Free Surfboards

Wally, I understand what you're saying..."there is evil in this world." But what Yankee was saying is that the Catholic Church has a long and painful history of using the power of the church to abuse children, used that same power to cover it up and destroy those trying to expose it. Then there's the Spanish Inquisition, in the name of the Church, rape, murder and pillage.

I tend to agree with Yankee and Hanna about what Wayne is up to. I find it difficult, if not impossible to believe that he would walk up to a kid, hand him a surf board, no strings, no other communication. Call me a doubter, but I was born at night, but not last night.

 

At some point you guys will need to realize that all that is being done by this organization is giving some young people a chance to experience surfing for themselves. I would hope you won't be against that. This is a winning situation all around. Nobody is warping the minds of children or going "Catholic" on anyone. No one is being forced to listen to or blindly follow anything either. Its an act of kindness along with some very encouraging words. I'm hoping none of you are against that too. Try stepping off of your soapbox and have a heart for a while. You'll feel much better when you do. Everyone have a great day.

 

Now that's funny!

Bring your own goat. You dont know where his have been - LOL!

 

Some guy a long time ago talked about the benefits of turning the other cheek and forgiving past offenses.... I think he was talking about the cheeks on the face by the way. Anyway, he was making the point that people all make mistakes but should be forgiven. Do you naysayers think that nothing good has come out of organized religion? Do you think all followers of a religion should be persecuted for other's offenses?I assure you many more people have been helped than hurt by giving themselves to a higher power. Is it specifically Catholics that turn you off? Just curious. Average Joe Catholic never cheered when when a child was molested, he didn't cover it up either. He was just as saddened and disgusted as you were.

I don't think it's fair to compare this guy to a child molester because he wants to teach people about the sport he loves and his beliefs. Stereotypes are pretty ugly things, sometimes they're right but you should allow the person to prove that they fall under the stereotype first. (Please don't respond to that comment with the assertion that we should put the OP in a closet with a kid and see what happens... I think you get the point I'm making.)

What if the OP was impacting the coast for kids (seriously OP, rethink your slogan)? Just giving them the means to have a hobby that isn't xbox, meth or stealing cars. Would you have a problem with that? That seems like that's basically what he's doing, he wants to say "hey kid, have a surfboard and let me tell you about this interest of mine that has helped me in my life and may help you."

The kids that may receive a free board will probably look at it like a timeshare meeting... go for the free vacation but probably won't buy the 3 weeks a year. OP just wants to share an idea, sounds like a pretty good deal... My 16 month old son is really interested in a 9'6" noserider, let me know if you get any OP!

The OP isn't a great salesman but at least he's trying. What have you done today other than hate on someone whose beliefs are different than yours?

 

Good post. Levity at the right moments.

Not hating on anyone. Just very skeptical of the self-righteous. And very, very skeptical of someone handing out goodies to entice young people into the fold to then drill them with the proselytizing.

And want nothing to do with the proselytizing, whether it's Judeo Christian, Muslim, agnostic, Hari Krishna, pagan or atheist or whatever.

Just keep the I-got-it-all-figured-out stuff to oneself instead of jamming it at people. Esp kids, who are still working Life things out. Ever wonder why the ranks of the religious proselytizers, youth coaches, high school teachers have an inordinate number of freaks posing as mentors & leaders? NOT saying they're all bad; but an inordinate proportion of twisted adults are drawn to this like moths to flames.

Not hating. Just not trusting of the claims. Based on the human history of way, way too many transgressions over centuries; ya simply gotta be skeptical of this stuff. Keeps a person's soul intact. Not to mention other parts.

 

Hanna has my vote, he states it better than I ever could.

 

You are right. I'm willing to bet all his goats are underage.

 

You are all about the ego - otherwise you wouldn't have posted the crap you wrote above. Self righteous egomaniac. I'm keeping my kid away from you.

 

Religion has no place here.. Unless you are looking for an argument. Too many different belieafs and strong opinions surround religion.
Donate surboards all day. But if you're gonna, do it for Jesus, Allah, Buddah , Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Superman or whatever else you belive in.

 

Last I checked, America still has Freedom of Religion. I'm disappointed to see so much hatred on here. I thought surfers were more tolerant than that. To the OP-you're doing a great thing. Keep it up. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where people don't want to acknowledge our Creator. Let's pray for them. In the mean time, everybody needs to realize that everyone has their own belief. Even atheists do...they believe that we are all here through random chance...something that's take more faith to me than believing in a creator...especially with all the science we have today that is pointing towards God...that''s indeed a hard faith to follow.

 

This post explains your whole problem. You feel the need to make yourself appear and or feel more Christian by "impacting the coast for Jesus". If your intintions were just to give surfboards to kids who need and or deserve them this non-believer could support that type of project. The problem occurs when you use the guise of free surfboards to attract kids to your "impacting". Giving the boards away without the verbal diarrhea would have gathered much more support of the entire surfing communitybnot just the Christian side of it.

 

sonfollowersurf is simply being obedient to the scriptures more specifically, the great commission.

Matthew 28: 16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

nynj: We are not talking religion. It's more like spirituality. How could you place Jesus in the same category as all those dead people and make believe character? Christ is alive and He doesn't look like He did while He walked the earth.

John speaking in Revelation:

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades

Sorry to post all the verses but the Word of God is the only thing that will penetrate most of your hearts.

 

This is what we're talking about, Wally. You think you know better than us what's good for us. Stow it.

 

I'm sorry that you feel that way. However, I will never "stow it". God has given the great commission and He knows better than me, you or anyone who has ever lived what is good for us. You can take it or leave it. I'm not forcing anything on anyone but you are gambling and your bet is that there is no God. What happens if you're wrong?

I wish less people in my life "stowed it" for the first 20 years of my life. Would have saved me a lot of pain and torment.

 

I have never seen so much intolerance in my life. A man's got to believe something. I believe I'll have another drink.

 

I've been following this thread and have stayed out of it due to high volume of work among other reasons, but for you guys spreading the "Word" it's tidbits like this that, while I can't speak for others, I find rather annoying. Assertions of truth on matters that truth cannot be found on. If you want to follow the teachings of Jesus that's fine. But as a historian by academic training, it's hard to reconcile the the good of the church with hundreds of years of bad. Also, when viewed objectively as a historical document, in terms of the who, when, and how it was written, more issues arise(Council of Nicea 300+ years after the fact, influence of Paul, etc.). Nevermind the anthropocentric and patriarchal implications of the whole thing. My mom is a practicing Catholic, I was raised Catholic, didn't work for me(and I consider myself a spiritual person still, probably more than the average Christian). If it works for you, then that's awesome and I say go for it, but don't be surprised by hostility on an internet surfing forum. Give kids boards for the sake of giving kids boards, impact the coast for the coast.

*Not intended as a personal attack towards anyone, just my .02. I believe in the notion that there are many paths to the top of the mountain.

 

I go to "church" everytime I paddle out. That's my santuary, it's where I find peace, it's where I commune with God. I tried the traditional church and it didn't work for me... but I do still have my relationship with God and I communicate with him through nature, by being part of his kingdom and the very creatures he put here on this earth. Being part of something so beautiful and amazing, it's impossible for me to deny something of higher power created it. I don't need someone to tell me that he exists, I don't need a free surfboard to believe he's real. I just paddle out and everytime and I come back refreshed, with a renewed spirit, full of life, love, and happiness.

 

Right on & totally agree.

 

So true; that's probably not how this thread will end, but it's how it should end.