Andy Collins

Should be there, Ipswich, haven't sent back my invite yet though. That is if Im not to busy doing nothing by then. See ya there hopefully Pete Just noticed the Ipswich date on the invite is the 8th (Thursday), so what date is Norwich?

If Carlsberg made a beer advert..... Hang on they did and it wasn't this good

I was in your shoes in 1996, I had no doubts what I wanted to do, and I'm still doing it today! Best of luck, go for it:laugh1:

What a shame that a Great British company isn't able to do this, typical of this country.

Not so much about being macho, in Arb there are so many different tasks to carry out, saw use some days is very minimal to say the least, may not even use a tank full of fuel in a day. Needing to wear chainsaw gloves for saw operation, then a different pair of gloves for rope handling, then another pair for dragging and chipping is a pita. However, in woodland/forestry/firewooding, you are using a saw pretty much all day, no need to chop and change gloves, and in fact the gloves may save your hands generally from every day wear and tear as well as the saw. If I were in Predators shoes, having been given a pair of chainsaw gloves, I would wear them.

I like Hawthorns post, of all the pro-Christian posts it makes the most sense to me from the religious aspect.

Ah the luxuries of employment, they were the days, a long long time ago

Looks like I'll be busy then, there's millions of them out there!! and I agree with them on one thing, they should go forth and multiply.

it's no worse now than it was back in the 80's, or the 90's, so that doesnt really wash with me. I've physically grafted all my working life, and the 5 day ruling has always proven correct, 5 days to earn my bread and butter, and 1 day to earn the jam on top, and yes I would do every scrap of extra work and overtime and sacrificed Bank Holidays, went without holiday as the kids grew up. It's only been the last 5 years that things have got easier, and I've taken my foot off the pedal a bit for a rest.

I don't see a few questions, in a balanced and open discussion, are unfair to anyone. IMO this has been one of the most interesting discussions to date, which hasn't deteriorated into a slanging match. I don't believe there are right and wrong answers here, as it is down to each individuals personal choice. One bug bear i have with christianity is why on earth is it every one I meet insists on trying to convert me to their way of thinking? I don't need "saving" and if I do need "saving" I'd prefer my "saviour" to be someone I can at least see.

Oh no! Back to the drawing board....again

I think you side-stepped that point. If my mother told me not to do something, and I did it anyway, that is disobedience. How can something that isn't there tell me not to do something, it's not possible how ever it's dressed up.

How is it necessary to work 7 days a week? I have never found that I can't earn enough in 5 days in all my working life. Of course if I wanted luxuries I would do overtime, bank holidays and Saturdays to top my income, but rarely Sundays. Other jobs may require Sunday working, contractually, but a bit of tree-cutting hardly justifies it.

It's only disobedience to God if you believe in Him, surely. If he does not exist to me, how can I disobey him?

Is it really necessary to work Sundays? In all my working life I've worked about 3. Each time the only reason was because it was emergency work. I'm not deeply religious, but our bodies and minds need a day of rest and recuperation. Someone once told me if you can't earn enough in 5 days you'll not earn enough in 7.

What is sin? By this I mean through your Gods eyes? I lead a relatively well-behaved life, have raised a couple of children to know right from wrong, stayed married for nigh on 25years, I suppose followed most of the 10 commandments, not intentionally, but it just works out that way. I'm not perfect, I may have breached one or two in my time (coveting thy neighbours ass comes to mind!) but this is not enough. I've been told by Christians that It is impossible to lead a sin-free life, thought is sin and so on. This I disagree with, I can think what I like, it's how I progress from those thoughts that matters surely. When I was in hospital recently, the chaplain asked if he could pray for me, i was in a bad way for a little while, I said no, that wouldn't be right, it would be hypocrisy, plus I didn't feel that I needed saving from something, I was going nowhere. At the worst, I'd be gone. End of. No need for saving there then!

It would be a shame to close a well discussed thread down, not what we're about, and not something I'd wish to do. Keep with in the rules, keep it clean and friendly and it can run.

I try...I really do!

Why not just set up a group for like-minded people call it "Tree Christians" or similar, and then you can discuss your chosen topic with the sort of people you wish to be with. This is after all a discussion forum where we discuss, I think the majority so far have been respectful to one another.

Get a dead blow hammer instead.

I'd hope that people are mature enough to respect another's religious beliefs. Of course, some will prove me wrong.

Ahaa with you now

I must admit, I am now confused by this, and I'm hoping that I'm totally misunderstanding.

I'm guessing that Predators issue is due to the fact that he was sent some following his other thread

Belt and braces, H&Safety cover all eventualities. Doesn't matter what job I'm doing I wear both, as I'm now built like a racing snake and have dropped about 6" off my waist size trousers are a little ....er .... Roomy to say the least!