Saints on the Loose!

Definition: Bishop

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 17:50:00 +0000

A modern definition of the word bishop is: an ordained member of the clergy who is in a position of oversight of a defined territory. The bishop is considered to be the chief pastor of the defined territory.

Bishop in English is derived from the biblical Greek word ἐπίσκοπος (transliterated into English as episkopos). This is the word from which episcopal is derived.

ἐπίσκοπος, as described in Strong’s 1985, is derived from two words, ἐπί (epi) and σκοπός (skopos). The preposition ἐπί (Strong’s 1909) is translated as on, upon, at, over, by, before, across, up against, beside, in, above, among, or on the basis of. The male noun σκοπός skopos (Strong’s 4649) is translated as look, watch over, to peer about, to act as a to consider, a sentry, an observer, and the mark toward which runners ran in a race.

ἐπίσκοπος is usually translated as an elder, bishop, watcher, or overseer. The biblical documents use only male pronouns for these persons. Whether or not this restricts eligibility for the office of bishop only to men is a contested issue among modern Christians. These persons are expected to be noble, above reproach, and able to teach.

In the Bible, bishops represented a single local church and served as a team of elders within that church. The idea of a bishop over a region or an entire country developed later as the Christian community became more organized and needed overall leadership. Just as with the office of bishop, the particular type of church governance is still a contested issue among modern Christians.

Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Peter 5:1.

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the Letters chj to chri

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:23:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters chj to chri. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

chocolate, Choctaw, choices, choir, cholesterol, Chonda Pierce, Chosen People, Christ, Christ figures, Christ of the Abyss, Christ the Redeemer, Christian, Christian art, Christian artists, Christian Biography, Christian blog, Christian Booksellers Association, Christian Broadcasting Network, Christian comedy, Christian commerce, Christian community, Christian dating, Christian denomination, Christian diversity, Christian documents, Christian education, Christian extremism, Christian fellowship, Christian Film Database, Christian films, Christian freedom, Christian haiku, Christian history, Christian humor, Christian Identity, Christian joke, Christian Nationalism, Christian naturism, Christian occultism, Christian opinions, Christian owned business, Christian poetry, Christian rock music, Christian schools, Christian Science, Christian sexuality, Christian social network, Christian symbols, Christian unity, Christian warriors, Christian writers, Christianbook, Christianity, ChristianMingle.com, Christians, Christmas, Christmas tree, Christology, Christopher Hitchens.

Hola, Kòrsou! Hallo Curaçao! Hello, Curaçao! Welcome to Saints on the Loose!

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:31:19 +0000

Hello, Curaçao! Welcome to the world-wide group of readers from many countries who also visit this blog. I hope you find some of the posts useful or meaningful. Tell your friends about this blog. Everyone is welcome.

As of 10 September, there have been 1,496,647 page views of this blog. The current number of posts is 1893. This blog has been viewed from at least one hundred and fifty-three countries, now including Curaçao.

Hola, Kòrsou! Bon biní na e grupo mundial di lektornan di hopi pais ku tambe ta bishitá e blog aki. Mi ta spera ku bo haña algun di e postnan útil òf signifikante. Konta bo amigunan tokante e blog aki. Tur hende ta bonbini.

Te ku 10 di sèptèmber, tabatin 1.496.647 bista di página di e blog aki. E kantidat aktual di post ta 1893. E blog aki a wòrdu mirá for di por lo ménos shent’i sinkuenta i tres pais awor inkluyendo Kòrsou.

Hallo Curaçao! Welkom bij de wereldwijde groep lezers uit vele landen die dit blog ook bezoeken. Ik hoop dat je enkele van de berichten nuttig of waardevol vindt. Vertel je vrienden over dit blog. Iedereen is welkom.

Per 10 september zijn er 1.496.647 paginaweergaven van dit blog geregistreerd. Het huidige aantal berichten bedraagt 1893. Dit blog is inmiddels bekeken vanuit ten minste honderddrieënvijftig landen, waaronder nu ook Curaçao.

A Text in the Middle of the Night

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:13:23 +0000

This is a reprint of a post from 2012 but is very relevant today.

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. We are allowed to have and to express opinions on any subject.

Since you are reading this post, you are using the internet. While it is not explicitly a Christian subject, internet safety is a very important thing you need to understand. There are many wolves out there who basically see you as food. They would love to drain any of your bank accounts and use your credit card numbers as their very own piggybank. Matthew 10:16 warns us to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Jesus was speaking to the Twelve, and as a first-century Jew, he knew nothing of the internet but his words are applicable to our modern concerns. We really are surrounded by dangerous predators.

Here is the original post:

Last night at one-thirty AM my wife's smartphone received a text message. We have someone in the hospital so we burst out of bed to read the message. It was a text of an internet scam which has been active for over a year. The text says that the receiver has won $1000 and to get the money one needs only go to a link provided in the text. The link loads a virus which steals a person's private personal information (passwords, account numbers, social security number, etc.) from a computer or smartphone. This is a criminal activity.

The person who sent the text does not care why you might respond, whether it is out of greed or anger at the late-night text. Either way, they have you. If you send them any information, they have you.

And, they may have you even if you do not send them any information. Just opening the link may install MALWARE, malicious software that will run in the background without your knowledge. One of the things this might do is to give to the predator the names and contact information of everyone in your contact list. If you have stored sign-on information, the wolf can now sign on as you on any of your online accounts. The predator will also search your phone for banking and credit card numbers.

Attacks on personal information are rampant. In just the same way, Christians are constantly under attack from The Evil One and his servants, especially when they are distracted by life's worries or worse, are spiritually asleep. It is not currently popular to think of Satan as a person but the Bible clearly does. Most people, including Christians, do not need his help in falling short of the mark.

Remember, if you resist the devil in the power of the Lord, the devil will run away! James 4:7.

Automated License Plate Reader Cameras

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:47:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. We are allowed to have and to express opinions on any subject.

While it is not explicitly a Christian subject, the confidentiality of your personal information is a very important thing you do need to consider.

Governments and the legal systems of countries are usually about ten years behind the rapid developments of science and technology. This causes intense controversy over numerous subjects such as information data centers, artificial intelligence systems, the usage of aborted fetal remains in the treatment of diseases, establishing the age of viability of developing unborn children, and automated license plate reader cameras.

Flock safety automated license plate reader cameras have sparked a nationwide, bipartisan debate over public safety versus mass surveillance and civil liberties.

Law enforcement agencies insist that the cameras are important in tracking criminal suspects and stolen vehicles, and in locating possibly kidnapped persons.

One argument is this: Automobile license plates and vehicle exteriors are exposed to the public and, so, are in the public domain. Because of this, drivers in public view cannot claim privacy rights about their automobiles or location.

Critics of this view claim that a surveillance state is being created and they present evidence of abuses such as police officers who are accused of inappropriately using the database to track personal movements of persons not involved in criminal investigations. A public backlash against use of the cameras has erupted, including the criminal act of vandalism against the cameras.

Lack of Privacy:

Does everyone carry around a cell phone in their pocket? Every cellphone in the world is locatable using a global positioning system. Why is everyone not concerned about that?

A suggestion:

I worked for almost 50 years in hospital clinical laboratories and we were constantly reminded about patient confidentiality. We had access to extremely personal information about criminal suspects, politicians, celebrities, regular people from our communities, and even our own family members. All of these people deserved to have their personal information securely protected. Those of us who failed in this responsibility were subject to instant dismissal from their jobs.

In 1996, the United States federal government stepped in with the passage of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). After a short time-period which allowed the affected institutions the time necessary for them to put the standards into effect, full enforcement of the law began in April of 2003.

Enforcement against violations of the HIPAA law is totally inflexible. The penalties include total exclusion from any government contracts of any sort, massive monetary fines enacted for each violation, and very long prison terms for each violation. A Basic Metabolic Panel laboratory test usually is comprised of eight components. Release of these results could be seen as eight separate violations.

Access to the collected information should be legally restricted to police and governmental entities only.

If HIPAA level punishments were attached to the misuse of surveillance cameras, the problem might be quickly resolved. And they could still be used for legitimate purposes.

Modern Connections to Ancient Israel

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:47:00 +0000

It has long been recognized that cultural legends very often have some type of real-life historical backgrounds no matter how distorted, exaggerated, embellished, or poorly-remembered they are. There may very well have been a man, or several men, named Hercules/Herakles or he may have originated as an amalgamation of the exploits of several strong-man rulers.

One tradition which was long thought to be merely or mostly legendary is the claim by the African Lemba tribe to have its origins from ancient Israel. The oral tradition of the tribe says that their distant ancestors were seven Jewish men who left Judea about 2,500 years ago and travelled through Yemen. These seven men settled in a place called Senna (possibly Sana/Sanaw, Yemen) before migrating into Africa where they married African women.

The Lemba have always been recognized as different by the local Bantu tribes.

According to modern-day historical theories, the Lemba began as Muslim/Jewish traders who assimilated into the local African Shona culture. It turns out that the story may be a little more complicated than that.

The Lemba tribe consists of about 70,000 to 80,000 persons who are concentrated in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique. Traditionalist Lembe wear yarmulke skull caps, abide by kosher food restrictions, practice ritual animal sacrifices, observe a weekly holy day, practice male circumcision, and their gravestones feature the Star of David. In modern times, many Lembe have become Muslims or Christians.

A South-African Protestant missionary named Henri-Alexandre Junod (1863-1934) recorded in 1908 what some Lemba elders told him:

“[We] have come from a very remote place, on the other side of the sea. We were on a big boat. A terrible storm nearly destroyed us all. The boat was broken into two pieces. One half of us reached the shores of this country; the others were taken away with the second half of the boat, and we do not know where they are now. We climbed the mountains and arrived among the Banyai. There we settled, and after a time we moved southwards to the Transvaal; but we are not the Banyai.”

The BaNyai (aka the Nyai) are a Shona-related people who live on or near the Zambezi River. Shona is one of the Bantu languages.

Where the Lemba story deepens: Y-chromosome DNA studies show that parts of the male Lemba gene pool are of Middle Eastern origin. The Buba, a Lemba priestly clan, test positive for the "Cohen modal haplotype," (CHM) a specific genetic signature found in Jewish priestly lineages (the Kohanim). Read about the CHM in a detailed and highly technical article here https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2771134/

The World Jewish Congress has an interesting article about this subject: https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/lemba-tribe-in-southern-africa-has-jewish-roots-genetic-tests-reveal

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the Letters bpa to byz

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:41:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters bpa to byz. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

Braganca, brainwashing, Brazil, bread, breakfast, breaking the fourth wall, Brendon Rexford, bribery, Bride of Christ, British, British Israelism, broccoli, broke, broken glass, Bronx, Brooke Greenberg, brother, Brother Bryan, Brother Lawrence, Bruce Almighty, Brunei, brutality, Bucharest, Buckminster Fuller, Budapest, Buddhism, budget, Bulgaria, bullying, bumper stickers, burial, Burkina Faso, Burma, burqa, business, business meeting, busy work, Butler's Lives of the Saints, butterfly, Byzantine.

Every Doubt is an Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 20:43:00 +0000

The Greek word διακρίνω is sometimes translated into English as doubt. (Strong’s 1252) The word’s usage as doubt carries the ideas of back and forth, hesitation, wavering, misgivings, and vacillating. The second set of scriptural references below are verses which use the word in this way.

If you have some doubts about your faith or your understanding of it, as we say in an English language idiom, “Join the club!”

Doubt is normal and is not a sin. We all struggle with some aspects of the faith and may even struggle with ourselves being worthy. Guess what, none of us are worthy. We have all sinned. We cannot be good enough. Our salvation in Christ is an unearned gift of his grace, not from anything we have done.

If you are genuinely asking questions of God, that means that you are listening. An unsaved person will not wrestle with this. Instead, they will use their doubts as an excuse to reject the faith. And many of them will contemptuously look down on us as uninformed or simple. Pray for them.

Honest doubt is much better than the pretense that we have it all figured out. God created the universe and can deal with your doubts, even very tough doubts. Just ask him to help. Search in the Bible and listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask God to strengthen your faith.

People in the Bible who struggled with faith questions include Moses, David, Gideon, Thomas, and John the Baptist. The Bible shows that many experienced times of spiritual struggle.

If you are not personally struggling but now someone who is, give them encouragement. Never even hint that there is something wrong with them. Honest doubt is normal. Jude 1:22 says, “Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.”

Metal can be tempered to strengthen and harden it by exposing it to heating and cooling. The same idea applies to us.

Exodus 3 and 4; Judges 6:36–40; Psalm 13; 1 Samuel 27:1; Matthew 11:1–6; Mark 9:24; John 20:24–29; Romans 3:23,28; Acts 17:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Jude 1:22.

___________________________________________________________

Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:23; Romans 14:23; Acts 10:20; James 1:6, 2:4.

He Laughs

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:51:00 +0000

In the Bible, names are very important. They have meanings and are not just random sounds. Our modern names are the same. Look up the meanings of your personal name and/or surname. For example, The male personal name Robert is derived from the name Hrodebert which comes from two Germanic words, hrod (glory, fame) and berht (shining, bright). The female personal name Melissa is a direct transliteration of the Greek word μέλισσα (honeybee).

In the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac their names are extremely important. They show that God is directly and personally involved in history. I believe that, in this biblical account, God shows himself to have a sense of humor and he shows that what he announces and promises will happen. He uses Isaac’s name as a reminder.

God promised to the elderly Abram and his 90+ years-old wife, Sarai, that he would give them a son. They both quietly chuckled to themselves at the seemingly absurd promise, not realizing that God would know that they thought it was funny.

Commenters have pointed out that God directly inserted himself into human history when he changed the names of Abram (Strong’s H87, אַבְרָם) and Sarai (Strong’s H8297, שָׂרַי) to AbraHam (Strong’s H85, אַבְרָהָם) and SaraH (Strong’s H8283, שָׂרָה). Many believe that the H (ה) reflects the tetragrammaton JHWH (Yahweh, Strong’s H3068, יְהוָֹה), one of God’s names.

God told the couple to name their child Isaac (Strong’s H3327 and H3446, יִצְחָק). The name means he laughs. Some might see this as a sarcastic response to the couple but most commenters say instead that this is a reminder that God can do what he says he will do. Whenever they said their beloved son’s name, they would be reminded that they laughed and doubted but that God fulfilled his promise.

“For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27. The obviously expected answer here is no one.

Genesis 17:5, 17:15-19, 18:10-14; Isaiah 14:27.

Calcol/Chalcol and KRKR

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:20:00 +0000

There are thousands of extrabiblical literary and archeological corroborations of the Bible. New evidences of persons and places mentioned in the Bible continue to be discovered every year.

There have been suggestions that Chalcol/Calcol, one of David’s wise men mentioned in the Bible, and Kerker (KRKR), who is mentioned in the Megiddo Ivories, may be connected. KRKR can be transliterated as Kulkul.

Calcol/Chalcol was one of David’s wise men and was a brother of Heman, a wise man and musician who was the king’s “seer in the words of God to lift up the horn.” Because Chalcol/Calcol was a brother of Heman, many believe that he was also a musician. David appointed more than 4000 Levite royal musicians and singers.

Artifact A22269 is an Egyptian-style ivory plaque from the Megiddo ivories collection, featuring hieroglyphic inscriptions with prayers for an Egyptian singer named Kerker. This is one of the almost 400 ivories discovered at the site in the 1930’s.

A22269 features Egyptian hieroglyphs with a prayer reading: “[… for the spirit of the singer of] Ptah, south of his wall, [Lord of] 'The Life of Two Lands,' Kerker, the justified”. Kerker appears to have been a female singer who worked in the Temple of the Egyptian deity, Ptah, during the time period of ca 1350-1150 BC/BCE. Her name is spelled out phonetically as KRKR with the symbols for k and r. KRKR can be transliterated as Kulkul.

The plaque was found at the Megiddo archeological site in modern Israel during excavations of the treasury room of a Late Bronze Age palace, from the 12^th Century BC/BCE.

https://isac-idb.uchicago.edu/id/af86a18e-7b0c-40c6-bec4-43f513b7f052 shows an image and description of the plaque. You can click on the image to enlarge it. The plaque is held in the collection of the University of Chicago Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures.

Because of the similarity of the pronunciations of the names of Chalcol/Calcol and KRKR some have suggested that there may have been some sort of familial connection with Chalcol/Calcol being an honorific, serving in a similar way to a modern surname. There are problems with this idea and most commenters believe that there is no connection other than similar sounding names and being therefore totally coincidental.

1. 1. KRKR was a female pagan singer in the Temple of Ptah while Chalcol/Calcol was a male member of the tribe of Judah.

2. 2. KRKR lived in the ca 1350-ca 1150 BC/BCE time period, while Chalcol/Calcol served during the lifetime of King David ca 1000-931 BC/BCE.

1 Chronicles 2:6, 6:33, chapter 25, especially verse 5; 1 Kings 4:31; Psalm 88.

A Few Internet Safety Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:17:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Since you are reading this post, you are using the internet. While it is not explicitly a Christian subject, internet safety is a very important thing you need to understand. There are many wolves out there who basically see you as food. They would love to drain any of your bank accounts and use your credit card numbers as their very own piggybank. Some may even be stalking you personally.

Matthew 10:16 warns us to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Jesus was speaking to the Twelve, and as a first-century Jew, he knew nothing of the internet but his words are applicable to our modern concerns. We really are surrounded by dangerous predators.

Some unknown person wants you to open an unknown link. Opening the link, or sometimes, even calling the sending number, installs malware in your devices, giving that person access to all of your personal and financial accounts, probably not a very good idea.

Here are some useful internet safety tips:

Be highly skeptical of unsolicited emails.

R Restrict your accounts so that only people whom you choose can view your posts and photos.

Tu If a phone call comes from someone not on your contacts list, send it to voice mail.

Make sure your social media profiles are set to private.

Use complex passwords and have a totally different password for each online account. If you are like me, you will need to keep a small notebook to remember them all.

4. Add a second layer of security (like a time-sensitive code sent to your phone or authenticator app) for banking, email, and social media. This is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

5. Never Share any access codes with anyone else. Delete them from your phone after you use them.

6. Turn on automatic updates for your operating system, browsers, and applications to patch any newly discovered security vulnerabilities.

7. Always use a VPN on public Wi-Fi. If you can, avoid public Wi-Fi entirely.

8. Be highly skeptical of unexpected messages claiming you won a sweepstakes or have been hacked.

R Turn off any location services. They do not need to know where you are.

D Do not post your schedule of when you will be at home alone, and especially, do not tell them when you will not be at home.

R Remember that anything that is posted online will be online forever.

Several Comments on American Subjects for Our Recent World Cup Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:53:00 +0000

This Christian blog is ακωλυτως (unhindered, Acts 28:31) and can speak on any subject, even seemingly totally secular things. As Christians, we are often told by our Christian leaders that we should be in the world but not of the world. Being in the world means that we can have and express opinions on secular subjects.

To a Christian, everything belongs to the Lord. He cannot be restricted. He is lord over everything or he is lord over nothing. There is a saying that your God is too small. God is not small.

Here are a few American things which may need a brief explanation: ranch dressing, barbecue, yellow school buses, mailbox flags, Chick-fil-A, food combinations, air conditioning, gun ownership, biscuits and gravy, lack of mass transport, giant megastores, the fifty states, and American Party Cups.

Ranch Dressing: Our World Cup visitors fell in love with ranch dressing. It is a favorite of many Americans. The main caveat with this dressing is that it is dairy-based, created using buttermilk or sour cream, so those with lactose-intolerance need to take notice. It also contains eggs, so those with egg allergies need to be aware.

Ranch dressing is not readily available in countries other than the United States for several reasons, one being that it is not a traditional food item in those countries. Another reason is some of the dressing’s ingredients.

Titanium dioxide is a whitening agent banned by the European Union. Other EU-banned or restricted ingredients in ranch dressing include some synthetic stabilizers and antioxidant preservatives used to prolong shelf-life.

The European Union also bans recombinant bovine somatotropin growth hormones, which are often present in U.S. dairy products.

Barbecue: We are very proud of our barbecue (BBQ), with each region insisting that their particular BBQ tradition is the best. There is a great variation in the woods which are used used for smoking the meat and in the sauces. Some traditions do not use sauces at all. They may use dry rubs on the meat or no covering at all, relying instead on flavoring from the smoke from the burning wood.

The sauces may be based on tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or molasses, mustard, mayonnaise, apple cider, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, hot peppers, peaches or other fruits, vegetable broths, honey, tahini, coffee, horseradish, gochujang, hot spices, syrups, alcoholic beverages, onions, or meat (beef, ham, chicken, or fish) drippings. Some even make vegan sauces. Everyone is convinced that their BBQ is the best and sauce recipes are often very closely guarded.

There are highly competitive regional and national barbecue competitions.

Yellow School Buses: The school buses seemed to be fascinating to many of our visitors. To us, they are nothing special. Most of us have ridden in them. Here is some information about them:

1. The U.S. is quite large and many students live many miles away from their schools, especially for schools which serve an entire county. For many, it is impractical or even dangerous to walk or bicycle to their school.

2. The yellow color is intended to be distinctive.

3. Traffic is required by law to stop in both directions when a school bus stops to pick up or deliver students. No one wants to hit a child with their car.

4. Many parents must arrive at work during the hours of 6-8 AM and most schools start at 8 AM. It is difficult for the parents to be two places at one time.

5. When a school bus delivers 30 students to a school, that means that there are not 30 extra automobiles causing congestion in the parking lot.

6. Riding in a yellow school bus is not glamorous. Most do not have seatbelts or very good spring suspensions. The ride is often bumpy and there is no air-conditioning. They are heated in the winter. The buses are often crowded and smell like whatever the individual students smell like. You may get chewed and discarded bubblegum on your shoe. To get an idea of what riding on a school bus is really like, see the ending of the hilarious comedy film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. (The YouTube snippet will have advertisements which you may be able to skip). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLPu3Z6Tjg4

Mailbox Flags: This is the explanation of the little flags on individual home mailboxes: we do not have to go to our postal office to conduct our mailings. If we have our little flag flipped up, this is a signal to the postal carrier that we have outgoing mail. They push the flag into the down position, take our outgoing mail, and leave our incoming mail in the box.

It is a federal crime for anyone other than a postal worker to interfere in any way with postal delivery. It is also a federal crime for anyone else to open our mailboxes and file through our mail to see who has mailed us items or to take any of our mail.

Chick-fil-A: This is a brand or trade name for a chicken filet sandwich. The traditional Chick-fil-A sandwich is the bun, a piece of chicken coated with an egg wash and a dry flour dredge which contains a blend of spices, and one slice of pickle. The chicken is fried under pressure in peanut oil, that’s it. Every other company which sells chicken sandwiches has their own specific combination of ingredients, oils, and cooking methods. Some may bake, broil, or grill their chicken.

Food Combinations: Some visitors wondered if it was permissible to mix certain foods or to eat them in certain ways or at certain times. This struck many Americans as strange. This is a free country. It is nobody else’s business if you want to put ketchup, or even Ranch dressing, on your collard greens. You can eat whatever you like, whenever you want to. Many Americans love a good breakfast for their evening meal. Some enjoy eating spaghetti for breakfast.

Knowing that no-one will like everything, eat whatever you like. If you enjoy some strange combination of foods, stick it in your mouth and eat it.

Air Conditioning: We like our AC. Most modern homes in the United States are now built with central air conditioning systems controlled by heat pumps which switch between heating and cooling as the weather dictates.

One major reason for AC is that infants, children, people with chronic conditions, pregnant women, and the elderly are put into high risk in conditions of extreme heat.

Gun Ownership: The right to own guns is enshrined in our constitution, except, of course, for high grade military weapons. Not everyone owns a gun, but most people who do own guns use them for hunting (and yes, most of them eat what they kill), for sport shooting like shooting ranges and skeet shooting, or for personal and home protection. And, admittedly, there are some people who abuse the right of gun ownership.

Biscuits and Gravy: This is a traditional Southern breakfast. Few people would eat it every single day. It consists of soft dough biscuits covered in a white sausage gravy which often contains bits of pork sausage, bacon, or even ground beef. Many versions are heavily seasoned with black pepper. Most of us consider it to be heavenly.

There are hundreds of types of other gravies made from ingredients as varied as coffee, grilled meat drippings, cheeses, chocolate, apple cider, fruits, cornmeal, eggs, onions, seafood, flour, heavy cream, or tomatoes.

Lack of Mass Transport: America is primarily an individual automobile culture. Most of us would rather not deal with public transportation. Schedules! No. Delays! No. Extra cost! No. We just get in our car and go where we want to go when we want to do it.

Giant Megastores: Costco, Target, Walmart, Sam's, and other megastores can be described as large department stores which also include pharmacy and grocery departments. Some even have coffee shops, auto parts and repairs, gasoline pumps, cookie and cupcake shops, or delicatessens.

One Country with Fifty States: The United States is sometimes said to have no distinctive culture. That is actually not true, but it is also true that each one of the regions and each one of the states has its own distinctive culture. Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, New Mexico, Hawai'i, Oregon, and Alaska can all seem like separate countries which are united by a shared history. Events like the 911 attacks, the moon landing, World War II, the Miracle on Ice, and the 2026 World Cup can bring us all together.

American Party Cups: The red plastic American Party Cups have no special significance. They are merely plastic cups which can be used once and then discarded. They make party cleanup simpler.

Romans 12:2

Hot Car Deaths

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 02:14:00 +0000

Every year, in the hot summertime, children die because their parents forget that they are still in the automobile. The closed interiors of the vehicles quickly become like an oven in the hot sun.

Apparently, the adults somehow become hurried or distracted and momentarily and tragically forget about the children. Everyone understands that there was no intention to harm the child. But harm was still done.

There are other kinds of harm besides death. Death or physical injury are immediately obvious. Not so with emotional and spiritual cuts and wounds.

Not all emotional cuts and spiritual wounds are maliciously or even intentionally inflicted. The feeling of neglect or of being seen as a bother to their parents can cause painful lifelong wounds to a child. Anything, even church activities, which continually distract us from our children’s emotional and spiritual needs, can be harmful.

Exodus 22:23; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 13:22, 22:6; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalms 82:4,127:3; Matthew 18:6,10; Luke 17:2, 22:36; Romans 12:18-19; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21; 1 Timothy 5:8; 2 Corinthians 12:14.

Will You be Ready?

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 01:32:00 +0000

Recently, I was watching an American football game, but it could have been a game in any sport and in any country.

Abruptly, the coach called for one of his primary players to come out of the game and to be replaced by one of the seldom used players.

The primary player had been performing well and the situation in the game was very important because the coach’s team was about to score. Replacing the primary player made no obvious tactical sense in terms of game strategy.

The game was being broadcasted nationally and the move by the coach was so obvious that the television commentators remarked about it but had no explanation for it.

The secondary player responded well and the team scored. On the next series of plays, the coach returned the primary player to the game. After the game the coach offered no explanation for the substitution.

The player switch could have been tactical in response to something which the coach noticed about the other team. I believe that it was something else. I think it was a teaching moment.

The coach could have been telling his substitutes to not fall asleep and to be ready to act at all times. They might only be placed into the current game once or even only once in an entire season, but, when they are called upon they are expected to be ready at that moment.

The replacement player could have been daydreaming or talking to someone and not paying attention to the game.

Instead, he went into the game and executed the duties of his assigned position. If he had not been ready, the coach would have called on someone else the next time an opportunity arose.

As Mordechai said to Esther when it was her time to be called upon: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Italics added. Read the entire chapter with emphasis on verse 14. Mordechai’s implication is that God put Esther in the place where she needed to be in order to carry out his will. (Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.)

Esther 4:1-15; 1 Samuel 3:9; Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 24:42-44; Ephesians 2:10.

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the Letters chrj to ck

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:56:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters chrj to ck. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

chromosome, chronology, church, church activities, church attendance, church bulletin, church burnout, church council, church councils, Church of Christ, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of Iran, Church of Satan, Church of Scotland, church organ, church people, church politics, church sign board, church work, circulatory system, circumcision, circumstances, circus, citizen, citizenship, city state, civic duty, civic involvement, civil disobedience, civil records, civil rights, civility.

There is Power in the Blood

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 01:58:00 +0000

Lewis E. Jones (1865-1934) was a YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) worker who wrote the hymn, There is Power in the Blood (1899). He is recorded as having said, "I want to be so full of Christ that when a mosquito bites me he flies away singing there is power in the blood."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeTE0W7K4sU

Biblical Sources of Common English Language Phrases: The Eyes Are the Windows of the Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 23:28:00 +0000

The exact earliest origin of the phrase "the eyes are the window of the soul" is debated but the concept is ancient.

The Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC/BCE), said “The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter.”

The phrase does not appear in the Bible but the concept is echoed by Jesus in Matthew 6:22–23 where he says "The eye is the lamp of the body … if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light…”

The first known use of the phrase in its modern form was by the 16th-century French poet Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas (1544-1590), who spoke of the eyes as "windows of the soul".

As I was growing up, I was taught that it was rude to not look people in the eyes as you talked to them. The idea was that to not do so made you appear to be evasive or uninterested. But … there are numerous cultures which believe the exact opposite, that avoiding direct eye contact is a sign of respect and deference to the other person. They see direct eye contact as aggressive and as an invasion of their personal space.

So, I am either very open and direct or I am very rude, because I will look into you and allow you to look into me. It is just part of who I am.

I am in my over 60 years period of life so, through the decades, I have occasionally met numerous internationally known persons, usually for only a few minutes or even seconds. I am just a regular person. Let’s just say that I don’t normally run in their circles and that meeting most of them was incidental.

I will discuss what I saw in the eyes of some of them but I will respect their privacy and will not personally identify them.

One of them was a retired National Football League quarterback who was posthumously inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. His eyes told me that he was friendly and easy-going, fun to talk with, and that he was surprised that I did not ask for his autograph.

Another was a politician who was involved with the peace negotiations during the Vietnam War. His eyes told me that he did not see me at all.

The eyes of the legendary daytime soap opera actor whom I met told me that he would have rather been anywhere else than where he was.

Highly respected as a radio announcer in numerous sports, one man showed me friendly eyes and even invited me to sit and talk with him about sports during his lunch hour.

An Israeli business executive showed me eyes that told me that she respected my politeness and competence. Whenever she visited, she sought me out before meeting with my superiors.

My co-worker of African ancestry showed me eyes of deep friendship, great professional competence, and ambition. He ended up in a national governmental health position.

The historic singer looked deep into my eyes with what appeared to be panic and repugnance as if I were an unexpected intruder into her home. I must have pushed her personal space and privacy buttons.

I was sitting on the second row in the coliseum when an internationally known Christian singer came down from the stage and began to personally interact with people in the crowd. When he stopped to talk to two pre-teen girls, he was about four feet away from me. He noticed me and we locked eyes.

What I saw was kindness, generosity, gentleness, sincerity, and a love for the people who had come to his concert. What I saw was a Christian man. His wife has said that he is the purest soul she has ever met. We all should hope that our eyes show the same thing.

Three Religious Truths

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 01:48:00 +0000

I do not know the origin of this joke but I would strongly believe that it came from a Baptist.

There are three religious truths.

1. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

2. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian faith.

3. Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store.

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the letters bia to boys

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:59:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters bia to boys. All of the Labels can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

Bing, biography, biology, bird, bird finger, birds, Birmingham, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, birth, birth control, birthday, bishop, Bizarro, blabbing, black, black comedy, Black Magic, black man, black metal, Black Sabbath, black smoke, black woman, blacks, blasphemy, blessing, blind, Blind Boys of Alabama, blog, blog aggregator, blog community, blog tools, BlogCatalog, Blogger, blood, Blood of Christ, Blood of Jesus, blues, blues music, board games, boats, Boaz, Bob Dylan, bodhisattva, body modification, Body of Christ, Bolivia, Bollywood, bomb threats, bone, bones, boogeyman, book, book comment, Book of Eli, Book of Jasher, Book of Mormon, Book of the Bee, Book of the Wars of the Lord, book reviews, books, Books-a-Million, boredom, Borg, Borneo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian, bosons, Boston, botany, Botswana, Boudicca, bowel gas, bowling, Boy Scouts, boycott, boys.

Hello, Seychelles! Bonjour, Seychelles !

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:14:51 +0000

Hello, Seychelles! 10 August, 2026.

Hello, Seychelles! Welcome to the world-wide group of readers from many countries who also visit this blog. I hope you find some of the posts useful or meaningful. Tell your friends about this blog. Everyone is welcome.

As of 10 August, there have been 1,356,004 page views of this blog. The current number of posts is 1882. These posts can be searched using the Search This Blog function. An alphabetical list of subjects discussed on this blog is at the extreme bottom of the blog page under Labels and indicates the number of posts about the subject in question. The Translate This Page tool can present the blog in numerous languages.

The Labels section at the bottom of the page is useful in searching for all Saints on the Loose blog posts which mention a particular subject. Numerous subjects are mentioned on this blog. All, in one way or another, are pertinent to the purposes of this blog. Search for any word of interest to you. There are hundreds of labels on various subjects including grace, sanctification, film commentary, food, horror, magic, archaeology, Star Trek, sanctification, blood, Pee-Wee Herman, Spain, blasphemy, Star of Bethlehem, doctrine, humor, distracted driving, ekklesia, and Arianism.

This blog has been viewed from at least one hundred and fifty-four countries including Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia/Kampuchea, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo - Kinshasa), Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast/Core d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of the Congo (Congo - Brazzaville), Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Togo, Tunisia, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Bonjour, Seychelles ! 10 août 2026.

Bonjour, Seychelles ! Bienvenue au sein de la communauté internationale de lecteurs, issus de nombreux pays, qui consultent également ce blog. J'espère que vous trouverez certains articles utiles ou enrichissants. N'hésitez pas à faire connaître ce blog à vos amis. Tout le monde est le bienvenu.

Au 10 août, ce blog a enregistré 1 356 004 pages vues. Il compte actuellement 1 882 articles. Vous pouvez effectuer des recherches parmi ces articles grâce à la fonction « Rechercher sur ce blog ». Une liste alphabétique des sujets abordés figure tout en bas de la page, sous la rubrique « Libellés », et indique le nombre d'articles consacrés à chaque sujet. L'outil « Traduire cette page » permet d'afficher le blog dans de nombreuses langues. Ce blog a été consulté dans au moins cent cinquante-deux pays, dont l'Albanie, l'Algérie, l'Angola, Antigua-et-Barbuda, l'Argentine, l'Arménie, Aruba, l'Australie, l'Autriche, l'Azerbaïdjan, Bahreïn, le Bangladesh, la Biélorussie, la Belgique, le Belize, la Bolivie, la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le Botswana, le Brésil, Brunei Darussalam, la Bulgarie, le Burkina Faso, le Cambodge/Kampuchea, le Canada, le Cap-Vert, les îles Caïmans, le Chili, la Chine, la Colombie, le Costa Rica, la Croatie, Chypre, la Tchéquie, la République démocratique du Congo (Congo - Kinshasa), Danemark, Dominique, République dominicaine, Équateur, Égypte, El Salvador, Estonie, Eswatini, Éthiopie, Finlande, France, Gabon, Géorgie, Allemagne, Ghana, Grèce, Grenade, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hongrie, Islande, Inde, Indonésie, Iran, Irak, Irlande, Israël, Italie, Côte d'Ivoire/Core d'Ivoire, Jamaïque, Japon, Jordanie, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Koweït, Kirghizistan, Laos, Lettonie, Liban, Arabie Saoudite, Lesotho, Libye, Lituanie, Luxembourg, Macao, Macédoine, Madagascar, Malaisie, Mali, Malte, Mexique, Moldavie, Mongolie, Maroc, Myanmar, Namibie, Nauru, Népal, Pays-Bas, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouvelle-Zélande, Nigeria, Norvège, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Pérou, Philippines, Pologne, Portugal, Qatar, République du Congo (Congo - Brazzaville), Réunion, Roumanie, Russie, Saint-Kitts-et-Nevis, Seychelles, Sénégal, Serbie, Singapour, Slovaquie, Slovénie, Sud Afrique, Corée du Sud, Espagne, Sri Lanka, Soudan, Suriname, Suède, Suisse, Taïwan, Tanzanie, Thaïlande, Trinité-et-Tobago, Togo, Tunisie, Turquie, Turkménistan, Ouganda, Ukraine, Émirats arabes unis, Royaume-Uni, États-Unis d'Amérique, Uruguay, Ouzbékistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yémen, Zambie, Zimbabwe.

What Did Jesus Eat?

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 03:41:00 +0000

What did Jesus eat? Well, he was poor and he ate what was available. There was very little meat and no real refrigeration other than storing food in cooler places like caves.

Like everyone else, he ate what he could get and what was allowed under the Jewish definition of clean and unclean foods. Foods which were available included fish, birds, lamb, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, dates, pomegranates, honey, olives and olive oil, grapes, wine, vinegar, figs, bread, cumin, barley, raisins, apples, almonds, pistachios, dates, dill, mint, cinnamon, cumin, and eggs. The only meat he is specifically mentioned as eating was fish, but he also ate lamb since he participated in Passover celebrations where lamb was the required meat.

Vegetarianism and veganism are acceptable lifestyles for practicing Christians but Jesus did eat meat.

Exodus 12:8; Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 7:19; Luke 1:12, 2:41, 22:7-15, 24:41-43; John 2:13, 5:1, 21:9-14; Acts 10; Romans 14; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Colossians 2:16-17

Subjects in the Labels List (Labels Which Begin with the Letter B, with a range of bel to bil)

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:16:00 +0000

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters bel to bil. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear

Bela Lugosi, Belarus, Belgium, belief systems, believe, Belize, Bella, belligerence, bells, Belshazzar, Beltane, Bemidbar, Ben Carson, Ben Harper, Ben Johnson, Benedictines, Benjamin Franklin, Benny Hinn, Bereans, bereavement, Bereshit, Berlin, Bernard of Clairvaux, Bernie Sanders, Bethany House Publishers, Beth Shelburne, Bethany, Bethany House Publishers, Bethlehem, Bethsaida, betrayal, Betty Boop, Bhutan, Bible, Bible Belt, Bible codes, Bible printer’s errors, Bible reading, Bible study, Bible theme parks, Bible verses, Bible-haters, Bibleman, biblical, biblical canonicity, biblical error, biblical history, biblical interpretation, biblical medicine, biblical place names, biblical places, bibliography, bibliolatry, Bickertonites, Big Oak Ranch, bigotry, bikini, Bill and Ted, Bill Gates, Bill Maher, Bill Mauldin, Bill O’Reilly, billboard, Billy Bass, Billy Crystal, Billy Graham.

Biblical Sources of Common English Phrases: Laughter is the best medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:08:00 +0000

Laughter is the best medicine is a popular saying in English. The origin of the phrase is believed to have come from Proverbs 17:22 (NIV): "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (שָׂמֵחַ sameach joyful, gleeful, happy, merry: Strong’s 8056)

לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּרֶם

An Update of Superheroes Have Religious Beliefs

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:09:05 +0000

I have just posted an extensive update of Superheroes Have Religious Beliefs which was first posted 13 November 2009. To view the post, search for comic book religion in the search box at the top of this page.

What does the Bible say about artificial intelligence?

noreply@blogger.com (Saints on the Loose!) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:56:00 +0000

AI (artificial intelligence) is merely a useful tool. It does not know anything in the way that we do. AI may sound like a person, but it cannot bear the image of God. It is a computer program which follows instructions which it has been taught. Properly utilized, it can find information in seconds which would take the user days or weeks to find. Where AI is weak is in areas which require opinions. The opinions AI gives may very well (I would say probably do) at least partially reflect the worldviews of its teachers. The teachers would insist that this is not so or that, if bias is present, it is unintentional.

The Bible was written many centuries before computers existed. The first device that can be considered to be a modern computer appeared in 1941 in Germany, unless you consider the handheld abacus, a calculating device which appeared in Sumeria ca 2700 to 2300 BC/BCE. The abacus could be used to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Hand held electronic calculators first showed up in the 1980’s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/computer

The Bible makes no mention of artificial intelligence since it was written many centuries before the idea of modern computers was even conceived. It does, however give us principles for the use of computer technology.

The Bible warns about the danger of idolatry. AI can become an idol when it is trusted more than God's promises. If it is used to exploit, deceive, or defraud others it becomes evil. If the use of AI becomes obsessive, that can distract from devotion to God.

The strongest and most appropriate use of AI is to dramatically speed up information searches, speech or textual translation, and mathematical calculations. These activities become almost instantaneous.