bottle of ketchup, can of irn bru and ur stress will go, lol.

Pizza and ketchup?!

I knew the UK was a different country but I never thought it was a different planet!

There is only one way to eat a pizza - with lots and lots and lots of parmesian cheese oregano and red pepper flakes

whats wrong wiv pizza & ketchup ? no point in pizza wivout ketchup

better than putting peanut butter on a pizza...

ketchup can go with almost anything.