bèlla said:

It’s problem-solving at its core. If I have a dilemma I’m not looking for advice thrown against the wall like spaghetti. I want concrete solutions that resolve the issue and minimize damage. Which isn’t formulaic. You can’t pray the same things for every problem or broach them identically.

For example, let’s say I want to improve my health. I‘d have to start with the word on the subject and acknowledge my transgressions and willingness to change. I’ll demonstrate my seriousness by seeking His counsel, heeding His feedback, modifying my diet and so on. That’s faith and works in action.

I don’t live my life like a game of darts. If I’m not committed the outcome will be less impactful than one undertaken with a different mindset. Why would I spend years praying for something if I’m not all in? I need to reach that point then aim for the target.

As such, when I pray I expect results because I’ve put in the work and the conditions are favorable. Standing is less difficult because it isn’t a hail mary and I don’t have regrets. It’s my responsibility to do what I can in the natural, address the spiritual where possible and leave the rest to Him.

~bella

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I do that as well and it helps me cope with life. But that form of prayer, I am not sure, helps me feel closer to God.

I noticed a shift for me. Instead of asking for help and protection I am leaning more into asking for the wherewithal to better copy with whatever is God's will for me, like it or not.

Hentenza said:

I mostly agree with you. My primary issue with the many hypotheses of the nature of the birth of Jesus is the human attempt at explaining God’s ways in human terms. Some traditions stubbornly believe that they and they alone have the truth of Jesus’s birth as they apparently have figured out the ways and mechanisms of an Infinite God. All I know is that Jesus incarnate is both fully human and fully God. The exact mechanism is God’s purview.

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The more I've studied Christology, the more I've realized that most of what is confessed positively historically in Christianity is the result of rejecting other ideas because of major problems with those other ideas. If we look, for example, at the confession put forward at Chalcedon it may look, at first glance, like it is trying to define "mechanically" how Jesus is God and man; but I think a closer look, especially placed in historical context, shows that it's far less about rigorously defining the Incarnation as it is rigorously rejecting certain ideas. The language is apophatic rather than cataphatic. The chief concern at Chalcedon was the views being put forward by Eutyches, whose radical anti-Nestorianism led him to saying that the union of Divine and humanity in Jesus was so great that, effectively, there is nothing human in Jesus left at all--effectively in Eutychian Christology Jesus was no longer one of us, a human being; but had a different kind of humanity, one that was like "a drop of vinegar in the ocean" (something Eutyches himself said). So Chalcedon was chiefly interested in rejecting Eutychianism, and so the point of the language was to affirm Jesus as really human, just like you and me (but without sin); so Jesus is of the same Essence as the Father (because He is God the Son) but Jesus is also of the same Essence as you and me, because He is fully and completely and really human.

It becomes far less about trying to narrowly define God, or narrowly squeeze Jesus and the mechanics of the Incarnation into a very small box; and it is much more about drawing lines in the sand where we cannot cross. We will never understand and know the deep Mystery of the Incarnation, or how the Incarnation "works"; that's not for us--but the meaning of the Incarnation, and what we say about it, cannot in some way actually reject it.

Jesus is God and man. He is God because He is the Word and Son of the Father. He is man because He's actually one of us, He did not merely appear as a man, but was (and is) a man. He had a human body, a human soul, a human mind, a human will, He had human emotions, He had human thoughts, He was one of us. And that isn't just some matter that high-falutin' smarty-pants philosophers and seminarian-trained theologians get to argue over while having a pint at a fancy restaurant or spilling ink on parchment; it's the sort of stuff that matters deep into the heart of Christian confession. Jesus is one of us, God became one of us, and it is His taking upon Himself what we are, that He saves us. That is Gospel stuff, this is blue-collar Christianity.

-CryptoLutheran

Gregory Thompson said:

Reflection is important with intimate knowledge of God and part of what I experience. The difference between the unity God represents through the trinity and for those Jesus prayed for all who believe varies greatly from the unity of world spirituality.

This is true, it has not always been my experience of prayer either. I understand it's a result of spiritual maturity.

Transformation is important, but being with God really matters too. There's a way of seeing the world that is only possible when God is always there with you, and you are aware of it.

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I think the main point of spiritual direction is to help us be more mindful, more aware, more attentive to God's closeness and action in out lives. we so easily get distracted and caught up in our daily practical matters.

Vambram said:

Bus is it moral to do at those relatively inexpensive wages they earn?

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That is an entirely different question. My point that the US does benefit stands contrary to your "Mexico and their people are reaping all the benefits..."

Vambram said:

I think that is a good question to ask whenever a legal OR illegal immigrant doesn't adequately follow our laws or assimilate into cultures of the USA.

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And who gets to judge whether or not a person's assimilation is "adequate"?

fhansen said:

No one has to make any rule. God either directly wills, wants, causes the rape and torture of a child whenever happens, as the author of sin, or He allows such things for a time, for a season, for His ultimately good purposes.

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God 101:

Sin in the world does not make God the author of sin.

God's free will to Adam does not make God the author of Adam's sin.

Study Ro 9:22-23, 11:32.

fhansen said:

Humans are limited, created, finite beings. As such, they have limited and finite freedom compared to God's infinite and perfect freedom. But, being made in His image, our freedom, such as it is, however weak or strong, God gave to us and wants us to use rightly. And He's been seeking to draw and guide humanity into the right use of that freedom beginning already in Eden when we first used it wrongly. That's what the "drama" of this life is all about.

The world we find ourselves in now is a world where we're learning the foolishness and evil of that original choice. And with the help of grace, we can make the right choice, turning back to Him again. So, now connected to the Vine as we're meant to be, He does His job of making us sinless,

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Our "own sinlessness" is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Ro 3:21-22, 4:22-25, 2 Co 5:21).
We are by (fallen) nature objects of wrath (Eph 2:3). . .we are born with our nature

Akita Suggagaki said:

Then they are complicit, which is worse.

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Only In your imaginary dreams is that true. Fact is, you just don't understand what you're looking at.

Whoops!

Voice of America brings back Farsi-speaking staff amid Israel-Iran conflict​

It is a dramatic turn of events for the American government-funded broadcasting system that was shut down by the Trump administration in March.



This really is key to understanding the value of investing in all of these public goods constantly. Imagine if VOA had been gone for ten years, and suddenly, on a dime, we wanted to start transmitting messages to the people of Iran.

Maybe we'll find out in 10 years when the next situation is in Argentina or Pakistan or Bulgaria.

ViaCrucis said:

I think that's highly optimistic. MAGA isn't going to go away just because DJT isn't in the white house.

-CryptoLutheran

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That's true. When dealing with MAGA, what you're really dealing with is American tradition and culture, reapplied through this generations eyes. We saw what happened when globalists destroyed the job market in the heartland, and we see the pretend, made-up jobs in management and environmentalism, and it makes out stomachs turn.

You're looking at traditional conservativism in modern times.

Don't hate us.

Landon Caeli said:

Who's falling for it? I think it's a mistake to presume people are stupid before knowing first hand what they think. Very arrogant, IMO.

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Then they are complicit, which is worse.

Always in His Presence said:

What on earth are you talking about? Is this another right wing boogeyman?

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The treat from the far-right is real.


‘Shoot a couple, the rest will go home’: Far-right groups are sharing scary messages ahead of ‘No Kings’ protests

Far-right groups are sharing violent messages ahead of the “No Kings” protests this weekend to coincide with President Donald Trump’s military birthday parade.

Accounts associated with extremist groups are also sharing detailed information about protest organizers, including names and where they work, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Protests in more than 2,000 cities are scheduled to take place Saturday.

“Shoot a couple, the rest will go home,” one meme circulating on a Proud Boys Telegram channel said.

Another meme posted in the channel depicted four armed men. “HANG THE TRAITORS, EXPEL THE INVADERS,” it said.

Maria Billingsley said:

When will our brothers and sisters in Christ realize this deception?

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Who's falling for it? I think it's a mistake to presume people are stupid before knowing first hand what they think. Very arrogant, IMO.

Always in His Presence said:

Newsom floats withholding federal taxes as Trump threatens California​

SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday suggested California consider withholding tens of billions in annual federal tax dollars amid reports Donald Trump is preparing funding cuts targeting the state.

Do you know what the difference is?

The President has the authority to stop Federal School grants. And this petulant child does not have the authority to tell the Federal government no

Looks like a product of parents who never told him no

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That’s ok. The IRS will send demand letters and eventually put a lien on California. Maybe they can foreclose on California. Lol

RDKirk said:

Do you have any actual reason to think that happens, or are you just poisoning the well?

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I think they are outlaw cops and can't be trusted.


They can make warrantless arrests in any manner they want and don't have to account for the whereabouts or the fate of the people they pick up. Do you trust them?

FBI arrests East LA man for allegedly distributing face shields during protests​

An East Los Angeles neighborhood awoke to "flashbangs, some explosions" early Thursday morning as federal agents arrested a man on an allegation of distributing face shields to "suspected rioters," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on X that "Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by @FBILosAngeles on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday."

Six sources close to Hegseth described a changed man after the defense secretary shared war plans on a Signal group chat that mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic.

“He was more prone to anger and less likely to be clean-shaven in the morning,” New York‘s story reads. “He seemed reluctant to make decisions; scared of doing the wrong thing, paralyzed as he awaited orders from the White House.”

[I guess that's one way to keep the job. Do exactly and only what you are told. Such leadership!]

The department became a “mechanism for implementing executive orders.”

“While New York magazine is focused on propagating gossip, Secretary Hegseth is focused on restoring military readiness and lethality, which is why he has President Trump’s full support,” said spokesperson Anna Kelly.

Over the last week, Hegseth has helped carry out Trump’s push to deploy the National Guard and Marines against protesters in Los Angeles.

However, Hegseth remains without a chief of staff or a deputy chief of staff. This is reportedly because people keep turning top defense jobs down—and also because Hegseth has vetoed the White House’s candidates.

BCP1928 said:

To not have to acknowledge the citizenship of someone they have arrested.

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Do you have any actual reason to think that happens, or are you just poisoning the well?

Gregory Thompson said:

It just looks similar.

Since MAGA only has 4 years, it's like apples and oranges.

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I think that's highly optimistic. MAGA isn't going to go away just because DJT isn't in the white house.

-CryptoLutheran

fhansen said:

Good idea. Cheers.

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Yea, sometimes we get stuck in a mindset and can no longer match points. That could be you, me, or both of us. No matter--take care.

ViaCrucis said:

Sure. Confusion abounds without being informed on a topic. I'm a Lutheran today, but when I was growing up I thought Lutherans were "basically just Catholics" and knew nothing about Lutherans or Lutheranism and the "basically just Catholics" (without knowing anything about Catholicism either except when I heard by cultural osmosis whether true or false) thing was all I had until I looked into it.

To be sure, I believe there is room for a critical analysis of Roman Catholic Marian teaching and practice. But it should be based on actual Roman Catholic teaching and practice, rather than purely imagined. Roman Catholics don't regard Mary as more than human, even if I think that some Roman Catholic Marian views are, at the very least, questionable.

I believe that recognizing that Mary is Theotokos and mother of God is an essential aspect of good Christian Christology, affirming the indivisible unity of Christ's Person as the God-Man; and so denying and rejecting this is not really about Mary at all, it's about Jesus. If Jesus, God Incarnate, is not truly conceived and born of Mary, His mother, then that is a mountain of theological problems that ultimately undermines everything from the Incarnation to Salvation itself. As such, it's not just a "Marian" issue; it's a Gospel issue. So when I confess and call Mary Theotokos/mother of God, I do so because that is essential to the truth of the Gospel. God became flesh, was born of Mary, and His name is Jesus.

-CryptoLutheran

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I mostly agree with you. My primary issue with the many hypotheses of the nature of the birth of Jesus is the human attempt at explaining God’s ways in human terms. Some traditions stubbornly believe that they and they alone have the truth of Jesus’s birth as they apparently have figured out the ways and mechanisms of an Infinite God. All I know is that Jesus incarnate is both fully human and fully God. The exact mechanism is God’s purview.