• 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.

Looking to become parents

My husband and I were tested for marriage for STDs, and other general health screenings. We are both healthy, and clear. The OBGYN for high-risk said because of my rare blood disorder I am (obviously high-risk) more prone to miscarriages, which I believe we've had a couple. My mother died birthing me, but the doctor brought her back. All of my sisters (4 sisters) nearly died having their children, but have 11 healthy kids between them. My family is national study case for this blood disorder, but I've never even had one problem with it, and I don't even register as needing the high-risk doctor, except for on paper.
My husband's mom is a natural doctor, but even as a Christian she is skeptical about him having kids, so I cannot just ask her for advice. I feel like when God's ready (as He doesn't just promise willy-nilly), He will break through any/all issues we face, even medically. As a Christian, I know He works miracles. I've seen bodies healed out of nowhere. We know someone who was clinically dead and suddenly wasn't (after hours in a body bag). I don't feel like it's biblical to my understanding of faith for me to begin searching every detail of my marriage or our bodies trying to find a flaw, but this is the answer to your question - No, we are healthy. There is no reason according to our specialist why we shouldn't be able to conceive/carry/birth healthy children to our heart's content.
I sometimes wonder if it isn't something spiritually clogging the works, but...I do pray constantly. Thank you for your prayers, too.
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‘You Catholics Are Divided, Too!’

*Permission to post full text*

There's an important difference between Catholic 'disunity' and thousands of Protestant denominations.​


“You Catholics are divided, too!”

It’s a common objection from Protestants when confronted with a certain Catholic critique that Protestantism, in its emphasis on the individual’s ability to properly interpret Scripture for himself, and its fundamental opposition to any kind of magisterial authority, necessarily results in an ever-increasing diversity of ecclesial communities and theologies. Yes, the Protestant apologist acknowledges, there are Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Wesleyans, Baptists, and a wide assortment of other branches and sub-branches of Protestantism. But self-identifying Catholics disagree about abortion, contraception, homosexuality, female ordination, and even whether Pope Francis is a legitimate pope!

Not so fast. As I explain in my book The Obscurity of Scripture, relying on the excellent work of Catholic philosopher (and former Protestant seminarian) Bryan Cross, we need to first understand what the Church means by disagreements of faith and disagreements not of faith. Disagreements of faith are concerned with what has been divinely revealed either in Scripture or Tradition. The Catholic Church, either by solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, has promulgated teachings from Scripture or Tradition that must be believed because:

Continued below.
Maybe this essay would win a debate between an articulate canon law expert with Master's level theology and morality and liturgy, and a correspondingly similarly armed non-Catholic; maybe not. I am saddened by such legal, rational, discursive (in the philosophical/archaic sense of the word) arguments over any or all of the divisive symptoms of division that bring such deep grief to the faithful today. The sickness is much simpler and deeper than such prescriptions can heal. "Church" is found in the supernatural realm.

Jesus was explicit in the first step, speaking with Jews who had believed in Him:
As he spoke thus, many believed in him. Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Jn 8:30-32)
More than "believing" was needed: remaining - dwelling - continuing in Him - finding one's 24-7-365 home in Him is. Jesus came to make disciples who could make disciples.

Who and where are the true believers and disciples of Jesus Christ? Jesus was even more specific. His Church of His disciples can and will be known by "all men:"
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (Jn 13:34-35)

If anyone thinks "it's not that simple," I'd suggest it's not Jesus who is confused: we are.
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The King James Version (KJV) hid the true message of Hebrews chapter 4 from generations of Bible readers.

That's not the only hiccup in the KJV
Brother, the KJV encouraged opposition to the Ten Commandments because it caused people to think that the Sabbath is not required in the new covenant when it is in the original message of the book of Hebrews, a Sabbath "day" corrected from human tradition in Judaism since Joshua.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.” So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Now IF JOSHUA HAD SUCCEEDED IN GIVING THEM THIS REST, GOD WOULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT ANOTHER DAY of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. (Hebrews 4:1-11 NLT)​

This misunderstanding of the days of the week by “Joshua” due to the earlier Sabbath in Jerusalem spoken of in the book of Hebrews above is acknowledged in the following video, where it is shown that the days of the week in the manna-story are morning to morning and not like the earlier evening to evening Sabbath in Jerusalem, which Joshua misunderstood as a new seventh day of the week, when that was not the proper understanding of this earlier Sabbath "day" being separate from the week and fixed to the site of creation in Eden on the other side of the world from Jerusalem.

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United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge
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Trump holding off on tariffs after Colombia agrees to accept deported migrants on military planes, White House says

Washington — President Trump will hold off on imposing steep tariffs on Colombia after the country's government agreed to accept deported migrants being returned on military planes, the White House said Sunday night.

Mr. Trump earlier on Sunday vowed swift and punishing retaliation after the Colombian government over the weekend blocked the arrival of deportation flightsfrom the U.S., objecting to the Trump administration's efforts to use military planes to deport migrants.

Continued below.
We weren't planning on growing any coffee anyway.
  • Haha
Reactions: Michie
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Christian YouTuber Recommendations?

My web site is nearly at 4 million views...

Nice!
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Which Christian Denomination Do We Believe?

I have heard many different Christian denominations say this one thing, "Our denomination sticks to the Bible the closest and teaches it more accurately too."

This has been said by Catholics, by Non-Denominational, Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutherans. We can't all be right, right? There are too many fundamental differences between all of them combined for that to be the case.

Every Christian is going to say their denomination adheres to the Bible best, but how do we know for sure?
What do we look for in a church and the way it functions to see if it truly preaches what the Bible says?
Look for a church like in acts chapter 4 and 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Look for one who loves God not money, and loves the kingdom of Jesus not America. This church will teach against lust for wealth and possessions. It will teach against fornication. It will teach against vanity and teach about inner beauty that pleases God. It will teach love for God and people. It will not pollute the gospel with worldly politics. In my opinion.
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'Trump Effect' credited for 74% plunge in migrant encounters at southern border: report

Migrant encounters at the United States southwest border have reportedly fallen by 74% since the Republican President Donald Trump took office last month.

Within the first 15 days of Trump taking office for the second time, the southwest border saw a total of 12,500 migrant encounters in total, averaging around 833 each day, according to new U.S. Department of Homeland Security data obtained by NewsNation. DHS sources have referred to the decline as "The Trump Effect."

"That's lower than the president's first-week average, 1,050," the outlet reported. "In the past eight days alone, encounter averages have sunk further to 650 daily."

Continued below.
  • Winner
Reactions: Vambram

US top diplomat Rubio to skip G20 over ‘anti-Americanism’

Rubio is hard to watch. He's pretty much the only one in foreign affairs we can count on--not the unqualified and morally questionable Gabbard and Hegseth....but his ambition will lead him to doing the say of those with only a thimble full of knowledge and an appetite for power.
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Standing firm after husband murdered. Mob attacks Pastor’s home. Pastor dies in custody.

  • Victorie and her husband had become followers of Christ, but their families and most of the people in their village follow traditional Voodoo practices. Victorie's in-laws were not happy that the young couple had become Christians. They threatened them and tried to scare them into converting back to pagan beliefs. "We would see blood around the house," Victorie said. One day her husband's parents threatened her. "They told me, ‘If anything happens to our son, it is your fault.'" As Victorie and her husband were returning home from a visit to his family one night, he suddenly collapsed and died shortly afterwards. Read More.
  • Feb. 06, 2025 | Bangladesh​

    Pastor's Mob-Wrecked Home Cultivates Christian Unity

    [3] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Pastor Dulal.
    Christians in Bangladesh have experienced greater unity in the face of increasing persecution.
    Pastor Dulal had received threats because of his Christian witness in his village. But when political upheaval in the summer of 2024 left the area without police or army protection, Muslim extremists took the opportunity to fulfill those threats. Attackers destroyed his home, gouging large holes in the walls and ripping out windows and doors while carrying away anything of value. Dulal said he was thankful that he and his family were not home at the time because he believes the attackers would have killed them. Read More.
  • Feb. 06, 2025 | Vietnam​

    Imprisoned Pastor Dies in Custody

    [4] prayers in [1] nation have been posted for Xa and family.
    Xa was overcome with emotion while sharing about her husband's death.
    Pastor Diem and his wife, Xa, lived in a majority-Christian community, so they did not face persecution locally. When Diem would travel beyond the village for ministry, however, he was always under scrutiny. On Jan. 5, 2018, police and security officials surrounded the couple's house and announced Diem's arrest on suspicion of anti-government activities. Months of secret court proceedings ended with a 16-year prison sentence for Diem. On Dec. 14, 2022, Diem was permitted to call home and wish his family a merry Christmas. It was the last time Xa heard his voice. Read More.
  • Prayers
Reactions: Pop D.

Joe Biden signs with talent agency

Agreed. However, it does contradict the narrative some have tried to promote that President Biden is a doddering, senile fool who has no idea what's going on.

-- A2SG, he may be old, but he's not senile.....
I’m not doctor, I have no idea if he’s senile or not, plus I never met the man. I cannot comment.
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How Trump’s Executive Orders Stack Up Against Church Teaching

In a flurry of executive actions, the president has made moves on everything from gender ideology to the death penalty, with mixed results from the perspective of the Church’s social doctrine.

President Donald Trump has wasted no time in putting his campaign promises into action — with mixed results from a Catholic perspective

Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, Trump has signed off on a flurry of executive orders, making big changes on everything from abortion funding to capital punishment, parental choice in education to care for creation.

As of Feb. 5, the Republican has issued more than 50 presidential decrees, according to the White House’s website. That figure is nearly a quarter of the 220 executive orders he approved during his entire first four-year presidential term and is the most signed by a president in his first 100 days in office in 40 years, according to NBC News.

Continued below.

Pope Francis calls potential U.S. deportation plans ‘a disgrace’

Pope Francis criticized potential plans for mass deportations in the United States under President-elect Donald Trump during a wide-ranging Italian television interview on Sunday.

“If this is true it is a disgrace because it makes the poor unfortunate who have nothing pay the price of imbalance. This is not how things are solved,” the pope said on Italian broadcaster Nove’s “Che Tempo Che Fa” program on Jan. 19, speaking about plans to deport immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.

The U.S. bishops said in November they would speak out forcefully if Trump does advance the proposal in a way that undermines human dignity.

There are an estimated 11.7 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., according to July 2023 statistics from the Center for Migration Studies.

Continued below.
Illegals have no place in the country to which they are immigrants. They are criminals, not Christlike, so the much-abused passage St Matthew 25.31-46 does not apply. The should be expelled from all countries where they are illegal immigrants, not just from the USA. Pres. Trump is to be praised for setting a good example to the leaders of other countries with similar problems.

If he were the "Nazi" some people's fantasies say he is, he would be killing migrants, by the thousands; not expelling them. He would also be passing legislation to outlaw all opposition parties, and all other opposition.
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In facing ‘populist’ tide, Pope risks exposing Church skeletons

From the op:

Meanwhile, conservative Catholic commentator Philip Lawler said there were two “predictable consequences” of the McElroy appointment to Washington.

“1) He will be a prominent critic of the Trump administration. 2) He will be criticized himself in turn, because of his ties to ‘Uncle Ted’ McCarrick,” Lawler said on X, referring to accusations McElroy covered up abuse charges against the ex-Cardinal and ex-priest.

“His criticism of the White House may or may not damage Trump. But the criticism of McElroy will undoubtedly damage the credibility of the Catholic hierarchy. So his appointment tells you something about the current priorities of Vatican leadership,” he continued.

Lawler has a point, in that there are two major issues facing the Francis pontificate in the 88-year-old pope’s waning years.

******************************
I personally think if he tries to be an anti-Trump maverick it’s just going to reflect poorly on him.
It sounds as though the US hierarchy is extremely damaged and discredited already, so the second of those consequences is almost inevitable, regardless of whom the Pope chooses.

McElroy & the other US bishops should concern themselves with the spiritual good of Catholics, not, mainly, with politics. Bishops these days are far too political, to the very great neglect of more important matters.
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The Pope Is Not Not Infallible

"Many non-Catholic Christians make the claim that if papal infallibility were true, Scripture would explicitly teach it."

That is a claim, and an assumption, for which there is no basis.

If that is claim is correct, why does Scripture not

- explicitly teach the doctrine of the Trinity ? For it never does so
- say, explicitly, that Jesus is God ? For it never says that.

A great deal of Evangelical doctrine is based on inferences from what Scripture says, & not on what it unambiguously asserts.

The Bible never asserts that God wills that there should be

  1. a collection
  2. of books
  3. 27 in number
  4. no more
  5. and no fewer
  6. complete with all their parts
  7. without additions
  8. that are identified
  9. and are God-breathed
  10. Holy
  11. Scripture
  12. to form a "New Testament"
  13. that is to be regarded as canonical
  14. in all matters of faith
  15. and of morals
  16. for all Christians
  17. everywhere
  18. for all time
  19. in addition to the Jewish Scriptures

Evangelicals believe, not one or some of those assertions, but every single one of them. As well as others. Even though there is nothing in Scripture to support any of them, let alone every single one of them. That is a lot of doctrines - not one of them in Scripture - that Evangelicals believe.

If the Evangelical doctrine about those writings is not found in Scripture, why must Papal Infallibility, or the Tri-Unity of God, be taught in Scripture ? And why do Evangelicals hold Catholic doctrine to a standard that their own doctrine fails to satisfy ?

There is no Biblical evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah - unless one assumes, without any Biblical foundation for doing so, that the 27 NT books have all the qualities listed above.
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Why did David execute the man who brought him Saul's crown?

Amalekites were cursed by God (Ex 17:14). God commanded Saul to exterminate them but he didn't. Samuel rebuked him for disobeying (1S 15:18).

Later, the Philistines invaded. Saul was badly wounded and probably killed himself.

2S 1:

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
David continued to carry out God's command to exterminate the Amalekites.

Ironically, an Amalekite [A1] came to David and claimed to have finished Saul off at his request. He told David this story:

8 "And [Saul] said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 "So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
According to A1, Saul knew A1 was an Amalekite. Now David knew also. A1 was trying to gain favor with David.

13 David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”
A1 affirmed that he was an Amalekite.

14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
Why did David execute A1 who brought him Saul's crown?

David didn't kill A1 for bringing the crown.

Was it because David thought that this man should have gotten Saul some help?

No, Saul's bodily condition was beyond help.

Was it because he was just angry and sad and human and did something rash because he lost his friend Jonathan?

No. David would not have transferred this anger onto A1. He wouldn't just take it out on A1. David was cool.

The only question he asks the man after he finds out that Saul and Jonathan are dead is "why were you not afraid to strike the Lords anointed"? So I wonder is it related to him thinking that this man is disrespecting God?

Right, something like that. Ostensibly, it was because A1 killed the Lord's anointed. Saul was the Lord's anointed. A1 didn't respect the Lord's anointed. By executing the man, David demonstrated that such an act against the Lord's anointed would not be tolerated. David himself had refrained from killing Saul twice (1S 24, 26). David, too, was the Lord's anointed. This execution would deter people from killing David as well.

Privately, David did not believe A1's motivations were pure. A1 might have lied to him. Furthermore, Amalekites were cursed by God.

Right after the execution,

17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
19“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
David's feelings for Saul and Jonathan were genuine. A1 didn't have this kind of respect for Saul. So David executed A1, an Amalekite.

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