• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

According to Christ Jesus

“Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’ For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:1-7 NASB1995)

In Romans 14 we are taught to accept the one who is weak in faith. But by that was meant any Jew turned Christian who could not let go of the dietary and the Sabbath laws of the Old Covenant. And the instructions there let those who were free to eat anything, and were free of having to keep the Sabbath laws (because they were under the New Covenant provided by Christ in his death and resurrection), that they were not to cast judgment on those who believed they must hold those as sacred. And those who held them as sacred were not to cast judgment on those who were free in Christ.

And the beginning of Romans 15 is a continuation of that discussion. We who are free from having to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath requirements and dietary restrictions are to bear with the weaknesses of those who, because of their own consciences, cannot let go of those. So, in no way are these weaknesses to be taken as referring to sinful addiction. We are not to be the church, the body of Christ, which tolerates and which pacifies deliberate and habitual sinning amongst our members. But we are to call sin what it is, and we are exhort one another daily so we are not drawn into sinning willfully.

And if each of us is to please his neighbor FOR HIS GOOD, to his edification, then this definitely is not teaching that we are to tolerate deliberate and habitual sinful practices continuing within the body of believers in Jesus Christ. For not only does that bring harm to the life of the sinners, and to those who they are sinning against, but it has the potential, as well, to impact the entire congregation, and for the leniency to spread like gangrene within the congregation, infecting many more people, destroying human lives, while sending many to hell on the false promise of heaven in store.

For, what does it say? We are to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not something we can create in our flesh. This has to come from God, but we must be those to receive it and to put it into practice in our daily lives, by the Spirit. Just like with our salvation, which is gifted to us by God, we must be in unity and cooperation with Christ in denying self, dying to sin, and walking in obedience to his commands, in his power, for us to have salvation from sin.

So, if we are of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, then this same mind must agree with the mind of Christ, and with his teachings, and with the example he put before us as to what it looks like to be a Christian and a follower and disciple of Christ Jesus. And if with one accord we with one voice glorify God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – then that comes from God, and it must be in line with the will and character of God, which we can learn about in the Scriptures. And so with one voice we should be sharing the message of the gospel taught by Jesus Christ.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Living Water

An Original Work / November 21, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Based off Various Scriptures


My people have forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died on a tree;
Made idols, and they worshipped them;
So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.

Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living Water left behind.

Living Water satisfies.

The thirsty, let them come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as their King;
The gift of Jesus given them,
So they will never thirst again.

Indeed, the Living Water flows within.
It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven promised them.

Living Water glorifies.

Oh people, won’t you come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of sin.
Let Jesus come and live within.
Surrender all your life to Him.

My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?

Living Water sanctifies.

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According to Christ Jesus
An Original Work / September 22, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
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A perspective on Baptism and the plan of salvation that I have not heard before

I have wondered why God commands us to be baptized. The perspective affects our view on creation and salvation.

To begin to think about this, we must discern between science, which is observable data and narrative, which is an explanation of the data.

The current narrative in science is that light was created first, they call this the Big Bang which emerged from a singularity. The narrative tells us that the Universe is approximately 13 billion years old, and it covers a distance of billions of what are termed “light years”

What does the data say? The age and size of the universe is based on our knowledge of the speed of light, but we do not know the direct speed of light. We know the speed of reflection. No experiment has been designed which is capable of measuring the one way speed of light. An error in our inference can turn out that our beliefs on the age and size of the universe is profoundly wrong.

Our inference tells us that the Earth revolves around the Sun, but that cannot be proven with observational data. Galileo observed that moons orbit Jupiter and Venus orbits the Sun, and we infer that Earth does the same. What does the data say? We see that all celestial bodies appear to be moving away from Earth, and they tell us that it is impossible to find a center of the universe. This is not observation, this is inference


What does God say? He does not say that light was created first. Let there be light was not the beginning of the material universe. Before there was light, darkness was over the face of the deep and the Spirit moved upon the waters. This tells us that water, not light was the first creation.
What does the data say? Water can be found everywhere. The moon, mars, Jupiter’s moons and even the surface of the sun have been observed to contain water. Why would there be water in those places? Hydrogen is very simple, but the other component of water is oxygen, and it is unique among the elements. There is no simple path to form oxygen beginning with elemental hydrogen and nuclear fusion.

God also tells us that the Sun and stars were not formed until the fourth day of creation, yet there was light on the first day. Would we have data to back that up? Yes, computer programs have been written that can subtract all the light from then sun and stars, and the universe still contains a faint glow. Remnant of the light of the first day?

The James Webb telescope also does not show us what we would expect at the beginning of the universe if it came from a singularity of light

What does this mean in terms of salvation? God says that water was created first in creation. When we are baptized, we go back to the beginning and become born again of water.

We also can see that when God had repented of making man upon the Earth, He decided to destroy the Earth with water. In a way bring it back to the beginning and have a “do over”

Water is very important to God in terms of creation. God is Our Father, and He formed the Earth beginning with water, which would make it our mother. God gives us the sign of water in that the woman He chose to be His mother is named Mary, which means water or sea. A sailor is often called a mariner.

Who is the angel of light? He used to be called Lucifer, we know him now as Satan. He thought he was too beautiful and dignified to ever bow down to water. God says He puts enmity between Satan and the woman, light vs water.
This fight carries over even into what we consider science. Satan wants you to think light is the origin, but we know God is the creator and He made water first. When we are baptized, we are submitted ourselves to God. We deny our lofty inferences about creation and submit to Our Lord who made water first, not light

If we free ourselves from our presupposed inferences, the observable data shows Genesis to be more scientifically sound, with the Big Bang and evolution becoming the mythical narrative
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MIdrash on Tehillim 100 (Psalm 100)

SHOUT for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 WORSHIP the Lord with gladness;
COME before him with joyful songs.
3 KNOW that the Lord is God.
It is he who MADE us, and we are his[a];
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 ENTER his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
GIVE THANKS to him and PRAISE his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love ENDURES forever;
His faithfulness CONTINUES through all generations.


This Psalm reminds me of the times long ago, in my good old "Army Days," when our Bible study group got together at our Base's hospital chapel. We would be around 3 or 4 guys and "Sister Silvestre". We would start out by singing this Psalm. I still remember the melody. When I entered Bible college, we also studied Psalms, and we were taught to "look for the verbs that indicate 'action" and go from there. What is God telling us through King David and the Holy Spirit who is guiding?

Here I have CAPITALIZED the action verbs. At Bible college, we were taught "diagrammatic analysis," which is kind of similar. Here we see 10 verbs. How are these 10 verbs connected to believers? How are these connected to God? Well, let's see. As a recent graduate, I'll put into practice what I learned to share it with all of you.

"SHOUT" (for joy) We can shout, using a loud voice to indicate joy and gladness. One could also do it with an instrument known as a shofar (a ram's horn or a horn from an African antelope known as a "kudu" We use our breath and vocal cords to shout, with a shofar; only the breath is used while the "shout" is produced by the shofar itself. Our college professors taught us some of the history of Israel and the festivities, and in the festival of "Yom Teruah", shofars were used to proclaim "a shout for the coming king." All born-again believers should "shout with gladness and joy" that we have eternal life through Jesus Christ.

WORSHIP (The LORD) Worship can be through coming together as a congregation, singing praises, or even studying the Bible. In the Hebrew text, it reads: "serve." So, "serving" is part of "worshipping." When we serve as Jesus served, then, we are showing true "worship"

COME (before) before who? We come before our KING. and sing songs of joy and gladness. In the Temple period, the songs were the Psalms, so singing the Psalms is considered worship and service.

KNOW: know what? The LORD is GOD. Knowledge is understanding, so to "know" is to "understand" that the LORD is God. Anytime that "LORD" appears in the Bible, in all capitals, it is the most sacred name YHVH. A lot of good information is learned in "Old Testament Survey" (Bible 101).

MADE: (who made who?) God made US. He made us in his own image, a perfect "shadow" of HIS eternal and sinless being. Yet through sin, man became an "imperfect shadow," a "fallen shadow." The name "Adam" comes from "Adamah" (dust), so we were all made from the dust of the Earth. So, God pronounced the words: "From dust you were brought forth, and to the dust you will return." But Jesus Christ will raise up all who "sleep in the dust of the Earth" in the end days. Jesus came the "2nd Adam" to pay the price of sin committed by the "1st Adam." All born-again believers are considered the sheep of HIS pasture, and Jesus Christ is our "Good Shepherd" who leads us.

ENTER (enter where?) His gates are the gates of our places of worship. And also, in Heaven, we have the 12 gates that are part of the Holy City. In both places, we sing praises and give thanks to God for all of his blessings. The gates come first; beyond the gates are the courts.

GIVE THANKS, AND PRAISE; We give thanks and should give thanks all the time for his blessings, and give praises, praises are songs of joy, with or without music.

ENDURES (what endures?) His Love is forever. That is enough to give thanks and praise. Forever is exactly that, no end in sight. So, 1 million years from now, we will still count on his love and be in His presence.

CONTINUES (What continues?) His faithfulness. He is faithful to care for us for generations and generations. As he was faithful toward our ancestors, to care for them, as He was faithful to continue loving His people, despite rebellion, despite our sinfulness, He will continue to be faithful forever. We can say "Amen" to that. "Amen" comes from "Emunah" (faith). Yes, a little bit of Hebrew was also taught in Bible 101. It helps a lot.

Advent is coming soon, and the Music Director just distributed the song list! WoooHooo

The music ministry for the Mass at which I serve consists of a song leader plus 3 vocalists; Instrumentation includes piano, acoustic guitar, trumpet or cornet, and double bass or electric bass. The choice of basses depends on weather conditions (The double bass never goes out in wet, cold, icy, or windy weather) and on getting someone to haul it in and out for me.

This is our schedule for Advent. The links are to YouTube samples.

Prelude:

Advent 1, 2, 4 - Ubi Caritas by Willett

Entrance:

Sing Out Earth and Skies – Advent 2 and 4​

Then common for all 4 weeks

Wreath Lighting: Christ Circle Round Us
Offertory: Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus​
Holy, Holy and Lamb of God: Missa Emmanuel​

Sending Forth

Soon and Very Soon - Advent 1 and 3​
Christ Be Our Light– Advent 2 and 4​
I'm really jazzed about the music director's selections this year. Several are among my favorites.​
And that's what Advent will sound like south of Chicago this year.​
================================​
Lady: Are you the police?
Elwood Blues: No, ma'am, we're musicians ... We're on a mission from God.

I know that no one probably cares but why does this bother me so much?

Hi, I like to sit in the front pews when possible. I don't like it when ANYONE is in front of me during Mass. Their heads are a distraction to me, lol. Seriously, I'm like that. However, in order to get to the front pew and when the Mass is drawing closer to starting, naturally more people are there and I have to walk in front of everyone and my brain is like "everyone is looking at meeeeeee....."

I know, they'll get over it but I don't look at anyone as I do all this.

Seeing cobwebs etc. meaning spiritually

Hello! So it hasn't been until a couple years ago when I realized I have a prophetic gift- after I had been delivered from unclean spirits. When I was around 15 to the age of 25 (when I was set free) I would be woken up every few months in the middle of the night too see spiders, cobwebs, random bugs sometimes things that I couldn't make out and even a couple times human like figures. Its been on my mind a lot lately, I believe it was some type of witchcraft I was seeing, but I'm not sure. I was wondering if there is anybody that knows the meaning behind seeing these things and if it at all linked to a form of witchcraft. Also if there is anybody that knows if blue lightning in the spirit had a meaning too! Thank you!

Reasons to fast

I know people fast to get a specific prayer answered but others say you shouldn't fast to get something.
I'm confused because I also hear that you should know why and what you're fasting for.
Can I fast without a specific reason and see how God moves in my life?
However I do want to fast to improve my prayer life (mostly praying with others because I haven't done that yet due to nervousness) or is that asking for something for selfish reasons?
Why do you fast unless it's asking for something?

List of our different views about the Antichrist

Hi Everyone, some of us think the Antichrist will be Jew, some of us think that the Antichrist will be a Gentile, some of us think the Antichrist will be a Muslim, some of us think the Antichrist will be an Assyrian.... you get my drift.

So let's make a comparison of views list.... state your one line view with your screen name to the side. Everyone keep adding to the comparison list to see it grow. I will start.

a Jew, anointed the King of Israel thought-to-be messiah.........@Douggg's view
add your line below mine - so we can see a comparison of views list.

Has Kirk's Death Prompted You?

Charlie Kirk wasn't anymore special than anyone else and he knew that it seems.
We all have the opportunity to be a Charlie whether in person or online.
I didn't follow the guy, but his stuff has been in news feeds more since he was murdered.
I'm angry that a Left leaning person thought the way to handle opinions he didn't like was to murder the person.
That's very dangerous!!
The murderer thought silencing Kirk's voice would take care of that or help, but it's only hurt that expectation.
We need to keep speaking the truth, yes in love and compassion when possible, but speak it and not let them, mostly the Left leaning, shut truth down!!

Whether you were a fan of Charlie's or not, has this prompted you to be more outspoken?
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Stephen Miller delivers heated remarks at Charlie Kirk's memorial service: 'We are the storm'

“We are the storm. And our enemies cannot comprehend our strength, our determination, our resolve, our passion.”

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller delivered remarks at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.


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This is not what our country needs right now.

Ilhan Omar tangles with CNN host in fiery interview, rips 'hateful' Charlie Kirk


Not surprising. The country is getting to know Omar.
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Illinois director for Conservative Caucus spreads fake story of anti-Kirk message on Starbucks cup, forcing closure of shop; video exonerates workers

Chicago Starbucks Worker Did Not Write ‘Loser’ On Order Honoring Charlie Kirk, Company Says

A viral social media video this week claimed that employees at a Norwood Park Starbucks wrote “Loser” on a drink ordered in honor of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. An online furor followed, and the coffee shop even closed temporarily.

But Starbucks now says that time-stamped footage from the store at 6332 N. Northwest Highway does not show any of its workers writing that message. Instead, the note appears “to have been added after the beverage was handed off, likely by someone else,” a spokesperson told Block Club.

The controversy started with a post Tuesday from Jacqueline Garretson, who, according to her X bio, is the Illinois state director for The Conservative Caucus and previously worked as a staffer for failed Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore.

“We’re looking for not corporate bureaucracy. I want immediate accountability; and if not, I will have this whole intersection lined with patriots today, I’m not even joking,” [her companion] told a Starbucks employee.

Citing Charlie Kirk murder, Tennessee pastor demands removal of 'Hate Has No Home' signs

"When you accuse someone of preaching hate, they are saying I hope somebody puts a bullet in your neck. That's what that means," [Andrew] Isker claimed in a live podcast Friday afternoon.

Isker derided what he described as “many foolish Christian leaders” who have urged people to follow the words of Jesus to love their enemies and to turn the other cheek.

“This great evil must not be tolerated. It must be rooted out and eradicated," he insisted.

That vengeance, he said, would come in the form of government crackdown, not from vigilante action.

[From his Facebook post to a Jackson County group]

The Hate Has No Home in Gainesboro/Jackson County signs did not bother me. I have always known I have opinions that some people will disagree with. It was no surprise that people would react strongly when the TV (falsely) told them that a Nazi had moved into the area.
But things have changed after yesterday. Gainesboro is my home now. I am not leaving. If the "hate" is me, and I am not leaving, "no home here" means the only way I don't have a home here is if someone kills me.
I don't think anyone who has these signs up supports radical leftist terrorism. I think you are decent Americans who disagree with my views. But you need to understand what your message is being associated with: it has been taken to mean you support violence against people you hate. If you really believe the rhetoric needs to be toned down, you will show it by putting these signs away.


[Sorry pal, just because you apparently take this criticism to mean that doesn't mean it does. It is by no means inciting or a threat. We are all allowed to opine that you are preaching hate.]

"I hope every scumbag journalist is shaking in his boots right now."

As Scripps News Nashville first revealed, Isker is leading an effort to establish a Christian nationalist community in Jackson County, Tennessee, about 90 minutes northeast of Nashville.

see also:

'Gay beam machine': Right-wing pastor makes startling claim about airport scanners​

Andrew Isker, who co-hosts with C. Jay Engel what he calls "the number one Christian nationalist podcast in the world," shared his unconventional and homophobic views on the Transportation Safety Administration's security scanners in a video flagged by WTVF's Phil Williams, who has reported extensively on his ministry.

Isker and Engel moved to Tennessee with aims of creating a community so-called "Heritage Americans," who are depicted in their social media posts with images of Norman Rockwell's idyllic depictions of midcentury life, and they have explicitly stated their longing for the American way of life before women joined the workforce and civil rights "ruined everything."

"I had to be molested at the airport to go to Florida, right, just to get on an airplane, just because I'm not going to go through the 'gay beam' machine. I didn't let C. Jay do it, I wouldn't let him do it. I said, 'You're getting patted down, too, buddy. I don't want them turning you gay.'"

"It appears having a guy touch you all over place, on its face, seems worse, but you don't really know what those things are doing to you," Isker added. "They can just take a picture of me naked? Like, no."

Engel, his co-host, interjected to speculate the scanning process might somehow involve "virtual ██████████," a reference to the chemical compound produced by the ██████ of ████████ which plays a role in █████ lore about ████ ███ and alleged ███ ████████ ███.

Charlie Kirk's memorial service taking place today at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, a well-known nonprofit organization, was tragically assassinated on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Thousands of people are expected to attend memorial services for Kirk today at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

WHAT TO KNOW​

  • A massive memorial service for Charlie Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 21 in Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium.
  • President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are anticipated to attend the memorial service for Kirk, whom both have described as a friend.
  • State Farm Stadium, home to the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, has the capacity to host 63,400 people — which can be expanded to 73,000 for "mega-events," according to its website.
  • Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Kirk, a former Miss Arizona USA, and their two young children, born in 2022 and 2024.
  • Across the U.S., mourners have taken to social media since Kirk's murder to share prayers and tributes, while also holding vigils to honor his legacy and express support in the wake of the conservative activist's passing.
  • On Sept. 10, 2025, Kirk was tragically shot and killed during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University.

Charlie Kirk memorial service attendees traveled from all over US and world​


Charlie Kirk memorial service attendees traveled from all over US and world

People arrive at State Farm Stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk's memorial service on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (Reuters/Cheney Orr)

Continued below.
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When culture calls biblical truth hate speech

Franklin Graham recently reminded us of something I’ve always admired about Charlie Kirk: he stood firmly on biblical truth, but he did it with compassion. He debated boldly, yet never with malice. He modeled what it looks like to stand on God’s Word while still loving those who disagreed. That’s what struck me most about Charlie’s ministry.

When culture calls biblical truth hate speech, Christians must remember that speaking God’s Word is the highest form of love.

Charlie Kirk’s legacy of truth with compassion​

Charlie never treated debates like a chance to humiliate others. He approached them as opportunities to present God’s truth. Franklin Graham said it best — Charlie stood unapologetically on Scripture, but he did it in a way that reflected Christ’s compassion. That’s rare today.

I’ve seen unbelievers circulate memes and half-quotes trying to paint him as harsh or hateful. But when you look at the full conversations, the truth is clear: Charlie’s goal wasn’t to win arguments at all costs — it was to point people back to God’s Word.

That’s the real lesson for us. The world will twist, clip, and distort, but what matters is faithfulness before the Lord.

When biblical truth is branded hate​


Continued below.

Trump ends annual report on U.S. hunger amid rising food insecurity


The Trump administration is ending a decades-long effort to track food security at a time when many Americans are struggling to get proper nutrition or enough to eat.​
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Saturday it was terminating the annual Household Food Security reports, which were introduced in the 1990s to help state and federal officials decide on food assistance programs. The latest USDA report, published in September last year, found some 18 million U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2023, a million more than in 2022......​
Kyle Ross, a policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, questioned the Trump administration’s claim that the USDA food security survey had become politicized, noting that it has been produced annually by Republican and Democratic administrations for around 30 years.​
“It is also not redundant, as this survey serves as the official data source of food insecurity statistics,” he said in an email.​
Ignorance is bliss, right? :doh:

And the tariffs are so helpful.....not.

549464759_1409096417243964_2836303990242804465_n.jpg

Border Czar Tom Homan caught accepting $50K bribe; investigation shut down under Trump

'Caught on camera': Senator says 'Pam Bondi knew' about reported 'brazen' bribery scheme

Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan is a hot topic after a blockbuster MSNBC report claimed Homan had accepted a $50,000 bribe from FBI undercover agents, and one senator says Pam Bondi and others knew about the scheme. Raw Story reported on Saturday about a MSNBC exclusive in which the outlet claimed that Homan had previously been investigated for accepting $50,000 from undercover FBI agents. That caused U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to issue a stinging four-word response to Homan. ["Who's the illegal now?"]

That set the stage for Golden State senator Adam Schiff, who said,"Pam Bondi knew. Kash Patel knew. Emil Bove knew. And they made the investigation go away," Schiff then added. "A corrupt attempt to conceal brazen graft."


https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/tom-homan-cash-contracts-trump-doj-investigation-rcna232568

In an undercover operation last year, the FBI recorded Tom Homan, now the White House border czar, accepting $50,000 in cash after indicating he could help the agents — who were posing as business executives — win government contracts in a second Trump administration, according to multiple people familiar with the probe and internal documents reviewed by MSNBC. The FBI and the Justice Department planned to wait to see whether Homan would deliver on his alleged promise once he became the nation’s top immigration official. But the case indefinitely stalled soon after Donald Trump became president again in January, according to six sources familiar with the matter. In recent weeks, Trump appointees officially closed the investigation, after FBI Director Kash Patel requested a status update on the case, two of the people said.

Undercover FBI agents posing as contractors communicated and met several times last summer with a business colleague who introduced them to Homan, and with Homan himself, who indicated he would facilitate securing contracts for them in exchange for money once he was in office, according to documents and the people familiar with the case. On Sept. 20, 2024, with hidden cameras recording the scene at a meeting spot in Texas, Homan accepted $50,000 in bills, according to an internal summary of the case and sources.

MSNBC asked legal experts about a hypothetical situation similar to the Homan probe. They said a person who promises to influence federal contracts when they become a public official can’t be charged under the federal bribery statutes until they are named or appointed to such a post. If the person did get the administration job and then reaffirmed his promise or communicated in some way about his plan to deliver on his agreement, investigators could make a strong bribery case.



So I guess he kept the money and never delivered, which makes him innocent?

Then again, that fits right in with Trump.

Hell doesn't exist and there is no eternal suffering, instead bad peolle just cease to exist

Not sure what board to post this in. Please feel free to move to another area of the board if it works better there.

So, I saw a post today that interested me and searched it up and found lots of similar results from other people. Apparantly hell isn't a real place and instead is a mistranslation. Apparantly awful people don't get eternal suffering and instead just cease to exist (similar to how life was for them before being born)

Here's the full post and explanation. It was reassuring to hear this as I worry about peolle I know going to hell and hate to imagine them being tortured. So it's nice to know such a place doesn't exist


perhaps you could start by realizing just how ridiculous the entire idea is and how it really isn't even supported by the scriptures.

This concept of “Hell” as a place of ‘eternal suffering in a lake of fire’ that Christians so often try to scare people with is all made up by humans and doesn't even exist in the 'old testament' and is not well supported by the 'new testament' either...

every single 'old testament' reference to "hell" is a mistranslations of the Jewish concept of "Sheol" which is distinctly different from what most people today refer to as "Hell".

  • 1: Sheol is temporary - not 'eternal'. you are only there until 'judgment day'.
  • 2: everyone goes to Sheol to await judgment day. (good or bad, believer or not).
  • 3: everyone in Sheol atones for their misdeeds in life. everyone, regardless of whether they "have faith" or not. You don't escape punishment for your misdeeds in life just because you 'have faith'. THAT was an invention (apparently of Paul).
  • 4: after judgment: the 'truly wicked' are annihilated: They 'cease to exist'. They are not "punished for the rest of eternity. (That view is not supported by anything in the bible outside of 'revelation' (and even that is pretty thin)
  • 5: after judgment: everyone else goes to "Olam Ha'Bah" (aka "the world to come"; "gan eden" or "the Garden of Eden). - This did NOT require belief in or worship of "YHWH" it was based on whether you were a decent person in life; not "blind faith".
outside of 'revelation" The "New Testament" does not refer to this concept of 'eternal punishment' at all. not once, not anywhere. It is ONLY mentioned in the "Book of Revelation" (aka "The Apocalypse of John") and even those references are pretty flimsy evidence.

every "New Testament" reference to "Hell" in modern translations are mistranslating one of three words. “Hades” (which means “the grave” and does not imply torment); "Tartarus" (which appears only one time in 2 Peter 2:4) and "Gehenna".

  • Tartarus is a specific reference to the pagan concept of the 'lowest level of hades'; The word “Tartarus” is arguably the closest word used to this concept of eternal torment but this word is only used in one specific verse: 2 Peter 2:4 which is talking about a place where "fallen angels" are sent and is never mentioned as a destination for humans. - Also note that this same verse clearly limits the time spent in that place to "until judgment".
  • Gehenna is an actual physical place in Jerusalem, it was (in the first century CE) possibly a trash dump, garbage we know dead bodies were taken there and burned in a 'eternal fire' (a constantly burning fire that was always burning garbage). it was considered a "cursed place" due to legends about people sacrificing children there. It was mentioned in a lot of parables; often 'jesus' talking about wealthy people ending up in Gehenna (just like all the poor people). essentially saying that all their wealth doesn't save them from eventually dying and being thrown into the trash heap. - The parables did seem to imply that “Gehenna” was some undesirable place but it’s very dishonest to claim that the word literally translates to the common concept called “Hell”.
The words translated into “Eternal Punishment” in Matthew 25:46 (for instance) is also a mistranslation. The word they translate as “eternal” there is “αἰώνῐος” which is more correctly translated as “lasting for an age”. If you note the same exact word is mistranslated to ‘eternal’ in modern translations of Jude 1:7 where Sodom and Gomorrah are supposedly destroyed by “eternal fire” - Those fires are clearly not burning today as we’ve never found any such remnants anywhere on earth of this supposedly never ending fire. The other part of that phrase for “Punishment” is also a poor translation of “kolasis” which was an agricultural term basically meaning “cut off” or “prune” - possibly suggesting the concept where you “prune away part of a plant and the rest of the plant gets stronger”. It could possibly refer to “punitive correction” as opposed to some eternal torment or possibly it refers to being ‘cut off from paradise/eternal life’ which is effectively what happens when you cease to exist. - you aren’t suffering but you are denied eternal life and entry to paradise ‘for eternity’ since you no longer exist.

Outside of Revelation the most common


Outside of Revelation the most common thing people tend to bring up to support this 'eternal suffering in a lake of fire' nonsense is the story from Luke 16:19-31 of "lazarus and rich man". That parable however does not suggest "eternal suffering" at all.

  • 1: Abraham, Lazarus and "Rich Man" are all in the same place. - That already sounds a lot more like "Sheol" than "Hell". the claim that all of them talking to each other is clearly not a reference to one being "in heaven" and the other "in hell" since these places are always depicted as separate.
  • 2: "Rich Man" is suffering but... he's complaining about "being thirsty".... if he were burning in a lake of fire I think he'd have bigger problems than 'parched lips'.
  • 3: Nothing about that story says anything to suggest that the suffering is eternal; it only implies that "Rich Man" is suffering currently, not what his fate would be down the road.


Then we have the claims from "Revelation":

  • 1: the "Second Death" is mentioned 4 times in this book; and described as the "Death of the soul"
  • 2: Revelation 20:6 states that only people named in the "book of life" (those "on the right") receive "eternal life" - this gift of eternal life is ONLY for the righteous people that pass into paradise.
  • 3: Revelation 20:10 states that the 'beast', the 'false prophet' (aka the antichrist) and 'satan' are cast into the lake of fire where they will "suffer for ever and ever" - note that none of these entities are 'human'.
  • 4: then in Revelation 20:15 - the people who's name did not appear in the 'book of life' (those "on the left") are also cast into the same lake of fire where they "suffer the second death". - Note the different language... it does not say "suffer for ever and ever" but instead states that they "suffer the second death" - this suggests that their soul dies.. which is "Annihilation" not "eternal suffering". How can there be "eternal suffering" for people that do not have "eternal life"? - (see note 2 above).


Nothing about "eternal suffering" is consistent with anything in the bible. "Eternal suffering" is sadistic cruelty without any purpose or benefit. - It makes no rational sense if they are also trying to claim that 'god' is benevolent, loving, merciful etc. - Totally logically inconsistent with this view.

John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
Romans 11:29-32 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
In the early days of the christian church there were several competing views of the afterlife that are a lot more consistent with the rest of the bible:

  • Annihilation" is the belief that "after judgment" the "truly wicked" are annihilated; they 'cease to exist' and that's it... no further suffering; they are gone. end of story. This is exactly what the Jewish traditional view of Sheol mentioned above taught and is logically consistent with the 'old testament'.
  • "universal salvation" or "universalism" is the belief that eventually everyone is saved. - This view treats suffering/punishment in the afterlife as reformative/corrective/judicial - meant to correct the recipient and is finite in duration - once you have atoned for your sins you get to move on to paradise with all the other people that ever lived. These were both pretty popular views in the early christian sects prior to ~425 CE;
The early christian sects disagreed considerably about which of these three views was 'correct'. “Basil the Great” specifically commented in ~370CE that the dominant view (of the time) was a belief in a limited purgatory, and others (such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Didymus the blind, Diodore of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia wrote extensively about Universalism. There were some (mostly in Northern Africa around the coast of modern day Tunisia/Algeria) that were advocating the view of “Eternal Torment” but it wasn't until 425CE that the church unified on this 'eternal suffering' doctrine (largely through the writings of Augustine of Hippo – who came to Rome from a city near what is now Annaba Tunisia). This became the official version the church went with and the other views were deemed "heretical" and banned along with any early christian scriptures that supported those opposing views (such as the "Apocalypse of Peter").

Sir Chris Hoy’s cycling challenge raises £1m


Sir Chris Hoy’s endurance cycling fundraiser has surpassed its £1m target before the event has even begun.

The six-time Olympic gold medallist founded the Tour de 4 challenge to raise funds for UK cancer charities after he was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.

In a message to his fundraisers, Hoy said: “Just amazing everyone. Well done each and every one of you who’ve signed up and are working hard to raise valuable funds.”

----


God bless Chris Hoy and his courage. He's handled his diagnosis with such courage and it's amazing to see hin continue to live his life and do inspiring things.

Prayers for him and his family right boe.

Leviticus 20, Charlie Kirk, and Homosexuality

I have been hearing repeatedly from numerous left wingers that Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays to death, calling it "God's perfect law". Obviously this is referring to Leviticus 20:13, which tells the Israelites to put both men to death if they commit a homosexual act. Leviticus 20 also condemns incest, bestiality, and other sexual immoralities. This was part of the agreement for the Israelites to keep their new land God was giving them.

I have heard others say that particular verse was an "ancient mistranslation", as some people simply cannot accept the idea that God does not advocate for homosexuality. Anyway: We are not living under Levitical law, and I in no way believe for one moment that Charlie Kirk thought that we should be stoning gays to death in 2025 in the United States. But he believed in the Bible, and I don't doubt he called it "God's perfect law".

Of course these sentences sound harsh to modern ears, although I have no problem with them. God wanted His chosen people to be clean and free of immorality, and many Old Testament passages sound pretty rough - especially compared with the gospel, God's perfect solution to the problem of sin.

So this is what I want to ask you: Do you discount Leviticus 20? Do you think that God would never have said this? Do you think Leviticus 20:13 is the result of an "ancient mistranslation"? It seems pretty clear to me. As I've said, I have no problem with these verses, far be it from me to tell God how to conduct HIs business. The penalties are rough, true, but the wages of sin are death. You don't get much rougher than that. God has high standards, and only accepts perfection. Which is why we all need His son.

I'm just asking because it seems there are so many in the modern world who simply can't accept that there could be such violent consequences for breaking God's law. Or that certain things would even be in God's law.

Dispensationalist Only ANOTHER IMPORTANT MINSTRY OF HOLY SPIRIT !!

# 1 BY // EN. is. a. PREPOSITION

# 2 ONE // HREIS is in the DATIVE CASE , in. the Singular , in. the Neuter

# 3. SPIRIT //. PNEUMA. , is also. in. the DATIVE CASE , in. the SIGNULAR. , in. the NEUTER

# 4 ARE // ESTE. , is. in the PRESENT TENSE

# 5 WE //. HEMEEI , is a PERSONAL. POSSESSEIVE PRONOUN , in. the NOMINATIVE CASE. , in. the Plural

#. 6 ALL // PAS , in. the NOMINATIVE CASE in. the Plural

# 7 BAPTIZED // BAPTIZO. , in. the AORIST TENSE , PASSIVE VOICE , in. the INDICATIVE MOOD , in. the Plujral

# 8. INTO // EIS , is. a PREPOSTION

# 9 ONE //. HEIS. , in. the ACCUSATIVE CASE , in. the Singular , in. the NEUTER

# 10 BODY SOMA , in. the ACCUSATIVE CASE , in. the Signular . in. the NEUTER

# 11 WHETHER // EITE is a CONJNUNCATION

# 12 WE BE WAS ADDED

# 13 JEWS // IOLUDAIOS , in the NOMINATIVE CASE , in. the Plural

# 14. OR //. EITE , is a CONJUNCATION

# 15 GENTLES //. HELLON. in a NOMINATIVE CASE , in then Plujrfal

# 16 WHETHER // EITE , is a CONJUNCTION

# 17 WE BE , WAS ADDED

# 18 BOND // DOULOS , in. the Nominative Case , in. the Plujral

# 19 OR / EIKTE IS. A CONJUNCTION

# 20. FREE // ELEUTERO , in. the NOMINATIVE CASE , in. the Plural

# 21 AND // KAI , is a Conjunction

# 22. MADE TO DRINK // POTIZO , is an. AOTIST TENSE , in a. PASSIVE VOICE. is a INDICATIVE MOOD , Plural

# 23 INTO //. EIS. is a PRE;POSTION

# 24. ONE // HEIS , in the ACCUSATIVE CASE , is. a SINGULAR

# SPIRIT //. PNEMA. , in. the ACCUSATIVE CASE. in. the Signular. in. the NEUTER !!


And this is what the HOLY SPIRIT does when anyone is saved !!

And there are many different ways when. it comes to. salvation ??

# 1 Saved by Baptism !

# 2 SAVED by just believing ?/

# 3. Save by Grace

# 4. Saved by being born again ??

# 5 By being born of water and the spirit ?

# 6 And just. because it say. in. #. 7 says BAP[TISM // BAPTIZO. ,does this WATYER //. HYDOR as it iks not in Greek Text ??

So how are you place into the Body of Christ , by the HOLY SPIRIT ??



dan p

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