Invasion of Privacy

Originally Posted By: jrivera
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



wdecker wrote:

Every advertise in the Shepherd's Guide? Great channel.


I was up at Lancaster, PA yesterday at the Millenium Theatre to see the Miracle of the birth of Jesus. Very nice play (so was the Story of Ruth) and I stopped in at a Christian book store and picked up a copy of the Shepards Guide. Interesting.

God Bless, have a great day !!!


Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Joseph


We are on the same page on this one -- I provide a service about a structure. -- My personal views on religion and politics might be offencive to my client so I keep them to my self.

I sometimes advertise with churches. I also support most all political people with donations be they left or right - as long as they know that they should keep me on their list of supporters.

It is about networking -- Religious people are part of the network. - Political people are part of the network You get your name out the best way that you can to as many as possible. It is just good business. Please note that religious people and political people are not necessarily in the same group (information supplied by Mr. Decker) This not to say that political people can't be religious and that religious people can't be political but still are not the same group

Holiday good wishes to all and lets remember that good communication is still our greatest tool to bring peace on earth and good will to all man kind (and women kind too)

rlb


Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Please, lets not just lump together religious people and political people. Two different groups.


Just a point.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: jburkeson
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



wdecker wrote:
Please, lets not just lump together religious people and political people. Two different groups.

Just a point.


Very true, its the political people who keep our great nation free from the dogma that plagues most religions and allows you to believe what you will without fear of persecution and me to live free from religion if I so choose.

Just so you don't think that I am a total Nihilist I do believe in (2) fundamental laws that I try to abide by;

1). If it ain't yours, don't f#&k with it.

2). If you promise to do something, do it to the best of your ability.

Two rules, one do and one don't sorta fulfills the role of both tort and contract law. I sincerely believe that if there is other intelligent life living in this universe they too will be familiar with these two rules, sorta of makes me a citizen of the universe.

Carl Sagan pretty much sums up my position on religion;

"You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe."

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."

"A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism."

The God Gene



Happy New Year.


--
Joseph Burkeson, RPI (Hooperette)

?Anyone who has proclaimed violence his method inexorably must choose lying as his principle.?
~ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Originally Posted By: jfunderburk
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Quote:
We are on the same page on this one -- I provide a service about a structure. -- My personal views on religion and politics might be offencive to my client so I keep them to my self.


Jesus said "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;" That is the Great Commission. My "service", first and foremost is to the One who saved me. By my faithfulness, He has blessed my business more than I could have ever imagined.

Where would we be if Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul were worried about offending anyone?

My priorities are: Jesus Christ, family, then work (clients)...in that order. If someone is offended by me letting it be known, in a non-confrontational way, that I am a Christian, then I am sorry for them, for they are doomed without Him. My whole point in letting people know about my faith is so that someone searching for the Lord might ask me about Him and perhaps I can bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is NOT a marketing ploy in any way. It is a genuine desire to bring people to Christ.

My whole point of the first post was about the online scheduling, but since everyone picked up on the faith aspect, I felt like stating the above.


Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Joe


Your religion is not a problem from my part. Your faith does not offend me. I do think mine might be offencive to you. So why should I offend by letting you know about my beliefs?? It is not my nature to offend. I would rather get your business based on my reputation and skill. My nature is to respect you and yours. I accept you for what you are.

I guess where I am coming from is no one offends me with their beliefs or lack of. It is their belief. There is room in this world for all people and their beliefs. There seems to be limited room in the next world though. Depending on ones belief.

I am thinking of adding some religious and political wording to some of my advertising -- We are seeing Spanish being added to some business advertising in our area and it is working.

Just good business -- If being of a certain religion or political party brings business then start believing and join up.

Joe - a quick question - You seem to be a person who is a good reader of people so what do you think -- did the client in question come to you because of God and your beliefs or was it because they were born again?

Just my point

rlb


Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Joe;


Allow me to take this thread in a slightly different direction.

What you seem to be speaking against is 'Religion', which is a man made construct that seeks to approach G-d and seek to control Him (HER?). This is best seen in people who:

a) Say 'I am spiritual, but not religious'. These people seek to learn about and control G-d for their own desires and purposes. 'Pray for what you want', etc. This is not what I believe.

b) People who were 'brought up' religious but had parents or Church members or leaders who let them down (or abused them, as is, sadly, common) and learned about sin and hypocricy and brokenness at a early age and are scared and scarred and seek to regain some control of their lives by rejecting religion as 'primitive' (thereby elevating themselves above others and seeking to feel superior), 'old' (rejecting long tradition in search of the latest fad) or 'cruel' ('Look at all those people G-d commanded killed'). This is not what I believe.

I believe in G-d, the Ancient One who pre-existed all I percieve and who Loves me and who wants to have a personal relaitionship with me. A 'loving Father', who like all Fathers delights in their children and wants to see them grow strong, tall and good.

This is the G-d described in ancient texts, commonly known as the Tanack (Old Testement) and the Brit Chadaisha (New Covenant).

Carl Sagan was a frustrated old man who thought that he knew better than anyone else (I have personally met him) and failed to learn the single most important lesson that most of us get in kindergarten. 'I am not the center of the Universe, there are others out there who are worthy of my love and service and sacrifice.'

In other words. Joe, You are free to believe what you want to believe (this is one of the greatest gifts that G-d has given us) and I am as well. Your choice is, first, last and only, your choice, as is mine.

I just hope that, as you make the single biggest choice in your life (and, in a real sense, the ONLY choice in your life) that you choose wisely, with great thought and study and careful study.

As He said, 'Choose Life'.

Hope this helps.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Richard;


You kind of beat me to it.

I believe, as Job said, 'Naked I came into the world and naked I will leave it.' All I have, I received from You (G-d). Blessed is G-d. (Baruch HaShem, in the original Hebrew).

Whatever we receive, we receive from G-d. If I get an inspection, it is a gift from G-d. If I recieve a child, or a new table saw or a Suretest 165 or a loving look from my wife (who, herself, is a gift from G-d) or a pain in my gut from stage 4 stomach cancer or a bite from a dog or anything else, it is a gift from G-d. The question is not whether I like the gift or whether I want it of whether I appriciate it. The only fact is that my Father (in the best and highest sense) gave it to me for a reason and I love and obey and strive to serve Him, to His glory.

Every breath I take is a gift from G-d.


Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Mr Decker


Sort of like don't follow the wrong person. - JC might not be the savour (Nick isn't even in the running - beard too short)

Who knows

To all -- I do enjoy NACHI and all -- and lets all have a safe and prosperous new year

rlb


Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



and to you and yours - the best of the day and the upcoming year


rlb


Originally Posted By: jeubank
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



That’s kind of incredible, that an inspector would post all his clients’ names and addresses on his website. What’s the purpose? And yes, I think it’s a breach of confidentiality, and a lack of privacy.


While it's not necessary to advertise our personal beliefs, those beliefs do affect our home inspection business. They may not affect the inspection itself, or the report. A well-trained and conscientious person of any belief can do a technically good inspection job. But our beliefs definitely affect the way we conduct our business in general. A Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Humanist, a Socialist, an Atheist, a Libertarian, and a Pagan each look at the world in a different way. Their worldview will affect their home inspection business practices. Their beliefs affect how they relate with people, how they define integrity or honesty, and especially their beliefs affect why they even do this type of business.

To some clients, it won't matter. For other clients, they will pick up on your views and attitudes right away. Those clients might agree with Socrates, who said that ?an unexamined life is not worth living.? And there's certainly nothing wrong if a client discovers that I am a Christian. Again, for some clients it doesn't matter, and for others it does. I've never had a client comment to me negatively about my belief. I agree with Jae, that my faith is my joy, not my shame.

As for not trusting anyone who wears their belief on their sleeve, that's not realistic. Most people wear some kind of belief on their sleeve, whether it's Selfish-ism (all about Me) or Environmentalism. Just be careful that you're not mistrusting of some ?religions,? while you're trusting others who believe like you do. By the way, Joseph B, vulgarity is not appropriate or necessary on this message board. And I agree with William D, that Carl Sagan was incredibly, foolishly self-centered. I'm glad you have a quote from Solzhenitsyn, a fine Christian writer.


--
Inspected once, inspected right throughout southern Colorado

www.eubankinspections.com

Originally Posted By: bkelly1
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.






Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Looks like we all have some common ground even though it might be small


rlb


Originally Posted By: bkelly1
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.








http://www.hopeforthehopeless.org/main.asp


Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



If G-D is our father in heaven then JC is our brother and that makes all of us brothers and sisters. The only problem I have is my mother as my sister and my step father as my brother and Nick is related to all of us – oh my


I love them all anyway

rlb


Originally Posted By: jhagarty
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



http://www.sacredsites.com/index.html



Joseph Hagarty


HouseMaster / Main Line, PA
joseph.hagarty@housemaster.com
www.householdinspector.com

Phone: 610-399-9864
Fax : 610-399-9865

HouseMaster. Home inspections. Done right.

Originally Posted By: rbennett
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Ben


And may the light shine on you and yours -- good web site

Have a good day and a good 2006

That site might be a good one to put in some of our favorite links on our HI sites

Some how I want to say that everyone is welcome

Just a good business idea

rlb


Originally Posted By: jburkeson
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



jeubank wrote:
While it's not necessary to advertise our personal beliefs, those beliefs do affect our home inspection business.


Yes I agree with you and believe that my Pragmatism dovetails quite well with this profession. Our clients recognize our ability to sift through myriad issues, dismissing wife's tails while giving them a clear almost antiseptic view of the current conditions of a home.

As far as my worldview is concerned it did not come about through any Damascus Road event (although I did loose my sight this year for a brief period), and I have studied Christian works, currently my library holds books authored by Bonnhoffer, C.S. Lewis and Reinhold Neibuhr (a fellow (Christian) Pragmatist). The way I see it is the major religions on the Earth contradict each other left and right. You can't all be correct. And what if all of you are wrong? It's a possibility, you know. You must care about the truth, right? Well, the way to winnow through all the differing contentions is to be skeptical. I'm not any more skeptical about your religious beliefs than I am about every new scientific idea I hear about. But in our line of work, they're called hypotheses, not inspiration and not revelation.

jeubank wrote:
I'm glad you have a quote from Solzhenitsyn, a fine Christian writer.


Yes it is true that on his death-bed Solzhenitsyn was indeed a Christian (I guess that is the only time it really matters anyway) but in his lifetime, he suffered and struggled in the Gulag not for his Christian beliefs, but for his political and humanist views.

Today it is not too hard to find well-meaning devout followers of Islam willing to strap weapons of mass-destruction to their body and blow up innocent people in service to your God. Contrast that with our Commander-In-Chief who believes that he is a messenger of God living in the "Last Days" (whose generation will not pass before he comes again) and has access to "The Armageddon Button" which could end life on Earth for everyone... Well, you will just have to forgive me if my bull-s#!t meter that measures the wonderful benefits mankind has received from religion remains firmly pegged in infinity.

Being a Pragmatist I care little of anyone's opinion or feelings as they are beyond my control and life is too short. Just show me the data & results and we have a sound basis for conversation, thank you for this opportunity to share.

All the best for a happy new year.


--
Joseph Burkeson, RPI (Hooperette)

?Anyone who has proclaimed violence his method inexorably must choose lying as his principle.?
~ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Originally Posted By: bkelly1
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



MAURY DAVIS


Senior Pastor


Maury Davis was arrested at age eighteen for the crime of first-degree murder. Following his trial and conviction, he served eight and one-half years in the Texas Department of Corrections. During his incarceration, Maury found his Savior in Jesus Christ and led a revival among his fellow prisoners. Following his unexpected release from prison, Maury served on the pastoral staff of Calvary Temple in Irving, Texas under the leadership of Dr. J. Don George where he served as Youth Pastor. There he met and married his wife Gail, and in 1986 they became parents of triplets ? Gabrielle, Danielle, and Galen. In 1994 son, Dillon was added to their family. After five years at Calvary Temple, Maury answered the call to full-time evangelism and the young family traveled across the United States preaching at churches, youth camps, Bible schools, and speaking to teens in public schools. In 1991, after preaching one Sunday at the two-hundred fifty-member Cornerstone Church in Madison, Tennessee, Maury was offered the position of Senior Pastor. He accepted that appointment and has led Cornerstone to its current average attendance of more than two-thousand people and serves as an Executive Presbyter of the Tennessee District of the Assemblies of God. Maury simply preaches that Jesus is the answer . . . whatever the situation, whatever the problem. He has a heartfelt desire for people to understand that if God would save him, He stands ready to meet anyone, whatever their circumstances.




I would suggest anything my Maury Davis to read

Anything by John Bevere...especially "Drawing Near", "BAit Of Satan"


Rick Warren "The Purpose Driven Life"

Stephen Strang "Old Man , New Man"

Anything by Steve Hill, John Kilpatrick, and many more.



In the end , it is only you answering to God. I answer for myself, as does everyone else.


Originally Posted By: jmichalski
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Back to the original topic, I too, am amazed that the dates, locations and other information about inspections are online and available to anyone.


I have been toying with using the HomeGauge online schedule feature which simply shows time as "available" or "booked", allowing potential clients to view possible inspection times, while protecting personal information.

On the second topic, I have to say that I live in an area where I got pretty fed up with people force-feeding me their "message". I drew the line when I got the Jesus pizza box. I wanted a few slices of pepperoni mushroom - not someone's personal testiment. There are times and places for such interaction - the delivery of a pizza, and the inspection of a home are - in my own opinion - not such times. (Needless to say, I switched pizza places.)

Good marketing is always good marketing whether you are utilizing religous, personal, political or other connections. You should not miss an opportunity to present your services to people who need them, and wherever possible, use meaningful methods (like a shared relifgious connection) to do so.

There are also inappropriate times to employ those marketing strategies that can lose you business (see the pizza box).