For those interested in Calvinist beliefs I offer the following two links

parousia70 said:

Marking this post for a revisit on 1/1/32 to see where you move the goalposts this time. I must say it is impressive how you never tire of moving the goalposts after each failed prediction.

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Well, I don't worry, as everything will be changed when the Sixth Seal; Day of fiery wrath strikes.

The truth is: the Seventh Seal is simply a time gap of about 20 earth years, which I see as extending past the glorious Return.

The Lord is not slow in the fulfilment of His plans.

Miss Shelby said:

BWAP. Good for you and thanks for sharing that. I fully expect to be fired at some point for not participating in the insanity of using multiple pronouns.

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Stand your ground. You do not have to been mean or cause a scene. Just call them by their proper name and refuse pronouns. I was assigned to help remove the breasts of 19yr old girl and I refused.
They accommodated me but were not happy.

They were probably setting me up to fire me for my beliefs, so they assigned me to assist with a gall bladder in a woman that wanted to be called a man’s name. Probably to see what I would do.
I am a physician, and everyone deserves health care regardless of other issues. That is human dignity and their right as created in the image of God. I would not refuse to help.
When taking to her, I used her requested name but did not communicate so as to use pronouns.
When giving report, I said she without thinking about it. I was not corrected and did not apologize. My brain was just not thinking he, when she had full breasts and only a hint of a beard. I gave her anethesia just as I would for anyone else and had no problem
The question then becomes, if I say everyone deserves healthcare regardless of who they are, how do I justify refusing to assist in abortions, sterilizations and transgender surgery? Are not those procedures “healthcare”?

I thought about it, and it came to me, they certainly are not. Healthcare enhances the health of the patient without question, or at least it is intended to enhance health.

Abortion ends the life of a human being, tubal ligation and vasectomies mutilate a healthy body for pure pleasure. Transgender surgery is also a mutilation of a healthy body.

They are called healthcare because the advocates “believe” it will make their life better. Others disagree. Wait a minute, what do we do with other’s beliefs?
The US constitution says that Congress shall make no law regarding the establishment of a religion. By calling these procedures “healthcare”, the government is effectively establishing a religion and commanding universal adherence. That is unconstitutional.! These procedures are religious rituals designed to give one faith preference over another. The US constitution says that we cannot do that, but we are being duped into doing just that.
What does that mean? Well I have standing because I was prevented from practicing my profession because I declined to participate in another religion. If I could find a lawyer willing to take the case to the Supreme Court, I would argue that these procedures be removed from all institutions which receive federal funding, based on the establishment clause

We have freedom of religion, so these religious procedures should be taken out of hospitals and placed in religious settings

All these states are passing these laws of their constitutional right to abortion. I say ok, do that, but it is illegal for you to use federal funds to do it or even state funds, or allow them to be performed in secular institutions. Go to your own house of worship to perform your religious rituals and pay for them yourselves

Insurance cannot be required to cover abortion or birth control. Those that want it will have to get a religious policy, or would you like your insurance money to go to my parish, so I may continue to receive the Eucharist and Penance?
Oh you object? Now you know how I feel


Far fetched? Maybe, but the argument is sound. These procedures are healthcare only because people believe they are healthcare. That makes them religious rituals and not constitutional for the government to establish them and demand universal obedience

This will be my testimony in federal court if asked on the stand

Amid Trump’s Incendiary Rhetoric, Radicals on Both Sides of Political Divide See Violence as Justified​

• Trump has used more incendiary language than Democrats, but he is the one who has been targeted.
• Polls show that most voters fear political violence if their own candidate wins in November and the other side refuses to accept the result.

Robert A. Pape, a political scientist who studies political violence, has little doubt that former President Trump has made more incendiary comments than Vice President Kamala Harris.

The problem, however, is what his research tells him: Both sides of the political spectrum have radical elements that see violence as justified if it means stopping Trump from gaining power (10% of adults) or making sure Trump returns to the White House (7%).

But the lines Republicans are drawing for Democrats is confounding at times because they include criticizing Democrats for quoting Trump’s own words. Scott Jennings, a Trump supporter who regularly appears on CNN, went after Harris on Monday.

“I mean, she repeats it herself. ‘Trump will be a dictator on Day 1,’” Jennings said. “I mean, this country fights dictators.”

The problem? Trump, who has repeatedly threatened retribution against political opponents if elected, was asked in a December interview in Iowa by Fox News host Sean Hannity whether he would abuse his power if he goes back to the White House.

“Except for Day One...,” Trump said. “We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”

Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary to President George W. Bush, made a similar critique in an L.A. Times interview Tuesday, calling out Harris for repeating Trump’s 2022 plea for “termination” of parts of the Constitution to put him back in office. Fleischer did not appear to realize Harris was quoting Trump when she made those remarks. But when pressed, he said Harris needed to use more context to avoid raising tensions.

d taylor said:

-It is when faith is defined as obeying. An example that is often used, is the. If you do not sit in the chair, then you do not really believe it will support you and not collapse.​

There is no test to as whether a person has believed in Jesus.

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One test of saving faith is obedience in one's life after salvation by faith only.

Obedience does not prove true faith, but no obedience proves no true faith.

Excellent! Thank you.

Joseph G said:

Thanks Hoping, especially for prayers. Would you mind if I pm for some advice?

God bless!

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Please do !

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

From this, I see that there are emotions to put away. It does not say to keep them and "channel" their energy for what is good.

After all >

"the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (in James 1:20)

So, I see, if an emotion is not doing us good, we need how God is able to remove it . . . not keep it and try to channel it or negotiate with it. Just get rid of it!!

And instead, "be kind" . . . "tenderhearted". And forgive, "even as God in Christ forgave you."

If we read how God wants us to forgive, right away we can see that we need to end our relationships with certain emotions. We need how God is able to change us emotionally so we are always ready to forgive generously, like Jesus on the cross > Jesus *prayed* >

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (in Luke 23:34)

There is more we can share about this. Others are welcome to join in.

I find the those books to lack the power and majesty of style of the canonical books.

Hazelelponi said:

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Father God we are one
We're your sons under the sun
Come again with your life
As your bride fights to unite

And we will see your
Glory in the morning light
Glory falling like a fire
Glory as we come united
We will see your
Glory in the morning light
Glory falling like a fire
Glory as we come united

Let it fall here where the world has forgotten
Let it fall here and the fallen will stand
Let it fall here where there's bones there's an army
Let it fall here
Let it fall

Father God we want more
We won't stop chasing your heart

Until will see your
Glory in the morning light
Glory falling like a fire
Glory as we come united
We will see your
Glory in the morning light
Glory falling like a fire
Glory as we come united

Let it fall here where the world has forgotten
Let it fall here and the fallen will stand
Let it fall here where there's bones there's an army
Let it fall here
Let it fall

Come like a rushing water
Come like a mighty wind
Come let your Holy Spirit
Fall on us again
Come like a rushing water
Come like a mighty wind
Come let your Holy Spirit
Fall on us again
Come like a rushing water
Come like a mighty wind
Come let your Holy Spirit
Fall on us again
Come like a rushing water
Come like a mighty wind
Come let your Holy Spirit
Fall on us again

Let it fall here where the world has forgotten
Let it fall here and the fallen will stand
Let it fall here where there's bones there's an army
Let it fall here
Let it fall

Fall fall fall
Let it fall
Fall fall fall
Let it fall

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This song has very wonderful words of worship to the Lord God and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, I like the country vibe of the style of the lead singer and the music.

Amen and Hallelujah, my sister.

From the OP article:
The resolution, the first proposed by the Palestinian delegation since being granted diplomatic privileges in May, was approved with 124 nations voting in favor, 14 against and 43 abstentions.
The 14 U.N. member states who voted against the UNGA motion are Argentina, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Hungary, Israel, Malawi, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, Tuvalu and the United States.
The 43 countries that abstained from the vote included nations that have recently moved toward withholding arms sales to Israel, including Australia, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Following the vote, Oren Marmorstein, the spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted a message to X calling it “a distorted decision that is disconnected from reality, encourages terrorism and harms the chances for peace.”
In particular, Marmorstein slammed the resolution for ignoring the issue of Palestinian terrorism targeting Israeli civilians. The resolution makes no mention of the Hamas atrocities of October 7, or the ongoing Gaza War which resulted from that attack.
“The General Assembly decision bolsters and strengthens the Hamas terrorist organization and the Iranian terrorist state that stands behind it,” Marmorstein said.
“The resolution sends a message that terrorism pays off and yields international resolutions.”

Judges 17:

5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

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It was all against the law of Moses.

7 Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 9 And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place.”

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The young man was a Levite. Micah's biological son was not.

10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest,

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Strong's Hebrew: 1. אָב (ab) — 1212 Occurrences

H1 was polysemantic. Meaning #8 in Brown-Driver-Briggs: 8. term of respect & honour

Micah used H1 metaphorically as a term of respect.

and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living.” And the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons.

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The father/priest was like Micah's biological son.

Later, the Danites used the same terminology in Judges 18:

19 "Be quiet," they told him. "Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?"

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What was a father/priest?

It's a term of respect and authority, similar to how Catholic priests are called "Father" today.

BNR32FAN said:

That’s pretty strange since Muslims worship the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

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Or so they claim, but really, the Islamic deity bears no resemblance to the our God, the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity, but is instead an idol, according to the Masoretic reading of Psalm 96 v. 5* (The gods of the gentiles are idols).

This is made evident by the fact that the Islamic God is not the God of Love and infinite Mercy we find in the Bible, but rather an abjectly evil tormentor.

It also seems clear that the supposed appearance of the Archangel Gabriel, “Jibreel” who inspired the initial visions of Muhammad was a demon.

This corresponds with the Septuagint version of the aforementioned Psalm, which is Psalm. 95. v. 5 in the Septuagint due to differences in Septuagint versification, which states “the gods of the gentiles are demons.”

In this case I regard the two readings as complementary rather than contradictory (much like how minor variations in the accounts of certain events in the Gospels are complementary rather than contradictory, which is why I really have no use for “Gospel harmonies” such as Tatian’s Diatessaron. Every attempt at merging the four books into one unified narrative is less than the sum of its parts.

An incident at the district hospital in Panna, Madhya Pradesh, has ignited public outrage after a Muslim man was refused the opportunity to donate blood for a critically ill Hindu woman.

The refusal, captured on video and circulated widely on social media, has drawn sharp criticism, with many condemning the communal overtones of the situation.

According to reports, the incident occurred when Pawan Sonkar, a resident of Ajaygarh, brought his mother to the district hospital for treatment. His mother was diagnosed with a severe blood deficiency, and the attending doctors urgently requested him to arrange a blood donor. In response, Sonkar brought his friend, Raja Khan, a Muslim, to donate blood.

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Xeno.of.athens said:

As a Baptist, you may question whether Baptists are entirely orthodox in the eyes of Catholic doctrine. It is our belief that they are not. Therefore, how can one accurately evaluate Pope Francis's statements, made in Italian, when one's theological perspective is not Catholic? This suggests that one may not be suitably positioned to pass such judgment.

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Using that measure, it would then disqualify my Catholic Brothers and Sister from any comments on any Doctrine outside of the Roman Catholic Church. Because they may not be suitably positioned to pass such judgement.

In this case, we have the very words of Our Lord and Savior very plainly and that circumvents any authority on earth including the pope’s complete contradiction to Jesus.

Lord have mercy

From my experiences is we don’t own the gifts.

Those eager to serve filled with and a strong desire to love the Lord and others through His help…
Are like the servants who have talents and do not bury them but increase the Lords love poured out for others.


peace

mourningdove~ said:

View attachment 354690

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Trump has said that.

chevyontheriver said:

What is the situation of the Catholic Church in that location? If it's really something special then maybe it's a good idea. If it's moribund then fixing that would be the first step, maybe by bringing in like-minded Catholics. A good Catholic parish will be a healing balm for a neighborhood or a town. A not so good parish and the neighborhood will go downhill unless the evangelicals have a big presence there.

I saw a list once of best places to be Catholic. It can vary by state or by county or by diocese. And of course if we live in some of the not quite best locations it can still be OK if we are in a good parish with a good priest.

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Speaking as objectively as possible, my parish is tied for the most thriving parish I've been a part of since my conversion. Including parishes I attended/joined in Virginia, Maryland, and New York during my east coast stint.

They've kinda rewritten (or restored perhaps?) the book on RCIA and it's been tremendously successful, evident by classes of 30+ receiving their sacraments on Easter Vigil. The person responsible for reforming the program has kind of passed the torch and gone on to develop something new called RCIF (Rite of Christian Initiation for Families) that encourages parents who want their kids to be baptized and receive their sacraments to learn what their kids are learning for support, but it's also kind of a sneaky way of winning more souls, and it works. I'm co-teaching a class of adults whose kids have been at it for a bit and there's some enthusiastic parents who are excited to become Catholic themselves.

Beyond that the five Sunday Masses (counting Saturday vigil) are typically full, in some cases standing room only. I haven't been to daily Mass in years but I assume the attendance there is about average, or slightly above.

Parish events like the KOC crab feed and the parish picnic, etc are always sell out crowds.

I would characterize the Catholic community here as "brimming with vitality".

This kind of goes with my theory that some of the best places to be Catholic are actually embedded in more broadly "hostile" states. I hear the Archdioceses of San Francisco and Portland are amazing and those cities are notoriously liberal. I suspect the goodness of the Churches there stems from a sense that the Catholics need to bond more closely as a community to withstand the temptations and opposition to God's work.

My thinking was I hope we get to a place where the richness of the Catholic community here extends beyond my parish. There's another parish here but it's not as vibrant. What I hope to see is maybe 1-2 religious communities established here, we have Trappists and Carmelites close by but they're not like Franciscans or Dominicans who are "out there" in the community. One thing I really wish I could do is help the Sisters of Life open a west coast chapter here, their presence is overwhelmingly in NY with a smaller chapter in Colorado, but I see incredible potential for their ministry here in CA and where I'm located it would be easy to find a place within shouting distance that could be built up as a retreat in the mountains or something.

With that kind of growth then hopefully other kinds of growth are inspired, like the creation of more shrines and the establishing of new regular events that bring Catholics together like Catholic Underground in NYC.

Obviously this would all happen incrementally, not at once but these are some big picture ideas I've hoped and prayed for.

The Congress of Catholics and Public Life, which is scheduled to celebrate its XXVI edition in Madrid in November, calls on Catholics to act coherently to offer solid foundations to a society in crisis that lives “as if God did not exist.”

Organized by Spain’s Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP, by its Spanish acronym), a manifesto has been issued for the Congress titled “Quo Vadis? Thinking and Acting in Times of Uncertainty.”

The manifesto points out that “the greater the loss of permanent references, the more political and social disorder there is” and refers both to “the concealment of everything that expresses the transcendence of the human being” and to the construction of a society that lives “as if God did not exist.”

In contrast, Catholics are encouraged to make “a redoubled effort in defending their foundations” against moral relativism, in an attitude that “is not an exercise in fundamentalism but, on the contrary, means being at the vanguard of the main debate on the future of our societies.”

Demoralization in the face of imposed social disorder​

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Former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. visited the campus for the first time since he reached with a settlement with school officials regarding disputes over his 2020 resignation.

Falwell and his wife, Becki, attended a football game at the Lynchburg, Virginia-based Evangelical institution founded by his father on Saturday, having previously been banned from the campus during the litigation.

"It's so wonderful, after spending the better part of 40 years imagining and building what's here, to be able to come and enjoy it without all of the responsibility on my shoulders," Falwell told WSET News.

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