Thankfully most of the tough guy kill them all supporters don't ever have to worry about being arrested visiting a foreign country in 10 years and tried for war crimes.

I find this ironic. One accusation against Biden was that a stimulus program that he supported caused inflation. Now Trump wants to do it.

I would prefer to see tariffs used to reduce the deficit, particularly since the proposed stimulus is larger than what we’re getting from tariffs.

Instead of taking the normally-allotted time between the First Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve to accomplish this task, like the rest of us, Scrooge is pigeonholed into a three-phased, crash-course program to do something he has never done before. He thoroughly examines his conscience in preparation for the birth of the Infant Savior between the hours of 1 AM and sunrise on Christmas Day.

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It helps to understand why the Filioque was added in the first place. It was to combat various heresies, including the Arian heresy. It’s more of a discipline than a doctrine. No Ecumenical Council of the whole Catholic Church has ever mandated the Filioque for the Eastern churches.

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Dan1988 said:

My Minister, is appointed by the Lord, to teach me, to lead me and to watch over me, just as a Shepherd watches over his flock. The Lord raised him up and ordained him for this purpose, so I am obliged to submit myself to his authority because he is responsible to God for my soul.

Being a member of the Body of Christ, means that I'm a sheep and my Minister is the Shepherd. So I don't have the authority to challenge his teaching, so when He instructs me to have no fellowship with those who reject the gospel, then I must obey or, face disciplinarily action, including excommunication.

I can't tell you're not a leader of any kind yourself yourself, so you know what I mean.

There is only one true gospel and that is the gospel of the Lord Jesus, likewise there is only One true Church and that is the Body of the Lord Jesus. You can't find it because it's by election only, God draws His elect to His Son. He does this by quickening His elect to life (we are all born dead in sin), then He uses His men to preach the gospel to us and we respond by the faith that God gifted His elect with.

To understand what the Lord Jesus meant by saying "love your enemy", you first need to understand what the word "love" means. I'd suggest you do a bible study on what it means, but I'll just give you a brief overview here>>>

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things".

As you can see, love is not the sensual thing the world thinks it is. Gods people love ther enemies by living faithful lives and that preaches the gospel louder than words. So it's really about living the God given faith, and not simply "flapping our lips" as you rightly pointed out.

I still don't know what point you were trying to make, would you kindly stake your claim, in plain language. I'm not very good at solving riddles.

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My point? I suppose one main point among hundreds I could make in the face of everyone on these forums, including you, is that I'm not going to drop kick to the trash any one of my own informative theological sources simply because you, or your minister, just shows up one day to tell me that I've got something wrong in my theology. Is that clear enough for you, Dan? For instance, I won't be taking a lighter to my copy of Millard J. Erickson's 1000+ page book on Christian Theology, or any of my books by Peter Enns for that matter, simply because your minister might not agree either one....................................

So, I don't really believe that your minister is any more qualified or authorized to "command" anyone's attention than anyone else. What books or resources does your minister direct you to read? And where did he attend seminary or other theological school in order to learn his theology? And is your present understanding of the Bible and of the "True Gospel" merely conditioned solely and singularly on whatever your local minister says?

Despite what you think, the world does not revolve around your minister. I hope I've made myself clear "enough." You can tell him I said as much. I'm sure he'll appreciate it.

FenderTL5 said:

more accurately what was left of the boat, that's a distinction without a difference.

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How can you know unless you have the magic Trump glasses and decoder ring.

Homily, Saturday, December 6 2025



Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26



“People of Zion, dwelling in Jerusalem, you shall no longer weep; The Lord will be most gracious to you.”



The grace of God is present in this moment. We receive it.



Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8



“Jesus proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom.”

The Gospel is Jesus. Jesus proclaims that God is with us.



Biblical texts: NAB-RE

Normand Thomas.

joechristianwarrior said:

I’ve been reflecting lately on how often Scripture warns us about greed and how closely that warning is tied to God’s call for justice and care for others. Jesus speaks about money and the dangers of wealth more than almost any other topic, yet many Christians today find conversations about justice uncomfortable or “political.”

So I wanted to ask the community here:
Why do you think discussions about justice and greed create such tension among believers?
Is it a matter of theology, culture, politics, or something deeper in the human heart?


I’m preparing a video on this topic and would truly appreciate hearing a range of Christian perspectives!

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Can you give examples of exactly what aspects of justice you’re referring to because I’m not aware of Christians avoiding the topic in general.

bling said:

I fully believe what Jesus said: Look at the context of Mark 4: 15

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I can certainly appreciate the rewritten "some people" add on.

You might realize that any translators that can't see the fact that devils and people walk in the same pair of shoes are only going to see PEOPLE and not our adversary.

That is exactly your position come to think of it.

MarkRohfrietsch said:

Or Luther's small Catechism for that matter.

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Or for that matter, On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius, the epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, the Apologies of St. Justin Martyr, the Orations of St. Gregory the Theologian, 1 Clement (not an apocrypha, by the way, but a Patristic writing from the first century), the Didache, the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus, the Mystagogical Catecheses of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the writings of St. Basil and his brother St. Gregory of Nyssa (who along with St. Gregory the Theologian were the three most important of the Cappadocians), the homilies of St. John Chrysostom, the Hymns on Paradise and other hymns and metrical homilies by St. Ephraim the Syrian, and that’s only in the first four centuries of the church, before the dreadful Nestorian schism about 400 years after the death of Christ.

Contrary to the beliefs of some Restorationist denominations, the Nestorian schism is the only schism where one could argue that it remains in effect today, in that it is the root cause of the lack of complete unity between the three Eastern communions (in alphabetical order, the Church of the East, the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox). Indeed most Restorationists do not even acknowledge the existence of the Eastern churches, instead viewing everything through a false dichotomy, for example, the Adventist or Landmark Baptist idea that various historical groups, which we know from their own writings had virtually nothing in common with either denomination, for example, the Waldensians, or the Bogomils, or the Albigensians, or various ancient sects such as the Montanists, Paulicians and so on, all of which, aside from the Waldensians, embraced strange doctrines, as being some kind of remnant versus an apostate Roman Catholic Church which supposedly controlled everything else. This is demonstrably false, as a matter of fact.

When 19th century works supersede those of the Early Church Fathers, this is a problem, because it disconnects us from the historic interpretation of the Bible that was agreed upon everywhere, by everyone, to varying extents, at least until the Radical Reformation in the mid 16th century, which Martin Luther was horrified by, but in many cases have beliefs which appear to have originated in the 19th century.

What a pity. Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa, known best to me and probably anyone else around my age as the best version of Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat EVER, died yesterday at 75 years old.



RIP, sir. *salutes*

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let Your perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed
rest in peace.

Amen.

December 5, 2025

Our Morning Offering – 5 December – O Adorable Heart of my Jesus!


One Minute Reflection – 5 December – … Know that the Kingdom of God is near. – Luke 21:29-31

Feria (First Sunday of Advent) propers & commentary (EF)

Friday of the First Week of Advent (EF)

Friday of the First Week of Advent readings & commentary (OF)

Friday of the First Week of Advent readings & commentary (OF)
Other Commemorations: St. Sabbas, Abbot

Daily Gospel

ADVENTCAzT 2025 – 06 – Friday 1st Week of Advent

Saint Sabas Patriarchal Abbot in Palestine

Saint Sabbas

Saints of the Day

Sermons for Everyday Living - Make Your Best Confession 12/5/25

Audio version of Gueranger
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I think we have a relationship with God in Christ. So we transition from the flesh to the spirit. When we invite Christ into our hearts He is living in us. But Christ cannot live with sin. So having Christ in us leads to a continual offloading of the sinful nature to come closer to God in that relationship.

Just like any relationship you have to work at it to get closer. Or you come to know the things you must do to continue to be close to God.

I think this is a matter pf personal relationship with each individual and it may be different. Depending on the particular experiences and circumstances.

While at the same time each is called to the level of their knowledge in God. In some ways seeking to be closer to God and to know His word and the spirit of God is opening up a persons eyes to God that this increases the responsibility. The more you know and become aware the more responsibility you have.

This same principle applies to those in positions of care under the law of Duty of Care. The more knowledge you have of the situation the more accountability you have to ensure good outcomes for others.

I think our conscience is the thing that tells each of us the truth and Gods will. If we are open to God then we will hear the spirit and the more we ignore this the more it persists until we act on it or reject it. Its an ongoing relationship of trust and faith. A battle between the spirit and the flesh.

An 8-year-old kidney transplant recipient in Brazil is becoming one of the country's youngest and most visible Evangelical figures as she preaches to churchgoers and millions online amid a trend of child preachers drawing strong social media followings in the South American country.

Ester Souza delivers sermons at a church led by her parents in Votuporanga, located in the state of São Paulo, often drawn from personal experience.

She speaks in front of a congregation of about 50 people each week, including both adults and children, The Washington Post reports. Her mother records the services on a mobile phone and uploads the videos to her daughter's social media accounts. She has nearly 2 million followers across platforms, and one of her videos has more than 11 million views.

The girl began preaching shortly after recovering from a serious medical condition. In 2020, she was diagnosed with kidney failure and remained in the hospital for two months. During that time, pandemic-related restrictions prevented her parents from staying with her. She later said she saw a man in white who told her she would be taken care of. Her kidney transplant took place in March 2021.

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The day before Thanksgiving, Americans were shocked by the tragic shooting of two members of the National Guard by an Afghan asylum seeker allowed into the United States by the Biden Administration. According to the AP:

“The suspect in Wednesday’s shooting near the White House that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both of the West Virginia National Guard, is facing charges … Rahmanullah Lakanwal is a 29-year-old Afghan national who had been living in Bellingham, Washington … He worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War.”

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This killer left his five children in Washington state to drive to DC to ambush Sarah Beckstrom with shots from a .357 pistol, then grabbed Beckstrom’s weapon and mortally wounded her with a shot to the head. He then shot Wolf multiple times, and “When Lakanwal paused to reload, a National Guard major leapt from cover and turned the ambush back on the attacker — stabbing the alleged terrorist in the head multiple times and bringing him to the ground. During the initial attack, the major allegedly heardLakanwal yelling 'Allahu Akbar,'" the New York Post reported.

Many wonder how Lakanwal could go from seeming an American ally in Afghanistan to this. I’d like to offer some perspective from what I have learned of Lakanwal and my experiences with Afghans in Afghanistan.

Continued below.

So you think that paradise at the north pole is a fairy tale, well you may be right but consider this;

Even a cursory perusal of the national news media will suggest that among the significant problems afflicting American education from the elementary to the postgraduate level is a stunning lack of academic freedom. Indeed, anyone who has attended an American university in the last 30 years has been made aware to varying degrees that if you express certain “conservative” or “traditional” views on moral and political issues, you may well face varying degrees of discrimination or prejudice.

As I have interacted with students on campuses across the country over the past few decades, I have the clear impression that the “groupthink” on many college campuses (starting with a nearly monolithic faculty group liberal worldview) has reached stifling levels. Many, many times, I have had students tell me that they are fearful that if they say what they really think about various political, religious, or philosophical subjects in class or in term papers, they will be penalized by prejudiced liberal professors.

Even way back when I was an undergraduate (1965-1969), the overwhelming majority of my liberal arts professors at Princeton were liberal. I will always remember attending my first lecture in a history class. The professor, a man with a worldwide reputation, began by going through the syllabus, summarizing each of the assigned 16 required textbooks, giving each one’s historical worldview. He then volunteered that he was a Marxist-Leninist (he said he used to be a Communist, but he left the party as a protest to the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956) and he would be lecturing from that perspective.

Continued below.

I am not going to address the first part of your post because its been addressed multiple times in this thread. Even in the very post you are replying to, that our words do not delete Scripture. .

Dan1988 said:

Nobody has ever been able to keep the law anyway,

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Gen 26:5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

Dan1988 said:

God gave us the commandments to show us that nobody could keep any of them.

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Wow, we mush have a complete different view of God. That God would give commandments that He judges people by James2:11-12 Mat5:19-30 Ecc12:13-14 Rev11:18-19 that can't be kept. Sadly, this really is an attack on His character. The God I serve gives us the power to keep them through Him.

John 16:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.


So apparently God's commandments can be kept if we are abiding in Him. If one is believing they can't be kept I would spend more time in prayer asking for His help in overcoming.

The whole book of Revelations speaks of a people who overcomes and keeps God's commandments Rev14:12 sadly just a remnant Rev12:17 because most have been deceived either believing the devil has more power to keep us in sin, than God does to help us overcome or has edited the Testimony of God Exo31:18 Deut 4:13 that He promised not to Psa89:34 Mat5:18-19 and do not allow God to define sin1John3:4 Rom7:7, His Law Deut4:13 , His covenant Deut4:13 Heb8:10 Isa 56:6-7 2Cor3:3 and think they know better than He.

Dan1988 said:

They were meant to drive us to Jesus, instead of relying on our own ability to save ourselves.

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They show us our sin and what is righteousness right and wrong doing (Psa119:172) so we are not relying on our feelings to define this, so we go to Jesus ask ask His help in forsaking our sins Pro28:13 1John1:9 which meanings changing and turning from and becoming a new person in Christ Rom6:1-4, not continuing in the same path, where this is what we have to look forward to Heb10:26-30 instead of Rev22:14

12/05/25 Day 2

O St. Lucy, whose name proclaims the radiance of light, we approach you with humble confidence to seek your holy intercession. Obtain for us, through your prayers, that sacred illumination which guides our souls away from the shadows of sin and leads us toward the brightness of virtue.

Obtain for us also these petitions which we offer to you in this novena:

[Mention your petitions now]

We beseech you, St. Lucy, through your powerful advocacy before the throne of the Lamb, the protection of our eye sight, and for the grace to employ our eyes always in service of God’s glory and never for that which offends His divine majesty.

Help us to perceive with clarity the truths of our faith and the needs of our neighbor, that we may walk steadfastly in the light of Christ and labor earnestly for the salvation of souls.

Pray for us, St. Lucy, that having honored you as our advocate in this earthly pilgrimage, we may one day behold with you the eternal splendor of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose divine light all shadows flee away forever. Amen.

From what I understand the early church was fairly insultaed from the world. From the Roman pagan politics and ideological beliefs within the public square.

So there was a pretty stark destinction that Paul and the congregations could refer to as to being a Christian. If people were being executed for their belief it was a pretty clear destinction and alien to the world.

Peter and Paul is writing to a number of churches the same message. Clement of Rome later did the same and writing as far away cities across the Roman Empire.

Ignatius of Antioch mentions around 110AD that where there is the Catholic church (universal church) there is Christ. The church fathers emphasise unity and Clement mentions that division was the beginning of sin and Christ was no longer in the church when dividied.

If we are transformed in our minds and hearts by Christ and His spirit lives in us then there is no way that people can be dividied and I think this is the key.

Today its easy to claim a Christian in words and the meaning of everything as been compromised. Even the truth itself in a postmodern society is rationalised into there being no single truth but many.

So I think as someone mentioned it is the actions more than the words. Living the words that united the minds and hearts. You cannot go wrong. If each is willing to lay down their life for Christ and others then they cannot be anything but of one mind and heart.

But where there is division I think this is bad fruit regardless of the cause. This is a red flag I think. I cannot understand how modern denominations can have fundemental differences in their beliefs. I believe is is a consequence of modern times and like everything else truth is relative.

But if the truth is so compromised to the point that its not to different from the world and becomes just one more identity group in a big pot of groups all fighting over truth. Then I think this is not good fruit and to be avoided.

I don't think Christs church is a religion though I think the Catholic and Orthodox are the closest. But a Christian within Christ church should be the same mind and spirit regardless of the church clubs we label religions and denominations.

Though I do think the church is one of the biggest deceptions satan uses to fool people away from God.

GoldenKingGaze said:

For century after century porneia in the new testament was translated as sexual immorality. But in the 20th century, romantic poetry and arts leaned towards porneia being love. Romatic love, unrequited love, love at first sight, free love. People moved by lust commit adultery and can't deny their feelings and falll in love with the other woman and leave the wife for the lover. There are stories true and fiction of men falling in love with their prostitute. A lover can be, or become first love. Ladies can be in love with their first love, lover for the rest of their life, despite getting married and having children with the second love.

Is it as simple as saying porneia is sexual immorality?

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I remember there was this idea that having sex with someone was more intimate then was made out. It was impossible to have sex with someone without it meaning something more than just sexual gratification. Even if that meant someone had to pretend or deny that reality. By doing so this took something away from the persons soul.

I think over time sex has been reimaged. Or maybe its history repeating itself. It seems when we take the spiritual aspect out of the equation we naturally turn to the base naturalistic instincts. Sex is made more important than it is to compensate the lack of spiritual connection.

Or sex is spiritualised with pagan beliefs which seems a natural belief when humans move away from God. They create gods out of nature, Gods creation itself.