Matisyahu Opens Up About Religious Journey Substance Abuse

Formerly Orthodox singer-songwriter Matisyahu (A.K.A. Matthew Paul Miller) has penned a heartfelt, raw, honest essay for Medium about his religious journey, musical development, and struggle with substance abuse-which started when when he was just 14.

"I found company in Bob Marley and his music," writes Matisyahu of his high school years. "I was depressed and alone, feeling misunderstood by kids, coaches, teachers and parents, so I retreated into the confines of my room in the attic with weed and music. I began to search. Summer of junior year I went into the wilderness out west and felt the gnawing gaping hole in my chest more vast then ever, and I began to think about God in relation to the void. Am I alone?"

The answer, he decided, was no. God "was with me always like an all-powerful invisible friend." He became a Phish groupie, experienced homelessness, went into rehab, saw numerous therapists, but still "couldn't seem to get it right." Eventually he fell into Orthodox Judaism, got married, committed himself to his music, and became an alt-rock reggae superstar-and darling of the Hasidic-hipsters the world over. But all was not well. Dissatisfied, he chafed against the restrictions the of movement, until he found his guru-"an anti-establishment renegade Russian therapist/original thinker/Chassidic and Kabalistic creative wiz with a heart of gold and no fingers"-and a shul where he could "scream and sing during prayers and not be judged."

It's a compelling piece of writing, which neatly ties in with the release of his latest single, "Hard Way," from his 2014 album "Akeda" ("binding")-an allusion to the biblical story of the binding and near-sacrifice of Isaac. Read the rest here.

"(Image: Matisyahu performs in Park City, Utah, January 2014. Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty.)"

Gregory The Theologian Archbishop Of Constantinople

JANUARY 25

READING: This great Father and Teacher of the Church was born in 329 in Arianzus, a village of the second district of Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory (commemorated Jan. 1), and his mother was named Nonna (Aug. 5); both are among the Saints, and so are his brother Caesarius (Mar. 9) and his sister Gorgona (Feb. 23). At first he studied in Caesarea of Palestine, then in Alexandria, and finally in Athens. As he was sailing from Alexandria to Athens, a violent sea storm put in peril not only his life but also his salvation, since he had not yet been baptized. With tears and fervour he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm. At Athens Saint Gregory was later joined by Saint Basil the Great, whom he already knew; but now their acquaintanceship grew into a lifelong brotherly love. Another fellow student of theirs in Athens was the young Prince Julian, who later as Emperor was called the Apostate because he denied Christ and did all in his power to restore paganism. Even in Athens, before Julian had thrown off the mask of piety; Saint Gregory saw what an unsettled mind he had, and said, "What an evil the Roman State is nourishing" (Orat. V, 24, PG 35:693).

After their studies at Athens, Gregory became Basil's fellow ascetic, living the monastic life together with him for a time in the hermitages of Pontus. His father ordained him presbyter of the Church of Nazianzus, and Saint Basil consecrated him Bishop of Sasima (or Zansima), which was in the archdiocese of Caesarea. This consecration was a source of great sorrow to Gregory, and a cause of misunderstanding between him and Basil; but his love for Basil remained unchanged, as can be plainly seen from his Funeral Oration on Saint Basil (Orat. XLIII).

About the Year 379, Saint Gregory came to the assistance of the Church of Constantinople, which had already been troubled for forty years by the Arians; by his supremely wise words and many labours he freed it from the corruption of heresy, and was elected Archbishop of that city by the Second Ecumenical Council, which assembled there in 381, and condemned Macedonius, Archbishop of Constantinople, the enemy of the Holy Spirit. When Saint Gregory came to Constantinople, the Arians had taken all the churches and he was forced to serve in a house chapel dedicated to Saint Anastasia the Martyr. From there he began to preach his famous five sermons on the Trinity, called the Triadica. When he left Constantinople two years later, the Arians did not have one church left to them in the city. Saint Meletius of Antioch (see Feb. 12), who was presiding over the Second Ecumenical Council, died in the course of it, and Saint Gregory was chosen in his stead; there he distinguished himself in his expositions of dogmatic theology.

Having governed the Church until 382, he delivered his farewell speech - the Syntacterion, in which he demonstrated the Divinity of the Son - before 150 bishops and the Emperor Theodosius the Great; in this speech he requested, and received from all, permission to retire from the see of Constantinople. He returned to Nazianzus, where he lived to the end of his life, and reposed in the Lord in 391, having lived some sixty-two years.

His extant writings, both prose and poems in every type of metre, demonstrate his lofty eloquence and his wondrous breadth of learning. In the beauty of his writings, he is considered to have surpassed the Greek writers of antiquity, and because of his God-inspired theological thought, he received the surname "Theologian." Although he is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus, this title belongs properly to his father; he himself is known by the Church only as Gregory the Theologian. He is especially called "Trinitarian Theologian," since in virtually every homily he refers to the Trinity and the one essence and nature of the Godhead. Hence, Alexius Anthorus dedicated the following verses to him:

Like an unwandering star beaming with splendour,

Thou bringest us by mystic teachings, O Father,

To the Trinity's sunlike illumination,

O mouth breathing with fire, Gregory most mighty.

APOLYTIKION IN THE FIRST TONE The shepherd's pipe of thy theology conquered the trumpets of the philosophers; for since thou didst search out the depths of the Spirit, beauty of speech was added to thee. But intercede with Christ God, O Father Gregory, that our souls be saved.

KONTAKION IN THE THIRD TONE O Glorious One, you dispelled the complexities of orators with the words of your theology. You have adorned the Church with the vesture of Orthodoxy woven from on high. Clothed in this, the Church now cries out to your children, with us, "Hail Father, the consummate theological mind."

SOURCE:

"SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2010(with 2009's link here also and further, 2008's, even 2007!"

Miracles

There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

- Albert Einstein

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

- Meister Eckhart

The struggle ends when the gratitude begins.

- Neale Donald Walsch

Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.

The real miracle is the love that inspires them.

In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.

- A Course in Miracles

Let my "Regaining Your Happiness in Seven Weeks" Program help you to design your inspired and joyful future.

http://www.jonathanlockwoodhuie.com/happiness-program/

Further reading: Yes, YOU Can Be Happy

Unanswered Prayers

Inspirational Quotes

Spiritual Quotes

Quotes about Kindness

Quotes about Purpose (Life Purpose)

Quotes about Service (Good Works)

Copyright (c) by Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
First published on my Daily Inspirational Quotes blog. Also see Inspirational Quotes.

Nothing Failed Like The Prayers For John Mccain And Sarah Palin

By Gabe

If you have been on Myspace for a while, then you have undoubtedly read several religious bulletins. I wrote a blog recently titled, "Crazy Myspace Bulletins," which examined a popular religious bulletin that has been posted on Myspace several times. I honestly did not think I would find a bulletin more ridiculous than that particular one, but I was wrong. I recently read a bulletin entitled, "Pray for John McCain." This bulletin would appear to a lot of people as nothing more than a sincere prayer from a passionate Christian for God to intervene in the presidential election, and to grant Senator John McCain the victory. But there are many statements in this prayer that are either contradictory, extremely arrogant, or simply not well thought out.

This religious bulletin that I am speaking of is based on the common assumption, by evangelical Christians, that the conservative Republican party is on God's side, while the liberal Democrats are on Satan's side and trying to turn America against the "Word of God." I do not speak about this simply as a skeptic looking in and observing from the outside. No! I was once in the very same group. For six years of my life, from 2000-2006, I was an on-fire, gospel-evangelizing, hellfire-preaching, bible-quoting, sin-hating, crying-on-my-knees-praying, Southern Bbaptist, fundamentalist Christian. I was one of those who literally thought it was a sin to vote for a Democrat. I believed all Democrats were wicked liberals who were opposed to "God's Word" and sought to turn our nation into a cesspool of sin and immorality. I didn't give a damn what a politician stood for, just as long as he opposed embryonic stem-cell research, abortion, and gay marriage. And notice that I said "he" and not "she," because I was brainwashed into the very common Evangelical Christian idea that only men are ordained by God to lead this nation -- not women. And yes, I had Bible verses that I could quote to you to back that up:

1 Timothy 2:12, "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man..."

If you're a woman, please don't get mad. I promise you I don't think this way anymore. I now view these types of Bible passages as archaic bullshit, written thousands of years ago in a world where women were considered second-class citizens compared to men.

After I "got saved" in November 2000, I was baptized the following Sunday morning and became a member of a Southern Baptist Church, just before George W. Bush was elected to his first term as President. Even though it is often said that "Churches should not mix politics with preaching," I remember a prominent member in the church standing behind the pulpit during a Sunday night service and saying to the congregation, "We got the right man in the White House!" Of course his reasoning for why President Bush was "the right man" was due to the fact that George W. Bush agreed with the right-wing, fundamentalist, conservative political agenda. In the end this was the determining factor: Either the candidate supported fundamentalist Christianity or he didn't. Any other "worldly" benefits that a liberal, democratic presidential candidate could accomplish would be nullified in the eyes of these Evangelical Christians, simply by the fact that the Liberal Democrat candidate did not support their religious agenda. For example, let us suppose that the most Liberal Democrat ever were to get elected as the President of the United States. Let's say this President's policies brought about the greatest social and economic changes this country has ever seen (i.e. a complete end to poverty, a complete end to our reliance on foreign oil, an end to all wars, peace with every Muslim nation in the world, etc.). Let's say he brought about all of these great accomplishments, but upheld the Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973 which legalized abortion, and also worked to have gay marriage legalized across the entire country. Despite his great accomplishments, the right-wing Evangelicals would still consider him a terrible president, simply because he didn't support their little pet-peeve "moral" issues. The "moral" issues always trump the social issues for this group. I write the word "moral" in quotation marks, because these "moral" issues are their own making, derived from their personal religious beliefs. Their moral issues are not binding upon everyone, even though they believe their religious rules and statutes are universal moral dictates, straight from the mouth of the Creator of the universe. We do not bow the knee to a group of Muslims who believe the American government should enforce the "moral" principle of requiring women to veil themselves in public. In the same way, the American government is not required to bow the knee to a group of hard-core fundamentalists who believe the bible should dictate our nation's laws. This view that I am speaking against is so blatantly expressed in this bulletin that I am speaking of, which I will comment on.

But before I begin commenting on this bulletin, I want to first make it clear that my criticisms are not directed towards Christianity in general. I am speaking of "fundamentalist" Christianity. What is fundamentalist Christianity? I could go into great detail, but basically it is what comes to mind when you think of someone who goes around knocking on doors, trying to persuade people to convert to their brand of Christianity. If the person does not convert, he/she is going to burn in hell. With this group, you are judged more by your beliefs than by your actions. If you are the best citizen in the community, but do not believe in the tenets of their religion, then Jesus will "grind you to powder" on the day of judgment (Luke 20:18). If you go to church every Sunday, but still go out and have a few beers on the weekends, then you are one of the "lukewarm" Christians whom Jesus will "spew out of his mouth" as if you were something detestable (Revelation 3:16). Over 70% of Americans label themselves as Christians, but only approximately 7% of the American population falls into the group that I am speaking of. This statistic is confirmed by the Barna Research Group (an evangelical research group), and by New York Times bestselling author Christine Wicker, author of "The Fall of the Evangelical Nation." If you are a member of a church, but do not "share the gospel" with your "unsaved" friends and family members on a regular basis, then you are probably a "false convert" and on your way to the pits of damned with all the other sinners, atheists, and unbelievers in the world. This is their worldview. I know this worldview inside and out. I was one of them. It is perfectly reflected in the following bulletin that has recently been posted on Myspace:

Prayer for John McCain and Sarah Palin

Please pass this prayer on right now on behalf of John McCain. Please start prayer chains immediately for the election.

This election can be turned around for the glory of God if we will stop worrying and get on our knees! How many people can you pass this on to? Let us pray.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to You right now asking for a miracle in this election. Lord, we lift up to You right now Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin. Lord, we ask that You would just wrap Your arms around them and their families at this critical time. Father, we ask for miracle upon miracle in this election. We know that only You can turn the tide of evil in this election. Father, as we await the final days of the election, we ask in complete faith that You would allow the truth to be known across this land Lord, we ask for forgiveness for putting You last... Father, please heal our land and homes, allow us to have another chance to love You the way you should be loved. Lord, we ask specifically for John and Sarah's health, wisdom, words, actions and their campaign staff. Lord, we lift them all up to You now. Father, we also specifically ask for the voters in many states who are battleground states. Lord, please convict the hearts of voters in Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, North Dakota, Virginia, Nevada and Colorado.

Father we beg for every electoral vote. Lord, we lift all of our needs up to You now. In the name of Jesus we claim victory in Your name. Lord, we pray for Your will to be done in a mighty way...we know that this election can and will glorify You! Father, place the man you would have to lead our country in a Christian way on November 4. We love You, Lord. We await Your holy miracles...

In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen

Send this on to as many people as you can think of.....let it reach every corner of America. Get on your knees for this election.... Pray for God to send a REVIVAL across this land. Christians, it is time we get on our knees.... talk to people, speak up.... we've been silent too long.

The first thing to point out is the fact that this prayer did not accomplish anything. This election was one of the biggest blowouts ever. Election night was over before it even began. It says, "This election can be turned around for the glory of God if we will stop worrying and get on our knees !" So what was the problem then? I guess there was not quite enough people who "got down on their knees." But according to Jesus you don't need millions of Christians praying in order to accomplish something. He said in Matthew 18:19, "I say unto you that if TWO of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." The only thing to conclude about this is that Jesus was wrong. Millions of people prayed for John McCain to win the election, but it did not happen.

Next, this prayer asks God for "a miracle in this election." So just what kind of miracle are we talking about here? A miracle is something that occurs outside the normal course of nature. So what were these people praying for? For God to scramble the voting machines and give a false voting count in favor of John McCain? Or to make people get up off their couches like zombies and march to the voting polls to vote for McCain? Well, no miracle occurred. Barack Obama decisively won the election. I guess God decided he didn't want to send a miracle after all.

It says, "We know that only You can turn the tide of evil in this election." What is so "evil" in this election? Well, I know exactly what it is, according to the person who wrote this bulletin. It is the fact that Barack Obama is not a Christian fundamentalist. It is the fact that he does not want to force Americans to follow Biblical laws. And thank God (pun intended) that he doesn't! We would look like Iran if that's the view that our government held. The problem is that very few people know the entire bible well enough to realize just how much screwed up stuff is in there. So basically we are "evil" if we do not agree with the baptist/pentecostal preacher who says we are all doomed to hell for not following their fundamentalist version of Christianity. To consider someone evil because he/she doesn't agree with your religion is the epitome of arrogance.

This prayer asks, "Father, we also specifically ask for the voters in many states which are battleground states. Lord, please convict the hearts of voters in Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, North Dakota, Virginia, Nevada and Colorado." It looks like God completely ignored this prayer request. This prayer didn't accomplish anything. Barack Obama dominated in the battleground states.

Most of the Baptist Christians reading this bulletin do not even realize that is was posted by a pentecostal Christian. You see, a large portion of pentecostal/charismatic Christians embrace a teaching called the "name-it and claim-it" principle. This teaching says that if you pray to God, and then claim that it is done, then it will actually be done for you. For example, let's say that I am on the verge of going bankrupt because of mortgage debt. In this case, I could simply pray to God and say, "God, I know you have already paid off my debt, and I thank you for your kindness and claim this blessing in the name of Jesus." But this prayer doesn't accomplish anything. The creditors will continue calling. And if I don't pay my mortgage payments, they will repossess my house. This prayer says, "In the name of Jesus we claim victory in Your name." Well their "claim for victory" didn't work. Barack Obama won by a landslide.

The last part of this bulletin that I will comment on is the most bizarre. It says, "Lord, we pray for Your will to be done in a mighty way...we know that this election can and will glorify You! Father, place the man you would have to lead our country in a Christian way on November 4." Actually, this is more of a cop-out than it is a bizarre prayer. This prayer is simply a way for them to cover their backs just in case their prayers do not work. It basically says, "God, we want you to get John McCain elected, but if not, then your will be done." Have you ever thought about what it really means when you pray to God and say, "Your will be done"? If we were to translate that, it would say, "God, go ahead and do what you were already planning on doing." In other words, your prayers are meaningless when you say this.

The person writing this bulletin has completely contradicted him or herself. At first, it implies that Barack Obama is an evil candidate, whom God obviously does not approve of. But then it says, "We know that this election can and will glorify You! Father, place the man you would have to lead our country in a Christian way on November 4." Looking at this election in retrospect, it is obvious that Barack Obama IS the man that God would have to "lead our country in a Christian way on November 4." But wait a second. I thought Barack Obama was evil? But God chose him to lead our nation? Get your thoughts straight. This prayer is a complete cop-out, to cover their asses just in case their prayers don't work.

A study was conducted in 2006 on 1800 hospital patients who received coronary bypass surgery. The group was divided into those who received prayer for their healing and recovery, and those who did not receive prayer. In the end, there was no difference at all for the patients who received prayer and those who didn't.

It is what it is.

Who Or What Is God From Billy Meier

No Creator-God exists in this sense. The Big Bang did not come about through the strength or might of one god, but did so, simply and exclusively, through spiritual- and material-physical as well as chemical processes, that were triggered and directed by a young Universal Consciousness, respectively Creation. The term "God" has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the creation of the world or the universe, stars, galaxies and the like, for the expression "God" has existed in the vastness of the universe for billions of years, from ancient times to the present, and it represents nothing more than the title of a person. Initially this title was "Ishwish" which means "God" when translated into our languages. But Ishwish, respectively god, is nothing more than another term for "King of Wisdom." It is a purely human title assigned to humans who were particularly knowledgeable, wise, and who possessed great mastery in everything. This term's significance, however, was distorted and falsified by humans on Earth, particularly by the early religions and those experienced in profiting from using the word. The result was that God, as a King of Wisdom, was removed and the people turned him into a Creator-God who, allegedly, had created the Earth, the sun and outer space. Numerous individuals, such as Jehovah and many others, even claimed of themselves to be Creator-Gods with the consequence that they were also revered and worshiped. One thing led to another and soon the original meaning of the word "God" was forgotten and, consequently, the purported Creator-Gods were able to victoriously march into the realm of the people's religions, sects and faiths.

Source: http://www.futurmankind.co.uk/Billy Meier/Who or what is God%3F

What Is Protestantism

In the consideration of a theme of this character and importance, a correct understanding of the terms employed is essential. Particularly is this the case with the word "Protestant," the true meaning of which, through long years of disuse and abuse, has been largely forgotten.

It is very generally believed today that the word "Protestant" implies a narrow, bigoted, and

negative attitude. Such a conception, however, is the very opposite of the true meaning of the term.

There is in it no suggestion of mere negation. Analyzed, it consists of pro (for, or in favor of), and testari (to bearwitness). A true Protestant, therefore, is a witness for the truth; he bears testimony in favor of his cause.That which is simply negation of error is not true Protestantism.

The true Protestant will bear primarily a positive message. His attitude will be that of his Master

who said: "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John 12:47. His words will be the savor of life unto life, not of death unto death. His attitude at all times will be that of Jesus Christ, "Who beforePontius Pilate witnessed a good confession." 1 Timothy 6:13. In this sense Protestantism at its birth in the sixteenth century was far more than a mere negation of popery. It was the "bursting into life of latent truths of Scripture" that rent the Papacy by reason of the explosive power of life itself.

CHRIST, THE TRUE PROTESTANT

It is well to remember that Christ was the divine Protestant. Throughout His earthly life He

protested in favor of truth, and that, indeed, in behalf of all people. He was for everyone, against no one.It may be suggested by some, and rightly so, that many of the statements of Christ were of a negative character. Truly, but His negatives were but intended to give weight to the positives asserted. "You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:43,44. His implied negation of the old time hatreds was expressed but to emphasize the glorious positive of Christian love. To the church leaders of His day Christ seemed to be a bringer-in of novelties, an over turner of he doctrines and customs established by traditions and ecclesiastical authority. To them His work was a negation of all the accredited church customs of the time. Quite naturally they opposed Him; but the attitude of those church leaders was due to an entire misunderstanding of the work and teaching of Christ.

He was not these merely to negative the errors of His time; He was not there to introduce novelties in place of the old truths of God; He stood for the eternal foundations. When they taunted Him with the question, "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?" He replied: "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? You have made void the Word of God because of your tradition." Matthew 15:2-6, RV.

Jesus witnessed for the Word and the commandments of God. Hoary with age as were the

traditions of the elders, they were the novelties which had covered over and set aside the truth. Christ took a definite stand agains these traditions, and an equally definite and positive stand for the truth of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

The life of Christ is the pattern for every Protestant. As our Lord Himself fearlessly opposed

everything that was contrary to the commandments of God, regardless of the age of the error or the number of those who believed it, so must the true follower of Christ protest against error today. And it must bedone in the spirit of Christ.

The Protestantism of Christ was against error, against sin, but against no man. It was for everyone, against no one. Likewise today, with the tenderness of Him who came to seek and to save the lost, is the exposure of error to be made.

From the example of Christ we are to copy His wonderful, positive Protestantism. Every negative of Christ prepared the way for the assertion of a tremendous positive.

His negations swept away the ill-built structures of men and laid bare the foundation rock of righteousness and truth. That also is the task and the duty of every true Protestant today.

He must believe the Word of God as Christ believed it. He must keep the commandments of God

as Christ kept them. In other words, he must be a consistent believer and teacher of the foundation truths of God, his life being in harmony with his beliefs.

How much, then, is involved in this Protestantism! Clearly it is no light thing to be a true

Protestant. In a word, it means being a 100-per-cent Christian-a sincere student of the Bible, a practiser of its teachings, a lover of men, a hater of sin, a friend of God, and an obedient servant of Jesus Christ. Only by taking such a position as this, only by living such a life as this, can anyone be a true and consistent Protestant, standing on unassailable ground. The man who thinks he can be a Protestant and yetreject the Bible or some portion of it, is making a profound mistake. Likewise also the man who seeks to be a Protestant and yet is out of touch with God, is in grave danger. And from these considerations it becomes apparent that true Protestantism cannot only be anti-Catholic. If it is to be consistent Protestantism, witnessing in favor of the truth and standing against error wherever it may be found, it must also be anti-modernist, anti-evolutionist and against every evil that issapping the life of the Christian churches of today. At the same time it must be in favor of every good thing-prayer, Bible study, and all that is meant by Christian service. That is the Protestantism that is so sorely needed.

More than ever such Protestantism, with all its blessed outgrowths of righteousness and spiritual

freedom, is in danger today. Sin in a thousand forms is pressing in upon the professed servants of Jesus Christ, undermining faith, and scattering confidence in the Word of God. Materialism, money-making,pleasure-seeking, and the still subtler snares of Spiritism and Catholicism are separating men from God and breaking that contact which alone can make them strong, faithful, and stalwart witnesses for His truth.

If ever there was a time when true British Protestants needed divine help it is now; and it is for those who perceive the trend of events to pray for grace to enable them to witness a good confession. More than ever men and women are needed today who will stand like Daniel for the truth of God, and courageously contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Without question the hour has come for such a witness for the truth to be given to the world. This is the moment of supreme opportunity for those who still believe the simple, old-fashioned, everlasting gospel. Religions are in the melting pot. Creeds hoary with age are being scorched by the blazing light of modern knowledge. Tens of thousands are spiritually adrift, seeking truth but knowing not what to believe. Furthermore, a new generation is rising, separated from the moral habits and restrictions of the Victorian era as far as the east is from the west, and yet, with all the noble aspirations of youth, seeking some guiding star whereon to hitch the wagon of its out bursting life. All the future depends upon the lead that is given it today.

Speaking to the theological students at Cliffe Hall, Mr. Lloyd George said: "The one thing

England needs is not material things which we are bound to fight for. No; what England needs is a spiritual awakening. It is needed now more than ever. I believe there are signs that it is coming."

Not long ago the following appeared in the editorial columns of the Daily Express:

"The people are conscious of a spiritual hunger which worldly things do not satisfy. They feel a

spiritual pang which is not alleviated by material anodynes.... There is something in them that asks for more than culture and learning. Deep below the surface of education there is a desire for spiritual peace and rest and faith.... All classes are alike in their half-conscious craving for the sustenance of the inner life.

"It may be that we are on the eve of a great awakening of the religious spirit. It may be that

after a period of spiritual aridity we are entering upon an era of new faith and new hope. It may be that the people as a whole are on the verge of a great rediscovery of the eternal verities. There is a certain stirring in the depths. There is a certain troubling of the dark waters. Even a secular newspaper may be permitted to bear witness to happenings that augur well for the moral health and spiritual energy of asorely, tried people,"

All over the land, despite the prevailing materialism, there is unusual inquiry concerning the

things of the soul. It is indeed the troubling of the waters. The Spirit of God is being poured upon all flesh.

Not for many years has there been so great an interest in matters of religion.

At such a time as this, what is more needed than a restatement of the principles of Protestantism, a lifting up anew of the gospel of Christ in its purity, simplicity, and power? After all, this is what the people need more than anything else. Indeed it is what they are waiting, hoping, groping for. It is the only religion that will bring them enduring satisfaction, and could they but know it they would seek nothing else.

Such a revival of true godliness as this, is, moreover, the only way that an effective bulwark can

be formed against the inrushing evils of the age-the only way to prevent our beloved country from falling back on the one hand into paganism, and on the other into the darkness of medieval superstition.

God help the professed Protestants that yet remain in the land to witness a good confession!

source:Protestantism Imperiled

BY

Arthur S. Maxwell

the whole document can be found here:http://www.remnant-prophecy.com/topic-Library/RCC-History/ProtestantismImperiled-Maxwell.pdf

Token Prayers

"I fake I chomp mentioned as a result of that I chomp no use for New Year's resolutions. If I haven't, I'm indicating you now that I fake that each day is an transom to do contravene. I've never held, for archetype, how someone "FORCE OFF" a sustenance. I understand that one may perhaps drop and bestow taking part in to that tasty squeeze of pie or become speechless by the desire for a estate utensil with cheese and bacon. No matter what I allot to permeate is how the group gates hence open immense for extravaganza eating. Had that estate pounder? Don't chomp additional one.

So you slipped up, you ate a whole bag of Oreos, you had a cigarette. Break now. Go back to your sustenance and your billows free life and try harder, learn about yourself and what ended you do it, remove the triggers and blocks as best you can and begin anew.

Sure you're not leaving to deem until after that January 1st to do better? Of course you aren't. You're leaving to do contravene suitably now. You atmosphere be in our prayers.

"HEY SISTER MARY MARTHA, MY Give a buzz IS SANDRA. I Elucidate Innumerable BLOGS ON Religious studies AND Entreaty AND I Surface Such as I'VE Ended UP Impart After Before. I RAN Obliquely THIS Entreaty Share out WEBSITE AND I HAVEN'T HAD THE Risk TO ASK MY House of worship No matter what THEIR Position IS ON IT."

"I'M A BIT Mystified, I Conclude THAT Give ARE Specific Give support to TO A Lay Such as THIS BUT Specific CHRISTIANS Might Informant IT Questionable."

"THE WEBSITE IS HTTP://WWW.PRAYERMARKET.COM/".

"IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A Domain TO BLOG More or less, I WOULD BE Odd TO Eavesdrop on YOUR Mind-set AND Spill the beans No matter what YOUR Position IS ON THIS Exemplary OF Entreaty Waste."

"I Convey YOUR BLOG IN MY Strait READER SO I'LL Suppress Impel, GOD Consecrate"

"SANDRA J"

Questionable? A site by the separated brethren who became separated former ever since they were mad at the House of worship for exchange indulgences allows sprint to blatant tokens for praying for other sprint and hence use the tokens to get prayers for themselves read OR challenge in the tokens for Use and PRIZES.

What's to question? It's challenge people! Who doesn't whim better cash? Isn't that the peak serious thing in our lives? You can earn up to 10 an hour perfectly by reading working class prayers! All you destitution a a good pair of drink greedily and a webcam.

Oh, I disc a swoon. My cape is rotating. By chance it's my C.E.O..

I'm stationary not guaranteed I understand how it works, other than present-day is this important diagram:

Does anyone understand this? I hang on I do. Bob reads Susan's prayer and earns tokens. He uses his tokens to grind a prayer which is hence read by Alice. Bob is now devoid of tokens, but good old Alice has earned some by reading Bob's prayer. Then Alice blows her tokens on a prayer that is read by David. Alice now has no tokens, but David has a handful that he splurges on a prayer for himself, which Susan reads. Now Susan has all the rob, until she submits a prayer.

That explains everything. It seems to me you'll do fine for yourself as fancy as you don't grind any prayers. It promotes self-sacrificing conduct, don't you see?

If you destitution better welcome, you can snap on "HOW IT WORKINGS" on the site present-day and they spell it out even better, suitably down to how you can gambol the tokens unadorned and perfectly pay backbreaking composed challenge for someone to read your prayers. Free a cash a pop. No matter what a bargain!

I chomp to chomp a nap now.

And the realistically stunning part is that by submitting your prayer, you are allotment the prayer reading sprint earning up to 10 an hour to "CARRY ON OVERPOWERING TO GOD" by take effect all that applicant webcasting. AND you get to check in on them and make guaranteed they're take effect it right! I deduce this resources that they read the prayer perfectly as you submitted it. Such as the prayer that asked Our Peer of the realm to make guaranteed the Vikings topmost I skip who by 28 points, ever since, you know, you can't win the bet if the height slope is antisocial.

I destitution an bandanna. Either I chomp allergies or I chomp started to cry.

It's so raucously ironic that if present-day were dryness prizes, this would chomp to be the beater. When they may perhaps chomp done the truthful fantastically thing, the crux format existence that by position these prayers and videos, you atmosphere chomp even better sprint praying for you, they may perhaps chomp done that without any tokens or challenge.

What's my diagonal on it? Whoever put this together is ravenous (THE BEATER OF THE VITAL PUN OFFERING) on long-suffering sprint who destitution our prayers.

Too bad present-day isn't a way to conduct them all choice to the Carmelites. That's their whole job, population Carmelites. They use up approaching every sec in prayer for you and me, every one in indiscriminate and in specifics.

Or, conduct them all choice to Size, for that direct in the manner of the priest tells us "FREIGHT INTENTIONS POPULAR" and we all pray for each other's intentions, even if they shape height spreads.

Understanding The Influence Of Doubt On Religion

Here is an interesting article that looks at the role and influence of uncertainty and doubt on religion in the US. The interesting thing is that it makes an effort to mine data from the recently conducted United States Religious Landscape Study to test competing hypotheses: Is doubt (and uncertainty) of modern age causing the retreat of faith or is it forming a strong modified faith with its roots in doubt:

But the idea that contemporary faith, at least in the economically developed West, is shadowed by uncertainty on a new and different scale begs for some empirical investigation. Is such a doubt-haunted belief merely the intermediate stage in that slow retreat of the "Sea of Faith" that Matthew Arnold lamented in "Dover Beach," and that has left much of Western Europe with little more than a veneer of cultural or nostalgic religiosity? Call this the familiar transition hypothesis.

Or is there a newly emergent faith that is deep and constant, marked by familiar forms of prayer and practice, but nonetheless alert to, perhaps even enlivened by, the whisper saying, "I am convinced I'm right but I could be wrong"? That would be a faith lived, to use a favorite phrase of Professor Taylor, "in a different register." Call this the new steady-state hypothesis.

Here is the set-up for the hypotheses:

At first glance, the latest findings from the United States Religious Landscape Study, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, promise a way of examining those alternatives. This survey of more than 35,000 Americans asked people not only whether they believed in "God or a universal spirit" (92 percent did), but also whether the believers were "absolutely certain, fairly certain, not too certain, or not at all certain." While 71 percent replied "absolutely certain," a sizable portion (17 percent) fell into the "fairly certain" category.

What if one explored this latter group's answers to other survey questions? How important, for example, was religion in their lives? How often did they pray or attend worship services? How convinced were they that there would be life after death?

From the start, one could suppose that the fairly certain would prove less devout or observant on such measures than the absolutely certain. At least some of the fairly certain, it can be assumed, are people in transit, shifting toward disbelief and already distancing themselves from traditional religious life.

Nonetheless, if it turned out that the answers of the fairly certain came even close to those of the absolutely certain, it would confirm the idea of a stable strata of deeply committed, actively practicing religious believers who have also integrated a significant degree of doubt and uncertainty into their faith.

And it seems that the transition hypothesis comes out stronger from the dats:

In most cases the fairly certain believers were closer in attitude and observance to those saying they were not certain.

For example, 71 percent of absolutely certain believers considered religion "very important" in their lives; only 22 percent of the fairly certain did.

Strike 1 against the new steady-state hypothesis.

But the Pew survey also asked those who believed in God whether their view of God was more like "a person with whom people can have a relationship" or "an impersonal force."

Obviously, religious practices like worship and prayer usually assume a God who has relationships with people. So what if one limited the comparisons between absolutely certain and fairly certain believers to ones who, in both cases, also described their view of God as "personal"?

In this case, the gap between the two groups closes - but only modestly. Strike 2 against the steady-state hypothesis.

Way to go transition hypothesis!.

P.S. Also check out the video of Hampshire College Science ">Jennifer Michael Hecht.

The Element Encyclopedia Of Secret Societies And Hidden History The Ultimate A Z Of Ancient Mysteries Lost Civilizations And Forgotten Wisdom By

"NEXT IN THE POPULAR ELEMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA SERIES, COMES THE COMPLETE A--Z OF ALTERNATIVE HISTORY. DISCOVER EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SECRET SOCIETIES LIKE THE FREEMASONS, THE HISTORICAL MYSTERY OF ATLANTIS, WHY KING ARTHUR, LEONARDO DA VINCI AND HITLER ARE KEY FIGURES, PLUS CONSPIRACY THEORIES, FORGOTTEN SCIENCES AND ANCIENT WISDOM. A COMPLETE AND INFORMATIVE A--Z FOR ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GENRES TO HAVE EMERGED IN RECENT TIMES -- THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE LAST 10,000 YEARS. THIS ENCYCLOPEDIA ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECTS BEING DEBATED: / CONSPIRACIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES, E.G. KNIGHTS TEMPLARS, THE ROSICRUCIANS, THE FREEMASONS, THE BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI, THE HELLFIRE CLUB, THE KU KLUX KLAN, AND THE PRIORY OF SION. IT ALSO INCLUDES SECRET TRADITIONS, HIDDEN BLOODLINES, EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTERVENTION, IMMINENT APOCALYPSE, AND THE MAYAN CALENDAR PROPHECIES. / ANCIENT WISDOM AND FORGOTTEN SCIENCES, E.G. ALCHEMY, PROPHECY, SACRED GEOMETRY, LEY LINES, AND MAGIC, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN ANCIENT TIMES E.G. THE MYSTERIES OF STONEHENGE AND THE GREAT PYRAMIDS. / UNSOLVED HISTORICAL MYSTERIES, E.G. THE LOCATION OF ATLANTIS, THE EARLY HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY, THE HOLY GRAIL, THE FATE OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS, THE AUTHORSHIP OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, THE CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, AND THE OCCULT ROOTS OF NAZISM. / KEY FIGURES IN HIDDEN HISTORY -- PYTHAGORAS, JESUS OF NAZARETH, LEONARDO DA VINCI, KING ARTHUR, ROGER BACON, JOHN DEE, ALESSANDRO CAGLIOSTRO, THE COMTE DE ST.-GERMAIN, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, AND ADOLF HITLER."

"LINK :"

Bos Herbalenchantment Grimoire How To Create A Moon Tree

// How to Create A Moon Tree // A special gift for the Dark Goddess of the Moon. Done on a Full Moon night.

The highest initiation of Luna is one of Wisdom, allowing the psyche to influence action and to follow an inner voice. The Great Wise Mother holds the secret of feminine spirituality. By making a 'Moo Tree' you can increase communication with the Moon Herself. In addition, it can also be a beautiful Being to adorn your home, bringing the sense of Luna in doors.

INSTRUCTIONS:

01) Willow or aspen branches.

02) Silver spray paint.

03) A container to put branches in.

04) River stones or Clear Quartz crystals or Moonstones (this is the best if you are able to account for and afford so many Moonstones).

05) Clear glass fairy lights.

06) Silver totems: crescent Moons. 07) Thin blue ribbons, seashells, and white papery flowers.

08) Two white or silver candles.

METHOD: 01) Spray the branches and arranged them in the pot supported by the river stones (or crystals). 02) Simply decorate as you like and don't worry if you haven't got all the above; just use your imagination and decorate the tree in your own style.

03) Empower the Tree and bless it by offering it to the full Moon. The following chant can be said under the silver ligh tof the Moon:

BY THE POWER OF HEKATE, KERRIDWEN, AND THE MORRIGAN,I DRAW DOWN THE POWER OF THE FULL MOON INTO THIS MOON TREE. BY THE POWER OF THE DARK GODDESS OF THE MOON,THIS TREE IS SACRED AND BLESSED WITH LUNAR ENERGY. THE POWER OF THE MOON LADY NOW DWELLS WITHIN MY HOME. THIS IS MY WILL, SO MOTE IT BE.

Now place the Moon Tree on an altar or other sacred place where It can be revered and worshiped. I plan to place mine with my Moonstones on my altar so as to always have them charge one another with Lunar Energy.

May the Goddess of the Moon and Her Lunar Spirits be with you.

Blessed be. )O(

Embraced by Her dark wings,Dani

Credit: pagan-space.blogspot.com

Yhvh Tetragrammaton

My Rosary prayer, and indeed my whole religious belief system, is based on the Quaternity (as opposed to Trinity). As its name implies it has four members:

Y - God-the-Father

H - Goddess-the-Mother

V - Holy Son

H - Holy Spirit / Daughter

This Godhead, the Quaternity, is expressed by the Y H V H name of the Divine, which is where we get those mis-pronunciations like Yahweh and Jehovah.

The Y H V H has been called the Tetragrammaton, which in Greek simply means "four-lettered Name."

For a scholarly (and Kabbalistic) explanation of how the four-part Godhead came to be, read this article, Shem ha-Mephoresch.

You have to scroll down a bit to find the portion that explains the YHVH deities.

Kabbalists and both modern and ancient Jews say that the Y H V H name cannot and should not be pronounced, it is the magikal Ineffable Name. They refer to the Name as HaShem, which means, literally "the Name."

When a modern Jew writes the English word, God, they always spell it thus:

G-d with a dash in the middle, out of respect. Many of the ancients (and nowadays a few moderns) dedicated their entire lives to figuring out the "true" pronunciation of YHVH, the Ineffable name. Modern Jews believe (and are taught in Jewish schools) that Jesus Christ obtained magikal and healing powers by learning the 72 magikal names of G-d, all forms of YHVH, and had them tattooed onto his arm. Jews, of course, do not believe Jesus was divine. Tattoos are anathema to Jews to this day, and getting magikal names tattooed on your arm was considered "cheating." Like ancient and modern Jews, most Esoteric Kristians tend to shy away from tattoos. But we don't believe Yeshua had any tattoos either! He got his magikal powers from his direct-connect with the Godhead. Indeed, he was a channel for the third person of the Quaternity, the Vahv, the Sacred Son. There is a way that the mystic or serious seeker after god/dess can "hear" the original pure sound of YHVH's name. The still small voice in your head may "whisper" the true pronounciation to you if you practice a certain special but very simple breathing exercise/meditation with the four letters. This takes awhile, maybe months, and you must be sincere. Sometimes a mantra of "reveal thyself, reveal thyself, reveal thyself," over and over again convinces the Divine of your sincerity, shows Them that you really long for Them, desire only Them. We teach this easy but ancient mantra exercise in our Esoteric Mystery School email lessons. And our Order of Melchizedek, the Priest(ess)hood of YHVH, devotes their work and service to the Quaternity. If this resonates with you, you may wish to join the Order of Melchizedek, High Priest of El Elyon (Most High One). El Elyon was of course also known as Yahweh, YHVH.

Tags: wicca path wicca tarot evil spells site witch real magic samhain ritual wiccans wicca voodoo doctor wicca wholesale

Call God

CALL OF THE GOD

I am the radiant King of the Heavens, flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation. I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings and daily pour forth my gold upon the Earth, putting to flight the powers of darkness.

I am the master of the beasts wild and free. I run with the swift stag and soar as a sacred falcon against the shimmering sky. The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers, and the birds of the air sing of my sanctity.

I am also the last harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath the sickle of time so that all may be nourished. For without planting there can be no harvest;
without winter, no spring.

Worship me as the thousand-named Sun of creation, the spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest. See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and rebirth - and know that such is the destiny of all creation.

I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest, and I send my rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all.

Reference: goddesses-and-gods.blogspot.com

The Fall Of The Witch Hunter

I read a few Wiccan blogs, in particular desire a read few Christian and Islamic blogs. Offer are a few voices out introduce who are really and if I proffer them a occasion, be in charge of the way I suggest about the accurate. The Rough Hunt is a one of these blogs.

"Since introduction "THE ROUGH HUNT" in 2004, Jason Pitzl-Waters has become one of the leading voices for examination and grasp inwards how modern Pagan faiths are represented within the gap media. In appendix, "THE ROUGH HUNT" has moreover conducted in-depth interviews with above what is usual facts within modern Paganism, further education college, and religion symbols. Jason wishes to increase in intensity the level of parley and symbols on noteworthy issues within the modern Pagan and Heathen communities, because advocating a broader dedication to sympathetic dutiful mixture and solidarity (ANYWHERE DEMAND) with remaining limited and non-monotheistic recognition groups."

The harsh hound posted an fib about a witch hating inconsiderable high priest named Andrew L. Thomas. He's on trial for by all accounts raping a 16-year-old boy.

"For because Thomas was by all accounts abusing before time boys, "HE WAS MOREOVER LEADING AN ANTI-PAGAN SET IN MOTION IN ORDER TO MAKE WITCH SUCCESSION OUT OF ROSSVILLE, ILLINOIS"."

Shake over in and proffer it a read. Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Scorn,Wicca

Maia

"MAIA", THE "GREEK GODDESS" OF SPRING AND REBIRTH; SHE IS THE SHY AND GENTLE GODDESS WHO BRINGS ABOUT THE SEASONAL WARMING OF THE EARTH, THE PATRON OF MOTHERS AND NURSES, TO WHOM SACRIFICES WERE MADE TO ENSURE THE GROWTH OF CROPS. HER NAME MEANS "T"HE MAKER". EVERY SPRING THIS GODDESS IS BELIEVED TO MAKE THE GRASS AND FLOWERS GROW AGAIN. HER NAME IS THE ORIGIN OF THE MONTH," MAY." HER TRADITIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION IS MAY 1ST. ON THIS DAY, MEN AND WOMEN DRESS IN GREEN CLOTHING AND DANCE ABOUT THE "MAYPOLE" TO WELCOME THE SPRING.

"MAIA" WAS THE ELDEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE "PLEIADES", THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF "ATLAS "AND THE "OCEANID, PLEIONE."A SHY AND SOLITARY GODDESS, SHE LIVES ALONE IN A CAVE ON "MT. CYLLENE" IN ARCADIA. SOME STORIES SAY SHE SCORNED MARRIAGE, PREFERRING TO BE FREE, WHICH HINTS AT HER ANCIENT, PRE-PATRIARCHAL ORIGINS. "MAIA "WAS THE MOTHER OF "HERMES", ALSO A SKILLED MAGICIAN AND MESSENGER OF THE GODS. THE GREEKS KNEW HER HAS THE "GRANDMOTHER OF MAGIC."

ON THE NEXT CLEAR NIGHT, TAKE SOME TIME TO LOOK INTO THE NIGHT SKY AND YOU WILL SEE HER. SHE IS THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE "PLEIADES." BE SURE TO ADD SOME SPLASHES OF COLOR TO YOUR HOME WITH FRESH CUT FLOWERS, BOWLS OF FRESH FRUIT AND BRIGHTLY COLORED CANDLES.

"BLESSINGS TO YOU AT THIS MOST SPECIAL TIME OF THE YEAR."

Origin: modern-wiccan.blogspot.com

The Trouble With Atheism Channel 4

Did we like it?

A dogmatic diatribe by Rod Liddle that was forever teetering on the brink of its own crumbling credibility as he set about debunking the sanctimonious pomposity of atheism with a style of prejudicial propaganda not heard on these shores since Lord Haw Haw was silenced.

What was good about it?

o For all of the programme's faults, it justified its existence through its willingness to address and challenge staid, complacent intellectual ideals. The fact that Rod was so cack-handed in his approach only slightly spoilt the spectacle of provocative television in a slot that on Friday housed the execrable Unanimous.

What was bad about it?

o Rod referred to the lack of God as a negative, as it presupposes that the universe is somehow lessened without a divine being. But as he was referring to the narrow monotheistic Christian faith, is Christianity not a 'negative' too as it assumes just one God while Hinduism, for instance, revels in polytheism?

o Whether or not Rod believes in divinity or was simply acting as an agent provocateur is irrelevant as he slanted the argument far too much towards the existence of God. When listing what are commonly seen as the virtues of atheism he spat out the words with utter disdain as if to attempt to dispel their veracity with the tone of his voice alone.

o While the section of atheists against whom Rod was railing no doubt exist and wish to crush every last iota of religious faith beneath their steel-heeled jackboots, he seemed oblivious to the fact that the majority of atheists follow their own credo out of nothing more than apathy and are quite blas'e, even sympathetic, to anyone who may follow a particular belief.

o Rod mischievously used the scientists' own rigid system of proof against them when he discussed what happened 'before' the Big Bang. As scientists have no concept of what existed 'before' then, Rod and his ilk assume that the hole in their arguments is automatically a God-shaped hole when the Big Bang might just as easily be someone sneezing and all the stellar matter is their snot spreading slowly across the empty universe.

o Rod's polarised questioning of his subjects. Anyone spouting forth that God does exist was given a smooth ride and little or no challenge was made to their words. Atheists, however, were interrogated to such a degree that Rod was only missing a spotlight and branding iron. And whenever the argument ascended to heights he could not intellectually scale, he simply slagged them off in his voiceover.

o Rod's efforts to slander the philosophy of Darwin also met a sticky self-delusional end. "At 147 years old Darwinism is getting on a bit" was among his attempts to seed doubt in the viewer's mind with hogwashed waffle, and he fol-lowed it up with the equally vague: "I'm pretty sure that Darwin's theory will be superseded."

o And all the while, he seemed wilfully ignorant that while Darwin's theories may prove not to be absolutely correct they will only be replaced by other proofs rigorously tested by science and not some nebulous religious edicts. And it is because of science's willingness to admit it might be wrong that will forever make it a far better barometer of evolutionary truth than religion.

o Rod then proceeded to clumsily stumble into very dangerous territory when he suggested that Darwin inadvertently paved the way for eugenics. Yes, the founder of eugenics may have been inspired by Darwin's theory of natural selection, yet in formulating such a philosophy threw his own compassion out of the window, a compassion that is a central tenet of human evolution - that of caring for the weakest members of society.

o And Rod mired himself in even swampier ground when he queried: "Is there a connection between Darwinism and Hitler?" This was posited to suggest Hitler may have exterminated Jews because he believed them to be inherently inferior, yet Rod must have known that Hitler's hatred of Jews was born out him blaming them for the Fatherland losing the First World War and consequent collapse of German society rather than any idea of biological inadequacy, which was no doubt added as a delusional disclaimer by the Nazis once the discrimination began.

o Rod concluded by giving a few highly-selective instances of where societies in which God has been rejected have been even more barbarous than any society adhered to religion. Of course, the obvious example is Stalin's Soviet Union yet, as was pointed out to Rod, Stalin wasn't actually killing in the name of atheism; what had occurred is that the Communists had stumbled upon an even more effective way of oppressing the populace than keeping them in line with religion, which until then had mostly been the weapon of choice for despots around the globe.

Source: my-spiritual-path.blogspot.com

Wednesday In The Word The Honor Of Homemaking

I apologize for this being so late today! I knew I had one more writing assignment toward the "end" of September, but I didn't note the exact date. Today I have two medical appointments in addition to getting the house ready for Bible study tonight, which is held in our home each week. Then there was this pesky little thought in my head that maybe it was the 22nd that I was supposed to post? So after I finished some had-to-be-done things, I checked, and sure enough, it was my day. So I apologize for not planning ahead and checking on that sooner!

As a result of not planning ahead, I had to look through some things I've written in the past for publishing today. What I found was actually a devotional written by a friend of mine who manages an online forum for fundamental Baptist ladies, Women at the Well. I asked her permission to publish this several years ago on another blog I had at the time. I hope you'll be blessed by it as I was when she first wrote it!

Quote:

Jos 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

Anyone else notice that "LAID IN ORDER" there? Had she not been PREPARED she would have missed the BLESSING of being used by God in this situation most likely. (not limiting God here... I'm just saying He would have looked for someone ELSE that was prepared amen?) Just how many blessings do we MISS out on because we are not prepared, have not done our housekeeping?

LADIES THIS IS AN AREA WE HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER! Being the keeper of the home is not a sentence of servitude, but a time-honored opportunity for service and ministry to God and our family. You can rule your home with the mindset that this is an HONOR, or with a mindset of RESENTMENT. Either way you can get the 'job' done but oh how much better it is when you look at that washing, cleaning, preparing, etc as unto the Lord, unto your family.

The orderliness of Rahab's housekeeping in Joshua 2:6 is a testimony of a virtuous woman working willingly with her hands (Prov. 31:13). Whatever our hands find to do, we must do it with all our might (Eccl. 9:10). This is our reasonable service.

Years ago a woman was disgraced if her home was constantly messy! I remember that with my own mom don't you? She knew it was a reflection upon her character and she took PRIDE in her home. Now we find in Christian circles that women use the excuse of ministering, be it to the world, the church, etc... We all look at what the Prov. 31 woman IS TO DO but let's consider for a moment here what it does not list as things she does NOT do... She does not teach or host Bible studies, or have a ladies prayer meeting. She is not constantly door knocking, etc. I'm not saying any of this is against what God means for us in our Christian walk; HOWEVER, what God says should take precedence. Is what we DO found in Prov. 31?

Do you see yourself in any of this? Ladies, don't spend more time making excuses or justifying or making apologies than getting this thing right with GOD.

Pr 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

There is a growing need for strong churches, but it is not possible to have strong churches without strong homes. It is not possible to have strong homes without homemakers.Chris spared no words there, did she? Please understand that she is not discounting ministry-related work such as Bible studies and prayer meetings; she is simply stating that our first priority is our personal walk with God, our families, and our homes - then can come the opportunities for ministry.

Have a blessed church service tonight and a wonderful first weekend of autumn!

Susan Hutchens

ByGrace

Missionary Wife, North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Source: spellscasting.blogspot.com

Witnessing

Tom Krattenmaker in "USA TODAY" writes about "How to sell Christianity? Ask an atheist." No one likes to feel manipulated or subjected to emotional blackmail, and yet atheists report that much of the "evangelism" they experience does feel like that.

Jim Henderson is a recovering evangelist. Back in his soul-chasing, church-starting days, he began hearing a grating dissonance between his faith in Jesus and the way he went about winning new converts. Henderson realized he was doing unto others what he would never want done unto him. He was manipulating conversations to set up a pitch. Viewing people as potential notches on his evangelism belt rather than fellow sojourners and prospective friends. Listening only to the extent it could reveal an argumentative opening. He realized he hated the whole enterprise.....

Conventional evangelism is often accused, and rightly so, of "bait and switch" tactics; think attractive social gathering or sports outing that, unbeknownst to invitees, is really designed to segue into a Gospel pitch. Henderson has a fascinating alternative to propose: all bait, no switch.

Call it promotion by non-promotion, evangelism by attraction, goodwill mongering, or letting one's life speak for itself, but this is what will best represent the faith among the many Americans who do not share the evangelical faith. Henderson and his fellow travelers are right in urging would-be evangelists simply to get to know people, become their friends and let the spiritual chips fall where they may.

This re-imagined form of witness trumpets good news all around - for Christians who, as Henderson puts it, want to be "normal," for the public credibility of Christianity, and for all of the not-yet and never-will-be converts who don't want to be pitied or demonized for (supposedly) living in the dark..... [more]Thanks to Mike Pohlman for leading me to the column, which he summarizes: "So, how does one sell Christianity? You don't."

The occasions when I know that anything I did was used by God I was unconscious of any effort to evangelize.

How to sell Christianity? Ask an atheist. - USATODAY.com

Rebirth Rejuvenation And Ressurection Vernal Equinox

Easterthe word conjures up images of brashly coloured generate, a comparative rainbow nestled in plastic plants, captured in a basket.

As a child, this was one of my favourite holidays. I was raised a Catholic and in wistful, went to Catholic school. Of course, we had our real thing day of leap break as Dutiful Thursday. My sisters and I would go to my grandmothers' houses and help fill in the the food for the close few days. Dutiful Thursday was the clasp day you were permitted to do any straightforward work, as you were to be in a heartfelt assert of care for the close few days. We would help make a ham at my father's mother's inland, dejected with borscht, sausage (CONTEMPORARY AND SMOKED) and of course the horseradish pulp. Surveillance my aunt nettle the make happen was an tough setting. We would replacement share my mother's mother across the boulevard, burning a leg of chicken among other background. The best part of all of this was colouring the generate. I still do this today.

So everyplace did this practice start? Catholics are told that it started with Mary Magdalene. One story is that upon proclaiming to the Sovereign that Christ had risen, he scoffed and thought that it was as physical as an egg bear red. Unusual is that she went to the Sovereign of Rome, gave him a red coloured egg, evocative of Jesus' blood and the life improved.

In front of heaps other christian civilization, Easter whichever has pagan ancestry. The holiday gets it's name from from the Teutonic goddess of leap and dawn, whose name is spelled Oestre or Eastre. Objector day pagans allow the spelling Ostara as our word for the Vernal (LEAP) Equinox. The Vernal Equinox overall chute together with Rally 19 and Rally 22, nevertheless the calendar song mentions Rally 21. Easter chute in the future together with late Rally and mid April, depending upon at the same time as the real thing full moon on or at the back of the Equinox occurs.

Produce are impeccably one of the peak durable abundance symbols and leap is the interest at the same time as peak natural world begin to friend. Trees and vegetation begin to pollinate and echo. Our pagan dwell in coloured generate in honour of the goddess, the dyes mimicking the mixture of the newly energetic vegetation.

The Easter egg haunt, as joyful and fun thorough as it is today, has a very dark like. As Christianity became ultra and ultra fundamental, the ways of the old Religious studies were viewed as evil. The followers of the goddess took to setback their generate. View them was a litigation put forward to children in the form of a game. It was not original for the youths to be bribed with coins or sweets in order for them to comedy. One may possibly surmise that about was the beginning of our modern day hunts, everyplace overall plastic generate with money or chocolate are nameless to be found, or setback the basket for that subject.

Chocolate bunnies are geared up in today's Easter basket. The Easter bunny has it's origin in honouring rabbits, an animal very sacred to to the goddess Eastre. Power abounds with these creatures. I cannot guesswork personality who has not heard the chesterfield "F

have the benefit of a bunny".

The tradition of new clothes for the holiday has very much to do with the coming loose of the winter stripe peak natural world spread out. Wearing the pastels of leap suggestion the grass that stomach come to life at the back of the want dreary. It is a time for lilacs, crocus and and violets, to name a few.

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Origin: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com

Review Of Dallal Islam Science And The Challenge Of History

This is a weekly post by Nidhal Guessoum (see his earlier posts here). Nidhal is an astrophysicist and Professor of Physics at American University of Sharjah and is the author of "Islam's Quantum Question: Reconciling Muslim Tradition and Modern Science".

"This past month, the Journal of Islamic Studies (JIS, Oxford) published the rather long review it had asked me to write about Ahmad Dallal's book "Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History", which was published last year by Yale University Press.Dallal is a historian of science who has specialized in Arab-Islamic heritage. He is currently provost of the American University of Beirut (AUB), having gone there in 2009 from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he served as the chair of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies. He had previously held academic appointments at Stanford University (2000-03), Yale University (1994-2000), and Smith College (1990-94).The AUB short biographical sketch of Dallal describes this new important book, which is based on the Dwight H. Terry lectures that he delivered at Yale University in February 2008, as "trac[ing] the historical delineations between scientific knowledge and religious authority in Muslim societies."I cannot reproduce here my long review of the book, for copyright reasons, and the full text is only available for subscribers on the JIS website; the journal makes an "extract" available here, but it is only two paragraphs long.The first paragraph is the opening of my review: I often describe the field of 'Islam and Science' as a cultural and intellectual space in three dimensions: a) the historical developments of science during the Islamic civilization; b) the conceptual discussions of conflict, harmony, or separation between Islam and modern science; c) the issues of practical application of science in Islamic life (ranging from the calculation of prayer times to in vitro fertilization and euthanasia). Ahmad Dallal's book, though rather concise, manages to encompass all three dimensions in a grand narrative and with a bold thesis. Indeed, while surveying the major trends of scientific activity from its emergence in the early Islamic civilization to the present time, he takes special interest in at least one specific case of application of science and intersection with religious rules (the direction of the qibla), and by the last chapter he dabbles in the conceptual issues raised by Darwinism and 'the new astronomy' (i.e. the heliocentric revolution). But for the benefit of the readers of Irtiqa", let me add a couple of paragraphs (as a bonus) to help give an idea of the book's thesis and the extent to which Professor Dallal has been successful in convincing his readers about it.The thesis he is attempting to prove, however, is never stated clearly, but any careful reader will figure it out, especially since Dallal attempts to draw conclusions toward it at the end of each chapter. What he tries to show is that science in the Islamic civilization slowly but successfully was extricating itself from the double embrace of (Aristotelian) philosophy and religion. Dallal clearly believes that any link, whether strong or weak, made between science and religion or philosophy is counterproductive and regressive. He writes: "Yet while religion dominated the moral sphere and claimed a higher rank there [...], it did not exercise an epistemological hegemony over science" (p. 147); "[w]hen Muslims were the main producers of science in the world, they did not advocate wedding science and religion" (p. 170)....In summary, this is an important book, with a grand narrative and a bold thesis. It is very well written, though one can find weaknesses, biases, or short-cuts here and there. It is an important book precisely because it proposes a viewpoint: separation between science and religion, and even philosophy, is not only the correct course to follow but also the historical path that Muslim thinkers took over the global Islamic history. This thesis needs to be discussed and examined in light of the historical record, a fuller treatment which looks at many more viewpoints and avoids any swift generalizations. Dallal is still to be applauded for having produced an essay which forces us to think and argue the merits of his views.