New Posts

Apple Sky · 2025-11-17T03:22:39-0600

Phil G said:
Anybody who has observed a sunset can see that it's not just appearing to set, it is actually being hidden by the horizon. A half set sun is not any smaller in size than a full sun. It's only the bottom half that is hidden by the horizon at that stage. And no amount of zoom lenses will bring the bottom half into view again.

Prove it with math's.

Phil G said:
If it's reality for one, then it's reality for all.

Why because reality aligns with several philosophical and psychological concepts ?

Servus · 2025-11-17T03:21:59-0600

Fervent said:
It's not equating the doctrine, it's about how doctrines develop. Marian theology was present and established long before formalization, and such formalization is always a response to controversy not an ordinary course of affairs. We could say similar things about the canon, or about the hypostatic union, or all manner of doctrine that were orthodox but weren't formalized until a clear need was seen for such formalization. It is your false premise about Mariology being a product of the 6th century because of its formalization in light of Nestorianism that is at issue, not the content of the doctrine themselves. But Mariology in the face of Nestorius was a Christological issue, because Nestorius denied that Jesus was God in the flesh and instead opted for a form of double naturedness.

Before we continue let's establish where you're at with this, so I can understand what you're arguing in favor of.

Do you believe we should pray to Mary?
That we need Mary to intercede to Jesus for us?
Do you believe we should kneel to statues of Mary?
Do you believe Mary is the Queen of Heaven?
Do you believe Mary was without sin like Jesus?
Do you believe Mary was a perpetual virgin?
Do you believe Mary is the Ark of the Covenant?

There's more, but let's start with those.

Also have you read the Anathemas of the Roman Catholic Church for not subscribing to all of it?

RamiC · 2025-11-17T03:20:23-0600

Paidiske said:
It's early days, but I'd say the over-arching common theme would probably be, we are utterly lousy at communication and healthy conflict. (By which I mean, actually working through issues rather than all the games we see played in parishes rather than dealing with the underlying problem).

What would working through issues consist of? I am asking because I see a shortage of conflict resolution everywhere, not just the church. Right now there is simply none in the Church of England.

Douggg · 2025-11-17T03:18:11-0600

keras said:
You avoid the fact that religious Jews cannot step on the Temple Mount;

keras, religious Jews can walk on the Temple Mount - but not freely. They are restricted to follow the Israelis police who lead their walk as visitors. They are not allowed to go to the Dome of the Rock platform area as that is restricted by the Jerusalem Waqf to only muslims. The Dome of the Rock was built over the where the former temple sanctuary building was.

Here is a video of Jews on the temple mount.

Login to view embedded media

Rescued One · 2025-11-17T03:16:10-0600

Friends and relatives pass away; old age is for the birds!

Rescued One · 2025-11-17T03:05:58-0600

Apple Sky said:
I reckon that they have deliberately raised the cost of postage so that we go too emailing instead, but I refuse too be beaten.
And another thing, who's finding it harder & harder to purchase Christmas cards with Biblical images ?

The people who used to send me cards weren't in dire poverty. Most of the boxes of cards I have are biblical. Oh, well.

I think people have lost interest.

Fervent · 2025-11-17T03:00:00-0600

Mark Quayle said:
So you really can't answer the question, of how anything can come about without God intending it to come about. You've got a bunch of little first causes trotting about the planet, and God being reactionary, instead of God being the source of fact, and humans being some of those facts. The authority of Chance governs your world.

Your strawman is unpersuasive, at the very least. And your question only makes sense in your framework, so there is no need for me to answer it since I reject your framework.

Mark Quayle said:
I am curious to see your logic in the term, "self-contradictory nature of determinism." How is determinism self-contradictory? Try to be careful, for my sake, to give us a consistent definition for 'determinism'.

It is quite simple, if determinism is true then it would be impossible for anyone to come to believe in determinism of their own accord. And the ability to reject determinism is then a demonstration of the falsity of determinism, so by affirming free will I am showing determinism to be false. And I'm not playing your silly semantic games, we both know full well what we mean by free will and determinism.

Fervent · 2025-11-17T02:56:31-0600

Bradskii said:
I wish you'd stop saying that. It's imperfect. It's not ideal. There are many faults. But it does work in the way that democracies are meant to work. If more people vote for one party than the other then they get to rule the roost for the duration. It's that simple. But it's not an illusion.'

I can't say how it is in Australia, but in the US it doesn't work and it's more than just not ideal. It's a broken system, which is why the vast majority of people are constantly displeased with congress yet the same congress people get elected year over year. The slop that is presented as choices are all related and part of the same monied interests. It's an illusion of choice, where the corporations and lobbyists present bad options who are going to serve their interests and not the interests of the people. To call it imperfect is far too minimal for just how broken it is and how much the supposed choices are not genuine choices at all.

Bradskii said:
It's the same for theocracies. I will guarantee that they're not perfect either at least due to the different interpretations of whatever holy book is being used to run society. But they work in the way they're meant to work. By divine fiat. And nobody gets to vote.

You put far too much stock into voting, but I suppose that's not surprising given your lack of recognition for the prison that you are in that has completely removed your desire to escape by giving you the emotional sense of ownership since you get to mark off a piece of paper as if your input makes a difference.

Servus · 2025-11-17T02:54:15-0600

ChubbyCherub said:
1 John 1:8-10
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 John 3:6-10
6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

I read this last night after a weekend of heavy drinking and eating.

This is not a habitual thing for me. I have drank less than 10 times this year but I have been struggling with overeating due to heavy restriction of calories, since the beginning of this year, in an effort to lose weight.

I have lost about 50 pounds and am only 10 pounds away from goal weight. But, the stress of it all (turning away all social engagements, business engagements, family time etc) causes me to overeat when I start to eat any sugary foods and drinking magnifies the craves and reduces all inhibition and self-control.

So, to my way of thinking, I am not only drinking to excess but then engaging in gluttony, or self sabotage or, I don't really know 100% what the exact sin would be but the action of drinking too much and then overeating seems sinful. Also, I don't view these things as glorifying God or being a light to unbelievers (my family) so it would seem to me that I am indeed sinning.

In an effort to understand, I read the above verses last night.

With regards to 1 John 1:8-10, I believe I am a sinner, have confessed my sins, asked for forgiveness and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior.

With regards to 1 John 3:6-10, sin is of the devil, and 'No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are,'

Am I truly saved then if I continue to sin? Am I sinning? I have prayed and acknowledged that I'm not sure about either of these points but, really, I am sure I am saved because I have done what the Bible says saves us according to Romans 10:9-13:

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]

Any and all help is appreciated. On one hand, I feel broken hearted. I certainly do not want to be of the devil and I want to live my life for Christ and have assurance that I will be with Him when the time comes. On the other hand, I feel like I'm misunderstanding something and overreacting. On the other hand, I feel like I could want that to be the case because the consequences are devastating and I wouldn't know what the point of anything was anymore...

If you could help me, I would be forever grateful, thank you and God bless.

If you know what you're doing is wrong and you sincerely seek to curb it because of your love for Christ, then that's an indication of being saved.

Also it's a matter of practicing sin as John calls it. Practicing sin the way a doctor practices medicine. As in sinning is a full-time occupation. As a Christian our stumbles in our battles of the flesh should prompt us to pray to God for help in overcoming them.

"15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." - Romans 7:15-20

So as you can see, even Paul struggled with and anguished over weaknesses of the flesh.

A2SG · 2025-11-17T02:38:58-0600

eleos1954 said:
No ... just saying they both gave pardons and that some on both sides are questionable ... at least Trumps pardons weren't signed with an auto pen ... to me that fact is highly suspicious

Couple things...first, you don't know the autopen wasn't used, even if by Trump himself. Second, of course, you also don't know that President Biden did not know or at least approve of the use of the autopen, assuming it was used in those cases. You'd have to prove it in either case, or it's just speculation and nothing more.

Further, as to the questionability of the respective pardons, Trump clearly pardoned people who acted illegally on his behalf, explicitly or implicitly, in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election. This includes his legal teams, those who engineered or participated in the fake elector scheme, and those who stormed the Capitol on January 6. The evidence for corruption in those cases is pretty clear and very blatant, considering the fact that, had he not approved of their illegal actions, he would have no reason to pardon them.

If there is any evidence that President Biden used his power of pardon to reward those who acted illegal on his behalf, that remains to be seen. Nothing has yet been put forth as evidence for this claim. Even in the case of his son, the fact that it's his son is enough to explain his reasoning without political corruption being involved.

But, that said, if anyone wishes to make the case that President Biden corruptly used the power of the pardon (or someone did so without his knowledge via autopen), then they need to make the case with evidence, not speculation or rumors. I wonder if anyone can.

-- A2SG, so far, speculation and rumor seems to be all anyone's got....

RainySunflower · 2025-11-17T02:38:32-0600

Kent and Jakob know their stuff. ^_^

Source

Predictions and claims for the Second Coming - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Vanellus · 2025-11-17T02:23:29-0600

Servus said:
The great experiment.

Probably at the expense of many New Yorkers.

With input from Trump.

Mark Quayle · 2025-11-17T02:19:21-0600

bling said:
You said and I quote: "There is no such thing as , so, no, the Bible does not address them. We all reject God continually, all day long, with every breath we breath, even when we think we are accepting him, until he changes us, born again, 'born from above', raised from life to death.
I am just asking: "How could an unborn baby ever knowingly "reject God"??
We are talking about, "dying before becoming a believer", which can happen to an unborn baby. If you say, "We do not know", than how can you be so certain about babies one day old?

What I said was, "There is no such thing as people who never had the opportunity to reject God, so, no, the Bible does not address them".

How can you know an unborn baby is not a believer? God does what he will. He doesn't need our notions of what a person is, nor of what constitutes enmity with him.

I compare the mind of the unborn, at whatever stage they can rightly be called a person, with the mind of the clinical idiot who has no brain activity registering, cannot hear, cannot see, doesn't respond to touch, and has no sentient "concepts" as we claim separates us from animals. Are you going to say that God cannot deal with him, and change his heart?

On a scale with that clinical idiot on one end and God on the other, where do you think those of us who can read, consider and reason stand? I think I can guarantee you that our intelligence and self-awareness is much closer to the bottom of the scale than it is to God's place. We can all make definitions for 'sin' and 'omnipotence' and so on, but God's point of view is the only one that counts, in the end.

Apple Sky · 2025-11-17T02:18:53-0600

stevevw said:
I have been thinking about the current political claimte and how people are being cancelled and even killed for their views. Is street preaching or declaring the gospel in public now a dangerous occupation.

Don't worry, if Jesus is with you he will protect you

keras · 2025-11-17T01:57:47-0600

The Sixth Seal judgement/punishment of the nations:
Revelation 6:12-17...The sun will be darkened and the moon blood red. The leaders of the nations and every person, rich or poor will try to hide themselves, they will call to the mountains and the earth: ‘Hide us from Almighty God and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great Day of their wrath has come and who can stand? Hosea 10:8

Luke 23:29-31 These times are bad, but the time is coming when people will say: ‘Happy are those without children to worry about’. At that time they will call to the mountains; Fall on us, and to the hills; cover us.

Isaiah 2:12-21 The Lord has a Day of doom in store, for all the proud and arrogant and all their idols. For all fortifications and military strength, for the leaders of the nations, all will be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted on that Day.
When the Lord arises and strikes the world with terror, everyone will try to hide in caves and holes in the ground from the power of His judgement.

2 Peter 3:7 & 12 Look forward to the coming day of the Lord, that Day will set the sky ablaze and flames will envelope the earth.

Ezekiel 21:4-11 O man: Why do you groan so bitterly? Because of what I have heard, is about to take place. Everyone will be terrified, they will wet their pants in fear. The Lord draws His sword of slaughter, sharpened and ready, from its scabbard. The Destroyer will kill both the righteous and wicked alike in the [holy] Land.

Jeremiah 4:23-29 The earth is reeling and in chaos, the land is shaking, the hills rocking to and fro. The Land becomes empty, even the birds have gone and the cities are flattened and the Land desolated. The sky is darkened and to escape the approaching disaster, the people dive for cover and scramble for shelter in the mountains. The Lord’s plan is made known, He will not relent or change it.

Joel 1:15-20 The Day is near, the Day of the Lord – it comes as a mighty destruction from the Almighty. It is already before us, joy and gladness are gone, now the [holy] Land is burnt and desolated, for fire has consumed the towns and everything in the countryside.
Ref: REB. Some verses abridged.

Four times the prophets tell us that in the 24 hour period between the initial flash and the arrival of the superheated mass of the enormous Coronal Mass Ejection the Lord will use on His Day of Wrath, people will be terrified and will scramble for cover. Many other prophecies say how all will be shocked, frightened or paralyzed with fear.
The sky will be darkened because the sun will be obscured by the approaching mass and the moon will burn bright red from the thermoluminiscent reaction between the superheated hydrogen and the aluminium and other oxides of the moon dust. Joel 2:31

The result of this sunstrike will leave the entire Middle East burnt and desolate, Ezekiel 30:1-5, but most of the rest of the world will survive to establish a One World Government and as Isaiah 30:26 says: On the Day He takes action with a CME, that is the Day He will save His faithful Christian people. They will migrate in a great Exodus and live in all of the holy Land, as the Lord originally intended for His people.

Servus · 2025-11-17T01:54:31-0600

rjs330 said:
When did liberals become fiscal conservatives?

Trump seems to aways prompt them to go in the opposite direction. If he promoted breathing they'd hold their breath.

Servus · 2025-11-17T01:50:30-0600

MarkSB said:
I fail to see how that is a response to what I posted. It’s just more denial an deflection.

Someone being rude to me isn't going to prompt me to have a discussion with them.

biblelesson · 2025-11-17T01:41:41-0600

d taylor said:
-

Well what about you not adding into accounts in The Bible parts that are not actually there. As an example, take you saying the people in Matthew 7:23 had believed in Jesus for eternal life. When there is not a singe sentence saying these people had believed in Jesus for eternal life. The only thing the verses say is they did thing in the name of Jesus and that is not the same as believing in The Name of Jesus for eternal life.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

An example of a contemporary day Matthew 7, would be people who say they went to church in the name of Jesus, or were baptized in the name of Jesus, or repented of their sins in the name of Jesus, etc.... But never actually did believe in the person Jesus, for Eternal Life.

The people in Matthew did believe they would receive salvation in Christ. This is why Jesus spoke this parable, because a lot of people think they are going to receive eternal life because they say they believe on Jesus. These people were saying to Jesus because of what they did, they should receive eternal life. They think if they feed the poor, give to the needy, keep the sabbath day, and even keep the feast days, as some do, their salvation in Jesus is secure. These people strongly believe that doing those things makes them righteous, and their own righteousness saves them unto eternal life. But without the Holy Spirit in us, we cannot be saved no matter how much we profess to believe in Jesus. It is not of works, but God’s Grace we are saved.

I know a person who said they only believe certain things in the Bible because men wrote the Bible - they believe they have the right to dismiss large portions of the Bible, but this person professes to be a Christian and believe in Jesus and goes to church every Sunday. They will argue they should receive eternal life.

ChubbyCherub · 2025-11-17T01:24:13-0600

I needed to read this today. I am having a moment of uncertainty, myself, and came here for assistance.

So many of you sound like me and it's so comforting to know that what I am going through might be a normal part of the journey towards living more like Christ and less like a flawed human.

I was so scared and have found some peacefulness here and I really appreciate the OP for posting their struggle and all the responses.

God bless

bob121 · 2025-11-17T01:14:06-0600

stevevw said:
Yeah I will try and find what I have written or finish it. I lost intereswt for a while but started up again. I think we all need some creative outlet. I always think getting back to nature can also bring that spiritual aspect and gives inspiration.

Nothing like gazing up at the night sky out in the country where there is no light pollution. Then you certainly realise theres something beyond. I think this is our spiritual side or our consciousness of God through phenomenal experiences that takes us to this place where our soul exists.

Steve, keep strumming and keep looking up—those country-night skies are a cathedral without walls.
Every chord you chase and every star you catch is an echo of the same vastness: we can’t bottle God, but we can let art and night-air carry our wonder back to Him.
Press on—your next note might be the one that helps someone else hear the “something beyond.”

GodAndChocolateVanilla · 2025-11-17T01:08:38-0600

I'm so grateful to God that the Library exists!! ^w^

Apple Sky · 2025-11-17T01:02:28-0600

United Airlines

stevevw · 2025-11-17T00:28:50-0600

sjastro said:
Notice how he refers to Chris King as Christ King, you can't get greater than that.

This is how far away from the meaning you are trying to inject onto me. I sort of got the Christ part as I noticed I kept adding t onto Chris. I just did it again and had to correct it. Now that may be because of my typing style (which is single finger but fast) lol. And as I have used the word Christ a lot in my typing the finger automatically goes to the 't'. Makes sense.

But what I did not see until you pointed it out was the 'King' part. Because Christ or King as in the King was not on my mind. So yes you spotted it. Christ the King and you could not get any higher. But you spotted it not me lol. But good spot.

David Lamb · 2025-11-17T00:12:15-0600

walter45 said:
God does both. Jesus talks about the resurrection of the Dead from their Graves.

Why would people need to be raised from the dead from there grave if they were already alive? John 5:28-29
Why do people believe that they are alive on the first day after their death, when Jesus says they are raised from the dead on the last day? John 6:40, 6:44

Their material bodies are placed in the grave. Their souls go immediately to heaven or hell. That is why Jesus said to the repentant thief on the cross beside Him:

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Lu 23:43 NKJV)

Paul wrote:

“For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (Php 1:23 NKJV)

No suggestion of departing this life then waiting in the grave for the last day to be with Christ.

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