Thoughts, opinions and little discoveries

Train up a child for the road to hell............oh dear

2026-08-04T21:07:15.435-04:00

This week I had an eye opening experience. While I began talking to a guy at work a lady suddenly pushed her phone out to view a 20 something lady dressed in what appeared to be a 1 piece bikini and she was show modeling it in suggestive poses. The guy's eyes bugged out and I jokingly told him 'be careful this could be a transgendered person'. The woman then tells me that this lady is her daughter and she is a bar tender. . I told her that woman is not a bar tender. Bar tenders do not dress like that but strippers do. It turns out she is a stripper and works at a local strip club just across the county line. Later I heard from another lady that this woman takes her daughter to 'work' and picks up her and the daughter is an alcoholic.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are older they shall not depart from him.

Why would a mom do this for her daugther? Does she think she is being a good mom by allow her daughter to do this and taking her to work? It shows a world view that many people have. Sell your body, show your body, and get that fast money. In the process a person sells their soul and falls down into a dark spiritual pit of despair. It is just a symptom of a deeper problem in the soul of people and in this case in the soul of a mom to her daughter. Mom does have a past in which she doesn't trust preachers or pastor. The result? This vacuum. It is a tragedy!!

John

Somos church Lakeland

2023-09-19T19:57:00.033-04:00

SOMOS CHURCH and the seeds of blur

A few years ago I wrote a blog about a new church that came about from a married couple who were sort of pushed out of a semi megachurch Nazarene church. They decided to create their own church and primarily for younger people. I wrote about the discernment of it and alarm bells went off.

Fast forward some years later and I revisited only their website to see what they have going on to the general public looking for a church. What I found was disturbing. They are into emotions, feelings and story without defining who God is or what the Gospel is. Do you preach or teach the Gospel? Well I would hope so but I serious doubt it. The gathering is for itchy ears.

You make the call. You would you attend this gathering if you were looking for a church?

Well this certainly looks like an adventure but where is this adventure going to take a soul?

Let's look at what they believe. The average church would give you specifics about the bible, who Jesus is and what the Gospel is as well as a few other specifics. Are they looking to hide something from us? The Narrow road that the bible talks about isn't so narrow in this world view.

Should they be more specific?

Then Somos talks about their cultural values. Does culture dictate the Word of God to us? Apparently it does for Somos church. What does this mean?

Below is the rest of the page

If you would like to see the actual link to what has been posted for more context below is the link.

https://www.somos.church/about-us/

Below is the link to my original blog article about this gathering.

https://jw-thoughts.blogspot.com/2017/02/somos-church-road-of-seduction-inside.html

John

'Somebody to love' Queen song

2022-12-02T07:49:00.002-05:00

Recently I watched a documentary about Freddie Mercury and so much of it deal with his homosexuality as he was making music. I saw the movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and I liked the movie but probably not in the same way others liked it. I saw a man who was struggling with homosexuality. He knew it was wrong but seemed powerful to stop it. He became lonelyl but also acted out in his struggle against it and eventually succumbed to it as well as the judgment of HIV and AIDS in his body from it.

In this documentary of Freddie it was along the same lines but it went further as the end of the documentary showed behind the scenes of a benefit concert for Freddie Mercury. Toward the end of the documentary George Michael was practicing his singing of the song 'Somebody to love'. It was said that he sang this song 4 days in a row and each day he seemed more passioned about singing it. The documentary noted that he was having struggled within himself about homosexuality and was struggling in coming to terms with it. This 'section' grabbed my attention so I decided to go look at the lyrics of that song to see what is going on in it.

Somebody to love

Can anybody find me somebody to love?

Ooh, each morning I get up I die a littleCan barely stand on my feet(Take a look at yourself) Take a look in the mirror and cry (and cry)Lord, what you're doing to me? (Yeah, yeah)I have spent all my years in believing youBut I just can't get no relief, LordSomebody (somebody), ooh, somebody (somebody)Can anybody find me somebody to love?

Yeah

I work hard (he works hard) every day of my lifeI work 'til I ache my bonesAt the end (at the end of the day)I take home my hard earned pay (goes home)All on my own (goes home on his own)I get down (down) on my knees (knees)And I start to pray (praise the Lord)'Til the tears run down from my eyesLord, somebody (somebody), ooh, somebody(Please) can anybody find me somebody to love?

Every day (every day), I try and I try and I tryBut everybody wants to put me downThey say I'm going crazyThey say I got a lot of water in my brainI got no common sense(He's got) I got nobody left to believe inYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Ooh, LordOoh, somebody, ooh (somebody)Anybody find me somebody to love?(Can anybody find me someone to love)

Got no feel, I got no rhythmI just keep losing my beat (you just keep losing and losing)I'm OK, I'm alright (he's alright, he's alright)I ain't gonna face no defeat (yeah, yeah)I just gotta get out of this prison cellOne day (someday) I'm gonna be free, Lord

Find me somebody to loveFind me somebody to loveFind me somebody to loveFind me somebody to loveFind me somebody to love (find me)Find me somebody to love (find me, find)Find me somebody to loveFind me somebody to love, love, love (ooh, find me, find me)Find me somebody to love (somebody to love)Find me somebody to love (ooh)Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebodySomebody find meSomebody find me somebody to loveCan anybody find me somebody to love?(Find me somebody to love)Ooh(Find me somebody to love)Find me somebody, somebody (find me)Somebody, somebody to love (somebody to love)Find me, find me, find me, find me, find meOoh, somebody to love (find me somebody to love)Ooh (find me somebody to love)Find me, find me, find me somebody to loveAnybody, anywhere (find me)Anybody, find me somebody to love, love, love, love, love (somebody to love)Find me, find me, find me love

Source: LyricFind

I find this song to be someone caught between struggling with their homosexuality and someone just needing to get relieve by someone to 'love' but in this case it may be just the sex and in this case homosexual sex?

In today's world do you think this song is also an anthem for homosexuals, or anyone, to find someone to 'love' as in having sex? 'love' in the context of this song isn't something from the heart but something more in the physical lustful cravings of the sexual person. This is my perception in this song. It reminds me of the song by Stephen Stills 'Love the one you're with'.

What do you think?

June is that month so what changed?

2022-06-01T10:29:00.010-04:00

This is a snippet from Twitter. The questions I ask is 'what changed and why did it change?' The answers may range from no answer to possible something of being phobic yet that doesn't answer the question.

God created an order of male and female and for them to come together as one.

As the snipped shows homosexuality was once called profane, unclean, cast out and an abomination. This would stem from the bible and what God says about it. So what changed? Why is it not considered sacred, clean and beloved?

John

My Testimony of becoming a Christian

2022-05-12T19:00:00.000-04:00

I was loosely raised Lutheran. Went to church a few times a year. I was infant baptized and I have a certifcate for it. I stopped going to church around the age of 10? It was just before my parents went through a divorce. All I remember from church is hating to go. I went to Sunday school and it feel like going to school during the week. I also was dressed in a 3 piece suit and clip on tie. 90 minutes of Sunday school and then the service. The only thing I remember in the serivce was the pastor would say his line the congregation would say their line and the choir would sing as well. I don't remember any message and I don't remember them doing communion. This is an LCMS.

When I was 20 I found myself going into a Christian bookstore soley to find Christian metal music. I was getting tired of the negative messages in secular metal and even some satanism stuff but for me it was just negative stuff. I had even joined a Christian club at a local college just to find people who didnt drink or smoke. I wasn't in it for God. Chi Alpha was the name. It lasted a semester.

During one of those bookstore visits I was 'confronted' by another buyer who talked to me about music and eventually invited me to a conference coming up called 'Edge of Evil ' by Jerry Johnston. I agreed to come check it out. The only problem I had was it was at a Baptist church and I don't like Baptist. I always found them to be hardshelled mean people in the general sence. So I told a friend of mine about it and asked if he would go with me so I was not alone and he agreed. That person was said to be a Christian. I had known him for 9 months previous to that. We crossed paths via my uncle. Friend was an artist and we connected becuase of art. The friends name was Lazarus. Yes it was, Lazarus.

This is the church I went to but today it is a different church. First Baptist of (the town). It is now a Presbyterian church. The Baptist church moved to a bigger building.

I got in there and we headed up into the balcony. That is all the seating that was left and we are to the right of the stage nearly on the stage. Jerry did he speech complete with videos and I remember an interview with Sean Sellers who was on death row for murder as a result of Satanism and he said the music got him into it. The whole seminar didn't do anything for me and in part it is because the bands that were talked about I never listened to at the time.

Jerry gave an altar call to those who are convicted and want to give their lives to Jesus. He asked people to come down to the front and meet him there. I was barely listening. Suddenly Lazarus gets up and begins walking toward the steps so I got up and followed after him. I remember thinking 'I am not going to be up here by myself no way!'. Laz stopped at the base of the steps but I kept going as if I was being pushed up to the front. I literally kept going til I could not go anymore and I found myself almost in arms reach of Jerry

Jerry told us to follow a certain person where we would talk to a counselor. I thought 'what am I doing?' and then 'Oh here we go whatever this is supposed to be'..... We got into a room that was probably a place to eat and I saw chairs in groups of 2 and 3 together so I picked one and sat next to a guy with the same name as me. He asks me how can he help me? I told him that I guess I have sinned because I listen to Metallica?

He opened up the book of Romans and talked to me about Sin. He asked me if I knew what sin was. Nope, I never heard of it. In fact I only recently heard the word secular a few prior and I didn't like that word. It seemed really crude to me. He asked me 'what do you get when you work a job?' I said 'money'. Righrt, He went on to tell me that we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death. That means our payment for our sin is death but God send Jesus to save us from that death and we if we will repent and beleive in Jesus we will be born again and be saved from God's wrath because of the sin we do. Some of the scriptures I remember are below

Romans 3:23

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:8

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

We end the talk after 30 minutes. He led me through a sinners prayer. When that was done I noticed I was the last person being counseled. After this I heard talk about coming to church. Well I was not about to come to this church. I am not going to a Baptist church and then I was asked about coming. I said no that I will find some place closer to me. So I found Laz and we got in the car and went home. I felt no different when I left.

About a week later I got a bible that my dad says he got me a few months prior. To this day I do not remember asking for but he says I did. Uh.....why would I ask for a bible?? I opened it and the counselor told me to begin at the Gospel of John and then go to Romans so that is what I did. Suddenly, I found the words on the page coming alive in me. It was as if the Spirit of God was jumping for joy in me. Ever page got that much more electric me and then I began telling people about it. My mom, my dad, brother and an uncle. They all looked at me with apathy

I got a little overboard to the point of accusation and mom had to rebuked me which was good. Eventually I asked my dad about going back to church and he was overjoyed. So we went a few weeks before Easter. I was excited UNTIL I got there. They say a few hymns but I found a ritual like thing going on. Something very wooden in spirit. What was bubbling up in me was the opposite of what I was seeing in the service. I told dad this is boring but I gave it another chance and came back next week. Well it was Palm Sunday when people get confirmed. I thought.... I could have almost been up there at one time. All I remember were people dressed in white robes and reciting their favorite bble verse. Running through my mind was a wrestling match. A DEEP one. I wanted to get involved with the church behind the scenes. I mean during the week in bible studies and visiting people for the sake of the Gospel as well as to edify people with the Gospel. I had 2 problems.... the church service was meaningless to me. There was no substance for me to grow in what I saw and heard. Also Lutherans point their people back to remembering their baptism for salvation. I can't do that because I was not a Christian after my infant baptism so how could I remind people of their baptism?

Below is an example of what the inside of the Lutheran church looks like today during a service.

I told my dad of my dilemma and he was at a loss for words. I asked me to get me a Luther's small catechism and he did. I read through it and agreed with everything EXCEPT infant baptism. I thought, if not for that I could proceed within the church BUT I CANNOT DO IT!

A few weeks later a youth pastor from an Assemblies of God church invited me to his church. He was the one responsiblity for getting Chi Alpha started. I agreed and I went to visit and it was scary. I heard tongues for the first time and I almost left but I stayed to see what this was and why Lutherans never talked about it. When dad found out about my visit he got very mad and told me I was blasphemying the Lutheran religion by going there. I asked him how am I doing that? He could not answer. He got mad with veins popping out and then left. My dad was infant baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church in Wisconsin. He have seen pictures of him in his robe which looked like a graduation outfit. Very similar to Catholics I suppose?

Despite the Assemblies of God thing I went on to read my bible and even did some prayer and fasting and found that during it I had internal issues that I got set free from. 2 personal to share and I would also say embarrassing to share but one of them was very similar to being anorexic but with a twist. My chains were set free on the inside. I went on to renew my mind according to what the bible said and one verse that has really kept me going in the faith is Romans 12

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Even today, I find myself going back to this as a foundation for Christian faith because in it is the exhortation to renew my mind to the things of God and prove the Will of God according to what the bible says

If interested below is the video to the conference that I attended back on March 10, 1990. It is a Baptist thing to remember the day you were saved even though I am not a Baptist I still remember it.

John

Wolves in sheeps clothing

2022-03-28T07:56:00.000-04:00

recommending Paula' Whites book 'Something Greater'

Franklin Graham Jack Graham Jeffress Falwell Jr. Greg Laurie Ralph Reed

Evangelical leaders endorsing Paula White's latest book

Leading Evangelicals Endorse Prosperity Preacher Paula White’s New Book

By Julie Roys

Paula White, the thrice married, prosperity preacher worth millions, who chairs Donald Trump’s evangelical advisory board, was once considered a pariah by most all leading evangelical leaders.

Russell Moore, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, said in 2017 that White is “a charlatan . . . recognized as a heretic by every orthodox Christian, of whatever tribe.” And Michael Horton of Westminster Seminary accused White of teaching that everyone can be a “little god,” and claiming that God came not to bring forgiveness of sins, but to “give us the power to claim prosperity.”

Yet this same Paula White is now receiving endorsements from prominent Southern Baptist megachurch pastors—Jack Graham and Robert Jeffress—as well as Franklin Graham, head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, and Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of Liberty University.

All four are endorsing White’s new book, Something Greater: Finding Triumph Over Tragedy. Jack Graham calls his “good friend” Paula White’s book “powerful” and adds, “I highly recommend it!”

Jeffress says the book is “wonderful” and urges people to read Something Greater and “give to anyone looking for hope!”

Franklin Graham encourages people to “check out” White’s book, noting that she’s lived an “interesting life.” (see Update 2) That may be an understatement. White has been investigated by the Senate for her lavish lifestyle. And in addition to her three marriages, televangelist Benny Hinn admitted an “inappropriate relationship” with White in 2011.

Falwell says White’s book will be “an encouragement to so many” and urged people to pre-order it at a discount.

At time of publishing, White’s book was ranked at Amazon as #11 in Religious Leader Biographies, #16 in Christian Women’s Issues, and #17 in Christian Self Help.

UPDATE: Add Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a multi-campus megachurch in California, to the list of prominent evangelical leaders endorsing White’s book (see Update 2):

UPDATE 2: Both Greg Laurie and Franklin Graham have removed their tweets endorsing White’s book. I reached out to everyone except Laurie for comment. (Laurie removed his post before I had the chance to do that.) Graham’s press person responded that he is not available for comment. Jeffress called me today and I will be posting his response on Thursday. The others have not yet responded.

which one wins cancer or lifestyle?

2022-03-23T13:18:00.003-04:00

This is an x ray of a smoker who has lung cancer. It looks menancing and the question to be asked is can the smoker beat this cancer or will it beat them and they eventually pass away?

1998 My mother n law developed lung cancer. She went through some weeks of coughing and suddenly one of those days left to small chunks of blood in the cough. I took her to express care to get an x ray and the doctor said there was a mass about the size of a fist in her lung. UH OH so he said he was referring her to oncology because it is most likely cancer. She was eventually diagosed with stage 4 cancer and she lived about 5 more months before passing away. She did some radiation but not chemo. The radiation was bad enough causing her bones to be brittle.

Something I did not know about her is that she used to smoke but had given it up some 25 years ago. I found this out from my oldest sister n law. The oncologist informed us that studies have revealed that when a woman smokes and stops that usually about 25 years later lung cancer has been developing. WOW? What is also remarkable in this is that she ate a pretty clean diet. Barely any junk food at all. A good diet should always have color. Should be colorful. That was her diet. It was very colorful and yet all those vitamins and minerals did not keep cancer from developing. Why? Is there something genetic that overrules diet? It is the question we should all investigate. Eating a good diet is important for the human body but it seems some diseases can and will triumph over the diet regardless. Why is that ??

My mother n law essentially suffocated to day. The mass began to clog up her airwaves and her breath was getting shorter and shorter. She took her last breath just before midnight on Feb 28

John

Seduction of the LGBT into the minds of a child

2021-08-19T10:42:00.003-04:00

Does it matter that a drag queen can come into a library and read books and 'perform' in front of little kids? Should kids be exposed for this kind of thing? Does it seduce anyone's mind into thinking this is ok? Does the erode the moral compass? Below is a video from a radio station in St Petersburg FL who interviewed one of these drag queens and thinks there is nothing wrong it at all. What do you say?

https://www.theboneonline.com/entertainment/themikecaltashow-drag-queen-story-hour-viktoria-sommers/niUVdkUD608QSj5aYdCBOI/ Also contrast the contents of the interview with 102.5 the bones radio while what happens in the video below. What are your thoughts?

Tangible spiritual deception

2021-08-10T16:24:00.000-04:00

Spiritual Deception is a serious thing. It causes a person not to see truth and not to understand and believe truth but to believe a lie. Often times that deception can have truth in it but it acknowledges something just a little different and the person doesn't realize what may be plain language. Below is a conversation I had with such a person. Actually it began with 1 person and then another person came into the conversation. I don't know what the first person actually believes but the second person is a Russellite bible student who are the Jehovah's Witnesses before they became who they are even today. What you will noticed is a tangible reading of what scripture says in what I posted from a text. The text tells us what is being done but the person cannot acknowledge it but goes around the meaning to insert things which are not in the text. It seems that even an English teacher could see this and point it out but not thing person. It serves as an example of spiritual deception. Look at how the text of the Holy Spirit and God are downplayed in the conversation. In their view the Holy Spirit is not God but a force.

Fredrick John I neither believe in those things....the Mormons, JW, Trinitarians etc..... I only believe in what Bible teach..... · Reply · 19h

John Fredrick I believe in the Trinity. Not 3 gods but 3 Persons = 1 God. It isn't modalism = 3 personalities 1 God. · Reply · 14h

Fredrick John Such thing doesn't exist as One God having 3 persons..... God is one and has no multiple persons.....he is one being, one person · Reply · 8h

Fredrick Bible no where mentions God as existing in any such form of Trinity..... · Reply · 8h

John Fredrick Trinity comes from this. We see the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. These are all God but it is also recognized that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. We see images of this throughout scriptures with the Angels who came to Abraham. We see this with Jesus up on the Mountain showing some disciples HIs glory and the Father also spoke. We see this in Jesus' baptism with the Father speaking and the Holy Spirit Descending like a dove.......but throughout Scripture we know God is one God but all 3 Persons are also God. Even the Holy SPirit, not a force, is a person. In Acts we have a couple who lied to the Holy Spirit. We can't lie to a force............does this make sense? · Reply · 7h

Fredrick John You seems to have your own definition of Holy Spirit.... I didn't speak anything about Holy Spirit being the Force.... But you explain to me as if i did mention such thing.... But also i didn't say that Jesus is not God, for scriptures attest Jesus being Mighty God. But is Jesus the same God as his Father? That is the first point..... Again is Holy Spirit really a person? · Reply · 7h

John Fredrick I only mentioned 'force' because JWs' teach that and some people don't see the Holy Spirit as a Person but a thing. I am only laying out what I believe about who the Person of God is.....now you asked 'Again is Holy Spirit a person?' Yes I believe the Holy Spirit is a Person and God. I do not believe the Holy Spirit is anything less than God. · Reply · 7h

Fredric John Ok.... Do you just believe from no where? Why do you believe Holy Spirit to be God? · Reply · 6h

John Fredrick an example would be from Acts 5:"3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”<<< It shows the Holy Spirit is God in this passage as an example. Also you don't lie to 'things' but to a 'person'. · Reply · 6h

Fredrick John But here is not mentioned that Holy Spirit is God....... except that Ananias lied not to man but to God...... If you claim that here God reffered is Holy Spirit then one can likewise claim that when Peter mention the Holy Spirit he was actually referring to God whose Spirit Peter possessed..... Lying to a person having Spirit of God was considered as lying to God himself.....for such a person having Spirit of God is agent through which the Power of God operates · Reply · 5h

Fredrick Frankly speaking this verse is somehow confusing for anyone still lingering in the errors of dark ages.....but if one will allow his Mind to reason and Harmonize scriptures then this verse become open and clear · Reply · 5h

John Fredrick By lying to the Holy SPirit, in Peter, he was lying to God...........this is what the text says. This is only one example and not the only example that shows the Holy Spirit is a Person and is also God. · Reply · 4h

Rena John Ananias was lying to the spirt that Peter had in him which was holy. No capitalisation in Greek. Once a person is endowed with the sweet spirit of love for all mankind they have a special insight and ability to detect a devious spirit in non believers and apostates to the first Century Christianity. · Reply · 2h

Rena John sounds like voodo to me · Reply · 1h

John Rena You are not even reading the text at all. You are going on a rabbit trail to explain away what is written in that text. Why are you scared to acknowledge what the text is saying? Stop the rabbit trails and acknowledge what scripture alone says. · Reply · 1h

Rena Jesus Christ came to break up the works of the devil and his friends. When we have circumcised our hearts to a point we will lay our lives down beside our saviors perfect sacrifice the Devil is then defeated. We refuse to cooperate with him and then he has no power any more. All evil agents would never get anywhere if it weren’t for their supporters. Sin is like cow dung, you don’t go mucking around in it, but just let the sun dry it up and the wind blow it away. The devil will not get anywhere without supporters · Reply · 1h · Edited

Rena John The spirit that was holy is what I’m referring to. It is the sweet spirt of love for ALL of Adams poor wayward children, something Ananias did not have. He lied to Peter showing he had no real love for him and didn’t think Peter deserved … See More · Reply · 1h

John Rena The text says it was the Holy Spirt. Not a generic sweet spirit of love. Peter was a sinner before he was a believer. Nothing in Peter that made him sweet except the Holy Spirit within him. Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit. Scripture does no… See More · Reply · 18m

Rena John Saint Peter had a circumcised heart and Ananias didn’t. Many are called but few are chosen . By their fruits you will know them. · Reply · 13m

The sad thing for me in this conversation is that it is really pointless to talk about the Deity of God. What I should have done is pushed the conversation to the Law of God and the Gospel of God and then let the discusison of who God is eventually come in the picture. Regardless, please share your thoughts on this dialogue. John

Another one bites into LGBT because of broken relationships

2021-07-05T12:54:00.001-04:00

Homosexuality and the rise of LGBT activism has taken America by storm more than the BLM movement and even global warming. I believe a reason for this is because of the nature of its sin of being a sexual sin as it rises above fornication and adultery and even polygamy, It seeme to be the next step in the progression of sexuality that has been perverted in the name of love. The motto 'love is love' is then attached to the activism so that the life is seen as loving and good but what isn't talked about is righteousness. Righteousness has no place in Hedonism and that is what LGBT activism is pushing. LGBT Activism is also causing many , who normally would not be LGBT, to become such because of bad relationships I have an extended family member, by marriage, who moved with her boyfriend from the east coast to the west coast of the United States. The boyfriend, eventually, began to get involved in computer stuff and never wanted to go anywhere which made her mad. Eventually they split up their relationship and she kicked him out and in the vaccum got involved with a girl as part of a lesbian relationship and now she is becoming flamboyant with it. She noted this on her Facebook page and many people began giving her likes and loves... I asked 'Where is God in all of this?" Can you guess what happened in response? BLOCKED! That response shows the problem in the heart of man. We love our sin more than we want to believe in God AND will even turn it around so that LGBT can beleive in God and preach that God is ok with LGBT because God made them that way. This extended family member isn't lesbian. She has not been surpressing it at all. She had a bad relationship and in this vaccum a lesbian girl came into the picture and filled that void. The moral of this story is that sin is destruction. It destroys the souls of men. It will be twisted to be sin as good and normal and even fun and exciting and it is but sin brings for death. LGBT activism is promoting a twisted lifestyle of people who need helpe. They need to know the love of God and they need to believe the Gospel for the forgiveness of their sins. It is tragic to see this virus of sin move through America, and the world, to destroy the lives of people.. John

Troubled young people and politics

2020-09-28T15:37:00.003-04:00

Troubled young people and politics

I did not get permission to post this so I am leaving names out of this in order that it will be a bit generic. It is about a son who makes a post about his anger toward Trump in reference to being in the military and what he say being there and then a mom who reaches out to her son in love and is very diplomatic. I used to work with this son and this is why this fascinates me. This is not meant to exploit the situation in any way but more to educate and help us, as a society, to realize there is a lot of things boiling under the surface. We need to be proactive is discerning those things and defusing them.

Son posts the following to a social media account:

If your not voting for Trump then this message isn't for you and I thank you dearly for whoever else you choose to support.

---------------

I fought in the Syrian Civil War to stop the religious genocide of the Kurds. Donald Trump abandoned the Kurds on the Syrian-Turkish border in October 2019 because of a threatened invasion by Turkey. 130,000 Kurds had to flee their homes, hundreds died, and our alliance with them may be unsalvageable.

If you are going to vote for Trump this election please let me know because I DO NOT NEED YOU IN MY LIFE. You clearly don't care about human lives or the 4 years of my life I spent training and fighting these atrocities just to have all of my efforts dashed against the rocks by a man not fit to lead. I sacrificed my mental health and both of my shins to play my part in saving those people. I can not forgive anyone who votes for that man to continue his time in office and I will never be able to. This goes to friends and family. Feel free to share this with whoever you like. Please don't make the wrong choice this November.

Genocide is never defendable. Abandoning those facing genocide is never defendable. You shouldn't need to learn this lesson this for into your life.

Mom to son

I clearly do care about human lives. You know that is true. The US probably would have pulled troops out regardless of who was sitting in office. Who knows? You do not like the person Trump, so you make this election personal and it seems to bring you much anger, turmoil, depression and upset in your life. Elections are but a moment in time and presidents, both good and bad, will come and go, but to turn on friends and family for not believing in the same things you believe in is in fact against the very thing you say you stand for. You want more people to accept you and (name withheld) and everyone else for our differences. Well, we all have different beliefs, different opinions, different looks, like different foods, want to live in different cities, love different people, dress differently or have been born a different sex. That doesn’t make us bad or evil,( it makes us unique and beautiful!)nor should I or you or anyone else on this planet be hated or mistreated for doing what I believe is right. Everyone should in fact wake up each day and try to make the world around them a better place and to help others and make the best possible choices and show kindness. This is how I have lived my life. I dedicated my entire career to helping others and saving lives! Now, if my one check mark on November 4th means that much, causes so much rage and hatred, that you, my youngest quietest dearest son would choose to never have me in his life, than you need to look very deeply within yourself and see what you actually stand for.

John

A twist of Scripture - Can Jehovah Die?

2020-05-28T21:20:00.003-04:00

A Twist of scripture - Can Jehovah Die?

Rev 1:17-18 is a passage that Jehovah's Witnesses have a very hard time answering with diverting attention to comments such as 'We don't believe in the Trinity' or 'Jesus is the beginning of God's creation' as stated in Rev 3:15. These diversions do not answer the question of who died in Rev 1:18 or even when did Jehovah Die? It forces the Jehovah's Witnesses to confess that Jesus is Jehovah. They cannot make such a confession because that is not what they believe. The diagram above demonstrate that Jesus is Jehovah but Jesus is not the Father . Nevertheless it does not mean Jesus is not God. He is God the Son in the flesh.

Jehovah's Witnesses may also bring another scripture into play that is twisted in their bible version. The truth is in their version but hidden at the same time. From their New World Translation of the prophet Habakkuk 1:12

12 Are you not from everlasting, O Jehovah?pO my God, my Holy One, you do not die.*qO Jehovah, you appointed them to execute judgment;My Rock,r you established them for punishment.

The 2nd sentence suggests that God does not die but if the * is clicked in JW dot org we find this not of clarification

*Or possibly, “we will not die.”

This sentence, note, changes the entire dynamics of the meaning of the sentence. Either God cannot die or 'we will not die' but to put this into context the correct translation is what the * shows. So the question has to be asked 'What is the New World Translation doing here? There is some kind of deceit going on.

In the King James version

Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

John

Watchtower deceit with scripture

2020-05-17T07:54:00.002-04:00

Watchtower Deceit with Scripture

One question that I ask a Jehovah's Witness that I don't get an answer on is the following from the Book of Revelation 1:17-18

17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

From the NWT which is the Jehovah's Witness translation it says this:

17 When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet.And he laid his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the Firstk and the Last,l 18 and the living one,m and I became dead,n but look! I am living forever and ever,o and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.*( Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind)

First and the Last is always a reference to God Himself. Jehovah if you will. It essentially means from eternity past to eternity future. It describes the Being of Jehovah.

The question is when did the First and the Last die? When did Jehovah die? The answer is met with silence and then follow up statement such as 'We don't believe in the Trinity'. That is fine because the question isn't asking about the Trinity. It asks when did Jehovah die?
Another diversion question is to go to Revelation 3:14

NWT>>14 “To the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ceʹaz write: These are the things that the Amena says, the faithful and trueb witness,c the beginning of the creation by God

NKJV>>> “And to the [a]angel of the church [b]of the Laodiceans write,‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God

But again this does not answer to the question to when Jehovah, the First and the Last, died

Recently I was given another answer to this question that took my by surprise until I read further into it and found a bait and switch by the Watcthower, the group who wrote the NWT.

Book of the Prophet Habakkuk 1:12

NWT>> 12 Are you not from everlasting, O Jehovah?pO my God, my Holy One, you do not die.*qO Jehovah, you appointed them to execute judgment;

Look at the * in the 3rd line. It says this in the NWT:"Or possibly, “we will not die.”"This changes the entire meaning of the text. Either Jehovah' doesn't die or 'WE' do not die. Well, which is it? It is very clear who it is referring to when the entire text is put into context. It does not refer to Jehovah.
The NKV shows >>

Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment;

In hindsight the Jehovah's Witness has a difficult time answering this question because if they are honest with it it forces them to acknowledge that Jesus is God, that Jesus is Jehovah, and their doctrine forceably denies this. Just more seeds that is sown among their ranks to keep them away from the salvation we have in the Name of Jesus.

John

Leave me some comments

Attacked for critiquing part of Christian liturgy

2020-05-01T15:55:00.004-04:00

Attacked for critiquing an aspect of the liturgy

This may be a confession or apology on my part or it may be calling out an issue on my part. I am not sure. I wish the reader to tell me which side of the debate table I am on with this.

The issue is an aspect of the liturgy in both the Lutheran church and the Presbyterian church. It deals with the closing of the liturgy in which the pastor says something and the congregation says something back to him. It is all written down so you are just repeating. A question that I ask is should this be something 'heart felt' as if you are making a personal greeting or is it ok to do it in a kind of robotically because it is part of the liturgy? Should I be at fault for even questioning this at all?

I referencing a post that I made on a closed Facebook group to begin:

PCA has the mantra 'come quickly Lord Jesus'
Lutherans have 'Thanks be to God' but also 'and also with you'.

These things are said so much, when you repeat them do you repeat them robotically or do you understand why you are saying it?
It often reminds me of a Muslim when they talk about Mohammed They have to say 'peace be upon him'. It is like a mantra.

Could I have worded his better?
These are some of the more 'important' feedback responses I got that hit me the hardest in a good way and in a rebuking way.

First up was a video that I found interesting.

And then the rest of the comments that struck a cord to me for the good and the bad. Remember, I am simply questioning the robotictness of aspects of the liturgy. The repetition of it and is that a good thing or a bad thing? I suppose the back door rebuttal on my part falls to Matthew 6:7

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Better to repeat something robotically that leads the mind to God than something that does not, or the lack of any such ritual at all. I may not always be focused on the meaning of liturgical exercises, but whenever I do meditate on them, sound doctrine is reinforced in my mind.

The more liturgy we have in our hearts the better equipped we will be for our mental demise.

This poster gets exactly what I am saying so if I am wrong then he is also wrong but if I am right then he is right as well.

I think you make a great point, I felt that the repetition in the Lutheran worship that I went to for a few weeks was to repetitive and there is a danger of just saying the words with no understanding to what they mean or a heart that truly loves God. Now this could be true of some Reformed churches as well but I can’t say so for sure because I have not seen it myself but I can say from the Reformed Church I used to go to that it was never to much or to little we had some responsive reading and it was from different parts of the Bible. So I personally think that some things like the saying of the Apostles Creed are very good to do but I think it should not be done every service because we want the congregation to be engaged and learning and we want to stay away from mindless ritual that is said with the mouth and there’s an end of it.

I find some great stuff in the Lutheran liturgy and I think some parts should be used without going to repetitive. From what I have seen of Anglicans and Lutherans they will defend their way of worship to the death and will not even consider that someone may just be saying the words and nothing more and that the liturgy had to do with this mindless reading, but some of these liturgies should be used. I know that I’m going to likely get blasted for this comment but I wanted to say it anyway. I also want to repeat for those who might be about to blast me for daring to think the Lutheran liturgy is not perfect in every way, I am not against the whole thing and I like parts of it and that’s what kept me going back to a Lutheran Church for a little while.

This post was enlightening and gave me something to ponder

As if saying random and different things doesn’t happen by the same means. There’s no difference just because more psychological intent is needed to be “spontaneous” in some sense. The same heart will be the same source, regardless; spontaneous and repetitive.

At least liturgy is instructional with its repetition, and isn’t given to omission or chaotic spontaneity of the flesh just to produce sounds with the mouth that are carnally deemed more worthy because their originality is “muhself” instead of thousands of years of holy tradition.

There’s mindless repetition in any shallow engagement in alleged worship in any form of liturgy. At least historical liturgy doesn’t come from each individual as its source and authority, etc.

Now for a couple of rebukes in which I felt as if I was sucker punched. Should I be to blame for asking these questions? Do I need to be educated more? Am I just plan ignorant ? Should I keep my mouth shut?

That is extremely offensive if you think our hearts and worship are to a false god. Are you able to look into our hearts? My daughter is 7 and seems to have handle on law and gospel and they memorize Bible passages. How they are memorized is not as important as if they are. Often church worship is a sign of doctrine beliefs especially around the truth of the Sacraments or lack of it. There is no perfect church or perfect service but I can tell you I can spot problems very quickly and it starts with statements like you have made as there is nothing wrong with reciting and memorizing.

And then back to back comments that really struck a cord in me and made me reflect on scripture and if my questions were really near blasphemy mode. These haunt me.

Yes you are wrong for this terrible comparison... sinful in my opinion

The Eighth Commandment:

The Eighth Commandment.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.

He does not see it that way because he is the judge again... sounds like some in NT that Jesus new hearts well

The Prophetic and Apostolic writings of the Canon exhort us to store God’s Word in our hearts aka “memorize” in modern parlance.

How does memorization happen?

Rote repetition.

The sacred Liturgies of historic Christianity are both the direct words of Holy Scripture and songs/hymns/prayers based on Holy Scripture being said over and over again.

The next thing you know, voila, you’ve memorized Scripture and God’s story of salvation of the world in Christ, the Trinitarian God, the incarnation, and the resurrection of the dead when Christ returns.

Remember my original post was the following.

PCA has the mantra 'come quickly Lord Jesus'
Lutherans have 'Thanks be to God' but also 'and also with you'.

These things are said so much, when you repeat them do you repeat them robotically or do you understand why you are saying it?
It often reminds me of a Muslim when they talk about Mohammed They have to say 'peace be upon him'. It is like a mantra.

What I am seeing in my responses is going beyond what I am asking and isn't touching what I asked BUT in the process I am thankful to see what was said regardless because it helped me to learn and understand what is going on in aspects of the liturgy.

Here someone compared their Baptist experience to their new Lutheran experience and I found that rather enlightening.

I zoned out a lot more in my Baptist church than I do in my Lutheran church. Singing different songs each week, listening to a new sermon each week and a new sermon series ~every month, I still zoned out. Repetition didn’t make what I did robotic. Originality didn’t get me to think about what was being said.
The Word of God repeated every week in the Divine Service is much more effectual than whatever could be put in its place.

Another poster added this to the above comment

\Plus confession of sins, absolution of sins, Lord's supper, hymns and much more. We recite one of the creeds and much more. Thanks for response

And finally I end here with a couple of last responses.

Peter certainly thought constant, repetitious repeating and reminding ourselves of the doctrines of Christ was necessary.

To the one who is against the liturgy or repetitious acts of worship, if you won't criticize Peter for his acts of repetition and reminding, don't criticize us Lutherans.

Peter thought it was good to have repeated reminders of the same doctrines we all know well. That is essentially the liturgy. If one argues against the practice of repeating the same things, reciting the same prayers, or following the same order of worship, etc, because it can cause worship to become robotic, my only response is tell Peter that.

Leave me a comment on this blog and tell me if I am wrong, if I am right or something else.

JW

Testing an offended confessed believer

2019-09-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

Testing an offended believer in Jesus Christ.

Should a professing believer in Jesus Christ ever be offended if their confession is not believed? Would not the joy of the Lord compel them present themselves as believer's to other believers? If a 'believer' is offended at being tested by another believer what would cause them to be offended? My contention is that there is something going on deeper in the soul that may prove that that person may not be a believer and

I joined in a dialogue with a lady, via Facebook, with such a dialogue and what she said and confessed disturbed me a bit causing me to ask whether she was really a believer. It was the offense she took at the questioning that shook me. Should a believer be offended? What should be the trait's of a believer confessing to someone else that they are a Christian and are not believed?

Follow the dialogue below. I have deleted the last names just to keep a little privacy.

June 3, 2019

JoAnn Daniel
You are a better fellow than I. My son is gay, I’m a woman who entered seminary at 50. I’ve played nice for years and just don’t want to any more. But thank you for being kind.

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John JoAnn You are in a tough situation but I have to ask you are you a Christian?

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JoAnn John
Always have been and have no desire to do other than serve my Lord and my God.
Ordained January 6, (Epiphany) 1995 and pastored two congregations plus six interims.

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John JoAnn What is your go to foundation for the doctrine of Jesus? For your persona discipleship?

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JoAnn John

Your inquisition is the reason I withdrew from this group.…See More

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John JoAnn I do not wish you ill will. When I ask you these questions it is to verify that you are who you say you are. It is similar to when Paul when to Jerusalem and the disciples were wary of him because of his past. See Acts 9. This is the reason I am asking you these questions. It is foolish of anyone to think of anyone as being believer without some confession of faith. I hope you understand?

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JoAnn Alright. Dial it back. although I find it insulting that I somehow must “verify” my faith to you. Just who are you ? But never mind. All three Creeds even though I’ve called the Athanasius Creed the Euthanasia Creed because of its length. But it clearly supports Paul and Luther’s stance on God’s gift of Faith. Prayer and Scripture study is constant and sustaining.
And my “past” has always been in God’s hand.

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John JoAnn You believe all 3 creeds. Are those creeds the only sources you hold to for doctrine? Not sure why you find it insulting of me to ask these questions. I would think any Christian would jump at the chance to express the Christian faith with joy. Insult should only come when lied against.

A different thread

JoAnn ok, ok, maybe I just signed on at the wrong time. I don’t believe homosexuals should be reprogrammed because they are sinners. I don’t believe in the inerrancy of scripture and I don’t believe God’s Word can only be shared by a male voice.
I don’t hate anybody but neither do I want to invite hate so, thank you and please, carry on.

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Vicki I have some good books written/put together by Bart D. Ehrman (a prof. at the Univ. of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill) like 'Misquoting Jesus' and John Shelby Spong, an Episcopalian Bishop, like 'Born of a Woman', that definitely question the bible's "i…See More

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Edited
Thuyen Vicki you do hate us by accusing us of being hateful for affirming what God’s word says.

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Edited
Joseph Lutherans in a 'Lutheran debate and discussion' group are going to naturally debate and discuss topics like ordination of women and deviant sexuality.
Being Lutheran, we will naturally be turning to the clear verses in Scripture which explicitly deal w…See More

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Linda Vicki , I enjoy reading Spong, he is so insightful!

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JoAnn I like Marcus Borg and Jon Dominic Crossan as well as Joan Chitister OSB

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Thuyen JoAnn and they all are anti-Christian heretics.

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Thuyen Dinh Tran JoAnn Fabie basically your idea of hate is any view that affirms what Scriptures say.

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JoAnn Thuyen
I find them thoughtful and God loving.

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John JoAnn Do you consider yourself a Christian?

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Thuyen JoAnn those who despise what God say in Hie word are god loving: the gods being themselves as their own gods.

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JoAnn John
Polycarp, when ask to deny Christ said, “for 80 years he has done me no harm. Why should I deny him now?”
You ask an interesting question. While knowing nothing of my life. Are you judging me?

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John JoAnn I am asking you a question. Are you a Christian? Jesus said blessed is he who does not deny Me before men for I shall not deny him before my Father. Are you a Christian?

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JoAnn I am 80 years old and when faced with burning at the stake my answer would be the same as Bishop Polycarp’s.
And to you, who know so little. Yes.

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John JoAnn Polycarp was a disciple of John. Taught of John who was taught of Jesus. What do you hold to as your basis of faith and teaching of Jesus in your life?

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John JoAnn Why do you get angry when you are questioned about what you believe? I believe anyone who professes to be a Christian should be overjoyed to talk about their faith and not be offended.
Andy JoAnn you find in them a God that looks like you, instead of a God that looks like Jesus. its ok...there are many 'Christians' (and i use that word loosely for people like yourself) who really only worship themselves.

How would you discern the words of JoAnn? Would you believe she is a Christian? Would you believe she thinks she is a Christian and is not?

John

Modern Day good samaritan

2019-02-08T19:14:00.000-05:00

If Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan to a church in 2018, it might be called something like: The Super Helpful Immigrant. The Invaluable Muslim. The Kinder-Than-You Refugee. The Holy Atheist. The Fab Five.

(https://twitter.com/alex_hencinski/status/1043228212250247168)

Except in this story, it wasn't a pharisee. It was a priest, and then a levite. The (equivalent of) clergy and the lay leadership. The story is literally about a religious outsider aiding someone while the leaders of the church community neglected him

When activism redefines words

2018-12-12T13:01:00.006-05:00

Through the ages words come and go. Some stay but go through a redefining of itself and then may eventually disappearing in favor of a better word. We see this often in old English an it becomes very hard to read and even if you slow down some words make no sense in the sentence structure.

In today's society words are not just coming and going but are literally being hijacked in order for them to mean something that they actually do not mean but are pushed by 2 areas of society in order to make them work. Make them stick. University and media.

One such word is the word

Phobia or Phobic

What is the definition of this word(s)

Cambridge dictionary says:

Phobia

an extreme fear of a particular thing or situation, esp. one that does not have a reasonable explanation

Oxford dictionary says:

a strong unreasonable fear of something

Here is a list of common phobia's

https://www.healthline.com/health/list-of-phobias#common-fears

acrophobia, fear of heights
aerophobia, fear of flying
arachnophobia, fear of spiders
astraphobia, fear of thunder and lightning
autophobia, fear of being alone
claustrophobia, fear of confined or crowded spaces
hemophobia, fear of blood
hydrophobia, fear of water
ophidiophobia, fear of snakes
zoophobia, fear of animals

In today's society there are 2 words that have been redefined to mean something else and even the definition has been altered to make it fit.

Islamaphobia. If we were to define this in the traditional sense it should be defined as an irrational fear of Islam. Maybe a fear that goes beyond explanation. But how have activists redefined this word?

Oxford dictionary -

Dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force.

Cambridge dictionary -

feeling or connected with unreasonable dislike or fear of Muslims or Islam:

Why is irrational missing from these definitions? So if I simply don't really like Islam I am considered Islamaphobic? If you don't like vegetables do you have a phobia to vegetables?

Homophobia if we defined it it should read an irrational fear of homosexuality. It would be more than a general dislike of it. It should be a fear or irrational fear of it.

Oxford dictionary

Having or showing a dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people.

Cambridge dictionary

a person who has an extreme fear or dislike of gay people

Cambridge gets the definition closer while Oxford fails. But what about those who do not agree with homosexuality but don't hate that person? Today those people are considered homophobic.

Media and University help promote these defintions as a result of the push of activists.

Do you agree with me?

Do you disagree with me?

Give me a comment and let me know why.

John

My first colonoscopy

2018-11-18T17:08:00.003-05:00

I had my first colonoscopy just a few days ago I want to share the experience for those who have never had one. Up until this time I have only been in the hospital 1 time and that was over night for something stupid I did. It was related to my blood pressure being very high.

I got a colonoscopy as a result of having issues with some constipation that I noticed had been building up for the past 2 months. I would have it for a few days and then a release but then in the past 2-3 weeks my belly began to swell causing my pants to get real tight. I began using ducalax which did help but I don't want to keep using that. I also began to use some mira lax. That did help but it takes longer.

A Friday came and I decided to call the doc's office to get an appt. This Doc's nurse called back and ask if I could come in now and I could see the P.A. so I did. The P.A. arranged for a blood sample to be taken and a catscan. That meant I would be there for about 2 hours. oh boy! I drank a fluid with a orange flavor for 90 minutes. I was called in and asked to disrobe and put on some patient gear. Then I drank a small cup of something with some sprite in it and an I.V. was put in the bend of my elbow. I went to lie down on the catscan bed and my I.V. hooked up to a tub to inject another fluid into me. That lasted about 5 minutes. About 4 pass through's of the catscan. I went home and shortly after being home I was phoned by the P.A. and said everything looked normal so my name was passed on to a gastrointestinal doctor.

I was called by the gastro doctor's office on a Tuesday and went in the following Monday.. Dr Rivera is who I saw but the visit with him lasted about 3 minutes? I found that odd. I told him I had constipation and detailed what I was experiencing. All he did after that was listen to my lungs and then tell me he would give me a prescription to help with this. In the meantime he was going to do a roto rooter because I am 49 and it is time to do that. He then tells me to stay there and his nurse will come in..................so the nurse came in and I talked with her for a minute and then sat in another area awaiting for an appt for the colonoscopy. I sat there for 15 minutes.. I got the appt set up and was told that I would drink magnesium citrate. 30 minutes later I would take mira lax and mix it with something like gatorade but not blue or red colors. The directions said to put the mirax lax into a large container of gatorade in the morning and let it sit all day. So then I would drink 8oz of that every 30 minutes after the citrate. It wold take me 4 hours to finish. . After the last 8oz I finish it by taking 3 ducalax pills. It was about 3 hours before I began to go to the bathroom. The whole experience was not as bad as I thought it would be. All I had to drink or eat the day before was chicken broth and that was a half cup. I wasn't hungry the whole day.

My procedure was at 12pm but I had to be there at 10:30am. I felt weird because I am usually taking my wife to surgery centers for outpatient and now it is me but my mom took me to this one. Once I was checked it and gave my co payment I was given a wrist band and a pager for my mom. Then I waited some 45 minutes to be called. Then it got surreal because the more this went on the more I felt it was surreal.

I signed twice on a paper and was given a gown to change into. 2 gowns actually and then I laid down on a bed. Heart is pumping fast. I was given an IV on my right arm and asked some questions. I made sure to tell the nurses that there are 2 cases of colon cancer in my family so a nurse noted that in the computer. I saw 3 nurses and 1 anathesiologist. I had about 10 minutes to myself before it was my turn. I had a weird fear that the injection would not put me to sleep so my heart pumped a bit hard about that. I was also dyhydrated and so I had a minor headache going on.
I was taken to what I call 'Ground Zero'. Saw 1 big HD tv screens. I moved over to be on my left side and a nurse adjusted my pillow and asked if that was ok. Yes............then another nurse injected a white liquid into my I.V. without saying anything to me. Suddenly the walls and everything because to slowly vibrate. That was just weird and then lights out. I was OUT. it wasn't a slowly going to sleep. It was immediate! I then woke up on my back where I started on the bed. I immediately looked at the clock to see what time it was. I probably had been there about 5 minutes. The procedure was 20 minutes. Then I laughed out loud because I thought of my wife. She has had a number of cortisol shots in her back and afterward she likes to sleep. I thought this is the point where she would keep her eyes closed and just sleep. Well, the walls still have a vibrate to them but it was getting less and less. I did not dream of anything and I have no memory of the procedure itself. The sleep felt as if it were mere seconds. Just like the snap of the finger I was out and then I woke up.

I have only one negative out of this experience. I had told several nurses that my mom is in the waiting room and would like to come in when possible BUT she also had my 4 year old nephew. They usually don't allow kids in that area. A nurse went to get her and didn't realize she had a kid. As a result my mom was not allowed to be back there but a minute before being asked to get her car. I found that a bit ridiculous that they didn't know she had a kid. Really?

A nurse helped get my dressed and walked me out to the care. No wheel chair involved which is weird. You do feel a bit woozy. Almost like feeling slightly dizzy but it passed about another 30 minutes later.

The doctor told me everything was good. no polips were found. I was given a paper that had images of my colon in it and from what I see everything did look good. My guess is that I won't have to go for 5-10 years now?

Now, what about the original intent of this colonoscopy? Why the constipation? That was not answered but I looked at the prescription that the doctor gave me. I never went through with getting it because of the price. Mom looked up information on it and came across and article about how the brain and the bowels are connected to each other and when trauma happens the brain looks for ways to deal with it. In this case March 2018 my wife asked me for a divorce and from March until the end of July I lost weight and went through all kinds of tears and heart ache and depression. In late July an incident happened to which I turned the tears off. It was a few weeks after this when small bouts of constipation began to develop. Sept 6 my wife ordered a water container so she can drink water at her desk at work. She ordered me one as well and I hoped to use it to flush out my system. I drank the water but the flush didn't happen like I though but the constipation gradually got worse and my belly got more bloated. This led to the colonoscopy.

Here is a quote from an article that I think may be causing the problem but take out the PTSD part of it.

If you've experienced severe emotional or physical trauma in your life, and/or have PTSD as a result of it, you may have noticed that it doesn't just affect your fight-or-flight responses, your likelihood to get flashbacks, or your overall anxiety levels. Trauma, it turns out, can lodge itself in an unexpected bit of the human body: the gut. Our digestive system is tied to our brains and moods on multiple levels, and understanding the nuances of that relationship (and how it can go wrong) is the forefront of neuroscience right now. From microbes to gut nervous systems, trauma can make your gut go absolutely haywire.

Bustle.com

John

Freedom of / or from religion ...........in the media? Spread to us

2018-08-25T08:52:00.001-04:00

The secular and Atheist agenda has grabbed hold of the mindset in America to subtly change what the Constitution of the American from what it says to what it doesn't say and it is done in a very subtle way.

A key point to note here is 'law'. There is nothing about a proclamation or a bias toward religion. This was set up because of the situation happening in England in which all were to be a part of the Church of England if you were not you were to be persecuted and many of the people who came to the states came because of religious persecution. They eventually designed an country that allowed for the freedom of religion without the state telling them what they must believe or else die or be persecuted. Most likely an unwritten rule was that you would believe in God and if you did you were looked down upon but not sentenced to jail because the state could not do such a thing unless you were involved, blatantly in an occult activity such as witchcraft.

There was a time when bibles were read in school and kids prayed but then someone complained and it went to court and based on the above text it was ruled unconstitutional to have it in schools because it was thought that the state was promoting religion. Big no no said the judge and prayer and bible reading was not longer allowed even though there was not law created to promote this.

Soon we see various groups pop up to further promote what was supposed to be separate of church and state and freedom of religion but it is quickly turning into 'freedom from religion' There is even a foundation set up by this very name and even some of them claim to be Christians.

The media has been steadily giving us a very subtle diet of the anti God and anti religion preaching and it is so subtle that no very many people notice it. It is a sleight of hand trick and many of us are being lulled to sleep over it. We are being hypnotized not to notice it so it is more acceptable even though the Constitution says no such thing. Even morality itself because a type of 'what is right for me is not right for you'. If that were to be true then no one could tell another person they are doing wrong because our morality is different according to the individual............thank you tolerance?

The above sign is an example of where and how alot of this began. People hating Christianity because they think they are being forced to accept it, to believe it and so they show it in a visible demonstration. Some of these people probably had been abused in some churches and are funneling that pain into parades like this. Whatever the case this became the hate parade because their hearts did not like the message of the Christian faith but they probably also did not like what churches were doing either.........such as abuse and so they threw out the baby with the bathwater. Their hearts became hardened and they began to do what is 'right' in their own eyes but these demonstrates reveal the anger and hostility within them Toward God and the church.

But then 'TOLERANCE' began to show up and many people didn't care what you believed as long as you didn't hurt anyone. We would respect your religion just don't push it on me. Over time this developed and spread into other areas of social life such as gender and sex and the mantra became the poster below.

Preach this message long enough and people will begin to believe it and sooner or later you will find that there is no 'right' or 'moral' avenue to live by. Essentially as long as you are nice and are not hurting anyone it is all the same and yet how do you know you are not hurting anyone by doing something that used to be considered wrong? Ignorance can take an individual a long way before they are destroyed.

This brings me the media. Both tv and radio. Newspapers promote this idea. They have shifted their emphasis to be tolerant to all religions while being careful not to promote any religion BUT at the same time will defend a religion when another religion makes an accusation against it.

Islam has made a foothold in American and their motto is that they are a religion of peace. As a result of this the media catches this because remember their motto above? So the Muslim put their best foot forward and as they do the media give them the 5 star treatment. While that happens read up on what Muslims do in their families and what their culture is all about. Islam is a culture. In America these things are done behind closed doors because it would break the motto above. Muslims have to keep American's believing they are a religion of peace.

Why Tolerance is Condenscending

'Tolerance is the way you talk to a child'

Through out this shifting I have noticed that when tv and even radio talk shows talk anything about religion and God they speak as if they are agnostic or Athiest. Some of them even push away the bible as if to distance themselves from it. It is a myth. Fairy tales. Written by men. Written and rewritten so it has got to be wrong eventually. It is archiac. It isn't relevant to our modern age. The excuses grow longer and longer. It seems many of them distance themselves to be neutral so as not to cause controversy because if they are seen supporting or believing a particular religion or moral belief they will be barked down. Shouted down. Fingers pointed at them and accused of promoting a religion and that will not be tolerated. What will be tolerated is acceptance of all without promotion of any unless one of them attacks such as Islam to make someone cry uncle...... notice how America has bowed down to Islam in many ways trying to make friends with them because it is thought make friends with your enemy so he will not destroy you. 9/11 is a reason why and yet if someone brings up these facts that those bombers were Muslims some talk shows will bring up someone like Timothy McVey who claimed to be Christian and blew up a bomb in Oklahoma City killing many people. He was a fringe person and probably not Christian at all but because he said he was media run with it because it balances the tolerance bug with Islam and diverts the conversation. Remember, the name of the game is tolerance and if you show partiality to a particular religion you will be shouted down. Tolerance is expected but intolerance will be shown.

The name of the game here is offense and that leads to lawsuits. No one wants to be sued. It creates a bad reputation and costs alot of money. Yet it is also a pulpit to bully the lesser person and is also used to strong arm a person, group, or company into submission because someone is offended. It does not matter if the person who is offended is in the minority. The minority becomes the majority all in the name of tolerance and in this case freedom from and of religion.

There is a particular radio station I listen to in the mornings and sometimes in the afternoon. The shows display this alot. This is in the Tampa Bay area. They are very quick to support what has been said already earlier in this blog. I often wonder if these talking heads are Atheists and agnostics in reality or if they do have a belief but will not voice it because of the intolerance that would happen at their station or even the intolerance which would happen by the callers that would call in and take them to task. Then soon a lawyer would have to come in and do clean up control.

Where do you draw the line on tolerance and religious practice? His words echo what we see in media and the practice of tolerance and moral ambiguity.

Religion is a hot topic and so many times media doesn't want to touch it and yet it is an important segment of society. The problem is that tolerance is so ingrained in society that when someone is intolerant of something those who preach tolerance become intolerant and will bully anyone in the name of tolerance.

Why does religious freedom matter?

Listen to any talk radio or any music radio which has alot of talk in between songs especially in the morning. Pay attention when the conversation turns to God or religion or some kind of moral attribute. Pay attention to what is given tolerance and what is given intolerance and ask yourself what is the reason for the response to the given subject?

Practice tolerance PSA

America has become the landed of the offended and as a result individuals and groups will sue those who offend them for the chance of having the offense taken away from them because the excuse is 'You are pushing them on me'. Commercials push things upon people. Why are commercials not offensive enough?

This is what media has helped construct to society when it comes to tolerance. There is no education on the subject. Just be tolerant to each other and only look for the good things they have in common. That is not education. The media is there to give some education and inform us of things. Tolerance doesn't do such a thing.

Necessity of religious tolerance...........video shows how tolerance causes immaturity thinking because it is all about the reactionary and that is how media teach us, the public, to react whenever religion and God is brought into the public discussion. WE WANT TO RUN AWAY.

The subtle message in America is not Freedom of religion. It has become the freedom from religion. If you have religious faith of any kind please keep it to yourself. Don't push or 'force' it on anyway because then you will show your intolerance and we live in a tolerance generation. That is the commercial being played in the media of any form and as a result it is transforming culture. We cannot think for ourselves. We are molded into their image. Into their constructive of what they want us to believe and the incubator of all of this comes from the university level of education. Marxism introduced this into the university and has subtly pushed it into the market place to spread like a Godless virus..............faith in God takes a distant back seat.

This video puts together alot of 'facts' as to what America has become because of what is presented in this video. Do you agree or disagree?

Below is a list of places where engravings of scripture are found in the national monuments of America...................so when will these be sandblasted out? After all they support a religion right?

https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/the-bible-in-americas-memorials.php

U.S. Capitol Building. Many of the eight large paintings in the rotunda depict America’s Christian heritage, including the baptism of the Indian princess Pocahontas and the Virginia charter. One painting depicts Pilgrim leader William Brewster holding an open Bible inscribed with the words, “The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The chapel of the House of Representatives contains an open Bible on an altar in front of a stained glass window depicting George Washington in prayer and the words, “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1). Behind the Speaker’s rostrum in the House of Representatives are the words of the national motto, “In God We Trust.” This refers to the God of the Bible.
The White House. The Adams Prayer Mantel was installed in 1945 by Franklin D. Roosevelt and contains a prayer by John Adams, second president of the United States. “I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all those that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.”
Library of Congress. The Library of Congress was completed in 1897 and was named the Thomas Jefferson Building. On the walls are inscribed the following verses: “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (John 1:5); “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7); “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8); “The heavens declare the Glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). On permanent display are two Latin Bibles. The Bible was the first book that was printed on a printing press and is the most popular and widely distributed book in human history. One of the Bibles on display at the Library of Congress is an original Gutenberg Bible of 1453, the first printed Bible. Of the 21 complete surviving copies, England and America own 12 of them. The other Bible on display is the Great Bible of Mainz. It was handwritten and dates to 1453. Thus it was completed at the same time that Gutenberg was printing his Bible and is one of the last handwritten Bibles. The Great Bible and the Gutenberg Bible were not only produced at the same time, but also in the same town in Germany. The Mainz Bible represents the countless Bibles that were laboriously handwritten for a millennium and a half, from the time of the apostles until the invention of printing in 1454. The Library of Congress also has a statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments and a statue of Paul. Above the Paul statue is the Micah 6:8 inscription.
Supreme Court Building. Above the main entrance are the words “Equal Justice under Law.” It is only in Scripture that we find a truly just and equal concept of law. Men were not treated equally under Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Indian, Mayan, or Chinese law. The concept of equality does not come from Hinduism or Buddhism or Islam or ancient pagan idolatry. Consider Hammurabi’s law code, which was published by the king of Babylon in about 1780 BC. It is one of the most famous law codes of the ancient pagan world, supposedly received from Hammurabi’s sun god Shamash. But Hammurabi’s laws were not just and equal. Penalties differed according to the social standing of the victim and perpetrator. In contrast, God’s law says. “Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it” (Deuteronomy 1:17). In front of the Supreme Court building is a statue called “The Authority of Law.” The solemn figure is alert and watchful, signifying the necessity for government to enforce law and order. The figure holds a law book and has a sword, signifying punishment of evildoers. This is the concept presented in Romans 13:4, “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Lady Justice holds a scale, meaning that law must be equal, just, true, and honest. She holds a sword, signifying punishment of evil doing. Lady Justice is based on the Roman goddess Justice and the Greek goddess Themis, but the concept of perfect justice goes back to the God of the Bible who is the original holy lawgiver and judge. At the top of the east entrance of the Supreme Court building are images of three lawgivers: Moses of Israel, Confucius of China, and Solon of Greece. Moses is the central and largest figure and holds the tablets of the Ten Commandments. I am not sure what the artist intended, but I can see two important truths in this monument. First, America is not built solely on Scripture, but it is built prominently on Scripture. Second, The centrality of Moses in the monument reminds us that the teaching of the Chinese and Greeks or other ancient pagan people could never have created America. It is the Bible’s influence on America that has made it so unique and great. On the wooden doors of the main entrance to the courtroom and on the outer bronze doors are images of the Ten Commandments. The Great Hall of the Supreme Court features images of Moses. There is another image of Moses on the outside of the building. He is inscribed between two lamps, signifying the giving of light.
Jefferson Memorial. Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence and America’s third president. The memorial features quotations from Jefferson’s writings. God, Creator, and creation are mentioned at least eight times. For example, from the Declaration of Independence are the words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Washington Monument. It memorializes America’s foremost founding father, George Washington. Like Washington’s writings and speeches, the monument is filled with references to God and the Bible. A Bible is enclosed in a capsule in the monument’s cornerstone. (There was also a Bible in the foundation of the 1815 Baltimore Washington Monument, and it was recovered during restoration work in 2015.) Inscribed on the east face of the 6.25-pound aluminum capstone is Laus Deo (“Praise Be to God”). Many of the 36,000 marble and granite stones are inscribed with Bible verses and references to God, such as the following: “Holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 28:26); “Search the Scriptures” (John 5:39); “The memory of the just is blessed” (Proverbs 10:7); “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). In his address to the governors of the states in 1783, when he resigned as Commander-in-Chief, Washington referred to the “Divine Author of our blessed religion,” obviously testifying to his own Christian faith, and he said that the nation cannot be happy unless it obeys Christ’s example and precepts. Washington founded the custom of American presidents swearing the oath of office on a Bible. When he ended the oath, he kissed the Bible. Washington proclaimed the nation’s first national Thanksgiving day. The goal was to acknowledge “with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
National Archives. There is a bronze emblem of the Ten Commandments on the floor.
Lincoln Memorial. This was built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th President (1861-1865). Lincoln promoted the Thirteenth Amendment that outlawed slavery in America. On the wall of the north chamber are the words, “Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh” (Matthew 18:7); and, “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9).
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This memorial was opened in 1984 and is situated in Judiciary Square, which is the location of five American courts. The memorial contains the names of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, currently standing at more than 20,000. One of the quotations inscribed on the monument is Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lion.” There are also quotes by the pagan Roman leader Tacitus and others. The fact that the Bible is not the only book quoted at the monument reminds us that America is not strictly and only a biblical or Christian nation. There is a strong and unique Biblical influence, but there have been other strong influences even from its inception.
E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House. In front of the building, which was completed in 1952, is a monument depicting freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of press. Freedom of press is signified by a book being printed on a Gutenberg type press. Freedom of speech is signified by a man giving a speech and a crowd listening to him. Freedom of religion is signified by a male worshiper facing a Cross and the Ten Commandments, and a woman praying over her food. The Ten Commandments are inscribed with Hebrew words.
Union Station. The Union railway station in Washington, D.C., was opened in 1907. Though it isn’t a government building, it is an illustration of the Bible’s great influence on American society even in the early 20th century. During World War II, 200,000 people passed through the station every day, and it is still one of America’s busiest stations. Three Bible verses are inscribed above the south entrance, which is the entrance facing the direction of the Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol. The verses are John 8:32, “The truth shall make you free”; Psalm 8:6, “Thou hast put all things under his feet”; and Isaiah 35:1, “The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.”
Daughters of the American Revolution building. A statue of George Washington is inscribed with “Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28).
Federal Hall in New York City. The George Washington statue in front of Federal Hall also features the religious side of the nation’s founder. New York was America’s capital before it moved to Washington D.C., and Washington took the oath of office as president on the balcony of Federal Hall. Near the statue and associated with it is an engraving of Washington in prayer. He is depicted on his knees in the famous prayer scene at Valley Forge when the situation for the fledgling nation was so desperate. Earlier in these studies, we have given the evidence for this prayer scene.

John

Comments from some Lutherans about being a brothers keeper

2018-08-10T13:39:00.001-04:00

I decided to take a post from Facebook and make a blog out of it simply because of the very last post that became an exclamation mark for me and I posted it below

a lot of people have given you good advice only to get a long lecture in return. Read it, consider it, take it or leave it and move on with the information you think was helpful.

The information I have read plays like dodgeball to me. You read the replies and inform me of what I missed for answers to my question.

For those of you who grew up Lutheran. Baptized as an infant and confirmed as a teenager. What is to be said of those who do this but then no longer go to church because in their mind they already got baptized and confirmed so they know they will go to heaven so they will go out and live life and not worry about going to church as they did............This happens in Catholic churches as well................what is to be thought about those types of actions?

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John Rusch I have a supervisor who has told me about her 2 daughters having their first communion. This was Catholic and in N.J. She tells me she believes in God but she doesn't get caught in all that religion stuff. She doesn't go to church and she has told me she doesn't know much about the bible...................... but I suppose she trusts in the baptism, confirmation and communion................I don't get it.

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Jim JarviseJim and 4 others manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Lutheran Debates And Discussions. Going to church is certainly a good thing and should be encouraged, but are you saying that a Christian is not saved if they don't go to church? I one has faith in the Gospel promise given in Baptism and Communion...is that not enough. Just trying to understand your OP.

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John Rusch If a person is baptized and did communion and was confirmed but no longer goes to church because they did their 'thing' and their life shows no repentance, no love for God , etc, I question whether they are born again. But how does the Lutheran view such an individual?

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John Rusch My dad was this in the Lutheran church. He went to church on occasion but was held by porn.....his bible was a gossip magazine and before he died he made statements such as holding up Mary as a Mediator for us as well as Jesus being an angel but h…See More

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Chris Umphress Are you asking if part of the fruit of being saved should be a desire to spend time with other Christians in worship of God?

Lutherans believe it is possible to fall from grace. What is meant by that can vary, I think.

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Jim JarviseJim and 4 others manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Lutheran Debates And Discussions. It depends...sounds a lot like the Prodigal Son to me, but you changed the OP by adding "their life shows no repentance, no love for God". God knows His own and I cannot judge, but we should pray for all of those.

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John Rusch Jim Jarvise I did add that because scripture says we are a new creation in Christ when we are born again. We should be set apart from the world so if we are doing the same things as the world is doing then something is wrong in us...................…See More

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Rick Bridston Your question is unanswerable because we would have to poll all Lutheran pastors. Does Martin Luther and Lutheran theology answer this. Absolutely. Those who show no repentance and faith have fallen from grace. But we are unable to discern this infallibly. Do Lutheran pastors warn about apostasy? I have never heard it, but my exposure is of course limited.

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Benjamin S. Osenbach Baptism and Confirmation don't save anyone from later apostatizing. If they have no desire for Jesus or fellowship with His Church, then they probably weren't really "confirmed" to begin with.

Think of it this way: in Baptism, Jesus jumped in the wate…See More

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John Rusch How do you to talk such a person who will point back to their baptism, and confirmation but yet says they believe in God but if you even try to share some bible with them they push you away and say you are too religious?

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Dan Weaver John Rusch , if they reject God's word, all you can do is let the law break them; and when that happens, and they are remorseful and broken over their sins, be there to share the gospel and welcome them back in.

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John Rusch Dan Weaver I would agree with that and I actually do some of that as well. Have you ever rebuked someone with what I said in my OP? I have but I do it with questions to find out where their heart is and start from there and remind them of what th…See More

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Dan Weaver John Rusch I think you must serve as a witness to the truth of the word--even when that word condemns their actions and beliefs. Aside from that, let the word do its work.

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Benjamin S. Osenbach And in this analogy, Confirmation is you saying "I want to stay in the boat". "I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to be with Jesus". Unfortunately, many people get confirmed as "lip service" to please their parents

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John Rusch Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with that. How does Lutheran deal with those who do such a thing and will remind you of what they did earlier in life?

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Kurt Anderson A person can reject salvation - once saved always saved is not Lutheran.

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John Rusch or can it be that the person was never saved to being with?

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Jim JarviseJim and 4 others manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Lutheran Debates And Discussions. Or can it be that the person had faith, stepped away, and then came back. Thing is only God knows these things, no matter what denomination the person is a member of.

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John Rusch Jim Jarvise well, I did that. I had faith but I walked away from it all for a while and God slowly drew me back.

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Kimberly Holmes Grasmick John Rusch if a person was baptized, he was saved. That is God’s work not the persons. If he rejects it, well...

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John Rusch Kimberly Holmes Grasmick well..............? how do you react to that person? I get the impression that Lutherans won't say anything because I am only seeing explanations of what baptism and communion and confirmation are but it stops right there. I don't see a 'brothers keeper' involved here. I don't see an exhortation of rebuke in any answers. Is that the Lutheran way?

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Kimberly Holmes Grasmick John Rusch i was just responding to the “or can it be that the person was never saved to being with”.

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Kurt Anderson John Rusch brother's keeper is found in the Cain and Abel and I'm not sure what you are intending in your use. The description of Christian fellowship/family is found in Matt 12:48. I don't think I would rebuke a person who has fallen from faith as they are usually in need of the Gospel and not a bludgeoning by the Law.

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John Rusch Kurt Anderson Would you not exhort someone who is fallen from faith? Or would you leave them alone?

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Kurt Anderson surely I would as exhort means an encouragement and a very different defined word than rebuke.

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Kimberly Holmes Grasmick John Rusch I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere with rebuke. That falls right in line with his dislike of church. Take the love route. Tell him about the joy you get in church, hearing the Word, receiving the sacraments, worshipping. I know worship isn’t about our enjoyment, but that comes with maturity. There needs to be a draw and using threats isn’t very appealing.

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Kimberly Holmes Grasmick Jesus also tells us to brush the dust off our feet if we tell the good news but it is not received. It is not your job to bring him back to faith. Your job is to give the good news through the Word and then let the Holy Spirit do his work through this …See More

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John Rusch Kimberly Holmes Grasmick rebuke is a strong word. I don't mean it as in yelling at someone but to exhort them and remind them of what the scriptures say and ask why do they trample the Gospel now when they want to brag about what they did then. It a…See More

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John Rusch Kimberly Holmes Grasmick I agree, not anyone's job to bring someone back to the faith but as a Christian we should want to reach out to that person to find out why and walk with them a bit and if they choose to be left alone so be it..............but do Lutherans do any of that?

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Kimberly Holmes Grasmick John Rusch a lot of people have given you good advice only to get a long lecture in return. Read it, consider it, take it or leave it and move on with the information you think was helpful.

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David Keck I doubt if those who immediately drop out think through it that completely. I think it is more that their parents thought those things important and felt their job was over at that point, or, that at least they got that much done, and the adolescent resistance to church kicked in.

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John Rusch How then would you approach someone with that history but doesn't want to be religious but do their own thing?

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John Rusch My approach is to ask why have they purposely thrown away their baptism and confirmation? It is like you have thrown away Jesus crucifiction because you want to live in sin and forget about Jesus but hope he saves you anyway. That is not the mark of someone who has been born again..............that is my response. How would a Lutheran respond?

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David Keck John Rusch

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David Keck John Rusch I don't think Jesus said "Just do your own thing." But, in response to your question directly, I would point out that people that "do their own thing" usually do little or nothing in terms of daily prayer, corporate worship, communion (you…See More

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John Rusch David Keck but what you are also saying to me in answer to my question is that you would not say anything to that person. You would just let them alone.

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David Keck What person? If the confirmand, I am NOT saying that. And what is the situation in which you would say anything to them? If they ask your advice? Then certainly.

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John Rusch David Keck Any person, particularly those who no longer go to church, say they don't want to be with hypocrites, live in blatant sin and have no heart or eye for anything of God but speak evil of the church and the body of Christ but yet will tell you they were infant baptized and confirmed in the church.

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A Lutherans dilemma of being a brothers keeper

2018-08-10T13:10:00.003-04:00

I grew up in the Lutheran faith. I was baptized as an infant but I was never confirmed nor did I have have a first communion. I am not sure if that exists in Lutheran circles like it does in Roman Catholic circles

I became a believer when I was 20. Lutherans tell me to look back to my baptism because it saves. Well, I don't agree with that. My salvation came as a result of a man who shared with me some scriptures from the book of Romans, in the bible. He talked to me about sin and the wages of it and explained me to me 'wages' are with a question and answer session. After 30 minutes he helped me pray for repentance and to believe in Jesus for my salvation. I felt nothing after that so I went home and a few days later I opened up a big bible and the words came alive within me. I knew I was born again and my sins were forgiven because I began changing on the inside and scripture confirms that if any man be in Christ he is a new creation. I didn't lean on my infant baptism for my salvation. It really didn't mean anything to me but it also didn't seem to affect my life in a positive way. I had a distant view of any belief in God. I didn't bother with God.

In the last few years I have been revisiting my Lutheran roots because I have become aware that many of the evangelical churches today preach nothing but trash in their messages. So I decided to give a listen to some Lutheran messages and I liked what I heard and wondered why I never remembered hearing such things when I was a kid. I never made noise. I was quiet just waiting for the message to be over so I could go home and get out of my suit and tie.........clip on tie with vest........ I hated it and to this day I refuse to wear a suit and tie.

Along this revisitation pops up infant baptism AGAIN!

First Communion (just a random picture)

Along this road there is a question I have been asking Lutheran and I am asking 'how do you respond to this?'
Here is the scenario and it applies to Lutherans and Roman Catholics.

Take the average Lutheran or Catholic and talk to them about their faith. They will tell you they were baptized as an infant. They were confirmed. They had their first communion. They may tell you that they kids have done the same thing but if you talk to them about the bible they want nothing to do with it. They believe in God but they don't get into that religious stuff. In essence they want to live their life doing whatever makes them happy and they really don't have time to be all religious plus religious people are hypocrites. They don't want to be around those hypocrites. Some of them may tell you that back in the day the priest or pastor was very good friends with their family and their family did alot for the church.

So what does a Lutheran say to such a person?

I noticed the common response is to say that baptism is God's Work and so is communion and a person can walk away from their faith. What I don't hear is the brothers keeper responsibility. To me it is a telling thing that Lutheran won't respond to such a thing because maybe it is the job of the priest/pastor to do that?

Well, we have a dilemma because if a Lutheran won't rebuke another Lutheran for their lifestyle then they are not becoming their brother's keeper but I have to ask why do Lutherans not do this? I assume they don't because so far I have not meet one Lutheran, in person or in social media, who has answered that part of my question which leads me to believe that they don't do it or won't do it. Hence I tend to think there are many unconverted sinners in both camps. Thinking they have salvation when they really don't as well as those who think that they can take the grace of God and put it to an open shame by carrying on with their lives with no regard for God..........because they don't want to be religious.

A startling answer to this question was from someone on Facebook who gave me the following:

Your question is unanswerable because we would have to poll all Lutheran pastors. Does Martin Luther and Lutheran theology answer this. Absolutely. Those who show no repentance and faith have fallen from grace. But we are unable to discern this infallibly. Do Lutheran pastors warn about apostasy? I have never heard it, but my exposure is of course limited.

What I think is really happening here is that Lutherans don't want to judge. They want to leave that person up to God yet in the bible there is exhortation for being our brothers keeper. For even judging yourself to see if you are in the faith because many fall away. Does this mean that Lutherans will allow people to fall away into a cult before they might say something? I certainly hope the answer is NO to that but it seems that they may not try to exhort and/or rebuke someone for not living according to their baptismal statement.

Something like this do not compel me to become a member of the Lutheran church. I smell too much Laodecian church in it from the answers I have been given. That may be a strong rebuke from me but that is how I feel about this issue. If the church is the church we are to love, rebuke and teach. Love and teach is there but the rebuke part.......... has had its teeth pulls out and is nothing but gums?

Another person shares these comments with me:

brother's keeper is found in the Cain and Abel and I'm not sure what you are intending in your use. The description of Christian fellowship/family is found in Matt 12:48. I don't think I would rebuke a person who has fallen from faith as they are usually in need of the Gospel and not a bludgeoning by the Law.

but then follows up with this comment which was refreshing but I stay with a raised eyebrow

surely I would as exhort means an encouragement and a very different defined word than rebuke.

Maybe it is the lingo that I use? Wrong lingo or maybe too in your face with words? All in all I see a lack of something going on that I don't like. I also think it is a compelling reason why you probably have never had Lutheran witness to you about the Gospel outside of church. And with Catholic you most likely have heard of Catholics talk about their experience but never heard the Gospel from them at all.

I find it frightening!

So I end with this exhortation from scripture.

John

Am I wrong in this blog? Let me know. Share your comments with me please

And if you would like to see the Facebook thread on this issue I posted it on another blog article. See what you think.

see a thread that somewhat helped me with this blog as far as answers or non answer. Click this link

Jehovah's Witnesses outside the courhouse

2018-06-01T20:10:00.000-04:00

Jehovah's Witnesses outside the courhouse.

This picture only represents what I encountered. The magazine rack was there but the 2 ladies were about 5 yards away in chairs under the trees in the shade while this rack was out by the sidewalk. The picture is only for the visual purpose.

On the way to the county court I happened to cross 2 older black ladies. I saw them from a distance and wondered why they were hanging out in a very small park just outside the courthouse. I walked past them and said hello and noticed that one of them had a JW dot org pin on their blouse like the picture you see below. I felt a rush when I realized who they are and what they were doing so I decided I wanted to talk to them on the way back so I brainstormed which direction I wanted to go with the conversation. Something that would be effective to just put a little question in their minds.

On the way back I stopped to talk to these ladies because when it comes to Jehovah's Witness I like to know how they became a Jehovah's Witness. A person would be surprised at their back stories. I find there is just about as much to learn on that is there is in knowing what it is that they people believe and are taught.

I came up to them and said hello and told them I had 2 questions for them. First question was how did they become a Jehovah's Witness. The lady on the left told me she has been one for 52 years. I asked if she was 52 years old. She said 62. She told me that her sister had invited the Jehovah's Witnesses to their house and in the process of that 'bible' study she said she became a Jehovah's Witness and has been one every since. The lady on the right told me that she has been one for 15 years. She said that there was a lady at work who would constantly give her scripture to rebuke her whenever she said bad language or just acted badly. She got angry thinking 'You are not my mom how dare you try to reprove me' type of attitude. She said that she eventually took these scriptures to heart and over time began talking to this lady about them and this lady was a Jehovah's Witness. She said that she then went to the Kingdom Hall at 10:30am for 30 minutes and then went to her church after that. She did those actions of going to both groups and in time stopped going to her church and got involved with the Jehovah's Witnesses............. I asked both of them what affiliation they were, if any, before becoming a Jehovah's Witness. Both said Baptist. Personally I have been finding that in the Jehovah Witnesses that I meet, who have a church background, have been Catholic or Baptist. I have not met any from other church backgrounds, yet, but I am sure there are some?

The second question I asked what a heavier one . A simple question that Jehovah's Witness will not answer based on the context................... I stated that as Jehovah's Witnesses I understand that the core of their message deals with paradise earth and I asked them if they agreed with that. They said yes that is true. So I asked them to read to me 1 cor 15:1+4.. They had both their silver sword bible and ipad and they initially used their ipad first so I joked with them how technology seems to make everything so much quicker...............Here is how these reads in their bible which is called 'The New World Translation'

"Now I remind you, brothers, of the good news that I declared to you,a which you also accepted, and for which you have taken your stand. 2  Through it you are also being saved if you hold firmly to the good news I declared to you, unless you became believers for nothing.3  For among the first things I handed on to you was what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;b 4  and that he was buried,c yes, that he was raised upd on the third dayeaccording to the Scriptures;f "

I asked them what is Paul talking about here. The lady on the left tells me it is talking about the kingdom and paradise Earth. So I asked her to explain that to me since there is nothing in that passage that says anything about paradise Earth. She then goes to Matthew 24:14 which says
"14  And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations,q and then the end will come."

To read the greater context see the following link.
Book of Matthew 24 KJV.

Question to the reader, what is this good news of the Kingdom that will be preached? Is it something other than the Resurrection and forgiveness of sins?

I then asked her why does she go to that verse when what I asked her to read says nothing about the kingdom of paradise Earth. She then tells me that this is what Jesus said........ then asked if I were lifting Paul above Jesus? Paul's message is only a part of the entire message. So then I said that Paul's message would not contradict Jesus' message at all since Paul did say he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ but no where in Paul's writings does he talk about the kingdom on Earth as in Paradise Earth. To that she continued to ask me if I were lifting up Paul over Jesus. I told her that I am pointing to what Paul preached and not Paul himself and that Paul wrote nothing about paradise Earth did he? Then I shot to my other scripture I wanted them to read. Galatians 1:6-8 NWT

6  I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away*from the One who called you with Christ’s undeserved kindness to another sort of good news.f 7  Not that there is another good news; but there are certain ones who are causing you troubleg and wanting to distort the good news about the Christ. 8  However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.:

So with this I simply asked them why is it that as Jehovah's Witness they told to spread the message of the kingdom and it being Paradise Earth when Paul preached a different message and even gives this warning to those who don't. It is a very simple question but to the mind of the Jehovah's Witness it becomes a wall and they have a knee jerk reaction to such a thing because in their teaching and their world the focus is on paradise Earth. The lady reverted back to Jesus and what he said about the kingdom. I told them that the message should be about his resurrection from the dead and the forgiveness of sins and not about paradise Earth. Again I was asked if I was lifting up Paul over Jesus. I said I was focused on what Paul preached because if Paul preached a different message than he could not be an Apostle of Jesus as he claimed and he would not be preaching the truth and his warning that he gave would be a false warning.( do you see how the conversation goes in circles? ) I also asked them if Jesus message was all about the coming kingdom. They pointed me to the sermon on the mount and then to some things from the psalms. Well, these are what are known as rabbit trails which is designed  to get the conversation off the main point so they can make spaghetti out of the conversation and get me into their spider web of false doctrine and off of my main point............I allowed them to make their points and came back to my original points.

The lady then talked about them believing Jesus rose from the dead but in spirit and I made her say this 3 times by asking her to repeat it and then asked follow up questions. She said Jesus died and rose in spirit and did not come back in the flesh because the flesh is corrupt and the bible says flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven. I asked her where do the scriptures say such a thing. She didn't answer that. She went on to say that Jesus took on a body in order that the disciples could touch him but then remained in spirit to go to heaven. I asked her where does the bible say he took on another body. She would not answer.

With that thought in mind I asked both of them what is the definition of resurrection. This is very, very important because they have a different definition than what the dictionary has on resurrection and what actually happened to Jesus. They told me that resurrection is dying and raising up as a spirit and in Jesus case he took upon Himself a different body for a short times. His old body went to dust.... ask yourself if that is what the bible says and how would you refute that?

I asked them what is the definition of reincarnation? The other lady says when you die and you come back as something else. I said right whether it be another human body or animal or whatever you can name. I told them that according to what they have stated to me their teaching of resurrection is more a definition of reincarnation. They objected to this. I told them to think about it like this. Jesus died and rose in spirit............. in order for it to be a resurrection He had to have risen and taken up His original body but you have told me that that body went to dust and He took up different body for a temporary use. That doesn't fit the definition of resurrection but it does fit reincarnation because it means a different physical body was used. They didn't like that at all and objected. I asked them to think about those definitions before they simply cast them off. I was amused and sad because when a person steps back to think about their answer it shows the level of indoctrination to the extent that they do not understand resurrection vs reincarnation and that Jesus resurrection is actually reincarnation to them.

So I ended the conversation by asking them if they are here all the time. They said only on Friday's. There is someone there on Monday's and a Spanish couple on Wednesday's. I thanked them for the conversation. They asked me my name and I shook their hands and I was on my way. My wife sat in the background. I asked her if she heard any of the conversation. She said no only that she heard 'Paul' mentioned several times.

What did I learn from this conversation?

I was fascinated that even in a baptist church they were lured away by the Jehovah's Witnesses so I ask the question how and why did that happen? Is it because the baptists don't study the bible enough or don't do discipleship enough? I tend to believe that because the Jehovah's Witness do a lot of copy and paste/ taking scriptures out of context to develop a new narrative that it is a reason why people are lured away into their group. They are also not allowed to think for themselves and ask too many questions without having suspicion heaped upon themselves. It is a form of communism. One can make a very good story but cutting and pasting scripture to develop a new narrative. Imagine wiping hell away by copy and paste. Their organization does this and individuals are attracted to it. After all why would go send anyone to hell and yet Jesus talked about hell and He also took our sins to the cross so why was that so important if hell doesn't exist?

It was also reinforced to me that unless I am dedicated to sticking to one topic they will go to other scriptures to 'prove' what they teach regardless of whether it should be in the forefront and not the background. Paradise Earth in the forefront while resurrection of Jesus and forgiveness of sins in the background..........they will take a person on a merry go round of scriptures and if a person plays their game the conversation will be derailed very fast.

I also learned where I am patient and where I am impatient in this conversation. I can tell it when I ask the questions vs telling them facts and if I find myself raising my voice. I never want to raise my voice with them because it will cause them to put up their walls and not listen to what you are saying but instead robotically think about what they were taught.

I often remind myself that it is not my job to convert anyone. It is the job of the Holy Spirit. My job is to ask questions and bring to the forefront the Gospel which is not the kingdom but the resurrection of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins which leads to the Kingdom. With Jehovah's Witnesses conversations can be frustrating and some people would say why bother............well why not bother because there are former Jehovah's Witness who came out because of a question that was asked of them or something was said to them that they took with them and in time they came out. A person never knows what they are thinking and in this scenario I never know what those 2 ladies are thinking.

Lastly, those ladies have been JW's for 52 years and 15 years so they would be well schooled with Watchtower literature. It would mean I am overmatched in 'argument' but I stick to the basics of the Gospel, stay there, and be friendly we never know what things could happen. Be steadfast and just chip away with them.

John

What is important in life?

2018-05-19T16:17:00.001-04:00

This is a song by the band 'Shinedown' called 'How did you love'. When I first heard it I didn't like it because it seemed to commercial sounding and there was also a lyric in it that I questioned because I was not sure what the bands intent was. The lyric is this.....

It's not what you believe those prayers will make you bleedBut while you're on your kneesHow did you love, how did you love, how did you love?

The part that is said about 'prayers' is what I questioned. What is their intent with that because it could be said that prayer doesn't do anything because it is all about love and while love is important prayer is also important.

In any case this song grabbed special intention in my heart because about the time I began to grab hold of it my mother n law was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She lived with me and my wife for a year when this happened. She had a coughing spell and then that coughing turned into blood and as a result I took her to express care where an x ray was done which showed a fist sized tumor. A catscan was performed after that which confirmed a tumor. After that we got introduced to Oncology for the next 6 weeks.

I had been getting close to my mother n law even before this time. She also told me that when I came home from work I brightened up the room. She and her daughter did not get alone and so I was somewhat of a stand in there. We hugged and danced and did silly things.

She left to go to her oldest daughters house in another state. That sister n law and her husband are both nurses and we figured it was a better living environment because of the cancer. When she became bedridden and I was able to come visit her we hugged for more than just moments. It was several minutes. I found myself laying my head on her chest. Even the last night she was alive I did this same thing.

This song causes me to reflect on our lives in general and how our lives are so short even if we live to be 80 years old. In the meantime it is also so important to love each other even when it is family. Life is to short to be angry with another one. Often times those angry moments are over petty things. My wife and her mom may have reconciled in their own way. It is hard to tell but I know that her and I had a special bond. She even texted that to her youngest daughter who lived in the Philippines. To this day I miss her because 'How did you love' is so meaningful when I think of our relationship.

Never let anger get the best of you and always looks for ways to forgive or to reconcile that anger with peace and love so that it doesn't destroy your heart and your family. Love can conquer the mightiest of trails that would beset any family.

John

The Saga of Isaiah 9:6 and various bible translations

2017-12-10T16:49:00.000-05:00

The Saga of Isaiah 9:6 and various bible translations

Today, Sunday Dec 10, 2017 was a peculiar day for me in church. Isaiah 9:6 was the topic of the sermon and the pastor said he was going to read from the 'Authorized' version. That means the KJV. They usually use the ESV. This is in a Presbyterian church. The Lutheran church also uses this version as well.

Over the years there has been fire when 'new' versions of the bible comes out and that fire often revolves around taking out certain scriptures because they were not in the original manuscript to changing certain words to something more modern so maybe it is more understandable. In other cases the sentence is changed and it can mean something very different. With this entry I simply look at Isaiah 9:6 to see what is going on and what are the other versions saying as well.

Below is how the verse reads in the KJV

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Passage looks awesome and harmless but lets pull in the ESV to see what it wants to tell us.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This looks like a mirror image BUT look closer.................. compare the punctuation within 'Wonderful Counselor'. Should there be 2 adjectives here or 1 adjective? Pastor pulled in scripture that reference how Wonderful God is to make the point that the 'Authorized' version has it correct.

Lets see what other versions say about this.

New International Version
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

New American Standard Bible
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

American Standard Version
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

Some commentary in reference to this.

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/isaiah/9-6.htm

Wonderful, Counseller] Since each of the other names is compounded of two words, these expressions are also to be taken together as forming a single designation—Wonder-Counseller. The construction is either construct followed by genitive—“a wonder of a Counseller” (cf. Genesis 16:12), or acc. governed by participle—“one who counsels wonderful things.” Cf. “wonderful in counsel” (of Jehovah) in ch. Isaiah 28:29. On counsel as the function of a king, see Micah 4:9.

https://www.studylight.org/commentary/isaiah/9-6.html

Wonderful - פלא pele' This word is derived from the verb פלא pâlâ' to separate, to distinguish, or to make great. It is applied usually to anything that is great or wonderful, as a miracle; Exodus 15:2; Lamentations 1:9; Daniel 12:6. It is applied here to denote the unusual and remarkable assemblage of qualities that distinguished the Messiah. Those are specified more particularly in the other part of the verse; such an assemblage of quailties as to make proper the names Mighty God, etc. ‹The proper idea of the word,‘ says Hengstenberg, ‹is miraculous. It imports that the personage here referred to, in his being and in his works, will be exalted above the ordinary course of nature, and that his whole manifestation will be a miracle.‘ Yet it seems to me, that the proper idea of the word is not that of miraculous. It is rather that which is separated from the ordinary course of events, and which is suited to excite amazement, wonder, and admiration, whether it be miraculous or not.

This will be apparent if the following places are examined, where the word occurs in various forms. It is rendered marvelous, Psalm 118:23; Psalm 139:14; Psalm 98:1; Job 5:9; wonderful, 2 Samuel 1:26; Psalm 139:14; Proverbs 30:18; Job 42:3; Psalm 72:18; Psalm 86:10; hidden, Deuteronomy 30:2; things too high,Psalm 131:1; miracles, Judges 6:13; Exodus 15:2; Psalm 77:14; Psalm 88:10; Psalm 89:5; the word is translated wonders, in the sense of miracles, in several places; and hard, Deuteronomy 17:8; Jeremiah 32:17. From these passages, it is clear that it may denote that which is miraculous, but that this idea is not necessarily connected with it. Anything which is suited to excite wonder and amazement, from any cause, will correspond with the sense of the Hebrew word. It is a word which expresses with surprising accuracy everything in relation to the Redeemer. For the Messiah was wonderful in all things. It was wonderful love by which God gave him, and by which he came; the manner of his birth was wonderful; his humility, his self-denial, his sorrows were wonderful; his mighty works were wonderful; his dying agonies were wonderful; and his resurrection, his ascension, were all suited to excite admiration and wonder.

Counsellor - This word has been sometimes joined with ‹wonderful,‘ as if designed to qualify it thus - “wonderful counselor;” but it expresses a distinct attribute, or quality. The name “counselor” here, יועץyû‛ēts denotes one of honorable rank; one who is suited to stand near princes and kings as their adviser. It is expressive of great wisdom, and of qualifications to guide and direct the human race. The Septuagint translates this phrase, ‹The angel of the mighty counsel.‘ The Chaldee, ‹The God of wonderful counsel.‘

Twitter and the #metoo hashtag.........develops into something deeper.

2017-11-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

Twitter and the #Metoo hashtag...... develops into something deeper.

Recently a hashtag appeared on Twitter that rode the shirt tails of the #metoo movement. This one is called #churchtoo so I made a comment in reference to those who have been affected by sexual abuse in the church. I received a few response from it and the one below ended up going in a different direction than what I thought yet I found it very revealing. This lady went on to block me me from making any more tweets to her. Do you think I am in the wrong in this conversation or does she have her own issues she needs to deal with?

‏ @VivianRuthSawye

Replying to @DEADn

Not one bit. God is not responsible for the idiocy of people.

8:16 PM - 22 Nov 2017

1 reply

And then this happened

Vivian Ruth Sawyer ن

@VivianRuthSawye

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