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choir loft

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  1. The term 'image' can indeed have multiple meanings, but if one wants to understand what the Biblical definition might be it would be wise to consult the Bible.....not computer technology. STOP reading computerese and START reading the Bible. In Genesis 1:26 we are informed God created man in His own image, but in Genesis 3 it was lost forever. Eve and Adam chose to embrace the tempter and in so doing gave their authority to it. He to whom you yield your mind body and will is he to whom you give your authority. For instance, in order to receive money for living expenses one agrees to work for someone. The employer agrees to pay the worker for his labor. In exchange, the worker agrees to DO that which the employer commands. In other words, one agrees to exchange the authority one has over one's time and energy and body to another person for money. The issue here is authority, which is linked to the spiritual image spoken of in Genesis 1 - the immortal enduring spirit given to Eve and Adam. Eve and Adam were told by God NOT to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At the time they both possessed physical mental and spiritual autonomy to do as they pleased. Their authority was their own. God asked them to give a bit of it to Him - to DO as He commanded. Instead Eve and Adam did as the tempter commanded. In so doing they yielded their authority to the tempter. It was no longer theirs. Thus God is ruler of the world, but the tempter owns all authority in it because we've given it to the tempter. (Luke 4:5-6) God's response was in accord with His promise - death. First, Eve and Adam were evicted from the Garden of Eden AND God's fellowship. In this judgment do we see spiritual death (lack of knowing God). They LOST the image of God. It was lost forever. Subsequent generations of man did NOT have the image of God as part of their being. Second, both died physically albeit not immediately. St. Paul expressed it well when he wrote "the wages of SIN is death" in Romans 6:23a. Observe any new-born baby. Some will say it looks like its mother and others may believe it looks a bit like its father. All babies are born in the image of their parents - human mothers and fathers. Since previous generations did not possess the image of God all suffer spiritual death. Again - the image of God is that which 'knows God'. Lack of the image of God is also called spiritual death. Humans do not KNOW GOD as a consequence of physical birth because that image is not passed on to them by their parents. Following the loss of the Image of God in Eden, Jesus Christ is the first person to be born in the world to possess it. Those who accept Him as Lord and Savior yield their authority to Him. They agree to DO as He commands. In exchange, they receive the Image of God, the Spirit of God. They are said to be born again (of the spirit). However, the gift is not autonomous as it was in Eden. It is provisional. Every epistle in the New Testament describes the provisions of God's spiritual gift. The alternative to NOT accepting Christ's authority is to die without His Image - without His immortal life. This is called the Second Death. This eventuality may also be described as permanent personal destruction similar to the example of Sodom & Gomorrah. Nothing will remain of the person following physical death - no body, no mind and no spirit - absolutely nothing. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  2. I don't quite understand your last sentence..... "The crucial aspect here as see it , is not Christianity, in many instances also sliding towards "you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them"." AS I SEE IT, and as admitted by many on this as well as other forums, is that statutes or THE LAW has been vehemently REJECTED by the American church. Speak or write of LAW anywhere among today's Christians and you will almost always start a verbal fist fight. NO ONE CAN BE SAVED APART FROM THE LAW. How's that for a declaration of war? It doesn't contradict Biblical context at all, but many who admit only to hyper-destructive GRACE will adamantly oppose it. Christendom has cut itself off from its Biblical roots, meaning Christ. As a result it is shriveling at an ever increasing pace. Nobody wants to admit it, though. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LICENSE TO SIN. In the year 2010, PEW & Gallup polls recorded that 50% of Americans attended Protestant worship services on a regular basis - defined as once a month. At the time it was projected that if the trend continued the number would decline to 10% by the year 2050. In March 2022, PEW released new figures. The numbers now show that only 16% of Americans attend a Protestant worship service on a regular basis. Numbers don't lie and those numbers indicate the 'trend' is increasing in speed and severity. (Many people stopped attending during the COVID crisis. They got used to remaining away from church and never returned.) Meanwhile our daily news reiterates stories of violence of all sorts and types on our city streets. We hear and read stories about corruption of government officials both local and Federal. We hear and read disturbing stories about the disintegration of Christian culture, which is in the throes of cultural death. Those who love their children and want them raised in a safe and disciplined environment DARE NOT send them to a public school. "It hurts to think." - Attitude of the average American High School student today. Several major Protestant denominations have issued public statements by leadership that they - do NOT hold the Bible as the exclusive Word of God. One in particular has even denied Jesus Christ and the salvation that He alone can provide to mankind. Only a few denominations have refused to yield to the corrupting and morally abhorrent agenda of the Gay Authority. (2 Tim 2:3) Something is very wrong, especially with our leadership. Most congregations refuse to acknowledge the problem, believing their leadership has attained the untouchable status of a sort of Protestant papacy. Like prophets of old, theologians (replaced today by opportunistic motivational speakers/writers) once predicted and warned of the decline of the church in America - and what will happen to our communities and nation as it worsens. Today only one option remains - REPENT. Failure to repent will only result in a need to carry firearms in public. In many churches today even the ushers carry concealed firearms. (I have personally been asked by our congregational leader to serve in this manner.) What does it take to accept a sober and realistic view of the current situation? We won't get it by denying the LAW. We need to embrace the LAW - as revealed and fulfilled in Christ Jesus. If Christians don't proclaim the One who carried the cross - we will all have to carry guns. The day has arrived. It is time to REPENT. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  3. If by Old Testament you mean ancient Israel, then the reader needs to be advised the political system of the time was a Theocracy. Today's system in the State of Israel is a republic. Most nations are ruled by a republic including those that only have one approved political party. According to Merriam-Webster definitions a Theocracy - is government by a state by immediate divine guidance or by official who are regarded as divinely guided. Theocratic government was rejected by the people of Europe during the Reformation period. Politics in ancient Israel may be studied in the book of Esther. A king ruled with absolute authority and no one could approach the throne without an appointment. One risked death without an appointment. On the other hand, in the modern republic of America, no one can approach the president without an appointment. If one attempts to enter without an appointment one can be shot. This is fundamentally the same as the situation in the book of Esther. Some presidents act as though they are god's gift to the country. This has generally been referred to as the Royal Presidency. Some are better at acting presidential than others. Politics in America has suffered a reversal of roles/definitions in recent years. In the words of black activists; top is bottom, left is right, right is left and the rest is inside out. Most citizens, even black ones, are quite confused as to the use of political labels. If perception is reality then the Democratic party is now conservative and the Republican party is liberal. This is a total reversal of political roles as once perceived in America. Allow me to illustrate; THEN The Republican party was once labeled conservative because it supported business interests and intrusive regulatory government. The Democratic party was once labeled liberal because it supported the working man and his family values. Government was trusted. NOW Today the Republican party is perceived as supporting the working man and his family values - liberal. Today the Democratic party is perceived as conservative because it supports intrusive regulatory government. Politics as usual? Big business and its cadre of oligarchs rules all the major policy of both parties. Both parties are guilty of financial irresponsibility and mismanagement. Nobody trusts the government. Nobody pays the slightest attention to Biblical political standards - such as refraining from charging loan interest, respecting God and those who worship Him, restricting employers in their treatment of employees and respecting the right of children to live. Prayer is illegal except in houses of worship or one's home (with exceptions). We have debauched our culture our government and our faith. Instead of faith in God we teach our young to have faith in the conduct of those who prey upon them. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  4. MACHINATIONS People who live in an industrialized culture tend to think of Biblical prophecy as applications of mechanics or computers or technical wizardry of one sort or another. The quote posted above is one of them. "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke (science fiction novelist) While researching my first book I discovered testimony from a group of people who live in a remote area of the South American Andes mountains. They are not technologically minded and refer to mysterious objects in the sky as "witching lights". In North America we think of anything we don't understand as a form of machinery. These objects are thought to be artificial craft from another planet piloted by beings with bulbous heads and lidless eyes. Personally, I tend to agree to some extent with the South Americans. The only aliens we need to be concerned about are those without appropriate documentation. (*) LOCUSTS The Bible uses animals as illustrations of spiritual activity. The dove is a gentle bird often associated with beauty and godly grace. The vulture is associated with death and demonic activity. While the locust is a kosher insect and can be eaten it's most often associated with crop destruction rather than Hors D'Oeuvres. (Exodus 10:19) It's not surprising then that someone would falsely interpret scripture as some sort of DARPA invention. In the 17th chapter of the gospel of Luke a discussion about the revelation of Christ is recorded. This too is often misinterpreted by those who pervert God's stated purpose and intent for humanity. "I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.” “Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” The last line of the discussion is NEVER considered by those who prefer doctrines of demons. Those misguided folks believe the people who are "taken" go to heaven to be with Jesus. THE BIBLE SAYS OTHERWISE. In the 37th verse Jesus, who I assume knows what He's talking about, warns us that those who are taken are removed by VULTURES - Biblical symbolism for demons. In other words, people who are removed are escorted to DEATH rather than a blessed life with Christ. Those who remain are the blessed ones NOT the ones who are TAKEN. Read the Bible and learn anew what God intends for humanity. It has nothing to do with technology, but with personal salvation....of conviction of the heart. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) I hold a pilot's license to operate a flying saucer issued to me by an agency of the US Federal government. This is a true statement, but one with an obvious caveat. Ask me about it if you're curious.
  5. THE TRUMP The ancient musical instrument is sometimes mistranslated in gentile scriptures as trumpet. The traditional Jewish horn used for announcements is the SHOFAR, not a trumpet. Use of the metal trumpet has been chronicled in history as far back as 1500 BC, but the use of the ram's horn, the SHOFAR, predates it by millennia. Use of the SHOFAR announces the beginning of battle, the end of a period of self-examination and repentance, and several other facets of Jewish ceremony and tradition. Historically the SHOFAR was blown to announce the initiation of hostilities - of battle. In the book of Revelation, periods of divine war upon human debauchery is announced by the sounding of a SHOFAR. THE HUM Beginning in the last quarter of the twentieth century and extending into the twenty-first century a large number of reports have arisen about the sounding of a mysterious hum in the earth's atmosphere. Some people have heard it and been frightened by it while others haven't heard it at all. On one occasion I was awakened in the middle of the night by my dog. He was very upset about something and I thought his activity meant he had to be taken outside to take care of doggy business. When we went outside he didn't do his job. The dog continued to behave as though he was afraid of something. Our other dog (we have two) didn't notice anything at all and continued to sleep peacefully as did my wife. While outside I noticed a peculiar hum. The sound wasn't particularly loud and it didn't seem to come from any specific direction. It was everywhere. After a few minutes I brought the dog back inside where the sound continued to manifest itself. After a few more minutes it subsided into nothing and both I and the dog went back to sleep. I didn't find it upsetting - merely interesting and very unusual. The next day I began to read about the phenomena and learned it had sounded exactly like a SHOFAR. Go to YouTube and search for SHOFAR. Play a file with someone blowing a SHOFAR and you'll hear what it's like. After that search for the sound of the hum. The two sound very much alike. It's downright creepy. Speculation about the source of the hum has come from everywhere including those who pretend to have a scientific explanation for everything. I'm still waiting for an explanation about why we have to suffer those who think they have all the answers. I have only questions and no real answers. I and my dog actually heard something. I had never heard it before and haven't heard it since. It sounded like something I don't want to hear again. that's just me, hollering from the choir loft....
  6. The article mentions an Israeli NGO (Non-Governmental Organization). Such organizations spring up from time to time to milk sympathizers of their money for faux projects. They aren't all from Israel either. Appeals for money arise when persons of questionable character decide to add to the coffers of their unknown bank accounts. Most of the time these projects claim to support famine or plague or evangelism in Africa.(*) They don't. (African folk are ALWAYS suffering plague or famine. I know because I spent 2 years there. After more than 60 years of contributions nothing of substance has been accomplished. Missionaries inform me such conditions are built into the non-white culture and are thus unavoidable. Only the gospel can save, but since the gospel is associated with white culture, which is vehemently rejected, those conditions continue to ravage the land and its people.) Faux projects to build the third temple have cried for support for all of the fifty+ years I've been aware of the game. Tell me if you can - where is it to be built and where are its furnishings being stored? It won't be built on the temple mount because no one is allowed to carry a Bible there (weapons are not allowed and the Bible is an acknowledged weapon). Only a small number of Jewish persons are allowed to visit. (If caught praying in non-Islamic assembly such persons are usually evicted.) Some have argued the third temple ought to be built in the City of David beside or astride the Gihon Springs, but the geography and the real estate don't support such a project. (It would be a very SMALL temple if built at all.) I must reiterate that projects claiming to build a third temple are questionable. It's your money to spend as you wish. Be wise when you do it. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) What sort of evangelism do you suppose is supported when the Name of Jesus is forbidden for use in organizational communications such as letters email or telegram? I have personally spoken to missionaries who complained about this and have left the field both in Africa and South America.
  7. AGAIN, you wrote "Unwalled villages,` (Ez. 38: 11) is what God`s word says, and that is obviously the Golan Heights." It isn't 'obvious'. You are taking liberties with the phrase 'unwalled villages'. Commentaries of the 38th chapter suggest the land of Israel is the target, not the specific area labeled on modern maps as the Golan Heights. There is no way to link Golan Heights with the eleventh verse unless one resorts to eisegesis (forcing one's opinions into the original scripture). You're #2 suggestion that Turkey is with Russia is suggestive of something other than a trade alliance. The photo you pasted is taken from a June 2021 meeting between Iran Russia & Turkey to discuss opposition to the US world order. That's it and that's all. Nothing of substance resulted from those meetings except a joint statement of intent to work forward along mutually beneficial lines. At no time did Turkey ally itself with Russia or Iran in any way. Turkey is indeed interested in leading the Middle East, but since it's currency (the Lyra) recently collapsed that goal has been delayed. Far North - is generally and falsely assumed to be Russia because the word Rosch SOUNDS LIKE Russia. According to scholars, Magog the principle entity mentioned in scripture, was located in central Turkey in the area of Psidia and/or Phrygia. Revelation 2:12-13 is more specific when it names Pergamun as the throne of satan. The ancient city of Pergamun was located in central Turkey. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  8. Note: I'm not exactly sure where to drop this post, so I put it among the General discussions. AS YOU ARE AWARE a horrible war is being conducted in Ukraine. Russian aggression has caused loss of life and incalculable damage to private property. Millions of Ukrainians, mostly women and children, have fled the country with millions more expected before the guns go silent again. Most of the refugees have been initially welcomed into Poland, but the situation cannot last long. One nation can't bear the whole weight of the problem. Sooner or later they will come to America. Charity to those who suffer and are homeless is one of the primary pillars of Christian ethics. However, it comes with a caveat in the 21st century. Not every charitable act ends with the benefit its donors intended. We need to be aware of the pitfalls of giving as well as those innocents who need it. Cash is the primary method of giving in America. As a people we are accustomed to giving money we sometimes can't afford to benefit those in need. More often than not, those hard earned and freely given dollars end up in the pockets of people we didn't intend to have it. Many charitable organizations skim the money they're given as 'administrative costs'. Less than fifty cents of each dollar finds its way into the work it was given to support. For instance, Audubon Society's in several states and cities skim over forty percent of each dollar donated to them. In Tucson the executive director is paid nearly eighty thousand dollars for his services. The American Psychiatric Foundation skims nearly 44% of donations for administrative costs which are said to total over half a million dollars annually. The Huston based Gospel to the Unreached Millions only pays out 18% of each donated dollar for actual evangelical work. And so it goes...... The web site charitynavigator.org is one site available for those who wish to vett the reputation of charitable organizations. I recommend the reader explore such vetting organizations before giving money to refugees or others who need help. We owe it to them to check out these organizations before we donate. SQUATTER'S RIGHTS Finally, it should be carefully noted that a movement is growing in the United States to pressure homeowners to welcome the homeless into their domiciles. City and state administrators don't generally like to deal with the homeless, which has resulted in many private organizations trying to do the job. Private citizens are being pressured to open their homes to the homeless. Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, the same open house attitude is being adopted in Poland and other central European nations. In the United States, homeless people fall under the legal category of Squatters. In cities, squatters inhabit streets, alleys, abandoned buildings, parks, beneath bridges and anywhere they can find shelter from the elements. In cities this isn't a legal problem. It becomes a legal problem when squatters settle on private property. The problem goes beyond the filth they generate. The problem is legally defined as "ownership of property from adverse possession." Laws differ between cities and states, but generally speaking a squatter can claim ownership of a property simply by living upon it for a specified period of time. Allow me to relate a personal situation where this became a serious problem. My son had a good friend who I'll call J. J. and his wife fell on hard times due to their own bad decisions. My son and his wife took pity on J. and his wife and welcomed them into their home. The basement of their home had been tricked out nicely with a full bath and dry living conditions. The original agreement was that J. and his wife would stay only two or three weeks until they got on their feet again. J. and his wife never intended to leave the house and after three months the situation became intolerable. The guests helped themselves to the food pantry and refrigerator without paying for it, without replacing any of it or without performing any helpful household tasks. They just squatted. They made a pig sty out of the basement and refused to leave. Long story short, my wife and I got involved and began procedures to get the police to evict J. and his wife. Today they're gone, but hesitancy about doing it again remains. Chances are we won't do such a thing again - ever. 'Once bitten, twice shy as the axiom says.' According to the law a property owner cannot physically evict a squatter. A judge must order the police to do it. Getting a judge and the police involved isn't simple or cheap even when a signed document is available to prove the limits of the owner's generosity. It still costs money time and grief. In the end the one who thought they were doing good ended up with heaps of remorse and a bad taste in their mouth from the experience. Think about these matters before you open your wallet or home to strangers. It's your money. It's your home. It will be your grief if someone takes advantage of you. Think before you act. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  9. There is a method to Putin's madness. The method is called propaganda. Bear in mind that Russian history records several invasions by foreign armies; British, American, Sweden, France and twice by Germany. The Great Patriotic War, as Russia calls the Nazi invasion of 1941-1945, was an attempt by German fascists to seize the steppes of Russia for financial and cultural expansion. Those years were the most horrible in all of Russian history. They remember it well. Putin is using the cultural memory of fascist invasion during the Great Patriotic War to justify his invasion of Ukraine. The use of the term fascist or Nazi is a propaganda tool to gain popular support for a war that will cost the Russian people blood and money. It is kin to the American 'domino theory' that justified the Vietnam war to citizens of the United States. Most of us bought the lie and many of us died because of it. Flag waving is an abomination to the Lord, but a useful tool for politicians and financiers who wish to advance their agendas. Most Christians forget the 1st commandment - to love the Lord our God with all our heart mind and soul. If 100% is devoted to God there is nothing left for allegiances to flags and governments. It's not a 50-50 proposition. Many good Christians served under flags with hideous agendas and many died because of it. Most wars are fought over riches and geographic advantages. Few wars are righteous. The only time God supports war is to eliminate wickedness. For instance, the American civil war cost the lives of 640,000 men. It was fought to eliminate slavery from the land. America paid a terrible price for the SIN of slavery. "War is all hell," - General William Tecumseh Sherman that's me, hollering from the choir loft....
  10. You have followed a lot of rabbit trails into incorrect data and false interpretation of scripture. Please read about the subjects you claim to defend. Education is power and truth and life. Lies subvert everything God intends as a blessing for us. I perceive you are sincere, but you are sincerely wrong about many things. Please read about your subject. 1. Unwalled villages refers to the towns and cities of modern Israel. Most ancient settlements had some sort of walled protection against the criminal element and foreign invaders. The Golan Heights is a buffer zone between the State of Israel and the nation of Syria. Kibbutzim had long been established there, but the purpose of the 1967 IDF seizure of that region was primarily to prevent artillery bombardment of the southern shores of Lake Kinneret. Consult a modern map of the area. Howitzer bombardment of the southern region of Kinneret is an easy reach for Syrian gun emplacements. Following the Israeli seizure of the heights Hezbollah (Lebanese terrorists) now uses missiles to accomplish bombardments. 2. Turkey is NOT a part of the Russian Federation. Google it. Turkey is an independent state allied with NATO since 1952. President Erdogan has been trying to influence middle east politics since he took office, but has suffered financial reverses in recent months. Nationalistic politics in modern Turkey seeks a return to Ottoman status throughout the middle east region. Shia muslims, called Twelvers (*), generally hope and pray and work for this situation to become reality. 3. References to End Times, as well as all other Biblical references, are defined according to contextual use, not individual lines of scripture or dogmatic arguments presented by unqualified preachers from the 19th century or their forbears from the 16th century RCC. All Biblical references of End Times alliances against Israel identify nations that border upon Israel or the near allies of those enemies. This has been VERIFIED by archeological discoveries in recent years. Uneducated speculation proves nothing. Ankara is the only capital on a global map that is north of Jerusalem. Use a globe and draw a line to the north. Moscow is nowhere near that line. One ought to use a globe because the Earth is round. That fact has been known for centuries, but seems to have been misplaced by those who assert dogma instead of fact. Scripture doesn't lie, but liars quote scripture to justify their false doctrine. Satan quoted scripture to Jesus on several occasions. Snippets of scripture do not justify RCC doctrine of the End Times. Those doctrine were rejected by the fathers of the Protestant Reformation, but continue to be embraced by fanatic individuals who support 16th century Vatican dogma called FUTURISM and its modern version DISPENSATIONALISM. Scripture wasn't given to us to justify false profit$, but that has consistently been the case in recent decades. You advise me to check out God's word when you are really insisting I accept your point of view instead. False prophets have echoed those words for millennia. It's all about context context context. It doesn't matter who wrote bogus posts. Satan quotes snippets of scripture all the time. Hitler, a good Christian fellow, quoted scripture as well as Joseph Stalin who attended seminary. Lazy gullible types always believe lies based on scripture. The wise scholar considers the Bible as a whole together with its historic references both ancient and modern. It's about context context context. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) Twelvers hope and pray and work for the return of the 12th Imam of Shia Islam who they call Imam al-Mahdi. al-Mahdi is a sort of Shia messiah.
  11. Exactly where does the Bible say the Russian army will attack the golan heights? Chapter and verse, please. The assumption that Rosch is Russia is a false interpretation of scripture. Just because Rosch sounds like Russia doesn't mean the Bible implies Russian army presence. The tribe of Rosch was actually a minor vassal tribe of Magog (modern Turkey). Look at a globe of earth, not a flat map. Draw a line north of Jerusalem and you'll see it gets very close to Ankara, capital of Turkey. The line doesn't approach Moscow at all. Rev. 2:12-13 What country does the city of Pergamun occupy? Turkey. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  12. As a veteran (1968-1974) I can testify that when one is thousands of miles from home the only people you can depend upon are the ones on your right and left. Flags and slogans and all that sort of nonsense civilians think are so important - AREN'T. When home and family are far away, ruled by fools, the only thing that matters is your buddy (with a gun in his hand and the willingness to use it). Prior to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy every citizen thought they could trust the government. The day after Kennedy's head was blown off by agents of our government we pulled out all the stops against furthering the war in Vietnam and prosecuting organized crime. Today we inherit the results of those days. Today few with an actual working brain trust our government. In the days of the old Soviet Union two news periodicals were published for public consumption. Isvestia, which meant news, and Pravda, which meant truth. Russian people were no fools and used to say there is no news in Isvestia and no truth in Pravda. Today we watch the sewage that's promoted as news gossip and assume its true and accurate. It isn't, but we seem to be much more gullible than the citizens of the old Soviet Union. They knew garbage when they saw it. Do we? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  13. Generic religious slogans and buzz words do not suffice to contribute an accurate representation of Russian motives and actions. Lose them. Read history. Listen to what the enemy is saying. "Know your enemy. Know yourself and you will never lose a battle." - Sun Tzu THE ART OF WAR (required reading at West Point) According to Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of UK, one needs to consider Russian history and Russian self-interest to determine any future action of the unpredictable Russian bear. Putin isn't 'another Hitler', satan notwithstanding. Mr. Trump has been criticized for saying Putin is a genius, but in fact HE IS. American media is busy with knee-jerk reactions and self-aggrandizing editorializations to deny the quality of our enemies character. They do NOT know the enemy. They don't have to. All they have to do is get our attention so they can sell their hemorrhoid medications, sleep inducing drugs and expensive cars we don't need. American media presents truth, but ignores accuracy. In the journalism business these are two different things. Our media does this with a touch of hypocrisy for flavor and PRESTO - you've got the nightly news everybody swallows with their over priced groceries. Putin is attempting to reconstitute the borders of the old Soviet Union SO AS to act as a buffer between the Motherland and western aggression. OK, so Russia is invading Ukraine which historically was part of Russia as was Crimea Georgia and the rest. America reacts with a hypocritical attitude (not equaled in Europe, btw). Is it wrong for Russia to reclaim their traditional land while it's ok for America to attack Libya, invade Afghanistan Iraq and Syria as well as Yemen and central Africa? The United States violates its own laws (our obsolete constitution requires a declaration of war) when it does this and our citizens see nothing wrong with it? Do you not understand the national hubris, hypocrisy and absolutely fanatic attitude of Americans who support these endless unproductive wars? If any country is motivated by satanic obsessions it's America at the head of the parade. Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed. Where are they in America? They're hiding under a bushel. Bear in mind Russia has no natural defensive barriers as does the US with two huge oceans between us and possible invasion. In the past Russia has been invaded by Sweden, France, Britain, the United States and twice by Germany. Buffer zones such as those provided by Belarus and Ukraine historically provided a modicum of protection. THAT'S WHY Putin wants to annex Ukraine today. I'm not arguing right or wrong here or even demonic motivations of which America is as guilty as any other. I'm attempting to describe motivations and justification for war. Putin is right, from his point of view. America is right from our biased and cross-eyed perspective. The poor folk of Ukraine are caught in the middle. "Don't let anybody make you think that God chose America as His divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world. God has a way of standing before the nations with justice and it seems that I can hear God saying to America, 'You are too arrogant. If you don't change your ways I will rise up and break the back bone of your power.'" - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (circa 1967) "The US government is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." - Rev. King (circa 1966) Make no mistake, Putin is a wise leader. The United States would do well if we had one or two like him. To date we are being led by a pack of fools. It's been said that if a man wants to go crazy he should move to Washington, DC where it will not be noticed. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  14. It has been argued ELSEWHERE that atheists and protestant Christians work together to pervert the meaning of scripture. The above quoted post is a fair example of such an alliance. For instance, protestant Christians AS WELL AS atheists argue that Adam didn't drop down dead following his consumption of forbidden fruit. The argument denying multiple deaths (Second Death) being considered is likewise a result of atheist & protestant assertions. The Bible says that IMMEDIATELY after eating the fruit Eve and Adam died spiritually. They were evicted from Eden, which represents spiritual and physical life. Eviction from Eden speaks to the Final Judgment spoken of in the book of Revelation where SINNERS are removed from the presence of God - permanently destroyed in spirit and body and mind. The Bible says that physical death eventually caught up with Eve and Adam although it took much longer. Thus we see the simple fact of life that we live with today - that DEATH means total absolute cessation of life. Does it matter whether a man lives 18 years or 80 when he lies in his grave? Only the hyphen that separates his birth date from the date he died remains. WHEN A MAN DIES ALL HE IS AND HAS BEEN DIES WITH HIM. There is NO eternal spark and NO Biblical hint that some part of man survives physical death. "Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 3:19 Do men die after their first SIN or even after their 491st SIN? Obviously not. Why not? The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9 Do men repent of their SIN? Mostly they don't even when faced with the absolute certainty of physical death and after living their lives spiritually dead. Most men don't know God nor do they care to do so. Instead they argue and fuss and fight over the definition of small words - words like death. How many times does a man have to die to prove this point? Just once. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  15. Orthodox churches generally echo the political policy of their respective governments. In exchange the government prevents or restrains any new churches or types of churches from insinuating themselves into the culture. This includes western aberrations such as Roman Catholicism and American protestantism (which is basically Catholic but without a Papal overseer). Thus the Orthodox church works hand in glove with political leadership - and survives the changes in the political winds (unlike American protestantism which is being swept away by them). For instance, Vladimir "the hammer" Putin has expressed his unwavering support for the organization of and preservation of the Russian Orthodox church. This is why there have been no major substantive changes in Orthodox liturgy or doctrine for the past 900 years. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  16. Babylon is a reference to a religious system with political overtones. Russia doesn't fit the description. The Roman Catholic church fits it to a T. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  17. I wasn't aware of this. I love irony. The word Nazi is thrown about today like a common insult. Nobody seems to know or remember who those people were or what they represented. Communist is another word like that...... does anyone realize the early Christians lived like the classic definition of a communist community - sharing all they had with one another? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  18. You begin with error in interpretation and expand it with western propaganda. Russia is an enemy, but not the enemy you suppose it is. During the early part of the 20th century Communism arose in Soviet Russia. Following that political disturbance many commentators and cheap preachers interpreted the name of one of Israel's opponents, Rosh, as Russia. They did so only because the word Rosh SOUNDS LIKE Russia. Recent detailed study of the origins of ethnic groups and leaders reveal ALL of the parties that will be assembled against Israel in the latter days will be NEIGHBORS of Israel. All of them will exist in close proximity to that nation. If their borders don't actually touch the borders of Israel they're pretty close to it. For instance, Turkey is a nation to watch. Revelation 2:12 identifies the location of the throne of satan - the ancient city of Pergamun. Pergamun is in central Turkey. In recent years Turkey enjoyed the western opinion of 'moderate' Islamic state . In the words of its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "there is no such thing as moderate Islam. There is only Islam." Turkey has recently suffered a severe economic collapse. It's currency, the Lyra, has turned to dust. Such collapses have proven extremely dangerous in the past and have even led to war. Erdogan's long term goal has been to lead Islamic states in the region. Will war be the chosen panacea for Turkish economic recovery? It's a possibility. In a museum in Istanbul lies the preserved battle flag of Mohammad [pbuh] and the sword he carried into battle. It is said among Muslims, such as the twelvers of Iran, that when the final Jihad arrives the flag and sword will lead them into battle against "the people of the book" (Jews & Christians - Qur'an 22.17) Whether or not the Kremlin provides military aid in such a battle ought not be the focus of our attention. Those who rise against Israel are the ones who will be defeated by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Caution should be observed here because America has becoming increasingly anti-semitic in recent days. Those who will contend against Israel will be its political neighbors and their religious opponents linked to the RCC - the anti-Christ system predicted by the prophet Daniel and the book of Revelation. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  19. One must pervert simple words in order to justify false doctrine. DEATH is one of those words. Most people, except Christians, seem to know and understand what death means. When church folks open their Bibles they envision something completely different. They read INTO the book rather than glean truth FROM it. This sad state of affairs begins with the first book - Genesis. According to pagan culture, now adopted wholeheartedly by the church, humans have an intrinsic ability to survive death. Despite there being NO EVIDENCE for this either in biology or Bible, church folks believe it. Eve and Adam were NOT always doomed to die. Please read Genesis 1-3. In the first chapter (1:26) we read that God endowed two humans with His image. The definition of this image is reinforced in later passages such as Colossians 1:15 where we learn Christ "... is the image of the invisible God". Please read Genesis 2:17 where God warns that eating of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil WILL (future tense) result in death. By this we see there was no death at the time. Following the temptation of Eve and the SIN committed by both the sentence of death was executed. (Eve, not Adam, was tempted into SIN. Adam was seduced by Eve into SIN.) Thus the image of God, as evidenced by Eve and Adam prior to the Fall and by Christ when he walked among us, is of two parts. First is fellowship with God. To have the image of God implies one enjoys fellowship with God. Second is immortal life. To have the image of God implies one enjoys perpetual life. Unless one is blessed with the Second Birth, in Christ, one does NOT HAVE THE IMAGE OF GOD. This is now true for most of humanity. One is born in the image of one's parents. Most people on earth recognize this fact, except church folks. Following the Fall, all of humanity was born into the image of its parents - Eve and Adam. When one is Born Again, one is endowed with the image of God in Christ. Thus the image of God is no longer defined as a natural thing. IT WAS LOST IN EDEN. One cannot lose a thing unless it's owned originally. Death is defined as being physically mentally and spirituality devoid of conscious awareness and bodily function. In order to justify perversions of Biblical context from Genesis 3 to the end of Revelation one MUST deny the fact of death and all it entails. For if some part of mankind naturally survives physical death, then the crucifixion of Christ has no meaning whatsoever. Death is total, the absolute cessation of ALL life. Thus man needs a savior. The purpose of doctrines of demons is to pervert the meaning of simple words so as to tempt into SIN. When the tempter teased Eve into SIN she and Adam had NOT YET tasted of it. The possibility of death was in debate as it was not yet a fact of life. Eve's conversation with satan is about the possibility of death. Read Genesis 3. "You will surely NOT die." - Satan as quoted in Genesis 3:4 IS GOD A LIAR or is the tempter telling the truth? Which is it? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  20. Where in Genesis does the Bible say Eve and Adam were originally mortal and corruptible (meaning subject to death)? Chapter and verse, please. Please reread Genesis chapter 1 - 3. God created Eve and Adam and placed them in an idyllic setting. God allowed them to do anything they wanted EXCEPT to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (the fruit of opinion). GOD SAID that if they ate of it they would DIE (genesis 2:17). In order to authenticate the FALSE assumption that modern humans have a divine spark or are created in the image of God two word definitions must be perverted. One is the definition of DEATH. Death is defined as the cessation of all life. The other is the definition of FIRE. Fire destroys all it touches. Death is the cessation of life and Fire is that which consumes the left-overs. (As in the fate of Sodom & Gomorrah.) This isn't rocket science. Scripture doesn't lie, but liars can quote scripture (as satan did to Jesus). The assumption made in Genesis chapter 2 is that Eve and Adam WERE NOT subject to physical and spiritual death prior to their SIN. In fact, the Bible declares over and over again that SIN leads to death (Romans 6:23) and that the normal condition of man is MORTAL. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal" - Genesis 6:3a Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. - Ecclesiastes 3:19 In other words, the writer of Ecclesiastes is telling us there is no divine spark or 'image of God' in mankind. None at all. Something changed in the experience of Eve and Adam when they SINNED against God's command. They DIED. You cannot provide ANY Biblical reference at all to support your theory that Eve and Adam were created mortal, because they weren't. The Fall defines SIN and DEATH and its consequence with regard to knowing and loving God. Suppositions do not suffice to prove anything except a vagrant attitude about Holy Writ. The image of God spoken of in Genesis 1:26 isn't mentioned ANYWHERE else in the Bible. That with which Eve and Adam were endowed "the image of God" was lost permanently and for all time. There is no restoration of an autonomous ability to act whatsoever. Following the advent of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, a PROVISIONAL non-autonomous image of God was granted. The provision for immortal life is humble repentance of SIN and acceptance of the lordship of Christ. Nobody else is blessed with it. Jesus stated most would reject the offer. (Matt 7:13) In other words, an individual accepted by Christ has only a limited ability to make decisions. This limitation is graciously provided by the urgings of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the epistles of the New Testament is to present the situation to believers and to teach them how to live within the new parameters of Grace - guided by the Holy Spirit. Your statement that "IMAGE OF GOD" isn't mentioned until after the fall in chapter 3 is wrong. Genesis 1:26 occurs before the fall. Please reread Genesis 1-3 to clarify your understanding. Bottom line is that the "image"" of modern man follows the image of his FALLEN SINful parents - Eve and Adam, not God. The image of God was LOST in Genesis chapter 3 and never seen again. One of the problems many folks have when they discuss "the image of God" in man is because IT WAS LOST TO US. One cannot define a thing that no longer exists - except with regard to detailed study of the life and word of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the ONLY MAN who was endowed with "the image of God" and who did NOT betray the trust. Why are you so eager to defend SIN and its toxic impact upon mankind? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  21. Again, my assertion is that present humans are NOT created in the image of God. We possess NO eternal spark and NONE of the qualities of the character of God. We are in rebellion AGAINST GOD. Genesis chapter 1 is the ONLY place in the Bible where it's stated that humans were naturally created in God's image - spiritually linked to Him. What happened to that image? It was LOST when Eve and Adam SINNNED. Indeed, they no longer enjoyed fellowship with God and were forcibly evicted from the pleasant situation they'd enjoyed. They LOST the image of God they were created with....... Every child is born in the image of its parents. This point cannot be debated. Thus we are all born in the image of the FALLEN father and mother of mankind - Eve and Adam. We are born in the image of our human parents, NOT God. For millenia humankind lived and died in this fallen image. Two thousand years ago Christ entered the world and brought the gift of God to us - the Second Birth. When a man accepts the Lordship of Christ into his life God comes to live with him. In doing so, we are granted the guarantee of immortal life - in Christ. BUT WE DON'T PASS THIS ONTO OUR CHILDREN NATURALLY. It's a spiritual gift each of us must seek and discover on his own. The passage you quote from James is incomplete for it doesn't refer to all men, but only to those who are brothers in Christ. (verse 10) Indeed the entire chapter addresses the manner in which one ought to respect and consider one's brothers and sisters IN CHRIST. The chapter does not in any way refer to humanity in general. Being thus endowed with the GIFT of immortal life, Ephesians reminds us "we are His workmanship CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS..." We are born AGAIN and thus born in His image, but it does not happen to us naturally. It's a supernatural gift. Finally, it should be pointed out that the fallacy in considering all men as created in the likeness of God denies several Biblical assertions. - ONLY GOD has immortal life. (1 Tim 6:16) - Humans die like any animal or plant. (Ecclesiastes 3:19) - It denies the necessity to be saved. (Acts 4:12) - It denies the fallen nature of man. It denies the possibility of fellowship with God or even the need to do so. (1 John 1:3) - It allows pagan/secular denial of heaven itself. (*) The image of God is Recreated in us in the person and spirit of Jesus Christ and no other - with the caveat we accept Him. Most people do not, hence most people live and die WITHOUT the image of God. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) Oh Lord Oh boy, oh well I told you Well I told you, but I thought you'd know There ain't no heaven Oh Lord, there ain't no heaven There ain't no heaven - lyrics of "No Heaven" by DJ Champion (Amazon music unlimited)
  22. Consider UFO activity - or what's generally accepted as UFO activity. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. - Matthew 24:28 I've been following UFO activity since the 1950's issuance of Project Blue Book in book form. This activity is generally associated with non-corporeal observances and can be proven scientifically. When ANY object moves through atmosphere in excess of 760 mph (adjusting for humidity and barometric pressure) it will create a sonic boom. I have never heard nor read of any instance wherein a UFO, which has moved at hypersonic speed, has created a sonic boom. Such an object is by nature non-corporeal or non-physical. One may imagine any sort of motor to drive a spaceship, but both ship and motor MUST obey the laws of physics. Does this mean UFOs don't exist? By no means. It only suggests that UFOs are not composed of the sort of material we find in us and amongst us. A culture will assign names and characteristics to things it doesn't understand. Ancient sailors once thought they'd seen mermaids when in fact they'd seen something that resembled a human-animal hybrid. In remote areas of South America the natives refer to strange lights in the sky not as machinery but as "witching lights". The Bible suggests these entities congregate where human SIN is most active. Human SIN attracts these things - these UFOs. Like moths to a flame, spirits seem to be attracted to humans who deliberately violate God's LAW. Deliverance ministries, a category of Snake Oil sales in America, operate on this principle. People who claim to be Christian complain of demonic infestation and rely upon Deliverance Ministers to remove the offending spirit(s). However, it's commonly known these same people are often "repossessed" and appeal to the Deliverance Minister when next he/she visits town. It happens so often that one can make a good living at removal of spiritual infestations provided one has the sales skills to do it. Want to be really free of spiritual oppression? REPENT of your SIN. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  23. This point is debatable. Do humans exist who exhibit the image of God? None of us do. Those who accept the notion we are created in the image of God have little or nothing upon which to base their suppositions. It's a myth. We are created in the image of Eve & Adam who FELL from their original state and corrupted themselves. We are SINNERS not saints. Generally speaking, humans exhibit a capacity for brutality greed and murder well beyond any other creature on the planet. We are self-destructive liars cheats and thieves. To this day we worship war and violence more than at any other time in human history. Do a channel check of your TV or movie listings. A high percentage of titles present war, murder, adultery, crime and revenge as admirable qualities for entertainment. If this is evidence of an image of the divine, then any admirable characteristics of such a being should be in serious doubt. Biblically speaking we are SINNERS. THE ONLY TIME God's Word describes humans as being created in God's image is in the book of Genesis 1:26-27. Two chapters later we read about the temptation of Eve & Adam and how mankind fell from its original state of creation. Thereafter that phrase is never used to describe the character of mankind. Thus we may correctly assume that although mankind was originally created in the image of God, we no longer enjoy that quality or capacity. If the reader wishes to debate that point all he or she has to do is consult the violent abusive history of the human race. Fallen man does NOT display anything close to an image of God. There is one exception however, Jesus Christ. The Bible describes Jesus as exhibiting the image of God in thought word and deed. As a figure to be emulated, Jesus presents the ultimate example of the divine character. Millions have chosen to follow Him and by reason of the Second Birth have had limited success at attaining to that high ideal - the image of God. When a child is born everyone comments as to how he or she resembles their father or mother. The child is born in the image of its parents. Likewise humanity is born into the image of its parents - Eve & Adam who SINNED. We are NOT born in the image of God - not a little and not at all. that's me, hollering from the choir loft....
  24. BOGUS ALERT Yours is an interesting exposition of St. Augustine's dislike for theater. The subject has much of value to be considered, but it is NOT the primary thing that separates human from the rest of creation. SIN is that which separates and identifies humans from the rest of God's world. SIN is that which deliberately and angrily raises its ugly head against the Lord of Mercy and Kindness and Generosity. SIN is that which raises its hand even against God in the flesh. SIN is that which we love - theater reflects that admiration mightily. It is therefore time to repent of our SIN and wickedness lest God arise in His wrath and deal with us personally and corporately. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
  25. If truth be told, nobody is completely sure about the millennium - the thousand year reign of Christ upon earth. There are three versions of that tale. All arguments about the millennium prove the other two incorrect. Go figure..... What I find of interest is your undocumented description of antiChrist and his proclamation to the world. IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. AntiChrist has ALREADY proclaimed himself to be God on earth. How do we know this will happen? The prophet Daniel predicted it in chapter 7 and verse 25. "He (antiChrist) will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws." Here is a quote from the Roman Catholic church to FULFILL Daniel's prophecy: "The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in heaven and earth." Barclay Cap. XXVII, p. 218. Cities Petrus Bertrandus, Pius V. Claiming to be God is also called BLASPHEME and is a SIN against both God and man. The oppression of God's people, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, has already happened too. The RCC is the greatest persecutor of Jews and Saints of Christ of ANY nation or religion in history. The Vatican has an ocean of innocent blood on its hands yet still claims to be infallible in its utterances. The god-man who sits upon his throne in Rome has ALSO dictated changes in God's LAW - the 10 Commandments. Commandment #4 says we ought to "remember the sabbath day and keep it holy (separate unto God)". The Sabbath Day is the LAST day of the week - Saturday. "We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” -Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50 Thus we see the complete fulfillment of all that Daniel predicted concerning the identity of the antiChrist. The modern problem is that Protestants are so enamored of their TRADITION of worship that they refuse to acknowledge God's LAW on the matter and serve the desires of their master in Rome instead. "God owns Saturday (day of worship), but the NFL owns Sunday." - National Football League, United States of America Which is it? Are we to follow God's LAW or the dictates of he who opposes it? Did you also know that the Vatican has usurped God's authority in that it also claims authority to forgive SINs? This is called Absolution. btw, Pope Francis recently declared that a partial indulgence (absolution/forgiveness of SINs) will be granted to anyone who follows him on his Twitter account. This is not a joke, folks. The antiChrist is HERE - NOW. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
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