There are denomination that cling to the old tradition and have hugh respect on old theologian, they are Roman catholic, eastern ortbdox, Lutheran, reformed, anglican

But on the other hand there are new wave who cling forward, they're pentecostal and new protestants movement, I can't name them because they're too many.

What's your take on this? Isn't it safer to cling backward? I can't imagine clinging forward to follow groups that overwrite leaders age by age, it seems like this kind of movement always have something new to sell. They like to predict the future, takes 7 day Adventist for example, have failed numerous of time trying to guess the exact date of Jesus's return.


One thing that isn't convincing to me is that, they can read the same text but still get new lights.

This has been described by religious conservatives as the greatest evil of our time. We have lost our "sense of sin."

Here's my read on it. An act can be objectively sinful, but the person committing the act may or may not be sinning--his responsibility diminished or even erased based on numerous factors--cultural, situational, emotional, intellectual, etc.

Suicide, for example, is a sinful act, but the deceased almost always was mentally or emotionally ill, diminishing or erasing his responsibility.

A moral relativist recognizes the objective act but looks at each act in the context of the life and situational factors of each individual.

Obviously society needs to find a balance between toxic judgmentalism and unconditional acceptance.

I tend to fall closer to the second alternative and sometimes think it might be better if I did not always bend over backwards to understand people's motivations and issues.

I would like to hear what people on the other edge of the spectrum think of this theory.

I seek only greater understanding.

My Testimony



"But God"... a story of Amazing Grace


Ephesians 2

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.



I pray that my testimony touches your heart! My name is Keith, but everyone knows me as KK. The first thing to say is that I am just an ordinary person; I am not a pastor; I have no special gifts or abilities: I am what I am because God has showered His grace upon me.


Well, I had better start at the beginning. I was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, U.K., and then lived most of my life in Morecambe, a beautiful seaside town on the Lancashire coast. My childhood was difficult. My parents were great, but they were consumed with work and as I spent much time on my own, I gained a very rebellious and angry streak from an early age. I was a very troubled and restless child. . .I craved attention. My parents tried everything, I had serious issues relating to a childhood stammer, which led to bullying. I was in and out of speech therapy/relaxation classes
.

Sent to Sunday school, I listened to the stories of Jesus and thought that they were just stories. My favourite hymn was "There was a Green Hill Far Away". This hymn said that He died to save us all. "Great," I thought, "Jesus died - I can live as I want."


I was in the church; I even did the collection for upstairs at the church. Sad to say, I was a Judas-- not just from the church, but from my parents. By the age of 14, I was placed in the lowest class at school; I was a very nasty and angry person; a sinner who had all the appearance of a good person, but was a devil on the inside. . . in all my churchgoing, I have never heard the true Gospel that Jesus saves personally.



At school, I was known as trouble; teachers thought I had no hope, but my parents didn't give up-- they fought for me to be placed in a higher class. They finally got their wish and I was placed in Class 4S, along with two very special people, both whom are close friends today, David and Andrew, the person whom God used to bring me to faith.


As I said, I was trouble at school: if there was trouble in class, it usually revolved around me; Keith had said or done something to upset them. Well, I created havoc in class, tormenting virtually everyone: I was a mixture of Dennis the Menace and Homer Simpson, loveable and dumb but just a pain in the bum: well. . . except for Andrew.
.
Everything I tried to do to him, it didn't upset him at all! What is it with this guy? Why is he so calm? OK, he's a Christian; well, so am I! I go to church, so what's the big deal? Also, we had R.E. (Religious Education) in our school, led by Mr Curnow. I just sat the back of the class and mocked him. He said at the end of the class, "Jesus loves you and is the Answer!" "What?" I thought, "Why doesn't he tell it to us through all the class, if Jesus is so good?" Many years later I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife, who was my French teacher; also, my history teacher, Mr Waterhouse, who were all Believers-- the ones I had mocked were Christians.

Andrew was getting under my skin; he invited me to these meetings, and on a Saturday night! "What, you go to these Bible meetings on a Saturday? You are a fanatic, man!" One day he invited me: and to be honest, just to stop him asking me, I said "OK, but look, I have to be home by 10, the football is on."


So, on Saturday, the 15th of February, I set out to Moorlands Gospel Hall in Lancaster. Meeting me at the bus station, we made our way to the meeting. It was different to everything I had ever been to: this was lively, hymns were sung truly and powerfully, people stood up and told how Jesus had changed their lives, and finally Victor Jack (an evangelist) stood up and preached. He said "If Jesus came tonight, where would you spend eternity? You are a guilty sinner, condemned by your sin; but Jesus has provided salvation through the Cross." For the first time I had heard the true Gospel. Victor said he was going into a side room, anyone who would like to talk with him, please do so. I remember closing my eyes-- the curtain was raised; the light went on! I turned to Andrew, "I want to go into that room!" I got there first, just before someone else; this was something I just had to do. Victor took me through "Journey into Life" (tract by Norman Warren). I said the prayer, and trusted Christ. My prayer was sincere. Something happened that night-- something life changing! Thanks, Andrew and Victor!


I remember going home: I shouted out in glee, "I've become a Christian!" My parents weren't impressed. "It will wear off," they said. My form teacher had said to Andrew, "Keith will never get saved." Things did change. I went to church and got baptised, but still had many problems. . . but I knew something had happened-- I had new affections and new interests; I loved reading the Bible and praying.
。

For the first 10 years of my Faith walk I went up and down, but I still made progress. But I was now to enter the "wilderness years". For nearly 15 years from 1986-2001, I went off the rails completely. Not terrible sin, but just rebellion and disobedience: no prayer, no church, living in the world; yet through all that time God Who had saved me, held me.

He was drawing me back to himself.

During my wilderness years, I saw many things and met many people, I wish I hadn't. My life was apart from God, I was out of work, depressed and very alone. During that time, I thought about suicide and was on anti-depressants, Ciprail 15mg, eventually I was able to stop taking them, but it took time and prayer.

I was and am a modern-day prodigal, one more thing I saw.

On the 11th May 1985, I sat in the stand at my home town football played (Bradford City), a fire broke out in the stand where I was sitting (right behind me). Five minutes earlier, something had stopped me going to the toilet at the back of the stand, it was God preventing me, if I had gone, then I would have been trapped by the fire, again it was the hand of God on my life.

I do not tell you these things to make you think, look at Keith, but to let you know that Christ is everything, he is faithful, despite me, despite my failings. He is and always will be ..MY LORD AND MY GOD.


But God... a story of amazing grace!

My wilderness years were between 1986-2001. Yes, I did go to church on occasion, not the best one to be honest... I picked up my Bible on occasion and I prayed, but not with same love and fervour I once had.


Something was happening, and the Holy Spirit was speaking. At this time, I was back home with mum after living away for a long time. I had put all my effort into trying to do it my way. I had a computer and through that I came into contact with a Christian who challenged me to repent and to come back to God. My answer was that although God would forgive, HE would never trust me and would never forget MY sin.


I remember one day being in my bedroom, when I broke down in tears. The Lord restored me! He is truly the God of the second chance, and I was a prodigal who had come home.

I found a church and settled there, but my computer turned out to be my enemy. I was led away by my own lusts and the devil, and made friends with a so-called female "pastor" in the USA. Being very foolish, I moved there in 2004 and got married, losing not only my testimony, but also my mother, the respect of my family and nearly my life. The three years spent in America were a sobering experience. I blame no one but myself, but again God was gracious and merciful, giving me the mercy and grace that I didn't deserve.


Thankfully, I was able to spend three months at my brothers in Canada, taking lots of time to restore my relationship with him and most importantly the Lord. I then returned to the UK and went back to my old church, and they looked aghast when I turned up, and I heard lots of "Well, I told you so."


Over the next four years, the Lord restored me. I thought that was it for me, but God had another surprise for me. I thought I would not be moving again. Relationships tool a back burner, as I remember, and after I had the latest let down I said to the Lord, "No relationships and no internet relationships ever Lord."


The summer of 2011 was a time of great fellowship between me and the Lord. I spent hours in prayer, fellowship was sweet, and I also had a website, which was getting hits from all over the world, including Nanjing China. Wow China... that's great, but I gave it little thought.


I had an old email, so I decided to move to Gmail, and told these few people on Hotmail that I was moving, never expecting to receive a reply. I did, from a lady who was in China. She didn't know if I was a sister or a brother, or a strange person. I thought she was the person that viewed the site, and thought, "Hey that's cool. She wants to be friends. Wow a Chinese friend!!"


Over the summer of 11, something happened. I didn't hear from my friend for a few weeks, but then she wanted to skype. "Okay, I thought... we can see what the other looks like, and that will put her off for good."


We soon found ourselves chatting every day. Something was happening... No come on Lord!, are you joking with me? We all know the end of the story.


As autumn came around things moved quickly. Our friendship had deepened, and on October 1st, God spoke to Helen clearly about me being her husband. On the following Tuesday, He spoke to me about her being my wife. I remember it clearly; it was early morning and He spoke clearly and decisively.


But I had just moved into my caravan and I was settled. What did my family think? My niece went bonkers and my brother refused to talk to me for two weeks. Everything was becoming obvious, and as we both prayed and sought the Lord, He made it even clearer. Obstacles were removed and I bought the ticket to China on 29 feb 2012. I went in June, lost my luggage (fortunately I had tag and track, and they found it) and was the last one off the plane. Helen must have thought I wasn't coming, but we met and things changed forever.


We became engaged in China and I returned after a month to the UK. My static had to be sold, along with my furniture, which the Lord graciously blessed.


Now I live in China. My life here is not easy, the language is still a mystery to me, but I am thankful to my two wonderful girls, my dear wife and our special daughter.


But God is my story. I was dead totally dead... not just sick. I had no hope. Spiritually we aren't sick... we are dead, in rebellion against God and His ways, lost to His wonderful grace and truth, and under His wrath.


I could do nothing to help myself. You see we are all like that. We are dead spiritually, and it takes God to step in and to spiritually activate us. Someone has said it's all about grace.. amazing grace to be exact:


G - God's
R - Riches
A - At
C - Christ's
E - Expense



I have been saved by God's grace, and it's all about His amazing grace. God has intervened in my life. BUT GOD... because of this I have been redeemed. I have nothing to offer to God except my sins, but what He offered to me was His love, mercy and grace, all of which was totally underserved.


I hope what I have shared is used by God to open someone's eyes to the Saviour, who I love and treasure, to His finished work on the cross. It is because of this that I can sing the words:


Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.

T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.


Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.


God bless you,

Keith

Only one point makes the doctrine of Amillennialism fall into pieces. Revelation tells us that the Millennial Kingdom will take place after the Antichrist is destroyed by Jesus. This is especially clear in Revelation 20:4 because it says that the Christians who were executed during the reign of the Antichrist will be resurrected and will reign with Christ for 1000 years. What does this passage tell us? That the Antichrist and his reign are already a thing of the past and that the Millennium will come only afterwards. But Amillennialism teaches that the millennium began in a symbolic way on Pentecost of the year 30 A.D.. So, if the millennium started 30 AD, it means that the Antichrist must have been there before 30 AD. But, of course, that can't be true, and I think everyone will agree with that.

As you can see, the amminalism has been refuted by this passage alone. It is as simple as that.

Just a discussion here, I'm not interested in debating.

I just want to know what others views are on this question? If a person already had a background in religion, believed in their heart in the Heavenly Father, but was never taught properly about the Holy Trinity (e.g. that Jesus is the Son of God, but is not God) could they still have the Holy Spirit convicting them and guiding them in things like spiritual discernment?

edit* I ask this question because it seems before I came to Christ, I was being drawn.

John 6

44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

I have recently (in the past year) come to Christ. I'm asking this question out of curiosity, because the only point of difference to my experiences with God has been Jesus. (Albeit, the proper addition of Jesus to my understanding has made a big difference).

Experience appreciated, thanks

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

It says we will not be Male or female. Does that mean we will be transgender or sexless or something? And if that's the case, then what about the verse that says the effeminate will not I herit the kingdom of earth? Aren't sexless people typically effeminate looking in appearance?

1 Corinthians 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind

Personally I'm okay with being sexless in heaven.

Please pray that me and all of my family members(sangeun, junghee, jieun, dohan, hochul, nosun, zzomi) to know the Jesus and Gospel and the truth by Spirit of God and accept the Gospel and Jesus christ and believe in Jesus christ. and not to give up on Jesus christ and faith at any situation and repent of all our sins and be free from all our sins and be forgiven all our sins by Jesus. And that me and all of my family members(father,mother,little sister, grandparents, maternal grandparents,dog) to go to heaven surely.

Yesterday, i was listening to worldly music and these prayers came up with my mind.
So I ask for the prayer that everything that pertains to me and all of my family members and our lives be truly dedicated to Jesus Christ.
And I ask for the prayer that God fulfils these following bible verses to me and all of my family members

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
‭‭[Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬]

“I will manifest myself to him.”
[‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬ ‭]

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

‭‭[Matthew‬ ‭6:10]‬

“Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness. May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word;”

‭‭[Psalms‬ ‭119:40-41‬ ‭‬]

‬‬ “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.”

[‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:4‬] ‭

Im just posting prayer request by what i ve really expierenced.

When I was a new Believer, I would binge read the Bible. I would finish entire books in a day such as the Pauline Epistles, but those are quicker to read I find.

I would read up to 30 Chapters of Genesis in 1 day. Look up multiple Bible studies, I was even interested in learning the Greek and Hebrew. The history of Israel.

I have come very far I believe.

I am still as strong as a believer as I was when I first believed, but I am not reading the Bible daily or as frequently anymore. I am not tired of it, and I am not uninterested, I just sort of want to slow down.

I ask myself, how is it I believe the Bible is the word of God, yet I am not reading the entire Bible or even finished reading it?

I do know part of it has to do with the time commitment, I am a little overwhelmed if I read it for hours a day.

Now I'm starting to slow down. And read portions of it a day or weekly. With a hour long Bible study about once a month.

Hi there,

The matter of understanding the Greek word in reference to submission in this and other passages needs some discussion.

I understand the passive voice in the Greek has no english equivalent.

Can someone clearly and simply explain what was meant so as to correct the common mis-understanding that emphases servitude.

Let's correct together this common error.

Wives and Husbands​

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.[a] 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The Catechism doesn’t seem to particularly mention the Crusades, even though the Crusades have been associated with the history of Christianity. Why not?

In answering the question, one should perhaps focus on the purpose of the Catechism. Its purpose is to discuss the teachings of Jesus and what’s written in the New Testament as it pertains to how people should live in Christ. The Catechism doesn’t attempt to justify the Crusades directly, even though the original intent of the Crusades was to protect Christians in the face of the Muslim onslaught in the prior millennium.

In a sense, a related set of passages in the Bible would be part of the advice Jesus says to his followers in John 16:1-4, after making his followers aware in John 15 of different peoples who will hate them in a manner that includes extreme prejudice, “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” Given that Christianity worships the same God as the Jews, it isn’t a stretch to apply what Jesus says to his followers, to Christians who are threatened by others because of the way they worship.

So, one should also focus on the Christian Crusades themselves, as a clue as to why the Catechism doesn’t seem to mention the Crusades by name. Some believe the Christian Crusades were a cold-blooded campaign against those who aren’t Christians. But there is strong support in favor of the Christian Crusades being a defensive undertaking. In fact, the Christian Crusades began when Christians in the Holyland were militarily threatened by the Muslims. In this regard, it is the fulfillment of what it is written in Part III, Section Two, Chapter Two, Article 5- The Fifth Commandment, 2309 of the Catechism which discusses the conditions for legitimate defense by military force against others.

The Fifth Commandment is God’s Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Section 2309 justifies killing when it is a matter of self-defense. It’s interesting that Jesus in John 16:1-4 doesn’t tell his followers what to do if they’re under attack, but 1 Timothy 5:8 makes accountable anyone who doesn’t look after their household. And in that regard, the household doesn’t just include people under the roof of your house, it can apply to your community, your city, up to a whole nation you may be in charge to look after. To the extent the Crusades protected Christians under attack, it seems they’ve fulfilled Section 2309.

Some may assert that those Crusades killed others in cold blood, including Jews and others who did not attack Christians. But the word is there were renegades, for lack of a better word, amongst the Crusaders, who murdered and pilfered for their own gain. Some argue it’s the same as in World War II in which certain groups of soldiers of the Allied Forces went off by themselves unauthorized and killed and robbed civilians where they were. There will always be some bad apples in every barrel, and instances of self-seekers disguised as being part of a righteous cause, the wolf in sheep’s clothing in the room.

But it seems the Catechism was not meant to glorify specific actions taken in fulfillment of our faith in God through Christ. I guess that if it did, it would take away from the primary focus of the things we should know that would instruct us in fulfillment of our faith. If it brought up the Crusades, it would be discussing what man does instead of what God wants, possibly falling into the trap mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 15:9 in which Jesus refers to Isaiah’s being critical of those who teach the doctrines of man rather than of God. God is the Catechism’s focus.

Stopped at the store on my way home from Mass this morning. I had trouble finding a spot because the parking lot was pretty small, and my GMC Yukon is, admittedly, a good-sized SUV.

I managed to squeeze into a spot between two compacts, but it was pretty tight. When I came out, somebody had left a nasty note on my windshield that said, "Your vehicle is too big for this lot! Find a small compact car that sucks less gas, like the president suggests!"

Well, whoever you are, I must have missed that memo, but I just want to let you know that I will be keeping my big, fat, gas-guzzling SUV, because I happen to like it. However: when I see Stumblin' Joe tootling around Washington in one of these, then you can come and talk to me:

Hard to find a perfect spot to post this on the Forum. I'm posting here because evangelism is the end goal or desire of these ministries, and this is more about what is going on with them and my own reaction to the phenomenon than stuff on the official Apologetics board (focusing of claims by atheists and other religions outside of Christianity).

Facebook Into,
(Reposting a Blog type post, originally posted on Acts17 Apologetics. It covers internet celebrity, Andrew Tate, and his alleged conversion to Islam. This has attracted a lot of attention, both pro and con. Muslims initially loved it, while Christian Apologists were quick to jump on it because this person was probably the worst poster boy you could possibly imagine!)

I admit to not really getting the Andrew Tate Phenomenon that has been sweeping not only Apologetics places like here, Christian Prince and Sam Shamoun on YouTube but the internet itself. He wasn't even on my, radar until a few weeks back where he popped up here and other apologetics sites.
Listening to the first few minutes of Tate give his back story to one Youtuber I have him pegged as a kind of less cool, sleazier version of Joe Rogan. (Joe Rogan, I actually like by the way). Rogan got his start in MMA and was able to take some of the self-confidence, drive and fame and transition into standup comedy, Television and eventually being the biggest podcaster of all time.


Tate on the other hand has done something similar with his earlier kick boxing career except used much more morally questionable methods to build his career and wealth. Besides that, I think there are big differences in the general personality and vibe. Rogan seems to genuinely care about other people. He is a bit of an Everyman with his podcast not really claiming to be an expert on most things but possessing some childlike curiosity at wanting to explore the subject at hand and basically take the audience along for the ride. He sometimes does have some strong opinions on some things like Religion, the Bible etc. that go beyond his study and experience (something I would love to take him to task for if I ever met him), but otherwise he really is very interested in the truth etc.


I don't really have a lot of knowledge of Tate and that is kind of by design because he comes across to me like a big narcistic goofball and the time spent watching and studying him could be better spent in many other places. It is obvious that he is much more self-aggrandizing than Rogan. Rogan is someone who I think is worth knowing about as far as people wanting to get into some kind of internet channel etc. going. Rogan does many things that are helpful to know about like valuing authenticity and modeling that on his podcast and YouTube videos. There are whole videos and channels that cover Rogan and what you can learn from him, of latte "Charisma on Command" has a number of them. Tate however is not somebody that I ever see myself wanting to study on this kind of thing even though there are videos of him standing up to Pier's Morgan etc. that seem to be getting a lot of views.

Should it be illegal for actors and actresses,
to lose weight or gain weight for a movie role?

I was under the impression that the hats are​

Guy Fawkes (1570 – 1606) hats...​

​

...You know - as in: Gunpowder Plot . ​

​

See picture of the conspirators below:​

View attachment 324010

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,​

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,​

I know of no reason​

Why the Gunpowder Treason​

Should ever be forgot.​

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent​

To blow up the King and Parli'ment.​

Three-score barrels of powder below,​

Poor old England to overthrow...​

.

Let's all agree on a few basic moral facts.

Scenario: A mother is found guilty of killing her six month old baby:

Sample reasons given (pick any one):
1. I already had too many babies/children and finally determined I could not afford this last one.
2. The baby was a result of incest and after 6 months I determined it was best if the baby did not exist
3. The baby was a result of sexual violence against me - I no longer wanted a reminder of that
4. I have a lot of things on my plate these days - it was one too many distractions.
5. The baby was somewhat high maintenance due to some physical deformity
6. I just found that baby to be a bit inconvenient.
7. I had an allergy to the baby's hair for some odd reason.

So then IF we lived in a world where a lot of 6 month olds were being terminated for those reasons - we would all probably object saying that it was/is a big moral atrocity and needs to stop. We might all even agree that it is "the top moral issue of our times" regardless of how many legal or illegal aliens come over the borders.

=====================

So then given that level of moral clarity about the wrongness of killing humans...

What about the cases of
1. birth day abortions?
2. abortions at 6 months of pregnancy?
3. Abortions at any point after viability?
4. Abortion at any point when the baby has a heart and brain.

Do you have the view that if someone is holding their breath, they are no longer human? Do you believe a baby is not human if it holds its breath or is on a perfusion machine in surgery because in those cases -- it is not using its airway passage to breathe?

===================

Many states even to this day admit the unborn child is a human with the right to live when they create their laws against the murder of the unborn child --

So then a "bad actor" that causes the death of the unborn child as part of his/her crime against a pregnant mother - has certain criminal charges laid against him.

State Homicide Laws That Recognize Unborn Victims | National Right to Life​

www.nrlc.org

State Homicide Laws That Recognize Unborn Victims​

Alabama: Legislation taking effect July 1, 2006 (HB 19) amended Section 13A-6-1 of the Code of Alabama to include “an unborn child in utero at any stage of development, regardless of viability” as a “person” and “human being” for purposes of the state laws dealing with murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and assault.


Alaska: Alaska Statutes 11.41 (as amended by Senate Bill 20, enacted June 16, 2006) establishes the crimes of “murder of an unborn child,” “manslaughter of an unborn child,” “criminally negligent homicide of an unborn child,” and “assault of an unborn child.” Alaska Statutes 11.81.900(b) defines “unborn child” as “a member of species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb.”

Arizona: The “unborn child in the womb at any stage of its development” is fully covered by the state’s murder and manslaughter statutes. For purposes of establishing the level of punishment, a victim who is “an unborn child shall be treated like a minor who is under twelve years of age.” Senate Bill 1052, signed into law on April 25, 2005, amending the following sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes: 13-604, 13-604.01, 13-703, 13-1102, 13-1103, 13-1104, 13-1105, 13-4062, 31-412, 41-1604.11 and 41-1604.13.
(just listing a few examples above)..

This is not the massively confusing fact of life that some have suggested.


====================

from: State Laws on Fetal Homicide and Penalty-enhancement for Crimes Against Pregnant Women

"Currently, at least 38 states have fetal homicide laws: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. At least 29 states have fetal homicide laws that apply to the earliest stages of pregnancy ("any state of gestation/development," "conception," "fertilization" or "post-fertilization"); these are indicated below with an asterisk (*)."

Former president Donald Trump is continuing to face backlash after hosting and dining with notorious white supremacist and avowed antisemite Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago estate on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Trump, who recently announced his 2024 presidential campaign, has since both acknowledged and attempted to downplay the dinner and distance himself from Fuentes, insisting he did not know who he was.

Fuentes, 24, is one of the most prominent young white supremacists in the U.S. He regularly expresses and promotes racist and antisemitic views and conspiracy theories, including denial of the Holocaust, and is the organizer of an annual white-supremacist gathering called the America First Political Action Conference.

Trump said in a statement on Friday. He later posted on Truth Social that West:

unexpectedly showed up with three of his friends, whom I knew nothing about. We had dinner on Tuesday evening with many members present on the back patio. The dinner was quick and uneventful. They then left for the airport.

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Regardless of whether he's being honest about not knowing who Fuentes is (and there's reason to be skeptical of his denial of being aware of who he was), this one is definitely a bad look and I would imagine his team is in "damage control mode".


While it does bear some resemblance to the scenario a few years back where David Duke endorsed him, and he claimed "I don't know who that is" (people were rightfully skeptical of that denial as well), there's a difference between a bad guy endorsing you without you asking for it (which one has no control over), and actually sitting down to a dinner with someone who's coming along with a high profile guy like Kanye.

And while he said they unexpectedly showed up for a dinner...even if that was the case, you'd think his team (especially being on 'red alert' for things "the press can have a field day with") would've at least done the due diligence of getting the guests names, and having them wait in the lobby for 3 mins while they did a google search of who these folks were.

I know I made a thread like this before but I'm doing it again. There is a chance that I will have to deny myself the Eucharist at Mass today (this would be the second week in a row), but I really hate how literally every single person is going up to get Communion while I sit there like a dork (although I'm not calling anyone else a dork for doing the same thing). No, I don't want to go up to "receive the blessing" because that is something I did before Confirmation, and it would make me feel like I was still in RCIA. I also have a hard time believing that absolutely every single person getting Communion is in a state of grace, because EVERY single person is doing it. I am wondering if people are being honest with themselves.

Also, please pray that I actually CAN go to Mass today, even without the Eucharist. There have been times where I didn't go to Mass and I feel like it's something I can never get back. Also, even though my dad doesn't put up too much of a front most of the time about this, there have been moments and they're very demoralizing.

Exodus 20

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

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Now I've commonly heard this as using the "O M G" or using the names God or Jesus as a curse word, blaspheming, or just, any profanity. Which normally profanity would not necessarily be a sin, it's not like these words in English have special sin magic power on being uttered. However, because of people's beliefs on profanity, it can be sin in the sense of being a stumbling block.
But anyway, the common interpretation of just being using profanity especially using Gods' name as a form of profanity.. can be relatively easy to not break

HOWEVER
That's not what taking the Lord's name in vain really is, it can be part of it, but not all encompassing.

Some people think it's any time you use the names of God not only as a means of profanity, but ANY time you use the names in a less than reverent way.
Okay much more difficult, but people can watch their mouth still.

HOWEVER
That's not what taking the Lord's name in vain really is, it's STILL not all encompassing.

Proverbs 30

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

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That begins to show a picture of what taking the Lord's name in vain really is.
Like Adultery and Murder are not limited to physical acts but can be in your thoughts and still sin... the 3rd commandment is much much broader than most people think. As the proverb shows, doing another sin, while representing the name of the Lord, that is, people know you worship the one and true God and judge Him by your life, well that not only breaks the commandment not to steal, but it is compounded, as taking the Lord's Name in vain.

Why?
Because it's about bearing His image and claiming His Name. You represent the Most High God, the one and true living God, and other people know it, and when you do ANYTHING or SAY Anything.. it reflects on God to anyone who may witness it. Any time you make God look bad, that's a violation, and to some degree.. it is complicated because there is a subjective level to it. What one person might not find offensive and make God look bad, will make God look bad in another person's eyes. Even if nothing in the bible says you're doing anything wrong. They believe a behavior is wrong and you're doing it and it reflects on your God poorly, and thus you sinned.
We go back to profanity, there's no list of 4 letter words you can't say in the bible, unless you want to say "fool" and "raqa" are the only 2 "curse words" in existence by that standard. However, most people culturally will understand certain words as profanity, and assume that they're bad and they're a sin, perhaps it's what they've been taught. So they see one of us using profanity, even if those words would be a Christian liberty privately or with an audience you know well who also see it as a liberty.. it is a stumbling block to some people who witness you doing it, and know you represent Jesus. So while nothing in the bible says you did a specific thing wrong, you sinned because an observer thought it made God look bad.

Because of the subjective nature of how people see God through you representing Him, this commandment becomes staggeringly difficult to obey. Because it can be something like telling a clean joke, wearing casual clothing, having your hair cut a certain way, having a beard... or for others, being clean shaven, it can happen based on what you choose to eat, what hobbies you enjoy, etc.
I think only Jesus managed to pull off living His life without ever making God look bad. He came in the Father's name so He took the Lord's name, but every act He did, every word He said, made God look good, even if it made the other people hate Him, He always made God the Father look good, made Him more fear inspiring than previously known by upping the ante on judgement, both in the standard by which we are judged, and the severity of punishments (giving actual descriptions of hell), but also more compassionate, benevolent, and forgiving than was previously known.
But the rest of us? Try as we might I don't think it's humanly possible to always make God look good to others
It might be the sin most of us commit the most (and yes, that is ongoing) no matter what we do, it's going to look bad to SOMEONE.

anyway, it's my belief that the standard is of course Jesus, and we all miss that mark.
What are your thoughts, where is your line for this law?

For human beings what does death mean? I have never died myself so I will not pretend to know what death means for the individual who dies. But I have experienced death, my parents have died, and some very close friends have died. One died recently; her funeral is scheduled for this coming Tuesday (Western Australian time). So, with this post I offer my thoughts about what the death of loved ones means to human beings, this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

When a friend dies one suffers loss.

• Loss of the pleasant and familiar feeling one has when in the company of a friend,
• loss of new memories made with that friend by conversation and shared experiences.,
• loss by fading away of existing memories which slowly diminishes one's friend's place in your life.
• It is like losing bits of life - one's own life - because the people that helped to shape one's life are gone.

One has the same feeling when one's parents die.

What is it that we say? Life goes on ...

Daniel and his fellow princes in captivity in Babylon, had they been castrated?

Video Talk

1 Kings 18:36-39 ESV

“And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.’”

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Now, this may seem an odd choice to have as one of my favorite Scriptures, but this passage of Scripture spoke to me strongly at a time in my life when I was sharing the truths of the Scriptures, and when I was being treated much like Elijah was when King Ahab called him a “troubler of Israel.” For if you are speaking the truths of the Scriptures and of the gospel of Jesus Christ today in America, you are likely to be called all sorts of names, even by others who also call themselves Christians.

But for Elijah, this was not about himself and his reputation, nor is it for me. This was and is all about people realizing that God is the only God of his people and that they are not to worship any other gods of this world, which can be pride, selfishness, greed, envy, and the lusts of the flesh. For your god is anything or anyone who you give your passion, fidelity, loyalties, worship, affections, time and hearts to over and above the one true God, or in place of true worship, loyalty, and devotion to God, our creator.

So the whole point of Elijah’s prayer was that it would be known that God (Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit) is the one and only God. And his prayer that the people would know that he was the Lord’s servant, and that the words he had spoken were from God (the words of God), was so that the people would listen, and so that they would believe in the one true God. And Paul expressed something similar to this in his writings when he recognized that if he was not believed that the people would not believe the gospel.

Now today, not everyone who proclaims to be a prophet of God or a servant of the Lord or a teacher of the Scriptures is indeed what they profess to be. Many people are following after false teachers and their false gods and their false gospels, and there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing who are leading the people astray to follow after the gods of this world and diluted gospel messages which do not lead the people to follow (obey) the one true God. So test everything you read and hear against the Scriptures (in context).

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A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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Mark 16:15 (NASB)

Go into all the world

Daring is not a word we often associate with Christianity. Yet, this was a required quality in the early evangelists. They had to dare Satan's world by invading it like sheep among wolves. Before the great commission, none of the twelve apostles had ever left Israel. They now dared to go out into foreign nations and lands full of strange customs, cultures, people, and dangers.

Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome. Tradition has it that Andrew was martyred in Greece, Philip in Turkey, Matthew in Ethiopia, Thomas in India, and Jude in Iran. As different as these men were, they all had one quality in common. They dared to believe that Jesus of Nazareth could save this fallen world. And they dared to die for that.

Today's missionaries need to be just as daring for Christ.

Please, Pray for my family and me and You.

1. I Ask that everything that pertains to us and our lives be truly dedicated to Jesus Christ.

2. But if ”I“ cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬

3. “I will manifest myself to him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬ ‭

the number (7778742049) was discovered in 2012.
the worlds population hit the number (7778742049) in 2020,
the world ended and over 24 prophecies were fulfilled...
this alone vindicates many superstitions,
especially that regarding the Angels

this is big, [the vindication] is very beyond supernatural.


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1 Timothy 6:3-5 ESV

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”

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Such a “different doctrine” as what is described here is what is permeating today’s church here in America, and perhaps in other nations, too. Not everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ has bought into this “different doctrine,” but it appears the majority have. It is based loosely in the true gospel of Christ, but many Scriptures are taught out of context and twisted to make them say what the Scriptures do not teach. And many Scriptures and their contexts are completely ignored on purpose.

This “different doctrine” is a creation in the minds of human flesh and it is created to appeal to human flesh and to the people of the world (to the ungodly). For its intended purpose is not to offend the ungodly with the truth of the gospel, for they are trying to attract the people of the world to their gatherings, and they want them to come back. And so they teach them a humanistic faith in Jesus which makes no requirements for genuine repentance nor for walks of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.

So they tell them if they just acknowledge who Jesus is and what he did for us on that cross, or if they repeat some words after someone in a prayer, or if they profess with their lips that Jesus is Lord, or claim that they have faith in him, or if they just accept his grace or his affection for them, then they are now his and salvation is theirs and heaven is their eternal destiny. And if they should continue in sin, and if they should feel guilty, they are being taught to just claim who they are in Christ to erase the guilt for their sins.

And so we have many people making professions of faith in Jesus Christ who are lovers of intoxication to sin, and so they have continued in deliberate and habitual sin, many of them without conscience. They have not been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and thus they have not been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him. So they are still living in sin while they are claiming they have salvation from sin, Jesus as their Lord, and heaven as their eternal destiny, regardless of how they live.

Their hearts have not been transformed of the Spirit of God for their hearts are still hard against the Lord and against submitting to Christ as Lord and against surrendering their lives to Christ and dying with him to sin and walking in holiness and in righteousness, in the power of God. Some of them may make attempts at behavioral modification but they are still the ones in the driver’s seat. They are still the ones controlling their own lives. So they are void of the Holy Spirit because they won’t yield to God’s control.

Yet, this is what they are offering to God and expecting God to accept and to grant them his grace and forgiveness. But they are not humbling themselves before the Lord, they are not repentant of their sins, and they are not willing to forsake their sins in order to follow the Lord in obedience. And so they end up destroying their lives because they refuse to bow the knee to God in full surrender. For their sin is their god. Their god is their belly. And their bellies are their fleshly desires which are ruling their lives instead of God.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

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Now this is not just about money. And this is not an issue just for the wealthy. This has to do with greed, and that comes in all sorts of forms. Even poor people can be full of greed and the lusts of the flesh. It isn’t just the rich who fall into temptation, into a snare, and into many senseless and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. This is about lusting after the things of the flesh and craving them instead of desiring God and his righteousness. For the greedy make the flesh their god.

A lot of these sins, though, end up being hidden. They are secret sins which are carried out when no one else is looking. And those who are trapped in these secret sins will often lie to cover them up, or they will perform in certain ways which indicate that they are trying to mask something that they are doing. But these sinful practices and the lies to cover them up will sometimes be revealed in their eyes, in their body language, in the words that they speak, in their attitudes, and in their actions.

So, it is through craving the sinful passions of the flesh that many have fallen into many senseless and harmful desires. One of the main ones that always comes to mind, because it is prominent in most all the lists of sins in the New Testament, and because it is prominent in our society and in the church today, is that of sexual immorality. Pornography viewing and addiction are a huge issue among Christians (or professing Christians) today, even now including women and children, and even many pastors are involved in this, too. But it is predominantly a male sin issue.

And what many of them will not accept, because the “different gospel” does not teach this, is that if we choose to walk in sin, to make sin our practice, to continue in deliberate and habitual sin and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in holiness and in righteousness, we do not know God and he does not know us. We are not born of God but we are of the devil. And we do not have salvation from sin and we do not have eternal life with God unless we repent of our sins and we bow the knee to God and we obey our Lord.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

1 Timothy 6:11-12 (read through to v. 16) ESV

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

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Jesus Christ came to earth to die on a cross to deliver us from our slavery (addiction) to sin so we would now be slaves of God and of his righteousness, so we would now walk in holiness and in righteousness in walks of obedient faith in Lord, and so we would no longer walk in sin. So when we believe in Jesus we are to no longer live as slaves to sin to where we obey sin but not God. But we are to flee from sinful practices and now live as servants of our Lord who are here to do his will.

Therefore, righteousness, godliness, love, and steadfastness of faith in our Lord are to be what we practice. They are to be how we live our lives day in and day out. This is not saying we will never sin or that we will be absolutely perfect, but what this is saying is that sin should no longer have mastery over our lives. Sin should not be our habit. Righteousness should be our practice. So to fight the good fight of faith is to flee from sin and to now walk in holiness by faith in Jesus Christ, in the power of God’s Spirit.

Mary, Did You Know?

Songwriters: Greene Lee Rufus / Lowry Mark Alan

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you're
Holding is the great, I Am

Mary, did you know?

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