Fr Chuck

one also has to understand that every denomination has a leader, or a group that oversees or controls that groups activities. The mormon church has a group of 12 with a President, The Lutheran Church MO Synd has a church president, and so on, It happens with the Catholic Church that being so large they have a much larger and complex system of leaderships. Also if you follow the teachings of all of the early Christian Church, all of the larger groups had thier head bishops or Patarachs ( Pope for the Catholic) and all had oversight of thier groups in very simular ways.

I would say that there is a need for couseling. He is wanting to control what you do, without a reason ( from at least what you have said.) Also don't assume he is a Christian merely because he goes to church, there are more non christians in church pews every sunday than real Christians, many go because it is expected in society, or they beleive they should for thier family and so on. And of course you tell him what you are doing and ask him to come, and then do what you want to do normally. Esp if he is not talking about it, Or be direct, that is how things gets talk about

Shall I assume that you don't have any pictures or photos, That you will refuse a drivers licence because it has to have your image on it ? It warns of possible corruppt, since as happened when they made a graven immage to worship. The Catholic Church does not worship any of the photos or statues, but use them as a tool to bring them closer to God. Even God commanded on the Ark of the Covement immages to be made. And Protestant churches have pictures of Jesus the Good Sheperd,and use pictures of sheep or fish to represent Jesus ( are maybe they are really worshiping those sheep ???) Can you see how simple usage can be twisted if you wish it to, a person who wanted to shame or talk agaisnt Protestants can merely start a rumor they really worship Sheep, not true, but I can prove it fo course by showing how manyof thier churches have photos of sheep in them. And of course you can't have any pictutes of land scapes in your home ( Deut 4: 18-19) so if you do take them down So the obvious fact is they are speaking about making gods or images of worship, not things that are used either for decoration or things that bring someone closeer to God himself. The Orthodox have many more icons and art work within the church than any other, but these are not gods of worship. The idea that they are are merley from those that look for attacks on catholics and will not accept simple truths from the church, but have accepted 1/2 truths of hate spead b those who ish to attack the church And of course if you wish to follow all the rules in Deut, what about Deu 12:6, when was the last time you burnt your offerings on an alter And of course read though Deu and you will find 100's of things from cutting off peoples hands for theft to destroying your ememies.

It appears like 1000's of others you just need to start your own church, since you will always find excuses not to like something about every church your attend. It is too big, or it is too small, it is too cold or to hot, the preacher is to old, preacher is to young. You don't like a priesthood and vows, but you want a church to have a preacher but only a man. Any preacher is normally ordained which is into itself a taking of a vow, some don't take it very serious, but others take it alot more serious. You also only looked at the Roman Rite ( most commom) part of the Catholic Church there are others, There are 100's of independent catholic churches. And there are Orthodox Churches, but I am sure you would not like thier icons either. You go to church to worship God and fellowship with simular ( not clones) christian. YOu only have to read 1/2 of Pauls letters to see that even 30 years or so after Christ people started adding or taking away and including thier own customs into various service. The early church had women leaders, they did not do communion like we do it, but it was a real meal, and that was changed when many were only comming for the meal and the wine. Sorry If I am comming down on you, but honestly you will spend 40 years not going to any church, not becoming part of anything, if you always want to find the thing you don't like about it. In the group I am with "Servants of the Good Shepherd" I am the Presiding Bishop, basicly I can help make and change all the rules, and there are things I don't like about the group and have not for 30 years, but I worked within he frame work because I beleived in the over all goal of the group. wwww.unitycatholic.org I could have changed from church to church to church like 100's have done, but in the end, I would not hav been part of anything and did not build anything. Issues, there is no requirement for weekly communion or daily communion, so many churches don't, ( most denominations don't have this) women pastors, most of the protestant churches will have them, this has been argued back and fort, everyone using the bible to prove that there was in the bible, and others using the bible to prove there should not be. infant baptism, ( you did not mention this) but this is a big divider and yep, both sides use the bible to prove thier points on this. And do you know what, none of it really matters, yep I said it, what really matters is has the person accept Christ and do they follow them. I attend, speak, fellowship and assit in services in Baptist churches, Methodist churches, independent churches, some years ago I did servcies in missions for the Roman Catholic Church, And we all have a great time together. Do you know why, because there is only one God, one faith and one Christinaity, only different methods of worship with some having ideas that are limited by our human understanding. In truth, I bet God is laughting ever Sunday saying look there, ain't none of them got it right completely. so you find a group of people you like, people you want to fellowship with, people who love the Lord. And then you work for the Lord and help in that chruch, and guess what the rest does not really matter in the next 300 years, except that you have worked personally for the Lord.

Of perhaps other planets he did differently, No salvation except for being earned on one, what on another people did not sin and stayed at the garden of eden level Perhaps he merely destroyed them like us on the flood but did nto save any. We have our relatonship with God the way we know him, and the way he has made hisself known to us. Anything else can be anything or nothing.

Yes youi have misunderstood the passage completely, either because it is a poor translation, or the old english is harder for you to understand. In general if he leaves you for someone else, he is committing adultry and it makes the women he is with an adultress also. But going back to the laws of Moses, the party who was left ( women in your case) (YOU) will be free, of course all effort is to be made to try and heal the relationship. Did you two have marriage couseling after the afair last year, while it is possible to come back often the man just gets better at hiding it if he is caught. And that 6 or 7 years of marriage always seem to be the "big" year for cheating for alot of men You need to get alot of things going at this point. 1. hire an attorney fast, file for temp custody of the child, and a property settlement leaving you what you want. Also get an emergancy order for child support. Next if you have not already, move any money out of any joint accounts, close them, and open new accounts under just your name. On the spiritual side, find a lady very strong in faith to talk to over all the emotional issues you have to be going though.

Actually alot of states had laws but the supreme court over ruled all of them, As with this one, they are expecting a new court challene so the supreme court can make a new ruling, hopeuflly allowing the states to have thier rights as protected in the Constitution. Since abortion was never a right to privacy issue and the old ruling was done for political pressure not proper court law ruling. But if the supreme court does overturn Roe, you will see most states comming out with some level of restrictions.

Credit card and using them is not bibical at all. Pay them off, don't use them ever ( if you have to have one for booking a plane ticket or a hotel room, ok, but a VISA ATM card is better since you don't get in debt) Next get a budget, if you want to give more, cut out something else. OF course you should give 10 percent, but that also means you have to budget to live on the 90 percent. Next it is best to work though your local church and its missions programs, far too many of the TV ministries and the TV charities is that the majority of the money you send go to advertising and admin costs.

Peter doubted and started sinking when he was walkingon the water, Peter also denied Christ, Thomas ( and the rest ) doubted, Paul ( as saul) wanted to kill christ, so in general some of the strongest people in christ were at one time its enemy . It is what happens in our heart that makes the difference

There are stange people everywhere, perhaps he thought you were really doing "magic", I ran into some of the same issues with hypnosis many years ago, I used it sometimes in theropy to help people find the sourse of some of thier fears. but to some it was like I was doing some form of Black magic, not an accepted medical practice.

not meaning to offend but this is no surprise, I declared in my writings two years ago that they were no longer a Christian church because of thier stance on various issues as to who they allow to be priests and bishops along with the way they treat various individual churches that try to break away from the parent group. This only supports what most of us in the religious world already knew that Jesus is not thier main Lord and Savior but popularity and political correctness has taken its place. Even the head of the Anglican Church came close this week to saying that a split is about to occur from those churches that wish to stay with the ECUSA (Episcopal church USA) and the true Anglican faith. ( again a split we have all seen comming over the last several years) I am only sorry that the main Anglican Body has not already moved against ECUSA and allowed those poeple of true faith to have leadership outside of the ECUSA.

Of course we have no way to prove God's reason, one of course was to prove it was God's doing, not mans, and it was also perhaps that testing we go though, to make us stronger in our faith

I am sorry this is happening, but there is most likely a reason ( perhaps bibical teaching) or some other issue that is important enough to them to make them move to a new church. And yes we often get stuck in a rut and don't like to change, but change will be a part of your life from now on. You did not say your age but at some point you will graduate and have to move off to college or go to work, And within the work world, you will get new jobs, new positions, you will move from apartment to apartment and perhaps buy a house or two making new friends and neighbors thoughout the years. And you will meet new friends and make friends over the years. Of course they may allow you to keep going to a different youth groups on Wed unless there was another problem at the church they belive is best not to be around. My son often goes to vacation bible school and even youth classes at another church ( different denomination) because we don't offer much of a youth program.

I am a Orthodox priest, who has studed both eastern and western traditons and practice. If you would like to exchange ideas, view points and the such, I would be glad to. I prefer, not to on public boards, but would exchange emails if you would like Fr_Chuck@hotmail.com

Easter Bunnies, are from pagan non Chrsitian traditions. Thier practice is not Chrsitian and go against Chrsitian teachings. I shake in fear at the churches that have Santa Claus, easter bunnies and the such at Church events.

First all Christians today come from either a Catholic or Orthodox background, since for 1500 years they were the only two Christian denomntions around. And they all taught that. Actually it is the minority of all Christians that don't believe the bread and juice are changed. and it is the newer idea. The real issue between most is not that it changes, but when it changes, Does it change before or as, or after it is consumed. In any case, even if you follow the newer teaching that it does not change, it is still blessed and as such should not be treated with disrespect. The problem you appear to have is that it is a old Christian ( ie you call it Catholic practice) This must mean that somewhere you have been taught that Catholic beleifs are somehow non christian. While some customs and practices are man made, so are many in lots of churches on what is done and when and where. The keeping the hosts in a special box is very commom amound the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican faiths. It coes from the OT where part of the manna was placed in the Arc of the Covernet. I would say that you are lucky and should perhaps discuss these things with a open mind, and not merely stop doing something because of beleifs that may well be wrong.

ONly you know that. Is your music telling people that things like drinking, gambling, drugs are good things. It is by your music a good thing to cheat on your wife, have sexual affairs or more. Does your band help support people to drink and get drunk. If Jesus was ( and he is) standing next to you, hearing every word you sing, and going into every building you go into. If you would not want your preacher, or Christ to go into any building you are going into, should you?

Two real issues, first speaking in tounges is a real gift, but one of the lower ones, we should pray for even better gifts. So your children most likely beleive they way they do , because of what they have learned at home. So you need to sit down and explain to them the wonderous power and mystry behind the gift. Next your church members have a problem, since God gives his spirit to each differently, It is sad that they all speak in tounges if they beleive that is a sign of anything. ( too many in that situation often fake it, to fit in) It is a wonderful gift, and many have it, but others have alot of other gifts to. If we said you are not saved if you don't walk on water ( a possible since Jesus did and he said we could do even greater things than he, perahps we should have to raise the dead or chase out a demon before we can claim we are saved. They are very wrong in that issue. Yes many do when they are saved, but being saved is just that, accepting Christ as your savior, you recieve his spirit then, What gift you recieve is up to the spirit, and your ability to handle that gift at the time.

There are several issues, One is human scent, if you have touched them, the smell of people could scare the parents away. Scent is very important to wild animals. While this is far to late a reply I am sure, once disturbed, your choices are leave them alone completely and allow nature to hopefully take care. Or to take them in and raise them. Now this is again alot of other issues, since once you start raising a wild animla, you can not just turn it loose latter, but would have to try to find a wild life shelter area that would take them in.

First there are no "rules" on how we honor the Sabboth, we are to honor it. And Saturday or Sunday, That two depends I guess if the people who started the calender had the right day to start with, what if it was really Monday, and they called it Sunday when they started tracking the calender ??? Also of course what day are they refering to as Sabboth, a specific day of the week, or the special holy days of the church, which were often refered to as such. Also remember the bible tells us, not to honor one day over the next. We are to worship and honor God every day.

What you need to do, is profess Jesus as Lord and accept him as your Savior. The pure "act" of baptism does not save, but it is the accepting of Christ that saves. If you have recieved Chrsit, you will most likely feel that you were baptised, but if you are not sure you were, or you wish to make a new public commitment, then you may.

The babies die on every abortion, don't see why anyone should care if a few of the mothers die also if they don't care if the babies are dying all the time. Hate to see anyone die, but they are deciding to kill an innocent person,

Accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior is a personal matter, Since enire families were baptised in the bible, and since it was commom for the father to decide matters for his family, it is very bibical for infant baptism.

The fact you did not at once say it was ok to vist the site, should be a good idea that you do not think it is ok, but you want someone else to make your choice for you. That way pehaps you do not have to hold yourself accountable for the choice. As a parent, while making a choice is not always easy, it is in the end our choice to make. I will give you this, if you had to take time and ask, if she should, do you really think she should? no, or you would have just said ok.

The wedding ring is a very pagan custom, and all Christians were not allowed to use them for 100's of years in the early church. It was not till one of the Bihsops of Rome because of pressure from many who wished to wear them, finally gave church approval for thieir use. So Christians can wear them because Bishop in about the 8th century gave his permission for us to wear them. But before that they were always considered a sign of pagan religions. I guess those today that don't want them, remember what they really were at first and don't wish to take the permission of a bishop of Rome as an ok to use them.