Dear Pericles.. I rarely 'swallow' a good story, SPECially if it is a 'Christian' one.... I examine it from a number of angles, and seek other reports about it from critical sources.
I've not found anything critical of this ladies ministry, except that you might note that the video about her work does not even mention things which would make a REAL GOOD story much more colorful.
http://deborahcompany.com/debco_website/whats_your_story/99BDC6D9-1722-4F8A-89D4-062F1890412A.html

-4 x firebombings (reported in Sanfrancisco Chronicle)
-Moved 4 times when house and car torched.

Here is another take by the Christian edition of the Jerusalem Post
http://www.icej.org/article.php?id=3921

Yesss..I knowwww.."It's just Israeli propoganda" so, you have to filter it with the 'selectivity which makes Israel look good' filter.

Here is a non Christian blog about her..

http://blogs.salon.com/0003494/2006/06/10.html

and their actual web site

http://www.livingbreadchurch.com/About%20Us.htm

I will accept her story to the extent that it 'rings true' in terms of what she says and what is verifiable from other sources, and is compatible with Biblical teaching.
I fail to see why one must 'begin' with rejection.. would you conduct a trial like that ? Hardly.

GOOD STORIES/GULLABILITY.. yep..I have to confess that my gullability does extend to the Bible.. plenty of goods stories there. But when it comes to 'Post New Testament' good stories.. we must beware. I've seen how 'myths' are created and watched a definitely fabricated one happen over time in Borneo, so.. you will have to trust my experience on this.

CJ. I point to the initial 300 yrs of expansion of the Church for very valid reasons. This shows that the Gospel, does not NEED any military force behind it to expand... don't you 'get' this by now?

Of course it does not make the Crusades or Inquisition periods dissappear, but it DOES show they were not need for the success of the Gospel.. that is for sure.
Do you ...finally.. at long last.. actually 'get' this ?

Boazy, if you want people to understand what you're preaching, you'll have to learn to express yourself better. Your original claim that the "Christian Gospel spread without sword, army, hurting, threats, or power" wasn't restricted by your subsequent qualification of that claim to an initial 300-year period, after which Christianity apparently developed its less savoury aspects. How were we supposed to know that you were only referring to the period "between Pentecost and Constantine", when you didn't specify it?

Mind you, I've no doubt that Muslim apologists could point to similar historical periods where their religion spread by equally peaceful means, so what's your point?

Boazy: "you will have to trust my experience on this."

Sorry, no deal. You've been caught out telling porkies, stretching the truth, and gullibly relating fairy stories too often for that to be a viable option.

But Boaz, you have to admit that your critical faculties, when it comes to anything Christian, are substantially underdeveloped compared to those you employ on matters Islamic.

Every single time.

From your last post:

<<Here is a non Christian blog about [Karen Dunham]..

http://blogs.salon.com/0003494/2006/06/10.html<<

Boaz, if that is your idea of a "non-Christian" blog, then here is no wonder your entire outlook is skewed. It is a genuine blog, in the sense that it has many feeds and references. But one look at the blog owner's publications will tell you the direction he leans.

"Publishing, Celebrity, and the Globalisation of Conservative Protestantism"... "Religious Mission and Business Reality: Trends in the Contemporary British Christian Book Industry"... contributions to "A Dictionary of Christian Biography" and "Christian Think-Tanks Influence Gay Politics", plus book reviews of "Christians in the Holy Land" and "The Christian Heritage in the Holy Land"

Face it, Boaz, you wouldn't notice pro-Christian bias if it shook you by the hand and gave you an embossed business card saying "Propaganda-r-us"

>>I fail to see why one must 'begin' with rejection.. would you conduct a trial like that ? Hardly<<

In a very real sense, Boaz, yes you would.

Because in a court, the opposing counsel will make absolutely sure that every aspect of relevant background is introduced to enable the jury to establish the context of that witness's testimony.

But I'd appreciate more detail on this:

>>when it comes to 'Post New Testament' good stories.. we must beware. I've seen how 'myths' are created and watched a definitely fabricated one happen over time in Borneo, so.. you will have to trust my experience on this<<

If you have actually seen myths in the process of fabrication, how is it that you resist the idea that this might have happened to the gospels? If the need for the story is great enough - and there were a fair few people with a vested interest in the success of the new religion - the fabrication process simply needs that much more care.

But it can, as you know, be done.

Boaz David said “ I fail to see why one must 'begin' with rejection.. would you conduct a trial like that ? Hardly”

Boaz, that’s exactly how a trial works, there is assumed to be no evidence against the accused until some is brought before the court. This is the meaning of Habeus Corpus, literally ‘produce the body'. We expect the same standard of proof from those who 'claim' to see Jesus and other 'miracles'

You said” I point to the initial 300 yrs of expansion of the Church for very valid reasons. This shows that the Gospel, does not NEED any military force behind it to expand... don't you 'get' this by now?”

What that initial 300 years says is that Christians didn’t have enough numbers or power to take crusade-like action. That was their consolidation phase.

You said “this is why today there are something like 70,000,000 Christians in China in spite of every Missionary being kicked out in 1954 when there were just 700,000 or so.”

Conversion of Christians in Asia is ethically challenged. Converts are offered all sorts of inducement to get their conversion. Education is the most insidious, since the evengelicals get young impressionable kids to brainwash. But the economic benefits to becoming Christian are also a persuasive force for conversion. Christian hospitals are set up, with nurses offered jobs if they convert. These nurses are expected to help convert patients.

Its an ugly system but the evangelical churches are out to convert at any cost

"The simple fact that you go after me is indicative that you feel 'your' view of life is in fact superior to mine..speaking on an purely human level. If this were not the case, you would not be trying to shut me up on my own threads.

Its not like I'm going to hunt you down and berate you to your face for not believing in 'my' God... not a chance, so.. take it easy mate." (Quote:BOAZ)

1)View of life superior? You would not have chosen the life that I willingly chose, and I can promise you that if you know what that was you would be feeling pretty silly suggesting that I saw it in any way as superior!!BUT;-it is in no way inferior either, preacher.

2)Trying to 'shut you up on your own threads'?? Grief!...this is the WWW. This is a FORUM....

3) Thank-you for not hunting me down and ATTEMPTING to berate me to my face.

Take it easy mate........

Ginx.. I see a lot of negative passion there... "anti God" ? or anti BD ? :)

All I'm doing is relating a story of a dedicated person doing a good work bringing peace and healing to hearts, bodies and minds.

Where all this 'you this you that.. you hypcrite you such and such' came from is rather elluding me at the moment.

You only seem to know one kind of reaction mate "explosive"....

Are you not able to relate to this woman and what she is doing ? Does it have to suddenly become about 'BD the hypocrite'?
Why can it not be about 'Karen Dunham...caring Christian'

Seriously, when you look at the progress (not) between the Israelis and Palestinians, and then.. you see what this woman has been achieving.. its a bit sad that you cannot see either the hand of God at work or at least a bit of 'good work' on a human level.

I don't expect you to come rushing forward in humility as we sing the last verse for the 15th time at the end of the revival service, (perhaps I should..I've seen it happen) but I really don't see why you appear to be so angry.
cheers