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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.

The rise of menace as a mainstream political tool

22 people were in the back of the vehicle, and they were all made to find alternate rides home. The driver, identified in a press release by Little Rock Police as 36-year-old as Zachary Platter of Indiana, was issued a citation because of the incident.
So… they hate illegals, but drive like them?
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Isaiah 43:10 Doesn't Say that YHWH wasn't "Formed"

In Isaiah 43:10 we read:
"“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,​
“and my servant whom I have chosen,​
so that you may know and believe me​
and understand that I am he.​
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me."​

This doesn't exclude that the speaker from being formed. (The hebrew word used in the sentence is Yatsar.)
Which in my opinion is beautiful if the Creator himself is Formed just like humanity was according to Genesis 2:7:
"Then the Lord God formed a man from the​
dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils​
the breath of life, and the man became a living being."​
Also in this sense we are way closer to G'd as we dare to believe.
Isn't it possible that God our Father formed / spoke himself into physical existence.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God and the Word was with God. The same was in the beginning with God.

In the Old Testament Yahweh and the New Testament Yeshua / Jesus is the Word of God - the spoken Word of God who has physical existence and I'm not speaking of the human form he used when he was born of woman. You see he walked and talked with Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah. He said and ate with Abraham. He wrestled with Jacob though translation say Angels but Jacob said he has seen the Lord face to face.

Did not Jesus say our Father is Spirit / Spirit has no physical form. And he and our Father are one.
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Chapel Veils

How many ladies here who attend the N.O. wear a Chapel Veil or Mantilla to Mass? And how common is wearing one in your parish? I’m starting to see more women wearing them…..there used to be just one lady that I saw. Now, I’ve seen maybe three or four. I’m wondering if it’s going to become a trend? I dont wear one nor do any of my friends but I remember as a child wearing one and mine had sparkles (rhinstones?on it. It was beautiful.

How should i handle this?

I might say to the brother-in-law, "I'm sorry about that priest yesterday. That was a tasteless thing to say at a funeral." Not a long speech, but a short something to let the brother-in-law know that you saw what happened and that you're sympathetic.

If you have a relationship with the priest, you might quietly say to him next time you see him that it was really uncomfortable that he singled out a Jewish attendee like that. He might not have realized how his words would sound to the grieving family. Again, not a long speech, and not berating, but calling it to his attention so he doesn't accidentally do it again in the future.
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Zions New Children

I think you had better look into more updated news about the Jews in Israel and their efforts to build the third temple.
Apart from the fact that secular Jewish Israel opposes a Temple because of the strife it would cause, Bible Prophecy clearly states that the new Temple will be built by the Christian peoples. Zechariah 6:15, Isaiah 56:1-8, Isaiah 66:18b-21, Revelation 11:1-3, +
several Rabbis have announced that they have met with the messiah
Jeremiah 8:5-12 Judah has no remorse or repentance, How can you say: We have the Law, when your scribes have falsified it? For all, high and low are out for ill-gotten gain, your prophets and rabbis are frauds, every one of them. This wicked race would rather die than live. They say: All is well; no, nothing is well, they will all fall with a great crash on the Day of Reckoning. You will be as dung spread on the ground. Then, I will give the Land to new owners.
THIS is scripture, believe it!
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Refuting Losing Salvation!

“We are not under the law as a covenant of works / not justified by it,”
…which is very different from “no need to obey God’s moral commands.”
Aren't Christians obedience to God's commands greater than the Law's commands? God wanted the Jews to move on to Christianity, but obviously the majority chooses not to believe in the Lord Jesus and His commands. Christ and the Father's commands are far greater than the Law's of the Decalogue, but still He has a place for His people.

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people" (Jer 31:33).

This has yet to come to pass!
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Does Regeneration Precede Faith?

Hmmmm,..... interesting.

Let's see what other sections of scripture say,....

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we proclaim:
Rom 10:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.


We always compare scripture with scripture to get the proper understanding, we never cherry pick one verse out and then try to build our theology around it with Greek tenses.
What's your objection? I fail to see why you think Romans 10:8-10 contradicts what was argued in the OP.
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Historically & Theologically Absurd to Compare The Holy Family to Illegal Aliens

The Holy Family fleeing from one Roman-controlled region to another in the first century is in no way a mandate on whether America has a right to enforce immigration laws.

Last week, a Catholic church in Massachusetts made headlines with its Nativity display — in which Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus were replaced by an empty manger and an anti-ICE poster. Now, it seems the church’s pastor is refusing to take down the display for the time being, against the wishes of his church authority.

St. Susanna, located in the Boston suburb of Dedham, “displayed a Nativity scene outside the church with an empty manger and a sign that says, ‘ICE was here,’” Fox News reported Wednesday. The implication, of course, is that the baby Savior was either apprehended or threatened by federal immigration agents.

“The Holy Family is safe in The Sanctuary of our church,” the sign below the “ICE was here” poster reads, “followed by contact information for a group that monitors immigration operations in the state.”

Continued below.

Trump dispenses with trials, orders military strike on alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking boat (Now up to 2, 3, 4...)


The Don (per atrupar, who has correctly transcribed the audio):

Trump on the president of Colombia: "He's gonna have himself some big problems if he doesn't wise up ... he better wise up or he'll be next. I hope he's listening. He's gonna be next."
  • Wow
Reactions: durangodawood
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Catholic bishops in Europe express concern over EU ruling mandating recognition of same-sex unions

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) has expressed concern about a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which obliges all member states to recognize so-called "homosexual marriages" legally performed in another country.

In a Dec. 9 statement, the president of COMECE, Bishop Mariano Crociata, warned that the ruling could have an impact on the legal sovereignty of each nation, since the recognition of these unions is mandatory even if they are not valid under a country’s own legal system.

The ruling concerns a same-sex Polish couple who “married” in Germany in 2018. Upon returning to Poland, the authorities refused to record their union in the civil registry. The European court has deemed this refusal contrary to EU law, meaning that all member states are now obligated to recognize the rights stemming from this bond.

Union between a man and a woman​

Continued below.

New Orleans Diocese issues Mass dispensation for migrants due to arrest fears

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond announced a Sunday Mass dispensation for migrants fearing deportation amid heightened presence of immigration enforcement officials in the state.

“As I write to you, our immigrant sisters and brothers are facing real fear and anxiety in the wake of an increase in immigration enforcement actions,” Aymond wrote in a Dec. 8 letter.

Aymond is the fifth U.S. bishop to announce dispensations for Catholic immigrants from Sunday Mass. Bishop Michael Duca of Baton Rouge granted the same dispensation in his diocese earlier this week. Bishops in the dioceses of San Bernardino, California; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina, also granted a dispensation this year.

Aymond’s move comes amid the deployment of 250 Border Patrol agents to the region with plans to arrest 5,000 individuals across Louisiana and Mississippi as a part of the Trump administration’s “Operation Catahoula Crunch.”


Continued below.

Trump to create sanctions plan for Nigeria, congressman says

U.S. President Donald Trump is crafting a sanctions plan to increase pressure on the Nigerian government amid ongoing Christian persecution, according to a leading member of Congress.

President Trump “ “is in the process of crafting a comprehensive action plan including sanctions to pursue reform,” according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, who described Nigeria as “ground zero,” and the “focal point of the most brutal and murderous anti-Christian persecution in the world today.”

Smith, a Catholic who chairs the house Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, mentioned the plan during his Dec. 9 speech at “The Emergency Summit on Crimes Against Christians,” organized by For the Martyrs, a nonprofit that aids persecuted Christians. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, and Rep. Marlin Stuzman, R-Indiana, also spoke at the event.

The veteran New Jersey congressman praised Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and affirmed that “Religious freedom will now be at the forefront of the U.S.-Nigeria bilateral relationship.”

Continued below.

Federal government cuts off aid to Texas Catholic Charities

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has suspended Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley from receiving federal funding, according to the charity group.

The Catholic Charities group is the charitable branch of the Diocese of Brownsville and is part of Catholic Charities USA and Caritas Internationalis.

The charity is located in South Texas and operates the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen. The migrant shelter is run by Sister Norma Pimentel, known popularly as “the immigrants’ nun.” Pimentel and the center offer immigrants awaiting court hearings shelter and food before they travel to meet relatives in other cities and states.

The nonprofit reported in a statementthat the organization learned that the government "temporarily suspended” its "eligibility for federal funding pending a further determination."

Continued below.

Missouri's GOP governor calls special session to redraw congressional districts to promote "Missouri Values"

Organizers submit enough signatures to block gerrymandered Missouri map

More than 300,000 signatures delivered to secretary of state to force referendum on Republican-drawn map

A provision of the Missouri constitution gives voters a chance to repeal acts of the legislature if organizers can collect enough signatures in a tight timeframe. The vast majority of the measures that have been put up for a referendum have been repealed.

Republicans have aggressively fought to counter the Missouri effort. The secretary of state, Denny Hoskins, has tried to throw out nearly 100,000 signatures, arguing that they were prematurely collected.

Verifying the signatures should take between eight and 10 weeks, but it could go into next summer, People Not Politicians said in a statement. The new map must remain paused while the review takes place, the group said.
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‘TERMINATED!’ Trump Calls to End FEMA and Let States Manage Disasters for ‘BIG SAVINGS’

Well, if you can't get rid of it, at least you can put one of the producers of pardoned convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza's 2000 Mules nonsense in charge of it.



Gregg Phillipps of 'True the Vote' is now Administrator of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery (ORR).
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‘God Is Doing Something’—Lee Strobel Investigates Whether Miracles Happen in New Documentary ‘The Case for Miracles’

A new documentary by Lee Strobel titled, “The Case for Miracles,” aims to provide evidence that miracles similar to those that are recorded in the Bible do indeed take place today. The documentary will be in theaters Dec. 15–18.

Strobel recounts how investigating the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection transformed him from an atheist to a Christian. Today, he believes miracles still occur and outlines four criteria he uses to verify credible cases: medical documentation, multiple eyewitnesses, lack of natural explanation, and whether the event happens in the context of prayer.

“If I see those four things together, depending on the circumstance, I can be persuaded that, yes, God has intervened supernaturally today in his creation,” Strobel told ChurchLeaders.

Strobel shares scientifically documented studies from Mozambique and Brazil—published in a secular, peer-reviewed medical journal—showing dramatic improvements in hearing and vision immediately after Christian prayer. Strobel does admit that fraud, coincidence, placebo, and spontaneous remission exist but cannot account for many well-evidenced cases.

Continued below.

God hides things

There are books that are outside the protestant canon that are inspired only for the wise that seek them out. They are apocrypha which means hidden from the wise of the world.

Jesus talking to the Sadducees who asked about resurrection.

Mathew 22 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

God talking to the fallen angels pre flood in 1 Enoch that left heaven, came down to earth, and married women

1 Enoch 15
But you originally existed as spirits, living forever,
and not dying for all the generations of eternity;
7 therefore I did not make women among you.’
The spirits of heaven, in heaven is their dwelling;

He calls 1 Enoch scripture, and Jude says "Enoch 7th from Adam" so Jude believed what he was quoting was written before Noahs flood, and not pseudepigrapha first written 300 BC, and backdated. Jude, and 1 Enoch
The Sadducees stuff up a story from Tobit about the woman being married then demons killing her 7 husbands each night before the marriage too. They forgot to add she married successfully the 8th time. So Jesus is calling Tobit scripture too. That was written in the 700s, and 600s BC, 1 Enoch was written 4400-4000 BC after creation 5500 BC but before Noahs flood 3300 BC. There are a lot of other texts inspired apocrypha that are not pseudepigrapha for the wise only too. My summary list of the most important ones are 1 Enoch, Life of Adam, and Eve, Assumption of Moses, 1/2 Maccabees. For the NT Gospel of Nicodemus, History of Joseph the Carpenter, Proto James. All on audiobook on youtube or annas archive and internet archive are two free e book websites.
While I am sympathetic to the extra books, I choose to just rely on the Holy Spirit if there are gaps in my knowledge. I am not saying they are not be useful but thus far in my walk the bible seems more than sufficient to learn.
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Trump backs Senate GOP bill to give Americans $1,500 checks for health care — here’s who qualifies

“I absolutely agree with President Trump that we need to redirect subsidies from insurance companies and give patients the power,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of the bill’s co-sponsors, told The Post.
“Republicans want real solutions that actually make health care affordable and put money in families’ pockets. I applaud the president for his leadership on this issue,” added Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and introduced the legislation with Senate Finance Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).

We do need to stop funneling taxpayer dollars to wealthy insurance companies.
So what exactly is the "real solution"? That the federal government will pay for our health insurance?

I thought that was what the Trump administration wanted to avoid doing?

"I don't want to give insurance companies any money" he says. And yet, the money is being given directly to Obamacare enrollees which of course are giving money to health insurance companies of the Obamacare marketplace.
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Although I don't believe this apparently scientists believe life formed on its own

And you don't think Christian beliefs had anything to do with this reintroduction.
No, It was Islamic scholars who had preserved and translated the works of people like Plato and Aristotle while the West was in a dark age..
This is silly. Your using the arguement of the belief in the resurrection of the body which defies physical reality to dismiss the idea that there is a material/spiritual reality.
No, I am not. I am merely pointing out that substance dualism is neither fundamental to Christian doctrine nor necessary to it.
It does not matter really what you want to call it. The fact is one way or another humans have this belief in a transcedent and immaterial reality. Whether thats paganism or Christianity.

For the purposes of supporting that material and immaterial or mind/consciousness and physical brain divide it doesn't matter.
Yes, it doesn't matter. And rejecting your take on it--which is what we are doing here--doesn't deny it anyway.
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Canada’s Response to Trump’s Tariff

Here's what Canadian provinces are doing with all the US liquor they pulled off shelves

At least two provinces say the booze will go to a good cause, promising to sell remaining inventory and donate proceeds to charity.

One province is offloading it to restaurants and bars instead of selling it to the public.

Others have not said what they plan to do with the shelved liquor. That includes Ontario, which has an eye-popping C$80m ($57.7m; £43.3m) worth of US booze stockpiled, some of which will soon expire.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said remaining inventory is being sold so that products don't go to waste. He added that Nova Scotia will not be ordering anymore alcohol from the US once it sells out.

Quebec [will] donate soon-to-expire liquor to charity events and hospitality schools.

US ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has signalled that the liquor boycott has been an irritant. Speaking to a US crowd in July, he said it is among the reasons why Trump and his team have referred to Canada as "mean and nasty".

Mid-year figures released by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) show that Canada's boycott has contributed to a decline in sales that is "very troubling", said council president and CEO Chris Swonger. Exports to Canada have dropped by 85% and have also declined to other markets, including the UK and the EU.
This is Trump's choice, and many support the choice.

1) Clearly, there will be lots less exports except for those items personally negotiated by Trump: guns, missiles, tech and agriculture. BTW, even if the Canadian government lifted the bans, the people still wouldn't be buying US goods.

2) Of course, there will also be fewer imports on goods that have tariffs.

3) Trump is driving down tourism, most obviously from Canada, but also from many other countries (consider his wish to have tourists provide lots of personal information, including 5 YEARS of social media history).

4) And finally, Trump is driving down immigration from any country, other than from white Christians who have an acceptable social media history.

TWO OBVIOUS EFFECTS, BOTH ON THE ECONOMY
1) prices will continue to go up because of tariffs.
2) the whitening of America will mean that many more tech and agricultural jobs will continue to go unfilled.

AS AN ASIDE
China (we are down to 10% of their exports), the EU, India and others will be forced to find new markets for their products and become more efficient. Globalism now longer includes the US. Prices will go down for the rest of the world as they increase trade among themselves. Of course, many of their governments will do as Trump wants. They will buy lots of guns, missiles and tech.
  • Agree
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