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The Falling Away

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December 31, 2022, 10:08:58 am NilsFor1611 says: blessings
August 08, 2018, 02:38:10 am suzytr says: Hello, any good churches in the Sacto, CA area, also looking in Reno NV, thanks in advance and God Bless you Smiley
January 29, 2018, 01:21:57 am Christian40 says: It will be interesting to see what happens this year Israel being 70 years as a modern nation may 14 2018
October 17, 2017, 01:25:20 am Christian40 says: It is good to type Mark is here again!  Smiley
October 16, 2017, 03:28:18 am Christian40 says: anyone else thinking that time is accelerating now? it seems im doing days in shorter time now is time being affected in some way?
September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”
September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.html
September 19, 2017, 03:59:21 am Christian40 says: bbc international did a video about there street preaching they are good witnesses
September 14, 2017, 08:06:04 am Psalm 51:17 says: bro Mark Hunter on YT has some good, edifying stuff too.
September 14, 2017, 04:31:26 am Christian40 says: i have thought that i'm reaping from past sins then my life has been impacted in ways from having non believers in my ancestry.
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« Reply #330 on: July 10, 2017, 08:05:19 pm »

No Christian Has Ever Taken The Entire Bible Literally  Huh



Recently the Barna Group reprised research that finds only 17 percent of self-described Christians who regularly attend church actually believe the core tenets of Christian teaching. Its new poll, conducted this spring, found that one-quarter of Christians think what is right depends on the views of each individual, and that four in ten are sympathetic to Muslim beliefs.

This spring Gallup also released a survey heralding the decline of biblical Christian belief in the United States. The story ran under the blaring headline: “Record Few Americans Believe Bible is Literal Word of God.” Unlike the Barna research, however, this survey says more about Gallup’s ignorance of Christianity than it does about the state of American Christian belief.

The survey purports to show that less than a quarter of Americans—only 24 percent—believe that the Bible is actually God’s word. By contrast, 26 percent say that it is a collection of manmade myth, history, and precept. Gallup offers as a possible explanation the hypothesis that Americans want to embrace the scriptures as divinely inspired while leaving themselves free to interpret away negative biblical statements about issues like gay marriage and physician-assisted suicide.

“Americans…still largely accept the Bible as a holy document, but most…downplay God’s direct role in it,” Gallup reports. The story sums up its findings by reiterating the conclusion that Americans hesitate to describe the Bible as actually God’s word: “Over the past three decades, Americans’ view of the Bible as the literal word of God has been declining.”
Devil in the Details

The problem is that the question Gallup asked its respondents has no bearing on the alleged finding of the survey. The question does not ask whether the Bible is literally the word of God, but whether the Bible is the word of God and should always be interpreted literally.

The question Gallup asked reads as follows: “Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your views about the Bible – [1] the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word, [2] the Bible is the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, or [3] the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man?”

Belief that the Bible is not “the literal word of God”—the wording used in Gallup’s conclusion—seems to mean belief that the Bible is not actually God’s word. (That Gallup means this is confirmed by its description of its contrasting second option as the belief that the Bible is “at least God-inspired if not God’s own words.”) On the other hand, belief that the Bible is not “to be taken literally, word for word”—the wording actually used in Gallup’s question—means to believe that some parts of the Bible are not to be interpreted literally, without making any judgment about whether the Bible is God’s word.

The two ideas are entirely distinct. Americans did not reject the idea that the Bible is literally God’s word. They rejected the notion that every part of it is to be interpreted literally.
No One Interprets Everything Literally

There is a further problem. No Christian well-educated in the faith would agree with the statement that the Bible is “the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word.” The first part of the statement may be true, but the second part is certainly false. And a statement that conjoins a true clause and a false clause is false. This is not a question of liberal versus conservative interpretation. Qualified expositors of whatever stripe will agree that reading all parts of the Bible literally is simply terrible exegesis.

Gallup appears to think that reading the Bible faithfully means always reading it literally. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some forms of communication are not supposed to be read in a literal manner. Poetry is the most obvious example, and a significant part of the Bible consists of poetry. When the book of Psalms speaks of trees clapping their hands and mountains skipping about, no one in their right mind takes this poetic expression as intended to convey literal truth.

Idiom and figures of speech are also not meant to be read literally. If you tell Amelia Bedelia that you drank a glass of water, she might think you swallowed your cup, but most people understand that such expressions convey something different from the literal meaning of the individual words. Similarly, when Deuteronomy speaks of God leading the Israelites “with a strong hand and an outstretched arm” one is not supposed to take the expression as implying that an immaterial being has physical body parts.

Still another example is apocalyptic. The book of Revelation seems lurid and strange to the uninitiated reader, but it belonged to a well-known genre in the ancient world. Apocalypses were intensely figurative books. Instead of writing literally about the evil of serving pagan gods with one’s thoughts and actions, one might write figuratively about the evil of being branded on head and hand with the mark of an evil beast. To drive the point home, one might give that beast a “number,” 666, that corresponds to the name of a well-known despot (the emperor Nero).

In all of these instances, literal reading and faithful reading are two very different things. The purpose of faithful analysis of a text is to discover the author’s intention. If one interprets literally what the author meant to be figurative, one will fail to interpret the text correctly. The problem for orthodox Christianity in America, in other words, is not that fewer people agreed to Gallup’s first statement that the Bible should be interpreted literally, word for word. The problem is that anyone agreed to it at all.
What Does the Survey Mean?

Gallup’s survey did not find that few Americans believe the Bible to be literally God’s word. It is hard to say what it found, actually. Did fewer people say the Bible is to be interpreted literally because fewer Americans take Christianity seriously? Or did fewer people give that response because Christians are becoming better educated about their faith? And how many were confused because they realized there was no good answer and therefore chose option one or option two randomly as a result? It is impossible to say, based on Gallup’s data.

All one can really be sure of is the broadest dichotomy Gallup offered. Twenty-six percent of Americans believe the Bible is a human document. That is an increase of about 5 percentage points from two years back. Yet 71 percent of Americans still believe that the Bible is, at least in some sense, God’s word. That is perhaps a more surprising result, and certainly a more optimistic one for American Christianity, than the faulty conclusion of the study. Reports of the demise of American Christianity may have been greatly exaggerated.

Jonathan Ashbach is a PhD student in politics at Hillsdale College. Jonathan has worked in the hospitality industry and as assistant editor for the Humboldt Economic Index. His work has also been published on Patheos.

http://thefederalist.com/2017/07/10/memo-gallup-no-christian-ever-taken-entire-bible-literally/
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« Reply #331 on: July 20, 2017, 03:38:09 am »

‘Harry Potter and the Sacred Text’ podcast draws non-believers who find meaning in magical fiction

Mark Kennedy grew up a Catholic, and a Harry Potter fanatic. Only one stuck.

“I considered myself a non-spiritual person,” he said. He thought he was done with religion. And then he stumbled on the podcast “Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.”

The podcast told him that the Harry Potter series — the books that he always turned to for solace when he was angry or stressed or in need of an escape — could be a source of spiritual sustenance.

“I feel like I’m born again,” he said.

On Tuesday night, Kennedy came to an event space at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in the District with hundreds of fellow fans of the podcast, who have found a surprising spirituality in the magical fiction series, which turns 20 years old this year.

Hosted by Harvard Divinity School graduates Casper ter Kuile and Vanessa Zoltan, the podcast “Harry Potter and the Sacred Text” became the number-two podcast in America on iTunes soon after it debuted last summer. It has inspired face-to-face Potter text reading groups, akin to Bible study more than book club, in cities across the country. In Harvard Square, ter Kuile and Zoltan host a weekly church-like service for the secular focused on a Potter text’s meaning.

In the episode they taped at Sixth & I, they used one chapter of the third Harry Potter book as a vehicle for discussing the topics of trust, betrayal, love and prejudice (against werewolves).

Touring the country this summer, the podcasters have been met night after night by adoring, mostly millennial crowds who want to soak up their secular meaning-making. For the growing slice of Americans who label themselves “spiritual but not religious,” Casper ter Kuile and Vanessa Zoltan are kind of pop stars.

[Meet the ‘nones,’ the Democratic Party’s biggest faith constituency]

The irony is, the pair are skeptical about secularism.

“It doesn’t speak to people’s hearts and souls,” Zoltan said during a recent interview. “I get that people get connection and meaning from Soul Cycle, but will [those people] visit you when your mom is dying?”

Zoltan and ter Kuile are complicated evangelists for their own cause. Even as their following grows, they are still pondering some big questions: Can non-traditional types of meaning-making build community? Can texts that are deeply moving to readers truly hold them to account in the way Scripture has among the God-fearing?

Neither one of them puts much faith in Humanism, though Zoltan tried working as a chaplain at the lively, cutting-edge secularism center at Harvard called the Humanist Hub, where there is a Sunday school for kids based on ethics. People who don’t want to join an organized religion aren’t looking to label themselves part of a religion for atheists either, ter Kuile said.

“That’s all being unbundled. You might get your ecstatic experience at Soul Cycle, and your community in your book group, and your [spiritual] formation in Harry Potter or ‘On Being,'” he said.

[Clergy who don’t believe in organized religion? Humanists think 2017 is their time to grow.]

The podcasters said they worry that these disparate experiences leave people much lonelier than experiences that are all tied up within one faith community.

“I’m scared what we’re going to do without the buildings. Some of the best things in the world happen in church basements,” Zoltan said. “That’s where you have sex ed classes, and that’s where you have kids on their church trip to build houses, and that’s where you house the new immigrant, and that’s where you register to vote…. I’m terrified if there aren’t these designated spaces. They’re called sanctuaries for a reason.”

On their summer cross-country tour, which concluded in the District this week, the podcasters did fill church and synagogue auditoriums with fans in their 20s and 30s, many of whom hadn’t set foot in a house of worship in years.

[How decades of divorce helped erode religion]

They said that their podcast doesn’t aim to offer all the benefits of a religious community, but does strive to provide the moral insights that seekers gain from study of Scripture. In their podcast, they use the rigorous methods they learned in divinity school, like the Benedictine monks’ practice of lectio divina and the medieval florilegium, to parse the lines of Harry Potter, which they typically refer to as “the text.”

In the seven-book adventure story of Harry Potter growing up, mastering his magical powers, forming friendships and fighting the evil wizard Voldemort, ter Kuile and Zoltan find an ethical theme in every chapter, like “duty,” “forgiveness,” “mercy,” love,” “heartbreak,” “sanctuary” and “grace.”

Onstage at Sixth & I, they parsed a solitary sentence from the third book, selected by the audience: “The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening.”

Following a Jewish study method called Pardes, they analyzed the sole sentence on four levels, leading from the actual events of the story — a professor, looking at a moving map to see if it reveals that his students are in trouble — to an eventual sermonic conclusion. “I think what I would preach is that everybody needs to be taken care of in different ways. You should take care of the person in the form they need to be taken care of, not in the way that works for you. We have to teach each other how to take care of each other,” Zoltan said.

She said in an interview that she hopes this sort of close reading teaches moral values.

“To me, the goal of treating the text as sacred is that we can learn to treat each other as sacred. If you can learn to love these characters, to love Draco Malfoy, then you can learn to love the cousin you haven’t spoken to for 30 years, then the refugee down the street,” Zoltan said.

Attendees at Sixth & I lined up to buy t-shirts reading “Harry Potter is my sacred text,” but Zoltan and ter Kuile say they’re not trying to create a new religious identity, and they don’t think anyone comes away from the podcast thinking his or her religion is now Harry Potter-ist. (They also say they have never communicated with J. K. Rowling, who wrote the texts that they study and promote.)

Sally Taylor, 23, came to Sixth & I toting her journal. The trip to Washington to see the podcast taping was her graduation gift to herself for finishing her degree at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. She’s been writing down “sparklets” — a word she learned from the show for phrases that stand out to the listener as imbued with meaning — and she wanted to write more during the live taping.

“It always gives me guidance in a way I didn’t know I needed,” Taylor, who said she has no religion, said about the podcast.

That’s the goal. For a book to be sacred, Zoltan said, “You have to believe a text can give you blessings. You have to read it with rigor, commitment and practice, and do it with others.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/07/19/harry-potter-and-the-sacred-text-podcast-draws-non-believers-who-find-meaning-in-magical-fiction/?utm_term=.f47cf023331c
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« Reply #332 on: July 28, 2017, 07:19:00 pm »

Australian Leaders React to Proposed ‘Jesus Ban’ in Schools – Faithwire



Government officials in the Australian state of Queensland have introduced a policy that would ban Christmas cards, references to Jesus, and anything that could be classified as “evangelization” from public schools, the Daily Mail Australia reported.

A recent Department of Education report voices concerns that unbridled freedom of religion has led to non-religious children being “forced” to entertain the Christian beliefs of their peers.

According to these officials, schools are expected “to take appropriate action” if they find that students who receive “religious instruction” are evangelizing to those who do not. “Evangelization” covers a range of speech and actions, including distributing Christmas cards with photos or words referencing Jesus’ birth and life, making religious-themed ornaments, and handing out bracelets to share “the good news about Jesus.”

If such evangelization is left unchecked, the report claims that it could “adversely affect the school’s ability to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive ­environment.”

According to the Daily Mail, the recent initiative comes after Queensland Education Minister Kate Jones promised to crack down on religious practices. The report has received negative reactions from religious freedom advocates and political leaders who fear Jones has gone too far.

Speaking to The Australian, Neil Foster, a religion and law professor, called the Department of Education’s requests “deeply concerning” and “possibly illegal.”

Centre for Independent Studies research fellow Peter Kurti said the report constitutes a “massive assault on freedom of speech and freedom of religion” and believes that the government’s concerns are completely unwarranted.

“I don’t think that children have the maturity to comprehend let alone evangelize,” he told The Australian.

On Thursday, Education Minister Jones assured that there have been no officials changes to state policy regarding the issue, stressing that “no one is telling a child what they can and can’t say in the playground,” Sky News reported.

Still, a number of Queensland members of parliament, including Fisher MP Andrew Wallace and Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien, have called the mere suggestion of such a policy “ludicrous,” and have called for the government to officially denounce the ban.


http://www.faithwire.com/2017/07/27/its-a-massive-assault-on-free-speech-australian-leaders-react-to-proposed-jesus-ban-in-schools/
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« Reply #333 on: July 31, 2017, 07:31:43 pm »

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« Reply #334 on: August 08, 2017, 02:16:24 pm »

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« Reply #335 on: August 08, 2017, 07:55:22 pm »

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« Reply #336 on: August 28, 2017, 04:22:35 pm »

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« Reply #337 on: August 30, 2017, 08:11:05 pm »

John Piper, James Dobson and John MacArthur Join Hands to Stand Against Apostasy



funny

https://www.charismanews.com/politics/issues/67070-john-piper-james-dobson-and-john-macarthur-join-hands-to-stand-against-apostasy
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« Reply #338 on: September 04, 2017, 09:01:39 pm »

More than half in UK are non-religious, suggests survey

For the first time, more than half of people in the UK do not identify as religious, a survey suggests.

Last year 53% of people described themselves as having "no religion", in a survey of 2,942 adults by the National Centre for Social Research.

Among those aged between 18 and 25, the proportion was higher at 71%.

The Bishop of Liverpool said God and the Church "remains relevant" and that saying "no religion was not the same as considered atheism".

The figures, shown to BBC Radio 5 live, reveal a downward trend for religious belief in the UK.

When the national centre's British Social Attitudes survey began in 1983, 31% of respondents said they had no religion.

A random sample of adults were involved in the latest survey and they were asked whether they regarded themselves as belonging to a particular religion.

Almost two in three 25 to 34 year olds said they were non-religious, while 75% of people aged 75 and over said they were religious.

Tamsin, a 26-year-old travel journalist, goes to the Sunday Assembly, a secular congregation that meets in London every fortnight.

Speaking to 5 live's Rosanna Pound-Woods, she said: "I'm not religious at all. I like the fact that this is a way for community to come together, without having to be about religion."

At times in her life where religion might be important traditionally, like deaths or weddings, she said: "I turn to my friends and just tend to celebrate or commiserate together."

Another member of the congregation, Mitsky, was raised as a Jain - an ancient Indian religion - but now considers himself more atheist.

"Most religions have good basic principles, but certain religions take them maybe in a different direction which I didn't really tend to agree with," the 38-year-old said.

"I was heavily involved in that community here in London and I do miss it, which is why I was looking for something else."

The latest figures show that for people who were born into a religious household, four in 10 are no longer religious.

rest: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41150792
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« Reply #339 on: September 14, 2017, 09:13:37 pm »



http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=91417740492

The Spirit of Constant Conspiracy And Paranoia
9/14/2017 (THU)
Audio: http://mp3.sa-media.com/download/91417740492/91417740492.mp3
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« Reply #340 on: September 21, 2017, 08:35:48 pm »

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« Reply #341 on: September 26, 2017, 12:27:06 pm »

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« Reply #342 on: September 29, 2017, 09:11:53 pm »

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/christian-church-england-dead-theyre-renting-church-buildings-glamping-pods/
The Christian Church In England Is So Dead They’re Installing Glamping Pods To Attract Customers
The scheme, which is being steered by the Archbishops’ Council, the Church’s "cabinet" chaired by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, comes as churches face smaller congregations and growing repair bills. The first church to have a pod will be St Michael’s in Dulas, near Hay-on-Wye, in Herefordshire’s Golden Valley.

9/29/17

Sleeping in a church is an unusual way to spend more time with God. But those wishing to soak up more liturgical atmosphere can now do so in luxury, thanks to a new Church of England glamping scheme.

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:14-16 (KJV)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Stop for a moment to consider that the entire world speaks the English language. Absolute temperature is Greenwich Mean Time, absolute temperature is measured in British Thermal Units. The preserved word of God resides within the pages of the King James Bible. Yet in spite of all this, and after the past 20 years of the UK ceding more and more ground to muslims and Islam, UK churches are so dead they have started to rent out glamping pods as tourist attractions and weekend spas. The Revelation 3 prophecy of Laodicea continues to be fulfilled before our eyes.

Cash-strapped churches are set to cash in on their scenic charms by hiring out “glamping” accommodation, with lets costing as much as £890 a week. Instead of asking guests to squeeze a sleeping bag between pews, churches will install luxurious oak “pods” – even in buildings where there are still regular services.

    WHAT IS GLAMPING? Glamping is a portmanteau of glamour and camping and describes a style of camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with “traditional” camping. Glamping has become particularly popular with 21st-century tourists seeking the luxuries of hotel accommodation alongside the escapism and adventure recreation of camping.

The pods, which can be removed, will sleep up to six people and will be equipped with the latest flat-screen televisions, free wi-fi, state-of-the-art-kitchens, a lounge and bathroom, as well as under-floor heating and wood-burning stoves.

Ruth Knight, Environmental Policy Officer for the Church of England said, “The aim is for small, quite isolated churches that don’t have a community around them to be able to afford to maintain the building.”

Rural churches were, she said, “among our most cherished architectural heritage sites” as well as ‘community resources”.  She added, “We hope it will catch on. It is responding to a need.”
Holidaymakers will be able to book for days or even weeks, enjoying exclusive use of the historic buildings. But, in churches where Sunday services are still held, their stays will have to be tailored to avoid clashes with services or weddings.

“We would want to shut the pod when we are having services,” said Ms Knight.

“But churches are used to people going in and out, so it’s nothing new there.”

The money raised, which could run into tens of thousands of pounds, would be ploughed back into maintaining the ancient buildings, which, nationally, costs an estimated £100 million a year.

    The scheme, which is being steered by the Archbishops’ Council, the Church’s “cabinet” chaired by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, comes as churches face smaller congregations and growing repair bills. The first church to have a pod will be St Michael’s in Dulas, near Hay-on-Wye, in Herefordshire’s Golden Valley.

Architects have designed a £140,000 prototype that should be open in the 13th century church in 2019. But it is expected that the cost of the pods would drop to £70,000 when they are mass-produced.

Reactions from locals had been “positive” said Tim Bridges, Church Building Support Officer for the Hereford Diocese.

“The church has been closed for ten years,” he said. “But people are keen not to see the church fall down and want it to have a sustainable future.

“This will mean that we can repair this Grade II Listed building and give it a future.”

However, traditionalists have criticized the scheme. Former Conservative Party chairman, Lord Tebbit said, “I don’t think a church is an appropriate place for what would be such a secular use as this, not while it continues to be a working church.”

Anthony Kilmister, the president of the Anglican Association, added, “This has the potential to destroy the prayerful atmosphere of many churches.

“I understand the need for money in the bank, but the spiritual ethos of these buildings must be preserved. This scheme is a step too far.”

Church officials say that, depending on the size of the church, the pod could be constructed sufficiently far away from the altar to allow room for services to continue. The move capitalizes on the growing popularity of “champing”, basic camping in disused churches, which has seen bookings rise 300 percent this year. source
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« Reply #343 on: October 02, 2017, 03:53:09 pm »

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/schools-across-england-remove-calendar-references-jesus-christ-switching-ce-bce/
Schools Across England Removing All Calendar References To Jesus Christ By Switching To CE And BCE
The traditional terms BC, Before Christ, and AD, Anno Domini, are being ditched for BCE – Before Common Era, and CE – Common Era. The new terms still denote the periods before and after the birth of Christ. Local authority committees drawing up religious education syllabuses say the old terms may upset minorities or non-believers. But critics blasted the move as a ‘capitulation to political correctness’.
10/2/17

Schools across the country have stopped using the terms BC and AD in religious education lessons for fear of offending non-Christians.

“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16 (KJV)

EDITOR’S NOTE: For hundreds of years, the world has used a calendar where each and every year is a direct reference to Jesus of Nazareth. Now in the country from whence the King James Bible first came into being, those references – AD and BC – are being removed from all calendars in the school systems. It is being replaced with CE for ‘common era’ and BCE ‘before the common era’ so favored by atheists, agnostics and Jehovah’s Witnesses. As we get closer to the Rapture of the Church, the world being left behind is preparing to meet Antichrist.

The traditional terms BC, Before Christ, and AD, Anno Domini, are being ditched for BCE – Before Common Era, and CE – Common Era. The new terms still denote the periods before and after the birth of Christ.

Local authority committees drawing up religious education syllabuses say the old terms may upset minorities or non-believers. But critics blasted the move as a ‘capitulation to political correctness’.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey said the rulings by the religious education committees were a ‘great shame’.

Muslim and Jewish leaders were also mystified, saying they were not offended by the familiar terms.

Local authority committees – known as Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs) – from Brighton and Essex are among a growing number urging heads to ditch BC and AD.

The syllabus for schools in East Sussex, for example, reads: ‘BCE and CE are now used in order to show sensitivity to those who are not Christians.’

Lord Carey said: ‘I have never met a Muslim or Jewish leader who is offended by the Gregorian calendar’ while leading Imam Ibrahim Mogra said: ‘I don’t believe it causes Muslims offence.’ A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: ‘I don’t think anyone would mind if in mainstream schools they use BC and AD.’

Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: removing BC and AD ‘is a capitulation to political correctness’.

National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education chair Paul Smalley said: ‘Individual SACREs and schools can make a judgment over which form of dating is appropriate.’ source
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« Reply #344 on: October 17, 2017, 05:25:39 pm »

Good without God? More Americans Say Amen to That

 For the first time, a majority of Americans — 56 percent — say it is possible to be a good person without a religious belief.

So says new Pew Research Center data drawn from two polls conducted among about 5,000 American adults in June and July.

“God is not a prerequisite for good values and morality,” Greg Smith, Pew’s associate director of research, said in a post about the findings. ” … [T]he public’s increased rejection of the idea that belief in God is necessary for morality is due, in large part, to the spike in the share of Americans who are religious ‘nones.'”

Nones now account for about one-quarter — 23 percent —  of American adults, up from 16 percent in 2007. But their growth is not the whole story behind the numbers.

In the current poll, Protestants and Catholics were also polled, and 45 percent of them agree that God is not necessary for personal morality, up from 42 percent in 2011.

Even white evangelicals, who traditionally believe a relationship with God is crucial to morality, have budged. In 2011, one quarter of them (26 percent) said it was possible to be good without God, while now almost a third (32 percent) say so.

“To be sure, most white evangelicals still say belief in God is necessary for morality,” Smith writes. “But the share who say belief in God is a necessary underpinning of being moral has declined from 72 percent to 65 percent in just six years.”

The poll’s findings were published Monday (Oct. 16), four days before “Openly Secular Day” on Oct. 20, an event promoted by multiple organizations of atheists, humanists, agnostics and other secular individuals to highlight their lack of religious beliefs.

Hemant Mehta, who wrote about the poll on his Friendly Atheist blog, attributes the bump to the “coming out” of nonreligious people, including celebrities and friends and family members.

“It’s getting to the point where even devoutly religious people know somebody who’s an atheist,” he said in an email.

“Just as we saw with the LGBTQ movement, it becomes a lot harder for religious people to demonize us when they know us, and knowing us poses a direct challenge to the absurd idea that people can’t be good without God.”

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/good-without-god-more-americans-say-amen-to-that.html
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« Reply #345 on: February 20, 2018, 12:42:44 am »

Toledo pastor, family charged with aggravated robbery

A downtown Toledo pastor and his family are accused of robbing a Sunday school teacher at the church over the weekend.

St. Paul’s AME Zion Church Pastor Anthony Morris, 49, along with his wife, Zelda Morris, 46, and 19-year-old daughter Kamali Morris, are each charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony.

Nickema Turner, 39, of Maumee was teaching Sunday school at the church, 954 Belmont Ave., when the younger woman grabbed her by the hair, according to a Toledo police report.

Mrs. Morris then began punching Ms. Turner, police said. The pastor also pushed Ms. Turner to the ground, according to the police report.

During the assault, Mrs. Morris is accused of dumping items from Ms. Turner’s purse and taking them.

Ms. Turner attempted to recover her belongings when Mr. Morris allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at her, police said. The woman told police the pastor threatened to kill her.

Two prescription bottles, a Taser, and a cell phone were taken from Ms. Turner’s purse, according to the police report. The cell phone was recovered, but the glass was broken.

The Morris family, who reside in the 3000 block of Evergreen Road, fled the church before police arrived. The couple have been arrested, though the daughter has yet to be located, according to Toledo police.

Ms. Turner was treated at the scene by Toledo Fire and Rescue crews. Ms. Turner and independent witnesses verified the information to police detectives.

The Blade attempted to reach Ms. Turner.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2018/02/19/Warrants-issued-for-pastor-family-for-aggravated-robbery.html
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« Reply #346 on: June 07, 2018, 07:11:24 pm »

UMC Minnesota Conference Edited 'Father' Out of the Apostles’ Creed

At a recent multi-day conference, the Minnesota Conference of the United Methodist Church used an edited version of the Apostles’ Creed which removed a reference to God as “Father.” When the conference handed out liturgical folders for a worship service, Rev. Keith Mcilwain noticed the change to the historic creed.

Throughout Christian history, churches have recited the creed, which confesses, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. The edited version read, “I believe in God, the Creator Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

Rev. Mcilwain, the pastor of Slippery Rock United Methodist Church, snapped a photo of the edited creed and posted it on Twitter. He told the Christian Post that he obtained a copy of the liturgy from a friend who attended the service.

This move by the Minnesota Conference comes as many denominations are rethinking the way they refer to God, seeing the language as too restrictive. The UMC has been engaged in a discussion about how to use more gender-inclusive language since the 1980’s.

Mcilwain expressed disbelief that this major change to the creed took place with no debate or discussion. He told the Christian Post, "No United Methodist individual or body has the authority to edit those creeds which were formulated by the early Church and have helped define orthodox Christianity for the better part of 2000 years.”

Mcilwain sees this move as driving a deeper wedge into an already splintering denomination. The church has been embroiled in difficult debates for the last few years over marriage, gender, and sexuality. "To see the creed abused in this way is extraordinarily disheartening, further distances our already troubled denomination from the Church Universal, exacerbates already existing tensions within the Church, and harms those affirming the creed by failing to faithfully teach and uphold one of the core essential doctrines of the Christian faith — the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity."

He further added that this stands as a major undermining of traditional Methodist doctrine. "All ordained United Methodist clergy promise to faithfully uphold and teach the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, which is shared and defined in Article 1 of our Articles of Religion; I fear that this edited creed represents a failure to be faithful to what The United Methodist Church believes."

The Christian Post reached out to the Minnesota Conference for comment, but they have not yet responded.

https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/scott-slayton/umc-minnesota-conference-edited-father-out-of-the-apostles-creed.html
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« Reply #347 on: June 25, 2018, 10:51:35 pm »

Arkansas False Teacher Claims at Funeral: 'Hell Is an Imaginary Place,' 'All That Stuff Is a Fairytale'

Concerns are being raised after the leader of Prince of Peace Church in Blytheville, Arkansas recently claimed at a young man’s funeral that “Hell is an imaginary place,” and that Hell is just what a person creates upon the Earth.

Footage of the funeral was posted to social media this past week, showing Timothy Rogers asserting that people have been “bamboozled” into believing in Hell, and suggesting that Heaven isn’t an eternal destination either.

“If he’s asleep, he ain’t got to endure the pale horse or escape the pale horse no more,” he said, the casket just feet away. “You see, because when you’re dead, you’re done.”

“I know they told you … ya’ll wondering, is he going to Hell? Did he accept Jesus as his [Savior]?” Rogers asked of the man who died. “See, y’all have been sold a lie. You’ve been bamboozled. All that stuff is a fairytale. To believe in Hell means you have to believe in Santa Claus.”

His remarks were met with applause and exclamations of affirmation.

“I don’t care how you cut it. Hell is an imaginary place,” Rogers claimed, as a woman called out, “Come on, pastor!”

“And I was told that if anything that does not have an explanation must be imagination,” he said.

Rogers asserted that no one has ever come back to say that they went to either Heaven or Hell.

“So that’s why you can talk about a Hell that you don’t know nobody went to. For a billion years ain’t nobody ever came back and told you that they were hot. For a billion years, ain’t nobody ever came back and told you that they up in yonder singing around in a choir,” he stated, with some applauding.

“Pastor, tell it, and I got your back!” the woman who had called out moments earlier shouted out.

Rogers claimed that Hell is simply what a person creates on the Earth, and that Heaven was in the garden of Eden.

He went on to assert that God didn’t give people a Bible to send them to either Heaven or Hell, but rather to give them instructions for the here and now, to make their life on Earth a Heaven or Hell.

“I don’t believe in a lot of stuff that church gave me. I quit. Matter of fact, I don’t want church. I want good,” Rogers stated. “I don’t want to do church; I want to do good because everybody that doing church ain’t doing good.”

“Most folks who are doing good don’t even go to church,” he claimed.

Rogers’ remarks may be viewed in full here. His comments begin at approximately 33 minutes into the recording.

Rogers’ claims have generated deep concern, including from Robert Matthews, leader of Kingdom Vision International Church in Columbus, Mississippi.

“The erroneous teaching of Pastor Tim Rogers (whom I do not know personally, but am praying for fervently) proves the necessity of discipleship and sound doctrine in our times,” he wrote on social media on Thursday. “The description of Hell (subsequently Heaven) as a fairy tale, is both a dangerous, deadly and demonic doctrine designed by Satan to steal the souls of men who live with no fear of judgment. The counter for this is anointed sound Biblical doctrine (1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 4:2-5).”

“As leaders, We must do more than assimilate people through church systems and church culture. We must seek to develop them in Christlikeness (which seems to be a lost term). As believers (members, Christians), we must commit to grow beyond milk and not settle for cotton candy sermons that taste/sound good but lack life-transforming Scriptural substance,” Matthews urged. “Believers must also commit to Bible study (personally and corporately), prayer, godly fellowship, and meditation on the word beyond online snippets & soundbytes.”

He said that it is important that those who claim the name of Christ understand the foundational doctrines of the faith, which include eternal judgment.

“I am an advocate of expository preaching but not even that is enough by itself. We must ensure that people understand the elementary doctrines of Christ mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-2, one of which is eternal judgment,” Matthews outlined. “Without elementary principles, we will never master spiritual trigonometry if we cannot master addition, subtraction and multiplication. Some Christians cannot answer what the Great Commandment and Great Commission are. Can we explain John 3:16? Sermonizing without sound doctrine may draw crowds but it will never build strong disciples.”

Hebrews 9:27 says, “t is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Jesus also warned in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” In Matthew 25:46, He spoke of those who “shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”

Revelation 21:8 additionally teaches, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

https://christiannews.net/2018/06/25/arkansas-false-teacher-claims-at-funeral-hell-is-an-imaginary-place-all-that-stuff-is-a-fairytale/
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« Reply #348 on: July 05, 2018, 05:32:56 pm »

Episcopal Committee Hears Call to Revise Book of Common Prayer, Replacing Masculine Terms for God, Mankind

A committee tasked with hearing desired revisions to the Book of Common Prayer listened to remarks on Wednesday from Episcopalian leaders and others who want to make the historical book’s text more gender-neutral by removing masculine nouns and pronouns for God and mankind. Some Episcopalians disagree, and have presented a resolution asking that no changes be made to the book, but rather that deeper devotion be given to the existing text.

“As long as a masculine God remains at the top of the pyramid, nothing else we do matters. We construct a theological framework in which we talk about gender equality … then we say that which is most holy in the universe is only and exclusively male. That just undoes some of the key theology that says we are equal in God’s sight, we are fully created in God’s image,” Wil Gafney, a Hebrew Bible professor at Brite Divinity School in Texas, who is among those calling for the change, told The Washington Post.

According to the Episcopal News Service, among those who spoke before the “Committee to Receive the Report of Resolution A169” (referring to a 2015 resolution calling for the changes) were two women who identify as men, Ian Stanford of the Diocese of Oregon and the Cameron Partridge of the Diocese of California. They asserted that gendered language is an hindrance to the youth that they seek to bring into the church.

Stanford said that she was worried about how the young people will receive the language they hear during the services.

“What am I inviting them into?” she asked.

Kathleen Moore, a seminarian from the Diocese of Vermont, similarly told the committee that gender specific language is an impediment to her work to reach youth.

“Let’s let God be God,” she said.

Rowan Pantalena, who identifies as “non-binary transgender” and a candidate for the Diocese of Connecticut, contended, “I am not your brother or your sister. I am your sibling.” Pantalena asked for language that would expand on the existing text, rather than a complete overhaul.

The listening period took place during the 79th General Convention, which will continue through July 13. A subcommittee regarding how to move forward has now been formed, citing two proposed resolutions, one of which specifically calls for “inclusive and expansive language” in the Book of Common Prayer.

“That the 79th General Convention recognize the urgent pastoral and evangelical need for revision of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, particularly in regard to the use of inclusive and expansive language for humanity and divinity, continuing work which began even as the 1979 BCP was being developed,” Resolution 36 reads.

Read the resolution in full here.

However, while some support the concept of revising the Book of Common Prayer, others have presented a resolution to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music that calls for deeper study of the Book within congregations for the next three years.

It asks that the “Episcopal Church … devote the next triennium to deep engagement with the structure, content, language and theological thrust of The Book of Common Prayer (1979), with a view to increasing the Church’s familiarity with the book in its entirety; and directs the SCLM to develop materials to aid local dioceses, congregations, seminaries, and schools in the process of this deep engagement, focusing particularly on the use of the Prayer Book as an instrument for the catechesis and spiritual formation of the whole people of God.”

Read Resolution 69 in full here.

As previously reported, in 2015, when a group of women known as WATCH moved for the Church of England to start referring to God as a “she” during the weekly liturgy, stating that to make mention of God solely in the male pronoun is sexist, some expressed strong opposition.

“Referring to God as ‘mother’ drives a horse and cart through Scripture. Such an innovation is guaranteed to split the C of E as never before,” wrote Damian Thompson in the Daily Mail.

“Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has warned us that the church could be extinct in 25 years’ time unless services become more spiritually fulfilling. Calling God ‘she’ will not achieve that fulfillment,” he stated. “The proposed twist of language will do nothing to stop the decline of Christian faith in this country. On the contrary, it will make worshippers squirm. And nothing empties pews faster than that.”

1 John 4:14 reads, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

Jesus also said in John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me.”

https://christiannews.net/2018/07/05/episcopal-committee-hears-call-to-revise-book-of-common-prayer-replacing-masculine-terms-for-god-mankind/
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« Reply #349 on: July 05, 2018, 05:41:12 pm »

Episcopal Church Puts Mary, Joseph and Jesus in Cage to Protest Trump Immigration Policy

 An Episcopal church in Indianapolis has placed statues of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in an outside cage to protest President Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy of arresting people at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The rector of the congregation, Christ Church Cathedral, said the chain-link fence with barbed wire is meant to symbolize a detention center.

“I know what the Bible said,” the Rev. Stephen Carlsen told the Indianapolis Star. “We're supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

The display, which can be seen on the church’s lawn, was the idea of the Rev. Lee Curtis.

“This symbol is something that speaks to every one of us at our most basic level, because of who we are as a church and as Christians,” Curtis told CNN.

Curtis asserted that Mary and Joseph were seeking asylum, similar to the families crossing the border. He referenced Matthew 2:13:14, which says, “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.”

Curtis told The Star, “This family is every family, and every family is holy.”

 Not everyone on the newspaper’s Facebook page agreed with the church, though.

“Joseph and Mary were not breaking laws to travel to other countries, and they were not arrested for breaking laws, so this makes no sense,” one person wrote.

https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/church-puts-mary-joseph-and-jesus-in-cage-to-protest-trump-immigration-policy.html
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« Reply #350 on: July 10, 2018, 06:39:34 pm »

Mass Exodus From The Church: The Percentage Of Young Adults With No Religious Affiliation Has Nearly QUADRUPLED Since 1986

We are witnessing a religious shift that is unprecedented in size and scope in American history.  With each passing year, the percentage of Americans that claim no religious affiliation is growing, and this trend is especially pronounced among our young people.  If things continue to steadily move in this direction, that is going to have enormous implications for the future of our society.  The United States was founded by people that were extremely committed to their faith, and now we are rapidly becoming a nation where people are choosing no religion at all.  We live at a time when there is a mass exodus from Christian churches, and while it is true that some smaller faiths are growing, the reality of the matter is that most of the people that are leaving are remaining unaffiliated.  According to PRRI, if you go back to 1991 only 6 percent of all Americans were “unaffiliated”, but today that number has shot up to 25 percent…

    In 1991, only six percent of Americans identified their religious affiliation as “none,” and that number had not moved much since the early 1970s. By the end of the 1990s, 14% of the public claimed no religious affiliation. The rate of religious change accelerated further during the late 2000s and early 2010s, reaching 20% by 2012. Today, one-quarter (25%) of Americans claim no formal religious identity, making this group the single largest “religious group” in the U.S.

The most dramatic change during this time period has been among our young people.

If you go all the way back to 1986, just 10 percent of Americans in the 18 to 29-year-old age group were “unaffiliated”.  Today, that number has skyrocketed to 39 percent.  Here is more from PRRI…

    Today, nearly four in ten (39%) young adults (ages 18-29) are religiously unaffiliated—three times the unaffiliated rate (13%) among seniors (ages 65 and older). While previous generations were also more likely to be religiously unaffiliated in their twenties, young adults today are nearly four times as likely as young adults a generation ago to identify as religiously unaffiliated. In 1986, for example, only 10% of young adults claimed no religious affiliation.

And just because Millennials claim a religious affiliation of some sort does not mean that they actually go to church.

In fact, a study from the Pew Research Center discovered that only 27 percent of Millennials say that they “attend religious services on a weekly basis”…

    Millennials – especially the youngest Millennials, who have entered adulthood since the first Landscape Study was conducted – are far less religious than their elders. For example, only 27% of Millennials say they attend religious services on a weekly basis, compared with 51% of adults in the Silent generation. Four-in-ten of the youngest Millennials say they pray every day, compared with six-in-ten Baby Boomers and two-thirds of members of the Silent generation. Only about half of Millennials say they believe in God with absolute certainty, compared with seven-in-ten Americans in the Silent and Baby Boom cohorts. And only about four-in-ten Millennials say religion is very important in their lives, compared with more than half in the older generational cohorts.

Of course not all of those that are “attending religious services” are going to Christian churches.  Some are going to mosques, others are attending synagogue, and yet others are involved in other faiths.

At one time you could count on fast growing groups such as the Southern Baptists and the Mormons to produce positive growth numbers, but those days are long gone…

    The Southern Baptists have lost more than a million members over the last decade, according to LifeWay. Giving and attendance are down, and Baptists are seeing more gray and silver heads in the pews.

    Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has seen its once-enviable U.S. growth rate slow to under 1 percent in each of the last two years. Mormonism, which grew by just .75 percent in this country in 2017, is barely keeping pace with the growth of the U.S. population (+.71 percent).

Europe has been described as a “post-Christian society”, and we are well on our way to joining them.

So what is causing this to happen?

Well, there is certainly a lot of debate about this within Christian circles.  From the outside, many experts are pointing to demographic changes.  The following comes from a recent article by Jana Riess…

    One of the biggest demographic trends of our time is that millennials are delaying marriage or not getting married at all. And since there’s a strong correlation between being married and being involved in religion, the fact that fewer Americans are getting married is worrisome news to clergy.

In addition to a decline in marriage numbers, experts also point to the fact that Americans are having fewer children these days…

    The number of children a family has is related to the couple’s religious involvement — couples without kids are a bit less likely to be religious. So the fact that fertility is on the decline is, again, worrisome news for organized religion.

But are those factors a cause of the decline of religious faith in America, or are they the result of it?

It could be argued that churches have always heavily promoted marriage and family, and if young Americans are no longer as engaged in church it would make sense that they put less of a priority on those things now.

The good news for churches is that even though atheism is rapidly growing, most Americans (even the unaffiliated ones) still believe in God…

    Despite their lack of connection to formal religious institutions, most unaffiliated Americans retain a belief in God or a higher power. A majority of unaffiliated Americans say God is either a person with whom people can have a relationship (22%) or an impersonal force (37%). Only one-third (33%) of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they do not believe in God. Strong majorities of Americans who belong to the major Christian religious traditions hold a personal conception of God. Compared to Christians, Americans who identify with a non-Christian tradition are significantly less likely to hold a personal conception of God (33%) and are more likely to say God is an impersonal force in the universe (49%).

Americans still have a keen interest in spiritual things, but many of them are now attempting to fill that void in alternative ways.  For example, it has been claimed that Wicca (a very popular form of witchcraft) is now the fastest growing faith in America.

Many like to focus on the political changes that are happening in this country, but the truth is that these cataclysmic shifts in our faith numbers are going to have far more to do with determining the future course of this nation.

If we ever hope to restore the Constitutional Republic that our founders once established, we must return to the Christian values and principles that this nation was originally founded upon.

Any other approach is simply not going to work, and time is running out.

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/mass-exodus-from-the-church-the-percentage-of-young-adults-with-no-religious-affiliation-has-nearly-quadrupled-since-1986
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« Reply #351 on: December 04, 2018, 04:26:18 am »

‘Ministers’ Claim Sex Before Marriage, Hookups ‘Not Sinful,’ Say Chastity Is ‘Outdated and Silly’ Expectation

Three false ministers, including one who identifies as homosexual and another as polyamorous, recently told the Huffington Post that they believe that sex before marriage is “not sinful,” and that it is rather “unreasonable,” “outdated and silly” to expect people to stay chaste until marriage. One said that he doesn’t “judge” those who choose to engage in random hookups, even if he doesn’t do so himself.

The outlet interviewed Brandan Robertson, an open homosexual who leads Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego; Chalice Overy, who is an associate pastor at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina; and a man that was only identified as Michael, who says he is currently dating three women and a man, and serves as a clergyman in San Antonio, Texas.

The article, written by Brittany Wong, was entitled “We Asked Ministers What It’s Like To Date Today. Here’s What They Said.”

“I think the evangelical church world that I come from has taught some really unhealthy ideas about sex and sexuality, and I spend a lot of my time trying to deconstruct ‘purity culture’ in favor of a healthier, more holistic view of sexuality,” opined Robinson, who caused controversy in 2011 for his pro-homosexual views as a student at Moody Bible Institute, but went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in pastoral ministry and theology.

“I believe for some people, waiting for marriage before having sex can be a very healthy path. I also believe that for most people, sex before marriage is a healthy expression of the gift of sexuality and is not ‘sinful’ or morally wrong,” he said.

Overy made similar remarks.

“I honestly think it’s unreasonable to expect people to wait until they are married to have sex if we expect people to make thoughtful decisions about who they marry,” she said, although noting that she personally prefers a man who “wants to get to know me, not just my body.”

“But if we are willing to do the spiritual and emotional work of intimacy, should we deny ourselves the joy of physical intimacy? I don’t think so,” Overy added.

Michael, who is divorced, outlined that his church is aware of his multiple relationships, and says that he has been engaged in polyamory since his youth.

“One of the worst things the Church has done is take God and the Divine out of the bedroom and shame people for their desires and practices,” he claimed. “I have always believed that contractual arrangements (including marriage) are not the boundary on sex—our own personal ethics are.”

“Most of the single clergy I know have sex, even when the rules of their denomination prohibit it,” Michael continued. “It simply is an outdated and silly expectation, in my opinion. Like anything else, sex can be manipulative, unhealthy or used as a power differential. Sex, or even dating without sex with a congregant is never okay because of the power differential. Within relationships of equals or with agreed-upon boundaries, though, it is healthy and beautiful.”

The three also stated that they have no issues with dating someone who is not a Christian, and would actually prefer so. Robertson said that he emphasizes the “normal-ness” of his life on dating apps, noting that he enjoys “craft beer, going clubbing [and] traveling.” Michael outlined that he mostly dates atheists and agnostics, stating that he desires those who “at the very minimum, question the historic faith.”

As previously reported, the Bible teaches against—apart from prohibitions on homosexuality, such as in Romans 1:26-27—premarital sex in numerous Scriptures, and strongly warns that those who engage in unrepentant fornication will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:3-6 admonishes, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.”

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 likewise instructs, “Furthermore then, we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor—not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.”

“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit.”

Scripture also warns in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

https://christiannews.net/2018/12/03/ministers-claim-sex-before-marriage-hookups-not-sinful-say-purity-is-outdated-and-silly/
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« Reply #352 on: July 08, 2019, 04:47:52 am »

Official Lutheran Church is really a Coven of Witches

Practice Goddess Worship: Shamanic Journeying, Crystals, and a Sacred Dance To Ishtar

Leviticus 19:31 “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Ellie Gardey  | Contributor at Daily Caller –  A church holding membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in the country, worships God almost exclusively as a woman. The church, Ebenezer Lutheran in San Francisco, also participates in rituals to honor ancient goddesses.

Calling their Sunday service “The Liturgy of the Divine Feminine,” the church uses crystals, animal masks, Reiki healing, Kundali Yoga, and goddess idol-making in their liturgies and events. The church uses names like “Womb,” “Kundalini,” “Sophia,” and “Midwife” to worship God, according to their website.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) confirmed to the Daily Caller that Ebenezer Lutheran is an official member of their Church.

“The ELCA has no authority to discipline congregations; that process starts at the synod level,” a spokesperson said.

Ebenezer Lutheran is led by Pastor Stacy Boorn, who has been an ordained Lutheran pastor for 29 years. She is sometimes known as the “priestess of ritual” to the congregation.

Pastor Stacy Boorn bestows an honor upon the artist of a mural at Ebenezer Lutheran which features: “The Earth Mother, the Black Madonna, the Christ-Sophia, and an androgynous Kali-Kundalini figure.” (YouTube)

Pastor Boorn says her congregation worships God as a woman because there will “never be full equality or justice” for women “as long as the religions of the world continue to personify the Holy Other (God) exclusively or evenly as male.”

Worshiping God “exclusively or evenly as male,” according to Pastor Boorn, can “sustain the various forms of domination that are pursuant of that image.”

Pastor Tom Brock, who led his congregation out of the ELCA after it adopted more liberal stances on abortion and gay clergy, told the Daily Caller Ebenezer’s worship of God as a woman is “arrogant.”

“Jesus taught us ‘Our Father who art in heaven.’ For us to change the Lord’s prayer is arrogant,” Pastor Brock said, adding, “It is arrogant that they think they know better than God.” (RELATED: Newly Consecrated Gay Bishop Declares God Is A Woman)

In February, Ebenezer Lutheran Church held a Sunday liturgy that seemed to worship Inanna, also known as Ishtar, a Mesopotamian goddess. “We honor and celebrate Sister Wisdom who comes to guide us and Inanna,” the church said to advertise the liturgy. The service was described on their website as having an “original Hymn to Inanna” accompanied by a “Sacred Dance,” reports Exposing the ELCA.

Members of Ebenezer Lutheran gather around a mural depicting “an androgynous Kali-Kundalini figure whose chakras merge with the phases of the moon and the universe.”

Every month the group holds a painting class called “Goddess Painting and More.” The group has painted Akna (Inuit goddess), Athena (Greek goddess), Mary Magdalene (disciple of Jesus), Cerridwen (Celtic goddess), and Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas (the Virgin Mary in Mexico).

The church also taught a class on Shamanic journeying. “Explore connection with totem animal allies through a Shamanic journeying and mask making process,” they advertise on their website.

The congregation has developed a “Goddess Rosary,” with which they pray on prayer beads every Wednesday night. During the Goddess Rosary, “Tibetan bowls, bells, incense, water, [and] she-icons,” are provided.

Pastor Boorn once led a group of her congregation in making clay figures of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, and provided a picture of Asherah for guidance, reports Ichabod the Glory Has Departed.

A member of Ebenezer Lutheran who participated in the figure-making said Asherah was selected as one of the “discounted feminine images of God in the Old Testament.”

Pastor Tom Brock told the Daily Caller this “idol-making” goes against scripture: “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs,” says Judges 3:7.

The website of Ebenezer Church says they derive their traditions from both scripture and “ancient and modern Goddess traditions.”

“The voice of the Divine Feminine is not only being mined in the pages of scriptures and the stories trapped between the lines but also from ancient and modern Goddess traditions,” the Lutheran church says.

In 2010, the bishop of Iowa, Bishop Michael Burk, looked into concerns that Ebenezer Lutheran was not in line with ELCA teaching, reports Ichabod. After speaking to the bishop overseeing Ebenezer Lutheran, Bishop Burk concluded the preaching at Ebenezer is “decidedly within Lutheran orthodoxy and worship that is familiar and done with integrity.”

Bishop Burk also said there was an acknowledgement by the bishop overseeing Ebenezer Lutheran, Bishop Mark W. Holmerud, that the congregation “pushes around the edges.”

A spokesperson for the nationwide ELCA told the Daily Caller: “We have no authority to intervene or override” decisions “made locally” because “congregations are separately incorporated and self-governing.” Thus, because the disciplinary process is done at the synod level, the nationwide ELCA has “no authority to discipline congregations.”

Pastor Brock lamented the national ELCA’s policy to not discipline churches, saying “there used to be a culture of discipline in the ELCA.” He said, “The problem is the ELCA has gone so far off the cliff they can’t discipline anyone.”

The Sierra Pacific Synod, which is headed by Bishop Holmerud, confirmed to the Daily Caller Ebenezer Lutheran Church is part of their synod, but declined further comment.

Other rituals and liturgies at Ebenezer Lutheran, which is also known as “Herchurch,” include “Make your own Goddess Totem,” a weekly drumming circle with a “drumming priestess,” and a “Spring Equinox Women’s Ritual” to connect with “animal spirit guides.”

https://www.exposingsatanism.org/official-lutheran-church-is-really-a-coven-of-witches/?fbclid=IwAR1pVOGH5eImCR-cCX4LzvSwFd5Fx8k5pJiZl81_1BaPm5XjjGiiBhtdLIs
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« Reply #353 on: July 31, 2019, 07:09:10 am »

End Times Complacency Spreading Through The Church

In 1970, Hal Lindsey published The Late Great Planet Earth. The book sold millions of copies and introduced a generation to the miraculous fulfillment of end times bible prophecies in our day and time.

Coming on the heels of World War II, the rebirth of Israel, the Six Day War, and widespread societal upheaval, many were convinced the rapture would take place before the end of the decade. But the 1970's came and went, and Jesus did not return.

Then, in the 1980's and 1990's, numerous bible prophecy books with titles like "Countdown to Armageddon" and "Final Warning" sold all over the world. Again, many people were convinced Jesus would return before the end of the century. Yet Jesus didn't come.

Then the world experienced Y2K, the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the phenomenal success of the Left Behind series. Once again, it seemed as though Jesus would return at any moment. But once again, he didn't. And then something happened. Complacency set it.

End Times Burnout

Because Jesus hadn't come, many Christians began to openly doubt whether He ever would. Why? I believe there are at least two reasons. First, we live in a culture that demands instant gratification. We don't like to wait as little as two minutes for a microwave to cook a meal it took our grandparents half a day to prepare. We're impatient, and we're used to getting what we want when we want.

The second reason is the errant predictions of date setters. False prophets such as Harold Camping and Edgar Whisenant told the world Jesus would return on specific dates - even though Jesus said "no one knows the day or hour" (Matthew 24:36). The media gives widespread attention to these predictions. When these days come and go, the false prophets are exposed.

This leads to ridicule of bible prophecy, and in some cases, even Christian leaders publicly dismiss bible prophecy as a playground for crackpots and the ignorant. But these critics forget false prophets made these claims, not the Bible. The Bible's track record remains perfect. In fact, the Bible predicted this complacency long ago.

The Bible Said This Would Happen

Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will deny the signs we see today. He said they'll mock the idea of Jesus returning. They'll make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say the exact things we hear today - things like, "I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise?

Generation after generation has said He's coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!" (2 Peter 3:3‐4). You've probably heard variations of this complaint yourself. Maybe you've heard it in church. But is it true? No. It's not. Nothing could further from the truth.

Are Things The Same As They've Always Been?

To say the world is the same today as in years past - that we don't live in unique times - is just not true. More than any other generation, ours has reason to expect the Second Coming. Jesus and the prophets said to look for specific signs heralding the end times. For over 1,800 years, you couldn't find one of the signs they said to look for. Today, in one form or another, you can find all of them. Here are just a few examples:

The Jewish People Back in the Land - God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from "among the nations" (Ezekiel 39:28), from "the farthest corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12), and from "north, south, east, and west" (Psalm 107:3).


He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12). For 1,878 years (A.D. 70 to A.D. 1948), the Jewish people lived in exile. On May 14, 1948, they reestablished the nation of Israel, fulfilling God's promise to bring them back into the land.

The Jewish People Back in Jerusalem - Jesus prophesied armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. In A.D. 70, the Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy. In the days that followed, Jesus said Gentiles would control Jerusalem until "the times of the Gentiles are over." Then, the Jewish people would once again take control of Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). In June 1967, the Jewish people retook control of Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World - When the disciples asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus told them to look for a very specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. Then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel mostly reached a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. But in the past two centuries, Christians carried the Gospel to every country on earth.

Today, missionaries live in every nation. The Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. Our generation is the first one on the verge of spreading the Gospel to every last person on earth.

Increased Travel and Knowledge - Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said "travel and knowledge" will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge. For example, up until around two hundred years ago, a man could travel no faster than a horse could carry him.

Today, we can travel faster than the speed of sound. Many consider the Library of Alexandria to be the greatest collection of written knowledge in the ancient world. While we don't know for sure how much knowledge was housed there, some estimates say it was as many 500,000 papyrus scrolls. Two thousand years ago, this was the height of human knowledge.

Today, you probably have a bigger library in your pocket. Your smartphone can download almost any book that's ever been written in a matter of seconds. Our generation is experiencing an exponential increase in travel and knowledge.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies - According to the Bible, enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say "Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let's destroy the memory of its existence" (Psalm 83:4) and "Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God" (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel's neighbors will say "God has given their land to us" (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and "Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?" (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these exact sentiments. Israel's Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel's Exceedingly Great Army - Ezekiel said, in the last days, Israel will field "an exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:Cool. Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance - The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel "in the latter days" (Ezekiel 38:Cool when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those exact nations coming together. The alliance they form today is an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe - The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the initial stages of this alliance in the European Union - the legal and culture inheritor of the Roman Empire's legacy. The EU today is a coalition of both weak and strong nations. A volatile alliance, it struggles to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government - The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:Cool, and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over "all people, tribes, and languages" on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it, and the technology exists to implement and rule such a government.

Alone, each of these signs indicate the end times are near. Together, they prove ours is the end times generation. Jesus Himself said to look for these signs. He said when you see them, you can know His return is near (Matthew 24:33).

In fact, He said the generation that sees these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). This convergence of signs is the #1 reason to believe our generation is on the verge of witnessing the Second Coming. See our special DVD on the convergence of signs in the promotion below:

But instead of getting excited and ramping up our efforts to spread the Gospel, the Christian church is mostly silent on the issue. A large part of the church is complacent, and the Bible warned about this as well.

It's Time to Stay Awake

The night before the crucifixion, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He went to be alone and pray. But before He did, Jesus asked the apostles to stay up and pray with Him. He warned them not to fall asleep. Nevertheless, they did. They were finally awakened when soldiers arrived to arrest Jesus.

In a similar way, Jesus warned us not to be caught sleeping when He returns (Mark 13:36). To illustrate, He told a story of ten bridesmaids. Of the ten bridesmaids, five were foolish and five were wise. The five foolish bridesmaids didn't take enough oil for their lamps when they went to wait for the bridegroom. When they left to buy more oil, the bridegroom came and they missed out on the marriage feast. Jesus warned us not to be like the foolish bridesmaids. He said, "You, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return" (Matthew 25:1-13).

In another parable, Jesus once again commanded us to watch: "You, too, must keep watch! For you don't know when the master of the household will return. It could be evening, midnight, dawn, or daybreak. Don't let the master find you sleeping when he arrives without warning" (Mark 13:35-37).

Personally, I've written about the nearness of the Second Coming for over 13 years. Obviously Jesus didn't return in those 13 years, but none of the reasons to expect His return have gone away. In fact, the opposite is true. The reasons to expect Jesus to return at any moment have markedly increased.

Yet to great amazement, many Christians seem more complacent and ignorant of the signs than ever. Why? I don't know. But I'll continue to sound the alarm, and you should too. The Bible says if we recognize the signs and don't tell others about them, we're no different than a watchman who sees an invading army and doesn't sound the alarm. If we fail in our role as watchmen, God says He will hold us accountable for all those who perish (Ezekiel 33:1-6).

All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present right now. For almost 2,000 years, no Christian could say that. Our generation is an eyewitness to signs previous Christians could only dream about.

If the signs are telling us the Tribulation and the Second Coming are near, then it means the rapture is even closer. Don't fall asleep, and don't let anyone around you fall asleep. It's never been more important to stay awake. Jesus is coming!

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming and Racing Toward Armageddon.

Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3349#tFDGJSHhjUbsw6PZ.99
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« Reply #354 on: September 19, 2019, 08:40:40 am »

Seminary Students Repent to Plants, 'Confess' and 'Sorrow in Prayer' to Vegetation in Chapel Ceremony


In a story that would seem to be some kind of satire, actually took place at Union Seminary in New York where students gathered together during a chapel ceremony to “confess,” “grieve” and hold “sorrow in prayer” toward an assortment of various plants laid out on the floor as a part of an activity that, they say, was done to “atone for the harm” caused by climate change.

Union Seminary, a self-identifying “progressive” school located in New York City and affiliated with nearby Columbia University, tweeted out a picture and message on September 17, explaining their actions as an “offering” to the “beings who sustain us but whose gift we too often fail to honor.”

Romans 1:21-25 states: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

https://christiannews.net/2019/09/19/seminary-students-repent-to-plants-confess-and-sorrow-in-prayer-to-vegetation-in-chapel-ceremony/
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« Reply #355 on: December 02, 2020, 09:01:11 am »

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« Reply #356 on: August 02, 2023, 08:11:47 am »

Staggering Degree Of Biblical Illiteracy:

 Poll Finds Fewer and Fewer Americans Believe in Hell and the Devil
It may not be surprising fewer and fewer people believe in God, angels, heaven, hell, and the devil. The recent poll finds they are down to new lows. These drops in percentage may not seem significant or dramatic, but the outright darkness, deception, delusion, and depravity in America coincides with the declining numbers.

https://harbingersdaily.com/staggering-degree-of-biblical-illiteracy-poll-finds-fewer-and-fewer-americans-believe-in-hell-and-the-devil/
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« Reply #357 on: August 02, 2023, 04:32:46 pm »

I'm seeing more rumblings about "faith deconstruction". It could go either way for a person. On a positive note, the traditional church is becoming obsolete with an opportunity for reformation.

I believe God is raising up a generation right now for that very purpose.
There is a necessary return to scripture and away from tradition.
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