• 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.

Kilauea Volcano is spectacular today.

On Friday, when the earliest hints of Episode 38 happened, I was going to post some images from last week's exploration of the impacts, but I thought to myself "I'll do it tomorrow". Well, the volcano had other ideas and put on quite a show on Saturday.

I liked this photo from the Dec 2nd overflight. It shows a small flow of lava above the crater from spatter landing on above the rim on Oct 1st (shutdown, day 1)

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Full set:

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Do Your Actions Speaks Louder then your knowledge?

Ample evidence from history shows that the celebration of Sunday originated from pagan practices of SUN WORSHIP. In March of 321 A.D., the Roman Emperor Constantine, who was at first a sun-worshiper and later a Christian convert, issued the first decree declaring Sunday to be a legal day of rest. In 336 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church officially changed the observance of Sabbath to Sunday for political and economic expediency. Since then, the original Sabbath gradually gave way to Sunday observance and the practice remains to this day.

The Catholic authorities proclaim: "The Bible says, 'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.' The Catholic Church says, No! By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep the first day of the week. And lo, the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church!" Father Enright, C.S.S.R. of the Redemptoral College, Kansas City, Mo., as taken from History of the Sabbath. pg. 802

The Biblical Sabbath, however, is and has always been on the seventh day of the week, or Saturday. Despite the prevalence of Sunday worship in Christendom, we must look to the Bible as our authority and keep the seventh day Sabbath ordained by God.

So now you will prove to me out of the Bible that keeping the 1st day of the week Sunday, is now a Commandment!!
No historical evidence exists to prove your conspiracy theory. It’s all in your head. The early church began keeping the Lords day in remembrance of Jesus resurrection from the very beginning of the church. Only the legalists and the unbelieving Jews continued to keep the law.

The legalists use the law to instill fear on their adherents which invalidates the saving grace of Jesus redemptive sacrifice.

Paul teaches about the newly converted Jews who started preaching a different gospel by insisting that Christian had yo keep the law. This was an argument that Paul fought in the early churches.

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

These verses talk of his visit to Jerusalem depicted in Acts 21 where he almost lost his life even though he only preached the true gospel to those that were if reputation (leaders of the church including James. He ended up running indeed because the legalists wanted to kill him for preaching grace instead of the law.


“Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

The law that you preach does not justify and never will justify anyone. You preach gospel of works of the law. Cephas and Peter were being swayed by the legalists and were embarrassed of preaching the gospel of good news to the Jews.

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles; nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬


Like Paul you need to die to the law so that you might live for God. The law that you promoted will never declare the Christian righteous (justification), therefore your promotion of the law renders Christ sacrifice worthless. Think about that for a bit as you condemn all Christians that do not follow your law. Your condemnation means nothing.

For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.””
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
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Man acquitted of stabbing by Portland jury — after victim said slur following the attack

If this is a duty to retreat state the jury really screwed up on this one

From the article I linked earlier, they don't have a "stand your ground" law like some of the more gun-friendly states do.

However, even if a state has no duty to retreat, this still wouldn't apply since he was the one who moved in on the other guy. If you're actually afraid of an unarmed person (in an open-air environment with ample opportunity to exit the situation), typically you don't move 20-feet toward them in an attempt to "trade a weapon for cigarettes", and then calmly walk away after stabbing them in the shoulder.


I think people have been tripping over themselves to grasp at any straws they can to create some sort of benefit of doubt for a jury making a clearly poor (perhaps ideologically motivated) decision on this one.
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NSPM-7

“Domestic Terrorism”: Leaked DOJ Memo Targets “Anti-Americanism, Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Christianity”

A leaked memo by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi directs the Justice Department and FBI to compile a list of groups that may be labeled “domestic terrorism” organizations based on political views related to immigration, gender and U.S. policy. The memo was obtained by independent investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein, who joins us to discuss how it expands on President Donald Trump’s NSPM-7 directive following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which ordered a national strategy to investigate and disrupt groups the administration claims could incite political violence.

The investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein published a copy of Bondi’s memo on his Substack page on Saturday. Klippenstein notes Bondi’s language echoes a National Security Presidential Memorandum issued by President Trump, known as NSPM-7, to target nonprofits and activists. Trump signed the directive in September in the wake of the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

AMY GOODMAN: So, the memo targets organizations, not only, what, formal NGOs, but also book clubs, community mutual networks, mutual aid networks, online forums?

KEN KLIPPENSTEIN: Yeah, that’s exactly right. And it uses the phrase “organizations and entities,” which can mean individuals. So, again, it can’t be overstated how sweeping a directive like this is. This isn’t targeted. And to the extent that it’s being reported as directed at antifa, I think it’s important to remember, you know, antifa may not exist as such, but it includes a lot more than that.
Just great to know so many of our friends here on the right are in favor of using military force to kill accused terrorists without trial or proof of their crimes.
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Why Is It So Hard for Christians to Talk About Justice and Greed?

That way, your father who is in heaven will see what you’ve done and you’ll get your reward from him and not from the accolades of others.
He might appreciate it more if we didn't have motive that rewarded us (even from Him.)

Follow up in CF - The Failure of Worldly Munificence
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Refuting Losing Salvation!

Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, that is, all the Prophecies that concerned Him and the Law.

"Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, which refers to the entire Old Testament. This means he completed the purpose of the law by embodying its true meaning and achieving what it pointed towards, particularly in terms of salvation and reconciliation with God." - cbtseminary.org

Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, meaning His purpose was to bring the Old Testament scriptures to completion through His life, teachings, and sacrificial death. This fulfillment involves perfectly obeying the law, embodying the prophetic messages, and providing a way for believers to be saved from their sins through His sacrifice. - Google AI
Why are you using other sources instead of the words of Jesus Christ, as if they mean more than what Jesus Himself said? He said not a jot or tittle shall pass from His laws and not to break the least of these commandments. Mat5:18-19 destroying prophecies of His second coming that has yet to be fulfilled that He just said He did not come to destroy. Mat5:17 Why would Jesus fulfilling His laws means we can go vain His holy name or steal from our neighbor or do the exact opposite of what Jesus just said. I would consider prayerfully reading more Scripture and less commentaries made from man. We have this warning in Scripture if anyone teaches this Isa8:20 so we won’t be deceived. Jesus in His own words said when we lay aside the commandment of God again quoting from the Ten Commandments, we are making the word of God of no effect Mat15:3-14 Mark7:7-13. It sad people gloss over His teachings as if they are made for “other people” and His teachings and life as our example are not for us, only His death, what He can do for us, not what He asks of us and showed us how to do so. 1 John2:6 1 Peter 2:21-22 Heb4:15 It’s sad but what was predicted 2 Tim4:3-4
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Benedict XVI’s former secretary hopes the pope’s beatification process will open soon

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, former secretary of Pope Benedict XVI, said he hopes the beatification process will begin soon for the German pontiff, who died on Dec. 31, 2022.

“Personally, I have great hopes that this process will be opened,” the archbishop and current apostolic nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia said in an interview with the television channel K-TV, which aired Dec. 7.

According to current Church regulations, a potential beatification process for Pope Benedict XVI could only begin five years after his death unless the current pope grants special authorization before then, as Joseph Ratzinger himself did with John Paul II, waiving this waiting period.

In the excerpt from the interview, published by the German Catholic media outlet Katholisch, Gänswein emphasized that one of Pope Benedict’s essential qualities for understanding the faith was joy.

Continued below.

(ETA: Plot thickens more) NYT reports interim US Attorney Alina Habba will leave interim role (Judge rules her acting appointment illegal)

Alina Habba resigns as New Jersey US attorney after appeals court defeat

She announced her resignation as U.S. attorney in a social media post on Monday. She will remain serving as "Senior Adviser to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys."

The resignation comes after a protracted legal fight about whether she could serve in the U.S. attorney role without Senate confirmation.

“Following the flawed Third Circuit decision disqualifying Alina Habba from performing her duties in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of New Jersey, I am saddened to accept Alina's resignation," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will seek further review of this decision, and we are confident it will be reversed."

The Trump administration has faced growing headwinds over its efforts to install Trump loyalists as top prosecutors in U.S. attorneys' offices across the country, suffering a string of court defeats as judges raise concerns they're actively disregarding the law.
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Trump’s Domestic Use of Military Set to Get Worse, Leaked DHS/DoD Memo Shows: LA "hasn't been perfect" but indicates what's coming "for years to come"

Trump mobilizing up to 1,700 National Guard troops in 19 states to widen crime and immigration crackdown

The apparent expansion in operations comes as President Trump threatened to send the “regular military” into Chicago for a similar crime crackdown, as well as potentially send troops to New York City.

New York City ties its record for longest stretch without a homicide

During the first 11 months of the year, New York City saw its lowest number of shooting incidents (652) and shooting victims (812) in recorded history, according to NYPD data.

For the month of November, murders were also at the lowest level ever, with 16 murders, tying the previous record set in 2018.

The record-tying milestone comes after the Trump administration considered sending members of the National Guard to New York City streets.

[I guess Mamdani got rid of the billionaires and crime has come down.]
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Who then can be saved?

No, God commands all men to repent, so they are without excuse, when they stand before Him on judgement day
But now commands all men everywhere to repent Because He has appointed a day in the which they will be judged.... And has given assurance unto all in that He raised Christ from the dead.

If it was not possible for them to repent, then they have a very good excuse for judgement day, can you understand that?
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The two witnesses' activity chart

I regard your 'charts' as wrong and the end times cannot happen as you portray.
So you don't think these events will happen ?

Matthew 24:
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

the great tribulation length 3.jpg
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Are the Jews Israel, or is the church Israel? Or does it depend on the context of the passage?

I am aware that in the population of modern day Israel has many are Khazars . The number of true descendents of the ancient nation is unknown to me. Have you considered that in the second resurrection GOD will raise up the nation to flesh again and in that day keep HIS promise to Abraham regarding carnal Israel ? Paul did say that GOD has not written off these people but at some future time they can be grafted back into the olive tree if the do not remain in unbelief. Ezekiel 36 describes this time of restoration. The physical resurrection of carnal Israel may be described in Ezekiel 37 Since it is said that David will be king over them this must be at a future time after David’s resurrection. Romans 11:11-15 speaks of this life from the dead in the second resurrection. When discussing prophecy we should know that prophecy is like being in a dark room with very little light but as the light level increases more can be known. Doctrine is prophecy that has been fulfilled, like the prophecy of the first advent is now doctrine. Until more light shines or as more things are fulfilled the pieces will come together. This is one reason why Jesus told us to watch and we watch for the signs he gave us to come to pass. We also hear the words of the prophets and Apostles about these things. We must be careful to not go beyond what has been written.
The judgment of the sheep and goats, (white throne judgment) will begin shortly after the second resurrection. This second resurrection will be at the end of time when Jesus descends to earth with his angels and saints. These saints receive their resurrected bodies before they accompany Jesus to earth. The people still on earth will receive their resurrected bodies as they rise to meet Jesus in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

The unbelieving Jews have already had 2000 years to become Christians. Many of the remnant Jews have become Christians during this time period. More will come into the Church before Jesus' second coming.

David's earthly kingship ended when he died. Jesus Christ is now king and he will be king forever in heaven and on earth. Revelation 1:4-5
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Review: Kevin Costner brings gritty, reverent lens to Nativity in 'The First Christmas'

“Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas” takes a direct and reverent approach to the Nativity story, exchanging the traditional holiday cheer for a more historically grounded portrayal of the circumstances, no matter how difficult, surrounding Jesus’ birth.

The two-hour ABC special, airing Dec. 9 and then the following day on Hulu, blends reenactments, narration from Costner, and commentary from Christian theologians to reframe a story many viewers think they know well.

It’s not a glossy story, and the production’s central strength lies in its emphasis on realism.

Rather than presenting Mary and Joseph as static religious symbols, the dramatizations depict them as young people navigating fear, uncertainty and danger. The couple’s youth and social vulnerability, the political pressure of Roman rule, and Herod’s mounting paranoia form the backdrop of the journey to Bethlehem.

Continued below.

Spanberger appoints FBI agent linked to memo on 'radical' Catholics to public safety post

Virginia Democrat governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has appointed the Federal Bureau of Investigation agent whose office released a memo many considered anti-Catholic to a post in her administration.

Last week, Spanberger announced the appointment of veteran law enforcement official Stanley Meador as Virginia's secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

“As a former federal law enforcement officer, I know that this success requires leaders who know how to collaborate with communities and law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth amid an ever-evolving threat landscape," stated Spanberger.

"Meador's decades of service to our country and our Commonwealth will bring the expertise necessary to protect our citizens, support the brave men and women of law enforcement, and make sure Virginia is a place where every Virginian can safely thrive."

Continued below.

Family Issues

I am sorry you are facing this experience in your life, and thank Jesus for your faith to give you strength.

I have living relatives that I am not talking to because of advice from the police that it would be dangerous to communicate with them. It was impossible to explain this to any of my family, because it would also be dangerous to let on that the police said that.

I was raised in church, always liked it, missed some years as an adult, but never lost my own faith. Everyone who knew my family when we were together found us to be kind and helpful people. The internal dynamics were constant extreme stress. All it took was a secret, a lie, and one very bad influence on one person (a toxic friend) and the whole thing was a nightmare. If one person's needs start always, consistantly coming before another, family life has gone in real terms. If the attitude to one or more members is biased, in favour of or against, family life has gone. If everyone listens to whoever is shouting loudest, or crying hardest, instead of whoever is making the smartest suggestion family life has gone. It was a source of a kind of shame for me, especially regarding church, because I did not want to accuse other members of the church of doing very wrong things without proof.

I pray constantly for a restoration of healthy family dynamics in the western world, I look out for every way I might be able to help others learn from the disaster that I survived which called itself my family. I also ask Jesus to restore my contact with any willing relatives I still have, but there is a safety standard that they would have to recognise before that can be done.
I'm sorry you've had to deal with what you described too. That sounds really rough. I also pray for restoration, change and that God brings people into my life for my benefit. We may not have a good earthly family unit, but at least we have our spiritual family!
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Asking AI about Jer 4:23-26 and Rev 20:1-5 conditions on Earth

Rev 19 says that at Christ's appearing the opposing armies of Earth are all slain and then 'the rest were killed by the sword that comes from Christ's mouth" (ie "The Word" of God)

2 Thess 1:5-8 says that those who "do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel" are all slain when Christ appears)

This might explain the desolate earth scenario of Jeremiah 4;23-26

Given that at Christ's appearing (1 Thess 4:13-18) all the saints are raptured.
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The New Testament begins in Acts not Matthew chapter one.

Yes, Jesus is the true Church, the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13
And Gal 6:15 is the BEST WAY. to explain. the DIFFERENCE. between Israel and GENTILES and. the BODY OF CHRIST

For in. Christ Jesus NEITHER CIRCUMCISION ( ARE JEWS ). is of any FORCE

NOR UNCUMCISION ( GENTILES. ). but a NEW CREATION. meaning. the BODY of CHRIST

And today the BODY of Christ RULES , because of HEB 9:18. is the big BOMB. so read very carefully

other wise you will need a PRIEST. and ALTER. and ANIMAL. for a SACIFICE.

dan p
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