• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Trump dispenses with trials, orders military strike on alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking boat (Now up to 2, 3, 4...)

If I were american, I'd be more worried, knowing that when the illegal order to kill me will come down, it will also not be refused.

Hopefully our future enemies won't stoop to our level
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Has anyone attempted a 40 day fast?

Daniel the prophet fasted but still ate ( see Daniel 1:1-21 verses 8 & 12 in particular). Even this though is pretty rigorous and individual health concerns must be taken into account.

Daniel ate “pulse”


Daniel ate healthy things but almost all of us need more. In Orthodoxy, our fasting practices are vegan but even there individuals must take their health into account in line with needs like in proteins and calcium etc.
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Prayer Request: Seeking Peace and Strength in Daily Life

Hello everyone, I would like to ask for prayer.

Lately, I’ve been feeling emotionally overwhelmed because of my father. In my daily life, I often have to be with him, and he frequently brings up heavy topics, complains, or speaks in ways that feel intense and pressing. This leaves me feeling anxious, drained, and afraid of losing my peace. I naturally long for calm, quiet, and a gentle environment, but daily life makes it very hard to find these moments.

I know that in January I will have to travel and spend whole days with him, which adds to my worry. I want to be emotionally strong, but I feel the weight of constant tension and pressure.

I am asking for God’s help to use the next two months to cultivate peace in my heart, so that I can:

Handle daily life with patience, calmness, and joy

Remain gentle, wise, and emotionally resilient when interacting with my father in January

Maintain healthy boundaries without dishonoring him

Keep my spirit connected to God’s presence and inner peace despite challenges

Please pray for God’s peace, strength, and guidance in my daily life, and that I may be prepared emotionally and spiritually for the month of January.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I deeply trust God to guard my heart, restore my calm, and fill my days with His peace.
Many of us are standing with you. Life challenges us, but through Christ we are conquerors!
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B flat B♭

@David Lamb @Strong in Him @prodromos & to who ever it may concern.

Just to let you know I am feeling a lot better now thanks to the Lord, thank you for all your kind concerns, I thought I were dying. You are really terrific people on here.

Many blessing :praying:

Apple
Praise our great God for answered prayer! I'm so glad to read your post. Take it steady! Continuing to pray for you.
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Reactions: Apple Sky
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The Mamdani Model: More Socialist Mayors to ComeBeware! The DSA will attempt to repeat Mamdani’s success in other Democrat strongholds.

Yeah and national socialism isn't real socialism

It isn't and it wasn't.

Can you name a "socialist" policy that the NSDAP put in place?

Nazi political policy wasn't socialist. It was explicitly anti-socialist.

Nazi economic policy wasn't socialist. It was a mix of corporatism, crony capitalism and industrially driven autarky in preparation for expansionist war.

Nazi social policy wasnt socialist. It weakened universal social systems, emphasised 'traditional' class and gender roles and rejected notions of equal rights and dignities.

As long as we have the Supreme Court we're not a democracy.

The existence of a final appelate court for constitutional matters is not exclusionary of a democratic form of government.

The US is a constitutional presidential republic. That's a form of indirect democracy (because the power rests with the people, expressed through their elected representatives).

Why do certain parts of the US political spectrum maintain this insistence that only direct/pure/Athenian style democracy with simple majority counts as a democracy?
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The Economist on Trump Economy

In his second term Donald Trump has torn up not just trade rules but the machinery of economic measurement. After lashing out at weak job figures, he sacked the head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics in August, unsettling markets. A month-long government shutdown has since paused nearly all official data releases, leaving policymakers “driving in the fog”, as Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, put it.

The worry about driving in the fog is that when the data is released it may show a road that is alot rougher than expected. I would note too that with such potential data to make markets volatile, the temptation for insider trading for those in the know could be higher than usual. Trump also has proposals to switch some data to be reported every 3 months. If the economy is a patient that at times might need treatment, timely and as accurate data as possible is helpful, not a hindrance.
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WHAT DOES PAUL. SAID OF Eph 1 : 4. !!

The actual term "born again" which is what Nicodemus was supposed to have understood comes from Ezekiel.

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

This was for the faithful remnant of Israel that would enter the earthly kingdom. While Christians could be called "regenerated" when receiving new and eternal life when placed into the body of Christ, it can be confusing to also call this being "born again".
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Eve and the Fallacy of Moral Choices

First off in Mark 4:15 Jesus specifically says: “Some people” and not “all people”.
IF you believe that is the case THEN Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4 and Deut. 8:3 are all WRONG

or, your reasoning is off

IF all have sin, (we do) and sin is of the devil, (it is) then Mark 4:15 applies to everyone

IF we are tempted in mind/heart, (we are) then Mark 4:15 is true again

I could go on, but if you exempt yourself from Mark 4:15 then you are basically rejecting the Word of God

And of course we know who does that don't we?

The balance of your reply is self justification, which I can't do in light of the above

Oh, and btw I do believe in eternal hell, for the devil and his messengers so that question is off the table
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‘Go to Berkeley’: Ron DeSantis said students seeking ‘woke’ classes should study elsewhere

1764755938393.png



“If you want to do things like gender ideology, go to (the University of California) Berkeley,” DeSantis added. “There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but for us with our tax dollars, we want to focus on the classical mission of what a university is supposed to be.”

“What this does is reorient our universities back to their traditional mission and part of that traditional mission is to treat people as individuals, not to try to divvy them up based on any type of superficial characteristics,” DeSantis said.


US Rank 2026WUR Rank 2026UniversityOverallTeachingResearch EnvironmentResearch QualityIndustryInternational Outlook
12Massachusetts Institute of Technology97.799.295.399.610091.9
2=3Princeton University97.298.297.3999885.4
=3=5Harvard University97.195.910098.986.788.3
=3=5Stanford University97.197.597.499.510083.9
57California Institute of Technology96.396.497.496.810087.9
69University of California, Berkeley94.487.39998.999.583.9
710Yale University94.194.694.597.287.681.4


1) According to the TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS, the University of California (Berkeley) ranks 6th among US universities and 9th in the world!

2) Two other California universities actually rank ahead of Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology and Stan ford (tied with Harvard) rank 5th and 3rd for US universities - 7th and 6th worldwide!

3) A total of 9 universities in California were slotted ahead of the University of Florida (44th) - the highest ranked university in that state!

3rd - Stanford University (5th worldwide)
5th - California Institute of Technology (7th worldwide)
6th - University of California Berkeley (9th worldwide)
11th - University of California Los Angeles ranks (18th worldwide)
22nd - University of California San Diego ranks 22nd (47th worldwide)
25th - University of California Davis 25th (64th worldwide)28th - University of California Santa Barbara (72nd worldwide)
29th - University of Southern California (73rd worldwide)
35th - University of California Irvine (97th worldwide)

44th - University of Florida (134th worldwide)

4) Apparently Governor DeSantis has decided to start his 2028 Presidental Campaign early but he's finally learned the hard way not to renew his fight with Disney!

5) Now he's decided to take a page out of President Trump's playbook, he's picking a fight with the universities - threatening to establish his own accreditation board as a means of forcing Florida's institutions to comply!

6) Florida's Governor has assumed the role of determining what can/can't be taught in that state's institutions for the express purpose "to focus on the classical mission of what a university is supposed you be!"

7) Someone should inform the Governor that try as he might, he can't recapture his idyllic version of "THE GOOD OLD DAYS" and that the 1950's are not about to make a comeback anytime soon!

8) DeSantis' comments directed at Berkeley, that supposed "bastion of woke," are all the more misguided, given that the Governor has unintentionally issued an open invitation to compare Florida's public universities with those of California - a state where the Governor has made no attempt to impose his will on what is being taught!

9) As previously stated, the "Times Higher Education World University Rankings"
places the University of California Berkeley as the 6th best university in America and 9th in the World - in fact, California has currently placed 3 universities in the Top 10 in the world (2 public, 1 private)!

10) California also has 9 universities (7 public, 2 private) that rank in the Top 35 nationally and all are included within the Top 100 internationally!

11) Compare "woke" California where all 9 universities are ranked ahead of the highest placed university in Florida, where no institution of higher learning, public or private, managed to be included among the Top 100 worldwide!

44th - University of Florida (134th worldwide)
56th - University of Miami (private)(201-250 worldwide)
66th - Florida State University (301-350 worldwide)
74th - University of South Florida (351-400 worldwide)
80th - Florida International University (401-500 worldwide)

12) Many of Florida's universities, both private and public, are better known for their football program than academics!

13) In 2023, Governor DeSantis set aside $1 million in pubic funds to finance a Florida State University's (FSU) legal challenge directed at the College Football Playoff Committee when FSU wasn't included as one of the playoff teams that year!






TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS, the University of California (Ber

“If you want to do things like gender ideology, go to (the University of California) Berkeley,” DeSantis added. “There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but for us with our tax dollars, we want to focus on the classical mission of what a university is supposed to be.”

“What this does is reorient our universities back to their traditional mission and part of that traditional mission is to treat people as individuals, not to try to divvy them up based on any type of superficial characteristics,” DeSantis said.
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Why we are not supposed to keep the Sabbath

If no more was added to the Ten Commandments Deut5:22 so how are they part of a “greater covenant”. No more added means they are the greater covenant all by Itself without man having to make it complete.

You're taking a narrow view of a single verse without allowing it to be informed by the broader context. The entire verse encompasses Exodus 20 to 31 (if we are talking about the first edition) or 34 (if we are talking about the second edition), depending on when you want to draw the line. The same is done in Deut. 4:11-13.

We can plainly read the entire event as it happened in Exodus with greater detail. Deut. 5/4 is a being spoken to Israel from Moses as an after-the-fact reading; the whole book is a series of speeches by Moses recalling past events like farewell speeches. He goes back and forth depending on the point he wants to make. Where Moses, years later, in Deut. condensed the experience into a handful of verses, we can actually read what events took place in Exodus. The 10 is a symbol of the law, they are called the two tablets of the covenant law in Exodus and Exodus very clearly couples the 10 with a covenant greater than itself as noted in Exodus 24 where an actual blood covenant was established for all the laws/commandments that had just come (From ch 20-23). This is easily decipherable just by reading the order of the events in Ex 20-24. But you see the words "and added nothing else" and create this wild doctrine from it. It's not about adding to the 10 (which SDA adds an 11th commandment for dietary laws) but rather understand the 10 are a part of a greater covenant.

That’s interesting considering so much Scriptures I have posted has not been addressed.

Most of your posts have been just been your own commentary. I have addressed Mat5:17-30 many times. Basically all we need to do is read it just as Jesus speaks and allow Him to define which law He is speaking about, and not add our words like Jesus ever writing in scrolls with ink which is not in our Bibles, plus He already promised jots and tittles from the scrolls written with ink would end. Dan9:27 Heb10:1-10 so obviously that can’t be the Law He speaks of.

He quoted directly from the Law He was referring to from Ten Commandments and fulfilled what He promised to do Isa 42:21 magnify His righteous and eternal laws which He gave clear examples of Him doing so using two of the commandments from the Ten Commandments so no need to lean on our own understanding Mat5:19-30. And this Law was written on stone by God. How does one debate ones opinions with Scripture as if its the same Exo31:18 Deut4:13. If a law was going to be eternal without editing, would it be one written by the Holy Spirit or the laws written by man on paper. Sad this is even a debate.

Sorry, I have supported my arguments with Scriptures, I am going to stick with that and move on and leave it as agree to disagree.

you keep hinting at this idea that my words are not of scripture, saying various suggestive remarks like my own ideas/commentary/traditions of men, etc.... Merely saying these things doesn't actually make it so and I can say identical remarks to you, but alone they are unproductive. Mat 5:17 opens with a context of the law and prophets but you don't seem to feel this is important and ingore this context. then we do right into v18 and you switch the context to that of only the 10 rather then the previously established context of the law and prophets. You just echo this over and over and seem to think this is enough citing examples that Christ quotes 2 of the 10; therefore the prior context is trumped but this new context. Yet Christ quotes from more than the 10, he actually quotes more within the Ex 20-23 passages showing that Christ is not trying to separate the 10, but rather is addressing something far more broad. He already establishes a context of the law and prophets in 17, and then quotes from the law and prophets in his examples... so why would 18 and 19 change the context to only the 10 commandments? jots and tittles are references to written scrolls as would be the characteristics of the more modern script used in the scrolls that would work for that expression. The tablets are written using an older script where the jots and tittles expression doesn't make sense. This is not unsubstantiated and is well supported over simply saying I really want it to be the 10 therefore it must be the 10 then using a bunch of verses with law and pretent it actually is saying the 10 commandments.
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Minnesota is drowning in fraud.

Who is this? An Islamic group that follows a strict Salafi-jihadi ideology. They are seeking to establish an Islamic emirate in Somalia governed by its extreme interpretation of Sharia law. It is strongly anti-Western, anti-African Union, and opposes the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), which it considers apostate.

This coming from a State governed by someone who could have been VP.
Reminds me of the story about Haitians eating cats and dogs.
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Christians are Abrahams seed

From chat GPT

1. CHRISTIANS ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED


Galatians 3:7


“Those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham.”

Galatians 3:9


“So then, those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”

Galatians 3:14


“That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:16


“The promises were made to Abraham and to his seed… and that seed is Christ.”

Galatians 3:26–29


“If you are Christ’s, you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Romans 4:11–12


Abraham is the father of all who believe, whether circumcised or uncircumcised.

Romans 4:16


“He is the father of us all.”



2. CHRISTIANS ARE HEIRS TO ABRAHAM’S PROMISE


Romans 8:16–17


“If children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”

Galatians 4:28


“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.”

Galatians 4:30


Believers are the inheritors, like Isaac, not Ishmael.


Hebrews 6:17


God confirmed the promise to Abraham for the heirs (Christians).




3. CHRISTIANS ARE JEWS INWARDLY, THE TRUE CIRCUMCISION


Romans 2:28–29


“He is not a Jew who is one outwardly…
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly,
and circumcision is of the heart, in the Spirit.”

Philippians 3:3


“For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit…
and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Colossians 2:11


Christians receive the circumcision of Christ, not made with hands.




4. CHRISTIANS ARE “THE ISRAEL OF GOD”


Galatians 6:16


“Peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”

Most scholars agree Paul uses this to describe the church, not ethnic Israel.




5. CHRISTIANS ARE THE TEMPLE, PRIESTHOOD, AND HOLY NATION


All titles given originally to Israel in the Old Testament.


1 Peter 2:5


“You are a holy priesthood.”

1 Peter 2:9


“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for His own possession.”

(These titles come from Exodus 19:5–6 describing Israel.)


1 Peter 2:10


“Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.”

1 Corinthians 3:16–17


Christians are God’s Temple.


Ephesians 2:19–22


Believers are fellow citizens, part of the household of God, being built into a holy Temple.





John 15:1 Jesus is the true vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman"





7. CHRISTIANS ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD / CHILDREN OF PROMISE


John 1:12–13


“To all who received Him… children of God.”

Romans 9:6–8


“Not all who are of Israel are Israel…
The children of promise are counted as the seed.”

Paul explains that true Israel is defined by faith, not ethnicity.


Galatians 4:4–7


Believers become sons and heirs.




8. CHRISTIANS ARE “ONE NEW MAN,” NOT TWO PEOPLES


Ephesians 2:11–18


Christ abolished the dividing wall and created:


One new man from the two.”

Not two covenants.
Not two Israels.
One reconciled people in Christ.




9. CHRISTIANS INHERIT THE WORLD / THE KINGDOM


Romans 4:13


The promise to Abraham was that he would inherit the world,
and this promise comes through faith, not the law.

Matthew 5:5


“The meek shall inherit the earth.”

1 Corinthians 6:2


Christians will judge the world.




10. CHRISTIANS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE JERUSALEM ABOVE


Galatians 4:26


“The Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.”

This contrasts with earthly Jerusalem enslaved under the law.
Also Jesus was Abrahams seed so God gave Canaan to Jesus around 2100 BC the Israelites were only temporary residents on the land. Jesus did not want the land so he replaced it with the new Jerusalem for his followers Christians. Canaan /Palestine is no longer the promise land.

Is Hell Annihilationism or Eternal Torment

Ezek 28:

15 “You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created

Until unrighteousness was found in you.
16 “By the abundance of your trade
You were internally filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of fire.
17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
I put you before kings,
That they may see you.
18 “By the multitude of your iniquities,
In the unrighteousness of your trade
You profaned your sanctuaries.
Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you;
It has consumed you,
And I have turned you to ashes on the earth
In the eyes of all who see you.
19 “All who know you among the peoples
Are appalled at you;
You have become terrified
And you will cease to be forever.”’”

========================

Malachi 4:
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.


I find your logic illusive just then

"cease to be forever"
"wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life"
destroyed as in "by reducing them to ashes" 2 Peter 2

No doubt the second death of Rev 20 does involve a great deal of suffering and torment but it ends just as Ezek 28 states even for the devil himself
You failed to understand that Ezek 28 is not speaking about the devil. It's actually about Lucifer, who was not created as a devil, but became "the Devil" or Satan, after He rebelled against God and sinned.

It would really help your cause if you did a bit of a study to understand the surrounding context of the scriptures, you refer to. It's not profitable to just pluck them out of their intended context and misapply them to support your unbiblical opinion.

Yes God will burn the whole earth and every living thing in it, with fervent heat and the elements such as rocks will melt away. But nothing will be annihilated, because He will restore everything and everyone back to their proper estate again. Lucifer was destroyed, so He doesn't exist anymore as Lucifer. Now He exists as Satan or the Devil.

No man will exist in his current form, in the life to come. Some will be resurrected to glory and others to their damnation. But there's no escaping into annihilationism, it's simply not an option.
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The NEA is pushing far left teaching upon children

No, because the pronoun police demand that certain pronouns be used by others. No one here has made that demand. Are you?
One would have thought no demand was required if people just went with what was preferred by the person.

Is using the non-preferred pronoun really so hard for you to do?
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Is Morphic Resonance Real

AI Overview

Morphic resonance is
a theory proposed by biologist Rupert Sheldrake that suggests all natural systems, including organisms and crystals, have a collective memory that influences their form and behavior over time. This proposed mechanism of "formative causation" claims that past forms and behaviors of similar systems create a cumulative, invisible influence that shapes the development and patterns of present systems, rather than being governed by fixed physical laws alone. It implies that nature is habitual and that new behaviors can spread more rapidly through a species because of this shared, non-physical memory.

Key concepts

Collective memory: Each species, from animals to plants, possesses a collective memory that individuals can access and to which they contribute.

Habitual nature: The theory suggests that the regularities of nature are more like habits that have been reinforced by repetition, rather than being immutable laws.

Similarity: The resonance is based on similarity. The more similar an organism or system is to past ones, the greater the influence it will have.

Behavior and form: Morphic resonance is said to influence both the physical form and the behavior of a system. For example, it is proposed to explain instincts and how certain patterns of behavior, like a new trick learned by rats in one location, can be learned more quickly by other rats of the same breed elsewhere.

Individual memory: The resonance of a system with its own past is also suggested as a way to explain individual memory, where memories are not entirely stored in the brain but are accessed through a resonance with the brain's past states.
No. SHeldrake is a fraud.
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Relative of Trump Press Secretary taken by ICE

The unfortunate reality is that many Cuban Americans who immigrated illegally and benefited from American generosity now strongly oppose immigration reform for others in similar situations.
I dont think its unfortunate at all. Things have changed. People are realizing what its doing to America and the problems it is causing.
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