A little about me...

[Paul Jeffery]

Hi everybody!

I chose the name "Aziraphale" from a book called Good Omens in which an angel by the same name has worked tirelessly over the ages against his evil counterpart to do good in the world and to thwart the efforts of the demons seeking to bring about Armageddon. It's a delightful little humor/fantasy novel, really, if a little far-fetched in its premise.

Anyway, I do occasionally seek reading outside of my Bible, although not often, and then only when the subject matter is in some way relevant to glorifying God and his plans for us. I haven't many vices, other than perhaps overeating a bit and taking a rare drink. Oh, and if I have a guilty pleasure, it's that I do enjoy heavy metal music from time to time. I'm a drummer (hobbist only) and still love listening to Lars tearing it up for Metallica. You'd think at my age (50) I'd know better. That doesn't mean I don't also love the music of Dvořák, Bruce Hornsby, Creed, and Sonic Flood. I do, and more. I'm sort of a music nut and come here wondering if others here share my passion for the God-given gift of music, especially when its purpose is to make joyful noise unto Him.

I am not currently connected with any church, but I sure mean to be soon! I bolted from the Catholic church some years ago, my faith in Jesus Christ surprisingly intact, and have never wavered in my devotion to Him. Poking around here, I find reasons to believe the Baptist church may be a good fit for me. I've always been a conservative at heart and have always voted a straight ticket as a card-carrying Republican.

I hope this is what you folks have in mind for an "introduction". This is what comes to mind for now when I'm trying to give you a thumbnail sketch of who I am and what I'm about.

I'm here to learn and looking forward to making new friends in Christ Jesus.

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Re: A little about me...

Welcome to God's favorite forum, ma'am. Take a look at our Church Doctrines HERE to get a better understanding of what we're about.

Does your husband know you're here? Why doesn't he take you a decent church?

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

Oh what you must think of me. I failed to mention a few critical details about myself. First, and most importantly, I am a man, 50 years old, divorced (philosophical differences), and live in northern Illinois.

I've only recently come to discover that life without a church affiliation seems empty. It's been about four years since I left the Catholic church and never looked back (hence, my divorce), and I miss the fellowship a congregation can offer. But the Catholic church just didn't make sense to me anymore and the fellowship just couldn't make up for the fact of the absurdity of their beliefs and, worse yet, their practices.

I've looked over the doctrines to which you've kindly pointed me and found nothing there that seems out of step with any of my own personal beliefs, but I do intend to study it a bit more as I have no desire to discover later that we differ on any significant points. From what I have seen so far, I'm fairly convinced I've come to the right place.

[Noah Dint]

Re: A little about me...

Welcome then Brother! You may very well be in the right place. Are you married? Do you have children? What part of this glorious country do you live in?

Tell us about yourself!

-ND

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

Welcome then Brother! You may very well be in the right place. Are you married? Do you have children? What part of this glorious country do you live in?

Tell us about yourself!

-ND

Thanks for noticing me and giving time to my posts, Mr. Dint! Since my last post, I'm still not remarried and still living in northern Illinois (Rockford). I do have two grown daughters, both of whose souls I pray are not lost yet (one's a Unitarian, the other a "New Age" fan ), no grandchildren yet, and a Golden Retriever named Kenzie.

I recently visited an independent Baptist church here in Rockford, just to see if it would be a comfortable place for me. It's called Berean Baptist Church and I chose it first because it is the one probably best known churches in Rockford for its community involvement. It's a big congregation, a beautiful facility, and they sure do seem to have their influence all over our town of 150,000 people. I was a little taken aback by a few things when I visited for Sunday services, though, and wonder if what I found troubling are things unique to that congregation or if I might find that things are done differently at other Baptist churches. Or maybe, with my unfortunate background of Catholicism, I'm just experiencing a little culture shock that will eventually wane.

I guess the one thing that struck me first was my feeling that the folks stiing in the pews seemed sort of rude. Every time Pastor "Mark" was talking (great sermon about "Peter Pan" and other Disney demonology), people kept making loud noises and barking at him with what sounded sort of like agreement. There were a few "amen"s and "oh yeah"s and other distinguishable words, but a lot of other noises, too. If I'd been Pastor Mark it would've gotten on my nerves and I would've stopped the sermon and told people to shut up and stop being so rude. But he didn't seem at all upset by all the interruptions and I guess he must just be used to it as he does nothing to discourage the behavior. I felt sorry for him and for the other members who were treated just as rudely when they went to the front to give their stories.

The other thing that still troubles me is that the greeters and everybody I met, arriving and leaving, seemed suspicious of me, not at all welcoming, almost fearful. I don't look dangerous, as far as I know. I didn't have explosives strapped to my chest, wasn't wearing anything strange. Granted, my top button was unbuttoned, but I'd thought I'd presented myself well enough. I don't know, but they sure didn't seem happy to have me there.

Maybe I'll try again this Sunday. The sermon actually made the awkwardness worth it. I had never really realized what insidious organizations Disney and Pixar are!

[Nobar King]

Re: A little about me...

I felt sorry for him and for the other members who were treated just as rudely when they went to the front to give their stories.

You didn't go to an AA meeting by mistake, did you?

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

You didn't go to an AA meeting by mistake, did you?

I didn't think so; it was 9:00 AM on Sunday morning. I'd never before seen members of a congregation go in front of the church and give testimony before. Three of them did after the sermon and it seemed planned, although the speeches didn't seemed at all rehearsed. It was sort of cool to hear what brought people to Jesus, but there sure was a lot of unnecessary noise, at least for my tastes. There was a lot of hands going up and swaying in the pews and the people in the pews just seemed awfully animated for people supposed to be listening. And yet their responses were clearly tied to what was being said, not random or uncontrolled, but out of control if you ask me. I'd heard that black people tend to a little exuberant in church, but this surprised me.

I've got my eye on another Baptist church for this coming Sunday and I'll be interested to see if things are different there.

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

I didn't think so; it was 9:00 AM on Sunday morning. I'd never before seen members of a congregation go in front of the church and give testimony before. Three of them did after the sermon and it seemed planned, although the speeches didn't seemed at all rehearsed. It was sort of cool to hear what brought people to Jesus, but there sure was a lot of unnecessary noise, at least for my tastes. There was a lot of hands going up and swaying in the pews and the people in the pews just seemed awfully animated for people supposed to be listening. And yet their responses were clearly tied to what was being said, not random or uncontrolled, but out of control if you ask me. I'd heard that black people tend to a little exuberant in church, but this surprised me.

I've got my eye on another Baptist church for this coming Sunday and I'll be interested to see if things are different there.

I need to clarify that I am white, the church was comprised entirely of white membership (as far as I could see), and that I was surprised by the behaviors in light of that. I mean I could understand it if it had been a predominantly black membership as black people are well known to be a bit more demonstrative in church than those of us who are perhaps a bit more refined. I don't begrudge them that either; it's not an indictment, just an observation.

[Brother V]

Re: A little about me...

Hmmm, Rockford.

That's up by all them new fangled wind mills.

Home of Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander.

I'd be wary of that Good Omens book though.

How can you trust a book that has this on page 52 (softcover).

Harriet Dowling returned home with her baby, which, on the advice of Sister Faith Prolix, who was more persuasive than Sister Mary, and with the telephonic agreement of her husband, she had named Warlock.

and this on page 146

The cocoa was a congealed brown sludge half filling the cup.

I disagree with Poul Anderson, it is not an utter delight. No San Diego Tribune, it is not a steamroller of silliness. Mr. Clive Barker (homer) the Apocalypse is nothing that should be funny!

YIC
V

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

Hmmm, Rockford.

That's up by all them new fangled wind mills.

Home of Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander.

I'd be wary of that Good Omens book though.

How can you trust a book that has this on page 52 (softcover).



and this on page 146



I disagree with Poul Anderson, it is not an utter delight. No San Diego Tribune, it is not a steamroller of silliness. Mr. Clive Barker (homer) the Apocalypse is nothing that should be funny!

YIC
V

Nice to see someone knows of Rockford. The windmills are well south of here, a good fifty miles or so. Yes, Cheap Trick is one of Rockford's dubious claims to fame. Zander lives in Florida (good enough), but the other three still live here and are very involved with the community, especially Rick Nielsen whose philanthropic ways are well known. Not much else to boast about in Rockford, unless English Mark Darts are your thing. They were created here, manufactured here for years, and ultimately all those jobs were shipped to China where the soft-tip darts and boards can be manufactured, shipped back the the States, and sold more a lot profitably than if we built them here. We have an "independent" mayor, a school district that is the fiscal laughingstock of Illinois, and our county has the highest per capita crime rate in the state, even higher than that of Cook County. Our fine city of 150,000 people now sports a $14 million jail that stands as a fine monument to our city's inability to properly educate and gainfully employ an embarrassingly large percentage of its population.

Oh, I see you've read the book! I thought it was pretty interesting and humorous, especially in that the "antichrist" child, through a hospital mix-up, ended up in the wrong family and is raised to be something quite contrary to what the demon, Crowley, had planned and needed. Baptists are allowed a sense of humor, are they not? Heaven knows, living in Rockford, a sense of humor and the ability to not take ourselves too seriously are useful traits.

The next book on my to-read list is Do the Right Thing by Mike Huckabee. His recent interview with that Couric witch went very well for him indeed as he is clearly out of her league. President Huckabee (has a nice ring to it, huh?) is already getting his ducks in a row for 2012 and I do hope he can find a suitable running mate.

[Nobar King]

Re: A little about me...

I noticed that you're divorced. Have you been having any luck with the ladies?

[Paul Jeffery]

Re: A little about me...

I appreciate your concern, sir. I have talked with a few at my church. One who was widowed a couple weeks ago has caught my eye, but she's inclined to wait to allow me to come calling yet. I've been a little bashful about chatting much with the ladies who frequent Landover Baptist Church, not wishing to seem as if I'm using the forum as a medium for meeting women, but one who's recently widowed did catch my eye in the introduction forum this very evening and I have offered to accompany her to Sunday services some Sunday if she's ever in my area. Widows are in short supply and, not wishing to force a non-widowed divorcee into adultery, I am limiting my search only to widows or virgins. Such is my lot now, I fear.