The lack of preexisting Catholic structures allow for apostolates that match the edginess and innovation of the eclectic city they’re trying to reach.

The challenge facing the Catholic Church in much of Germany, especially traditionally Catholic regions like Bavaria, is akin to revitalizing a tree with deep roots but dead branches, now struggling to stay alive.

That’s not the case in Berlin. Here, where Catholicism has never been a dominant force after the Reformation, and rising irreligiosity has earned the city a reputation as “the atheist capital of Europe,” there’s not much of a tree to save. Instead, evangelization looks more like planting seeds in untamed soil. And the resulting Catholic dynamic is often creative, edgy — and a little wild.

That’s probably why people like Jan Philipp Göetz thrive in Berlin’s Catholic sub-culture. A former director of international and government relations for the German airline Lufthansa, Göetz is a natural-born fighter. Except instead of duking it out in high stakes negotiations over air space or ash crises, he’s now a self-described “knight for Christ.”

Continued below.

Cribstyl said:

My argument is not saying that we're free to sin. (I've made that clear to you countless times over the years) You continue to ignore or misrepresent my posts.

You claim to keep God's law, but you're breaking it by being a false witness against me. Did I say we can worship other Gods, steal, kill. etc?


The Sabbath is an exclusive covenant with the Children of Israel. It was not given at creation for the humanity to keep (no proof). Gentiles under the New Covenant are not commanded to keep Sabbath because it was a sign of the Old Covenant.

Scriptures proves that Jesus came under the law and had to teach and keep it. The question is what His death means for the world. Jesus appeared to Paul and sent him to teach Gentiles all the doctrines of Christianity.
You're not teaching Christian doctrines; you're teaching the law.

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How would you break the commandment on the Sabbath? That's what you want to know? If you have workers go to work on their day of rest, it is violating what God provides for them. Even if you believe in your freedom, you still sin doing that, even to the animals put to work, according to the commandment. Being in Christ and covered with God's grace still does not mean that is not sin. And any sin is still to be stopped.

Walking Contradiction said:

First, thank you for your response.

​

I think that science and technology is the only hope that humanity has, because without it humanity is inevitably doomed to extinction. The only question is when.

Thus I believe that the ethics and morality of technology must be viewed in that light. We as a species are doomed to die unless we do something to avoid it. Viewed in that light technology isn't our nemesis, it's our only hope. There's no doubt that it's had its growing pains, nature and evolution can be unseemly things sometimes. Yet these struggles may be an integral part of what we will inevitably become, and the desire to live a simpler life may be just as crucial to that future as technology is. They're not adversaries in a greater struggle, and one should never be abandoned in pursuit of the other. They just need to learn to exist together. One is how we'll ultimately survive, and the other is what makes us want to survive. With the emergence of our self-awareness came an overwhelming sense of the futility and cruelty of life, and with it an innocence lost. Our faith and perseverance are built on the hope that we may one day get some semblance of it back.

Many theists believe that God is going to magically transport the righteous to heaven, but I don't think that that's ever been the plan at all. I think that the plan has always been for us to get there on our own, with perhaps a bit of a guiding hand every once in a while.

In the meantime the world's a pretty sorry place, and it may not look like there's much worth saving. But as the adage goes "God's not done working with us yet".

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That's Ok, thank you for your input. The problem I see is that humans are also fundamentally selfish and blind themselves to reality and I don't think humans are capable to knowing what is best because we are fallible limited creatures.

For all we know we are just repeating the same mistakes as we did in the past but in a new way. The same limited and even biased thinking we had years ago about certain things we claimed were Ok only to find we were wrong and paid the price.

History seems to be repeating itself with new viral epidemics, repeated economic crashes, continued pollution of the planet even though we have known for decades its bad and a threat. Almost as though we are resting on the laurels of science and tech to save the day like God. Except humans and tech are not gods and despite our good intentions things don't seem to be getting better.

Among their deceptively inert branches, trees shelter feathered Pavarottis, scuttling beetles, opportunistic fungi and fierce owls. John Lewis-Stempel recounts a day in the life of an oak and the creatures that call it home.

Our friends the trees have an unremarkable life, or so it seems to us. They come into leaf, their fruit drops, or is gorged on by birds and the winds of autumn strip them of their dressing to leave them as the cold, bare sentinels of winter.

However, if we were to stand, tree-like ourselves, in a British copse and watch a single oak tree for an entire 24 hours — say when spring hatches out of winter — what would we see?

6.17am

First light. The male mistle thrush flies to the top of the oak dome and sings: Pavarotti in feathers, the valley his auditorium. On a branch just below, the thrush is joined by the great tit, who similarly likes a high post to ‘ring his bell’. The mistle thrush breeds early and, halfway down the 60ft tree, snug in a dim fork, is its bowl-nest with four speckled blue eggs.

Continued below.

FireDragon76 said:

"Actually possible" is an oxymoron. Once something is actual, it isn't a possibility anymore.

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So what is possible can never be actual? How about "can what was possible never be actual"? It is not an oxymoron, though, I'm glad at least that you see the point —that one use of "possibility" attributes substance to what is only fiction.

radhead said:

I'm surprised that no one else has experienced this. Especially as a child. I always suspected that there was a demonic aspect to it.

This has rarely ever happened to me since I was a child. The last time it happened I was having some dark thoughts about a friend of mine who I used to live with. He had mistreated me and others at various times. It's as if those dark thoughts opened a door for evil spirits to enter.

I think evil spirits pray on the sick and the weak. That's another aspect.

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I've had this issue growing up. When I would have a flu or high fever. It was like the room would grow all around me. Pictures became huge but far away. People felt like they would grow or shrink. Sometimes my own body feels super massive. My hands when I rub them together felt gigantic. I was scared of it at first. Then I started meditating on it. Sometimes trying to draw the feeling out. So I could ride the wave. It hardly ever happens these days. I'm 37 years old now. I've found that it is called AWS (Alice in wonderland syndrome) aka Todd's syndrome. It's funny you mention evil spirits being attached to the feeling. Because I only get it now when I am in church and praying with lots of people at once. Having my eyes closed during a powerful prayer can set me on a wave of becoming massive. If I go with it for a long while. Even after I open my eyes it stays with me for a a good 10 min. My hands and body doesn't feel like my own anymore. Like my body becomes alien to my psyche. The blood pumping in me. The feeling of having a massive body. Like I am in the driver's seat of a giant organism. It's the strangest thing. My sister also has it. We've talked about it. We accept it as a normal thing these days. I hope it doesn't bring you trouble and discomfort. I think acceptance and understanding is what will set you free. God bless.

rocknanchor said:

Once coined, America's Digital Goddess, Kim Komando, and her nationwide print and radio problem solving would offer no bounds over technology. But that was then. Today, automation isn’t about to sit idly by and let that title continue, the pride of tech won’t allow it. A few short years ago, many tech-minded including Kim herself would openly resist not allowing technology to ‘assist mankind so wonderfully’.

But today, the unthinkable is being discussed by some of the biggest players as well as KK herself and have changed their tune. If all true, this is no longer just folly to shrug, but evil to beware of.

In short, the moral end of today’s science finally asks:

“Should we develop nonhuman minds, ,“​

Putting the Brakes on AI

Your thoughts?

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could we invent our own demise

Jamdoc said:

Same boat, but I have bitterness over the fact that when I do get a new body, it will be "too late" and I just missed out.

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If memory serves infirmity hails from the marine kingdom. The ruling spirit is python. That would be my starting point. Resource wise Prayer Madeuke is phenomenal. He wrote a book on the subject and many others related to warfare. If you're willing to fight I'd consider the courtroom prayer along with the one for chromosomes and genes and address them all.

This is more offensive but if his style isn't to your liking here's another option. She addresses health thoroughly. Given the circumstances I'd opt for the first. Africans are frequently more conversant in spiritual warfare and pray with a ferocity we rarely witness.

Long standing issues and unbridgeable dilemmas frequently have a spiritual component we're oblivious to. That doesn't mean you erred. There's a lot of things that land on our lap through no fault of ours. Especially family. Sometimes were dealing with the aftermath of things that happened long ago.

Whatever the case you'll be bettered through the experience and strengthened. Admittedly I use them all. I'm not on Madeuke's level yet but there's a noticeable difference in my life and spirit because of him. There may be some pushback but keep going. You'll relinquish a lot.

@DragonFox91 and @VCR-2000 may want to consider the same. Long delays in pairing have a spiritual correlation. And if anyone uses pornography or did in the past and have similar challenges the likelihood of spirit marriage is great. They'll block the union or destroy it.

Everything I suggested I've done. In respect to infirmity, I did a three day Esther fast several years ago with my daughter on our family's behalf. When we finished I saw a vision of my aunt. She had a large snake coiled around her chest and she pushed him off. He was dead.

I didn't know what I was seeing at the time but the Lord explained. She had breast cancer and was the lone one who ever did. She's still in remission. I don't claim responsibility but He showed me the root of her ailment. I've seen spirit marriages and children too. It's a powerful weapon against unions and fertility and usually causes barrenness.

Beyond the ones I've shared the other two that interfere with relationships and childbearing are murder and abortion. The blood never stops crying for vindication. All of them flow generationally until someone breaks it. The slogan it runs in families has truth.

If you opt to do it look for patterns. Especially in your family. Similar struggles and vices and pray against them. Thankfully he shows you how to do so and keep them at bay. If you prefer a western source Derek Prince and Frank Hammond are reputable. Pigs in the Parlor is a great read which shouldn't be missed.

God willing, bonds will be broken and the opportunities that evaded you will be no more.

~bella

mourningdove~ said:

(And what a grand and jubilant day that will be for him!)

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Yes, my son died at 40 and that was a time of celebration for me because I knew that in Heaven he would be far better off than the life he had here.

Mark Dohle said:

​

Christians, in their suffering, know on some level that they are united to Jesus in his sufferings for the salvation of the world. As St. Paus says: “I make up in my body, what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ Jesus”. In other words, the passion of Jesus is lived out in each of our lives.
The more we understand that and seek wisdom, the more we can withstand suffering without becoming bitter or sad to say, losing our faith.

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He that hath ears to hear, let him hear ...

SavedByGrace3 said:

I have had dreams and visons from the Lord. I have prophesied since I was 17 years old, since 1971. Despite these things, nothing replaces the Word. The Word of the Lord abides in us. We can speak from that abiding word when in prayer or confession and things will happen. I love the verse "the words I speak unto you are spirit and are life." When I read those words, my spirit says "the words I speak unto you are spirits and alive." They live in us like living things. When we speak them, they are just as if Jesus is speaking them. I can feel the living word working in my heart. Hard to describe, but it is like a light in me. Sometimes it is like a spring flowing forth. It comes from deep within. During intercession it feels like I want to cramp in my belly and bend over. Not really pain, but burdens. I love the word. It is life. Praise His name.

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Makes me get happy just talking about it!!!!

A MUST watch!
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How many questions did you get right?
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Prayers

Obviously the pill bans procreation.
This video she discusses the puerto rica women they were tested on.
The idea controlling birth in poor countries and 50% though birth control available, are still poor. Low birth rates…
So forth.
Without “stating “ a stand on it she does out the industry…

iluvatar5150 said:

The OP’s source didn’t blame it on ESG (that was merely the OP’s opining) and your article about ESG didn’t have anything to do with SVB.

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Is the article supposed to mention every company that is involved in ESG. Should have they had a specific list? Is that what you wanted? The point is that ESG may be causing problems. So it's no stretch at all to beli be ESG had something to do with this banks failure.
It probably wasn't the single source of the failure. It may not even been the biggest source. But it probably paid a part in the failure.

So don't poo poo it away so fast.

Video Talk

Romans 2:17-24 ESV


So, if we who are believers in Jesus Christ think we are doing all the right religious things, and so we go through the motions of religious practice, and we think we have all this knowledge that we can teach to others, but then we fail to teach ourselves, what good is all that knowledge and ceremonial religious practices? Not much, is it? And, if while we are preaching against certain sins, we are doing the same or worse, then we are being hypocritical, prideful, unkind, and full of ourselves, are we not?

But is this teaching that all judging is wrong? NO! It is not! But this is where many people take this and other passages like it, because they don’t really pay attention to what is being said, or else they don’t read the whole passage and thus they draw their own conclusions. This is not teaching that all judging is wrong. It is teaching that hypocritical and false judging is wrong. And so I am going to share here some other passages of Scripture that show that all judging is not wrong.

In Galatians 6:1 we read that if a brother or a sister in Christ is caught (in the act of sin, or entrapped, or has fallen back into sin) in any transgression (sin), we who are spiritual (in a right relationship with the Lord) should restore that person in a spirit of gentleness. But we are to keep watch on ourselves, lest we too be tempted. And in James 5:19-20 we read that if a fellow Christian wanders from the truth, whoever brings that wanderer back to walking in obedience to the Lord, he or she will save his soul from death.

And in 1 Corinthians 5 we read about a professing Christian in the church who is living in sexual immorality, and the church was commanded to make a judgment in that matter and to exercise church discipline in order that the man’s spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord. For, it says that we are to judge those inside the church. And we are to do something to change that situation, and to not sit back in our comfortable seats and point fingers and gossip. And we should be grieving over such situations to the point of action.

And then in Matthew 7:1-5 we read, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” But don’t stop there. Keep reading. For it is talking about hypocritical judging. But then it goes on to say that we must first take the log out of our own eye, and then we will see clearly to take the speck out of the eye of a fellow Christian (or professing Christian). Then we judge rightly. And in John 7:24 it instructs us to not judge by appearances, but to judge with a right judgment. And in John 8:15-16 we are told not to judge according to the flesh, and in 2 Corinthians 10:12 we are not to judge others by ourselves.

So, the Scriptures do not teach that all judging is wrong, and in fact, they encourage judging in some cases. For how can we help a brother or a sister out of sin if we don’t first make a judgment that they need to be brought out of sin, and without us first confronting them in their sin and us encouraging them to repent of their sin and to obey the Lord? But we are to do this in love, and not hypocritically, and with the right motives. And we are not to judge others by ourselves, nor by our culture and traditions, nor by appearances, nor according to the flesh, nor unjustly, but righteously.

And the goal should always be to help others out of sin or to prevent them from falling into sin, or to warn about false teaching so that they are not led astray. For, the motivation should always be love and with the purpose to restore or to strengthen or to encourage, which we are all called to do.

[Gal 6:1-5; Jas 5:19-20; 1 Co 5:1-13; Matt 7:1-5; Jn 7:24, 51; Jn 8:15-16; Rom 2:3; 2 Co 10:12; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25]

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Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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He’s at least concerned with under population which is different but true.

I kinda wish I had an artificial womb but it seems to me that the bonding to love in utero would be missing and the baby may not fare well socially, emotionally or mentally.

I’m all about the Lords will.

jsphalford11 said:

Hello everyone, my name is Joseph Pervaiz Masih and I am excited to share my thoughts and experiences with you all. As a devout Christian, I believe that our faith is an integral part of our lives and it is important to constantly reflect upon it and seek a deeper understanding of our beliefs. Through this post, I hope to engage with you all in a thought-provoking discussion about a topic that is close to my heart. I welcome all opinions and perspectives, and I hope that we can all learn from each other in a respectful and open-minded manner. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and I look forward to hearing from you all!

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Welcome saint. Have a seat! Share with us.

Stephen3141 said:

BA in Classical Languages and Literature, specialization in ancient Greek
MS in Computer Science, specialization in Artificial Intelligence
I have studied formal logic for 35 years
Christian

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The specialization in ancient Greek! I envy you my friend. I have tried numerous times down through the years to get beyond the vocabulary level but I have not done well.
I too have a degree in computer science. I graduated many years ago, and have since retired as a systems engineer. Loved that work. They say if you love your job you will never work a day in your life. So true.
Welcome! I hope we can benefit from you knowledge of Koine.

peaceful-forest said:

What is your personal experience when it comes to this? Is it better to have love and lost or never to have love at all?

I'm usually the type that believes it's better to not have love at all. I see it as "what was the point if this was the result?"

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The original context of that quote is a eulogy for a best friend who had died. In that context, yes I agree with it.

A more recent take on it made popular by the movie Men In Black is failed romance/relationships. I strongly disagree with it in that context.

Hazelelponi said:

As America falls apart at the seams I feel a need to pray for all American Christians.

I pray that God guides us through this evil time, and that His Hand remains upon us, especially now when we need it most.

I pray that our thoughts remain firmly fixed on God and His perfect Will, and that our actions reflect Him and that Will, whatever that may be.

I pray also we are given the peace that only comes from God, and that we don't fall to deception, in the land of the intentionally deceitful.

For me personally- I feel like I'm grasping for a peace that's just out of reach, and I want to lock my doors and just let the world destroy itself, but I don't think- think being the operative word - that that's what I should do if I'm keeping God the foremost thing in my mind.

Until yesterday I felt like there was still some hope here in America that we could turn it all around, but now I know it's gone for good. There's no saving this anymore, the ship is well and truly sunk.

I'm a mixture of emotions, and don't feel centered on God. I need to recenter on Him, and I think we all do.

For the very first time I saw people holding "the end is near" signs along with a laundry list of people at risk of judgement if they don't meet up with Jesus in my town - something I've NEVER seen here before what with there being a church on every street corner. (There's a LOT of churches here where I live).

This leads me to believe that I'm not alone, and that all of us need prayers, because in this environment people feel like they have to do something, I just want to know that something is God's will for us.

Please pray with me.

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To belong to Christ in any season of history is such a great privilege. Thank you for your prayers.
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Belonging to Abba said:

It looks like it put a lot of spaces between my paragraphs

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I find that happens when I copy and paste from a word processor or a web page. I end up going down through the post back spacing the extra lines.