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  • 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.

Books You or I May Want to Read

Just received "We Who Wrestle With God" by Jordan B. Peterson. Hope to start it in the next day or so.
Some months have passed since you posted the above. Have you finished reading the book? Did you find that you liked it?

(Thinking of you! Best wishes for a blessed holiday season. :blush: )
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A Biblical Marriage Relationship

One "spanner in the works" with most sermons I hear about how husbands are to relate to their wives is the fact that Jesus taught we must "hate" our wives (and family) to be His disciple... (Luke 14:26) Login to view embedded media
Hate can mean different things depending on the context. We are to prefer God over our families but we are to love all people.
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Scientists find coastal seas acidifying shockingly fast


"New findings show that some coastal regions will become far more acidic than scientists once thought, with upwelling systems pulling deep, CO2-rich waters to the surface and greatly intensifying acidification. Historic coral chemistry and advanced modeling reveal that these regions are acidifying much faster than expected from atmospheric CO2 alone, raising serious concerns for fisheries, marine ecosystems, and coastal economies."

The emissions of CO2 into our atmosphere is not only about rising sea levels and hungry polar bears. It threatens also directly the food production and income of millions of people living near and from the sea.
The acidification of the oceans by the CO2 is a different consequence of the release of this gas, aside from global warming.

Progressive government is the antithesis of a biblically based republic.

Actually, yes, boo hoo. If people slept with whoever they wanted to, adultery would run rampant, children would be born into broken homes, and STDs would go out of control. Which actually ended up happening, following the sexual revolution. The only solution to this is abstinence until marriage. Enforced legally.
Sounds like you want a theocracy.
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US Factory Boom Disproportionately Favors Poorer Counties

The biggest winners of Biden’s green climate policies? Republicans.

The Inflation Reduction Act, which contained the largest climate investment in US history, would “throw money at woke climate and social programs that won’t work ..."

More than three quarters of announced clean energy investments are in Republican districts​

That was not Trump in the quote, but it might as well have been. Those woke investments in red states are mostly history.

‘Deeply demoralizing’: how Trump derailed coal country’s clean-energy revival

Biden earmarked billions for former coal communities in Appalachia – and his successor came and took it away

For a moment, Jacob Hannah saw an unprecedented opportunity to make Appalachia great again.

In 2022, the Biden administration earmarked billions of dollars to help revitalize and strengthen former coal communities. The objective was to lay down building blocks for the region to transition from extractive industries like coal and timber to a hub for solar and other advanced energy technologies, with a view to long-term economic, climate and social resilience.

But on his first day in office, Donald Trump scrapped Biden’s clean energy and environmental programs, which he lambasted as woke, anti-American liberal hoaxes.

Hannah runs Coalfield Development, a non-profit organization headquartered in Huntington, focused on rebuilding south-west Virginia’s economy and social fabric through workforce training, job creation and revitalizing abandoned buildings and mines in some of the most forgotten corners of coal country.

Coalfield Development has trained more than 4,000 people – including many formerly incarcerated and/or in addiction recovery – over the past 15 years in everything from solar installation to drywalling and first aid.

Rural communities in Appalachia were on the verge of breaking ground on projects [sparked by the availability of funding in 2022] when the grants were paused or terminated by the so-called “department of government efficiency”, or Doge, led by the billionaire Trump donor Elon Musk.
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Walking that Straight narrow path.

Jesus warned us that the road to salvation is straight and narrow and that only a few of us will find it. Many are traveling down the wrong road, which leads to destruction. This is because many of us have heard about salvation but few of us want to do what is necessary to get salvation (many are called but few are chosen). (Matthew 7:13, 14)

Many contend that Jesus did it all and now all we have to do is have faith. It’s starts off with repentance, that’s one of the first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The Bible contains the truth, and the truth is the Word of God, which is the real life of man. "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (St. John 17:6, 8, &17) And Jesus answered him saying, "It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (St. Luke4: 4) "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (St. John 6:63)

So we have to believe the word of God and do it. "Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read". (Isaiah 34:16)

Man disobeyed and brought death into the world; Jesus came and restored life unto man. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1Corinthians 15:21-22) How did Jesus restore life to man? By coming into the world, living a perfect life before God the Father as an example to this disobedient and sinful man. "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away." (Psalm 69:1-4)

The Lord gave all of his commandments, laws, and statues to the children of Israel to live by and to teach all of the other sons of Adam. "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

"Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.” (Deuteronomy 4:1-10)

Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Numbers 15:16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.” Amen. (Romans 9:1-5)

God also made this proclamation: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

Trump to pardon Ex-Honduras President Guilty of Drug Trafficking and conspiring to import cocaine into the United States

Mr. Hernández directed the police and military to protect smugglers who paid him off, and he promised to shield them from extradition to the United States. Mr. Hernández once reassured a Honduran cocaine trafficker that “by the time the gringos find out, we will have eliminated extradition,” according to prosecutors.
“We are going to stuff the drugs up the gringos’ noses, and they’re never even going to know it,” --NYT
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First John Unction of Fellowship Explained By The Spirit In First Corinthians Fourteen

I see you have understanding. I am interested.

The Spiritual anointing is a very interesting subject.

It's like The LORD poured a sort of heavy, warm, oil upon your head that over time tends to slowly drip down upon your shoulders and body. That Spiritual oil contains healing as well as holiness.

It's the very thing that satan fights against the most. He was the anointed cherub, so he understands how critical it is to GOD's people operating in power.


As was stated by the OP,....

"When John refers to an Anointing from the Spirit, he is referring to our Fellowship, not to any individual,..."

This is a position of ignorance and non-experience that many people on here share.
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To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone...

Peace in Christ.

Jesus is being sought in the man-based churches where He is not.

The man-based churches are places where His manifest life is being denied. The Holy One and the Just is being denied. The Lord of glory who has already been raised from the dead to glory is being crucified among the man-based churches where they are “voting” to crucify Him rather than "release" Him in their own lives so that they may live.

He is not there among the dead man-based churches for He IS RISEN. He is alive now so that we may also live now and not mortally die.

Why seek the Living One among the graves of the dead man-based churches where they have crucified the Lord of glory (and are keeping Him that way)?
They are denying the Holy One in their lives so that His life is never made manifest in their mortal flesh. No flesh is being saved among them. They are instead mortally perishing...and they know not what they are doing as they lack understanding of the gospel of the glory of the Lord Jesus. In ignorance do they do it.

Mat 28:5-6 KJV
(5) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

(6) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

When we number/reckon/estimate/count Him among the man-based churches...the gathering of the transgressors (where He is not), then we are taking part in a "vote" in the crucifying the Lord of glory out of our own lives. We "vote" for their "another jesus"....a jesus the barabbas ... whom they are preaching (the jesus who is the antichrist) instead of Jesus the true Christ.

But to those who shall overcome them, He will give us the hidden manna....the hidden wisdom of God ...that is being hidden from the "princes of this age" who are crucifying the Lord of glory....and persuading a multitude to vote to do the same. They know not what they do.

Our Lord will also give us a stone…a white (LIGHT) stone…to vote with. We choose light instead of darkness We are given a new “name”…that is, a new authority to release Jesus in our lives instead of crucifying the Lord of glory out of it. We vote for the true Jesus who is the Christ and who is innocent.

The word for “stone” here in Revelation 2:17 is the Greek word “psēphos” = From the same as G5584; a pebble (as worn smooth by handling), that is, (by implication of use as a counter or ballot) a verdict (of acquittal) or ticket (of admission); a vote: - stone, voice.

Rev 2:17 KJV
(17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

We are given the hidden manna...the hidden wisdom of God...and a white stone to “vote” for the release of Jesus in our own lives…a new authority given by Him to us.

Joh 19:10-11 KJV
(10) Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

(11) Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

The “chief priests and the elders” of the man-based churches want you to choose their “another jesus”….their jesus the “Barabbas”….which means “son of the father.” They are persuading a MULTITUDE of people to “vote” for the “jesus” of the church fathers that is being preached. When we choose their “jesus” the son of the church fathers, we are choosing to destroy the Jesus out of our own lives.

Mat 27:20-23 KJV
(20) But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

(21) The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

When we vote for their “another jesus,” we are then choosing to crucify the true Jesus which is the Christ out of our own lives. His life is not being made manifest in our mortal flesh. They "vote" with their "voice" and ALL say unto him "let Him be crucified."

(22) Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
(23) And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.


Act 26:10 KJV
(10) Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice (Greek: psēphos - pebble for voting) against them.

We are denying the Holy One and the Just when we choose their “jesus” the Barabbas….the “jesus” of the church fathers that is being preached by the church rulers…the chief priests and elders. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob has ALREADY GLORIFIED HIS SON JESUS....so why crucify the Lord of glory out of our own lives? He is risen.

The true witness of the apostles have been silenced.

Act 3:13-15 KJV
(13) The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
(14) But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

(15) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

And yet the false witnesses are persuading MULTITUDES to choose their “another jesus” that is being preached in the man-based churches where His resurrected life is not being found as it is being denied by them in their “vote” against Him. The true witnesses...the true apostles... preached the true Jesus and not "another jesus" and is being currently preached by the false apostles...the falsely sent. Jesus was "silent" during the trial of the false accusers which signified the silence of the true witnesses during this time.

2Co 11:3-5 KJV
(3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
(4) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

(5) For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

But in ignorance do we do crucify the Lord of glory (who has already been raised to glory)…as do our church rulers who have persuaded us to do so.

Act 3:17 KJV
(17) And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

The church rulers…the princes of this age…are in ignorance of what they are doing… for if they knew the hidden wisdom (the hidden manna) of God, then they would not crucify the Lord of glory whom God has ALREADY raised from the dead. He has already been raised to glory as He currently sits at the right hand of God. They are keeping Him crucified in their churches.

1Co 2:7-8 KJV
(7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

(8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Satan’s seat…His throne…is there where he is presiding over this “trial” that is being conducted….in the man-based churches where they are voting to crucify the Lord of glory rather than release Him in their own lives.

False witness have come forth in this trial to persuade the multitudes to vote against Him (to DENY Him) and the pile of stones used to vote to crucify Him has gotten high. “Pergamos” = height, elevation. Truth has perished and is cut off from their mouths. There is no true witness being heard in this "trial". We are only hearing false witnesses.

Rev 2:12-13 KJV
(12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

(13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Satan's throne ...the false accuser's seat...is presiding over this "trial"

No wonder that Pilate sat down in the judgment seat in a place called the “Pavement”…that is, Lithostrotos which means “stones strewn”.

The stones that are being strewn are the votes to crucify the Lord of glory rather than release Him in our lives and the pile of stones has gotten high (Pergamos = height) from the multitude who are choosing "another jesus" an antichrist rather than Jesus who is the true Christ.

When we vote for their “another jesus” the son of the church fathers, we crucify the true Christ out of our own lives instead of releasing Him so that His life shall be manifest in our mortal flesh so that we may shine His glory.

In Hebrew, it is called “Gabbatha”…which means “elevation, height, knoll” and signifies the mounting elevation of the pile of stones that has been strewn to vote to crucify the Lord of glory. This is what “Pergamos” also means: elevation, height. A MULTITUDE has chosen (in ignorance) to crucify the Lord of glory.

Joh 19:13 KJV
(13) When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

To those who overcome, He will give a white stone to vote to release Jesus who is the true Christ and overcome the "vote" for "jesus" the barabbas.

Mat 27:17 KJV
(17) Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

Salvation is in your hands, Jesus did his part

The christian world we living in today doesn’t seem to understand what type of works this is. The Faith without works is concerning your works, not the works of others. It’s starts off with repentance, that’s one of the first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
When people see works in the Bible spoken by Paul and they see law, being put together, they assume that’s talking about the Royal law (Commandments).

The works of the law was nail to the cross, and that works were animal sacrificial laws. Let’s first take a look at this law that was nail to the cross that Paul explains in Hebrews 10: (v.1) For the law (what law, the law of animal sacrifice?) having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (v.9) Then said he, (Jesus) Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second. (v.10) By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

When Jesus died on the cross that was the end of the first covenant, which consisted of the blood of animals and the keeping of God’s commandments. And his death also brought in the second covenant, which consist of the blood of Jesus and the keeping of God’s commandments. (v.18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. In other words, no more animals are going to die for your sins.
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Help

ArmorEph 6 ArmorArmor maps to Word
Helmet Eph 6:17
Eph 6:17 Helmet of salvation2 Tim 3:15 the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
Sword Eph 6:17
Sword of Spirit:Eph 6:17 which IS the Word of Godof God
Shield Eph 6:16
Shield of Faith Eph 6:16Rom 10:17 Faith come from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
BreastplateBreastplate of Righteousness: Eph 6:14Isaiah 45:19 “I the Lord speak Righteousness” declaring what is upright
Belt Eph 6:14Belt of Truth: Eph 6:14Thy Word is Truth
John 17:17
Boots Eph 6:15Boots: Gospel of Peace:Ps 119:165 great peace have they that love Thy Law
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Porneia, sexual immorality and romantic love, committed love in marriage.

Can Porneia at any point be called love, unrequited love, love at first sight, and contain or lead to eros, and agape?

This might be helpful to you. There are four different words for love in the NT. They all mean something different.

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Above-normal, active [but not as bad as 2024] 2025 hurricane season predicted by Colorado State University

4 fewer storms and 4 fewer hurricanes than the April prediction, but correct on the 4 major hurricanes, including 3 category 5's of which Melissa topped out at 185 mph winds, making it one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded. [Melissa] also generated the highest wind gust ever recorded by dropsonde data, with a wind gust of 252 mph (406 km/h) at an altitude of 657 ft (200 m), exceeding the record set by Typhoon Megi in 2010.

From a USAnian perspective, a fortunate year with no landfalls of any hurricanes.
  • Informative
Reactions: MotoToTheMax
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The Strangest Thing You Will Ever Learn about the Byzantine Rite

When I was preparing my recent article about the Little Vespers of the Byzantine Office, I had a chat with one of the wise men I consult about such things, and we got to talking about the length of the service known as All-night Vigil. As previously noted, the term “all” in “All-night” is something of a rhetorical exaggeration, but in large monasteries such as the great houses on Mt Athos, not by much, and this was his description of the order of services for a patronal feast which he attended at one of them.

The katholikon (main church) of the Iviron Monastery on Mt Athos, at the beginning of the All-night vigil of the Nativity of the Virgin this year.


“Ninth Hour, Small Vespers, dinner in the refectory with solemn procession from the church and then back afterwards.

Break for confessions

Beginning of All-Night Vigil proper

– Vespers with Artoklasia (4 hours; the troparia at the artoklasia took 30 minutes with the terirems, Psalm 103 took 1.5 hours)

Reading of the Saint’s Life (around midnight)

Orthros

After the Kontakion of the Sixth Ode they passed to a full Akathistos (I went to sleep at that point) (Presumably) First, Third, and Sixth Hours, Divine Liturgy
Then procession with water blessing.

Lunch”

Me: “Terirems?” (This word struck me not only because I had never heard it before, but also because it doesn’t sound Greek at all.)

The wise man explained to me that terirems are nonsense syllables added to the liturgy, which were originally spontaneous expressions of joy added to the texts when sung. Over time, they came to be completely scripted, and it is considered part of Byzantine musical formation to study the codified ones. Not at all surprisingly, theological pseudo-explanations have been created to explain them, e.g., that they are words that the angels sing in heaven, or of a lullaby which the Virgin Mary sang to Christ. There is very little information about them available on the internet, but some of the very few references I was able to find say that they were also used to cover the gaps in the music if the clergy hadn’t finished what they were doing. (The syllables te-, ri-, -rem are not the names of notes, by the way.)

Here are a few of examples. You can find more on YouTube by searching in various languages; in Greek, the word is τεριρεμ, in Slavonic and its derivatives, терирем.

Continued below.

How Plato Turned Socrates’ Death Into a Blueprint for True Learning

The Academy became the model for what a real university should be: a place of honest inquiry, moral formation, and resistance to every ideology, as thinkers from antiquity to Newman have affirmed.

I begin my Introduction to Philosophy course by reading Socrates’ defense of the philosophical way of life. Democratic Athens had found him guilty of corrupting the youth, of making the weaker argument defeat the stronger, of not believing in the gods of the city. These are serious charges, but as Plato later argued, they were sham charges designed to hide the shame of all those whose errors were revealed by the Socratic art of question and answer.

In our own day, Charlie Kirk inspired the wrath against him because, like Socrates, he challenged conventional wisdom through the power of public debate. (A wise person welcomes correction, but most of us resent it.)

Now at his trial, Socrates foretells that should the powers set against him succeed in killing him, they would only unleash dozens more Socrates. Go ahead and sentence me to death, he said, but in doing so, you won’t silence the philosophical voice of conscience: It will only grow louder and more persuasive.

What happened, however, was even more powerful than Socrates guessed. Whereas Socrates wandered about the marketplace and questioned people, Plato set down roots and established a school, called the “Academy,” which worked out answers — a move that was so significant for Western culture that to this day the name of his school has been equated with the highest enterprise of learning.

Continued below.

For 300 years, the early Church learned from ‘The Shepherd of Hermas’...

For nearly three hundred years, “The Shepherd of Hermas” gave instruction to the members and catechumens of the early Church. It taught them the Christian virtues and called for repentance. After being left out of the cannon of the New Testament, however, “Hermas” faded in popularity and use.

So when “the Lord of the flocks comes, He may rejoice concerning you. And He will rejoice, if He find all things sound, and none of you shall perish. But if He find any one of these sheep strayed, woe to the shepherds! And if the shepherds themselves have strayed, what answer will they give Him for their flocks? Will they perchance say that they were harassed by their flocks?”[1]

The Shepherd of Hermas
is an inspiring combination of instructions for living the Christian life and an apocalyptic vision of the saved and the damned. At the most basic level, it is “an uncomplicated guide for repentance and moral living that will lead mankind to justification in the sight of God.”[2] Using parables and allegories, the author instructs the early Church so that its members may lead lives pleasing to God.

This work had great authority in the early Church. According to Carolyn Osiek, “No other noncanonical writing was as popular before the fourth century as the Shepherd of Hermas. It is the most frequently attested postcanonical text in the surviving Christian manuscripts of Egypt well into the fifth century.”[3] It was greatly admired by several of the early Church fathers. “Eusebius tells us that it was publicly read in the churches, and that while some denied it to be canonical, others ‘considered it most necessary’. Saint Athanasius speaks of it, together with the Didache, in connection with the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, as uncanonical yet recommended by the ancients for the reading of catechumens.”[4] Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, about A.D. 185 “proclaimed the book was inspired by divine intercession.”[5] This text was cited, either as scripture or as inspired, by Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement and Origen.[6] Still, it was not included in the canon due to its lack of apostolic origin.

Continued below.

Elijah Comes First

I've used Redhat Fedora Linux for some years, and this was typed on a Linux computer.
Still using Fedora, but fed up with systemd and Gnome and Wayland. I solved two thirds of this by recently installing Fedora 42 Mate, which unfortunately still uses systemd but is a fork from Gnome 2 (the good Gnome IMHO) and still uses X11. I found recently released Fedora 43 to be unusable at the moment and will wait on that one.
I'm just a user, with no formal training and until I saw your post i had no idea what GNU HURD was. I'd heard of GNU, but the idea of a computer HURD which may or may not stampede over the finish line before Elijah returns is something I'll have to leave to far more educated IT people like the Liturgist.
The HURD is a kernel system where one may update the kernel without a restart. The kernel is not a great big monolith but multiple components. Anyhow, Richard Stallman is involved, so it may never be finished. Stallman made the GCC compiler way back, a brillinat thing, but has since alienated almost everybody.
If Elijah comes first, GNU HURD will be the least of our worries. Meanwhile what is the Liturgist going to do all day with no computers in heaven?
I'm hoping on Elijah. I suspect the HURD has been complete in heaven for a long time, and the Liturgist will be delighted.
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