On Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:03:20 -0600, Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article
> >,
> ImStillMags > wrote:
>
>> I guess you guys would say I'm a complete heathen......I've never
>> understood the dietary dogma in pretty much any religion.
>
> Think you a heathen? Hardly.
>
> Others' beliefs or nonbeliefs are of no consequence nor concern to me.
> I imagine people have their reasons for what they do or do not believe.
> The only thing I bristle at are barbed pokes at the faith beliefs of
> others. If people derive comfort from their spiritual beliefs and
> practices, and it's no skin off the nose, why rain on it?

theologically, i wouldn't think of it as imposed suffering, but a reminder
of the covenant (though christians likely wouldn't use that term) between
you and god.

of course, the practical result is a kind of tribal marker, a means of
distinguishing The People from those not of The People, but i'm not sure
you can blame god for that.

your pal,
blake