Bible Doctrine CDs

This past week, I finally finished my first bible doctrine MP3 CD. Each CD has 36 lessons on it. In that way, the CDs are far more convenient vice the old cassette tapes. If I had wanted to take 36 lessons on cassettes, I would've had a good size box to carry with me vice one CD. Also, I suspect it's cheaper for R. B. Thieme Bible Ministries to make copies of the CDs. The blank CD would cost pennies and the recording technology is readily available. Still, I find I miss the cassettes. I liked putting one of those in my portable cassette player vice having to mark what lesson I would do next in my lesson notebook. Also, it is easier to rewind a cassette and re-listen to something you might miss vice on the CD. With the CD, you'd have to listen to the entire lesson again. Because of that, I don't bother to try to go back to points I might've missed. Lastly, I liked being a taper i.e. a person who listened to Paster Thieme's bible doctrine lessons on tape vice getting to listen to them live. It was something of a mark of distinction. Being a CDer doesn't sound the same. Oh well. I continue to the lessons and, I feel they continue to do me good. I suspect they would do more good if I would be more consistent in listening to them. I'm still really bad about getting myself to listen to the lessons. I'll find any number of things to do other than listen to a lesson. The only time I seem to be really good about listening to the lessons is when crap is hitting the fan. I should listen to God when the times are good as well as bad. Too often, I don't. I suspect I also stray from God when the times are good as I don't feel I need him as much nor do I give him the credit he deserves. I need to be more conscienscous about that. Give God thanks in the good times as well as the bad. Cheers all!

Taper

Yesterday, I listened to my last cassette tape from R. B. Thieme Bible Ministries. Thieme's ministries decided to phase out the tapes. I suspect there were a number of reasons. Blank CDs would be cheaper to buy, to ship and you can put more lessons on them. My first MP3 CD from them had 35 lessons on it. In cassette tape terms, that would've been a box and a half of cassettes. I'm saddened to see them phase out the cassettes though. For all those who listen to Thieme's teaching, it was a badge of honor to say you were a taper. I've listened to Thieme's tapes since 1992 when Dr. Christopher Seidlitz, the head pastor of the base I was stationed at, recommended them to me. I've listened to over 1,500 of Thieme's tapes. Because of the tapes, I made a special effort in 1997 to get to see Pastor Thieme in person when he did a bible conference in Pensacola Beach, Florida. It was something to see the man in person. It saddens me that Pastor Thieme was struck with Alzheimer's disease. He was an incredible and fascinating pastor. Luckily bible teaching wise, his son Bobby took over the reins and teaches in the same manner as his father. On Sundays, I go to a church group where I listen to live broadcasts of Bobby's sermons. Some day, I hope to visit Thieme's church in Houston, Texas. I'd like to see the actual church where Pastor Thieme preached for over 50 years.

For now, I guess I'll be called a CDer as I'll be listening to the lessons on MP3 CDs. Today, I'll listen to my first lesson on my first MP3 CD. Also, I've sent in my order for my second CD. Still, I'll miss the tapes.

Bible Doctrine

I thought I'd tell you about something that has had a big impact on my life. If you don't care to hear about religious stuff then, you'll want to skip this post.

Back in 1990 or 1991, I was having some personal problems. I had a lot of anxiety, low self esteem, and I felt I was a failure with the ladies (this matters to a straight guy). I got counseling which helped but it didn't solve the problems. They kept coming back and, I was getting pretty discouraged. The counselor I was seeing to my surprise recommended I see the base chaplain. The base chaplain at the time was Dr. Christopher Seidlitz.

As far as I can remember, I believed in God and I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior however,  I wasn't very religious. I occasionally went to mass and occasionally took communion. But for the most part, God didn't play a prominent part in my life. I was highly skeptical that Chaplain Seidlitz could do anything for me. I mean what could learning how to say a particular prayer or knowing a particular doctrine do for helping me feel better about myself or help me deal with some of the worries I had at the time. Still, I figured what did I have to lose.

Chaplain Seidlitz turned out to be a very nice man. I enjoyed chatting with him and, he became a friend. It was Chaplain Seidlitz who told me about the bible doctrine tapes. What the tapes are are lessons in bible doctrine by a pastor named Robert B. Thieme Jr. He was the pastor of Berachah Church in Houston (his son R. B. Thieme III is now the pastor there). The tapes are no nonsense teaching of the word of God. Thieme believed that God gave us everything we needed to deal with life's problems in the word of God. All we needed to do was learn it, metabolize it, and use it. My reaction was yah, right. Still, Chaplain Seidlitz stayed on me about listening to the tapes and strangely, my life did seem to get better. I gradually got myself to regularly listen to them and funnily enough, I began to manage and solve the problems that had plagued me. Ultimately, I was able to solve my problems myself with use of the tapes. Since then, I've had other life crises including the transition I'm going through right now from military to civilian life. The crises have been hard but, I've found that the teaching in the tapes has helped me handle them and get through them. If you're going through a tough time in your life and you're receptive to Jesus Christ, you might want to give the tapes a try. They don't cost anything except the time to listen to them. You can find a link on my blog to where you can get more information on the tapes (R. B. Thieme Jr. Bible Ministries). I can't promise they'll be the answer to your problems but, they may help. I know they have helped me with problems I've had in my life.