test please delete

[DS23]

Doctors Opposing Circumcision
Information


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recurrent Infections
A few boys with intact foreskins get what are called “recurrent infections.” When this happens, many medical doctors recommend a circumcision.

Yet, humans have lived for millions of years, under all sorts of conditions, without getting recurrent infections on the penis. Men have lived in caves, tents, grass huts, mud houses, and igloos, frequently in filth and without running water, but infection of the penis has never been a problem. How can this be?

The foreskin actually is nature’s protection against infection, because it has numerous functions to protect the human body from infection through the penis.1 The prepuce of the infant and young boy is narrow.1 It is equipped with muscle fibers that act as a sphincter to close the tip to keep out infectious material and pathogens.1 The inside of the foreskin is moist with pathogen-fighting substances.1 There is a substantial blood supply to the foreskin to bring infection-fighting leukocytes.1 Urine, which departs the body as a sterile substance, frequently flushes out the foreskin of prepubescent boys and maintains cleanliness.

Why is it then, that boys in advanced civilized societies sometimes are afflicted with recurrent infections? Ever since Louis Pasteur proved that germs cause infectious disease in the late 19th century, we have been taught the importance of cleanliness in preventing infectious disease. It was said that, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” There is great confusion on the meaning of the word “hygiene”, which refers to health. Many think it means cleanliness but that is incorrect, although cleanliness usually contributes to hygiene or health.

As a result, some doctors and many parents believe that the foreskin must be retracted and cleaned at least daily. The general rule that cleanliness contributes to health, however, is not totally applicable to the penis of young boys because nature already has provided protection against infection. Washing defeats nature's protection. Retraction of the foreskin opens the preputial sphincter and allows pathogens to enter. Washing with soap removes the protective substances from beneath the foreskin, disturbs the natural bacterial balance, and drys out the protective mucosal tissue. Moreover, frequent washing with soap removes the natural oils from the foreskin and creates a condition of non-specific dermatosis,2 which may be mistaken for infection, and may result in yet more washing. This may improperly be diagnosed as recurrent infection, with a recommendation for circumcision.

The proper treatment, when faced with recurrent infection, according to Birley and colleagues, is to stop retracting, stop washing under the foreskin, and to apply emollients.2

Only the outside of the foreskin of pre-pubescent boys should be washed. The first person to retract the child’s foreskin should be the child himself, which usually will occur sometime after four years of age, but may be much later.3 Thorvaldsen & Meyhoff (2005) report the mean age of first foreskin retraction is 10.4 years.4

[DS23]

Chaucer's Retraction is the final section of The Canterbury Tales. It is written as an apology, where Chaucer asks for forgiveness for the vulgar and unworthy parts of this and other past works, and seeks absolution for his sins.

Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy
Of God, that ye preye for me that crist have
Mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes;/ and
Namely of my translacions and enditynges of
Worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in
My retracciouns:/ as is the book of Troilus;
the book also of Fame; the book of
The xxv. Ladies; the book of the duchesse;
The book of seint valentynes day of the parlement
of briddes; the tales of counterbury,
Thilke that sownen into synne;/ the book of the
Leoun; and many another book.
It is not clear whether these are sincere declarations of remorse on Chaucer's part, a continuation of the theme of penitence from the Parson's Tale or simply a way to advertise the rest of his works. It is not even certain if the retraction was an integral part of the Canterbury Tales or if it was the equivalent of a death bed confession which became attached to this his most popular work.

Retractions, often called palinodes, were common in works of this era and the bawdy nature of some of Chaucer's works possibly needed forgiveness. The book of the Leoun seems to be an unknown work by Chaucer. With the retraction he manages to call an end and complete what is otherwise regarded as an unfinished work.

[DS23]

FORGIVENESS FORUM


ARE YOU HAVING A HARD TIME FORGIVING SOMEONE
WHO WRONGED OR BETRAYED YOU??


If so, here are some thoughts based on my own experience and study which you may wish to ponder. To help you explore Christian forgiveness, this site contains life experiences, biblical and psychological insights, self-test belief questions, sermons, and voting on forgiveness questions.



Welcome to a web site of Rev. Dr. Douglas K. Showalter
Ordained United Church of Christ minister
33 years experience serving United Church of Christ (Congregational heritage) churches
Master of Divinity degree (1973) Yale Divinity School
Doctor of Ministry degree (1997) Chicago Theological Seminary
Experience: Forgiveness has long been an issue in my personal life. Finally, after years of carrying buried inner anger against a family member who had deeply injured me, I was able, with God's help, to forgive that person. This experience of forgiving, and the spiritual process which led up to it, have had a profound effect on my life.


Study: As a way of testing this personal experience of forgiving, and learning more about the subject overall, I chose "interpersonal Christian forgiving and preaching" as the focus of my recent doctoral thesis. This thesis was a case study which drew deeply from two sources: (1) current literature on Christian forgiving, and (2) the life experiences of people in the congregation I am serving--their struggles and successes with forgiving others.


Drawing from my experience and study, I offer this web site: to help others with forgiving, and to stimulate meaningful feedback, so the exploration of forgiving can continue.

http://www.vsg.cape.com/~dougshow/

[DS23]

Welcome to preaching.org
Preaching.org is a place to think about the task of biblical preaching in the context of contemporary cultures. Preaching can be tuned for the times without abandoning the Bible. >>

Invitation to Biblical Preaching
June 29, 2007 11:49

Don Sunukjian, a key figure in evangelical homiletics, has just released his magnum opus, Invitation to Biblical Preaching. Sunukjian, professor of preaching and chair of the Christian Ministry and Leadership department at Talbot School of Theology, has contributed to many books on preaching and to this website. Now he has given us his long awaited, comprehensive statement of his homiletic approach.

The primary interest of the book is the presentation of the Scripture with “clarity” and with “relevance.” The book succeeds on both counts. Sunukjian has always championed clarity in the presentation of Scripture while at the same time emphasizing the life situation of the listeners. It is this dual approach that makes his preaching so effective.

Sunukjian is a careful expositor of Scripture in the classic declarative mode. Much of what he offers follows the lead of his close friend and mentor Haddon Robinson, though sometimes with altered terminology. For example, Robinson’s “big idea” becomes the “take-home truth” in Sunukjian’s treatment. This reflects his concern to especially emphasize the application element of the sermon, something that Robinson also appreciates.

Sunukjian’s process moves from “the passage outline” (what happened) to “the truth outline” (what happens) to “the sermon outline” (what is happening). Note, however, that the sermon is always outlined. The idea of plotting a sermon, or utilizing narrative or genre-specific approaches to the task is not given a great deal of space in the book.

The strength of this book is its detail. Every instruction is carefully illustrated through examples from biblical texts, serving to help the reader understand exactly what he has in mind. Sunukjian’s own preaching bubbles up through the text on almost every page.

Preaching can take many forms. There is no one way to get to the result of a biblically faithful sermon, thus writers like Sunukjian offer us the best advice they know on the subject. In this case, the instruction offered is a bit complicated. Yet, preachers who follow it will serve their congregations well.

http://www.preaching.org/

[DS23]

by Ron Hipschman.
What is so fascinating about bubbles? The precise spherical shape, the incredibly fragile nature of the microscopically thin soap film, the beautiful colors that swirl and shimmer, or most likely, a combination of all these phenomena? Why does a bubble form a sphere at all? Why not a cube, tetrahedron, or other geometrical figure? Let's look at the forces that mold bubbles.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/bubbles/bubbles.html

[DS23]

Tetrahedron, LLC is a non-profit educational corporation that was founded in 1978 by internationally known public health authority, Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz, to educate people around the world on matters of extreme public importance. For more than a quarter century, our growing list of offerings have endorsed taking personal responsibility for health choices, achieving optimal wellness, assuring disease prevention through positive lifestyles and risk avoidance, and keeping abreast of controversial social, economic, environmental, and political issues that pose myriad threats during this fascinating and challenging age.

Although this website features the works of Dr. Horowitz, in recent years Tetrahedron Publishing Group formed alliances with other authors and mission-directed small presses to contribute to humanity in unique, often monumental, ways. Our books, tapes, CDs and DVDs share life-saving advice, rare research intelligence, and, thankfully, spiritually-uplifting truths.

Peruse our articles archives, benefit from our multi-media library, and link often to our affiliated websites. Always keep an open mind. You will find that our offerings and circle of friends benefit nearly everyone.

We thank you for sharing our products, and this uncommon knowledge, liberally with others in your circle of friends, family, and professional networks.

Enjoy!


http://www.tetrahedron.org/

[DS23]

er... small interlude. i need to divulge a bit more 'cos this one is a real chico! get a load of the next section from tetrahedron:

Walk on Water

Dr. Leonard Horowitz provides an unparalleled peek into the Creator’s technology. He unearths compelling scientific evidence of your spiritual existence, and gives practical advice for your success as a powerful co-creator. Learn to be open-hearted, optimally blessed, and Divinely directed and protected as dramatic changes are unfolding globally. This spiritually uplifting book will have you celebrating and powerfully contributing to the Spiritual Renaissance as modern life is being transformed worldwide, and people like you are doing their part in preparation for a millennium of world peace. If you are interested in alternative medicine, metaphysics, music, simple mathematics, chanting, or praying, Dr. Horowitz relays great news. Walk on Water “opens doors that no man can close” regarding your spirituality, unity with Divine family, and the importance of your family and community for personal development, spiritual evolution, and planetary salvation. THIS BOOK MONUMENTALLY PRESENTS THE WISDOM OF "INTELLIGENT DESIGN" VERSUS THE LUNACY OF CHEMICAL TOXICITY, PHARMACEUTICAL SORCERY, AND EVOLUTION OF THE SPECIES.

[DS23]

Uncommon Knowledge:

Activate Your Potential
NEVER BEFORE has it been more important to learn about yourself, about how emotions work, and how to manage your own. Uncertain times and fast-changing circumstances have led to a huge upswing in emotional problems. This rise in depression, anxiety disorders, anger problems and other emotional difficulties has made the right psychological information presented in the right way invaluable. Welcome to Uncommon Knowledge.

Get what you need by starting below - click on the path that describes you best or browse the self help products below.

http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/

[DS23]

Just doing his job?
By earning a pink slip for painting his anger across the basketball court and beyond, Bob Knight made himself a fat target for armchair psychologists. Like the drill sergeant in high dudgeon in the movie "Full Metal Jacket," the coach who's got his undies in a bundle may claim he's just expressing emotions to do a job -- to fire up the troops.

http://whyfiles.org/118anger/2.html

[DS23]

1. tit in a wringer 22 up, 1 down

Bothered, bent out of shape, upset, angry. Dates back to wringer clothes washers. Undoubtedly, getting one's tit caught in the wringer would have been quite upsetting.

Yes, dear, so I lost a hundred bucks playing poker. Don't get your tit in a wringer.


http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...t+in+a+wringer