I kind of like the older traditional song lyrics. Often they sang bible verses or had simple biblical truths. Like Amazing Grace. A simple song about the experience of Gods grace on a sinner. It sounds like it comes from real life experience.

The Johny Cash gospel era was good. But even the early African American gospel and blues.

I think at one stage gospel music was mainstream. Because it was born from real life struggles.

But sometimes I think modern contemporary Christian music can be too much about feelings. About being in love with Jesus. Making it all about feeling good and a wonderous experience.

I like the bold and straight hitting gospel blues, rock and contemporary is good as well. So long as its saying something. Challenging and strengthening me.

They say Christian music sort of follows secular music trends and tastes. I think this is true to an extent. I remember Christian rock and heavy rock when rock was big in mainstream music.

In that semse I think mainstream music has lost a bit of its realness. So this may also influence Christian music. Thats not saying that there are some great original Christain musos out there at the moment leading the way.

But in saying all that music is a matter of taste and personal preferences. So who am I to know lol.

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Yes and when you have that realisation that God is there and that His will was right and best all along. But there for the grace of God go I.

I think its rare to hear the great words of the prophets and men of the bible. It was like a testimony to the world. It was not just words but it was born out of experience and realisation of God. Especially in that God was revealing Himself as the Creator and Father God. A personal God.

I wish there could be great men and women that will speak out like this again to the world. Speak with authority and truth that when all hear it they know it is truth. No worldly evidence is needed. It is believable because it is spoken truth and reality.

I believe that Gods spirit comes when His church needs it. With all the bad stuff that has been happening. Especially all the whitenoise of words and narratives all fighting for the truth. People are confused and cannot believe or trust anything that is said. The truth is turned into a lie and a lie the truth.

But the great men of God speak from the heart, from the spirit with truth and authority. The world needs to hear them again. Not TedTalk and TV Evangelists, But great Christians who will rise up and remind the world of the Almighty God. Christ truth will cut like a sword that it cannot be denied.

The human scheduling of death endangers us all by killing the very soul of society. Comfort care and surrendering to God’s plan is the most beautiful way to prepare to meet Him. It may not always seem to be the easiest, but given Church teaching, it is not going to be easy to meet God in the next life after rejecting His authority in this one.

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Apologetics is the art of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse, making reference to both faith and reason as appropriate, in light of Saint Peter’s admonition to ‘Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence’ (1 Peter 3:15).

“The Church needs to promote apologetics, which is aimed at affirming the truth of Christian revelation, the harmony of faith and reason, and a sound understanding of freedom.” -Pope Benedict XVI

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Apologetics, 101

A Reply to Apologetics 101: Question 1: Proving that God Does Indeed Exist

Apologetics 101, Question 2: The Scandal of Evil

Apologetics 101, Question 3: Must God Be Good?

Apologetics 101, Question 4: Life, Soul and Substance

Apologetics 101, Question 5: The Immortality of the Soul

Apologetics 101, Question 6: Creation Ex Nihilo

Apologetics 101, Question 7: A Designed versus Random Universe

Apologetics 101, Question 8: Potency and Evolution

Apologetics 101, Question 9: Faith, Reason and Christianity

Apologetics 101, Question 10: How do you know the Bible is a reliable source of truth about God?

Apologetics 101, Question 11: How do you know for a certainty that Christ performed miracles?

Pommer said:

And here I thought that “Big Government” was anathema for conservatives.

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We love big government if they are killing the correct people at home and abroad.

exitstageright said:

You are so right! Men rely on porn because REAL WOMEN keep rejecting them. And a woman has to right to say," NO!" But it is so discouraging

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Given your background I would expect a rational approach to the subject. What you've deduced is factually incorrect and morally flawed. It's akin to saying the devil made me do it. Sin is a choice. Whether it's pornography or another vice. Holding others accountable for indulgence is irresponsible and devoid of regret.

It wouldn't matter if the man was rejected once or often over a period of time. The word is infallible and doesn't bend according to circumstance. It is a sin and he is wrong and that can't be debated.

exitstageright said:

to be rejected when a woman will not even date you. Last year, in 2025,I did not even had one date, I only asked Christian women out ,because I did not want to be unequally yoked.

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You have walked the earth over seventy years and reference one in your example. During that period did you respond to every occurrence of interest from the opposite sex or only the ones that met your criteria or mutual appeal?

exitstageright said:

It is so frustrating when I "play by the rules", and I get no accomplishment. This part of life really is a disappointment.

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This is an oxymoron. Holiness isn't a bargaining chip and the prize is righteousness not the desire of ones heart. Living as the Lord instructs should be enough and if it isn't you've run in vain.

There comes a point when we must view our decision with the collective in mind. Every decision impacts another eventually. Your choice to choose one in the past made others inaccesible and so on. We don't always have the opportunity for do-overs and some mistakes have greater consequences.

You've chosen to reside in a state where 16 women out of a 1,000 will marry. A little research would have shown you that number holds true across the country with a few exceptions in mind. But 22 is the greatest and that's a far cry from half. It's important to broach problems from several prongs and resist the draw of emotion and apathy for resolutions.

Most women aren't marrying. Nor are the majority christian either.
Most women aren't seeking companions in their seventies or sixties either.
Nor are most men desirous of women after they reach a certain point chronologically.

It isn't a quagmire but it requires a bit of truth serum nonetheless. You'll need to assess yourself from head to toe and defer to the facts. Not potential, personality or resources. What is she taking on with you? That's the question a woman considers for someone in your season. The more forthright you are in your examination the better it will be overall.

The majority will assume you have challenges and have silent concerns regarding your vitality. They don't want to be a nurse. Most men who've been alone for a time usually neglect their health. Their diet is bad, they eat out a lot and don't exercise and neglect has a price.

Everything has its season in life and we fare best when we move with the current rather than against it. You can't ignore your part in the problem and it should have been resolved 20 to 30 years ago at best. The challenges we endure in the end are usually borne by those who've walked with us when we're vibrant.

You're asking her to roll the dice for the sake of...

At seventy years of age no woman is giving anyone a chance. That's for girls and couples with a horizon ahead. You make rational decisions when you mature and weigh the costs. All you need to determine is what you're working with and how bad you want it.

When you own your mess you stop pointing fingers and feeling sorry for yourself. Life doesn't happen to us and oftentimes we're part of the problem. You didn't get where you are without cause and you're too old to be blaming women. It sounds ridiculous and you lived through a different era. You didn't enter adulthood with a gender war and assault on marriage.

But that's how the good times work. Most never assume they'll end and when they do they're caught off-guard.

~bella

What did the Angelic Doctor believe about the power of people to harm you with a look?​

We all know that this is the traditional method of appreciating a fine performance of the heavy metal variety:


Ronnie James Dio

People wrongly assume this is some kind of Satanic salute, with the index and pinky fingers making little devil horns (hence “throwing up the horns”). In fact, it was popularized through the late, great singer Ronnie James Dio, of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio. Ronnie was the proud grandson of a nonna from the old country, who would make the traditional gesture to ward off the malocchio, or “evil eye.” It wasn’t a salute to the devil: it was protection against him.

The gesture is found in multiple cultures and religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, and typically has a similar apotropaic function: removing negative energy. It was later adopted by wiccans and satanists as a “horn” gesture a symbolizing the goat, horned god, Satan, or evil in general (its exact opposite meaning in every other culture for thousands of years) because, as extensive scientific research has proven, they are idiots.

“Fascination,” or the evil look (from the latin fascinum, for “bewitching”), is one of the most ancient and widespread forms of folk belief. Every culture has some form of it: mal de ojo in Spain, mauvais oeil in France, boser blick in Germany, jettatura in Italy, isabat al-ayn in Arabic, kako mati in Greek, and on and on. I have volumes filled with lore about the evil eye from around the world, as well as the charms and gestures invoked against them.

Continued below.

How were children generally regarded by adults in Jesus’ time on the earth? From what I understand, they were not of much regard at all, and they were considered more as a bother or as a nuisance or as those who they had to endure, but they were not welcome or included among the adults (or just among the adult males). Women were not regarded by men much higher than children, from what I recall, and were often treated more like they were slaves, as though they were beneath men, rather than treated with value.

But Jesus treated both women and children with dignity, with love, with compassion, and with caring. He held the children in his arms and he ministered to them. And he took time with the women, and he listened to them, and he had conversations with them, and he included them in the ministry, and he honored them for their walks of faith in obedience to the Lord. And he healed their diseases, and he answered their questions. He treated neither children nor women as though they were less than men.

Now, whether you are male or female, the goal in life is not to “one up” the other to gain superiority over anyone. It is not to be about who is better at this than someone else, or who has more money or more power or more prestige. Men should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. And pastors are to lead by example, not with an iron fist. And women are to treat their husbands with dignity, and yield to their positions as head, but never to submit to what is sinful (immoral/wicked).

[Proverbs 24:17-20; Proverbs 25:21-22; Matthew 5:8-12,43-48; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 10:27; John 13:33-35; John 15:12; Romans 12:9-11,14-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 John 4:7]

And all of us, no matter who we are, should not be trying to prove ourselves superior to the other, hoping to outrank or to outthink the other just to prove we are the best. All of us should humble ourselves and surrender our lives to the control of God as Lord of our lives. All of us should have that child-like trust in the Lord to where we submit to his Lordship over our lives and yield to his wisdom. All of us are to come under the authority of God and to be thankful for his grace which not one of us deserves, in our own flesh.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

In Harmony

Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.

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Serving God and Loving Others
An Original Work / January 29, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Inhocsigno said:

Greetings Christsfreeservant,
Thank you for this ever timely and relevant message. For new congregation members in particular, the lessons and significance of the Pentecost are often some of the more challenging teachings to bring across, just as they are important. Very nice work in putting this together.

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Thank you for your encouraging words, inhocsigno. All glory to God.

prodromos said:

Her pregnancy was not the subject of the "until" clause. And on that bit of ridiculous hubris from you, I believe we are done.

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Prove from Scripture that Joseph was married prior to being married to Mary!

If Joseph never produced children with Mary; there'd be no reason to state that he "didn't know her until....".

Gracious Heavenly Father,
Please bring Debbie to a saving knowledge of the truth and faith in You. Please have mercy on her son, Jacqueline’s brother-in-law, for the sake of Your child Jacqueline. I pray for His salvation, and show him that You are the healer of all emotional wounds. Please guide Jacqueline’s sister to Yourself, and help her to help, as she is important for this process.
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

Gracious Heavenly Father,
Please heal this person’s knee, and guide them as to how You would have them work and provide for themselves.
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

Gracious Heavenly Father,
I pray for Carmen’s blood pressure, that it should be safe. Also, I pray for relief for anxiety and fear about the blood pressure, which can cause it to go up.
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

(my brother used to have high blood pressure from panic every time he went to the doctors, going there scared him and that pushed it up. It’s going to be okay.)

So true.

essentialsaltes said:

The FBI is investigating Minnesota Signal chats tracking ICE, Patel says​

FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday that he had opened an investigation into the Signal group text chats that Minnesota residents are using to share information about federal immigration agents’ movements, launching a new front in the Trump administration’s conflict there with potential free speech implications.

The investigation quickly drew skepticism from free speech advocates who said the First Amendment protects members of the public who share legally obtained information, such as the names of federal agents or where they are conducting enforcement operations.

“There are legitimate reasons to share such information, including enabling members of the public to observe and document law enforcement activity and to hold officials accountable for misconduct,” Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said in an email.

Patel did not say which laws he thought Minnesota residents may have violated. An FBI spokesperson said the bureau had no further information to provide.

“Unless the FBI has evidence of a crime, and not just evidence of activity the Constitution protects, it should stand down,” [free speech expert guy] said.

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R.I.P. Probable Cause.

Funny how, for a president so keen to claim he doesn't want to be a dictator, the Trump administration sure seems more than willing to follow the dictator handbook.

-- A2SG, almost like those claims are a lie....but why would a felon convicted for fraud lie?

FaithT said:

Instead of buying from Catholic Sprouts I found two books on Amazon that I ordered. One is a Lenten book, the other is a devotional written by a Catholic author, Gary Zimak who has had anxiety and found help in Jesus. He’s been on EWTN.

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Very nice!

If you have any doubts, you can always have your books or devotional items blessed.

That’s what I do, anyway!

Peace

jas3 said:

It continues to elude me why a Catholic is promoting anti-Catholic articles.
The distinction between worship (a better word to use would be adoration) and veneration is important because if what's prohibited is adoration, but we're not adoring icons, then we're not doing what's prohibited. It's worth noting that his interpretation would make things like crosses in church prohibited as well.
Carpenter ignores that the commandment against images doesn't only prohibit "bowing down" and "serving them," but it actually forbids even making them: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." So if icons are forbidden, then even artistic depictions of cherubim or snakes are forbidden.
One could just as easily argue against Carpenter using his own words: "the intricate theological debate over the distinction between artistic and devotional use is moot. The commandment forbids making images. When an image is made of a martyr, it's an image of something 'in the earth beneath,' and the second commandment explicitly forbids it."

This is a serious problem for iconoclasts: their argument proves too much. Even if they themselves strictly hold to "four bare walls and a sermon," they've made God contradict Himself in the examples of the images on the Ark of the Covenant and the bronze serpent. And let's be honest, the vast majority of Protestants who point fingers at Orthodox Christians and say "idolater" have images of the Cross in their churches and on their Bibles, if not full-on Nativity scenes around Christmas.

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Discussion in an area where all can participate is not a bad thing. It’s how people learn. Add the fact it’s not about Trump but faith… it’s a win anyway you look at it. I post many things I’m not on board with but others are. It promotes discussion.

joymercy said:

All Glory to God and thanksgiving for the intercession of St Charbel.

I was seeing the exorcist at this time as well, who I do think included his prayers for healing.

I could dig up the medical record for visiting the surgeon and also his assistant for an assessment

I was told that a bad meniscus tear is no longer sewn like it used to be and so would not be done

I went home in sorrow

But on Sunday, I went to as special mass to venerate St Charbel and just completely abandoned myself over

Just praying and trusting w/o any doubt at all

I went up to kiss his relic and to place my prayer in a basket of prayers

Any one can do this kind of thing, so just ask and trust and maybe you will receive consolation, as thousands already have all over the world according to the testimony of this Maronite priest I had.

Keep the faith.

Work hard at it

Just keep plowing forward and don't look back

This is the One True Chruch.

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Amen. Thank you.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, an Iowa man went viral after spontaneously praying for President Donald Trump while President Trump visited the Machine Shed restaurant in Urbandale, Iowa.

Trump’s restaurant stop came as he prepared to give a speech in Des Moines to encourage Republican support for this year’s midterm elections in November.

Video footage shows the man asking Trump if he could pray for him as the president greeted people at their tables.

“Absolutely! Come on. Let’s go,” Trump replied.

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There's a long history of US States prosecuting Federal officials for criminal activities conducted within their jurisdiction.

The precedent goes back more than 160 years. Supreme Court rulings are very clear on this. From Johnson v State of Maryland (1920):

"Of course an employee of the United States does not secure a general immunity from state law while acting in the course of his employment. That was decided long ago by Mr. Justice Washington in United States v. Hart, Pet. C. C. 390, Fed. Cas. No. 15,316; 5 Op. Attys. Gen. 554. "

Saying children’s needs are more important than adult desires, a new coalition has launched to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.

Greater Than, which kicked off today(Jan. 28), is spearheaded by Them Before Us, a nonprofit group founded by advocate Katy Faust. For years, Faust has led “a global defense of children’s rights and natural marriage,” providing allies with “the language to challenge divorce, IVF, and surrogacy.”

Faust, a pastor’s wife and mother of four, said same-sex marriage victimizes children by making parenthood adult-centered. She speaks from experience: After Faust’s parents divorced when she was 10, her mother began a relationship with a female partner.

Continued below.

Lately, I started playing a video game again but mostly NOT for entertainment. In fact, the game I'm playing now (Battlefield 2) is not even one of my favorites. But found it significantly improved my situational awareness and mental focus in street skating, and improving safety as well. So I play the video game immediately before my skating sessions.

It's disturbing how the AI in the 20 year old video game mimics the behavior of people on the road both as motorist and pedestrian. Taught me fairly accurately to anticipate people's next moves on the road. Either the game AI is that surprisingly advanced for the period or people have become quite distracted all the time, they act worse than AI on the road.

2PhiloVoid said:

It sounds like he has trouble from childhood with aligning with God's will for whatever reasons.

To be frank, this is a public forum and it's no one's place here to tell you to divorce him if he is indeed NPD, and I'd prefer to think that if you could just sit down with him and read the New Testament together that even he could get a clue.

But being that I'm aware of human psychological reality, that sometimes certain people are just broken inside.......................then if things are bad between you and him, get some certified professional counseling before you make any important, final decisions.

It would be ideal if both of you could work it out over the next few months, but if he's NPD, I know that's a low probability.

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Thank you so much for your feedback. He’s refusing to go to counseling and he doesn’t read the bible. So I’m going to keep praying and continue trying to talk things over with him. Not sure where things will end up but I am taking this decision very seriously and will not make any final decisions until I know God has confirmed it.

I think he has a really good point. Me? I've never used chat bots and I have no desire to.