Dan1988 said:

God has appointed shepherds to watch over dumb sheep, (sheep are dumb by nature) that's why God needed to appoint shepherds to protect us from the wolves in sheep's clothing.

I see you have thumbed your nose at Gods order and taken the law into your own hands. That's OK, but just remember your blood will be on your own hands.

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Do you even think about what you post before you post it? You’re the one who refuses to acknowledge everything that was taught in the early church. Where were your shepherds then? According to you the entire church fell away and began teaching a different gospel. You can’t even get your lies straight.

The Christian belief that Jews are not saved stems from religious conflicts during the emergence of Christianity and its subsequent separation from Judaism. It is based on the view that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of G-d, which is not recognised as such by Jews, and has led to a long history of discrimination and the idea that Jews are damned because of their rejection of Christian doctrine.

Unfortunately, there are anti-Jewish movements that have reinforced this thinking. For a long time, many Christians claimed that Christianity had replaced Israel as the people of G-d. The Jews had lost their election by rejecting Christ. This doctrine has led to a long and sad history of anti-Semitism in Germany and many other Christian countries.

The fact is that many of G-d's promises to His people, the Jews, are coming true today. If we know them, we can see how this is happening before our very eyes.

ChubbyCherub said:

-When you first became a Christian, what did you expect life in the church to be like?
Opening and warm but instructional re: teachings of Jesus and how to apply these to modern life

-What were your hopes or assumptions about how things would go?
Not sure I understand this question, sorry!

-What was your first experience with the church community?
I walked in one evening, sat down and listened to the sermon.

-Did those expectations match reality, or were there surprises?
I am often surprised by the attitudes of fellow churchgoers towards volunteers.
I was surprised that the church taught so much love but not about repentance and sin

-How do you feel now about your place in the church?
I still don't know! I'm trying to figure that out

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To follow up on question 2, think of it as asking what you're expectations where as a new Christian. Were you expecting your life to get easier or harder? Were you expecting your family and friends to act or treat you differently? Did you expect a certain amount of support from your church or other Christians in general? Did you have an expectation on how other Christians would/should act or treat you? How did it all pan out for you?

What do you mean by being suprised by the attitudes of fellow churchgoers toward volunteers? Was it negative or positive?

Once a Revolutionary, the convert stood before the wall a confirmed Cristero, executed by firing squad, on August 21, 1927.

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Servus said:

Liberals want universal basic income, but can't stand the idea of Trump giving citizens some money.

I remember the 2020/21 EIP stimulus cards totaling about $1800 iirc. I suppose liberals complained about that too.

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I can't speak for "liberals" on univseral basic income.
I'm still trying to figure out how a party that allegedly represents conservatives is supporting a tax on imported goods. Free enterprise. Small government. Taxation without representation. As I came of political age under Ronald Reagan, I understood those to be core conservative values.

prodromos said:

Conversions to Orthodoxy

Most, if not all of us here are converts. It seems we are from different backgrounds, different regions, different countries. But our lives have all converged on one point: our being Orthodox Christians. So, how did you get to be here? My story's a little unusual, but I'll post mine...

www.christianforums.com

Top thread in St Basil the Great's Hall

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Here's the thing - that thread is one thread, and the story I want to tell will be very long. I'd rather tell it in "installments", one post at a time, at my leisure, because I'm too lazy to write a small book, lol. I'm wondering if anyone would have a problem with me doing it here in the main forum.

Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) - Sequence for Mass of the Dead - Gregorian Chant with English Translation

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DamianWarS said:

To be more transparent I'm still looking for what you actually asked the AI and what AI did you use. "Bible only" seems to not fit what the OP has as it hinges on post-biblical labels (like moral and ceremonial) so it's clear it's based on external sources. AI is more of a mouth piece for whatever is available and it might be the case that the "bible-only" key word is actually isolating more fundamental perspectives than progressive even though both are can be called bible-only.

Youhave to still critically work through the response and even educate the AI to what actually is bible-only and what it is not and it can even conced that it's terminology can be seen as circular. You end up having an hour conversation about sementics with AI and realise the AI model is still heavily reliant on existing perspective over completely being a free thinker. When I say "bible only" I want the answer to actually be bible only which doesn't seem to be the case with when that key word is used.

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What God deems as righteous Psa119:172 Isa56:1-2 is moral and His righteousness is everlasting Psa119:141 and those who practice righteousness is born of God 1John2:29 as it is the foundation of His throne Psa89:14 . We can find this right in our Bibles. AI seemed to understand this as well.

God commandments, that He personally wrote, the Creator of everything, was never presented as pick what you are agree with. This is God's standard of righteousness which is moral. If one believe what God asks us to do that is righteous, but we believe it is immoral and not moral, that's not an agreement with me.

A 2011 book by Fr. Louis Cameli, The Devil You Don’t Know is of great assistance in this matter. Having read it recently, I think it would be of value to reflect on four broad categories of the Devil’s tactics that Fr. Cameli analyzes.

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Apple Sky said:

Keep on parroting, do I care ? NO!

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I'm not parroting. It's called holding you to account on your claims and seeking answers for them. And any rational person will do the same.

You need to start being honest about the fact that your claim about satellites doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Apple Sky said:

Oh please will you stop all this nonsense, people can read.

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You're the one talking nonsense. You obviously don't have an answer.

It's not about reading, but about understanding context, which is very much a problem of your reading.

There is context to using metaphors. And you seem to just pick and choose when you want them to be literal and when they are not.

For instance you claim the sun doesn't set, it just appears to. But the Bible says it sets. So you have claimed in the past that it isn't literal.

But people can read!!

rjs330 said:

If its a venue where illegals are present then yes.

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Effectively, you're suggesting that you and I, based on our appearance, have more rights than my wife who has been a citizen for over 20 years.

rjs330 said:

ICE has done a good job so far of hitting these areas and getting illegals. Certainly some Americans have been picked in the process. But they have been verified and released. .

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Would you feel the same way if you are detained for an hour, a day or weeks?

rjs330 said:

There are consequences to having sanctuary cities and consequences to citizens supporting such nonsense. You wanted illegals to come there and invited them.

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I didn't invite anyone. My wife immigrated legally.

rjs330 said:

Dont be so shocked when ICE comes to get them. They are going to go where the illegals are and if you are caught in the net so be it. You'll be let go in relatively short order.

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Don't be shocked when the US Government comes for you in the future.

Oh heavens to Betsy…maybe not.

Shoulders should carry that weight,

It seems the House will seek to reverse the provision passed in the Senate Bill:

Republicans did not strip out the provision because changing the funding bill would have forced the Senate to return to pass it again, delaying the end of a shutdown that has dragged on for 43 days. But Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) told reporters after the vote that many House Republicans were angry about the provision and that he had spoken to Thune about it. The House will try to pass a bill early next week to repeal the provision, Johnson said.

“I don’t think it was the right thing to do and the House is going to repeal that,” Johnson said. “And I’m going to expect our colleagues in the Senate to do the same thing.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/12/capitol-attack-fbi-investigation/

Not everyone is called to adopt a child, but each of us is invited to embrace the spirit of adoption in our own way. As Catholics, we can reflect on this truth through the beautiful devotion of Spiritual Adoption, popularized by Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

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Homily Friday, November 14 2025

32nd OT



Ws 13:1-9

"If they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its Lord?"



The Love of God is infinitely greater than the greatest childlike joy we have ever experienced.



Let us welcome the Love of God that is our hearts. And let us observe the Love of God in hearts.



Lk 17:26-37

Jesus said: "There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left."



God is with every person. But how many people do not know that God Loves them?



We have the mission to tell the people that the Love of God is in them. Since life is in people and God is life, God is there, in them.



When we realize that God loves us, we will joyfully proclaim it: The simple joy in you is God.



Biblical texts: NAB-RE

Normand Thomas.

FaithT said:

Sorry, but your answers are often over my head. Can you please just answer my first two questions directly?

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My time is very limited just now, so please excuse my brevity.
Michie's response in post 14 is good - from "AI"! - but it is true.

The letter of James is worth listening to, very carefully, concerning the misguided confusion in many in the Church, on the matter of "prayer". A saint one said, simply, "Prayer is nothing other than union with God." Many in the Church want "union with God - but not right now, please! Let me have this life right now, God, so please give me this or that for the here and now!"

Such contradictory desires are of a "two-souled" person. Thus we must listen to St. James clearly on this matter. Two passages of being "two-minded" - or "double-souled" (depending on the translation) - must be heard.

First:

Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Jas 1:7 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.

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And he adds again, because it is very important! Many believers are of "two minds", or "two hearts": We want to have both an easy, enjoyable, pleasant life here on earth, and also the same after death, in heaven. We want to be a saint, but not yet.

Jas 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Jas 4:4 Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Jas 4:5 Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us"?
Jas 4:6 But he gives more grace; therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind.

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This is key. God cannot love both truth and falsity - He cannot be of "two minds", as many church-going Catholics (and non-Catholics) "wish" He were. The will of God is pure, and good - we must seek always and only HIS will, not our own. We must be willing to die to any (misguided, disordered, contradictory) self-love, and fully seek His in holiness and simplicity.

I grieve to hear so many homilies and casual "adult" catechesis, where pastors seem as worldly as most who are listening to them. We cannot seek to be a lover of this world, and a whole-hearted lover of the One and Only Triune God, at the same time. This can be hard to hear - but it is Truth.

CoreyD said:

Acts 17:18-21
18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
21 Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

Many philosophers debate for centuries, and never come to a conclusion.
As a Christian, how does one determine what is truth?
Is it by consulting what people says... be it there may be a multiplicity of opinions, ideas, interpretations, and the like?

How did early Christians view finding the truth?
How would Jesus establish truth?

There is a contrast between lawlessness - idleness, and righteousness.
Lawlessness
Acts 17:5-9, 12, 13

Righteousness
Acts 17:1-4, 10-12

It was Paul's custom, to reason with people from the Scriptures; explaining and proving by giving evidence of what was true. Acts 17:2, 3​

The result:
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women. Acts 17:4

Those in Berea examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
The scriptures were what revealed truth to them. They could compare what Paul said, with the scriptures to see if what Paul said was in line with truth.
The scriptures were like a measuring rule.

So, spending time debating with the view that one interpretation is just as good as another, and we cannot establish the truth one way or the other, is lawlessness, and individuals who hold to this view will find out later... one way or the other, that this is not righteousness.

But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.
2 Timothy 2:23​

This is contrary to reasoning from the scriptures and proving by evidence, what is being discussed, as Paul did .
Jesus said... Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. John17:17

Do you do as Jesus did, when it comes to establishing the truth?
Do you follow the example of the apostle Paul,?
Or do you look to scholars.. whether Jewish or otherwise, to determine truth from how they see it?

I believe...

the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12​

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How do I determine "truth"?

............... the truth is, I don't determine it. Rather, what I do is gather and analyze various evidences regarding the Reality which God has placed me in, and I do my best to make rational sense of it all, both historically and prayerfully, like St. Luke did.

Clare73 said:

1) The human spirit is immortal and does not die.

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Eccl. 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Matt. 23:9 for the kicker

Clare73 said:

2) Spiritual death is not death of the immortal human spirit, it is the absence of eternal life within the immortal human spirit.

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And you don't see the circular argument therein?

Immortal life but absence of eternal life doesn't add up

There is no difference between immortal life and eternal life

Death is "a power" and not an immortal spirit

Clare73 said:

3) Spiritual death is not physical death.

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Your position is simply equating and conflating immortal spirits with a power and these are simply not the same things or matters.

Scripture tells that that there will be "no more death," specifically:

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

There is technically only ONE Occupant of Eternity in any case: 1 Tim. 15-16, 1 Cor. 15:28

Something to consider about Jesus

Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Jesus is God. Jesus is the One who created heaven and earth- Exo20:11. Jesus is the One speaking at Mt Sinai. Jesus is the One who told us how to keep the Sabbath.

Jesus never became the Sabbath, or became Lord of the Sabbath He IS Lord of the Sabbath, and has always been since He has given it as a blessing for all mankind starting at Creation Mark2:27 Exo20:8-11. Resting with God on His Sabbath and Holy Day.

In my opinion, I do not think we should speak for God on something He took ownership of, that is His and He created and tells us why. He also tells us He does not change and in Him all things consistent. Which we see clearly with the Sabbath.

This is what the Lord said about the Sabbath

Isa 56:2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

The Sabbath is something man does, not just something God does, so we therefore can disregard His clear instruction of how we are to keep the Sabbath. Jesus said Mark 3:4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent

Jesus never got rid of His law, He said so plainly in Isa 42:21 Mat5:17-30 and we can still do evil on the Sabbath by defiling it.

He told us clearly what man should be doing on the Sabbath. This is written by God Himself- I know of know one greater than He- why Jesus said plainly not a jot or tittle can pass from His law because He is owner of it, not us.

Exo 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Isa 58:13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,


Jesus said this:

Mat 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Which this is what He was referring to, rest from our sins,

Psa 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

The rest we enter into Christ no one is in rebellion to Him or His commandments (Rom8:7-8) including the 4th commandment. What Hebrews is warning about why those who in their trial of the wilderness did not enter His rest, because they liked their sins more than their love for Jesus to come to Him, do His will and turn (repent) forsaking their sins Pro28:13

Heb4:6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter (why did they not enter?) because of disobedience,

What were they disobedient of in the trial of the wilderness?

Eze20: 13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands,16 because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

Heb4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

I believe God means what He says about keeping the Sabbath day holy. He never treated this commandment any different than the other commandments, they are all written by God, all under His mercy seat, not a jot or tittle can pass, we cannot edit God's own Testimony written by God Himself Exo31:18 God warned us His times and laws would be changed, which is the Sabbath and we see a clear history of this change being made and those who claimed to change the Sabbath centuries ago, said they did so based on their own sense of power over the word of God. The end time battle comes over our worship which is who we obey. Rom6:16 Mat15:3-14 Mark7:7-13 Rev14:11-12

Jesus who is Lord of the Sabbath said come to Me and I will give you rest and still kept the Sabbath going to church reading the Word of God Luke4:16 as did His disciples Jew, Gentiles and almost the whole cities, just as He predicted Isa56:6-7 Acts 13:42, 44, Acts18:4


Jesus never gave Himself a commandment, the commandments are for us to keep, the Sabbath is something man does. Those who enter His rest Also ceased from their works as God did, on the seventh day. Heb4:10 Heb4:4 Exo20:11

If we stick with the Bible and what God says, He will lead us on the narrow path back to Him. Jesus said many would come to deceive us before He returns. If we live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Mat4:4 and abide in Him, He will safeguard us. Pro3:5-6 Pro30:5-6

One of the last verses in the Bible before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city

Neogaia777 said:

Determinism is the truth, and certain people are always needed to afflct those going to heaven before they can be qualified enough to get to go there, and that's what these realities are for before people getting to go there, get to go there. But those who were just only primarily meant to just do the afflicting ever, are never meant to go there ever, but just re-repeat each of their nearly exact same kind of existences again each any every single time one of these newer, but now other, fallen creations are re-made, or are recreated, or re-starts, or re-repeats itself again. And because determinism is the truth, this has always been forever, and will always be forever, and cannot be changed, but they are never aware of this each and every single time however, etc.

God Bless.

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Although I'm a determinist, there are several major flaws in classic Calvinist determinism, as follows:

Most determinists really can't say they themselves are saved, unless they endure to the end, (and contrary to most of their claims otherwise=i.e. OSAS)

It's one thing to adhere to determinism, but it's quite another to define exactly what that is or consists of BECAUSE only The Sovereign can really determine what that is or consists of.

There are valid alternatives to classic determinism, that shows for example that ALL people are predetermined to be saved by Jesus, and ALL devils are predetermined, YES, predetermined by Jesus to the LoF.

It's one thing to claim belief in a Divine Sovereign God.

It's quite another to claim that what that is or consists of are the concepts of "some guy" who didn't even know he was saved

And if freewillers or any believers really thought about the scriptural fact that devil and his messengers are going to hell/the LoF, then they are "universally" believing that is true for every devil and "predeterminist" if they believe the devils aren't going to avoid that fate.

So in this way technically every Christian is both a predeterminist and a Universalist with regards to this specific fate for devils.

In their book A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament, John Bergsma and Brant Pitre...

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That book is way more than an introduction!

Dan Perez said:

And you said that there are DOZENS of ways to be saved , so show where they ARE since YOU brought out up. !!

dan p

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IF you don't accept the simplest citing of 1 John 4:7 or Matt. 10:34 or can't look up ALL the others yourself, why bother?

Were it me I'd challenge where I "think" I stand just to make sure

P.S. It's ALL THERE if you looked