Sasquatch
I do what you can't.

Just practicing a little harmless satire on folks who are way too literal. You are a very sensitive person and don't let anyone tell you different.

Oh, and I can't give you rep again yet, but I was going to give you pos rep for your response in the Healthcare Thread. I liked that (both of) you have reverted to maturity, and your response seem well-constructed (more so than usual). I haven't got time to respond at the moment, and probably won't for a few days, but I'll try to get round to it.

So if works reveal faith, then they are one and the same? When you say that faith is all that is required to get into Heaven, aren't you implying that works are needed too, as they are part of a 'real' faith?

Your second point is convincing, but doesn't God ask for a manifestation of our faith?

You're probably not going to like this, but in the words of Mother Teresa:

"On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!""

So one can have a "dead", useless, faith and saunter into Heaven? Works show faith, indeed. But doesn't this passage suggest that they are both neccessary? Faith precludes works, and works demonstrate faith. How, then, is faith "the only thing that gets us into Heaven", when it requires works?

Yes, but didn't you say that it is by faith alone that one is saved? But "what good is it ... if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" Surely that suggests we need both faith and deeds?

Sure, it doesn't tell us to stop believing and start doing, but it also does not say that we should stop doing and start believing. Faith without action is dead - there's no point to it. I'd say it is both invisible and selfish.

This made me think of you:

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:14-18)

You'd do Sarah Palin? O_o

And I don't have a prejudice towards Sarah Palin or anything. I don't think she's a moron. She's made some unfortunate statements.

But would you really want her to replace McCain if something had happened to McCain?

Come on. She didn't even know what Gaza was. I don't want a president in the US that is not familiar with foreign politics.

So please, don't blindly follow a few bad reviews of the NHS. Do you really think the population would tolerate a horrible system if an equally free system existed across the border in France (which is considered to have the best healthcare in the world)? A few NHS horror stories may have turned up, but I believe Heather was wrong when she stated that there was at least one American-health-care horror story to match every NHS horror story, there are probably in fact around 10 American horror stories for every British horror story, even after taking population differences into account.

I've noticed the recurring trend of you belittleing the NHS. And so far most people have simply accepted your opinions as fact, though it's time to draw your attention to the real facts - not the right-winged propoganda - but the facts from someone who has actually experienced the NHS. Or at the very least NHS Scotland.

Back in 2000, the World Health Organization compiled a very famous list that detailed the quality of healthcare from what I believe to be the majority of the world's countries. Although this list is almost 10 years outdated, statistics do not normally leap about in enormous bounds, especially if the kind of services in a country remain unchanged. The list can be found here and as you can see the United States is ranked 19 places behind the UK. A difference that is unlikely to have been completely closed in on in 10 years.

But since I know that you will not take those statistics into account before once again slandering every Universal Healthcare system in the world. Let me tell you a bit about my family's experience with the NHS.

All of these conditions were treated fairly quickly aside from one knee replacement that was deemed to be unessential. Eventually this operation was carried out but only after a waiting period of two months, and only after my grandmother requested that the operation took place to 'balance it out'.

My father's father:

2x Heart Attacks:- Dealt with by the NHS in a very short time. One of these heart-attacks forced my grandfather into an early retirement at around 40, although this was to do with the type of work he did.

2x Hip-replacements:- A relatively short waiting time of a couple of weeks.

A triple heart-bypass:- His most recent surgery (about three weeks ago), remember to bare in mind that my grandfather is in his early 70's now. He was given this surgery without the need for a waiting list and was only in hospital for about a week.

A pacemaker:- This surgery has yet to take place however it was originally scheduled to happen quite close to the bypass surgery but has been delayed as it has been deemed to dangerous to be done so close to the other surgery.

My father's mother:

Suffering from Alzheimers and living in a private care-home. The NHS pay the majority of her costs. The reason we went private with this decision is because there is no appropiate care-home for her condition in the local area that deals with such strong cases of Alzheimers.

My mother's father:

2x Strokes:- The first stroke forced him into retirement as it was brought on by his work as a labourer. The second stroke was about a year ago and the quick and effective work done by the NHS prevented any permament damage from being done despite the fact that he is in 80s. During his stay at hospital following the second stroke he stayed in a seperate building from the main hospital in a stroke-specific care building next door to the hospital. His total stay was about 2 or 3 weeks.

My mother's mother:

2x Knee replacement:- She was literally given the first operation just a week or so after the doctor recommended it and the second operation was given only when she specifically requested it.

My twin sisters:

My younger twin sister's were both born with an incredibly rare condition known as microphtalmia. They were diagnosed at a very young age and recieve specialist care every few months at a hospital only 30 miles away. They are 2 of only less than one thousand children who suffer from the condition in the UK.

My dental experiences:

In some areas of the UK it is definetly difficult for a person to find an NHS dentist. However these areas are normally overpopulated or underpopulated. And the majority of people I know have access to a dentist.

The dentist I go to is literally a two minute walk away. There are at least three other dental practices within a five mile radius. All of them have large notices exclaiming their eligibillity for new patients.

The quality of my dental care is also rather fantastic. I had braces for 3 years and am now using an 'invisible brace' to prevent my teeth from reverting to their original position. Two of my sisters also have braces. After the correct procedures of removing certain teeth and waiting for baby teeth to fall out we literally all had our braces in less than a month. To my knowledge that isn't a crap deal at all.

When have I behaved like that?

And the 'kid' thing seems more like another way to work out your frustration about people who don't fully agree with you.

Just being honest here, kid.

Why do you insist on calling people you disagree with 'kids'?

That's not something an intelligent person should do, in my opinion.

And giving me bad rep for criticising SOME Americans.

I should've seen that one coming.

'Sounds about right'? So you'd agree that if Stephen Hawking was British he'd be dead because of the NHS. News for you - Stephen Hawking is British, born and bred. A lot of people forget that because his Microsoft sam voice is American. Hawking himself has said that the NHS has saved his life time and again. That makes the politician's statement about him an utter lie; and yet people believe it, through sheer force of ignorance.

People will always complain, and so much about the NHS is anecdotal. Our system is not perfect, and we can always improve it - but what matters is that everyone gets treatment. The vast majority are very satisfied with that treatment. If they weren't, we'd scrap the system. But we are happy, and so we defend and constantly try to improve the NHS. We could never leave our own people without access to affordable, quality healthcare. The NHS is not shit - they are the fourth largest single employer in the world, and save thousands of lives every day. You don't know what it's like to live in a country where you never need to think twice about healthcare. You just turn up, and they do what is required. Sometimes you may have to wait a little longer, but not if you're in discomfort or danger of death. They'll never make you wait unless they have to.

Americans have to pay $25,000 to get into Cuba, which is why many fly out from Canada. It's been that way since the 60's. And you will never get the full version of films such as Antichrist.

Short answer: Yes.

I'll get back to you when I don't have a long road trip in the morning.

Catholics don't (officially) pray to Mary or to any saint. We pray to them to ask them to pray to God on our behalf. Most Protestants believe that Mary's soul is in Heaven - and surely no Christian can deny that, as why would she be in Hell? Catholics add to that the belief that Mary's body is in Heaven. If no one really dies, but instead inherits eternal life, then why should we not ask them, as people who now reside with God, to pray for us, on our behalf? All prayer is to God, so why is it so bad to go through an intermediary if it has the same purpose?

Where does it say (in scripture, because you're good at this) that it is wrong to ask another human to pray for you?

The older usage of the word "pray" is synonymous with "to ask". So we ask Mary to pray to God on our behalf. In the I Confess we say, “And I ask blessed Mary, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.” In the Hail Mary we say, “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.”

To give a scriptural argument,
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." (Lk 1:46-49)

So if by praying to Mary, Catholics are more able to focus on Christ (magnify), enhancing prayer cannot be a bad thing, can it?

(BTW, thanks for getting back to me, I thought you never would )

You are also a white heterosexual Christian male. I doubt you know what it's like to face the daily injustices that minorities face. And that's fine, I don't know what that's like either. Being a woman is my only frame of reference, but I still understand that being white (even in these politically correct times) comes with advantages in this country. I'm not saying you should feel shitty about being a white male. You can't help that. But I do think there should be some degree of understanding that you have a great deal of advantages for those things you have no control over. I have a hunch that you'll deny that. And that's why I'd consider you idealistic in that way.