• 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.

The Saving results of the Death of Christ !

Perhaps, my friend, you and I, with our knowledge of Patristics and the history of the early church and our shared sacramental, Trinitarian, iconographic and anti-Nestorian Christianity, and our veneration of the Theotokos, could find something interesting to talk about, if not on this subject, which seems to be a boring attempt to prove Calvinism from the scriptural text, which is impossible (I can’t completely disprove monergism or prove synergism, which is why I am patient with our Lutheran friends although I disagree with them on this issue because of the Fifth Ecumenical Synod and many NT texts), then on a related subject.
I, too, take great delight in weaving sprawling, breathless, period-defying sentences that wander amiably through thoughts and sub-thoughts like an overcaffeinated scribe in a dimly lit library, endlessly stacking clause upon clause in a kind of grammatical Jenga that no one requested yet everyone must now behold with polite astonishment.

I'm only having a bit of fun, not taking a jab at you. Crafting that sentence took me far more time this morning than I'm willing to admit publicly, so please don't be hard on me. :) Consider it my small tribute to the noble art of the marathon clause.

I am curious, though: Why do you think proving (or disproving) "Calvinism from the scriptural text" is impossible? Are you claiming the position is unfalsifiable, or that Scripture itself is insufficiently clear on the matter? Since the little bit of back-and-forth I've had with fhansen on John 6:44 has produced little engagement with my actual argument, I'd be interested to hear how you approach the text.
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Harvard conservative magazine is suspended by its own board after publishing article laced with Nazi rhetoric

I don't know what kind of good you think you're doing, diminishing Christianity down to the level of Islam.
I don't know what kind of good you think you're doing propagating a fantasy that denies the realities of what @JosephZ posted. Do you think his claims are inaccurate or do you just not like them?
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Newsome pushed back against Democracy to achieve his political goals

Here's a suggestion for you. Keep your petty personal comments about any given poster's character to yourself. I don't appreciate it and I know others don't.
Pointing out a lack of integrity/character is not an "ad hominem" unless it is presented as an argument. it's just an observation about having a lack of principles.
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US Attorney's Office for SDNY was running an active investigation into Epstein and Maxwell's co-conspirators until it was killed by Trump's DOJ in Jan

So now given the released the Epstein emails that proves Ghisaline Maxwell lied to Deputy AG Todd Blanche about what she know (aka the point of the interview in telling Todd Blanche what he wanted to hear) are they going to send Maxwell back to the appropriate prison?
Well you said for yourself Blanche got what he wanted. It's just a shame that what he went looking for wasn't the truth.
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What were your expectations as a new Christian?

Looking to get a little more insight from multiple people from multiple backgrounds on this. Thank you in advance to anyone who responds.

-When you first became a Christian, what did you expect life in the church to be like?

-What were your hopes or assumptions about how things would go?

-What was your first experience with the church community?

-Did those expectations match reality, or were there surprises?

-How do you feel now about your place in the church?

At the age of 17 and being naive about my new found Christian faith as it was at that time, I remember expecting folks to be a little kinder, a little more willing to have a mutual conversation with another person, and a little more intelligent. From day one of walking into a more 'rural style' Southern Baptist Church during my first year of faith, I didn't find more kindness or mutuality or intelligence. But I stayed there for a year or so because one of my best friends was a member of that church and he served as a connection that I had nowhere else in my life.

Fortunately, 6 months into my new found faith, I read one of C.S. Lewis' books and he made a point that shaped my view about other Christians going forward: that it's really too much for me to expect to walk into any church and find a perfect group of people to worship with since no one is perfect and their foibles (or sins) don't necessarily prove that their faith is somehow a joke.

Ever since then, I've tried to keep my bar of expectation fairly low............................... and being existential in my Christian faith helps me to assume that people are human beings who often face vast personal struggles in life first, and that they are Christian in their human attempts to deal with those struggles, second.
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Judge Orders Release Of Hundreds Arrested During Immigration Raids

Its not at all up to a judge to determine if a person is in violation of immigration law.
That was not at issue. What was at issue was whether 615 people who were not subject to mandatory detention were actually subject to mandatory detention. They aren't, by definition. And whether others, who pose no safety risk, were eligible for bond. They are.
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China Bought $12.6 Billion in U.S. Soybeans Last Year. Now, It’s $0.

That's corn and not soybeans isn't it?
Indeed it is.

AI Overview

The strong early sales of approximately 371,000 metric tons booked to Mexico as of September 2025 refer to corn. Mexico is the world's largest corn importer and a key market for U.S. corn exports.
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Why is Trump copying Biden’s economic playbook?

I do not characterize Trump's handling of the economy like Biden. The Big Beautiful Bill and tariffs set them apart. The article and critics are right though that there is an inflation problem. Eliminating illegals in industries like meatpacking and home building will hurt too. It is hard for me to think of a single thing that Trump has done that significantly impacts the economy n a positive way. Perhaps the tax break for some seniors or the elimination of taxes on tips? Even reducing taxes on overtime is likely a negative. Why? Because companies can reduce hiring of new workers and use overtime more. So no real gains except for those workers.
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Trump celebrated Thanksgiving with Epstein during his first term in office

Is there an Amendment to the Constitution which allows a third term if the candidate is the alleged messiah?

FDR (who was tied to weird Jewish beliefs by buddy Stephen Wise**) did four terms.

It is difficult to study this man without wanting to strangle him.
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Pray that Hindu Nationalist politicians, & their allies who had a landslide victory in the region of Bihar, India show Christians favor

Pray that Hindu Nationalist politicians, & their allies who had a landslide victory in the region of Bihar, India show Christians favor:

  • Agree
Reactions: Unqualified

Lost tribes of Israel

Gentiles came to a point, after being invited to rejoin their lost House headed by Jewish Christians (the original Christians), and applied church appropriation, a makeover, then rejection of the founders, much in the way colonization did to indigenous peoples. It's the human way, not God's. Of course, the Jews also rejected the original Jewish Christians so they got it from all sides. Even today all seek to serve self rather than God's plan.

This statement touches the heart of many biblical stories, which portray both the historical House of Israel and the House of Judah as peoples who struggled to put their own interests above G-d's will. This is a theme that runs through their entire history. In Jeremiah 2 and Hosea 11, we find exciting insights into G-d's heart for His people.
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Trans-identified ex-state lawmaker facing 30 years in prison for child porn possession

Why would you least suspect this person? Perversion knows no bounds.
Twenty years on the internet,- including trans social media, a decade more obsessively studying history, and the ability to identify patterns.

"Perversion knows no bounds."

Indeed it doesn't and people seldom just have one paraphilia (which is why there's overlap between the furry, gay and pedophile communities bad enough for people who are all three to have their own monicker
diaperfurs
.)
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Steve Bannon Faces Reality

Surely Bannon knows that Trump can pardon him and others from future prosecution for past crimes, the way Joe Biden did for his son Hunte
"As God is my witness, if we lose the midterms and we lose 2028, some in this room are going to prison, myself included. They're not going to stop."


The last time, he defrauded Trump's followers, but Trump pardoned him. No pardons this time. And now he's facing the reality.

There is a theme I am sensing. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Both sides have legitimate and political prosecutions. We are seeing both. It will flip back to the GOP being prosecuted. It seems like it is God's plan to rid government of corruption. We might go back and forth until the voters can learn to pick leaders of good character that are not self-serving.
The GOP will lose because the economy is failing and Trump's policies have hurt major groups of voters such as SNAP and Obama recipients, federal employees, farmers and ranchers, and everyone who hurts from tariffs. Not too mention certain immigrant groups. 2000 rebates or other vote buying will not be enough. I have said before: Why did God never target Obama or Biden with all the unfortunate stuff? Because God judges the church and not nations is my answer I settled on. Many in the church entered politics and compromised their mission and character. We failed because humility always comes before restoration and renewal. No one represents the love of money more than Trump and many Christians have bought into that. Can you see change coming? It will better.
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Cursed is the heart of this people

The archtypical Pharisee is everywhere around us. It’s interesting that Christ did spend a good part of his ministry exposing these people, explaining their doom. And just like Abraham said, if they do not believe the words of Moses, neither will they believe if one rises from the dead.

They’re good at trying one’s patience and faith. Is that the only reason why they’re here?
Depends on how one defines the characteristics and teachings of a modern day Pharisee. I would define them as religious, powerful, political, influential, legalist, tradition driven, self righteous and most of all hypocritical. Fortunately, none of these characteristics describe a Christian. That said, why would one come even close to trying your patience and faith?
Perhaps one is being tested. Stay, the course and put on the full armor of God.

Be blessed.
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Once you're saved, you don't matter anymore

There are baptist churches, but no such thing as the Baptist Church. I have never come across a baptist church that is only interested in getting people saved. That's important, but once saved, it is important that the church members care for one another.
Most Baptists I know are pretty good Christians, and personal experience is that they do follow Jesus' teachings.
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Critique One of My Favorites

What a trajectory of error it is to turn one’s back on the Holy Spirit’s choice of words for each of us “not to think more highly of himself than he ought”(Rom 12:3). Not only for the flock of God to heed, but OS who take part to exceed DO.

For that is all that is required is to take part in the dismantling spiritual communion, AKA: dreadful quench of the Holy Spirit. Making it easy to sow the needed discord to garner more and more disciples. Spirit of Christ, recover in ourselves to forgive thoughts that has done this.

Just as the Apostle said following such actions, “when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat”. Behold what ease of calamity we grant from you guessed it, from error-strapped OS.

How oft-comes the rebuttal; ‘the gates, the gates of hell are nowhere in overcoming sight!’ Oblivious, neither is the awareness, neither is the sensitivity to hear when it slams against a spiritually dull eardrum.

Revelation’s harlot, Babylon, does corrupt all, including the regular churched to welcome error when care is not upheld, to which God tells his own to reward her double to all she has rewarded you. DH (Double Honor) and DD (Double Dishonor).​
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Pray that Jesus Christ leads Christian pastor, priests, & all people in Christian ministries to Denounce the use of AI technology as a significant oth

Pray that Jesus Christ leads Christian pastor, priests, & all people in Christian ministries to Denounce the use of AI technology as a significant other, therapist, shrink, etc.:

Yes, denounce as needed by all Christians in leadership and by other faiths as well for any evil, sinful or misguided purpose. I pray too that for most ai will not be a stumbling block but rather a blessing when used in good practice.
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Why Zohran Mamdani won and New York will pay a terrible price

The OP stated he was a "Muslim" in a way that implied that would be a bad thing for New York who don't need any help from me or you in deciding who to vote for.

"Democratic socialism" - like in Scandinavian countries for many years since WW2 - of course the people in those countries are all poverty stricken as a result. How's their life expectancy cf US?
But what Mamdani is advocating is not democratic socialism like in the Scandinavian countries. He's calling for the city to
abolish the police department, to take over the grocery stores and to tax white neighborhoods higher than minority
neighborhoods.

This is not an egalitarian society as they have in the Scandinavian countries.
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