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Amo2 · Sep 7, 2025

Valletta said:
I am not denying the sins of anyone. Fortunately Jesus was always there with his Church, bringing forth saints when they were needed. I don't think we as mere humans should be judging any generation as a whole.

I'm certainly not judging any generation as a whole. I am presenting history regarding the ongoing struggles of God's professed peoples as corporate bodies, regarding their and humanities unending struggles with our fallen natures. These apostate times among the professed peoples of God which they have dealt with all throughout the history recorded in the scriptures. Which God has seen fit to record for our benefit that we might not repeat the failings of our fathers. The bible faithfully records the sins and short comings of even the greatest biblical figures, the nation of Israel itself, and even several problems arising during the days of the apostles themselves.

Identifying the root of some these apostasies will help us today, avoid repeating these mistakes of history. God warned Israel of the dire effects of choosing a king to rule over them in the place of Himself through the direction of His chosen prophets. The mistake of course, was handing over control and rule of one's self to another fallen sinful human being such as ourselves. The demoralizing effects of which began to take place rapidly unto first open, then widely accepted, and eventually mandated apostasy and rebellion against the commandments and teachings of God. A process that has repeated itself many times over during this New covenant age as well, when professed Christians have attempted to amalgamate Christ's spiritual kingdom with the temporal kingdoms and or kings of this world. In either combining forces with them unto empowerment, bowing before their unholy teachings or mandates, or worst of all taking control of temporal governments themselves. All leading directly to apostasy and persecutions.

John 18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

timothyu · Sep 7, 2025

The bible is full of examples of man failing to follow the will of God and pursuing self-interest. Nothing changes. They just yet have not awakened to the right direction. The Jews of Jesus‘ day and gentile Christianity was no less guilty of being wrapped up in worldly affairs. I personally have no problem going into political threads and reminding them there is a third option, a Kingdom/ governance that runs contrary to the will of man that serves God and each other in need. You don”t find that in the governance of man, just oppression.

eleos1954 · Sep 7, 2025

johansen said:
This is more an opinion for an ECT vs Annihilation thread.

Note what Jesus says regarding "fear he who can destroy both body and soul in hell"

this verse is seen as evidence that "destroying" a person's soul and body in hell means complete destruction and cessation of existence, not eternal suffering.

Genesis 2:7 describes Adam as becoming a "living soul" when God's breath entered his body made of dust. The soul is this unified entity of body and breath (not an immortal "spirit" of some kind).

We are mortal .... subject to death until Jesus returns.

Romans 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Where, O Death, is Your Victory?
…52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Colo Millz · Sep 7, 2025

I see. Thank you.

Always in His Presence · Sep 7, 2025

FreeinChrist said:
I think

Which means what follows is nothing more than one opinion.

The facts remain unchanged.

Number one. Maxwell claims he was nothing but a gentleman.

Number two flight log show he was never at the island

Number three the victims state he wasn’t involved in the sexual abuse

Platte · Sep 7, 2025

FaithT said:
Platte, what in the Bible don’t you take literally?

I take the Historical accounts literally.

Dreams and visions I tend to take not literally. Nor parables

Hentenza · Sep 7, 2025

Colo Millz said:
I'd be interested to hear why you think the dichotomy is "false".

That seems to me to be a strange thing to say.

The short answer is that God created a world and population that He called good. Then Adam and Eve sinned and as a consequence, all are born with original sin. Our works are as filthy rags. Is not God that created evil but man that sinned against God. All evil that we have in the world is man made not God made. The good news is that God send His Son to die for the sins of the world so, not only did He not create evil, but He conquered evil already.

The dichotomy requires that God be guilty of at least one which is logically false hence the false dichotomy.

timothyu · Sep 7, 2025

, there are varying degrees of sin.

Degrees don’t matter. Sin is putting our will ahead of God so all sin is self-interest regardless of form

camille70 · Sep 7, 2025

wing2000 said:
“So, this is a Democrat hoax that never ends. You know, it reminds me a little of the Kennedy situation,” Trump said in the Oval Office, referencing documents related to the assassination of former President Kennedy. “We gave them everything over and over again, more, and more and more. And nobody is ever satisfied. From what I understand, thousands of pages of documents have been given.

“But it’s really a Democrat hoax, because they’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been president,” Trump added.

Loading…

thehill.com

While delivering these comments, very real victims of Epstein were speaking in a press conference.

"....survivor Jess Michaels.

“For 27 years, I thought I was the only one that Jeffrey Epstein raped. I believed I was alone, and I was kept silent by the shame that was inside me and by the fear outside in the world,” she said. “But I wasn't the only one. None of us were. And what once kept us silent now fuels that fire and the power of our voices. We are not the footnotes in some infamous predator’s tabloid article. We are the experts and the subjects of this story. We are the proof that fear did not break us. And we don't just speak for ourselves, but for every survivor whose story is still unspoken…. This is what power looks like. Survivors united, voices joined, refusing to be dismissed. Know this: justice and accountability are not favors from the powerful. They are obligations, decades overdue. This moment began with Epstein's crimes, but it's going to be remembered for survivors demanding justice, demanding truth, demanding accountability, and we will not stop until survivor voices shape justice, transform culture, and define the future. We are no longer whispers. We are one powerful voice, too loud to ignore, and we will never be silenced again.”

September 3, 2025

[Please note that this post talks about sexual assault in the last four paragraphs.]

open.substack.com

According to Speaker Johnson, Trump was an FBI informant with Epstein as the target. So now I'm left wondering how one can inform on that which they did not participate in, or at the very least observe, and how one becomes an informant to a hoax that doesn't exist.

If he is such a hero, bringing down pedophiles and sex traffickers, why would he not want such good deeds exposed?

I actually wouldn't put it past him to be an informant, but often those are little guys who aren't necessarily clean, but can get charges waived or reduced in exchange for their help in getting the big fish at the top.

Interesting times we live in.

Hvizsgyak · Sep 7, 2025

GoldenBoy89 said:
‘Generous’ to deny an accused person a chance at a fair trial??

He is in the country illegally from El Salvador; no trial needed.

Colo Millz · Sep 7, 2025

Should be?

Of course not.

But in fact there is.

timothyu · Sep 7, 2025

Indentured Servant said:
Does this parallel Scripture?

Even though we are to play by God’s , man still likes to lay out the rules over scripture. Render unto caesar

iluvatar5150 · Sep 7, 2025

essentialsaltes said:
Data nerds, join me in reviling this graph which has ever so slightly different scales on the left and right vertical axes.

View attachment 369669

Those Navy pilots who blew up that boat from Venezuela have had enough time to rest and reload. Can we send them to the house of the guy who made that graph?

Chesterton · Sep 7, 2025

Pommer said:
Skitt’s Law upheld!

Explain?

BPPLEE · Sep 7, 2025

Military Press superset with Upright Rows 3 supersets
Triceps Pushdowns 6 sets

Colo Millz · Sep 7, 2025

I'd be interested to hear why you think the dichotomy is "false".

That seems to me to be a strange thing to say.

timothyu · Sep 7, 2025

Even though we are to play by God’s , man still likes to lay out the rules. Render unto caesar

FreeinChrist · Sep 7, 2025

That is such a lie, and a flame to all the Left.

Most I know on the Left feel prayer is important, and thoughts - but it is not enough. It is like God is saying, "DO something and I will bless it." He expects us to act. We could enact common sense gun laws for example. We could make the gun owner legally liable for the actions of the one using it - such as the parents who don't adequately lock up their guns or the ones who give their troubled teen a gun. We could stop the sale of the part that turns a simpler gun into a repeater. (Can't think of the name).

Lukaris · Sep 7, 2025

bèlla said:
I think it’s important to remember why certain paths appeal to us. Consider your own with orthodoxy. Evangelicalism is nearly opposite and I don’t mean that in a negative way. These are the same people who debate modern christian songs over hymns in the service. Many are traditionalists to some degree and orthodoxy may be well beyond his comfort zone. While I’m no longer in the fold I’ve attended three well-known churches of that makeup. Including Moody. There’s an Orthodox church in the vicinity and no one ever mentioned involvement or attendance. And that’s probably due to its foreignness from their perspective.

Look at our political system as well and who supports it. While it doesn’t speak for all it’s an accurate depiction of the things some value or prioritize. I share that so you’re not disappointed if he doesn’t respond in the way you’d hope. That doesn’t negate your prayers or ministry or the concern you’ve shown and that’s equally important. And for what it’s worth, my daughter visited the church one Sunday and shared her experience. She came home reeking of incense and enjoyed the service although she didn’t understand what was said.

It’s a big leap between the two and you’d have to be certain you’re willing to put in the time and effort to learn the teachings and the language. I opened with the tidbit on hymns for that reason. There’s a narrowness within the fold that isn’t open to change and prizes tradition. Whatever occurs, God bless you for your kindness.

~bella

Orthodox parishes in America vary with much depending on how old a parish is. Most older parishes assimilated and express the faith in English although some do not. With new parishes, it depends on whether an immigrant or American founded mission community. We need to do better of course in getting our message known of course.

Sometimes a mix of language occurs in the liturgy of varying degree & intervals. Our (Syrian founded in the 1890s)Antiochian Orthodox parish frequently does this with English & (mostly) Arabic. We try to maintain a balance for interested non Orthodox Americans and also for new immigrant Arabic Christians.

Pommer · Sep 7, 2025

Chesterton said:
Award being given to a Commender-in-Chief who didn't know how to pronounce the word "corpsman".

Skitt’s Law upheld!

Chesterton · Sep 7, 2025

Award being given to a Commender-in-Chief who didn't know how to pronounce the word "corpsman".

The Righterzpen · Sep 7, 2025

childeye 2 said:
I think you're misunderstanding what I said, my bad. I underscored the key qualifier below

This is what I said:
childeye 2 said:
If I say yes, would you believe me?

Yes, I do think people must question their beliefs on this forum whenever correction is taking place.

Apart from that, I still don't see why entertaining/considering the possibility of being mistaken is not the same as thinking one's beliefs are false. Are you implying a negative connotation of insincerity when you say 'entertaining'?

This was the circular reasoning I was referring to ---> "And constantly questioning isn't exactly a productive exercise, since if someone truly engages with it they'll either end up paralyzed and unable to believe anything, or throw up their hands and become a nihliist".

Premise ---> If they engage in the constant questioning, it is not exactly productive because
conclusion ---> they will end up paralyzed unable to believe anything

Premise---> They will end up paralyzed unable to believe anything because
Conclusion ---> they engaged in the constant questioning that is not exactly productive

The Truth is simple. It's the lies that are complex and harder to see through. Hence if we ask 'Why' for the sake of clarity, it's productive. But if we ask 'Why' for the sake of obscurity, it's unproductive.

Clarity/obscurity
Productive/unproductive
Sanity/insanity

Okay, my bad. It's really a simple point I'm trying to make ---> Facts of reality are learned and not imagined.

Reality dictates what is factually true and factually meaningful. Facts can and should override convictions based on beliefs. For example, if I stick my hand in boiling water because I believe it will feel good, I will nonetheless experience pain even though I believed otherwise. That is a fact of reality and therefore I did not imagine it. Moreover, it is meaningful to me because I have learned not to stick my hand in boiling water.

Light carries information, darkness doesn't.
Facts can be observed. Observable facts are observed because photons/Light carry information to our eyes about the objects they hit. Our brains then interpret that information into meaningful knowledge. Conversely, we cannot see those same objects in the darkness. So, for example we might run into a table or chair in the darkness that otherwise we would have walked around when the Light was on. But the chair or table don't disappear from reality just because the Light is off. The simple point is that reality dictates what is factual, and reality is not created in our imaginations.

"Therefore, if I am correct in believing that reality dictates what is factually meaningful, then it would be wrong to believe reality is meaningless".

The summation above shows why it's wrong to believe that reality is meaningless, so as to contest the belief that "they'll either end up paralyzed and unable to believe anything, or throw up their hands and become a nihliist".

It's not an opinion; it's an axiom. The same as ---> "Facts of reality are learned and not imagined", and also --->"The truth precedes a lie in existence". <--- Do you see how these two axioms share a commonality?

"Whatever is Eternal existed before whatever is false". = Whatever is infinitely True existed before whatever is false.

The reason why infinite is being applied is (1) the question "Why" is infinitely regressive (2) somethings are only temporarily true (3) Facts of reality are learned and therefore they exist apart from our ignorance.

The infinite regressive argument is not a solution. Why? Because 'by definition', no one is able to prove that that which exists Eternal, actually exists Eternal. The summation is One must either trust or distrust.

The circular argument is not a solution, because it's a logical fallacy.

That leaves only one possibility, we must have axioms to reason upon for logic to exist.

That doesn't matter since reality dictates what is factually true, not human beings. And it can be observed that Love/compassion is of the highest value in humanity.

What we believe to be true will manifests emotions accordingly. And it's an observable fact that it is reasonable to presume someone is innocent until proven guilty and it's unreasonable to presume someone is guilty until proven innocent. Sanity/insanity

I understand what you are saying here. And you are correct that either a person is operating on an axiom that absolute truth exists and is at least partially knowable; or they are operating on an axiom of... let's call it random chance.

And I'm not aware; if there are any axioms besides these two. To my knowledge; truth is either real and findable or it's not and ultimately nothing else (we do, believe or think of as purpose) matters.

Interesting statement on "light carries information and darkness doesn't".
Your statement is perimeter(ed) in scientific method defining reality in what is observable and/or testable. A lie here being defined as something that's not real ultimately not being observable or testable because it isn't real; although the consequences of the lie may be very real! (Interesting philosophical paradigm; but also speaks truth that lies (that aren't real in and of themselves) have consequences. Which the idea of darkness not carrying information, being predicated in application that darkness twists the truth; may indeed be true! (Thus what darkness "declares" is not true.

We often say "lies often carry aspects of truth". Yet thinking about it in a different perspective; is that actually true? (That's a good question.) Which again goes back to: if absolute truth is real and at least partially knowable; then in reality, what is a lie, by definition actually isn't carrying aspects of truth. And is this the framing for the statement "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

Interesting! :scratch:

Hentenza · Sep 7, 2025

The false dichotomy of the problem of evil. If you search CF you will find several threads about this subject.

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