[CS-FSLUG] TD: Hello everyone! Acceptance of the Statement of Faith . . .

[Don Parris]

On 9/26/05, Michael Bradley, Jr. <michaelsbradleyjr at mac.com> wrote:
>                                                              JMJ + OBT
> Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
>
> Don Parris invited me to join this list as I am a Christian
> interested in the promotion of the use Free Software in the Church.
> I thank God for this great blessing -- I didn't even know resources
> such as this list and "The Freely Project" existed before I received
> Pastor Parris' reply e-mail yesterday morning.
>
> I look forward to learning from you, and exploring the various
> Christian FOSS projects of which I've become aware through
> matheteuo.org.
>
> I live in Johnson City, Tennessee, USA; and I am a 28 year old male.
>

Glad to see you made it!  Seeing as I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina,
we're practically neighbors!  Well we may have a few back yards
between us, but...

> I noticed, of course, that you request list-members to accept the
> Statement of Faith given on the cs.uninetsolutions.com website.  I
> certainly respect that wish, and believe that I can comply!
>
> I am a Catholic Christian, and I take my faith rather seriously.
> Without intending any controversy nor attempting to spark a
> theological discussion, I think it is appropriate and important to
> briefly explain "how" I find myself able to agree with this list's
> SoF, as normally Catholics would shy away from implicitly or
> explicitly accepting a non-Catholic "creed."
>
> I hope that my reflections will help to promote better understanding
> between myself and other list-members who belong to various Christian
> churches and communities. Unity among Christians with differing
> beliefs can, in my opinion, truly be fostered only when we attempt to
> understand each others' different beliefs.
>
> I realize that ecumenism and/or ecumenical dialogue are not the
> purpose of this list, so I offer my thoughts primarily as points of
> reflection; if anyone wishes to contact me to discuss these and/or
> differing views, please feel free to do so privately (or publicly, if
> the list-manager deems it appropriate).
>
>

Along with Tim and Tim, I appreciate your introduction and response to
our SoF.  I will have to explore it a bit further.  I don't think I
explained in our previous communication, but my Godmother was a Nun
(Sisters of Saint Joseph, Clarksburg, West Virginia).  She and my Pa
were the hospital chaplains at United Hosptial center there.  UHC was
a union of the catholic and protestant (Presbyterian?) hospitals in
Clarksburg.

I never learned much Catholic theology, but Pa has said that official
Church doctrine often differs from the 'popular' Catholic theology
practiced by many.  That kind of theology is prevalent in many
protestant churches, so that must just be part of human nature. ;-) 
In fact, I met a young lady in England who got excited when I told her
I was Protestant.  Seeing her obvious excitement, I asked what she
believed.  She didn't have a clue; she was christened a Protestant,
though her whole family was Catholic.  Weird!

Whatever your denomination, Faith in Jesus Christ is a thing of the
heart.  That faith is what really matters.  Welcome, and May the Lord
bless you!

Don
--
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
"Hey man, whatever pickles your list!"