Catholic answers
Answering Catholic Questions
2013.02.07 18:00 Chrispat91 Answering Catholic Questions
This is a place to ask any questions you may have about the Catholic Faith, It's doctrine, the Catechism or anything else pertaining to Catholicism. This is **NOT** at place to look for a fight, or attack those strong in their faith.
2015.09.08 05:08 Catholic Philosophy
CatholicPhilosophy was created so that a more focused conversation about Catholicism and Philosophy can be had. It is a place to ask tough questions in an environment of intelligent inquiry. This inquiry is intended to be broad; Phenomenology, Thomism, Eastern Catholicism/Orthodoxy, Existentialism but all as they fall within Catholicism.
2016.06.28 23:32 cdubose OpenCatholic community on reddit
An open, welcoming community for those to talk about Catholicism.
2023.06.10 17:13 Dismal_Bother_5920 This is how I’d learn my own faith
I love being Catholic. It’s very hard for me to connect with God in mass though. I don’t understand Catholic mass. I just go and don’t understand anything of what the priest is teaching. He reads scriptures that I don’t understand out of the Bible that I already don’t understand. The homily is usually only like five minutes long. It’s hard to connect with God at mass. My style of worshipping is worship, music, testimonies, etc. I do not want to leave the Catholic faith as I still believe in praying the rosary, going to confession, asking the saints to pray on our behalf, etc. but I also think we should worship and focus more on the Bible too like Protestants. If that makes sense. Keep going to mass, keep the Catholic faith but attend more worship events, and practice your faith like a Protestant does. Focus more on the Bible, develop a deep understanding and a relationship with God. I just feel like we need a little bit of both. Like Catholicism and Protestantism together. (Not the Protestant faith, no.) but practice the faith like they do. Focus on the Eucharist but also a relationship with just you and God. I don’t know how to explain it. Because a lot of Catholics in my town don’t focus on JUST relationship with themselves and God. Also went to a bible study where they just gave us homework with really hard questions that actually made us DIVE INTO the Bible. (I loved this). I thought when we attended class again, we would go over our answers but no. We just watched an hour long video that made me fall asleep that went over the lesson. Then we went around reading our answers. I stopped going. I want a bible study with those hard questions but we answer it together. I want to study the Bible and have bible studies as Protestants do; they know more about the Bible than Catholics do. Some Catholics in my town just attend Mass, and there’s nothing wrong with that but I personally CAN’T just do that because I don’t understand my own faith and can’t connect with God on a personal level.
submitted by Dismal_Bother_5920 to Catholicism [link] [comments]
2023.06.10 15:59 ANotherDREW RESULTS: Official (Unofficial) ITMSO Census
First off, thanks to everyone who took time to fill out the form. We got 154 responses total which I think is roughly 5% of the sub’s user base so extrapolate as you wish... and without further ado, let’s get into it.
How old are you?
Feeling my age... 82% respondents are under 30
How do you identify?
Uuuh... it’s looking like Ms Sophie took all the ladies with her... or they're smart enough not to use Reddit.
What is your ethnicity?
We're just over 50% black, let them Logic jokes fly...
Some people just wrote in mixed others broke it down specifically, I tried to honour the write in answers which is why some are separate.
Sexual Orientation?
It’s a happy pride month specifically to maybe 14% of us!
What's your current relationship status?
About 40% are in some kind of relationship, even a couple entanglements.
Where are you?
About 75% in the US, but outside of that I think we just about cover all continents (excl. Antarctica...)
How many countries have you visited/lived?
And we’re decently travelled. 66% have been to at least one other country.
Is English your first language?
Not surprising considering the majority are from English speaking nations in the question above.
How many languages do you speak?
¿Qué idiomas hablas?
What's your highest level of education?
Smart bunch...
What's your employment status?
Gainfully employed
Politically I consider myself...
Just a big ol' bunch of lefties in here
Are you a parent?
Not many parents but a lot of aspiring ones.
How many other podcasts you listen to?
People are either listening to a handful of podcasts or a loooot of podcasts
How long have you been listening to ITMSO?
Lotta loyal folk who've been listening for a minute
Are you religious at all?
How do you usually listen/watch?
Don’t ask me what “Dead End After Dark ” means one of you guys will have to explain yourself in the comments.
https://preview.redd.it/ockkjx7c575b1.png?width=693&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=6dc904420ae8b8d206275bbc09f844d01bc17579
What are your favourite podcast segments?
https://preview.redd.it/6preu7gd575b1.png?width=656&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=d8f678fb53a9c2b84710aee72830633c65fbac32
Which of the other fine products from the Dead End universe do you also enjoy?
https://preview.redd.it/lcdajxje575b1.png?width=697&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=518a3ca6a622566b17b42cc5978ce19c49cf6d9a
What are your primary news sources?
https://preview.redd.it/a7bstjdg575b1.png?width=658&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=b326aba092f88152516e18f6b86e82de16698b7a
Favourite moment in ITMSO history?
This wasn’t so easy to quantify since it was a bunch of write-in answers but what I can say is without a doubt Ken falling off the couch/stage was by far the most popular answer.
Runners up would be: Ken running 20mph, Feefo’s pet werewolf & Rod seeing the future.
I'll be back later to add to update the post with a spreadsheet that has all the data for full transparency and to let you guys see all the write-in answers for the last q.
Thanks again to everyone who took part, maybe in a year from now we can see what’s changed feel free to throw up q’s or suggestions you’d like to see for a 2024 census or other fun things we can do in-between.
Peace & Love,
Your friendly neighbourhood mod,
ANotherDREW
submitted by ANotherDREW to IsTheMicStillOn [link] [comments]
How old are you?
Feeling my age... 82% respondents are under 30
| Ages | % |
|---|---|
| 26 - 30 | 42.9% |
| 21 - 25 | 33.1% |
| 31 - 35 | 14.9% |
| 16 - 20 | 5.8% |
| 36 - 40 | 1.9% |
| 40 - 45 | 1.3% |
How do you identify?
Uuuh... it’s looking like Ms Sophie took all the ladies with her... or they're smart enough not to use Reddit.
| Gender | % |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.8% |
| Female | 4.5% |
| Bigender | 0.6% |
What is your ethnicity?
We're just over 50% black, let them Logic jokes fly...
Some people just wrote in mixed others broke it down specifically, I tried to honour the write in answers which is why some are separate.
| Ethnicity | % |
|---|---|
| Black | 52.9% |
| Hispanic | 19.6% |
| White | 16.3% |
| Asian | 4.6% |
| Mixed | 2% |
| Middle Eastern | 0.7% |
| Australian w/ Asian decent | 0.7% |
| South Asian (India) | 0.7% |
| Eurasian | 0.7% |
| White/Asian | 0.7% |
| Black (Eritrean) | 0.7% |
| Black/White | 0.7% |
Sexual Orientation?
It’s a happy pride month specifically to maybe 14% of us!
| Sexual Orientation | % |
|---|---|
| Straight / Heterosexual | 86.4% |
| Bisexual | 7.1% |
| Pansexual | 3.2% |
| Gay / Homosexual | 1.3% |
| Blank answer | 1.3% |
| Asexual | 0.6% |
What's your current relationship status?
About 40% are in some kind of relationship, even a couple entanglements.
| Relationship status? | % |
|---|---|
| Single | 60.4% |
| In a relationship | 24.7% |
| Married / Domestic Partnership | 13.6% |
| Entanglements | 1.3% |
Where are you?
About 75% in the US, but outside of that I think we just about cover all continents (excl. Antarctica...)
| Location | % |
|---|---|
| USA, East | 23.4% |
| USA, South | 21.4% |
| USA, West | 16.2% |
| USA, Midwest | 14.3% |
| UK | 7.1% |
| Canada | 6.5% |
| Australia | 6.5% |
| Western Europe | 4.5% |
| South America | 0.6% |
| Caribbean | 0.6% |
| Ireland | 0.6% |
| Japan | 0.6% |
| Asia (other) | 0.6% |
| West Africa | 0.6% |
| New Zealand | 0.6% |
How many countries have you visited/lived?
And we’re decently travelled. 66% have been to at least one other country.
| Countries Visited / Lived | % |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | 37.7% |
| 1 | 33.1% |
| 4-5 | 12.3% |
| 10+ | 7.8% |
| 6-7 | 5.8% |
| 8-9 | 3.2% |
Is English your first language?
Not surprising considering the majority are from English speaking nations in the question above.
| English your first language? | % |
|---|---|
| Yes | 88.3% |
| No | 11.7% |
How many languages do you speak?
¿Qué idiomas hablas?
| Languages spoken? | % |
|---|---|
| 1 | 63.4% |
| 2 | 30.7% |
| 3 | 5.9% |
What's your highest level of education?
Smart bunch...
| Level of Education | % |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 48.7% |
| Highschool | 24.7% |
| Masters | 9.7% |
| Trade School / Apprenticeship | 7.1% |
| Doctorate (PhD) | 1.3% |
| Associates Degree | 1.9% |
| Law | 0.6% |
| GED | 0.6% |
| Community College | 0.6% |
| Diploma | 0.6% |
What's your employment status?
Gainfully employed
| Employment Status | % |
|---|---|
| Employed Full-Time | 70.1% |
| Student | 12.3% |
| Employed Part-Time | 9.1% |
| Unemployed | 6.5% |
| Self-Employed | 1.9% |
Politically I consider myself...
Just a big ol' bunch of lefties in here
| Political Stance | % |
|---|---|
| Left-wing | 44.7% |
| Far-Left | 26.7% |
| Center-Left | 22% |
| Centrist | 6% |
| Center-Right | 0.7% |
Are you a parent?
Not many parents but a lot of aspiring ones.
| You a Parent? | % |
|---|---|
| No, but I hope to be someday | 60.5% |
| No, and I don't want to be | 30.9% |
| I have 1 child | 6.6% |
| I have 2 children | 2% |
How many other podcasts you listen to?
People are either listening to a handful of podcasts or a loooot of podcasts
| Number of Podcasts Listened To | % |
|---|---|
| 2-3 Podcasts | 32.5% |
| 4-5 Podcasts | 29.2% |
| 10+ Podcasts | 18.2% |
| 6-7 Podcasts | 15.6% |
| 8-9 Podcasts | 4.5% |
How long have you been listening to ITMSO?
Lotta loyal folk who've been listening for a minute
| Years Listened | % |
|---|---|
| 5+ years | 46.8% |
| 4-5 years | 24% |
| 2-3 years | 22.1% |
| 1-2 years | 5.2% |
| Less than a year | 1.9% |
Are you religious at all?
| Religion? | % |
|---|---|
| Nope | 67.1% |
| Christianity | 21.1% |
| Catholic | 2% |
| Agnostic | 2% |
| Buddhist | 1.3% |
| Hindu | 1.3% |
| Sikh | 1.3% |
| Islam | 0.7% |
| Spiritual | 0.7% |
| Bahai | 0.7% |
| “I believe in myself” | 0.7% |
| “humanity” | 0.7% |
| “Trying to be since my dad passed away” | 0.7% |
How do you usually listen/watch?
Don’t ask me what “Dead End After Dark ” means one of you guys will have to explain yourself in the comments.
https://preview.redd.it/ockkjx7c575b1.png?width=693&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=6dc904420ae8b8d206275bbc09f844d01bc17579
What are your favourite podcast segments?
https://preview.redd.it/6preu7gd575b1.png?width=656&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=d8f678fb53a9c2b84710aee72830633c65fbac32
Which of the other fine products from the Dead End universe do you also enjoy?
https://preview.redd.it/lcdajxje575b1.png?width=697&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=518a3ca6a622566b17b42cc5978ce19c49cf6d9a
What are your primary news sources?
https://preview.redd.it/a7bstjdg575b1.png?width=658&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=b326aba092f88152516e18f6b86e82de16698b7a
Favourite moment in ITMSO history?
This wasn’t so easy to quantify since it was a bunch of write-in answers but what I can say is without a doubt Ken falling off the couch/stage was by far the most popular answer.
Runners up would be: Ken running 20mph, Feefo’s pet werewolf & Rod seeing the future.
I'll be back later to add to update the post with a spreadsheet that has all the data for full transparency and to let you guys see all the write-in answers for the last q.
Thanks again to everyone who took part, maybe in a year from now we can see what’s changed feel free to throw up q’s or suggestions you’d like to see for a 2024 census or other fun things we can do in-between.
Peace & Love,
Your friendly neighbourhood mod,
ANotherDREW
2023.06.10 15:44 stoicnf Thoughts on this experience?
I’ve recently rediscovered my faith and connection with God. I’m a Catholic and for some years I’ve rejected God but due to many factors I’ve rediscovered him. I’ve recently been praying to God to ask for help to strengthen my faith and meet likeminded people. Today by chance a man stopped me and spoke to me about Jesus as I was just walking through a park, we had a good discussion about Jesus and the Bible, which I thought this could be God answering my prayers. He asked me to join his prayer group, and then mentioned praying in tongues and that this is how they pray in their group. I’ve never participated or seen anyone praying in tongues and I don’t really know anything about it. What are people’s thoughts on this encounter, and praying in tongues? Many thanks.
submitted by stoicnf to Catholicism [link] [comments]
2023.06.10 15:43 stoicnf Thoughts on this experience?
I’ve recently rediscovered my faith and connection with God. I’m a Catholic and for some years I’ve rejected God but due to many factors I’ve rediscovered him. I’ve recently been praying to God to ask for help to strengthen my faith and meet likeminded people. Today by chance a man stopped me and spoke to me about Jesus as I was just walking through a park, we had a good discussion about Jesus and the Bible, which I thought this could be God answering my prayers. He asked me to join his prayer group, and then mentioned praying in tongues and that this is how they pray in their group. I’ve never participated or seen anyone praying in tongues and I don’t really know anything about it. What are people’s thoughts on this encounter, and praying in tongues? Many thanks.
submitted by stoicnf to Christianity [link] [comments]
2023.06.10 13:36 TakatoX3 Please help me understand the new French mission tree
I've been looking at the new French missions and some of them seem really backward to me. I'm talking about The Pope and Italy part specifically. Here are a few issues that I see, please tell me if I'm missing anything.
submitted by TakatoX3 to eu4 [link] [comments]
- At the end of Italian Conquest part (the one with the Golden March, not the branching one) you get an ability to turn The Pope into a subject if you choose to cooperate with him, but to get a reward that removes penalty for holding Rome or subjugating The Papal State you need to defy him in the "Lands of Avignon" mission.
- You only get claims on Italy if you choose The Italian Wars branch but if you choose to work with the Pope, you will lose the land that you conquer, making it so that you no longer have a land connection to claim provinces manually. Should you just complete these missions all at once? Should even pu Milan if I want to give that land to the Pope?
- This one I actually found an answer for myself while writing this post but I'm still going note this in case someone also wondering about it. In game the "House of God" mission (the one that turns the Pope into a subject) says that Rome needs to be owned by you or your subject. Why would I need to own Rome before subjecting the Pope? It turns out that the requirements for these missions changes once you choose the Crusader Kings path. You only have to send a gift or something. It's not a big deal.
2023.06.10 10:41 Wrongempire I won’t be praying anymore.
I have been on this page so many times trying to gain an understanding on the real factor of is God real? I was an atheist who was born in a catholic family so I had the idea of the spiritual side to our lives but was always in denial. But for the last 5 years things for me have been repetitive with bad luck and been put in a position where maybe the only way is to ask God for a sign or get his blessing and maybe my life will start making a change. The truth is I genuinely changed my mind on the whole thing. Believing that I was receiving signs that things were getting better and the existence of God is real. Earlier this year I met someone who genuinely made me feel something close to euphoria and without taking drugs and I would never feel that way again for it to crash and burn and for that person to be with someone else.
So, at this point I am hurt but I still prayed everyday for guidance asked for help just for something to get better for myself as these blessings of dreams and feelings were giving for us to try enjoy life that little bit more. But instead it’s been the same, nothing is changing when I am trying, I felt like whatever I heard or seen around me was a sign and God was with me every step of the way. But that all changed.
My experience especially through this site I read people’s stories and how believing that God has helped you is nice. But everyone on here has been broken one way or another. So, naturally when someone has nowhere to go they turn to a spiritual perception for an answer or a healing but it’s all psychological. When you want to see or hear something your brain will do it for comfort. So, for me I watched videos and articles on how to speak to God and all I read was pray and he will come to you so for a long time I prayed and waited for months for me to finally hear a voice in my dreams claiming to be God. Telling me that he is aware of my wish and something will be done. But it never came. I have tried watching videos of people experiencing when they speak to God and they can’t tell you what his voice sounds like? They tell you they can’t tell you what he looks like? Why? I can tell you exactly what his voice sounds like and all stories are not the same nor similar. And God asks different from everyone? No. We tell ourselves that God does things for a lesson for us to be wiser and stronger but instead people are left broken and depressed for us to ask for that little more. It’s bullshit where we have kids who die of cancer and people who are murdered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time that’s a lesson?
I don’t want maybes no more I want answers. When we tell God we can’t do it anymore instead of giving us false hope and for us to start looking for signs that are coincidences we need to fix the problems ourselves because he has let the world fail. He has left the corrupt and bad win and for the good to always lose and suffer. I personally had enough of trying to believe he is real and he cares about everyone of us but he doesn’t. I put everything on God and in return I have nothing. A shell that is passing through life waiting for the end for my goodness to be wasted.
Thanks for reading.
submitted by Wrongempire to god [link] [comments]
So, at this point I am hurt but I still prayed everyday for guidance asked for help just for something to get better for myself as these blessings of dreams and feelings were giving for us to try enjoy life that little bit more. But instead it’s been the same, nothing is changing when I am trying, I felt like whatever I heard or seen around me was a sign and God was with me every step of the way. But that all changed.
My experience especially through this site I read people’s stories and how believing that God has helped you is nice. But everyone on here has been broken one way or another. So, naturally when someone has nowhere to go they turn to a spiritual perception for an answer or a healing but it’s all psychological. When you want to see or hear something your brain will do it for comfort. So, for me I watched videos and articles on how to speak to God and all I read was pray and he will come to you so for a long time I prayed and waited for months for me to finally hear a voice in my dreams claiming to be God. Telling me that he is aware of my wish and something will be done. But it never came. I have tried watching videos of people experiencing when they speak to God and they can’t tell you what his voice sounds like? They tell you they can’t tell you what he looks like? Why? I can tell you exactly what his voice sounds like and all stories are not the same nor similar. And God asks different from everyone? No. We tell ourselves that God does things for a lesson for us to be wiser and stronger but instead people are left broken and depressed for us to ask for that little more. It’s bullshit where we have kids who die of cancer and people who are murdered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time that’s a lesson?
I don’t want maybes no more I want answers. When we tell God we can’t do it anymore instead of giving us false hope and for us to start looking for signs that are coincidences we need to fix the problems ourselves because he has let the world fail. He has left the corrupt and bad win and for the good to always lose and suffer. I personally had enough of trying to believe he is real and he cares about everyone of us but he doesn’t. I put everything on God and in return I have nothing. A shell that is passing through life waiting for the end for my goodness to be wasted.
Thanks for reading.
2023.06.10 08:15 jacky986 If Henry Grattan’s parliament managed to get legislative independence for Ireland would the country still want independence?
I don’t want to offend any admirers of Irish independence but I’m curious.
According to a response to an Historywhatif post I made. If Henry Grattan had achieved legislative independence Ireland would have gotten Catholic emancipation sooner and it would mitigate the Great Famine.
But it doesn’t answer the big question. If Henry Grattan succeeded would Ireland still want independence?
Source
https://www.reddit.com/HistoryWhatIf/comments/13i57zd/if_henry_grattans_parliament_worked_would_all_of/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
submitted by jacky986 to AskHistory [link] [comments]
According to a response to an Historywhatif post I made. If Henry Grattan had achieved legislative independence Ireland would have gotten Catholic emancipation sooner and it would mitigate the Great Famine.
But it doesn’t answer the big question. If Henry Grattan succeeded would Ireland still want independence?
Source
https://www.reddit.com/HistoryWhatIf/comments/13i57zd/if_henry_grattans_parliament_worked_would_all_of/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
2023.06.10 08:14 jacky986 If Henry Grattan’s parliament managed to get legislative independence for Ireland would the country still want independence?
I don’t want to offend any admirers of Irish independence but I’m curious.
According to a response to an Historywhatif post I made. If Henry Grattan had achieved legislative independence Ireland would have gotten Catholic emancipation sooner and it would mitigate the Great Famine.
But it doesn’t answer the big question. If Henry Grattan succeeded would Ireland still want independence?
Source
https://www.reddit.com/HistoryWhatIf/comments/13i57zd/if_henry_grattans_parliament_worked_would_all_of/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
submitted by jacky986 to IrishHistory [link] [comments]
According to a response to an Historywhatif post I made. If Henry Grattan had achieved legislative independence Ireland would have gotten Catholic emancipation sooner and it would mitigate the Great Famine.
But it doesn’t answer the big question. If Henry Grattan succeeded would Ireland still want independence?
Source
https://www.reddit.com/HistoryWhatIf/comments/13i57zd/if_henry_grattans_parliament_worked_would_all_of/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
2023.06.10 07:57 rmaliksi1997 How to Confess and Revert back to Catholicism?
I'm a born Roman Catholic but as I aged I began to question my faith and never really did do extra research of my own religion and began exploring as I explored I began to question the existence of God and so I became an Atheist at my teen years, some time in my university years I began to believe in Him again (God) but I began to become more of like a Agnostic. After 2 years or so I discovered Islam and the fact that I don't understand and reject trinity before, they have attracted me to join and convert to Islam. I've been a Muslim for almost 3 years after that I began to question it again so I began to explore more. Fast forward to present I've been to all different kinds of religion (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam,etc.) And all of them have "Jesus" and respect Jesus as like a very good example of being. So I began to ponder all of them use Jesus to promote their teachings while Jesus being sabotage by all different religions hold firm and he is the only one who said he is God and got resurrected and all these miracles. After a researching more about my birth religion I realize that all the answers are there, I just chose to close my heart and mind in believing and doubting him.
I want to repent and confess all my sins, Is it possible to confess all the since I've done in the past 6 years? How can I come back home to Jesus? What's the best thing to do so I can hold steadfast in my faith. I want to be firm and strong. I want to be a good Catholic for God, for me, and my future children.
submitted by rmaliksi1997 to Catholicism [link] [comments]
I want to repent and confess all my sins, Is it possible to confess all the since I've done in the past 6 years? How can I come back home to Jesus? What's the best thing to do so I can hold steadfast in my faith. I want to be firm and strong. I want to be a good Catholic for God, for me, and my future children.
2023.06.10 07:18 Remarkable-Middle858 I no longer want to be a hero
I just answer to one question in a thread but i feel i wanted to make post about what things started to wake me up.
Kinda weird but It started a year ago. I started to question why i did not want to become a servant or elder (everyone told me that i should and i was on target to become servant), and why i didnt want to talk to people door to door about our beleives.
Then i asked myself if i was a hundred percent secure about what i was talking about.
When i was in a preaching tour i sincered to one elder and asked him about why i wasnt feeling the necesity about being a servant.
He told me some crazy stuff like. You will feel it by going to preaching and going to the meetings yara yara yara. Then I told him.
Well i am already doing that but i dont feel anything.
He started to told me his story and how he came back to latinoamerica because a PIMI girl .__. And how in some weird point he decided to reach being a servant after marry her.
That obviusly was not the answer i was waiting for, i was specting some deep meaningly purpose but not.
Then I accept his advice to have a deep personal study and that just ring my alarms more, when i started to make deep investigations in the WOL about some topics i have doubs about I was not finding the answers. Not real base about why the boold policy, why about no having sexual relations until marriage when actually the word fornication comes from the "fornix" word (a prostitute place) then I started to realize that we are encouragin to treat each outside sexual relationship as if it were prostitution.
That make me feel sick about broke families when a couple was together and even with kids for a long time without "been married". And that I have no base to say that they were doing prostitute stuff I mean wtf.
I am a very cautelous guy cause I don't show emotions to often so i save those investigations in my notebook for myself.
At this point i swear i was not read any "apostate" stuff. Cause I did not want to put me in "spiritual danger"
All the conclusions came to my mind for itself by making my own investigations with WOL articles and the Bible. (And elders book I just google the pdf to get it cause i have listend about that book but i have not feel any necesity to read it until that day)
One day just like that my mom remembered that preaching tour in one conversation and a flashback came in my mind about what i have discuss with the elder. (The elder was from another congregation so i have not talked to him again)
I asked my mom some general questions about faith, then i took out the topic of blood. She looked me suspecious about why do i was asking for her opinion about it.
Then i asked her why we can not accept blood but we can accept organs transplant. (Organs are filled with blood at the transplant moment cause without it the organ itself die due to lack of oxygen)
She couldn't answer that, also I asked her about if i accept enough blood fragments to build blood itself would be consider a blood transfution
She couldn't answer that also.
In that moment she asked me if i read something out of the Organization and i was not and was completly true.
I confessed to her that i have read the elders book, and how some stuff in the watchtower magazines had discrepancy with the book.
She looked me a bit surprised about what i was saying and just end the conversation with.
Be carefull of being an "apostate"
I was in a little shock when i listend that, i have not read anything "bad" just the WOL and elders book to get those conclusions.
Becase i felt some danger to me in her words I did not touch the topic with her anymore.
Then when i was through the day i started to realize most part of the time even when i was working i was thinking about those topics and how wrong everything was.
Also when i went to the meetings i started to feel some mental rejection of how the topics on the public discourse of weekends were misleading people.
"Sorry for my english I am from latinoamerica"
At the point that i felt even nausea listening some stuff.
(I completely swear i have not read anything outside the GB even at this point)
So i decided i wanted to become a "hero".
I was encouraging myself to make a video showing my face and everything about how some stuff were wrong and missinterpretated in the more polite and JW way
I wanted to name the speach: Are we acting like scribes and Pharisees?
And would touch sensitive topics, health, relationships, jobs and finally how we see at each other.
So I started to aim to do that, also between these month i was able to start living alone by working as programmer in website development. And in that way having the best enviroment to start the speach development.
I also realized i needed more information and by doing test with AI I realized that chatgpt had the bible inside as training language. LOL.
(I want make a parentesis here, if you want to try that, please dont ask to chatgpt moral questions cause as training language also has a lot of catholic books inside of it, and also if you try to do that it will answer based on those books or just will say that It can be take a side in moral questions, better use it as translator from acient scriptures or as mega indexer cause understand context of things and can give you exactly based on wich contex where written a specific Bible text.)
Returning to the topic. By doing my reserch I found the Raymond Franz book and that was it.
Almost all the investigation I did before and how I though the GB took desicions about articles releases were confirmed in a very scary and tremendous way.
Well it has few days ago since i found it, and it makes me feel that i no longer want to be "the hero"
Cause i realized that they in some way know about those errors. Blood for example.
And they dont want to change it by the fear of being smacked by the tons of JW's families who have loss people due to this stupid rule.
I'm gonna end this with an example about why I wanted to name my speach: Are we acting like scribes and Pharisees?
(Take in mind that i already thought this before even read the Franz book)
In the Gospel of Mark, you can find the account in Mark 7:1-8. Here, the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and noticed that some of his disciples were eating food with "unclean" hands, that is, without washing.
In the Gospels, the dispute wasn't about whether Jesus specifically washed his hands, but that some of his disciples did not follow the Jewish tradition of washing their hands up to the elbows before eating. According to first-century Jewish tradition, this ritual hand washing was an act of purification and a way to avoid ritual contamination.
And Jesus answer was.
In Mark 7:6-9, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13) to make his point:
"He replied, 'Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.'"
Another thought that came to mi mind was that in fact they are also "circling" people by the non written rules (but all we know there are) about how to dress, wich haircut use, another dye than blonde black or brown are from the Devil, piercings and some jewelry are from the Devil, another hairstile are from the Devil, and that you can not enjoy your young hair because hair and beard because they are freaking jealous and old to even grow hair.
submitted by Remarkable-Middle858 to exjw [link] [comments]
Kinda weird but It started a year ago. I started to question why i did not want to become a servant or elder (everyone told me that i should and i was on target to become servant), and why i didnt want to talk to people door to door about our beleives.
Then i asked myself if i was a hundred percent secure about what i was talking about.
When i was in a preaching tour i sincered to one elder and asked him about why i wasnt feeling the necesity about being a servant.
He told me some crazy stuff like. You will feel it by going to preaching and going to the meetings yara yara yara. Then I told him.
Well i am already doing that but i dont feel anything.
He started to told me his story and how he came back to latinoamerica because a PIMI girl .__. And how in some weird point he decided to reach being a servant after marry her.
That obviusly was not the answer i was waiting for, i was specting some deep meaningly purpose but not.
Then I accept his advice to have a deep personal study and that just ring my alarms more, when i started to make deep investigations in the WOL about some topics i have doubs about I was not finding the answers. Not real base about why the boold policy, why about no having sexual relations until marriage when actually the word fornication comes from the "fornix" word (a prostitute place) then I started to realize that we are encouragin to treat each outside sexual relationship as if it were prostitution.
That make me feel sick about broke families when a couple was together and even with kids for a long time without "been married". And that I have no base to say that they were doing prostitute stuff I mean wtf.
I am a very cautelous guy cause I don't show emotions to often so i save those investigations in my notebook for myself.
At this point i swear i was not read any "apostate" stuff. Cause I did not want to put me in "spiritual danger"
All the conclusions came to my mind for itself by making my own investigations with WOL articles and the Bible. (And elders book I just google the pdf to get it cause i have listend about that book but i have not feel any necesity to read it until that day)
One day just like that my mom remembered that preaching tour in one conversation and a flashback came in my mind about what i have discuss with the elder. (The elder was from another congregation so i have not talked to him again)
I asked my mom some general questions about faith, then i took out the topic of blood. She looked me suspecious about why do i was asking for her opinion about it.
Then i asked her why we can not accept blood but we can accept organs transplant. (Organs are filled with blood at the transplant moment cause without it the organ itself die due to lack of oxygen)
She couldn't answer that, also I asked her about if i accept enough blood fragments to build blood itself would be consider a blood transfution
She couldn't answer that also.
In that moment she asked me if i read something out of the Organization and i was not and was completly true.
I confessed to her that i have read the elders book, and how some stuff in the watchtower magazines had discrepancy with the book.
She looked me a bit surprised about what i was saying and just end the conversation with.
Be carefull of being an "apostate"
I was in a little shock when i listend that, i have not read anything "bad" just the WOL and elders book to get those conclusions.
Becase i felt some danger to me in her words I did not touch the topic with her anymore.
Then when i was through the day i started to realize most part of the time even when i was working i was thinking about those topics and how wrong everything was.
Also when i went to the meetings i started to feel some mental rejection of how the topics on the public discourse of weekends were misleading people.
"Sorry for my english I am from latinoamerica"
At the point that i felt even nausea listening some stuff.
(I completely swear i have not read anything outside the GB even at this point)
So i decided i wanted to become a "hero".
I was encouraging myself to make a video showing my face and everything about how some stuff were wrong and missinterpretated in the more polite and JW way
I wanted to name the speach: Are we acting like scribes and Pharisees?
And would touch sensitive topics, health, relationships, jobs and finally how we see at each other.
So I started to aim to do that, also between these month i was able to start living alone by working as programmer in website development. And in that way having the best enviroment to start the speach development.
I also realized i needed more information and by doing test with AI I realized that chatgpt had the bible inside as training language. LOL.
(I want make a parentesis here, if you want to try that, please dont ask to chatgpt moral questions cause as training language also has a lot of catholic books inside of it, and also if you try to do that it will answer based on those books or just will say that It can be take a side in moral questions, better use it as translator from acient scriptures or as mega indexer cause understand context of things and can give you exactly based on wich contex where written a specific Bible text.)
Returning to the topic. By doing my reserch I found the Raymond Franz book and that was it.
Almost all the investigation I did before and how I though the GB took desicions about articles releases were confirmed in a very scary and tremendous way.
Well it has few days ago since i found it, and it makes me feel that i no longer want to be "the hero"
Cause i realized that they in some way know about those errors. Blood for example.
And they dont want to change it by the fear of being smacked by the tons of JW's families who have loss people due to this stupid rule.
I'm gonna end this with an example about why I wanted to name my speach: Are we acting like scribes and Pharisees?
(Take in mind that i already thought this before even read the Franz book)
In the Gospel of Mark, you can find the account in Mark 7:1-8. Here, the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and noticed that some of his disciples were eating food with "unclean" hands, that is, without washing.
In the Gospels, the dispute wasn't about whether Jesus specifically washed his hands, but that some of his disciples did not follow the Jewish tradition of washing their hands up to the elbows before eating. According to first-century Jewish tradition, this ritual hand washing was an act of purification and a way to avoid ritual contamination.
And Jesus answer was.
In Mark 7:6-9, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13) to make his point:
"He replied, 'Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.'"
2023.06.10 03:56 justanerdyhuman The homophobic student at school
Hello, fellow athiests. I'm usually a reddit lurker, but a recent nasty altercation between my classmate and I has undergone and I'd like to talk about it.
I have been an athiest since I was very young, like half of my family, but I've also gone to catholic school for my entire life. In my earliest school years I never talked about religion, but neither did anyone else, so it was easy to blend in. We all prayed in the morning, did Bible study, and that was it. High school wasn't that different. I prayed in the morning with the rest of them and Bible study was optional, so I didn't take it. It wasn't a problem for me to fit in with the other Catholic students. But this year was different because of one of my classmates. Let's call him Luke (not his real name).
So 'Luke' was one of those classic Catholic kids- always reading the Bible and spouting out religious 'rules'. I'm guessing some others have experienced this too. He's always been pretty annoying to me and everyone else but he's always had a problem with me specifically. It's because I'm a lesbian. The other day in class I was talking to this other girl. She asked me if I was a lesbian and I said yes. Then he overheard the conversation and started screaming at me in class, telling me that I was a sinner for liking women and that I had to repent if I didn't want to go to hell.
I know that it isn't good to pick a fight with someone religious but I got so offended that I couldn't take it. I yelled back and we started cussing at each other. I was insulting him over and over while he just kept repeating 'Repent! Repent!'
We headed to another class (which we also unfortunately shared) where he sat a few seats down from me. Then I heard him having a very loud conversation with another student about how I was a 'terrible, sinful girl'. By then I'd already calmed down so I just walked over to his desk and asked him why he thought that I was what he said. Then, instead of answering me, he went off on a rant about how the world is sinful now that people are accepting of things that are 'unacceptable' (like, for example, homosexuality). He talked about how Adam and Eve ate the apple or something and how it started with them because they disobeyed God. He said that I was one of the worst sinners he'd ever seen. I cussed him out again and left the room.
I know that I let my temper get the best of me. I have a few more weeks of school with this kid, and chances are, I'll share classes with him again next year. If this happens again, what should I say to him instead? Was I right to defend myself?
submitted by justanerdyhuman to atheism [link] [comments]
I have been an athiest since I was very young, like half of my family, but I've also gone to catholic school for my entire life. In my earliest school years I never talked about religion, but neither did anyone else, so it was easy to blend in. We all prayed in the morning, did Bible study, and that was it. High school wasn't that different. I prayed in the morning with the rest of them and Bible study was optional, so I didn't take it. It wasn't a problem for me to fit in with the other Catholic students. But this year was different because of one of my classmates. Let's call him Luke (not his real name).
So 'Luke' was one of those classic Catholic kids- always reading the Bible and spouting out religious 'rules'. I'm guessing some others have experienced this too. He's always been pretty annoying to me and everyone else but he's always had a problem with me specifically. It's because I'm a lesbian. The other day in class I was talking to this other girl. She asked me if I was a lesbian and I said yes. Then he overheard the conversation and started screaming at me in class, telling me that I was a sinner for liking women and that I had to repent if I didn't want to go to hell.
I know that it isn't good to pick a fight with someone religious but I got so offended that I couldn't take it. I yelled back and we started cussing at each other. I was insulting him over and over while he just kept repeating 'Repent! Repent!'
We headed to another class (which we also unfortunately shared) where he sat a few seats down from me. Then I heard him having a very loud conversation with another student about how I was a 'terrible, sinful girl'. By then I'd already calmed down so I just walked over to his desk and asked him why he thought that I was what he said. Then, instead of answering me, he went off on a rant about how the world is sinful now that people are accepting of things that are 'unacceptable' (like, for example, homosexuality). He talked about how Adam and Eve ate the apple or something and how it started with them because they disobeyed God. He said that I was one of the worst sinners he'd ever seen. I cussed him out again and left the room.
I know that I let my temper get the best of me. I have a few more weeks of school with this kid, and chances are, I'll share classes with him again next year. If this happens again, what should I say to him instead? Was I right to defend myself?
2023.06.10 02:58 GeollandFraser Is Jesus technically still Jewish in heaven?
This sounds like a meme BUT I'm seriously curious as a Christian myself (Catholic). I am well aware that, during His time on Earth, Jesus was absolutely Jewish -- He was born to a Jewish mother, circumcised, raised Jewish, etc. However, after His Ascension into Heaven, is He still Jewish?
My instinctive answer is no, because He's taken His place at the right hand of the Father, and God doesn't exactly worship Himself. However, other Biblical figures are more than likely still Jewish in heaven (Moses, Esther, Gideon, etc). So, where exactly does this let Jesus off?
submitted by GeollandFraser to Christianity [link] [comments]
My instinctive answer is no, because He's taken His place at the right hand of the Father, and God doesn't exactly worship Himself. However, other Biblical figures are more than likely still Jewish in heaven (Moses, Esther, Gideon, etc). So, where exactly does this let Jesus off?
2023.06.09 21:20 joeebfergs Getting started with Marquette Method?
So my fiancée and I have been very busy this past year, and now suddenly we're just over a month out from our wedding and only now are getting to exploring NFP methods. It seems like Marquette has the greatest appeal – it may come at a cost, but we both appreciate the objectivity of it (no need for us to read the tea leaves, as it were, as seems necessary for other methods). At this point, we have a few questions, and we're curious to hear what those more experienced than us have to say:
submitted by joeebfergs to Catholicism [link] [comments]
- To confirm, is our assessment of the Marquette method accurate? Namely, is it the case that it is more costly, but that it also removes the subjective element of other methods and that it can be an effective, conservative method for those not currently in a position to aim to conceive?
- What have you found is the best way to learn the Marquette method? It seems that there are several major instructors online.
- If you have used Marquette in conjunction with another method or methods, how has that experience been? Has it been helpful? Confusing?
- Now for the nitty gritty... As I mentioned, we're a little over a month out from our wedding, and, surprise, surprise, we would like to be intimate as soon as possible. My fiancée has charted out the first day of her cycle via an app for the past year, and at this point the app has enough data points that it is quite accurate in deducing the dates of her ovulation. We also plan to start the Marquette method as soon as possible. I believe I've heard in passing that one starts Marquette by charting out six cycles worth of data. Is this correct? If so, does this mean that, even with the other information we have, we will need to wait for five months after our wedding until we can comfortably rely on the Marquette method?
2023.06.09 21:13 LesCorpsglorieux Getting started with Marquette?
So my fiancée and I have been very busy this past year, and now suddenly we're just over a month out from our wedding and only now are getting to exploring NFP methods (we're Catholic, so this hasn't been something we've needed to deal with before). It seems like Marquette has the greatest appeal – it may come at a cost, but we both appreciate the objectivity of it (no need for us to read the tea leaves, as it were, as seems necessary for other methods). At this point, we have a few questions, and we're curious to hear what those more experienced than us have to say:
submitted by LesCorpsglorieux to FAMnNFP [link] [comments]
- To confirm, is our assessment of the Marquette method accurate? Namely, is it the case that it is more costly, but that it also removes the subjective element of other methods and that it can be an effective, conservative method for those not currently in a position to aim to conceive?
- What have you found is the best way to learn the Marquette method? It seems that there are several major instructors online.
- If you have used Marquette in conjunction with another method or methods, how has that experience been? Has it been helpful? Confusing?
- Now for the nitty gritty... As I mentioned, we're a little over a month out from our wedding, and, surprise, surprise, we would like to be intimate as soon as possible. My fiancée has charted out the first day of her cycle via an app for the past year, and at this point the app has enough data points that it is quite accurate in deducing the dates of her ovulation. We also plan to start the Marquette method as soon as possible. I believe I've heard in passing that one starts Marquette by charting out six cycles worth of data. Is this correct? If so, does this mean that, even with the other information we have, we will need to wait for five months after our wedding until we can comfortably rely on the Marquette method?
2023.06.09 20:43 DeadGirl1367 Wendigo or Skinwalker, not sure. Immediate help please.
First time using Reddit, please bare with me. Also if theres typos its because my phone is 6 years old and the keypad is very uncalibrated now.
My fiance's farm has had a problem with whatever it is for years. However, it really hadn't been an issue as much as a presence. Like having a cougar on your land. You know it's there and could attack at any second. But it just doesn't. Our home is old, btw. Very old, and two of the beams in the basement are made up of giant logs that may have come from the woods behind the field. So anyways.
The first time its presence was seen, I was on the phone with my guy and he was sitting in his mom's car at night. We were teenagers then. That's when he noticed in this (admittedly really odd looking) twisted tree that's outside a creature that was large and in his words "looked like a man becoming a beast." He carefully, calmly, got out of the car and hurried inside. It didn't seem to notice him. There's still claw marks on the tree. Not bear-like or cat-like. I looked up the area and back then (Google's so messed up now, I can no longer find it) that a "wendigo king" has the hunting ground of the entire length of the creek that is down the road. It was this time of year and he said when he saw it, he heard laughter and war drums.
Then I moved here years later. One night I saw what I thought was a red reflector by our mailbox. I was confused about who put that there (it hadnt been that morning.) As I turned my headlights towards the box to better see, the red circle suddenly pulled back into the massive field across the street. As our friend and I got out of the car he said he saw something "that wasn't an animal" standing in the field. We hurried inside. This was autumn. The next autumn I was driving home alone and saw that same red reflector bobbing across the street. When I approached it suddenly whipped around like a startled animal and the light zoomed back into the field. I refused to leave the truck without someone coming for me.
I should add I've seen that same light pacing the upstairs of the barn, through the window.
Next time was during the 4th of july and we were having a small party. And had the barn door open. When dusk began I saw it. Giant, maybe as big as a horse. It looked like a man with no hair. Greyish purple (I suppose frostbitten colored) skin. Naked. Incredibly skinny as though it has no organs. A big grin on its face which seemed to be either because its lips were forceably pulled back over its mouth or perhaps it had no lips or cheeks. Big hands and feet, and no antlers. Walking into the barn like a wolf. Reminded me of something out of Bloodborne. Its eyes were black at the moment. I told my guy and he didnt believe me as I was begging him to help me close the barn. (Theres openings in the back it could leave from but the door being open didnt feel right after that.) Then his great aunt asked "did anyone see that little girl go into the barn?" Its well known by our family that a ghost of a small girl in white roams the farm and is well liked by us. He immediately agreed after that. Then nothing more. Occassionally I feel something reach out for me as I walk around at night but I've read about W's when I was young and there's many spiritual things about me that seem to keep me safe. Regardless I carry a buck knife when I travel at night just in case I have to defend myself.
But then his mom left. His mom is very unhealthy and gluttonous in every form. Over 2 years without her and our farm was peaceful. We had been caring for his grandfather, who always said something dark followed him around. And in the last week of his life weird things kept happening. Then he died suddenly and nobody knows why... I had stated earlier that month that the more his mom was showing up again and the more we cleaned up and worked on the farm, the angrier something seemed to get. In fact, a few weeks before something grabbed onto my guys father in the barn and make horrible screeches when he put up the mower after dark.
There was also one night the barn got left open by him and as we were headed inside we heard the neighbors screaming. But my guy assured me that he hears them do that every few months. However while the men sound like they're getting murdered the woman always sounds fake. But I always hated their house because Turkey vultures obsessively circle their plot... like a lot, sometimes 20.
So then two nights ago, my guy had to help his mom (who's now situated herself into his grandma's home like the parasite she is) for almost 2 weeks. Things had been feeling peaceful and earlier that day I had been hoping that grandpa captured the creature inside his body and it was going to be killed when he got cremated. Well... then they heard the lady neighbor screaming. Repeatedly. Inhumanly. From OUR pond. Before that they thought they heard a sound like a cat growl as well.
Well now his dumb mother is going around personifying It as "She" and saying "she's" a witch but that she's nice and spoke to her and "she don't mean no harm." I've been a practicing white witch my whole life. That is an evil spirit. She's a fool. Furthermore, as she was blabbing that to my boyfriends sister who was driving home at night a deer suddenly exploded out of nowhere and destroyed her car. This sister was wanting to inherit the land around the pond. Mid may we had also had a deer jump in front of us so fast it seemed impossible. Biggest deer I had ever seen and impossibly beautiful looking. Thankfully many people stayed with us while the cops got there. But ever since she had been visiting the last month worse and worse things have been happening.
Which brings me to today. To me, myself.
My guy was gone early today to help his uncle out. I was sleeping alone for the first time in months. I had a nightmare.
"It was that you sent me home from the food pantry because you had more stuff to do, but it was night. So I parked near next door cuz the food was for them and got out, and suddenly your mom came out from behind the house and was talking to me and I was just trying to get done quickly. But then I realized the whole time she was over I couldn't quite make out her face. So I started turning my flashlight onto her and your mom was like "Oh, honey, now you don't wanna do that." And when I did it was like seeing a refracted shadow. Like behind this vague silhouette was the appearance of your moms hair and hands and feet but the shadow was in front with this incomplete appearance of her in the back. And when I realized what it was my heart stopped and I started slowly backing up to their porch as this terrifyingly powerful man's voice said "You don't want to do that." Before my head erupted with terrifying music and that voice laughing maniacally, enough to drive someone insane. But I kept continually calmly going to the porch as I began to forceably pray and say in the name of god and jesus leave me alone and christ compels you and all that stuff."
This is what I had text him. It was horrifying. And I could sense it didn't want to devour me. It wanted to keep me. I said I was a practicing witch, but I also have been confirmed as a catholic and I have a belief that's parts of every old religion and some of my own beliefs that I've formed from things I've been witness to. I awoke feeling like something was at my back. But my oldest cats were laying on me. Defensively. They're all still laying in bed with me and hadnt really in a long time. As I tried to get back to sleep I prayed for my home and family to be kept safe. For positive energy to cover the land. And for evil spirits to be cast off of our land. Over and over and over until I finally fell back to sleep and had no more dreams.
I have the most knowledge of mythical beings. I sing many songs while I work outside, including cherokee songs. I work the land the old fashion way. I respect the land. Animals love me. And I've always felt that my soul is very very old. Like it's been recycled for many lives. People always have called me a god send as well because I'm at the right place at the right time to help. I don't quite know what it wanted of me but it didn't work because I'd previously been visited in my dreams many times by a demon who insisted my soul belonged to him, only for me to deny him each time. This being when I was only a teenager.
What I need is help to keep it off our land. At this rate my guys mom is going to be killed by it. Or bring it closer to us all with her horrific miasma of an aura. I was already planning on planting sage and smudging the house as well. I've previously done so before. But if there's ANYTHING else we can do I'd appreciate it. Any help at all. And I also know its hunting ground is indeed as vast as the creek is because a coworker who lives at the other end (we're near one ending point) caught it on video when he was walking at night and showed me. Its eyes looked like the red reflector I kept seeing. It seems to like to rest in our barn. But it's always been that we leave it be and it leaves us be.
Please help. I downloaded the app so I can easily check back. Only serious answers please. I know there are skeptics to many things, I respect everyones opinions and personal beliefs. But this is very serious. Also I should add that as far as I know there are no reservations around here at all. But that his great grandfather was part native american. Dont know what tribe. Thank you for any assistance. This has been over the course of roughly 10 years btw.
submitted by DeadGirl1367 to WendigoStories [link] [comments]
My fiance's farm has had a problem with whatever it is for years. However, it really hadn't been an issue as much as a presence. Like having a cougar on your land. You know it's there and could attack at any second. But it just doesn't. Our home is old, btw. Very old, and two of the beams in the basement are made up of giant logs that may have come from the woods behind the field. So anyways.
The first time its presence was seen, I was on the phone with my guy and he was sitting in his mom's car at night. We were teenagers then. That's when he noticed in this (admittedly really odd looking) twisted tree that's outside a creature that was large and in his words "looked like a man becoming a beast." He carefully, calmly, got out of the car and hurried inside. It didn't seem to notice him. There's still claw marks on the tree. Not bear-like or cat-like. I looked up the area and back then (Google's so messed up now, I can no longer find it) that a "wendigo king" has the hunting ground of the entire length of the creek that is down the road. It was this time of year and he said when he saw it, he heard laughter and war drums.
Then I moved here years later. One night I saw what I thought was a red reflector by our mailbox. I was confused about who put that there (it hadnt been that morning.) As I turned my headlights towards the box to better see, the red circle suddenly pulled back into the massive field across the street. As our friend and I got out of the car he said he saw something "that wasn't an animal" standing in the field. We hurried inside. This was autumn. The next autumn I was driving home alone and saw that same red reflector bobbing across the street. When I approached it suddenly whipped around like a startled animal and the light zoomed back into the field. I refused to leave the truck without someone coming for me.
I should add I've seen that same light pacing the upstairs of the barn, through the window.
Next time was during the 4th of july and we were having a small party. And had the barn door open. When dusk began I saw it. Giant, maybe as big as a horse. It looked like a man with no hair. Greyish purple (I suppose frostbitten colored) skin. Naked. Incredibly skinny as though it has no organs. A big grin on its face which seemed to be either because its lips were forceably pulled back over its mouth or perhaps it had no lips or cheeks. Big hands and feet, and no antlers. Walking into the barn like a wolf. Reminded me of something out of Bloodborne. Its eyes were black at the moment. I told my guy and he didnt believe me as I was begging him to help me close the barn. (Theres openings in the back it could leave from but the door being open didnt feel right after that.) Then his great aunt asked "did anyone see that little girl go into the barn?" Its well known by our family that a ghost of a small girl in white roams the farm and is well liked by us. He immediately agreed after that. Then nothing more. Occassionally I feel something reach out for me as I walk around at night but I've read about W's when I was young and there's many spiritual things about me that seem to keep me safe. Regardless I carry a buck knife when I travel at night just in case I have to defend myself.
But then his mom left. His mom is very unhealthy and gluttonous in every form. Over 2 years without her and our farm was peaceful. We had been caring for his grandfather, who always said something dark followed him around. And in the last week of his life weird things kept happening. Then he died suddenly and nobody knows why... I had stated earlier that month that the more his mom was showing up again and the more we cleaned up and worked on the farm, the angrier something seemed to get. In fact, a few weeks before something grabbed onto my guys father in the barn and make horrible screeches when he put up the mower after dark.
There was also one night the barn got left open by him and as we were headed inside we heard the neighbors screaming. But my guy assured me that he hears them do that every few months. However while the men sound like they're getting murdered the woman always sounds fake. But I always hated their house because Turkey vultures obsessively circle their plot... like a lot, sometimes 20.
So then two nights ago, my guy had to help his mom (who's now situated herself into his grandma's home like the parasite she is) for almost 2 weeks. Things had been feeling peaceful and earlier that day I had been hoping that grandpa captured the creature inside his body and it was going to be killed when he got cremated. Well... then they heard the lady neighbor screaming. Repeatedly. Inhumanly. From OUR pond. Before that they thought they heard a sound like a cat growl as well.
Well now his dumb mother is going around personifying It as "She" and saying "she's" a witch but that she's nice and spoke to her and "she don't mean no harm." I've been a practicing white witch my whole life. That is an evil spirit. She's a fool. Furthermore, as she was blabbing that to my boyfriends sister who was driving home at night a deer suddenly exploded out of nowhere and destroyed her car. This sister was wanting to inherit the land around the pond. Mid may we had also had a deer jump in front of us so fast it seemed impossible. Biggest deer I had ever seen and impossibly beautiful looking. Thankfully many people stayed with us while the cops got there. But ever since she had been visiting the last month worse and worse things have been happening.
Which brings me to today. To me, myself.
My guy was gone early today to help his uncle out. I was sleeping alone for the first time in months. I had a nightmare.
"It was that you sent me home from the food pantry because you had more stuff to do, but it was night. So I parked near next door cuz the food was for them and got out, and suddenly your mom came out from behind the house and was talking to me and I was just trying to get done quickly. But then I realized the whole time she was over I couldn't quite make out her face. So I started turning my flashlight onto her and your mom was like "Oh, honey, now you don't wanna do that." And when I did it was like seeing a refracted shadow. Like behind this vague silhouette was the appearance of your moms hair and hands and feet but the shadow was in front with this incomplete appearance of her in the back. And when I realized what it was my heart stopped and I started slowly backing up to their porch as this terrifyingly powerful man's voice said "You don't want to do that." Before my head erupted with terrifying music and that voice laughing maniacally, enough to drive someone insane. But I kept continually calmly going to the porch as I began to forceably pray and say in the name of god and jesus leave me alone and christ compels you and all that stuff."
This is what I had text him. It was horrifying. And I could sense it didn't want to devour me. It wanted to keep me. I said I was a practicing witch, but I also have been confirmed as a catholic and I have a belief that's parts of every old religion and some of my own beliefs that I've formed from things I've been witness to. I awoke feeling like something was at my back. But my oldest cats were laying on me. Defensively. They're all still laying in bed with me and hadnt really in a long time. As I tried to get back to sleep I prayed for my home and family to be kept safe. For positive energy to cover the land. And for evil spirits to be cast off of our land. Over and over and over until I finally fell back to sleep and had no more dreams.
I have the most knowledge of mythical beings. I sing many songs while I work outside, including cherokee songs. I work the land the old fashion way. I respect the land. Animals love me. And I've always felt that my soul is very very old. Like it's been recycled for many lives. People always have called me a god send as well because I'm at the right place at the right time to help. I don't quite know what it wanted of me but it didn't work because I'd previously been visited in my dreams many times by a demon who insisted my soul belonged to him, only for me to deny him each time. This being when I was only a teenager.
What I need is help to keep it off our land. At this rate my guys mom is going to be killed by it. Or bring it closer to us all with her horrific miasma of an aura. I was already planning on planting sage and smudging the house as well. I've previously done so before. But if there's ANYTHING else we can do I'd appreciate it. Any help at all. And I also know its hunting ground is indeed as vast as the creek is because a coworker who lives at the other end (we're near one ending point) caught it on video when he was walking at night and showed me. Its eyes looked like the red reflector I kept seeing. It seems to like to rest in our barn. But it's always been that we leave it be and it leaves us be.
Please help. I downloaded the app so I can easily check back. Only serious answers please. I know there are skeptics to many things, I respect everyones opinions and personal beliefs. But this is very serious. Also I should add that as far as I know there are no reservations around here at all. But that his great grandfather was part native american. Dont know what tribe. Thank you for any assistance. This has been over the course of roughly 10 years btw.
2023.06.09 17:19 -nyctanassa- What do you think of medical body donation?
By medical body donation, I mean donating your body to a medical institution for educational dissection/prosection or medical research--not organ transplantation (which itself is a highly commendable act).
I understand that Church teaching does not forbid medical body donation, as long as it is for legitimate purposes. However, I couldn't find any statements/publications from the Vatican explicitly promoting it.
What are your own thoughts on medical body donation? Has anyone here already arranged for their body to be donated post-mortem, or is anyone considering it or planning to? Is anyone here uncomfortable with or fully against medical body donation? I'm really interested to hear what everything thinks.
Catholic Answers, NCR, EWTN
submitted by -nyctanassa- to Catholicism [link] [comments]
I understand that Church teaching does not forbid medical body donation, as long as it is for legitimate purposes. However, I couldn't find any statements/publications from the Vatican explicitly promoting it.
What are your own thoughts on medical body donation? Has anyone here already arranged for their body to be donated post-mortem, or is anyone considering it or planning to? Is anyone here uncomfortable with or fully against medical body donation? I'm really interested to hear what everything thinks.
Catholic Answers, NCR, EWTN
2023.06.09 15:47 masterofsausage Autobiography, aka keeping darkness hopeful and not losing the reader?
I need advice. I'm not sure I'm asking the right questions, but I think that asking the questions will in itself help me to find some answers - so here goes!
For years colleagues, friends and family have been bugging me to write down "my story". I've decided to take them up on this challenge, but I think that there's quite a difference between the story they want to hear, and the one I need to tell. Just a little side note, I'm not looking to write a 20-page essay - I'm all in.
I haven't followed any sort of straight path in my life. Telling people that I'm an "autistic expat alcoholic agnostic catholic ex-priest data engineer now in my third same-sex marriage" may be a great conversation starter, but it's a whirlwind to explain.
The story I want to write is about my later-in-life autism diagnosis, and how that allowed me to re-write my own history. For example:
My childhood was dark, something that took me years to move past and no matter how I approach it, it will be tough to keep the reader in a place where they want to keep reading.
But it stopped being dark for me in the very moment that I got my diagnosis, because all of a sudden everything just made sense. Abuse, depression, hopelessness and despair were pretty much transformed. Not that those things don't exist in my story, but they do have a purpose in the grand scheme of things, in developing the adult I am today. My parents had no idea why I was behaving the way I was. They definitely ended up going in the completely wrong direction in how they treated me, but I can see some of the reasoning behind it, however flawed it was. I had no friends at school and was bullied mercilessly because I had no grip on social interactions, and no idea how to make friends. Things struck me as "punishments" or abuse even if that wasn't the intention, because I was clueless. I ended up moving halfway around the world as soon as I reached adulthood, moving from country to country making incredibly crappy decisions because I was in search of a "secure home" which was a foreign concept to me. The church was an attempt at home, but that tanked too (which is a book in and of itself!).
Thirty years later I have an amazing life. I've found my home, my career, and I know who I am. I even like the person I've become. I still have a lot of challenges, but life is good. THAT is the message I want to get across.
But there's the darkness to get through first.
So the question is: how does one approach so much darkness in a story, using the knowledge gained so many years later, without losing the light at the end of the tunnel? I was thinking about writing from present-day POV and using flashbacks, but is that too cliche?
submitted by masterofsausage to writing [link] [comments]
For years colleagues, friends and family have been bugging me to write down "my story". I've decided to take them up on this challenge, but I think that there's quite a difference between the story they want to hear, and the one I need to tell. Just a little side note, I'm not looking to write a 20-page essay - I'm all in.
I haven't followed any sort of straight path in my life. Telling people that I'm an "autistic expat alcoholic agnostic catholic ex-priest data engineer now in my third same-sex marriage" may be a great conversation starter, but it's a whirlwind to explain.
The story I want to write is about my later-in-life autism diagnosis, and how that allowed me to re-write my own history. For example:
My childhood was dark, something that took me years to move past and no matter how I approach it, it will be tough to keep the reader in a place where they want to keep reading.
But it stopped being dark for me in the very moment that I got my diagnosis, because all of a sudden everything just made sense. Abuse, depression, hopelessness and despair were pretty much transformed. Not that those things don't exist in my story, but they do have a purpose in the grand scheme of things, in developing the adult I am today. My parents had no idea why I was behaving the way I was. They definitely ended up going in the completely wrong direction in how they treated me, but I can see some of the reasoning behind it, however flawed it was. I had no friends at school and was bullied mercilessly because I had no grip on social interactions, and no idea how to make friends. Things struck me as "punishments" or abuse even if that wasn't the intention, because I was clueless. I ended up moving halfway around the world as soon as I reached adulthood, moving from country to country making incredibly crappy decisions because I was in search of a "secure home" which was a foreign concept to me. The church was an attempt at home, but that tanked too (which is a book in and of itself!).
Thirty years later I have an amazing life. I've found my home, my career, and I know who I am. I even like the person I've become. I still have a lot of challenges, but life is good. THAT is the message I want to get across.
But there's the darkness to get through first.
So the question is: how does one approach so much darkness in a story, using the knowledge gained so many years later, without losing the light at the end of the tunnel? I was thinking about writing from present-day POV and using flashbacks, but is that too cliche?
2023.06.09 15:27 Longjumping-Mind-545 Changes to the Book of Mormon - "God" changed to "son of God"
After the printing of the first edition of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith made changes to the subsequent editions. One of these changes is the same for four verses at the beginning of the book. In 1 Nephi, four verses were changed from reading as “God” by adding “the son of” in front of the title. I have provided each of the verses as they read today but put “the son of” in parentheses. Each of these verses would have read as if Jesus were God but it now reads as two separate beings.
18 "And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of (the Son of) God, after the manner of the flesh."
21 "And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even (the Son of) the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?"
32 "And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, (the Son of) the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record."
40" … the Lamb of God is (the Son of) the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved."
Some people see these changes as an indication that the theology of Joseph Smith was changing over time. Instead of a trinitarian view, he was shifting towards separate beings. Others disagree and see the changes as clarification only. FAIR discusses this change and both perspectives around the change.
"The earliest edition of the Book of Mormon referred to Jesus as 'God.' Joseph Smith later changed some, but not all, of these to 'the Son of God.' It is claimed by some that this is evidence that Joseph Smith changed the Book of Mormon to conform to his changing beliefs about the Trinity, claiming that Joseph was originally a solid Trinitarian (perhaps even a Modalist), and as he later began to teach that the Father and Son were two separate beings, he had to change the Book of Mormon to support his new doctrine. However, this change was a deliberate editorial insertion by Joseph Smith to clarify four verses in 1 Nephi."
"It is simply illogical to conclude that Joseph Smith changed the four passages in 1 Nephi to conform to his supposed changing theological beliefs, but somehow forgot to change all the others."
"The terms 'God,' 'Everlasting God,' and 'Eternal Father' are ambiguous since they could properly refer to either the Father or the Son. For example, 'Eternal Father' refers to God the Father in Moroni 4:3, Moroni 5:2, and Moroni 10:4, but to God the Son in Mosiah 16:15 and Alma 11:38-39."
"The addition of 'the Son of' to four passages in 1 Nephi does not change the Book of Mormon's teaching that Jesus Christ is the God of Old Testament Israel. This concept is taught in more than a dozen other passages whose readings remain unchanged from the original manuscripts."
FAIR argues that these changes were simply for clarification and that the change does not reflect a shifting theology. One of the reasons this is a problem for some people is that a similar change is seen in the accounts of the First Vision. The 1832 account only mentions “the Lord”. The 1835 account mentions two unnamed beings. The 1838 account is the first to mention God and Christ as the beings which appeared to Joseph. As the change adding “the Son of” was made for the 1837 edition, it does coincide with the retelling of the accounts of the First Vision.
FAIR also argues that if Joseph wanted to change the theology contained in the Book of Mormon, he would have changed all the ambiguous verses instead of changing only four verses at the beginning of the book. It is hard to say what Joseph would have done in the future as his life ended a few years later. It seems that Joseph was willing to make changes that did not align with the original manuscript and may have continued to do so in the future. Subsequent prophets did not make changes to the text of the Book of Mormon.
An article published in the Ensign indicates that changes were made by Joseph until 1842.
"Both the 1840 and 1842 editions were carefully revised by Joseph Smith. By now, however, Oliver Cowdery had left the Church, taking the printer’s manuscript with him."
"As late as 15 January 1842 Joseph Smith was still making corrections himself. He recorded: 'I commenced reading the Book of Mormon, at page 54, … (the previous pages having been corrected), for the purpose of correcting the stereotype plates of some errors which escaped notice in the first edition.'"
Interestingly, FAIR states that Oliver Cowdery may have been responsible for these particular changes.
"Another reason 'the Son of' was introduced into 1 Nephi 11:18 could have been to eliminate the Catholic-sounding phrase 'the mother of God' that had been objected to by early critics of the Book of Mormon…. Since this criticism of the Book of Mormon was fresh on Oliver's mind, and he was involved in the editing of the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, it is possible that the change in 1 Nephi 11:18 was inserted at his prompting."
It is also concerning to suggest that Oliver could be responsible for this important change at all. If anyone could change the text, it would seem that it would be Joseph as the prophet. I had never been presented with a version of the translation of the Book of Mormon where it was open to input from Joseph’s peers.
Once again, the method of translation would make it seem that no one could make changes to the text. If the words were read directly from a seer stone, not much room is left for changes to be made to the text.
Given the method of translation, could any text be changed for clarification?
Does changing the scripture from “God” to “the Son of God” show a shifting theology or is it merely clarification?
Based on what you were taught, would Oliver Cowdery be able to suggest adding words to the verses for clarification?
It is up to each reader to decide.
https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Book_of_Mormon/Textual_changes/%22the_Son_of%22
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/first-vision-accounts?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1983/12/understanding-textual-changes-in-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng
submitted by Longjumping-Mind-545 to mormon [link] [comments]
18 "And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of (the Son of) God, after the manner of the flesh."
21 "And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even (the Son of) the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?"
32 "And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, (the Son of) the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record."
40" … the Lamb of God is (the Son of) the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved."
Some people see these changes as an indication that the theology of Joseph Smith was changing over time. Instead of a trinitarian view, he was shifting towards separate beings. Others disagree and see the changes as clarification only. FAIR discusses this change and both perspectives around the change.
"The earliest edition of the Book of Mormon referred to Jesus as 'God.' Joseph Smith later changed some, but not all, of these to 'the Son of God.' It is claimed by some that this is evidence that Joseph Smith changed the Book of Mormon to conform to his changing beliefs about the Trinity, claiming that Joseph was originally a solid Trinitarian (perhaps even a Modalist), and as he later began to teach that the Father and Son were two separate beings, he had to change the Book of Mormon to support his new doctrine. However, this change was a deliberate editorial insertion by Joseph Smith to clarify four verses in 1 Nephi."
"It is simply illogical to conclude that Joseph Smith changed the four passages in 1 Nephi to conform to his supposed changing theological beliefs, but somehow forgot to change all the others."
"The terms 'God,' 'Everlasting God,' and 'Eternal Father' are ambiguous since they could properly refer to either the Father or the Son. For example, 'Eternal Father' refers to God the Father in Moroni 4:3, Moroni 5:2, and Moroni 10:4, but to God the Son in Mosiah 16:15 and Alma 11:38-39."
"The addition of 'the Son of' to four passages in 1 Nephi does not change the Book of Mormon's teaching that Jesus Christ is the God of Old Testament Israel. This concept is taught in more than a dozen other passages whose readings remain unchanged from the original manuscripts."
FAIR argues that these changes were simply for clarification and that the change does not reflect a shifting theology. One of the reasons this is a problem for some people is that a similar change is seen in the accounts of the First Vision. The 1832 account only mentions “the Lord”. The 1835 account mentions two unnamed beings. The 1838 account is the first to mention God and Christ as the beings which appeared to Joseph. As the change adding “the Son of” was made for the 1837 edition, it does coincide with the retelling of the accounts of the First Vision.
FAIR also argues that if Joseph wanted to change the theology contained in the Book of Mormon, he would have changed all the ambiguous verses instead of changing only four verses at the beginning of the book. It is hard to say what Joseph would have done in the future as his life ended a few years later. It seems that Joseph was willing to make changes that did not align with the original manuscript and may have continued to do so in the future. Subsequent prophets did not make changes to the text of the Book of Mormon.
An article published in the Ensign indicates that changes were made by Joseph until 1842.
"Both the 1840 and 1842 editions were carefully revised by Joseph Smith. By now, however, Oliver Cowdery had left the Church, taking the printer’s manuscript with him."
"As late as 15 January 1842 Joseph Smith was still making corrections himself. He recorded: 'I commenced reading the Book of Mormon, at page 54, … (the previous pages having been corrected), for the purpose of correcting the stereotype plates of some errors which escaped notice in the first edition.'"
Interestingly, FAIR states that Oliver Cowdery may have been responsible for these particular changes.
"Another reason 'the Son of' was introduced into 1 Nephi 11:18 could have been to eliminate the Catholic-sounding phrase 'the mother of God' that had been objected to by early critics of the Book of Mormon…. Since this criticism of the Book of Mormon was fresh on Oliver's mind, and he was involved in the editing of the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, it is possible that the change in 1 Nephi 11:18 was inserted at his prompting."
It is also concerning to suggest that Oliver could be responsible for this important change at all. If anyone could change the text, it would seem that it would be Joseph as the prophet. I had never been presented with a version of the translation of the Book of Mormon where it was open to input from Joseph’s peers.
Once again, the method of translation would make it seem that no one could make changes to the text. If the words were read directly from a seer stone, not much room is left for changes to be made to the text.
Given the method of translation, could any text be changed for clarification?
Does changing the scripture from “God” to “the Son of God” show a shifting theology or is it merely clarification?
Based on what you were taught, would Oliver Cowdery be able to suggest adding words to the verses for clarification?
It is up to each reader to decide.
https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Book_of_Mormon/Textual_changes/%22the_Son_of%22
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/first-vision-accounts?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1983/12/understanding-textual-changes-in-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng
2023.06.09 14:24 Butt_Fucking_Smurfs TRIVIA TIME (6-9-2023) Halloween S01E06 - Post your results, honor system
What is Charles dressed as?
What does Jake owe Holt if he loses the bet?
What does the drunk Raggedy Ann call Amy?
What does Jake fall onto when he falls through the ceiling?
Who taught Jake to play chess? BONUS - Also what other game did he teach him?
Amy pays Hitchcock 50 bucks to trade places. What does he plan on spending that money on?
Why did Rosa leave Catholic school?
What was Jake caught scaling the building with?
What did Jake promise the squad for helping him?
Why did Rosa get kicked out of ballet school?
ANSWERS:
Mario Batali
5 weekends no overtime
Boneperson
Pencil
Uncle Bob - Bonus if you can name the other game
2 suits
She got into the American Ballet Academy
Blow Torch
He would do all their paperwork but since Holt lost he has to do it all
Beating up ballerinas
submitted by Butt_Fucking_Smurfs to brooklynninenine [link] [comments]
What does Jake owe Holt if he loses the bet?
What does the drunk Raggedy Ann call Amy?
What does Jake fall onto when he falls through the ceiling?
Who taught Jake to play chess? BONUS - Also what other game did he teach him?
Amy pays Hitchcock 50 bucks to trade places. What does he plan on spending that money on?
Why did Rosa leave Catholic school?
What was Jake caught scaling the building with?
What did Jake promise the squad for helping him?
Why did Rosa get kicked out of ballet school?
ANSWERS:
Mario Batali
5 weekends no overtime
Boneperson
Pencil
Uncle Bob - Bonus if you can name the other game
2 suits
She got into the American Ballet Academy
Blow Torch
He would do all their paperwork but since Holt lost he has to do it all
Beating up ballerinas
2023.06.09 11:36 Djh1982 “Eternal life” IS the reward
In (Revelation 22:12) it says:
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Now notice, it does not actually name the reward here. The reward is omitted from the passage. However this reward was actually identified by Paul all the way back in Romans 2:6-7 where it says:
“6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
But how in the world do we reconcile this with Ephesians 2:8-9? That passage says that salvation is “not of works”? How can “eternal life” be rendered according to our works?
The answer is that what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7 was only with respect to how we become initial sharers in eternal life, not full-possessors of eternal life. This distinction is something he makes himself in Colossians 1:12 where it says:
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
So by faith we become sharers in eternal life but only the “holy people” in the Kingdom of Light are full-possessors of it. They have the “full-inheritance.”
Later, in chapter three, Paul goes on to say:
(Colossians 3:24)
“24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord AS A REWARD. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
This explains Paul’s meaning in Romans 2:6-7. His meaning is that we have a “final justification” through good works. That’s why if we return to Ephesians 2:10, which is right after Paul gets done saying “not of works”, we find that it says:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
James himself was aware of this “final justification”, which prompted him to write:
(James 2:24)
“24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
Now just because the reward itself requires us to meet the condition of having good works to obtain it, it does not follow that it is no longer “a gift”. Of course it’s a gift. All of God’s rewards are technically a gift. So there is no actual contradiction. Neither does it introduce boasting, since these good works we do AFTER we have been made sharers in eternal life have Christ as their origin(Philippians 2:13; John 15:5).
In conclusion: If you lose this “reward” because you did not complete your faith with works, you will be damned.
For more on this, please see my companion post on merit:
https://www.reddit.com/useDjh1982/comments/13urcrk/the_3_kinds_of_merit_in_catholic_theology/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
submitted by Djh1982 to Christendom [link] [comments]
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Now notice, it does not actually name the reward here. The reward is omitted from the passage. However this reward was actually identified by Paul all the way back in Romans 2:6-7 where it says:
“6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
But how in the world do we reconcile this with Ephesians 2:8-9? That passage says that salvation is “not of works”? How can “eternal life” be rendered according to our works?
The answer is that what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7 was only with respect to how we become initial sharers in eternal life, not full-possessors of eternal life. This distinction is something he makes himself in Colossians 1:12 where it says:
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
So by faith we become sharers in eternal life but only the “holy people” in the Kingdom of Light are full-possessors of it. They have the “full-inheritance.”
Later, in chapter three, Paul goes on to say:
(Colossians 3:24)
“24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord AS A REWARD. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
This explains Paul’s meaning in Romans 2:6-7. His meaning is that we have a “final justification” through good works. That’s why if we return to Ephesians 2:10, which is right after Paul gets done saying “not of works”, we find that it says:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
James himself was aware of this “final justification”, which prompted him to write:
(James 2:24)
“24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
Now just because the reward itself requires us to meet the condition of having good works to obtain it, it does not follow that it is no longer “a gift”. Of course it’s a gift. All of God’s rewards are technically a gift. So there is no actual contradiction. Neither does it introduce boasting, since these good works we do AFTER we have been made sharers in eternal life have Christ as their origin(Philippians 2:13; John 15:5).
In conclusion: If you lose this “reward” because you did not complete your faith with works, you will be damned.
For more on this, please see my companion post on merit:
https://www.reddit.com/useDjh1982/comments/13urcrk/the_3_kinds_of_merit_in_catholic_theology/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
2023.06.09 11:36 Djh1982 “Eternal life” IS the reward
In (Revelation 22:12) it says:
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Now notice, it does not actually name the reward here. The reward is omitted from the passage. However this reward was actually identified by Paul all the way back in Romans 2:6-7 where it says:
“6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
But how in the world do we reconcile this with Ephesians 2:8-9? That passage says that salvation is “not of works”? How can “eternal life” be rendered according to our works?
The answer is that what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7 was only with respect to how we become initial sharers in eternal life, not full-possessors of eternal life. This distinction is something he makes himself in Colossians 1:12 where it says:
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
So by faith we become sharers in eternal life but only the “holy people” in the Kingdom of Light are full-possessors of it. They have the “full-inheritance.”
Later, in chapter three, Paul goes on to say:
(Colossians 3:24)
“24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord AS A REWARD. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
This explains Paul’s meaning in Romans 2:6-7. His meaning is that we have a “final justification” through good works. That’s why if we return to Ephesians 2:10, which is right after Paul gets done saying “not of works”, we find that it says:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
James himself was aware of this “final justification”, which prompted him to write:
(James 2:24)
“24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
Now just because the reward itself requires us to meet the condition of having good works to obtain it, it does not follow that it is no longer “a gift”. Of course it’s a gift. All of God’s rewards are technically a gift. So there is no actual contradiction. Neither does it introduce boasting, since these good works we do AFTER we have been made sharers in eternal life have Christ as their origin(Philippians 2:13; John 15:5).
In conclusion: If you lose this “reward” because you did not complete your faith with works, you will be damned.
For more on this, please see my companion post on merit:
https://www.reddit.com/useDjh1982/comments/13urcrk/the_3_kinds_of_merit_in_catholic_theology/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
submitted by Djh1982 to TrueChristian [link] [comments]
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Now notice, it does not actually name the reward here. The reward is omitted from the passage. However this reward was actually identified by Paul all the way back in Romans 2:6-7 where it says:
“6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
But how in the world do we reconcile this with Ephesians 2:8-9? That passage says that salvation is “not of works”? How can “eternal life” be rendered according to our works?
The answer is that what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7 was only with respect to how we become initial sharers in eternal life, not full-possessors of eternal life. This distinction is something he makes himself in Colossians 1:12 where it says:
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
So by faith we become sharers in eternal life but only the “holy people” in the Kingdom of Light are full-possessors of it. They have the “full-inheritance.”
Later, in chapter three, Paul goes on to say:
(Colossians 3:24)
“24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord AS A REWARD. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
This explains Paul’s meaning in Romans 2:6-7. His meaning is that we have a “final justification” through good works. That’s why if we return to Ephesians 2:10, which is right after Paul gets done saying “not of works”, we find that it says:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
James himself was aware of this “final justification”, which prompted him to write:
(James 2:24)
“24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
Now just because the reward itself requires us to meet the condition of having good works to obtain it, it does not follow that it is no longer “a gift”. Of course it’s a gift. All of God’s rewards are technically a gift. So there is no actual contradiction. Neither does it introduce boasting, since these good works we do AFTER we have been made sharers in eternal life have Christ as their origin(Philippians 2:13; John 15:5).
In conclusion: If you lose this “reward” because you did not complete your faith with works, you will be damned.
For more on this, please see my companion post on merit:
https://www.reddit.com/useDjh1982/comments/13urcrk/the_3_kinds_of_merit_in_catholic_theology/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
2023.06.09 10:12 organicDONuT789 New atheist needs some advice.
So a little bit about myself. I was raised in a Presbyterian household. My grandfather was a missionary and ended up starting a church. My whole family was very active in the church and as I got older I did too.
I always had doubts, even when I was young but was so scared of going to hell that I believed what I was told. I grew up with a lot of fear and shame. Whenever I “sinned” I felt like I disappointed god and deserved to go to hell. This is how I grew up.
I was very active in the church and even wanted to be a missionary or go to seminary at one point in my life.
Later in life, I really started questioning my faith and my beliefs. I couldn’t accept that I was going to heaven, but most of my friends (who weren’t “believers) would be suffering in hell for all eternity. I started to study the bible more and realized how much horrific stuff was committed by god.
I had kept my atheism to myself to keep from disappointing my family, but after lurking in this sub for about a year, I realized that I shouldn’t be ashamed of my beliefs.
My wife was raised catholic and only went to church because she was forced while growing up. We’ve been married almost 10 years and she has recently (the last year) started attending a pentecostal church regularly.
I’m happy that she is on her own journey to find the “truth” and I always try to explain that she should always question why she believes. I try to explain what I believe and why, and she listens openly and never judges.
What I need help with is that we are planning to have lunch with the pastor of the church that she is going to.
I know that he is going to question my beliefs and I want to try to be prepared to defend them.
Are there specific questions that you think he will ask and how do I answer them?
submitted by organicDONuT789 to atheism [link] [comments]
I always had doubts, even when I was young but was so scared of going to hell that I believed what I was told. I grew up with a lot of fear and shame. Whenever I “sinned” I felt like I disappointed god and deserved to go to hell. This is how I grew up.
I was very active in the church and even wanted to be a missionary or go to seminary at one point in my life.
Later in life, I really started questioning my faith and my beliefs. I couldn’t accept that I was going to heaven, but most of my friends (who weren’t “believers) would be suffering in hell for all eternity. I started to study the bible more and realized how much horrific stuff was committed by god.
I had kept my atheism to myself to keep from disappointing my family, but after lurking in this sub for about a year, I realized that I shouldn’t be ashamed of my beliefs.
My wife was raised catholic and only went to church because she was forced while growing up. We’ve been married almost 10 years and she has recently (the last year) started attending a pentecostal church regularly.
I’m happy that she is on her own journey to find the “truth” and I always try to explain that she should always question why she believes. I try to explain what I believe and why, and she listens openly and never judges.
What I need help with is that we are planning to have lunch with the pastor of the church that she is going to.
I know that he is going to question my beliefs and I want to try to be prepared to defend them.
Are there specific questions that you think he will ask and how do I answer them?