• 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.

Let's Track the Economy (with objective empirical data?)

Trump Canceling GDP Report Comes Under Scrutiny

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Monday that it has canceled the release of its advance estimate of third-quarter GDP. [And no future release date has been set.]

The department said the release was being canceled due to disruption caused by the federal government shutdown, but the announcement has sparked criticism and speculation that the report is being held because of disappointing data.
Thanks for keeping up on this.
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Obama care collapsing.....

I read what you said just fine. You said that the ACA lowered costs. It did not. You are demonstrably wrong. In fact in my case, after the ACA was passed, the rate of increase of my healthcare costs accelerated vs. how much it had increased in prior years.

You're hanging your hat on the unverifiable claim that the ACA reduced the rate of healthcare cost increase. But neither you, nor I, nor anyone else has any idea how much or how quickly the rate of increase would have been without the ACA. That is a counterfactual that literally NO ONE can know, because it didn't happen. The whole of your "lower costs" assertion rests on this unknown.

I suppose it's easier to pretend like the recipients of your message are incapable of understanding what you've written than it is to admit that you're just plain wrong.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Are you getting your insurance via the ACA? That is via the exchange either with or without a subsidy?
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U.S. Bishops Issue a “Special Message” on Immigration from Plenary Assembly in Baltimore

“We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.”
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U.S. military ready to cut support to Scouting America, accusing them of attacking 'boy-friendly spaces'

Good observation. Historically, it appears they are/were Christian based, therefore monotheists. So saying 'a God' is unnecessary, and a bit odd. IMO.

(There is also a LDS (Mormon) Branch. And LDS/Mormons are accused by some to be polytheists, but that is not the nature of this thread, so I won't derail it).
I still remember the Scout Promise I had to make:

'I promise to be good, to do my duty to God and the Queen, to help other people at all times and to obey the Scout Law'.

It would certainly sound odd to say it under US rules:

''I promise to be good, to do my duty to a god and a queen...'

The FSM (all hail it's noodly appendages) and Lattifa perhaps.
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Notre Dame drops ‘acceptance and support for Catholic mission’ from staff values

Notre Dame reversed itself;

Notre Dame Returns ‘Catholic Mission’ to Its Core Values After ‘Confusion’​

Thanks be to God!
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Prayer to Christ the King

O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations.

We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things.

Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth.

Guard us we pray Most Faithful One.

Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment.

Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you.
Jesus, You are a King of Mercy.
We have deserved Your Just Judgment
Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us.
We trust in Your Great Mercy.
O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray;
May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth.
Amen


prayer-to-christ-the-king

Elon Musk Has a ‘Thank You’ Note For Donald Trump As Feud Ends

What a difference a year makes!

www.npr.org/2024/11/14/nx-s1-5183060/why-working-class-voters-have-been-shifting-toward-the-republican-party
If I understand correctly, historically, Republicans have usually been quite wealthy, and the Democratic voters have been on the working class/not as wealthy? How have times changed...
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Eve and the Fallacy of Moral Choices

You agree that satan and his messengers are not in heaven, so there is or are reasons why satan is here and not in heaven.
The "location" of Satan is not really divulged to us. We can pretty much presume it to be in the unseen arena, of adverse spirits, whatever and wherever that is. And since these bad actors act up in people, we can presume we're part of their habitation, per Mark 4:15 and other scriptures such as Luke 11:24 showing the unclean spirit considers man "his house." And of course the myriad of scriptures that show us in the Gospels Jesus engaging Satan and devils in people. One of the most obvious showings in the Gospels.
It is very individualistic, I know I am heaven bound by having and keeping the indwelling Holy Spirit which is our guarantee for all God’s promises, but the Spirit in me as my personal guarantee is not to be a guarantee for you.
I believe that 1 John 4:7 is true for every person, myself included and that Jesus is the Savior of the world, per the scriptures. I believe He Gets The Job Done too. Most don't. Most think Jesus fails.
If we knew for certain some people who did go to hell, how would that help us?
Were there a single named example of such a thing I might buy into it, but there's not one single named person given as an example out of potentially multiple BILLIONS of examples. Not even one named person even threatened with such a fate.

Plus the situation is compounded with difficulty because, scripturally, people are not just people. It's people and the tempter working against all of us, from within.

So I believe Jesus could look any of us in the eye, sentence us to our face to hell and it would apply to the TEMPTER. And I would rejoice then to hear those Words knowing unto whom they are directed. Not run from them like most do.
Yes Jesus is the savior for everyone, but not everyone is willing and wanting to humbly accepts God’s pure charity as charity. It is a transaction with a choice and not some just bestowed upon you because you are human.
Aka Jesus as a failure and people as a failure as well. Not my idea of A Real Savior of the world. Your view makes God held hostage by man's decisions and then, by their failures to save themselves, God is forced into a corner and must burn them alive forever.

I just don't believe that's the case for multiple reasons. And I certainly don't believe God burns His Own children alive forever or eternally kills them. To me, that's out there. Demonic.
You are pulling all free will choices away from humans and making them only victims of life here on earth. We allow satan to come in and we are responsible for our own sins and the sin of allowing satan control.

What we find out while we are here on this earth for a short time is: who desires and is willing to humbly accept help and become a helper. That is the free will choice we are making.
I'll give you an example of one problem with so called "freewill." It DEMANDS that God is ruled OUT of mankinds will and it DEMANDS that Satan's will is ruled out as well so the MAN's bad/sinful decisions only rest on the man. And both of those attempts are simply a leap that doesn't exist in scripture. I'd dare call the claim essentially Godless.

I believe scriptures are quite clear that there are actually 3 wills going on with everyone and that neither the Will of God nor the will of Satan can be ruled out of the picture for anyone.

That makes freewill a very muddled claim, at best. It's mostly used to justify believers and condemn blinded captives of the devils, such as with Adam and Eve. I don't need to move that way, trusting in God in Christ for every person, as we should.and we can remain in condemnation of every devil in man simultaneously. It's an actual working Gospel that can be taken into real life daily.

The temper sins in tempting, while the individual sins by yielding to the temptation.

Yes we all sin, but that helps us to realize the help we need and the fact we cannot control ourselves by ourselves.
Well, at least you manage to get the other party on the table, and that alone makes yours a fuzzy picture of blame to man, knowing full well that sins are not counted against people, 2 Cor. 5:19. IF we really believe that there is only one party left on the table to count sins against and that is the devil and his own.
I do not see God excusing all the evil people do with: “The devil made them do it”.
I've never said God excuses any evil. He doesn't. Nor does God forgive sin. God does count sins against the devils.

Nor did the devil make anyone do it. The devil does it. Satan does what Satan does. Sins in people.
People love to blame someone else for their sins, so they will never have to humble themselves to the point of accepting pure undeserved charity, since they really deserved to be forgiven for their non-part.

If you do not accept being forgiven of an unbelievable huge debt created by your sins, than you will never obtain a huge unbelievable Love (Godly type Love). Luke 7
No matter how much we might try to hang our heads and repent, that never made anyone sinless.

We are undoubtedly commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves and we don't have to concede or accept anything devils do in people, starting with the LOG in our own eye on this matter.
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Gov. Abbott declares CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood terrorist groups

CAIR isn't a terrorist organization. It help Muslim with their rights. As for Brotherhood. I haven't looked into them.
They mention in the article why CAIR was given the designation

The proclamation refers to CAIR as an Islamist organization and cites the FBI as stating it was founded as a "front group" for "Hamas and its support network" in the United States.

The document lists several former CAIR staff, board members, or affiliates who were later convicted of terrorism or terrorism-related financing crimes.

  • Ghassan Elashi, a founding board member of the Texas branch for CAIR and Treasurer of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, who was sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison for financing terrorism in 2009;
  • Abdurahman Alamoudi, a speaker at a CAIR-sponsored anti-Israel rally in Washington, D.C., in October 2000, who proudly proclaimed himself to be a "supporter[] of Hamas" and "a supporter of Hizballah" and who was later convicted as a terrorist for funding Al-Qaeda;
  • Randall Todd Royer, a communications specialist and civil rights coordinator for CAIR, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 9, 2004, for conspiring to aid Al-Qaeda and the Taliban;
  • Bassem Khafagi, a community relations director for CAIR, who pleaded guilty to federal bank and visa fraud in 2003 after funneling money to terrorist causes and publishing material advocating suicide attacks against the United States;
  • Rabih Haddad, a CAIR fundraiser, who was arrested and deported for his work as Executive Director of the Global Relief Foundation, which was closed by the United States Department of Treasury in October 2002 for financing Al-Qaeda;
  • Muthanna al-Hanooti, a Director for CAIR in Michigan, who was convicted and sentenced to prison in 2011 for violating United States sanctions against Iraq by accepting "two million barrels of Iraqi oil" in exchange for helping Saddam Hussein's government;
  • Sami Al-Arian, a convicted terrorist and Palestinian Islamic Jihad financier, whom CAIR publicly honored with its "Promoting Justice Award" in 2014 and whom it featured in a 2020 lecture in which he stressed his desire "to promote" CAIR and "support [it] financially" as "the first defense" in America; and
  • Nihad Awad, CAIR's current Executive Director, who on November 24, 2023, publicly praised and supported Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack against Israel, saying he "was happy to see" the assault which involved the kidnapping and murder of American citizens.


Based on the leadership's actions, it would appear that "We're just here to help our people with their rights and help get them get acclimated if need be" is about as sincere as when those Chinese "overseas service stations" are stated to have the same benign consular mission statement, but they're actually covert bad actors for the CCP.
  • Winner
Reactions: Vambram

Healing and debate. My testimony

Hi. I have had similar feelings of feeling this place is full of division and not a healthy environment, and at times I felt like I'm just being sucked into the mud and would have liked to hit the eject button, but God is just showing me how to handle it. I may miss it a time or two, but we continue to learn and grow.

I personally have seen little fruit, just speaking of my view, but I do find some here and there. In fact, I think I've even said in the past that I'm going, but find myself back in. I'll tell you why.

As I said, I'm dealing with a life and death situation for nearly a year now. I had been seeking the Lord on it and although He would give me things here and there on it, these were steps to take, like guiding me step by step and I wasn't happy with that. The matter is such a serious matter and told time is of the essence so i was freaking out. I want to know which way to go because the experts are saying it's all bad, but a decision needs to be made. And some thought their way may be short term bad, but long haul good. And everyone is different so it may not be as bad, or it may be worse. There is no guarantee. And no one agrees with each other; being pulled in different directions.

I won't get too specific because it involves others, but it was a very gloomy picture. For myself I couldn't care less, but this is happening to others too.

So the Lord gave me some insight ...great stuff, but appears this is going to be a walk of faith step by step.

Now here is the thing, during this time I'm getting dreams and visions from Him regarding the body of Christ.

It literally frustrated me because I wanted Him to keep on the issue I'm dealing with, but it wouldn't stop. On and on. I won't share as if the maturity is not there, people will just use these things as weapons to attack each other instead of grieving and allowing the Holy Spirit to intercede and however He may work.

I don't go to a physical church, haven't for years, so figured it may just be with fellowships beyond the four walls that I may also be involved in. Since He kept on there, I took it to mean He wants me to trust my situation in his hands and give attention to something He wants to draw my attention to.

I'm trying to be faithful to Him there, and I literally see what appears to be a miracle taking place on this end.

And, miraculously, when things looked there worse, I had, and still have, the peace that passes all understanding.

I hope to share in near future the biggest thing He taught me through this, how fear robs us of hearing from Him and opens the door to being robbed of things He's given us to guide us.

So I share some of your sentiments. In fact I recently shared with another how I am growing discouraged and don't see fruit, and don't see it as a healthy environment and want to move on because God knows I did not choose this, getting out of my God bubble, but He has now engaged my heart and I do not feel I am at heart released from it yet.

Fruit takes time to grow. It begins as a seed and we share, then let the Lord land that seed where it needs to go. Others He will use to water it, but He does the work and makes it grow.

I personally do not see this place as a healthy environment for those that have mental issues, but each as the Lord leads. You can always avoid the areas that contribute to you feeling sick, or you can check out and return when you feel healthier. I thought you had some great things to share. My only real issue was that you appeared to look to blame others and although GOD DOES NOT IGNORE CONTRIBUTORS AND THAT IS FOUND IN SCRIPTURES, HE DOES EXPECT US TO HEAR FROM HIM FOREMOST FOR OUR WELLBEING.

Sorry for the caps. I'm not yelling. I just want to emphasize that point.

You follow what you feel the LORD has laid on your heart. I like to say if we are unsure of his voice, it will become more apparent with time because our growing sick will make it obvious it is time to get out.

No one is perfect and we are all learning and growing, and we won't reach perfection alone.

Look to the Lord for your wellbeing because people will fail you. Although we are his hands and feet in the world, we cannot give you what only He can.

That said, if I unnecessarily offended you in anything I may have said, do accept my apologies. I am also learning and growing and will miss it to at times. We all see in part, but most important is to remain in his love.

I may end up leaving too. Maybe soon as I am seeking Him on it, but for now He has engaged my heart and will continue until the picture is clear.

God bless you big!
Why don’t you two find a way to communicate with each other away from this forum ?
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What happened in the past has an effect on us today, all because Sin is in the world.

I agree, Christ nailed the law on the cross, but you my friend don't seem to know which law it was. Paul preach about more then just one law, more then just one death.
Matt. 22:40. He nailed ALL of the law to the cross. You are not addressing my post but merely trying to talk over me.
Paul didn’t come preaching and teaching his own thing, but he abided in the doctrine of Christ. (Rom. 3:20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sights for by the law is the knowledge of sin. The deeds of the law is referring to the animal sacrificial laws, all those sacrifices can never remove sins, so they could never be justified. This is true because the blood of Jesus can only justify us. The animal sacrificial laws was added because people continue to sin, and the wages of sin bring for death. So instead of God killing people every time they sin, the Lord gave Moses a law to use, animals. So by the other law (Ten Commandments, Statutes and Judgement) is the knowledge of sin. Because, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.) It doesn’t matter what you or I think sin is, it’s what God says sin is that counts. (1John 3:4)
”We” did not read the definition of sin. First, where in Rom. 3:20 does it teach that Paul is referring to the sacrificial laws? The deeds of the law is doing the ”works” of the law whether is sacrifices, ceremonial, etc. So no one will ever be justified by the works of the law. Paul makes this super plain in the next chapter when he explains that Abraham was not justified by his works but by his faith. The sacrificial laws never removed sin nor did it give a way to repentance. Now, why do you think Paul states that now there is no condemnation to those in Christ in Rom. 8:1?
Paul says in Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. So when you quoted all the places in the Bible that do away with this animal sacrificial law, not understanding that Paul talks about two sets of law. The Royal law (Ten Commandments) and the animal sacrificial law sometimes in the same verse you bring can bring destruction to yourself not knowing which law is which.
I’m going to post a response that I just posted to another poster in another thread that made a similar argument.


Several passages of Scripture clearly establish that the coming of Christ has brought an end to the Mosaic Law.

Romans 10:4, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Christ fulfilled the Ten Commandments by living a perfect and sinless life and so when man trusts in Christ as his Savior, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to that individual so we have justification (Romans 4) resulting in the fact that the Law can’t condemn us (Romans 4:4-8; 5:1, 7:1-6, 8:1).

Christ fulfilled the ceremonial ordinances, the shadows and types of His person and work, by dying on the cross for us and in our place.

Christ also fulfilled the Social Law, but now He replaces it with a new way of life fitting to our new salvation.

The believer now is under God’s new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2-4).

Therefore, the doctrine of justification by means of faith in Jesus Christ upholds the Law for three reasons:

(1) Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross satisfied the demands of God’s Law that required that human sin be judged (Romans 3:26).

(2) Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross establishes the Law by fulfilling the purpose of the Law in driving men to Jesus Christ as their Savior (Galatians 3:24).

(3) Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross establishes the Law by providing believers the capacity to obey the Law through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:3-4).

This is why I have stated in the past that the Holy Spirit gives us the knowledge of sin and the way to repentance since the law is not able to. This is why there is no longer condemnation for those in Christ (Rom. 8:1).
At some point common sense should kick in.
At some point you should begin to question your biblical interpretation when it puts Jesus and the epistles in tension with what you are arguing. It’s about hermeneutics not about verse mining.
If I'm reading about the doing away of a law or not under a law, then somewhere else Paul tell you that the law is Holy just and good, another place break mostly all the Ten commandments down. A light bulb should come on in your head, Paul have to be talking about two sets of laws. In other places Paul explain the animal sacrificial law.
My light bulb is on.
Paul says in (Rom. 4:15) Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. If there is no law there is no sin.
Why do you think Paul would make such a statement? You post the verse but make no exegesis or commentary. I bet that I have a difference understanding of this verse.
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Why im alone

It's like I'm an outcast and misfit.
So am I. But we are not alone, GOD and Christ are with us, they have made their home with us, tabernacle in our temporary dwelling of flesh. There are also others like us scattered to the four winds but extremely few in number. All who live GODLY in Christ Jesus suffer persecution. You seem to handle it well.
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