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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.

Is there another '1st World' country, where our darkskin-Black friends get arrested for having mental health crises?

This is so, so sad to hear he was treated this way, like a rabid jungle animal for threatening to harm himself. And then be arrested "...after an incident at a staffer's home during which prosecutors allege he [only] threatened self-harm, a situation his defense attorney described as a mental health crisis..." without a doubt.

Had he been one of us Caucasians, would he had simply been transported to a mental health provider instead of jail??

Did you read the article. He did not only threaten self-harm at a staffers home. He was arrested for
  • Moore faces charges including felony third-degree home invasion and misdemeanor stalking after an incident at a staffer's home.
  • Prosecutors allege Moore forced his way into the staffer's apartment and threatened self-harm after being fired.

Bottom line, he was arrested for stalking and forcing himself into someone's home. A small little detail you deliberately ignored. I am a black man, and if he had busted into my home and terrorized my family with a stunt like that, best believe I would want him thrown in handcuffs and tossed in jail.
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The rise and emergence of the Image to the Beast

We had a interesting set of sermons given on Religious Liberty this past Sabbath and it was a eyeopener.

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We are seeing the emergence of the Image to the Beast with all the turmoil and much chaos being used as a smokescreen. It is preparing and laying out a path for the rise of the Image as we see the placement of the men in high positions in our government and Administration who are followers of the original Beast. So what does this entail for us as Adventist, well lets go over what Gods Word gives on the "Image of the Beast". Lets start with Revelation 13 to begin.

Revelation 13:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Revelation 13:11-15 King James Version (KJV)
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

We see this evil entity try to subvert Gods plan in the last days by creating the image of the beast on Earth. The image of the beast is an end time entity, comprised of a community of people who reflect the character of the dragon, and has religious-economic-political power to impose false worship on Earth. We see the corruption it brings which is the end time Babylon the Great of Revelation 17-18, and the image of the beast is best identified with this entity and its corrupt rule.

The image of the beast is basically an institution and procedures which will duplicate the form and behavior of the beast power in Revelation 13. It will convince many that its words and purpose are true despite not being in full harmony with Scripture and will persuade the people of the earth, believers and non-believers, to follow the religious-political power which is the beast. The lamblike beast will also begin speaking like a dragon and exercising the power of the beast, showing that it will become as intolerant especially in setting aside of laws and foundational liberties. This results in people receiving the mark of the beast which is by following it in its false practices of worship, which is really worship of the Beast, and corruption of Gods Holy Day of worship. Lets look at the Revelation 14...

Revelation 14:9-12 King James Version (KJV)
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The rise of the Image of the Beast will in my opinion coincide with the fall of America in the loss of the foundational rights and the laws of America and the emergence of a corrupted power which will them proceed to take away our religious liberties along with many other rights and freedoms, and then pass laws to force worship as prophecy gives us..

Spanish, Hispanic, and Filipino Advent Traditions

In much of the modern world, Advent has been reduced to little more than a vague countdown to Christmas, eclipsed by commercial excess, premature celebration, and a loss of spiritual preparation. Yet this was not always so. For centuries, Advent was understood as a penitential season, a time of watchfulness, restraint, and expectant prayer — a lesser Lent oriented toward the mystery of the Incarnation.

Can a young child become a Christian?

Amalgam. We were built hybrids, flesh and spirit.. The choice of which nature to follow was also built in. A&E took the lead in making that choice when they followed their fleshy instinct to serve self instead of the spirit of God. Self became their god. I doubt God expected any different, combining two opposing wills. Is not understanding the result of learning rather than following and memorizing/mimicking? It's not like other creatures who follow self with no other option, being flesh. We need to learn how best to use this new concept. Its not like God hasn't continually told us how, but of course being focused on self, we'd rather find our own way. Good luck with that.

That sounds rather Docetic
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Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete)

December 14, 2025

Our Morning Offering – 14 December – O Gloriosa Virginum – St Venantius Fortunatus


One Minute Reflection – 14 December – “ I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” – John 1:26

Third Sunday of Advent propers & commentary (EF)

Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudéte) propers & the Greater Advent Antiphons (EF)

Third Sunday of Advent propers & commentary (Gueranger)(EF)

Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's Instruction on the Third Sunday of Advent (EF)

WDTPRS – “Gaudete” 3rd Sunday of Advent: All the orations! commentary (EF)

Colligite Fragmenta – 3rd Sunday of Advent: “Be Strong, Fear Not!” commentary (EF)

Scripture & Tradition: Third Sunday of Advent commentary (EF)

“The Lord is nigh”: sermon on Gaudete Sunday (EF)

Third Sunday of Advent (Year A) readings & commentary (OF)

Joy from the Prison Cell: Third Sunday of Advent readings & commentary (OF)

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, December 14, 2025, the Third Sunday of Advent (OF)

Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A, 14 December 2025 (OF)

The Perfect Gift: A Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent (OF)

Daily Gospel

ADVENTCAzT 2025: 15 – 3rd Sunday of Advent “Gaudete”

Saints of the Day

Sermons for Everyday Living - Gaudete Sunday 12/14/25

Audio version of Gueranger
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There’s a Giant Flaw in Human History

Looking at only the first few minutes of the video I found it was are riddled with errors.

(1) The rock is made from Andesite which has a MOH hardness 5.5 - 6.5 not 7.0 as reported in the video.
(2) Andesite is an igneous rock, to refer to it as a geopolymer is nonsensical.
(3) Andesite is composed of Plagioclase feldspar, Pyroxene, Hornblende, Biotite, Magnetite, Apatite, Ilmenite, Zircon, Quartz and Olivine.

According to the screenshot in the video the SEM and EDS (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) spectrum has an 'excessively high level' of iron (Fe).


There is nothing out of the ordinary for the Fe content, of the mineral composition mentioned, the Fe bearing minerals are Pyroxene, Hornblende, Biotite, Magnetite, and Ilmenite.

(4) There is nothing out of the ordinary for Andesite having magnetic properties either given Magnetite is one of the minerals found in Andesite.
(5) The presence of guano which is bat and bird droppings is clearly an external contamination and not a component of the 'geopolymer'.

Whereas the sample from the monument is contaminated by guano, the reference guano EDS spectrum is also clearly contaminated by the presence of silicon (Si) in the form of dust particles.
In the forensic investigation of engine wear of pistons, rings and cylinder walls due to lubrication problems, a main culprit is the external contamination of engine oils from Si in the environment and is found by EDS.

These basic errors where enough to convince me viewing the entire video would have been a waste of time.
Ok so I will engage again but please refrain form the personal attacks.

This time I think I will take a more pragmatic approach and walk through this step by step.

So the first thing is to clarify what you are saying. Are you saying that all the examples shown so far have natural explanations.
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Ilhan Omar blasted over resurfaced comments on Somali influence in the US as Elon Musk suggests she committed treason

For all the complaints I don't see the US in some dictatorship. Some of the ideas like anti abortion and Trans is not Project 25. Especially Trans ideology as this was dividing society and denying long held womens rights. BUt nothing bad is happening. Yet we had actual bad stuff happen under Biden and no one is complaining about that.

Ok well I see differering opinion on this

Democratic Party’s choice of Harris was undemocratic − and the latest evidence of party leaders distrusting party voters

But there would not have been a rush if the had admitted Bidens health instead of gas lighting the nation. Thats was all part of the undemocratic way in which they operated.

No but they need to become Americans and part of that culture and not be dividing the nation with anti western and American ideas. The current trend of the Left is towards socialism and cultural Marxism. The ideas and policies are clear.

Yes thats how it has always been. But not now. We never had such instablity as now with all the culture wars. THis was brought on by radical Left ideas of white America verses the other with all the language and narratives pushed. This is now admitted fact.

Nevermind project 25. The reality of the mess Left by the last administration is clear and needs to be corrected. Thats not any deviate plan but a reaction (perhaps overly so in some cases) to bad policies and radical ideology that has destroying the US.

Theres a massive difference between regulated immigration that is integrated and flooding a nation with an open border and unvetted illegals who are not causing economic and social chaos. That was actively pushed as part of policiy.

We've never had open borders. What specifically is the "mess" left by the last administration, the "bad policies" and "radical ideology" destroying the US?
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Family Advice

So I am a 30 year old Christian, I have an older sister who is not and never has been Christian, in fact, she's more the opposite, and is involved in a lot of 'things of the world' including worshipping demonic things and also her own issues regarding her own sexuality and gender.
We are friends on social media as expected from family members, however she has shared a couple of very hurtful posts recently, one stating 'If you can't conceive, then that's God's will' (after I had a loss) and another post insulting the cross and what seemed to be targeted at Christians. I have since removed her from my socials.
I couldn't help but mention to her that her posts are hurtful. It's ok to have opinions, but sharing them with the intention to hurt people when you know your family members fall in to a certain category isn't nice.
I got a lot of hateful messages back and comments such as 'I'll do what I want' and 'I don't care'.

I love her obviously, but I feel like for the past few years, she has become distant and selfish, for example, I have never missed celebrating her birthday and always got her a card and gift, but she doesn't even send a birthday message, which is fine, I don't give to receive. She is also constantly going on about her mental health, but not actively doing anything about it.
A big part of me thinks and probably knows that she doesn't seem to like me or my husband because we are Christians. (she's never like him) and she once stated 'He doesn't like me because God doesn't like gays'

I am a very respectful person and want to live a content, peaceful life. So the easier the better.
After speaking to her about the post, she got her girlfriend to send me a very hateful message saying things like 'You go above and beyond to insult and hurt *name*' and 'you're bullying someone who has only ever wanted to build a relationship with you' and 'Lastly THEIR name is **, If you want to be shown respect, try showing it'.

She has only shortened her name recently, so it is quite difficult to get in to the habit of that name after over 25 years of calling her by her full name. One thing is, I don't and will never follow 'they/them' pronouns, never. I don't follow those beliefs and I don't think its fair for a small minority of people to force others to follow their beliefs.

Just like, I can't (not that I would) say, 'well, you have to come to church, because that's what I believe, and that's that'. I am ok with other people believing what they want, but not forcing it upon others.

TLDR; My sister has disrespected my faith for years, now she is posting insulting, hurtful things on socials aimed at Christians and also my personal circumstances. She hasn't liked me for years and bothered about birthdays or anything (when I have given to her every year) and then expected me to change my beliefs and refer to her as they/them, which is not happening.

My question is; How do I move on from this. Many Christians say to 'change your company' which, I barley see her anyway and I wouldn't want demonic influences in our home and in front of our future children etc.
I had to move to another state. My sister was telling my kids to ignore me. My atheist father called me a loser. I got into therapy. I'm doing better now, but have to ask God for reassurances and give thanks every day. My sisters passsed away. My brothers have no relationship with me. My parents are deceased.

My therapist taught me that my kindnesses weren't going to change my relatives.
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Busy, busy. Even in the cold.

Thank you. You’re so friendly. Beautiful house. You probably like being there. Very cozy looking. We had snow about five years ago. Sometimes it stays. Pretty proud of this. Brings out the mountain man.View attachment 374465
Great photo!

Days are somewhat short here in the winter. With the snow on the ground, our nights seem not quite as dark.

Yes, very small, but cozy. My wife always says that the "smoke" coming out of the chimney makes it look warm (natural gas furnace and water heater). Next picture is from Highway 7 near forest taken on the 12th, that is about an hour south west of us:
1765713520151.png
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What true revival looks like

After retiring from law enforcement, I became a pastor and began witnessing restoration of a different kind, spiritual revival. That same heartbeat led my daughter and me to launch Boost Others to help people in crisis through small, practical acts of care. Working alongside social workers, we fill gaps covering groceries, rent, or a child’s bed — and often, when people are open, we share the hope that brings lasting renewal.
Revival in the trench or some affluent's altar or some other unchartered area of life. His Spirit you know can supply where lack or uncertainty has captivated all. One measure of His will can break these hinderances down. Glory to God for your labor to these ends!
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A rural Nebraska clinic blames its closing on Trump’s Medicaid cuts. Patients don’t buy it. "Horse Feathers"

The Trump administration on Monday kicked off a scramble among the 50 states for a slice of a new $50 billion fund for rural health care, but experts on the ground fear the program’s rushed timeline, lack of guardrails and potential for politicization will leave some hospitals struggling to stay open.
It’ll end up in someone’s pocket.
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Although I don't believe this apparently scientists believe life formed on its own

Whether people claim that body/mind thing or not --

1. it is not a conspiracy
2. changing that about Christianity does not define "Dark Ages" (please, learn what that actually is)

and...

3. I don't care about philosphy or theology.
Then don't jump into my posts with another lol. It was not about you but a disagreement I was having with another person. I know my own arguements with others and what is being said and how to respond to this. I don't need your help lol. That just makes it worse lol. You don't know the context in which I was discussing this and why I was responding the way I did.

I was the other way around. The Dark Ages and Hellinistic thought was being used to negate that Christianity has its own knowledge about the mind and body divide.

The original point was about how religious belief and Christianity inparticular does not need a lesson in the idea of mind and body. That its a human inclination to believe such things and that Christianity as far as Christians are concern hold the truth to the mind and body divide.

So please if you are going to jump in then know the context. Otherwise you are going to make these false representations of what was going on.

By the way you should care about philsophy because the thread is about philosophy lol. You can't engage properly in the thread without philsophy. It is the very debate as to the belief in whether life was formed on its own.

How could science even prove that life began on its own. You would have to step into metaphysics.
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Weekly homilies

Homily Monday, December 15 2025



Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a



“Their king will rise higher.”



The king is the one of peace.

The dominion is that of Love, which contains joy and peace.



Matthew 21:23-27

“By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?”



God’s authority does not enslave but sets humanity free.



Biblical texts: NAB-RE

Normand Thomas.
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Is there another '1st World' country, where our darkskin-Black friends get arrested for having mental health crises?

Perhaps the decisions to arrest and make a big deal of this was so that the firing for "just cause" would be certain? So it could have been money motivated by the boosters and university officials at Michigan. But yes, how better it would have been to show more mercy but perhaps there is more to come about this case in which he deserves everything they are doing.
It does seem odd that the ex rang their attorney before the police. But on reading this it just seems another example of American society just being a gruelling place to exist in.
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There’s a Giant Flaw in Human History

If it is good science is to be determined by the their peers.
Your not understanding. If there was such a paper that proposed say that ancient Egyptians gained knowledge of chemistry and physics through their belief and conscious experiences. It would not get past the front door in the first place. You will have to go to alternative journals within philosophy or metaphysics to get such an idea published.

We are talking about two different things. One is the science in chemistry and physics for example. That can be tested and hypothesised within a certain method and paradigm. The quantifying sciences.

But apart from the tests and articles which I think were in journals already on the casting of stones and the potential energy in the pyramids this is ongoing. I think this is enough in the meantime to declare its not a conspiracy or psuedoscience.
To determine that I would need to test the hypotheses against each other.
If you see a melted of softened stone or one thats vitrified that your left with whether it was naturally formed or man made. When you see vitrified stones in caves or where only the works are vitrified and the surrounding natural stones are not you can begin to make some findings.

Its all the lines of evidence that are mounted together and the common practices and examples that build the case. By looking at all this we can make some conclusion. When tests then back this up with peered revied or not they cannot be dismissed.

Therefore you already have evidence you can deal with and offer your explanation as to why this is not human made changes to stone.
First we would have to look at the supposedly vitrified stone, to make sure it actually is vitrified stone.
Already done this and it was ignored. If people cannot first even acknowledge the images and that they need to be examined and determined then its not going to work.

First acknowledge that the examples at least look vitrified and we need to look further. Just like the many machine cuts that were exampled and ignored. Just admit they look like machine cuts and not like the orthodox method could produce them. Then we can take the next step to see if this is the case. But if the obvious observations are dinissed in the first place then how can we even find that out.
Then we have to make sure that the vitrification isn't the effect of some other process such as a lightning strike
Yes and yet some have declared that it was the result of natural occurrances without evidence. Thats the double standard.

I am quite open to any investigation. But you cannot do that if the examples are either fobbed off as naturalistic or not even acknowledged in the first place.
I think that was me, mentioning that vitrification happens in nature from time to time due to lightning strikes and fires. That would have to be excluded as a possibility of at least be shown to be much less likely.
Actually it was not just you which shows how this is the standard orthodoxy and the first explanation always assumed by the material science worldview. Has to have a naturalistic explanation and anything else is unreal or deemed less credible.

In fact the naturalistic explanation was forced. That I was a fool for even suggestion something other than the naturalistic explanation. Thats dogma not science.
Tell them to get it published.
Nah I am happy with the work so far. It doesn't need to be peered reviwed to be good science. In fact its a cop out to keep fobbing it off as not meeting some gatekeepers criteria.
Because it is premature before the researchers have sat down and written their article detailing their findings and have it go through the process
They already have written the analysis for the tests. Do you think they do tests and make observations an dthen not write anything about this lol.
I already know that you believe otherwise than me, that is not a problem.
It is a problem if we both take the position of just fobbing off what each other says without any explanation. Thats easy. Just say the opposite and give no reason. The discussion would breakdown in minutes and be going nowhere lol.
It needs to be evaluated by subject matter experts.
The problem like I said is that this is all fairly knew. For example the casting of stones was hyothesised a few decades ago but it was then a fringe idea and dismissed. It took one scientists to relook in recent years to realised that no one had actually checked the work. When he did he found it had some merit.

The whole subject of alternative knowledge and tech had been rejected and pushed to the sides. Its only been with modern tech and more independent archeologists and researchers in the field now discovering obvious evidence that was ignored for decades.

So its still a case of pushing against the mainstream to even get this stuff acknowledged let alone be accepted in mainstream journals lol. In the meantime the best e=we have is the research, analysis and tests I have been presenting which is not yet up to the stage of being accepted. But if you keep rejecting it because it is yet to get to that stage then how can it ever get to that stage lol.

This is all there is and if you reject it theres nothing else. Not because there is no evidence but because there has been a bias about even accepting it in the first place. Which is the point of this thread ironically.
So you will accept say the testimony of the ancients themselves. When they tell you that they did not make these works and that they were made by people from the gods or by some other peoples with great knowledge like the gods.

Will you accept this evidence as just as relevant as the material sciences. Or do you treat this with less credibility to begin with. See to the ancients they would regard this experiential and lived reality over westernised material sciences as the source of true knowledge and reality.

Like Christians. When the westernised material science or naturalistic paradigm claims there is no evidence for God or spirituality they are deying the testimony of Christ, the diciples and all those Christians who pass this knowledge down. They say that material sciences is the illusion and that God is the truth and reality.

Can you see the giant difference in the worldview outlook as to what is classed as real knowledge and the source of real knowledge.
If any process leaves an impact on the physical it can be studied.
Yes but this tells us nothing about what caused it or how the knowledge that created that physical impact was gained. Methologic al naturalism just describes what is happening. It offers no explanation of how or what the nature of that activity represents.

Like I said you could be describing something you have been programmed to percieve and describe. Just like a flea on an elephant may be describing what he thinks is the world and reality. Not knowing that there is a far greater reality beyond the elephant he is riding.

What is an electron. How is describing an electron tell us anything about whether nature or reliaty is fundementally physical or not. Or whether the ancients could not have understood the fundementals of electrons through their conscious experiences.

If Bohr is right and the electron displays rudimentary forms of consciousness. Then maybe this is the backdoor to a greater and deeper knowledge that the ancients discovered. You don't know and cannot dispute it because science cannot measure this. Its beyond science.
I have read works by Edmund Husserl. But vitrification is amenable to optical investigations microscopically and chemical investigations.
Already done and I linked this for you.
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Favorite Christmas Songs

Also secular but I like "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby. My parents played that. His voice is so great. As a kid you always wanted snow too if you lived where that was possible.
I'm crazy about Bing Crosby....I lived in Florida as a kid.
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