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If you think about all of the enlightenments that Christianity brings which areas do you think being able to follow Christianity are the most impactful? "All" doesn't count!

I just noticed an article a few minutes ago mentioning how Elon Musk is a "Far Right Activist" and thought about finally doing a thread on how liberal journalists tend to tag everyone who disagrees with them as Far right no matter what that person's background. There was a time I recall when liberals sneered at Fox News and dubbed it Faux News. But these kind of occurrences of having people poo-poo obvious conservative sources in internet discussions made me look elsewhere as far as citing other sources for future discussions. But I noticed making this extra effort didn't really matter because there was a certain laziness from my detractors, anybody that wasn't going along with the Democratic party line was always "Far Right" no matter what their actual background was. So even somebody like Jimmy Dore is called "Far Right" because he argues against what the Democrats want even though he is a former Bernie Sanders supporter who wants socialized medicine, prison reform, follows Noam Chomsky's line of thought in regard to war and foreign policy etc. By the way, I believe there is an actual logical fallacy name for this phenomenon, it is "The No True Scotsman".


And of course, I see much the same thing on people using the term Fascist. They tend to call conservative people this because of their national pride, but don't realize that probably a lot of the policies they want are literally meet the definition/ fit the schema of the classical Fascist theory of Mussolini, that they often wish to curtail the free speech rights of those that disagree with them and so on.



Oh and I forgot, I see lots of people that would fit the term "Far Left", many of them teach at universities. It is funny that only being too right is considered bad, or scary etc. but nobody sees problems in being too progressive.... I guess I blame Trotsky and early Communist Propaganda for this (Spreading the notion that Fascism is a right-wing movement etc. only a Communist would see somebody that wants Socialism lite as being right wing!).


So, what do you all think?

Here is the latest video that throws some light on the situation and explains why his ministry is under threat.

A lot of Christians will say they have a sinful nature, but can do nothing about it. They then don't resist said sinful nature and are dead in the flesh.

I don't know if this is true, but Paul might have been talking about them when he said this," For men will be... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!" 2 Timothy 3

They have a form of godliness, but they deny it's power to change and say they are stuck in sin.

Do you think oral and anal sex are ok in the confines of marriage? The scripture says when you are married the bed is Undefiled. Does that mean anything between you and spouse if you both consent?

We are told in scripture that he was a cherubim. I believe the seraphim order of angels were higher than he was. I think the angels that surround the throne of God proclaiming "Holy Holy Holy" in Revelation were seraphim and were higher in rank than he was.

Do you believe he was the highest angel in heaven before the creation of earth and man? Why?

LondonCNN —
A Libyan man accused of being involved in making the bomb that destroyed Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in December 1988 is now in US custody, authorities in the United States and Scotland said Sunday.

The US charged Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi for his alleged involvement in the bombing two years ago, a spokesman for the UK Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service told CNN.

The attack killed 270 people as the bomb detonated over the Scottish town as it flew from London to New York.

The US Justice Department issued a statement Sunday morning confirming that the US had “taken custody of alleged Pan Am flight 103 bombmaker” Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, saying he is expected to make his “initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,” according to a spokesperson.

The Apostles' Creed is one of the Christian forms of prayer or statements of faith that I repeat most commonly, that is most recurrent in my faith life and shows up most in my worship. It is also one of the most common prayers shared by many churches throughout space and time, originating as early as the fifth century and still used today by members of the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, various Orthodox Churches, Lutheran churches, Methodist churches, and many more. Of course, in my own life as an attendee of an Episcopal Church in the United States, my congregation recites it collectively every Sunday in Church during liturgy, but I also pray it at least once a day in my own personal devotions, when I practice the rosary.

I find myself touched so deeply by this ancient prayer. I'm moved by reciting it and seeing it as a foundational statement of the Church, something so many billions of Christians recite with heart, earnestly, something that unites me to such an enormous community, that represents the common thread of our faith going back into ancient times, that faithful worshippers have been proclaiming for so long. It unites me with a great body of believers.

It also speaks to me in the profundity of its boldness and simplicity. It is twelve simple articles, twelve unadorned, straightforward statements, made without reservation, elaboration, hesitation, or qualification. I am astounded to think of the sacrifice and determination that it must have taken, and still takes, for many people to wear their heart on their sleeves and proclaim something that, in its simplicity, could be taken for granted by some comfortable Americans like myself today. It just sums it all up, so much of our faith carried in so few words. It covers it all, and it is almost courageous to think we could speak to the mysteries of the Divine through something that humble.

However, as much as I love the Creed, and as much as I get from it already, sometimes I find myself mystified by it, or still asking questions after reading it. I want to understand it more, understand more about what I am confessing myself to, what I am proclaiming belief in, what I am swearing to. I want to know deeper the statements I am making and what they mean, and what their consequences for the fullness and breadth of my life should be. I want to pray the Creed more deeply, with more understanding. (I should add that although I have been praying and studying Christianity for about two years now, it is only in the last couple months that it has become possible for me to engage in a Christian community, and it is recent that I have been going to Church and finding support and education there).

I've been reading Credo by Father Hans Urs von Balthasar, which is a collection of reflections on the articles of the Creed, as well as The School of Charity by Evelyn Underhill, which is a commentary and explication of the Nicene Creed and thus has insights also applicable to the Apostles' Creed. Do you guys have any other resources for understanding the Creed and deepening my practice with it? What are your own tips, how do you pray it in a way that it becomes meaningful to you? What does it represent to you, and what happens internally when you pray it? Also, if you are part of a denomination that doesn't pray the Creed, I would really love to hear your thoughts as well. Are you opposed to any of the articles? What do you think about it, its history, and how the role it plays for many Christians today?

I often find myself pausing after every single article, repeating it again and again, reflecting on it, how it speaks to my faith and my struggles in that moment, what message it might contain for me, how the words land on me in that moment and on that day. It's such a rich statement of Christianity, I feel like it contains so much.

Would anyone else like to share their experiences praying the Creed, or how it is meaningful to them as a symbol of shared faith?

(P.S. I read the statement of purpose for this board and felt this goes here as it is a question of the spiritual discipline of prayer, and how to enrich and explore one's prayer life. This is, however, my first post on the site outside of my introduction, so I'm nervous about doing something wrong. If this should go somewhere else, please let me know. I just hope to have good conversations about our life as Christians ).

OBADIAH 1:1-21

This prophet talks about Esau as “Edom” similar to the name “Adam” yet spelled with a “vav” Edom is condemned, for his attack on Jacob, later on, the Edomites attack the Israelites, (brothers against brothers) Edom will be “brought down from the lofty cliffs”

I have been to “Edom” which is in Jordon, the city of “Petra” has many caves in the cliffs, and as tourists go through Petra, the guides tell the visitors that the cliff caves were homes to Edomites, later on they became burial places, and today, they serve as “toilets” for the tourists that have to take care of business, imagine that how lowly Edom has fallen, from cave homes to “out-houses” We see that the promise of YHVH to Israel prevails, try to destroy, harm, attack Israel, you will be brought down.

The prophet goes on to say, “do not gloat over the misfortune of Judah” Even though we know that Israel will go by the wayside, forsake YHVH, and will receive punishment, Edom has no business being happy for that reason.

It is like a brother laughs when his other brother is being punished by dad, that brother has no business being happy because HIS turn will come sooner or later. Today, do you know of any Edomites? There are none, yet do you know of any Israelites? Yes, there is a nation in the middle east full of Israelites, it is called “Eretz Israel” I have been there, twice! It was an honor to serve Israel through military support personnel.


MATT 13:1-58; 26:36-46


Yeshua speaks to the people in parables, He tells of the “sower of the seed” he goes on to tell his Talmidim that the people “hear but do not understand” it is because their hearts are dull and that they are not looking for the truth. So there are today, many people who will “hear” the gospel but do not “listen” and if they do not “listen” they will not “understand” just like the sower who sowed the seed on the different soils, some did not take root, some grew but were choked out, some grew into maturity, so is the WORD of God.

To some people it has no effect, on others, it is only a “pass time” or a “fad” for a while, but for others, it is the “real thing” and “life-changing” has it changed your life?

In verses 36-46, in chapter 26, Yeshua finds himself in “Gat-Shemini” (Gethsemane) We see that He also prays to the Father, a prayer of rescue. Jacob prays also, a prayer of rescue. The prayers differ a bit. Jacob prays; “LORD, save me from my brother Esau” Yeshua prays; Father, let this cup pass from me” or in other words; “Save me from this ordeal which I am about to enter.”

There is one way which Esau resembles Yeshua. He receives Jacob in peace. Jacob is no longer called Jacob but "Israel." Esau falls upon Israel's neck and weeps. In this same way, Messiah Yeshua receives all Israel who will embrace and accept Him as LORD and Savior. The name "Esau" and "Shalom" have the same number value in gematria. "376"

We know the outcome. Esau returned to Jacob in peace, Yet Yeshua embraced the violence of the cross. In both ways, the LORD answered the prayers. “Yes, I will save you from Esau, He will not harm you”. “NO, my son, you HAVE to go through the ordeal of the cross, for the sake of the whole world”

He died in our place, in the place of all the Esaus, Labans, Jacobs of this world. If He embraced the cross, will YOU embrace HIM?

Imagine for a second what a virtual CF singles meet up would look like. If it were to happen, what are some ideal dates and times? And would it be in sub groups? Maybe some individuals feel more comfortable in groups of five rather than the large group.

I just want to get this idea rolling, as idea was thrown out there and I think it's a good idea. Just starting with five for 2023 might be fun. What do you think? Myself I'm still a bit shy for participation.

Under God, are we robots, or are we not people? That is a question that comes to mind when reading a Verse which says, according to the English Standard Version of the Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness...” Some rely on other Biblical versions of this Verse, which says that al scripture is INSPIRED by God. Those that go by the latter Verse lean on the assertion that whatever words are in the Bible were written by people, under their own inspiration. They further infer that if the Scripture is the Words of God, then the words in the Bible would have been written by people acting as robots, which is absurd since people are not robots.

They further imply that God did not mean for us to be robots. There is a lot of truth in that. God in Isaiah 1:18, invites us to reason with Him. Would anyone expect a robot to reason with its master before doing anything? And Hebrews 6:1 says that for those who know the Old Testament, it is time to go beyond the “elementary doctrine of Christ,’ which is largely the Law of the Old Testament, and to enter a stage of maturity, not revisiting the part of the OT we already know, and to focus primarily on what will bring us salvation from the Lord as regarding ourselves. Would we expect a robot to do the things mentioned in Isaiah 1:18 and Hebrews 6:1?

Anyone who has seen movies and watched TV are aware that there are robots and there are robots. It is necessary to understand which is which, particularly amongst people who feel at liberty to assert that those who write the Word of God in the Bible would be robots, writing what God wants them to write. Technically, they would be doing the Will of God, that Jesus refers to when he says that only those that do God’s Will would enter His Kingdom. Would that make us robots? Can we be both robots and people, with a line drawn somewhere in between?

Anyway, one robot that comes to mind is the one in the movie ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still,’ which came out in 1951. The robot, Gort, abides by the commands of Klaatu, the alien who comes to earth to warn everyone that the current political situation on earth is a threat to other planets. Gort, in response to a command by Klaatu, stops disintegrating the weapons of the army that were attacking Klaatu, and Klaatu obeys, no questions asked. This is the type of robot most people are familiar with...one that just obeys. Does Klaatu say to Gort, ‘Come, let us reason together, that army cannot hurt us, so stop destroying their weapons’? Does Klaatu say to Gort, ‘You can go beyond the elementary commands I give you, and think of your own salvation in deciding whether to abide by my commands’? No. Gort, is just a ‘robot.’

On the other hand, anyone who’s watched the TV show ‘Lost in Space’ is familiar with another type of robot, named B-9, you know, the one that calls out “Danger, danger!” on ocassion. The robot on that TV show has a mind of its own and is temperamental. Occasionally it goes off on its own to brood. Is that really a robot? Well, some might argue that B-9 is a robot because it was programmed by man. Well...some may point out that the Bible says that we were created by God to perform His Good Works. Does not Ephesians 2:10 say, that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.? So it seems, to that extent, that we are robots along the lines of B-9, having been ‘programmed by God,’ so to speak, to perform His Good Works. Some of us, like B-9, might go off and brood instead of performing all the works God expects us to do. Think of how Jonah acts at first, when God tells him to warn the Ninevens of their impending destruction. And you may as well thin of how he acts after he finally warns the Ninevans, after having been swallowed by a great fish and tossed ashore. Seems Jonah was acting more like B-9 than Gort.

Who is not to say that those who wrote God’s Words in the Bible were, as far as the words in the Bible go, programmed to take dictation, in a sense; and after the deed is done, they went on doing something else, or they go off to brood as B-9 did on occasion? And let’s be real about the dictation part...It is probable that those who wrote God’s Words in the Bible did not physically hear God talking to them, rather, as things go in the Bible, either God or an Angel appeared to those writers in a dream, or God, in the sense of His influence on the Pharoah in the Book of Exodus and contrary thereto, ‘softened their hearts’ to the point where the writers invariably wrote what God wanted them to write.

Some may think of robots as just obeying commands. As humans, we sometimes obey commands too, but we have also been programmed to reason, and have been given the ability to go our own way, whichever that way may be, whether it be toward God or away from him. We know which way we and others who strive toward God have chosen.

Video Talk

Luke 6:20-23 ESV


The “poor” being spoken of here are not necessarily the physically poor, for not everyone who is physically poor has the promise of the kingdom of heaven as belonging to them, and not everyone who is wealthy is excluded from the kingdom of heaven. So, we have to interpret this from a spiritual not a physical perspective. Thus, this is speaking of those who are poor in spirit, who are humble before God, who are repentant, and who submit to Christ as Lord, and who surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.

The same applies to this next section. This is speaking of those who are spiritually hungry, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and who hunger for God and for his word and to obey his teachings. Their desire is for the Lord and no longer for the pleasures of this sinful world. They want to know Jesus and they desire to know his will so that they can obey him and so that they no longer live in disobedience to him. They love him and so they want to do what pleases him, not what displeases him.

And continuing on that same vein, those who weep are not just those who are weeping over things going on in their personal lives. This is speaking of grieving over our sin to the point of genuine repentance so that we do not return to repeating the same sins over and over. If we truly are those who weep over sin, and not just ours only, but the sins of the world, and the sins of those who give lip service to Jesus only, the Lord will fill us with his joy. He will put smiles on our faces and he will give us the ability to even laugh.

Now, if all of the above is true of us, that we are humble, and we are repentant, and we do grieve over sin, and we hunger and thirst after righteousness, then we are blessed of God. He favors us. We are happy in him. But it also means that we will be hated and mistreated for our love for Jesus and for his word and for our walks of obedience to our Lord and for our testimonies for him. But when we are mistreated we are to forgive those who persecute us and we are to treat them with kindness in return.

[Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:21-22; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37-38; Luke 11:4; Luke 17:3-4; 2 Corinthians 2:5-7; Colossians 3:12-13]

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Blessed Are You

An Original Work / August 29, 2012
Based off Luke 6:20-49 NIV 1984

“Blessed are you; blessed are you
Who are poor for God’s kingdom is yours.
Blessed are you; blessed are you
Who are hungry, you’ll be satisfied.
Blessed are you; blessed are you
Who weep now, for you will laugh with joy.
Blessed are you; blessed are you
when men hate and reject you because of Christ.”

“Rejoice in that; rejoice in that day
And leap for joy; great your reward.
But I tell you; but I tell you
To love those who hate you; do them good.
Pray for those who; pray for those who
Treat you wrong and say kind things of them.
Do to others; do to others as you would
Have them do; have them do to you.”

“If you love those; if you love those
Who love you, what praise is there for you?
Because Christ is; because Christ is kind,
Be merciful, just like He is.
Forgive others; forgive others
Their offense against you; be ye kind.
Hear My words and; hear My words and
Put them into practice, then you’ll be fulfilled.”

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Peace in Christ.

The church of Ephesus had fallen but was counseled to repent (change the mind) and do the “first works” or else Jesus would come unto them quickly and would remove its candlestick out of his place.

Rev 2:5 KJV
(5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The church of Ephesus had FALLEN. But Peter, in 2nd Peter 1, lists the “first works” which if done should keep us from falling.

We “add” to these things …but the greatest thing here above all is love…which is sum of the completion of this list.

This is where the church of Ephesus had left off….the “first love”…as they were not showing love toward their “enemies”: the false apostles whom they tested and found liars.

2Pe 1:5-10
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.

IF these things be in us and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the FULL knowledge (epignosis=the FULL knowledge) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We shall then be effective witnesses of the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus.

The “candlestick” signifies that witness. Our witness ….the candlestick…will be removed if we have a lack of love even though we comprehend all knowledge. No one will hear us without love.

(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Again if we DO these things (first works), we shall never fall. The church of Ephesus had already fallen.

(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Though I have ALL KNOWLEDGE ….and have not love, I am nothing. No one will hear. The “candlestick” gets removed. All we are then is a “sounding brass” or a “tinkling cymbal”….just making noise and not music to the listener. We are not giving forth His witness.

1Co 13:1-2 KJV
(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
(2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing.

The church of Ephesus was not showing love toward those who were calling themselves “apostles” but were found out to be false. We are to love our “enemies”.

Mat 5:43-44 KJV
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Without love, who will hear us when we speak? Our witness of the full knowledge of the Lord...the candlestick,,, is removed without having love. We become unfruitful and barren in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ even though we have it.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life as we shall then be able to win souls to Christ. If we have love, we shall be able to enjoy the fruit: winning souls.

Pro 11:30 KJV
(30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

We shall be then able to eat of the tree of life. We shall be fruitful with the full knowledge of the Lord and not barren.

Rev 2:7 KJV
(7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Some days ago I had thoughts about rejecting Jesus Christ. I was a bit angry and bitter at God at the time, so I am not sure if I thought the thoughts myself, or part of them, or if it was intrusive thoughts as I do get them as well, including ones rejecting Jesus. Now I am feeling really guilty and condemned and afraid. I have repented and asked forgiveness, but I still don't feel better. However there's not much else I can do. Any tips on what to do?

I moved to the US 2 years ago, I am a legal permanent resident as I married my American husband 5 years ago. We attend a church here. I am a Sunday school teacher and I am in the cleaning ministry. My husband plays in the worship team. It is a little church. My husband is affectionate to this church, he has known the pastor for many years and I cannot deny there are kind people in here but I am not really bonding with anyone. It is probably my fault. But we are the poorest. They all live in mansions with swimming pools, we live in a very nice house (for me) but it is in the worst area of the town, they would not come here for their life. But it was what we could afford, besides it is a very quiet area, and I have kind neighbours. But we are the only one living there. For Christmas, the church organized a ladies tea. Everything was really cute. Table decorations, people all dressed up...it looked like a movie. I did not attend. I cannot afford a hairdresser, or very nice clothes. I would have felt terrible, besides during the tea I was working my side hustle. Am I envious? Maybe. But I just feel lonely in my church. I feel like I do not belong. All I do in church is working, I am not receiving, and it is probably me because I have this psychological block. I want to respect my husband's desires and I would never hurt him. But I would like to go to another church sometimes. A "poorer" church. Somewhere I can feel I belong. Do I need healing? Do I need to stop overthinking? I do not know. But I am here in church. typing this in my Sunday school classroom, and I would like to be elsewhere. The only one I bonded with a little are my students here at the Sunday school. I have to admit that this "not belonging" feeling overlaps in my work too, and it is all part of being and feeling a foreign and often misunderstood.

On Reddit you can apply 'flair' which lets people filter for specific topics. It would be good if we could do that here so all posts in certain forums like politics can be filtered out from showing on feeds.

Please pray that I can have a good sleep. tonight. need to have a blood test tmr. or have to defer it if sleep poorly
Pray for my parents their physical and spiritual health
Staying peace with God is a big healings for my sleep issues despite my sleep apnea

What does it mean - what does it look like in real life.

Pretend you are addressing a group of 12 years old children - how would you describe it?

I really don't want to ruffle feathers, stir up controversy, and rebuke anyone at my church lol.
That's never a pleasant thing but something tells me, today's churches are plagued with lukewarm christians
or a lukewarm christian-attitude that is making our churches suffer in silence and muddy waters.

Our dangers and challenges are not bombings, mass shootings, arson, and other physical attacks on the church.
Our dangers are people within the church living a lukewarm life with lukewarm attitude and thinking this is
OK and getting a pass by the church itself.

I say this with a grain of salt because I know that I cannot judge. I myself am not a perfect or model christian either.
But one thing I do seem to have that I find lacking in others is the "desire". I don't see or sense a great desire from
certain people who I should think would have it.

So in my church we have some "deacons". I noticed that one of the deacons doesn't even come out to church regularly.
This person comes out maybe once a month (because they say due to their job/career, they have duties/responsibilities).
That doesn't sound right. If God isn't first in your life, how the heck did you even become a deacon and get the privilege
to walk around with that title acting like you are higher than the rest of us and give prayers in services and yet do not attend
regular services or other weekly group meetings and functions. I realize they put in the hours and hours of studying, training,
reading books to pass the "exam" for becoming a deacon but when I look it now, it seems to me like that is just shallow and
superficial. I don't care if you read 100 books, and passed dozens of exams to get qualified to become a deacon or elder
in the church. If you don't live your life like a true christian should, you shouldn't be elevated to that position.

They take more pride in attending the church service when they are up at the front for prayer but the other 3 weeks they don't
show up to church and maybe show up only 3 or 4 times in the entire year for events. I'd rather they not dress up to stand before
us and give a nice pre-written prayer once a month, and instead come talk to me, pray for me, attend small group, take me out for lunch,
ask me about my life/struggles, minister to me from the bible or their own lives. Instead, all I see is this deacon come to church
once a month and that one time they come is for their turn to give a nice prayer at the front so he can dress up in his tie and suit
yet has ZERO presence in the ministry life and real lives of the members. This is bothering me a lot and I don't want to seem like
I'm jealous...maybe I am. Maybe I should apply and become a deacon myself but I don't want this to become a competition or
a, "I can do it better than you". Maybe this deacon does have a good prayer life, maybe he really loves Jesus at home and in his own
family...maybe....so I could be wrong....but even if that's true, I don't see or sense that level of love to us in the ministry on Sundays.
It honestly looks to me like he cares more about his career (which is a fun one, I won't say exactly what his job is but it's entertaining),
and he gets to work on all kinds of busy projects from many clients that requires time from him which is why he doesn't come to church
every Sunday and doesn't come out to ministry life functions/events (again, maybe just 25% of the time).

I'm getting kind of sick of this "show" where people ride behind their titles and appear like they are leaders but I ask myself, where the hell are
they in our lives? They don't exist outside of their sunday roles.

Thus far, the Justice Department’s endless pursuit of the president has been a whopping “nothingburger” that has served only to further erode the public’s trust in American institutions tasked with protecting the citizens of the U.S.

Trump remarked on Truth Social on Friday: “Under the Presidential Records Act and the very well established Clinton Socks Case, the raid of Mar-a-Lago by the FBI, and the taking of documents and many other items, was ILLEGAL. Everything should be returned, at once!”

(Orthodox Church opposition cited in this article in the National Review)


The NYT has a long article out promoting human composting as a means of final disposition. The idea is to quickly turn bodies into dirt and then plant flowers in the remains or return the compost to the forest as fertilizer.

I have no objection to composting the dead being legal, as it now is in five states, and soon, apparently, in New York. But the story illustrates how profoundly traditional Christianity has collapsed in the West, and indeed, the meteoric growth of what might be called a nature worshipping neo-paganistic ethos: Per the Times:

I visited another forest in Southern Washington. After decades of depletion by logging, this forest had been taken over by a conservation organization with a special mission. A golf cart drove me along a re-wilding logging path, up to a field of dark-brown compost. The soil in this compost had once made up the bodies of 28 different humans: now, all were one, part of the woods around them. These 28 people chose to donate their soil to help regrow native trees and eventually bring shade to a salmon-spawning stream.

Click to expand...

Notice the anonymity of the deceased. Notice that, unlike traditional Christian burial practices, with human composting, the body itself has no real meaning.

Yes, Christianity understands that, as Ash Wednesday has it, dust we were and dust we shall be. But that’s not all we are or will be in traditional Christian practice. Indeed, the dead body has value because the human person does. For example, the Orthodox Church believes:

Not only do the Orthodox revere the body, but we also acknowledge the part our physical bodies play in our salvation. Our bodies are just as valuable as our souls. According to Holy Tradition and Scripture, we will be resurrected in our physical bodies at the Second Coming of Our Lord. We must take care of our bodies, feeding them properly, getting adequate rest, and healing them with the Holy Mysteries.
Today, many Western Christians now allow cremation, in light of the fact that its association with paganism or Gnosticism is no longer a reality. However, the Orthodox Church asserts that voluntary cremation, regardless of its detachment from pagan thought or ritual, in every instance denies the value of the human body and of material creation in general. Hence, we as Orthodox Christians are to avoid it.

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How we treat our dead reflects our views on what we think about the living. In this sense, human composting — and even more so, another growing practice of liquifying bodies and pouring the remains into the sewer — reflects a disturbing mindset that denies ultimate meaning to human life and views us, essentially, as just another animal in the forest. At the very least, these innovations reflect a lamentable, accelerating rejection of the Judeo-Christian values that undergird Western Civilization.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV


Right now in America the primary gospel which is permeating the church is not the gospel that Jesus brought to us and that he lived by example. It is not the gospel message that his New Testament apostles taught us, either. It has the appearance of the true gospel, but it is a half-truth gospel taught from Scriptures taken out of their context and twisted to say what the Scriptures do not teach. And it is being brought to us by charlatans and wolves in sheep’s clothing in high up positions in religious institutions.

Basically what it teaches is that we can “believe” (not defined) in Jesus Christ and now our sins are all forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live while we are still here on this earth. But Jesus said that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (daily die to sin and to self) and follow (obey) Jesus. For he said that if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin we will lose them for eternity, but if for Christ’s sake we die to our old lives, we will live.

And he also taught that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the ones DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven. For many are going to stand before Jesus on the day of judgment claiming that they did this or that in his name, and he is going to say to them, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness!” So, we can’t just “get saved” and then live however we want until Jesus returns to take his bride to be with him for eternity.

And the Apostle Paul taught that faith in Jesus Christ involves us being crucified with Christ in death to sin and us being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. For if our salvation is genuine, our old self was crucified with Christ in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin but to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin reign in our bodies, to make us obey its passions.

And he taught that if sin is what we obey, it ends in death, not in life eternal. And if we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, it will end in death, not in life everlasting. For if our minds are set on the things of the flesh and not on the things of the Spirit of God, and thus we live according to our sinful flesh and not in accord (in agreement) with God’s Spirit, it results in death, not in life everlasting with our Lord. For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those in the flesh cannot please God.

All throughout the New Testament we read that we must die with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily, and that we must live to him and to his righteousness in obedience to our Lord and to his commands (New Covenant) or we do not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And so we need to know what the Scriptures teach (in full context) so that we can reject the lies of Satan and embrace the truth, for our eternity depends on us knowing and believing the truth of the gospel of Christ.

[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]

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 ESV


But thank the Lord that not everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ has bought into the half-truth (lie) gospel of Satan which gives people the impression that they can make some one-time profession of faith in Christ and that they are now good to go for eternity regardless of how they live. There is a remnant who are following the Lord Jesus in obedience to his word and who are walking in his ways, not necessarily in absolute sinless perfection, but in practice, as their regular life course.

Their faith is genuine of the Spirit faith because it aligns with the teachings in the Scriptures on what it means to be saved from our slavery to sin and what it means to have eternal life with God. And remember here that we can’t pull a few Scriptures out of context and make them say what the Scriptures do not teach, as a whole (at least in the New Testament). We have to interpret the Scriptures in their full context to truly understand their meaning. And then we should compare them to other like Scriptures.

So we need to be those who believe the truth of the gospel as is taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles in their fulness. We must die with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily, in the power of God’s Spirit. And we must now walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, in walks of obedience to our Lord, and no longer in sin. And we must continue in those walks of faith and obedience to our Lord until we die or until Jesus returns to take us to be with him for eternity.

For, if we do not, and if we choose to believe that Jesus saved us from our sins so we can now continue in sin guilt free and punishment free, and so we continue to live in sin according to the flesh, then we must know that the Scriptures teach that we will not inherit eternal life with God, but we will die in our sins. For if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness, holiness, and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, then we will not be saved from our sins when Jesus returns. So please take this to heart.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Our God Reigns

Song by Lenny Smith

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him,
Who brings good news, good news,
Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness:
Our God reigns, our God reigns!

Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns

It was our sin and guilt that bruised and
Wounded Him, it was our sin that brought Him Down.
When we like sheep had gone astray,
Our shepherd came, and on His shoulders,
He bore our shame.

Out of the tomb He came with grace and majesty.
He is alive. He is alive.
God loves us so, see here His hands, His feet, His side...
Yes, we know, He is alive!

Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns

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For those of you that have to do list, how do you go about your day or weeks getting things knocked out?

I figured I would create a thread because there is more than one way or style it getting things done. I get so distracted and lost and thought. It's a continual process in figuring how to accomplish things but also to taper back and relax.

We often hear that only Jesus, being fully God, was able to drain the dregs of God's cup of wrath in three hours on the cross. However, this seems to be only a popular belief.

I want to ask you Universal Reconciliationists (or whatever you prefer to be called), do you think it is possible that a reprobate can suffer God's eternal wrath in the same manner before reaching ultimate reconciliation? Like, Jesus paid in advanced our sins who believe, but those who don't, they would possibly undergo that sort of punishment quick, even though it would seem eternal? Does one have to be God-man to suffer in such a short period what would be eternal to endure? Is there any verses to back this up?