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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.
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Finding Peace of Mind in Troubled Times
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
If you’re like me you look at the news today and remembering the events of the last five years, you wonder what next? Wars and rumors of wars, race riots, political instability, a pandemic, religious uncertainty, the disintegration of marriage, skyrocketing levels of addiction, suicide, abortion–broken families, broken hearts, broken lives…
If you spend too much time on social media or online news you are having the bad news shipped into your life from around the world instantly. So how to find peace of mind in troubled times?
First thing is pray more. Prayer has practical benefits as well as eternal consequences. Prayer turns your mind to eternal things. You’re focussing on the big picture and knowing that there is a larger and more loving plan for the world–one that transcends the everyday troubles and trials. In fact, that greater plan is always operating in and through the troubles–the Planner always bringing good out of evil.
Second, read the Bible every day. The best way to do this is through the regular, disciplined reading of the Liturgy of the Hours. Morning and Evening Prayer turns your heart and mind away from the news cycle to the Good News cycle. When you read the psalms and the rest of the Scriptures you realize the greater history of mankind has always been one of conflict and battle, sin and repentance, falling and getting up again.
Continued below.
dwightlongenecker.com
If you spend too much time on social media or online news you are having the bad news shipped into your life from around the world instantly. So how to find peace of mind in troubled times?
First thing is pray more. Prayer has practical benefits as well as eternal consequences. Prayer turns your mind to eternal things. You’re focussing on the big picture and knowing that there is a larger and more loving plan for the world–one that transcends the everyday troubles and trials. In fact, that greater plan is always operating in and through the troubles–the Planner always bringing good out of evil.
Second, read the Bible every day. The best way to do this is through the regular, disciplined reading of the Liturgy of the Hours. Morning and Evening Prayer turns your heart and mind away from the news cycle to the Good News cycle. When you read the psalms and the rest of the Scriptures you realize the greater history of mankind has always been one of conflict and battle, sin and repentance, falling and getting up again.
Continued below.
Finding Peace of Mind in Troubled Times | Fr. Dwight Longenecker
If you're like me you look at the news today and remembering the events of the last five years, you wonder what next? Wars and rumors of wars, race riots, political instability, a pandemic, religious uncertainty, the disintegration of marriage, skyrocketing levels of addiction, suicide...
dwightlongenecker.com
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Melania Trump in new memoir
- By RileyG
- OBOB General Politics Forum
- 14 Replies
Thank youYou are not rambling ... you are speaking truth.
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Trail Camera Shows ‘Truly Amazing’ Bear – Born with 2-Legs and Walking Tall in West Virginia (WATCH)
- By Michie
- Outdoor Activities & Nature
- 0 Replies
A black bear born without front legs has been sighted more or less thriving in the mountains of West Virginia.
Though not unheard of, it’s wild to be able to see the animal’s natural movement, having been transformed, by consequence of his birth, from a quadrupedal animal to a bipedal animal like us.
“The area he’s in has some of the steepest terrain in the Appalachian mountains,” hunter and outdoor writer Kirk Price wrote on Instagram. “He has no problem getting around.”
Price posted a video on his YouTube channel in 2022 explaining he had been aware that the bear was in the area, and had seen still photos of it from as far back as 2018, but the video was him explaining a face-to-face encounter he had with the animal which he described as “just the toughest, baddest son-of-a-gun.”
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Trail Camera Shows ‘Truly Amazing' Bear – Born with 2-Legs and Walking Tall in West Virginia (WATCH)
The most recent sightings must make this particular bear, according to Price's estimation, at around 8 years old
www.goodnewsnetwork.org
I feel suffering, sadness and disappointment all the time?
- General Struggles
- 7 Replies
But God does!
So I say again, just keep trusting Him, one day at a time.
Our main purpose in life is to love God.
Keep doing that, and I believe He will show you more purpose for your life.
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Did Jesus give Christian leaders right to use coarse political rhetoric?
- By Michie
- General Politics
- 0 Replies
A seasoned ministry colleague wrote to me last week asking for assistance. “I need some help with exegesis of Luke 13:31-32,” he said. “I spoke at a conference last week with many pastors who used that passage where Jesus calls Herod a fox as their rationale for using coarse language about Harris/Walz and the other political side. I was quite disturbed by the name calling and mocking from the pulpit, and I reproved them all when it was my turn to speak.”
He continued, “I was shocked that the pastors used that passage to justify their mocking and name calling from the pulpit, citing Jesus as our example. Do you, as a Messianic Jew, have any insight into the historical/contextual usage of ‘fox’ in 33 AD? I need to be able to answer pastor’s defense of their name calling using that passage.”
He then sent me an excellent response compiled by our mutual friend and colleague, Dr. Joseph Mattera.
Dr. Mattera explained, “The term ‘fox’ here carries connotations of craftiness, cunning, and deceit, but also weakness and insignificance compared to a lion or other more powerful animals. In ancient Jewish culture, calling someone a fox could imply that they are untrustworthy, deceptive, and sly, but it was not necessarily the most severe insult. It might also suggest that Herod, despite his political power, is insignificant in God’s larger plan.
Continued below.
www.christianpost.com
He continued, “I was shocked that the pastors used that passage to justify their mocking and name calling from the pulpit, citing Jesus as our example. Do you, as a Messianic Jew, have any insight into the historical/contextual usage of ‘fox’ in 33 AD? I need to be able to answer pastor’s defense of their name calling using that passage.”
He then sent me an excellent response compiled by our mutual friend and colleague, Dr. Joseph Mattera.
Dr. Mattera explained, “The term ‘fox’ here carries connotations of craftiness, cunning, and deceit, but also weakness and insignificance compared to a lion or other more powerful animals. In ancient Jewish culture, calling someone a fox could imply that they are untrustworthy, deceptive, and sly, but it was not necessarily the most severe insult. It might also suggest that Herod, despite his political power, is insignificant in God’s larger plan.
Continued below.
Did Jesus give Christian leaders right to use coarse political rhetoric?
The higher we step, the more clearly we can be God s prophetic spokesmen
www.christianpost.com
Is Satan The Ruler of This World?
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Until Christ’s second coming, this world remains at least partially under Satan’s authority because it remains enmeshed in sin. As 1 John 3:8 reminds us, “He who commits sin is of the devil.” For this reason the New Testament describes Satan variously as “the ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31), “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2).
Nevertheless, believers have nothing to fear, since Jesus assures us that the devil is being cast out of this world (see Jn 12:31). Ever since Calvary, the evil one’s power over men has been broken: “[Christ] has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13).
Jesus captures this truth vividly in His parable of the strong man: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil” (Lk 11:21-22).
The joy of the Gospel consists in the knowledge that Christ is the stronger man who has demolished the strongholds of the devil, liberating the souls caught in his snares. Although Satan remains the god of this world, his power is swiftly waning.
Like the white witch in C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the devil knows his winter is fast melting away. The Cross has sundered his power; hope is in the air. For a little while longer, the spiritual battle continues. But the Good News of the Gospel assures us that the stronger man is in control, and His Kingdom is coming soon.
Continued below.
stpaulcenter.com
Nevertheless, believers have nothing to fear, since Jesus assures us that the devil is being cast out of this world (see Jn 12:31). Ever since Calvary, the evil one’s power over men has been broken: “[Christ] has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13).
Jesus captures this truth vividly in His parable of the strong man: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil” (Lk 11:21-22).
The joy of the Gospel consists in the knowledge that Christ is the stronger man who has demolished the strongholds of the devil, liberating the souls caught in his snares. Although Satan remains the god of this world, his power is swiftly waning.
Like the white witch in C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the devil knows his winter is fast melting away. The Cross has sundered his power; hope is in the air. For a little while longer, the spiritual battle continues. But the Good News of the Gospel assures us that the stronger man is in control, and His Kingdom is coming soon.
Continued below.
Is Satan The Ruler of This World?
Until Christ’s second coming, this world remains at least partially under Satan’s authority because it remains enmeshed in sin. As 1 John 3:8 reminds us, “He who commits sin is of the devil.” For this reason the New Testament describes Satan variously as “the ruler of this world” (Jn 12:
stpaulcenter.com
No, your moderate amount of evil is not okay
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Corey DeAngelis and the problem of a scandalous past
Corey DeAngelis, the man with the most effective voice for school choice and parental control of education, turns out to have been a gay porn actor. (You probably don’t want to know.)
What interests me about this story is not whether a cause, in this case, school choice and funding policies, can be right even if its proponents are hypocrites or have a terrible past, and it’s not about whether someone with a sketchy past can repent and work on the side of right (of course they can and should).
It’s about whether depraved acts can be okay for adults and not okay for kids. We need to figure this out, because our moral confusion is harming our children, even as we claim to be rescuing them.
Some things are good for adults, but not for children. Some book or movie themes are dark and children should be shielded from them; but they are not bad in themselves. We can follow Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina along her path to destruction through sin, but it’s not a story we want to tell children; it would deprive them of their peace, so important to their development. Some stories are dark through and through. Everyone should avoid them and their authors should be shunned until they change their ways.
Alcohol is acceptable for adults and not for children. A 200 lb. man can drink a few glasses of wine, but children shouldn’t be imbibing. And we ought to agree that drunkenness is not acceptable at any age.
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No, your moderate amount of evil is not okay
Corey DeAngelis and the problem of a scandalous past
leilamarielawler.substack.com
An extraordinary statement from the world’s Orthodox leaders
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Yesterday’s CWN headlines included a news story that our readers might have passed over lightly. In case they did, let me explain why it was worthy of notice.
Continued below.
www.catholicculture.org
Representatives of the Orthodox churches and the Oriental Orthodox churches met to discuss the cause of Christian unity. A causal reader might ask: So what? At first glance this looks like one more story about a meeting of ecumenical “experts,” a meeting likely to end in a statement that will express laudable goals but produce no concrete results. And since this was a “preparatory” meeting, intended to spur further ecumenical talks, I can easily understand skepticism about its immediate news value. But bear with me, while I explain the significance of the story.Continued below.
An extraordinary statement from the world’s Orthodox leaders
Are the Orthodox churches signaling their readiness to take the lead in the international fight to preserve marriage— and questioning the reliability of their Catholic allies?
www.catholicculture.org
St. Francis dropped everything after hearing this strange voice
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Today is Oct. 4, the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi.
In the readings for today’s feast, Jesus says: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Dreaming of becoming a great knight, Francis of Assisi was on his way to join papal troops in Apulia, on the East coast of Italy. In the middle of the night, a voice asked Francis, “Who is more important, the servant or the Master?” The question is a provocative one. It meant: Will you serve the things of this world or the things of heaven? Francis answered that “the Master” is more important. The voice then asked, “Why then do you seek the servant instead of the Master?”
Continued below.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
In the readings for today’s feast, Jesus says: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Dreaming of becoming a great knight, Francis of Assisi was on his way to join papal troops in Apulia, on the East coast of Italy. In the middle of the night, a voice asked Francis, “Who is more important, the servant or the Master?” The question is a provocative one. It meant: Will you serve the things of this world or the things of heaven? Francis answered that “the Master” is more important. The voice then asked, “Why then do you seek the servant instead of the Master?”
Continued below.
St. Francis dropped everything after hearing this strange voice
Dreaming of becoming a great knight, Francis of Assisi was on his way to join papal troops. In the middle of the night, a voice asked Francis, “Who is more important, the servant or the Master?” This question changed the course of Francis’ life.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
Autistic Catholics find a voice: New support group fosters connection and belonging
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
Several Catholics have banded together to create a support system for Catholics on the autism spectrum. Autistic Catholics, an online resource and support group, kicked off this week with the group’s first online meeting.
Allen Obie John Smith, a Catholic convert who lives in Ridgway, Colorado, with his wife, is the founding executive director of Autistic Catholics. Inspired by his own experience with autism, Smith — who goes by his middle name, John — founded the group this past summer to help build fellowship among autistic Catholics while giving them a voice.
“I think my own experience of feeling alone as a diagnosed autistic person really contributed the most to the founding, and I knew I wasn’t alone in my feeling of isolation,” Smith told CNA.
Continued below.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Allen Obie John Smith, a Catholic convert who lives in Ridgway, Colorado, with his wife, is the founding executive director of Autistic Catholics. Inspired by his own experience with autism, Smith — who goes by his middle name, John — founded the group this past summer to help build fellowship among autistic Catholics while giving them a voice.
“I think my own experience of feeling alone as a diagnosed autistic person really contributed the most to the founding, and I knew I wasn’t alone in my feeling of isolation,” Smith told CNA.
Continued below.
New group fosters connection and belonging for autistic Catholics
Autistic Catholics, an online resource and support group, kicked off this week with the group’s first online meeting.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
'Journey to Bethlehem' director to release thriller about spiritual warfare: 'The devil does his best work in Hollywood'
- By Michie
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Adam Anders has revealed he’s working on a thriller focused on spiritual warfare, a topic the "Rock of Ages" director said he’s become even more concerned about after working in Hollywood for decades, a place where “the devil does his best work.”
The 48-year-old director, who is also behind "Journey to Bethlehem" and “Dirty Dancing,” told The Christian Post that his next venture, set to be released by Lionsgate, departs from his usual music-driven projects and tackles a rarely explored topic in Hollywood — spiritual battles between good and evil.
“My next project is a thriller with Lionsgate next about spiritual warfare,” he said. “It’s going to be a huge movie. It's not a musical, which is crazy, but a great challenge. I’m very excited. I'm just writing it right now.”
Continued below.
www.christianpost.com
The 48-year-old director, who is also behind "Journey to Bethlehem" and “Dirty Dancing,” told The Christian Post that his next venture, set to be released by Lionsgate, departs from his usual music-driven projects and tackles a rarely explored topic in Hollywood — spiritual battles between good and evil.
“My next project is a thriller with Lionsgate next about spiritual warfare,” he said. “It’s going to be a huge movie. It's not a musical, which is crazy, but a great challenge. I’m very excited. I'm just writing it right now.”
Continued below.
'Journey to Bethlehem' director to release thriller about spiritual warfare: 'The devil does his best work in Hollywood'
Director Adam Anders has revealed he s working on a thriller focusing on spiritual warfare a topic he said he s become even more concerned about after working in Hollywood for decades, a place where
www.christianpost.com
