Jack’s Winning Words 4/3/15
“We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.”  (Jonathan Swift)  Practically all of the world’s religions have some aspect of love for others among their beliefs, and, yet, so much hatred exists between religious groups.  It was like that in Jesus’s day, in the Reformation, in the Holocaust…you name it.  The words of Jesus, “Love one another,” are meant for all of us.  Concentrate on the (+) and not on the (-).    ;-)  Jack 

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Jack, You may be familiar with this:  From Wilbur Rees:  "I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please - not enough to explode my soul  or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine.  I don't want enough of him to make me love a foreigner or pick beets with a migrant worker.  I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of a womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please."====JACK:  Thanks.  Is new to me...but it's part of the point that I wanted to make.  A young Imam sat next to me at yesterday's local clergy meeting.  He is one of the friendliest and kindest members of our group.  ====JON:  That actually has been my experience too with Muslims, Mohammed Gohar is my old friend of 40 years now, I trust him implicitly and we are at Ramadan feast (the end of Ramadan) most every year with our families.

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL: Happy Easter to you and yours, Jack!====JACK:  Chag Sameach

FROM TARMART REV:  "+" Blessed Resurrection observance to you and your family, Jack!! Always appreciated.====JACK:  I took a second look and saw the + as a cross.

FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  Well said : )====JACK:  I was looking for a quote appropriate for Good Friday.  I think I found it.

FROM JT IN MICHIGAN:  Happy and blessed Easter.  These four days are the highlight of the entire year.====JACK:  Even though they sound similar, there's a difference between holidays and Holy days.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  I firmly believe there are good people in all religions.  Unfortunately, the corrupt people are the ones to get on the news.  Today, of all days, we should focus on "Sunday's coming".  Jesus died for all of us sinners, whether we believe it or not is up to us.====JACK:  An office worker offered me a Happy Holiday greeting...and I was not offended.  Since I live in a community where many Jews are observing Passover, I understand a generic greeting.  I did use the occasion to ask, "Do you know why we use the word, "holiday?"  When she answered, "No," I said that holiday is a derivation of Holy Day.  The holidays celebrate holy days like Easter, Passover, Ramadan and Christmas."  She replied, "Thank you.  I learned something today."  Personally,I don't get bent out of shape when people try to be nice.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  On Good Friday, that is a ponderable thought....There are so many more good people than bad, in each religion, but the  extremists are what produce soul-jarring news! And the world is now so small that we hear about every terrible event immediately.  I feel so sad for the "best and brightest" in Kenya who were ruthlessly slaughtered by the Somalian extremists. Young people who could have made a significant difference in their corner of the  world! Ah well, Easter is coming....Alleluia!====JACK:  Sadder...with regard to the killing of the Kenyan students...the ones who were killed were the Christians who had been separated from the others.  Ironic that this happens during the week when we observe the suffering and death of Jesus and, finally, celebrate his resurrection, with hope for eternal life for all who die in the Lord, like the Kenyan students.  I'm glad that you noticed the connection of today's WWs with Good Friday.