tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76576345327208548472024-03-12T23:12:45.688-05:00Are you going to HellIn a handbasket?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-28343484850551428302014-06-22T12:11:00.000-05:002014-06-22T12:11:07.150-05:00<div class="storytitle" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; margin: 0px auto; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 15px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 954.6624755859375px;">
<h1 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.2rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.125; margin: 15px 0px 11px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The Runner-Up Religions Of America</h1>
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<div class="bucketwrap byline" id="res322919726" previewtitle="bylines" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; color: #666666; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;">
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by <a data-metrics="{"action":"Click Byline","category":"Story Metadata"}" href="http://www.npr.org/people/95608292/linton-weeks" rel="author" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6d8ac4; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">LINTON WEEKS</span></a></div>
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<time datetime="2014-06-22" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="date" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0.8em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">June 22, 2014</span><span class="time" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">11:11 AM ET</span></time></div>
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<div class="bucketwrap image large" id="res322920626" previewtitle="Most Americans identify as Christians, but a deeper look into the faiths that rank second across the states shows a nation in flux." style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 37px auto 40px; max-width: 1120px; min-height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 15px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 954.6624755859375px;">
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<img alt="Most Americans identify as Christians, but a deeper look into the faiths that rank second across the states shows a nation in flux." class="img" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2014/06/17/pub-second-largest-state-847cce624aefd38ba70c6d1d88f448ee67b9aa66-s40-c85.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 924.6624755859375px;" title="Most Americans identify as Christians, but a deeper look into the faiths that rank second across the states shows a nation in flux." /></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-52706992068525649432014-04-19T13:32:00.000-05:002014-04-29T15:40:58.770-05:00Funny Quotes about Heaven and Hell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-23233353978110867012014-04-19T13:30:00.000-05:002014-04-19T13:18:31.422-05:00Are you going to Hell?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ggloryoftheson" target="_blank">facebook</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-87342691752270044002014-04-17T10:53:00.002-05:002014-04-17T10:53:55.117-05:00Ancient Crucifixion Symbols<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Dionysus_Crucifixion.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Dionysus_Crucifixion.gif" height="640" width="405" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crucifixion
images abound today—from sculptures and icons in churches to the masterful
paintings hanging in museums. But how many of these actually give us a
realistic idea of what Jesus’ crucifixion looked like? Do these artistic
crucifixion images accurately reflect ancient Roman crucifixion methods?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOqP4vVXZGjEzhKr3_unHde98VA3_h8WstrG5QrDkpZRPS9ggNe1jipxc5lP6NuwdV4x2C2wQKEzmlxGuAWAxEDPeZ4xuzVvvrmXKXn-JsKl7EcJIKROxR-Fmde6qzWO5FYU9C8Ea6Bg/s1600/puteoli-graffito.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOqP4vVXZGjEzhKr3_unHde98VA3_h8WstrG5QrDkpZRPS9ggNe1jipxc5lP6NuwdV4x2C2wQKEzmlxGuAWAxEDPeZ4xuzVvvrmXKXn-JsKl7EcJIKROxR-Fmde6qzWO5FYU9C8Ea6Bg/s1600/puteoli-graffito.png" height="400" width="260" /></a><span style="background-color: black; font-family: myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14.696499824523926px;"><span style="color: white;">This second-century graffito of a Roman crucifixion from Puteoli, Italy, is one of a few ancient crucifixion images that offer a first-hand glimpse of Roman crucifixion methods and what Jesus’ crucifixion may have looked like to a bystander.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
March/April 2013 issue of <i>Biblical Archaeology Review</i>, Biblical
scholar Ben Witherington addresses these questions by looking at some of the
earliest archaeological evidence of crucifixion and imagery roughly
contemporary with Jesus’ crucifixion. Witherington discusses three crucifixion
images—two wall graffiti and a magical amulet—from the first centuries of the
Christian era.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The two
graffiti were both discovered in Italy—one, the so called Alexamenos graffito,
on the Palatine Hill in Rome and the other in Puteoli during
an excavation. Both show a crucified figure on a cross and date to sometime
between the late first and mid-third centuries A.D. Likewise, a striking red
gemstone bears a crucified figure surrounded by a magical inscription.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px;">To read more about ancient crucifixion images and what they can tell us about Roman crucifixion methods and Jesus’ crucifixion, see Ben Witherington III, Biblical Views: “</span><a href="http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=39&Issue=2&ArticleID=10" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Images of Crucifixion: Fresh Evidence</strong></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px;">” in the March/April 2013 issue of</span><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Biblical Archaeology Review</em><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px;">.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 19.5px;"> </span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-40157340236675086922014-04-16T21:14:00.001-05:002014-04-16T21:15:02.638-05:00What does the Bible say about Astral Projection?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://allietheiss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Astral_Projection1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://allietheiss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Astral_Projection1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><strong>Question: "What does the Bible say about an out of body experience / astral projection?"<br /><br />Answer:</strong>Information about the "out-of-body” experience is both vast and subjective. According to Wikipedia, one out of ten people claims to have had an out-of-body experience (OBE), and there are many different types of the experiences claimed. They range from involuntary out-of-body experiences or near-death experiences that happen after or during a trauma or accident, to what is called “astral projection" in which a person voluntarily tries to leave his/her body behind and ascend to a spiritual plane where he/she believes he/she will find truth and clarity.<br /><br />A few famous Christians have had what might be called, in today’s world, an out-of-body experience, most notably the Apostle Paul. He says in<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="2 Corinthians 12.1-4" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Corinthians%2012.1-4">2 Corinthians 12:1-4</a>, "I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell." In the verses preceding this passage, Paul lists his "boasts" or the things that, if he were counting on works and good deeds to secure his salvation, would get him into heaven. Though he seems to be referring to a third party, scholars agree that he is speaking of himself in the third person. Therefore, he is including this apparent out-of-body experience in his list of boasts. The point he is making is that any revelation that comes from outside the Bible (extra-biblical revelation) is not a reliable source, and as Paul says, "There is nothing to be gained by it." This does not mean that his out-of-body experience wasn't real, only that he is not relying on it to give him truth or really to benefit himself or other people in any way.<br /><br />An involuntary out-of-body experience or a near-death experience, like the Apostle Paul's, should be treated in the same way as a dream in the life of a Christian—an unexplained phenomenon that may make a good story, but does not give us truth. The only place we find absolute truth is in the Word of God. All other sources are merely subjective human accounts or interpretations based on what we can discover with our finite minds. The book of Revelation, or John's vision, is an exception to this, as are the prophecies or visions of the Old Testament prophets. In each of those cases, the prophets were told that this was a revelation from the Lord, and they should share what they had seen because it was directly from the mouth of God.<br /><br />A voluntary out-of-body experience, or an “astral projection,” is a different story. A person trying to achieve an out-of-body experience in order to connect with spirits or the spirit world is practicing the occult. There are two forms of this. The first is called the “phasing” model, in which the person tries to find new spiritual truth by accessing a part of the mind that is "shut off" during everyday life. This practice is connected to Buddhism or postmodernism and the belief that enlightenment is achieved from looking within oneself. The other form, called the “mystical” model, is when the person tries to exit the body entirely, his/her spirit traveling to another plane that is not connected to the physical world at all.<br /><br />The Bible explicitly warns against occult practice, or sorcery, in<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Galatians 5.19-20" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians%205.19-20">Galatians 5:19-20</a>, saying that those who practice it will not inherit God's kingdom. God's commands are always for our good, and He commands us to stay far away from occult practices because there is great potential, when trying to access the spiritual world, of opening oneself up to demons who can tell us lies about God and confuse our minds. In<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Job 4.12-21" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Job%204.12-21">Job 4:12-21</a>, Eliphaz describes being visited by a lying spirit in a vision that tells him God does not regard humans and that He doesn't care for us, which is false! The phasing model is also futile, according to Scripture.<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Jeremiah 17.9" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Jeremiah%2017.9">Jeremiah 17:9</a>says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?" and<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Corinthians 2.1-5" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Corinthians%202.1-5">1 Corinthians 2:1-5</a>says, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." It is futile to search for infinite wisdom inside the finite mind of man.<br /><br />One concrete example of this comes from the popular book<i>90 Minutes in Heaven</i>by Pastor Don Piper. Piper describes what is, in essence, an out-of-body experience he had after a severe car accident, during which he believes he died and went to heaven for ninety minutes. Whether or not Piper did actually see heaven or spend time there is debatable, and in the end nobody but God knows. However, there is a serious problem, theologically speaking, with the conclusion Pastor Piper draws from his experience. He tells the reader that, now that he has "been to heaven," he can speak comfort to grieving people at funerals "with more authority" than he could previously. Piper's motives are correct: he wants to give people hope. However, it is dead wrong to say that his own subjective experience will give him more authority to administer the hope of heaven than the perfect truth of Scripture would do.<br /><br />In conclusion, whatever sort of out-of-body experience we are talking about, the main point to remember is that an out-of-body experience will give us neither truth nor knowledge. If an involuntary out-of-body experience occurs in the life of a Christian, the best approach would be to consider it in the same category as a dream—interesting, perhaps, but not a source of truth. Christians are to find truth only in the words of God, as Jesus prays in<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="John 17.17" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2017.17">John 17:17</a>, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."</span><strong>Recommended Resources:</strong><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=19078" target="_blank">The Truth Behind Ghosts, Mediums, and Psychic Phenomena by Ron Rhodes</a>and<a href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a>.</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.</span></i></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><br /><br />Read more:<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/out-of-body-experience.html#ixzz2z6c3jyJP">http://www.gotquestions.org/out-of-body-experience.html#ixzz2z6c3jyJP</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-55755061091555360372014-04-15T21:58:00.000-05:002014-04-15T21:58:17.504-05:00Why don't catholics eat meat on Fridays during Lent?<div align="left" class="text2" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><strong>Question: "Why can’t Catholics eat meat on Fridays during Lent?"</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSOmX_pUfHOo-OC92FRX7DU7tqOzDtWQYfl3c_8J8yHBypw1EPH" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="545" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSOmX_pUfHOo-OC92FRX7DU7tqOzDtWQYfl3c_8J8yHBypw1EPH" width="640" /></a></strong></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong><br /><br />Answer:</strong>Catholics practice various acts of penitence and spiritual self-discipline during Lent, the (approximately) forty days leading up to Easter. One of those disciplines is a fast that requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. The rule is based on the authority of the Church, not on the authority of Scripture.<br /><br />Centuries ago, the Catholic Church had a law that forbade consuming meat on all Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Later, this rule was relaxed to remove meat from the diet on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. In 1966, Catholic bishops in America, with the blessing of Pope Paul VI, further relaxed the rule. Nowadays meat is only prohibited on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Fridays of the Lenten season. Catholics are obligated to observe this fast as a minimum; they can make up stricter requirements for themselves, if they so desire.<br /><br />The stated reason for abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent is to remind the faithful that Jesus died on a Friday. Jesus gave up His body (His flesh), and Catholics, in an effort to attain greater communion with Christ, refrain from consuming flesh.<br /><br />Why is fish allowed? The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states that fish are a different category of animal. So it’s only the meat of warm-blooded animals that is prohibited. Eggs, butter, and milk are allowed.<br /><br />There is nothing in the Bible that remotely suggests that Christians must follow a predetermined fast. Abstaining from meat during Lent is simply a man-made ritual of the Catholic Church. It has no inherent spiritual value and cannot guarantee that a person draws closer to Christ. While fasting can be beneficial, it is good to remember Jesus’ words, “What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 15.11" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%2015.11">Matthew 15:11</a>).<br /><br /><strong>Recommended Resources:</strong><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=71077" target="_blank">The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing meat on Fridays and The Word of God by James McCarthy</a>and<a href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a>.<br /></span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.</span></i></div>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><br />Read more:<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/meat-on-Fridays.html#ixzz2z0w3yKqi">http://www.gotquestions.org/meat-on-Fridays.html#ixzz2z0w3yKqi</a></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-88780533014073499632014-04-11T19:45:00.000-05:002014-04-11T19:45:25.281-05:00Who was King Solomon?<div class="cleared art-ins sciencetech" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.399999618530273px; margin: 0px; min-height: 50px; padding: 0px;">
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<b>WHO WAS THE LEGENDARY KING SOLOMON?</b></h3>
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King Solomon</div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">King Solomon has fascinated historians, scholars and treasure hunters for centuries.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">Some have been drawn to his poetry, others to his tales of wisdom - and many to the tales of his phenomenal wealth.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">Although the only accounts of him come from the Bible, many historians believe he was a real and immensely powerful figure.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">The son of King David - of the David and Goliath story - and Queen Bathsheba, he was the third King of Israel and ruled for 40 years, between 965BC and 925BC.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">During his reign, Israel was at the heart of a prosperous and stable empire.</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">H</span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">e rebuilt Jerusalem, creating magnificent palaces and fortresses, and also built the first temple to store the Ark of the Covenant.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">His life was extravagant. The Book of Kings reveals he had 700 wives, including the daughter of a pharoah and 300 concubines. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">The Old Testament also reveals how he was visited by the Queen of Sheba, who was so impressed by his wealth that she arrived on camel with spices, gifts and tons of gold.</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">According to Bible, he was a prolific writer, composing 1,005 songs and 3,000 proverbs.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 1.2em;">Many are still in use, with the expression 'pride comes before a fall' based on one of his sayings.</span></b></div>
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According to biblical text, the Ark holds the Ten Commandments handed down to Moses by God. This image (ca. 1725-1727) shows the Ark of the Covenant and is by Giovanni Battista Pittoni</div>
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Indiana Jones, right, carries away the glistening Ark of the Covenant in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark by Steven Spielberg</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The Copper Scroll, which dates back around 1,900 years, shows several ‘striking parallels’ with the newly translated treatise, Professor Davila said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The treatise says that the treasures from Solomon's Temple were recorded ‘on a tablet of bronze,’ a metal like the Copper Scroll.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The Copper scroll also discusses the location of hidden treasure, although not from Solomon's Temple. Professor Davila said this might reveal a tradition of inscribing lists of treasures on metal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The oldest confirmed example of the treatise, which survives to present day, is from a book published in Amsterdam in 1648 called ‘Emek Halachah.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">However, Professor Davila is the first to translate the text into English.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.399999618530273px;"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2536549/King-Solomons-treasures-revealed-Newly-translated-Hebrew-text-lists-legendary-riches-including-Ark-Covenant.html#ixzz2yd0HC6wG" style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2536549/King-Solomons-treasures-revealed-Newly-translated-Hebrew-text-lists-legendary-riches-including-Ark-Covenant.html#ixzz2yd0HC6wG</a><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-65424806211382529032014-04-08T19:17:00.000-05:002014-04-09T09:41:41.524-05:00Aliens Exist, and We Should Avoid Them At All Costs, Says Stephen Hawking<br />
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By Rebecca Boyle<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUficAUsLW9OizcNS3f24LFjpVBkWE903szcl2U-Ia3zl1FMN-9xyjsNu6ZBs0lb5vdc4ke0z8dXNdHFiZIJLhAVXwTQ17C1TuzgV0eWSBcuVJcqzw_O_2ZrQbKpR9ctH1m54vmOgpgZ8/s1600/alien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUficAUsLW9OizcNS3f24LFjpVBkWE903szcl2U-Ia3zl1FMN-9xyjsNu6ZBs0lb5vdc4ke0z8dXNdHFiZIJLhAVXwTQ17C1TuzgV0eWSBcuVJcqzw_O_2ZrQbKpR9ctH1m54vmOgpgZ8/s1600/alien.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hawking: Aliens Are Out There The venerable British scientist, seen here in 2008, believes aliens are out there, and we should avoid them like the plague.<br />
Stephen Hawking believes we should fear aliens, which would probably come to Earth in search of resources and bent on our destruction.<br />
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The venerated cosmologist says in a new Discovery Channel series that he thinks aliens exist, but we should do everything we can to avoid meeting them. Any life intelligent enough to find us would probably be seeking resources, he says. And that would likely be bad news for humans.<br />
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"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet," he says.<br />
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Among billions of galaxies, each containing hundreds of millions of stars, Earth is probably not the only place where life evolved, he says. To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational," he said. "The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like."<br />
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The documentary offers several possibilities, including herds of two-legged herbivores grazing on an alien cliff-face where they are picked off by flying lizard predators, reports The Times of London. Another clip shows fluorescent aquatic animals forming vast shoals in the oceans of Europa.<br />
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Hawking, 68, spent three years working on the documentary, which highlights his thinking about several topics, the Times reported.<br />
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He's previously spoken in favor of human colonization of other planets, arguing it would ensure the human race would survive nuclear war or asteroid collisions that could make Earth uninhabitable. But he says aliens with the same motivations would probably not be trustworthy.<br />
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"If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans," Hawking says. (The Times online)<br />
...................................................................................................................................................................<span style="color: #fff2cc;">OK, I just want to say this about that. I believe IF aliens do come to Earth, they will be from another dimension not another planet. I agree with Hawking that we would want to stay clear, because they will be demons and will have bad intent! Maybe they are already here and have been all along, we just can't see them. But... maybe in the end times the veil will be lifted and we WILL see them. I don't know, but as much as we have been 'conditioned' to believe in aliens, I think it will be something. Something nefarious no doubt..</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-69568052688605584052014-04-07T21:25:00.001-05:002014-04-07T21:25:10.902-05:00Alien deception.. Part of the End Times?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><strong> "Could an alien deception be part of the end times?"</strong></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">We know that the events surrounding the end times, as described in the Bible, will include a powerful deception (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 24.24" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%2024.24">Matthew 24:24</a>). Recently, interest has been rising in the theory that this deception will include alien beings from another planet. Odd as it may seem, this theory is entirely plausible from a Christian perspective. Although the Bible gives us no word about whether or not aliens exist—there is no inclusion of them in the creation account in Genesis, and no mention of them elsewhere—the Bible does tell us about visitors from another world—the spiritual world.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">Since the beginning, instances of demons (fallen angels) visiting the earth have been witnessed and recorded. We know from Eve’s encounter with Satan that demons are interested in monitoring (and altering) the progress of humanity. They want to be involved, with the goal of drawing humanity away from the worship of God and turning mankind’s attention instead to them. Another notable instance of their interaction with us is found in<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Genesis 6.4" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.4">Genesis 6:4</a>with the arrival of the "sons of God." The Genesis account states that these powerful beings had sexual intercourse with women and produced a super race of beings known as the Nephilim. This sounds like the stuff of science fiction, yet it is right there in the Bible. There are striking similarities between this account and the accounts of other ancient cultures. The writings of the ancient Sumerians, for example (who were the first to produce a written language) mention the presence of the “Anunnaki” who were deities that came from heaven to dwell on earth with men. It is also interesting to note that the Sumerians’ gods often came to them in the form of snakes.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">These accounts, seen alongside the amazing things created by ancient man, make it possible to theorize that demons, in the form of beings from another world, came to earth, bringing spectacular wisdom and knowledge to men, and “intermarrying” with their daughters in an attempt to draw men away from God. We already see from Eve’s experience with the serpent that demons will use the temptation of superior wisdom to ensnare man and that man is very susceptible to it.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">Could the end times include a similar alien deception? The Bible doesn’t directly address the issue, but it is certainly plausible, for a variety of reasons. First, the Bible tells us that the world will unite under the power of the Antichrist. In order to achieve an agreement between all the world’s religions, it would make sense for the “uniter” to come from an entirely new source—an extraterrestrial source. It is hard to imagine one religion becoming head of all the others, unless new, unearthly knowledge were the source of the appeal and power of the new “religion.” This would be in keeping with past deceptions and would be a very effective way to deceive a large number of people.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">Second, this deception could provide an answer to the problem of earth’s origins. The scientific theory that the evolution of life on earth was spontaneously generated still has no answer for life’s beginnings. There is evidence for a “<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/big-bang-theory.html">big bang</a>,” but that still doesn’t explain what caused the big bang to occur. If alien beings arrived and gave us an extraterrestrial explanation for life on earth, the origins of the world religions, and even the origins of our planet, it would be very persuasive.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">That said, we should not fear. The Lord has said that He will not leave us or forsake us, and that He will protect us (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Kings 8.57" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Kings%208.57">1 Kings 8:57</a>;<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 10.31" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%2010.31">Matthew 10:31</a>;<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Isaiah 41.10" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isaiah%2041.10">Isaiah 41:10</a>). Demons / angels are not omnipotent, nor are they omnipresent. Jesus said that in the end times His appearing would be like the lightning—easily visible to all. He said to be wary of any being that says “I am the Christ” or any group that said “He’s over there” or “He’s in here” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 24.23-24" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%2024.23-24">Matthew 24:23-24</a>). He said that vultures gather around a dead body, meaning that if you see a group of people gathering around someone claiming to be Christ, that person is death and a false prophet.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">We should be wary of any person or being that produces signs and wonders without biblical fidelity or the presence of obedience to the Lord Jesus, anyone who provides a way to unite the world religions or governments (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Revelation 13.5-8" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Revelation%2013.5-8">Revelation 13:5-8</a>), any being that promotes unnatural sexual relationships (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Genesis 6.4" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.4">Genesis 6:4</a>;<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Jude 1.6-7" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Jude%201.6-7">Jude 1:6-7</a>), and of course, any person that denies that Jesus is God (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="2 John 1.7" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20John%201.7">2 John 1:7</a>). Furthermore, anyone who presents a “substitute” Jesus, who represents Him as “a god but not the God” or who claims He was merely a good teacher, simply a human, or even a super-human or an alien creature, is a deceiver.</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody">Lastly, if demons manifesting as aliens are part of the end times, we should remember that they, too, are created beings, subject to a sovereign God, and ultimately answerable to Him. Whether in alien form or not, the descriptions of demons in Revelation are frightening (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Revelation 9.1-12" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Revelation%209.1-12">Revelation 9:1-12</a>), but we should not fear those who can kill the body, but only Him who can kill the body and the soul in hell (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 10.28" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%2010.28">Matthew 10:28</a>). No matter what happens to us on the earth, we should trust that the Lord is the Savior, Redeemer, and Protector of the souls of those who put their trust in Him (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Psalm 9.10" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%209.10">Psalm 9:10</a>;<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Psalm 22.5" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2022.5">22:5</a>).</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong> Resources:</strong><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=90796" target="_blank">Understanding End Times Prophecy by Paul Benware</a>and<a href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a>.</span><br />
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<i> <span style="font-size: 12px;"> For citation purposes, you may reference CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-63630509577796203572014-04-07T09:33:00.000-05:002014-04-07T14:22:42.477-05:00Is God a KILLJOY?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><strong style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;"> "Is God a cosmic killjoy?"</strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;">Sometimes we may imagine God as a task master, a dictator opposed to fun or pleasure. We may envision Him as a grimacing judge with a gavel, readily pointing out faults and stifling any sense of joy we have. We might see God as a cosmic killjoy. What a sad—and unbiblical—picture of God! A cold, disagreeable sourpuss is not the God of the Bible. When we study Scripture and come to understand God’s character, we see that He is not in any sense a cosmic killjoy. In fact, He is the one who restores us and gives us true joy. </span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;">God created the human body with the capacity to experience pleasure. God’s design includes taste buds—and enough flavorful foods to satisfy any palate. God designed the human eye and enough colors to dazzle the mind. God designed the sexual organs, with their myriad of nerve endings, so that a married couple can enjoy the pleasure of their love. In other words, pleasure was God’s idea; He is anything but a killjoy.</span><br />
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<span itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><br /> God created us to experience fellowship, recreation, and creativity. We were made to delight in being His children, in using the skills He has given us, and in welcoming the pleasures He offers.<br /><br />However, we should be careful not to love pleasure for pleasure’s sake. We must realize that God is opposed to certain types of “pleasure.” The sad truth is that we live in a fallen world where God’s best for us is often perverted. Many activities that our society deems pleasurable are not pleasing to God (see <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Galatians 5.19-21" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians%205.19-21">Galatians 5:19-21</a>; <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Colossians 3.5-10" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Colossians%203.5-10">Colossians 3:5-10</a>; and <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Corinthians 6.12-17" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Corinthians%206.12-17">1 Corinthians 6:12-17</a>). God does not condone promiscuous sex or drunkenness, for example. As a result, some call God a killjoy. However, these “pleasures” of the world are not in fact healthy for us or conducive to long-term joy. They are the “pleasures of sin for a season” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Hebrews 11.25" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Hebrews%2011.25">Hebrews 11:25</a>). They are false friends that quickly abandon us and leave us empty and longing. So, rather than killing our fun, God is protecting us and providing what is truly best for us. In this way He is much like an earthly parent who provides boundaries for his children. My parents were certainly 'killjoys' when I was growing up!<br /><br />Also, it is important to keep in mind that the purpose of our lives is not to be a joyride. Our lives have deep meaning. We were created to delight in God (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Psalm 37.4" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2037.4">Psalm 37:4</a>), and we appreciate the good things He provides. But our focus in on the Giver, not the gift.<br /><br />God is not a killjoy; He is the creator of joy. His Spirit produces it in our lives (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Galatians 5.22" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians%205.22">Galatians 5:22</a>). Because He is the source of joy, any pursuit of pleasure apart from God is idolatry. For our own well-being, God opposes our grasping after the worldly, temporary joy that sin promises. Sometimes we must put aside instant gratification in order to invest in the greater joy of God’s kingdom. “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Psalm 16.11" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2016.11">Psalm 16:11</a>).</span></span><strong><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #222222;">Resources:</span></strong><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=36799" style="color: #3d448a;" target="_blank">Laugh Again, Experience Outrageous Joy by Charles Swindoll</a><span style="color: #222222;"> and </span><a href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" style="color: #3d448a;" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a><span style="color: #222222;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/juliepatchoulisharing" target="_blank"> find me on facebook </a> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comIowa, USA41.8780025 -93.09770200000002738.854508 -98.261276000000024 44.901497 -87.93412800000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-67809496357779002262014-04-06T20:57:00.001-05:002014-04-07T01:32:17.761-05:00About the movie 'Noah' <br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">BIBLICAL TRUTH</span></h3>
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<span style="color: yellow;">'NOAH' CONTROVERSY: IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MOVIE</span></h1>
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<span style="color: red;">Exclusive: Lisa Cherry asks Christians, 'Shouldn't we be building an ark?'</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: 1.5;">Sometimes it seems easier to continue arguing about surface issues than to deal with the root of our problems. That's what has happened with the controversy over the "Noah" movie. </span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: normal;"> Seriously. Some of the most outlandish discussions concerning the details of the plot of “Noah” underscore the fact that, as a nation, our basic understanding of the Bible is lacking. Take the rock monsters that have been inserted into the Hollywood version of this story. In the movie, it is suggested that they are angels. Others propose that these </span><a href="http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/03/29/im-a-christian-and-i-think-noah-deserves-a-four-star-review/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">creepy monsters</a><span style="color: red; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: normal;"> represent the giants mentioned in the Genesis account of Noah. A recent poll revealed that </span><a href="http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/state%2520of%2520the%2520bible%2520report%25202013.pdf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30 percent of millennials</a><span style="color: red; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; line-height: normal;"> think Noah was married to Joan of Arc! How can we imagine that the average American adult or teen could accurately sort fact from fiction in a “Bible-inspired” big-screen production?</span></h2>
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<span style="color: red;">Second is the issue of <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">deception.</em> When an atheist film director reinvents Noah as a radical environmentalist who wants to kill his own grandkids, we rightly shout, “biblically inaccurate!” But meanwhile, here in the church world, we are guilty of our own form of creative license. Painted elephants and giraffes riding sweet little boats decorate the walls of our children’s nurseries while songs about “arky arkys” are taught to our young. But these are far departures from biblical history. Isn’t this religiously sanitized version of an account of sinful depravity and utter destruction as deceptive as Mr. Aronofsky’s fictional Hollywood tale? Aren’t we missing the point?</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">But if the danger of the growing biblical illiteracy and deception in our land is not enough to raise an alarm, let us consider issue number three:<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong><em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">apathy.</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">In Matthew 24:37-39, when Jesus was asked about His second coming, He stated, “As it was in the days of <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Noah</em>, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Noah</em> entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (NIV, italics added).</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">As we reflect on that passage, the moral decay in our nation, and the signs of the times – as biblical prophecies are being fulfilled in our midst – aren’t we in the exact same situation Noah was thousands of years ago? Shouldn’t we be building an “ark”?</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Some may yawn<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, </em>“Yeah, Jesus is coming back. And yes, there is sin in the world … but hasn’t there always been sin? I guess it will be kinda like the time of Noah and the animals on that ark, but really, it isn’t that serious.<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">”</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">But this <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">is</em> serious.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">It will be “as it was in the days of Noah”! We are already there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Apathy abounds all around us. We can no longer complacently stand by and watch as doctrines are rewritten to suit us as the church morphs on foundational issues never dared to have been touched before. And now our brother Noah’s story serves as our reminder. Souls – possibly of our own kids – could be eternally lost! Verse 42 of that same chapter in Matthew says, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em>Keeping watch is a whole lot different than watching entertainment on a big screen. It means taking to heart the full weight of Genesis 6:5 that says “[each] man’s heart was only evil all the time” (NIV). It means staying awake and alert. It means taking time to learn what else God would say in such places as, Luke 21, 2 Timothy 3 and 2 Peter 3.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">We must comprehend His heart cry that says:</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red;">People, I am coming again. It is very important you do not lose your way. Prepare. Be alert. You won’t know the day, but you will note the season. In fact, the days will be wicked and confusing as men’s hearts will fail them as most even turn away. There will be itching ears and false prophets and rebellion to parents and such.</span></em></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Hmm, does this description ring as familiar in your ears as it does in mine? The world lures our children into compromise with words such as:</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em></strong>Come on, young ones. Do you own thing. Make your own way. Find your own path. Be open to all ideas. The old guard has had it all wrong. Shake off the shackles of closed mindedness. Everyone has a right to their own truth. Do not worry or fear. This sin concept has been misunderstood all along.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">All the while, God is still trying to get our attention.</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red;">Remember: It will be “as it was in the days of Noah.”</span></em></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Finally, apathy leads us directly into the painful and fourth issue: <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">generational strife.</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Noah’s story brings to light what we would rather not see, let alone face. Society has redefined the same words we taught our kids not so long ago: Sin. Sex. Righteousness. Marriage. Science. Faith. Grace. These words, as we know them, have shifted to accommodate the sight and sound generation’s itching ears. The church has felt compelled to give the Bible and its accounts a fresh makeover. But in doing so, have we watered down the truth? Has the message of holiness been lost?</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Consider the generational conflict that ensued from the recent <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-why-hiring-gay-christians-same-sex-marriage.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">World Vision homosexuality</a> mess. As <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/world-vision-reverses-decision-on-gay-married-employees-we-made-a-mistake-116871/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">World Vision leaders appropriately responded</a> to <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-leaders-shocked-grieved-by-world-visions-decision-to-hire-employees-in-same-sex-marriages-116730/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">correction by leading evangelical leaders</a>, there were many who, embracing the new cultural trend of homosexual marriage, were deeply upset by World Vision’s reversal. The CNN Belief blog post, written by millennial author Rachel Held Evans, “<a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/31/how-evangelicals-won-a-culture-war-and-lost-a-generation/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How Evangelicals Won the Culture War but Lost a Generation</a>,” outlined her peers’ disillusionment with the traditional interpretation of scripture.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Consider also the recent Charisma news article, “<a href="http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/43310-mark-driscoll-noah-was-not-a-righteous-man" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Noah Was Not a Righteous Man</a>,” authored by popular pastor and author Mark Driscoll, in which he attempted to redefine Noah in light of the new doctrine of grace. Two days later, author Michael Brown countered the younger man’s view sharply with his piece titled simply, “<a href="http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/43334-mark-driscoll-was-wrong-about-noah" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark Driscoll Was Wrong about Noah</a>.” In the article, Brown states, “To be sure, we can always discuss questions of God’s sovereignty and His empowering grace, but those questions are not the subject of the flood account, nor are they part of the lesson the Lord wants us to learn from the text.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Noah’s example is best understood from Hebrews 11:7, which says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark” (NIV).</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Please take note of the two strong words from the writer of Hebrews: <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">faith </em>and<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong><em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">fear.</em> These may not be popular topics among the modern progressive church, but they are still key elements today.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Make no mistake: I hate generational conflict. Like most, I cherish peace and unity and want us to just all get along. And so, I am quite tempted to soften and change my stance – just enough so that our kids will not leave.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">But then I consider the example of Noah. And I read again what caused him to obey. In <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">holy fear</em> he did not bend to popular opinion. He did not change his morals to fit the culture’s. He boldly chose the different path that God commended. He was righteous. He was blameless among his generation, and he walked with God (see Genesis 6:9). And by the ark, which he built out of obedience, what seemed foolish in Noah’s generation saved his entire family.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Fellow parents and leaders, as the controversy over the “Noah” movie swirls around us, let us focus on the most important factors and reveal the whole truth of the biblical story of Noah to all who will hear. His legacy <em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">is</em> the message for this hour. It is beckoning us to take a fresh look. And when we will take heed and remove these four dangerous blinders, we have the chance to follow his lead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">The flood of dissipation is coming, and, in fact, is already here. The seasons have changed and our world is afloat. So maybe we cannot win the culture war for our whole nation by ourselves. But we can take a stand in our own lives and in our own homes for the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">No more biblical ignorance. No more fantasy land deception. No more apathy, and no more strife. Together we choose the fear of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">I am comforted to know God saved at least one family through the flood of long ago. Today, He is looking for others who will respond to His words of warning – and by faith, and in holy fear, build their boats.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">Have you and your family determined you will obey His instructions and build a home that will stand for righteousness, even when others are swept away?<del datetime="2014-04-04T16:15" style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></del></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red;">Lisa Cherry is a national speaker on the road 24 to 32 weekends out of each year addressing parents, teens and Christian leaders on the growing spiritual culture war. She is also author of “Not Open: Win the Spiritual Culture War” and “Unmask the Predators.” For additional information about Lisa, go to <a href="http://frontlinefamilies.org/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">FrontlineFamilies.org</a> or join the “I’m Not Open Revolution” on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/imnotopen?ref=br_tf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(252, 215, 0); font-size: 14.285714149475098px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook page I’m Not Open</a>.</span></em></div>
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</hgroup></header>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-12104980498080939832014-04-06T13:17:00.001-05:002014-04-06T17:23:54.847-05:00Oh this woman is going to Hell<br />
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Miami woman charged with role in animal torture sex fetish porn video</h1>
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Sara Zamora in Miami-Dade court Friday, where she was charged with felony animal cruelty. David Ovalle / Miami Herald</div>
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BY DAVID OVALLE</h3>
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<a href="mailto:dovalle@MiamiHerald.com" style="color: #58595b; margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">DOVALLE@MIAMIHERALD.COM</a></h3>
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A Miami woman took fetish pornography to a disturbing extreme, police say — repeatedly decapitating live chickens and killing rabbits while engaging in sex acts during the filming of an animal torture video.</div>
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Sara Zamora, 28, was arrested Friday on eight felony counts of animal cruelty for her feature role in a video called “SOS Barn” that a Miami-Dade police arrest report described in gory, stomach-turning detail.</div>
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“The chicken is enduring extreme pain and suffering during this process,” according to the arrest report.</div>
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The video clips — filmed for a twisted animal torture genre called “crush” — depicted her and other porn actresses “torturing and killing a wide variety of animals, including chickens, rabbits and more for the sexual gratification of its viewers,” according to police.<br />
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The barnyard snuff video was filmed at the South Miami-Dade home of Adam Redford, according to the police report, who is listed as a co-defendant. He is already on probation for a similar animal cruelty case in Lee County last year but had not been charged in the Miami-Dade case as of Friday night.</div>
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Redford, a boat captain who claims on his website to have filmed a variety of videos “related to South Florida fishing,” said he knew nothing about Zamora’s case.</div>
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“I haven’t seen or talked to her in close to a year,” Redford said.</div>
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Detectives from Miami-Dade’s agricultural unit learned of the video clips from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a prominent animal rights group.</div>
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Stephanie Bell, director of cruelty cases for PETA, called the arrest “excellent news. We have been waiting for this.”</div>
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Bell said the group also had tipped off authorities in Redford’s case in Lee County, where she said he had moved. Bell said such videos, graphically depicting animal torture and death, are illegal under state and federal laws.</div>
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“These videos are unfortunately in demand and it’s hard to fathom that anyone would produce or enjoy them,” she said.</div>
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In one clip of “SOS Barn,” Miami-Dade police say, Zamora gropes a man’s genitals with her left hand while “repeatedly cutting a chicken’s neck using hedge clippers with her right.” In others, she posed “in a sexy outfit” after hacking off the head of another screaming bird, or she beat chickens to death with a wooden stick.</div>
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Chickens weren’t the only victims. She also karate-chopped the necks of several rabbits as they howled in pain, according to the report, then admitted to killing them.</div>
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On the Internet, Zamora goes by the moniker Gloria Shynez. On a website called Model Mayhem, Zamora claims she has been “modeling” since age 19. Her rates are flexible.</div>
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“My middle-eastern look distinguishes from many models and I am so excited to see what fun, beautiful shots we create together!” she writes.</div>
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Zamora was arrested while already in jail. She had been on probation on two separate cases, on charges including grand-theft with a firearm, credit card fraud, possession of a fictitious driver’s license and cocaine possession. If convicted on the animal cruelty charges, she could face up to five years in prison on each count.</div>
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She had been in jail for the past month after failing a probation drug test but would likely have been released Friday “if not for the fickle finger of fate,” said defense attorney Theodore Mastos.</div>
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On Friday, Miami-Dade prosecutor Jason Pizzo informed the court and Mastos of the new charges. Mastos, while questioning whether the state could mount a “viable prosecution,” told the Miami Herald he was shown portions of the video outside court during a brief hearing.</div>
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“I’m glad I didn’t have breakfast because I would have puked all over the place,” said Mastos, who used to prosecute pornography cases in the 1970s. “It was disgusting.”</div>
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As for Redford, he is on probation in a 2013 case on charges of causing the cruel death and torturing of animals in Lee County. On Friday, he acknowledged the earlier arrest was a matter of public record but that “it had been resolved.”</div>
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So-called “crush” animal torture videos aren’t new and have been the target of past legal crackdowns. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that outlawed depictions of animals being “intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed,” saying it was too broad and violated the right to free speech.</div>
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The federal law had been aimed at videos that often depict women slowly crushing animals to death “with their bare feet or while wearing high heeled shoes,” sometimes while “talking to the animals in a kind of dominatrix patter,” the opinion read.</div>
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But the 2010 decision did not apply to the actual acts themselves of extreme cruelty to animals — and did not preclude the passing of future laws that narrowly applied to crush videos.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-81978001245417936992014-04-06T12:26:00.002-05:002014-04-06T12:59:14.865-05:00As it was in the days of Noah...<br />
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<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206">Genesis 6</a> gives the sad account of the state of humanity prior to the flood during the days of Noah.Genesis 6:5 states, “The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” The level of sin and corruption among the human population was staggering: people thought about doing evil “all the time.” For the strong and healthy individual, an evil lifestyle would have ramifications evidenced by disease and death.<br />
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In addition, “The sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” (<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.2">Genesis 6:2</a>). In the Hebrew language, these “sons of God” were “<i>bene elohim</i>.” This term is usually applied to angels (see <a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Job%201.6">Job 1:6</a>). Genesis seems to be stating that, somehow, there was a physical union between angels and human women. The unnatural offspring of this union were the “<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/Nephilim.html">Nephilim</a>” (<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.4">Genesis 6:4</a>).<br />
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The word<i> nephilim </i>is directly transliterated from the Hebrew. The ancient root of the word implies a “fall.” Whatever the word actually means (in some versions of the Bible it is translated as “giants”), Scripture describes the Nephilim as “the heroes of old, men of renown.” Some theologians believe that God could simply not allow this corrupt offspring to exist on the earth, and that was part of the reason for the flood, and that is EXACTLY what I think! What can be understood without question is that the world that was then, the world of Noah, was incredibly corrupt and perverted.<br />
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<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.6">Genesis 6:6</a> tells us that “The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.” The Lord’s “regret” is unlike ours. Creating mankind in the image of God was not a “mistake” on the part of the Lord. The Hebrew word<i>nahem</i>can also be translated “grieved.” The depraved actions of mankind grieved God in His most holy heart. God responded to man’s sin in a holy and righteous manner, but also in a way that salvaged mankind. “So the LORD said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.7">Genesis 6:7</a>,<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.8">8</a>). Yes, all people on earth died except the eight people who were found righteous in the eyes of God: Noah, Noah’s wife, and Noah’s three sons and their wives. Scripture indicates that Noah testified to the world about the coming flood for 120 years.<br />
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The people who perished in the flood died because they refused to acknowledge God or seek His forgiveness.<a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/life-Noah.html">Noah</a>, on the other hand, is described as righteous, blameless, and obedient in that he “walked with God” (<a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%206.9">Genesis 6:9</a>). I don't think it means that Noah was 'blameless' as in without sin, I think it means that he had a bloodline that was pure. Unpolluted, that is. I think Satan was trying to prevent the birth of Jesus by polluting the bloodline of human beings... Noah and his family became our ancestors. None of us descend from the Nephilim or the unrighteous line of Cain (since Noah descended from Seth). The polluted, unrighteous population of the world of Noah disappeared from the earth. Mankind was salvaged, and from the line of righteous Noah came the Son of Man, Jesus Christ our Lord, who died to save those who call upon His name.<br />
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As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/24-37.htm" target="_blank">Matthew 24:37</a>. What is happening in the world today? Well, I believe that demons are polluting our bloodlines (and have been for a long long time) Evil is rampant and people have turned away from God. Think about all of the 'alien' abductions being reported. There is something nefarious going on for sure.. Check out this video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FsGKSPfg4xw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<strong>Recources: </strong><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFFp=1011693&item_no=383951" target="_blank">The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications,</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>and <a href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a>.<br />
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This book is worth reading<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/567751.Children_of_the_Matrix?ac=1"><img alt="Children of the Matrix" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-151" src="http://gloryoftheson.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/567751.jpg?w=108" height="150" width="108" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-27601562108733637172014-04-05T23:46:00.002-05:002014-04-05T23:49:01.760-05:00If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-29983185066696269702014-04-05T22:13:00.001-05:002014-04-05T22:16:06.348-05:00Do brain connections help shape religious beliefs?<br />
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Building on previous evidence showing that religious belief involves cognitive activity that can be mapped to specific brain regions, a new study has found that causal, directional connections between these brain networks can be linked to differences in religious thought. The article <a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/brain.2013.0172" target="_blank">"Brain Networks Shaping Religious Belief"</a> is published in Brain Connectivity.<br />
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Are there brain networks uniquely devoted to religious belief?<br />
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Prior research has indicate the answer is a resolute no, says Jordan Grafman, director, Brain Injury Research and Chief, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.<br />
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But this study demonstrates that important brain networks devoted to various kinds of reasoning about others, emotional processing, knowledge representation, and memory are called into action when thinking about religious beliefs. The use of these basic networks for religious practice indicates how basic networks evolve to mediate much more complex beliefs like those contained in religious practice.<br />
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Explore further:</b> <a href="http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-brain-interactions-differ-religious-non-religious.html#inlRlv" itemprop="relatedLink" style="color: #313d57; outline: 0px;">Study: Brain interactions differ between religious and non-religious subjects</a></div>
</section>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-78111985439536966572014-04-05T19:26:00.003-05:002014-04-05T22:17:03.501-05:00The House of the Righteous Will Stand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12%3A7&version=KJV" target="_blank">Proverbs 12:7</a></h2>
(7) The wicked are overthrown and <i>are</i> no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
This is at the end of a short section, beginning in verse 5, it shows the progression of sinful people in contrast to those who fear God.<br />
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The opening verse describes both of these types of people making plans: The upright have good goals and mark out an ethical route to reach them, and the wicked devise devious ways to get what they want. The middle proverb, verse 6, describes the thinking and speech of each type: Evil people use and abuse others—often the good people, who seem to be easy pickings—to get their way, while the righteous trust in their integrity, which they have learned from following God's ways, to get them out of troubles.
Solomon finishes by stating the fates of these two types of people. In fact, the sense of the verse is that these ends are sure and inescapable.<br />
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While we realize that God could intervene and turn the evil person to him, and that the good person could be derailed and fall from his godly integrity, Solomon is speaking in terms of the general human condition. The percentages are high that matters will run their course along the lines he draws in this proverb.
He sees the end of the sinful person as "overthrown and no more," a rendering that most of the major translations follow exactly or nearly so. Seems like indefinite catastrophe will take them away in a moment. They will be here today and gone <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">tomorrow</span></span>, swept away in a vicious flash-flood of ruin, whether physical, financial, or otherwise. In other words, the wicked are setting themselves up for spectacular failure.
That they are "no more" implies that they will vanish from the scene. They may seem so formidable and permanent, but the catastrophe reveals just how powerless they really are, and they disappear as if they were never there.<br />
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There is a sense of the long-term, that the family line of the wicked person will not last, and no dynasty will be built. Their evil will consume them in short while, as sinfulness is really a kind of slow-suicide.
On the more positive side, those who stand fast in God's way will have long life. Again, this is not always the case—for sure some righteous people never marry, and other righteous people, do get married but don't have kids. However, the general truth is that right living produces conditions that encourage health, long life, and good habits and traits that are passed down from one generation to another.
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For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20:5-6" target="_blank">(Exodus 20:5-6</a>)</blockquote>
The effects of a person's sins reach down the next few generations and cause harm, but the righteousness of a godly person can produce blessings in the lives of his descendants hundreds or thousands of years in the future (consider the example of Abraham and his faithfulness). If we want good things for ourselves and our kids, the clear choice is to "fear God and keep His commandments" (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12%3A13&version=KJV" name="1451c42168ddf592_1753717537" target="_blank">Ecclesiastes <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">12:13</span></span></a>).
<a href="http://gloryoftheson.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/dave_eggers_the-wicked-shall-be-a-ransom-for-the-righteous-sm.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-165" src="http://gloryoftheson.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/dave_eggers_the-wicked-shall-be-a-ransom-for-the-righteous-sm.jpg" height="342" width="460" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-15152514673466661002014-04-05T18:34:00.003-05:002014-04-05T20:33:23.251-05:00How fast?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBrYT-h7BE6glQzcfROjvCku7olcqlS8yFnI9qz4DQVUaZmPijvLvYrNgl2oboG93Uuahzxhdio2SAJfcmTrMeemlpdLvoPkXbvZYakfkph_tPzK6rXAl5bB4AKVpbTE-sTtbj6sLbW0/s3200/beagle20driving.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBrYT-h7BE6glQzcfROjvCku7olcqlS8yFnI9qz4DQVUaZmPijvLvYrNgl2oboG93Uuahzxhdio2SAJfcmTrMeemlpdLvoPkXbvZYakfkph_tPzK6rXAl5bB4AKVpbTE-sTtbj6sLbW0/s3200/beagle20driving.gif" height="640" width="614" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-49809911464193371582014-04-05T18:13:00.002-05:002014-04-05T20:33:52.217-05:00Life is Beautiful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_qf5CKuTlc/U0CMUI7lj2I/AAAAAAAABfg/SQlHWgJABQw/s888-no/1796779_10152294103351550_135756770_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_qf5CKuTlc/U0CMUI7lj2I/AAAAAAAABfg/SQlHWgJABQw/s888-no/1796779_10152294103351550_135756770_o.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-69885870560126677482014-04-05T16:39:00.000-05:002014-04-05T20:35:01.177-05:00Stigmata, what is it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepNl0J2tqO4kuy9wnA7mbiff3IIJ4TglndL2ozviHGi2pof0gZyryBfMczDAlSb8ajILiCfzLzl6njrFAu6a1R9uJVabvdIKqR54J3WCT7Vo4D1jS8JHvxXIa7yWFpOSWDdQY_oynKXxV/s3200/Stigmata_by_DraculeaRiccy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepNl0J2tqO4kuy9wnA7mbiff3IIJ4TglndL2ozviHGi2pof0gZyryBfMczDAlSb8ajILiCfzLzl6njrFAu6a1R9uJVabvdIKqR54J3WCT7Vo4D1jS8JHvxXIa7yWFpOSWDdQY_oynKXxV/s3200/Stigmata_by_DraculeaRiccy.jpg" height="560" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.285715103149414px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span data-mce-style="color: #ff0000;" style="border: 0px; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.285715103149414px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></strong></h4>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.285715103149414px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span data-mce-style="color: #ff0000;" style="border: 0px; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.285715103149414px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, it's baloney, of course.</span></strong></h4>
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Stigmata are the appearance of the wounds of Jesus Christ on a person’s body. Some stigmata include representations of the wounds on Christ's back caused by the scourging and/or the head wounds caused by the crown of thorns. But traditionally stigmata consist of five classic points: the side (where Jesus was pierced with the spear to confirm that He was dead), and both hands and both feet (the wounds caused by the nails of the crucifixion).</div>
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Several individuals in church history have claimed to have miraculously received stigmata. However, there are serious challenges to the legitimacy of these supposed appearances. Many have been proven to have been self-inflicted in an attempt to fake miraculous stigmata. The Bible nowhere instructs anyone to get stigmata or states that God will give stigmata. In <a class="rtBibleRef" data-mce-href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians%206.17" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians%206.17" style="border: 0px; color: #1abc9c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Galatians 6:17</a>, Paul states, "...for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." This does not mean Paul literally had the scars of crucifixion. Rather, it indicates that Paul's body was scarred due to his commitment to follow Christ. Jesus suffered the wounds so we would not have to. The wounds of crucifixion being miraculously inflicted on the body of a believer contradicts the fact that "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-mce-href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isaiah%2053.5" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isaiah%2053.5" style="border: 0px; color: #1abc9c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Isaiah 53:5</a>).</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Resources: </strong><a data-mce-href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=202584" href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=202584" style="border: 0px; color: #1abc9c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll</a> and <a data-mce-href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" href="https://www.logos.com/gotquestions" style="border: 0px; color: #1abc9c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Logos Bible Software</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657634532720854847.post-82485654083095342352014-04-05T15:50:00.002-05:002014-04-05T20:35:35.495-05:00What is the Book of Judith?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://areyougoingtohell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" blog" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LCxYTVvs_6rY_rYaP96lCSjFb2GJKnw25pinqu346TRUW6R2Ryq3kT5b6YPbGH0U1mpDinSpKEJwQIbf9K8BqGj-5en7IG3ZssYG6yhoH6iMgXYG7Xfz0TOLMDt5sUwL7HY-FmxVqxc/s3200/10177381_10152114131178090_20232450_n.png" height="640" width="638" /></a></div>
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Well, it's Catholic, of course! The Book of Judith is part of the Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical scripture and appears in the Old Testament of Catholic Bibles. The nation of Israel treated the Apocryphal books with respect, but never accepted them as true books of the Hebrew Bible. The early Christian church debated the status of them, but not too many early Christians believed they belonged in the canon of Scripture.</div>
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The Book of Judith, believed to be written in the late second century or early first century B.C., recounts the story of God providing a woman, Judith, to deliver the Jewish people in a time of great need and despair. In the story Judith lives in the town of Bethulia. She is a beautiful and wise widow who becomes incensed with her town elders when they “test” God rather than trust Him and they decide to capitulate to King Nebuchadnezzar’s top general, Holofernes, to surrender if God does not save them in five days.</div>
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Judith feels that giving God such a deadline is arrogant and inappropriate in the extreme. She tells the elders she has a plan, but must leave the city for it to be successful. She refuses to tell any details, leaves with her slave woman, and goes to Holofernes’s camp pretending she is providing him help to defeat her fellow Jews.</div>
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Holofernes is caught up by her beauty and takes her into his camp and company. Her voluptuousness and wiles attract him, and lust blinds him to her deceit. Judith manages to get Holofernes alone in his tent when he is excessively drunk. (funny how often this happens back in the day) When he passes out, she beheads him, steals back to Bethulia, displays the result of her intrigue, and becomes the town’s heroine.</div>
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They think this book was first written in Hebrew, but it's not for sure.</div>
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Like other books in the Apocrypha, there are things that are a bit off, like the claim that Nebuchadnezzar ruled over the Assyrian Empire from Nineveh. He actually ruled over Babylonia. Plus, Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, had destroyed Nineveh years earlier, making this story’s history suspect. A lot of people view this account as a variation of the Exodus story, where faith in God and reliance on Him for deliverance from fear and protection from harm and evil is what believers must always do.</div>
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Resources: The Canon of Scripture by F.F. Bruce and Logos Bible Software.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054403508927584388noreply@blogger.com