BobRyan said:

1. The book of 2 Mac is not in the pre-NT scriptures of the Jews or the NT scriptures of the Christians
2. Even 2 Mac 12 flatly denies any benefit at all being realized by the dead, apart from the resurrection.
3. The whole point of the popular purgatory doctrine is the immense benefit realized by the dead BEFORE the resurrection if an indulgence or sacrifice is somehow offered on their behalf

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Hmmm...., the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and all the other Eastern Churches used the book of Maccabees. It was part of the Christian scriptures until Luther decided to use the Hebrew canon instead. We do know Jesus and the apostles were familiar with the Septuagint.

keras said:

Lets not hear any more opinions based on false teachings.
Address the plain Words of Jeremiah 6, - Judah will be punished and their houses given to other people.

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What is the name of the country having this flag ?

A new apostolate brings the ‘saints back into the heart of the Church’s life' on the feast of the Veneration of the Holy Relics.

Today marks the feast of the Veneration of the Holy Relics, and to mark the occasion, Anthony Di Mauro, founder of The Relic Project, has unveiled the world’s first map of relics.

Following the example of St. Carlo Acutis who created a website to chart and catalogue the world’s Eucharistic miracles, Di Mauro’s latest project is the first interactive digital map of relics, all accessible through an online platform, uniting “faith, technology and tradition” in a creative way.

Speaking to a crowd gathered at a fundraiser to celebrate the official launch, Di Mauro said:

“After encountering a hidden relic in my home parish, something in me awakened. I began searching for more throughout my diocese, only to realize how many sacred treasures were hidden or undocumented. That’s when it became clear: The Church needs a comprehensive database of relics, so we can truly know who we have, where they are and how the faithful can benefit from these treasures in their midst.”

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In the Vatican Apostolic Library rests one of its most treasured possessions: the “Gospel of Qaraqosh,” a richly illuminated Syriac manuscript dating back to the 13th century. Catalogued as “Vat. Syr. 559,” it was penned in A.D. 1220 by monk Mubarak ibn Dawud al-Bartelli of the Monastery of Mar Mattai near Mosul.

Written in Estrangelo Syriac script, the manuscript gathers passages from the four Gospels used in the Syriac liturgical year and is adorned with vivid miniatures depicting scenes from Christ’s life and miracles.

According to Father Behnam Soni, an expert on Syriac Church Fathers, the manuscript endured multiple thefts throughout history but was repeatedly reclaimed by the faithful of Qaraqosh, who finally offered it to the Church of al-Tahira. In 1937, Bishop Georges Dallal presented the precious volume to Pope Pius XI, who entrusted it to the Vatican Library for preservation and study.

Measuring roughly 44 by 33.5 centimeters (17.32×13.19 inches) and bound in black leather with a gilded cross, the “Gospel of Qaraqosh” stands as a masterpiece of medieval Christian art and devotion.

Continued below.

BPPLEE said:

Be careful, you’re making fun of the new darling of the left since her love fest on The View

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Are you talking about Margery telling the truth. That Republicans aren't doing their job. Why isn't the Republicans outraged over that? Yes she has weird views.

Bob Crowley said:

My Presbyterian pastor was a prison chaplain for a while. He met some incarcerated conmen when he was there.

He commented "I wonder if there is salvation for con men! I really do!"

He added "They told so many lies that I wondered if they knew what the truth was themselves after a while".

They could be very convincing. He said they could sit on the other side of his desk and just about sell him the shoes off his own feet.

So "Is there salvation for conmen?"

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Sure there is but they must repent just like the rest of us.

Well, I don't know if that made total sense, because I don't really know what populism means. To be honest. But only because it's always used as a slur, and I can't trust slurrers.

...But I wish you'd try to understand what I see.

Hentenza said:

Wow talk about a straw man. I’ve heard many liberals here whine their heads off because of Trump’s white collar non violent convictions but a violent murderer is ok. Secondly your mischaracterization of Christians is not appreciated nor welcomed.

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Trump robs people, and there's no proof. That he has stopped. He was never punished for it. Trump is responsible for every violent act that happened on January 6th. Who knows if Trump is stealing from our Social security. I'm not saying whether I agree with a murderer, being in politics. I did look up her name. And she turned her life around. But Trump hasn't. I don't think Trump will ever repent.

2PhiloVoid said:

What you're saying is possible because folks, especially these days in our Post-modernistic world, can take just about any idea, however accurate our inaccurate, and turn it into a sort of shibboleth of identity.

On the other hand, at least some of these sorts of outcomes might be a symptom of addiction (or mental problems) rather than merely prolonged ideation.

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Thank you, Philovoid.
i agree with you. Let me please be more accurate (ideas become clearer in my brain):
For instance, if they are unable to resist gluttony, is it ridiculous to think they invent a god to worship that would teach gluttony is a part of human nature, that has to be honoured. But, to feel respectable, they invent too some easier forbiddings this god would teach as well and that they observe. For instance, their god would command to wash their hands twice instead of once before eating.
You obviously are a wicked man, or a sinner if you don't observe this prescription

zoidar said:

I noticed you didn’t answer my question about your background in Greek. Since your argument rests heavily on grammatical claims, it would help to know what level of training you’ve had in the language.

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I didn't answer because it's not relevant. My credentials neither validate nor invalidate the argument. You can verify or refute any grammatical claim I've made by consulting any Greek grammar. Or pick a claim you question and I'll substantiate with references.

Διαβάζω την Κοινή Ελληνική άπταιστα, και τα καταφέρνω αρκετά καλά και στα Νέα Ελληνικά. Διαβάζω την Κοινή εδώ και δεκαπέντε χρόνια. I studied Greek formally at university and seminary beginning 20 years ago, tutor students, and have translated and diagrammed most of the New Testament.

Now, if you have a substantive objection to something I actually argued, let's hear it.

Aryeh Jay said:

Exactly, it's not like the Israelis ever assassinated anyone.

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Uh, well the Mexican Ambassador surely hasn't. I don't think she's done anything wrong to anyone.

...Kind of ridiculous to plot an assassination on someone just because they're an easy-target-Jew.

Why is it always a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Why couldn't it be a jelly and peanut butter sandwich?

Everything was fine then Trump. Except, everything was not fine.

After the 2008 financial crash, which economists completely missed, some people were calling for a rethink on economics from the ground up. That never happened. Too bad. It should have.

Hyman Minsky: Stability is destabilizing.

Let that sink in. Stability brings shenanigans.

After around 70 years of stability, the wheels start falling off the cart. Trump would be a minor player in this. The damage has already been done.

Noctilucent clouds in the sky over Gale crater on Mars

heavenly body

concretecamper said:

We do not need to stand with Israel for the sake of it being Israel. IMO, Israel is a political construct, not a nation. The nation ceased close to 2,000 years ago.

Mat 27:25 And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and upon our children.

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Well that why it’s an op-ed piece. He believes it along with many evangelicals. Does not mean anyone else needs to believe it.

Aaron112 said:

The messenger of YHVH, the apostle paul, did.

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Did Apostle Pal kept every single commandment of God? No. Thus he was a sinner in need of a Saviour.

Have you learnt nothing from Paul's letters?

Romans 3
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” - this includes Paul

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, - this includes Paul

Romans 7
9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Dan Perez said:

And ROMANS 6:14. For sin will NOT //. OV. is a DISJUNCATIVE PARTICLE. NEGATIVE , means SIN. will never rule OVER YOU. RULE

over you. are NOT //. OV is also a DISJUNCATIVE PARRICLE NEGATIVE as you are. not under THE LAW , but under GRACE !!

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Paul spoke about multiple categories of law other than the Law of Moses, so it is always important to discern which law he was referring to. For example, in Romans 7-8, Paul said that the Law of God is good, that he wanted to do good, that he delighted in obeying it, and that he served it with his mind in contrast with the law of sin, which was working within his members to cause him not to do the good that he wanted to do, which was waging war against the law of his mind, which he served with his flesh, which held him captive, and which the Law of the Spirit as free us from. The Law of God leads us to do what is godly, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12) while the law of sin leads us in the opposite direction by stirring up sinful passions in order to bear fruit unto death (Romans 7:5). So verses that refer something that would be absurd for Paul to delight in doing should not be interpreted as referring to the Law of God while verses that refer to a law that is sinful, that causes sin to increase, or that hinders us from obeying the Law of God shouldbe interpreted as referring to the law of sin. For example, Paul described the law that we are not under in Romans 6:14 as being a law where sin had dominion over him and it would be absurd for Paul to delight in sin having dominion over him, but rather that is the role of the law of sin. In Roman 6:15, being under grace does not mean that we are permitted to sin, and in Romans 7:7, the Law of God is not sinful but how we know what sin is, so we are still under it. Moreover, everything else in Romans 6 speaks in favor of obedience to the Law of God and against sin.

Dan Perez said:

Also , read 2 Cor 3:13-16. a killer VERSE. !!

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The bottom line is that we must obey God rather than man, so if you think that Paul should be interpreted as promoting rebellion against what God has commanded, then you should be quicker to disregard everything that he said than to disregard anything that God has commanded. In Deuteronomy 13, the way that God instructed to determine that someone is a false prophet who is not speaking for Him is if they speak against obeying His law, so it is either incorrect to interpret Paul as doing that or he was a false prophet, but either way followers of Christ should be followers of his example of obedience to the Law of God. The reality is that Paul was a servant of God who therefore never promoted rebellion against what He has commanded.

Dan Perez said:

And do. you have a verse HOW anyone can be saved by the NEW COVENANT ??

dan p

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In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith alone.

Rick and Morty

catlynne333 said:

Hi I am new here, I read and agree

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Ditto! Shalom y'all

You are welcome to pray for me if you feel inspired. I feel like I’m stuck in worldly matters, even though I would like to live a more spiritual, Christ-like life.

Here we see religion failing to properly serve politics like its supposed to now.

In cases like this, infringement is appropriate.