#this includes the teachings of jesus that unfortunately came with the teachings of the church

[danoscigarette]

Eli Sunday x f!Reader

Chapter I - My Body is a Cage

Summary: A young girl and her religious family move to Little Boston - the only problem is the reader is faithless. With no other choice, her family turns to the likes of a young pastor to rekindle the lord’s flame and penetrate her with the Holy Spirit.

Warnings: misogyny, nothing too heavy right now, religious trauma, eventual smut so 18+

A/N: Just a warning,,,,I haven’t even watched There Will Be Blood yet but I’ve found myself on Eli Sunday TikTok and I had to write this up 🥵 I did look up the plot though, so I spoiled the movie for a bit of smut - Its just who I am. - Also sorry if there are any inaccuracies in this, just overlook them 😌

I have a lot of religious trauma and this may be projected through this fan fiction. I will also update any tags if necessary!

Also I am still writing my Riddler x Reader, this little fic is what I have written between chapters so if you are having some Paul Dano brain rot - check out my longer fic: Riddle Me Witch

AFAB reader using she/her pronouns

Christ, the Lord Saviour was sent to Earth by his Heavenly Father to die for humanity's sins. This is the word that was drummed into you since you left the womb, the word that continues to ring in your ear at church and the word that you will be buried to. Religion to you was a dictation and an oppressor, especially to a young woman like you in a time such as this. 1911, a mere decade past the turn of the century and women were still held tight by religion's iron grip; this continuous mistreatment erupted into a storm within you.

The youngest of 3, your family were simple church going folk; the almost idyllic image of a good Christian household. You however, were the exception. Called a spoiled brat by most, hysterical by others, you internally spat at the floor whenever you heard the word of the 'Lord'. Your disdain for the Christian religion eventually lead you to lose your faith completely. You'd ask questions, something which was a 'no-no' in your household, making blasphemous remarks and even mocked the Bible. Your poor family tried their best to tame you, to teach you, to brain wash you to no avail.

It came as a detriment to them, you were always chaperoned in case you misspoke in public, not that you were stupid enough to do that considering it was a punishable offence. Other than church, your parents had kept you away from formal functions and parties - especially events that included alcohol. If you weren’t already bold, the alcohol certainly brought out your passionate anti-religious speeches.

Another issue your parents had was being unable to marry you off to some good man. All you encounter were either stupid, cowardly or had zero tolerance to your headstrong personality. Things became worse when your father died; he at least used to keep you in check. You'd allow no man to dominate you, no man would dare. Even at both of your sisters wedding, the gentlemen who'd approach you would soon turn on their heel and run head fast away from you - and you liked it this way. You could be independent forever, the master of your own life.

That was until your mother remarried. You kept out of your family's business for the most part so your mother finding love again was the least of your worries; that was the case before discovering your step-father, Joe and his plans. He wishes to move you and your family to a place called Little Boston, California. Apparently, being a young girl in her 20s and unmarried was quite the unfortunate state of events - your family's reputation was at stake. If you had chased away all of the men in your town then god see to it that he will find you a husband in another.

The idea sprung to mind when your step-father was offered a job out there which promised oil. Your mother and him thought it be a great idea to place you in a different, more enclosed environment - to break your spirit down, make you vulnerable and willing to accept Jesus and be a meek woman like a good baptised lady should. Needless to say, you weren't thrilled by the idea. And by that, you threw a fit of rage. You might have been the dark sheep of the family, but in your home town you had the community, you had friends and even a chance at a future for yourself.

You understood completely why they wanted to take you, fuck the oil job, they were punishing you into submission. Your family dragged you kicking and screaming to Little Boston, no amount of comforting words sated your fury. But here you are, sat in your new house, in your new bedroom, sulking into a chair and staring out the window. It was an almost barren land, the sky stretched on for miles and the noise was quiet, too quiet; you enjoyed peace but this, this was eery.

Your eyes hung heavy, bags from lack of sleep and dried tears, you looked a wreck. The population in this god forsaken town was stupidly small and the combined IQ even smaller; no doubt full of religious and uneducated nut jobs considering a school has not yet been built. Your punishment.

The pressure built in your bones, rage rampant in your chest and head full of thoughts that could shame your family for generations. You could feel your whole body shake, how dare they do this to you, cornering you like an animal.

It had been 3 days since you moved in and you hadn't spoken a word to anyone, staying in your room you refused to engage with your oppressors. That was until you saw a group of people approach your house, you look down and notice a young girl and three men; two who were quite obviously identical twins. Staying out of sight, you listen to your step-fathers interaction with them - it was them welcoming your family to the community and that you should pay the "Sunday's" a visit for dinner.

As they walked away, you stayed staring out at the window, catching another glimpse of the party; in doing so, one of the twins had turned back and noticed you. For a split second you considered hiding but instead, you held eye contact with him - an interesting looking fellow dressed all in black and wearing a cross around his neck; another religious nut. Even so, you couldn't help but stare, even when he turned around and carried on walking, you watched him disappear with his family.

"Y/N..." you hear a knock at the door, turning to it, you accept their entrance to see your mother. Despite feeling immense anger, your mother held an air of comfort, especially when you are feeling emotional. It's almost as if the more you feel, the less strong-willed you felt. "How are you doing darlin'?" She comes to sit on the bed close enough to place a hand on your lap. You hesitatingly take it in yours, playing with her fingers lightly.

"Well, I have made my thoughts quite clear" you begin, raising an eyebrow. "But I am surprised at how lovely the weather is" it was the only thing you could really say that was positive. As much as you wanted to keep your wilful persona, you mother occasionally brought out the softer side of you; she had been through a lot as it is and you knew how much of a nuisance you could be towards her.

"Isn't it just lovely?" Your mother had a sweet Texan accent, it was gentle and dainty, much like her as a person. "I would say that would be mighty fine to explore this place, wouldn't you?"

You don't respond at first, calming yourself before answering. Your mother was really trying with you and you wouldn't forgive yourself for shouting at her so soon upon arrival. "Perhaps we can walk about the town once we are all settled"

"Oh Y/N!" Your mother threw her arms around you with a squee, you welcomed her with cautious affection; you really didn't want to explore (not that there was much to explore anyway) but you wanted to meet her part way at least. "Okay but first, we had a little visit from our neighbours, they wish to host a dinner for us as a little welcome! Now waddaya say?"

'No' was the thought that came to mind, you give her an unsure expression. "They could be crooks mama" you doubt it, but anything to put your mother off you'll say.

"Oh don't be silly Y/N, the Sundays are a reputable family they mean no 'arm. The two sons are also unaccounted for" she gives you a cheeky wink, you pull a grimace in return.

"Don't even think about it Ma"

Oh but she did, and she does. Your mother gives you her best puppy dog eyes and holds your hand close to her chest.

"Fine" you exhale out, your mother reaches in for another aggressive hug. You feel slightly defeated, but getting to know the community may help you gage what kind of company you'll be sharing in the future.

"This will be a delightful occasion, but my my Y/N you look like you could do with a week's rest!"

"Will you let me rest for that long?"

"And miss church? I don't think so"

And that was that, you had agreed to a dinner party. You could kick yourself with how quickly you allowed yourself to be convinced to engage in any of your family's shenanigans. But there you were, a Saturday night in June, putting on your forget-me-not blue dress to meet the Sunday family. You hadn't intended on looking particularly nice for this mystery family, however, there was a side of you that wanted to look so good that you'd be intimidating; but then again, you didn't want to look like a common whore either.

"Oh Miss Y/N you look like the prettiest peach in spring" you hear a soft feminine voice chirp. Turning towards the door, you see Vi and Elizabeth, your sisters, poking their head through the frame; grins plastered on their faces.

"Get out of here" you joke, waving your hands to shoo them away.

"Ah come on sis, we're all waiting on ya!" Liz pulls at your arm

"And you will wait even longer" You try to slap Liz's hand away to no avail. Violet and Elizabeth are already married women, Violet being the eldest already had a child on the way. Their husbands Mark and Jason were also (conveniently) offered the job to work with your step-father and decided to move to Little Boston as well.

"Come here, we got a surprise for you" Violet spins you in front of your mirror. "Now please, don't take it off I know what you're like" she wraps a gold chain around your neck, hanging from it was a delicate cross. Your eyes widened.

"Vi! I can't accept this...I don't-"

"Hush now, we are eating with the first family to greet us. We at least have to make a good impression"

You give in, once again; perhaps the new environment had softened you (though you blamed your sleep deprivation) and accepted it. You couldn't lie though, it was a very pretty necklace, whether it was a religious symbol or not.

Walking down the stairs, you could see your mother marvel up at you, she looked like she was on the verge of tears. 'It's not exactly my wedding day' you grumble to yourself. Jason and your step-father Joe had far too much work on their hands to attend any fancy meal, so you it was just you, your sisters, Mark and your mother to attend.

Arriving at the Sunday's house, you are greeted by a young man with a friendly face; this was Paul Sunday. Upon entry he shook all of your hands and you all each gave him a polite smile; except for you - you smiled but it was more civil than it was warm.

"So this is us" Paul spread his arms out to show off his family. "This is my little sister, Mary, my father Abel, my mother Ruth and" finally he waves his hand in his brothers direction. "This is my brother, Eli"

You hold your breath as you look at him, up close he was far more…intense than he was through your window. It astonished you to his likeness of his twin brother except, he was different somehow. More refined perhaps.

'Eli' you repeat in your mind, you notice the same obnoxious cross he wore around his neck. You dismiss all curiosity and enforce those walls again; you may be here for food, but you weren't about to make friends.

"Well hello everyone! This is my family! We have my 3 beautiful daughters, Violet, Elizabeth (and her husband Mark) and Y/N" Your mother reaches out her hand in your direction, you give a little wave with an awkward smile that clearly shows you didn’t want to be there.

Your eyes return to Eli, he is full on staring at you which kind of creeped you out a little. You give him another polite smile before your family take their seats around a table. There were many a pleasant conversation shared amongst the families, you remained silent throughout except for whenever there was a question directed at you. Apparently, Eli was the pastor at the local church, you force yourself not to say anything at this, you just sat there and listened to the drivel about how religion is important blah blah blah.

Neither you or Eli had spoken directly, occasionally exchanging in a few glances here and there. You could feel your palms sweating just thinking about looking at him for longer than a few seconds; for some reason this pipsqueak had made you feel on edge and you couldn't pinpoint why. The dinner continued on, you didn't like to admit it, but the food was actually delicious and far exceeded that of your family's rations for the last few days.

"So tell me Y/N, what's a sweet thang like you doin' unmarried?" Abel asks, you almost chocked on your food. Your mother turns towards you sympathetically and then back to the rest of the party.

"My littl'un has had some trouble over the years..."

"Trouble how?" Paul pushes, the air is thick at this point. You could almost read the room's mind, you look to either Paul or Eli, both of them were also unmarried. You definitely didn't like where this was potentially going.

Before your mother could speak you sit up straight in your seat and pick up your glass of wine. "No man could tame the horse as one could say" you let out a short laugh, the first laugh since you arrived at this cursed place.

"What- what she means to say is that she hasn't found anyone on her level" you mother tried explaining, she at least didn't put you down. "Most of the men where we come from ain't too kind to her fiery nature y'see"

“Nothing wrong with a free spirit” Ruth answered plainly, giving you a sympathetic smile

“There isn’t…but its not a…desirable quality when it comes to finding a suitor” Your mother rubs the back of her neck

“Mama” you disgruntled under your breath, placing a warning hand on her leg. There were a few moments of silence before Abel coughs into his fist.

“I see, I’m sure a bit of Little Boston’s fresh air will do you some good”

“Here here” you mother chimes in, raising a glass before taking a sip of wine. You lean back in your chair in a sulk, the heat of humiliation rising to your face.

"I see you are a lady of faith" Eli finally spoke to you, gesturing to your cross. You blink at him for a moment before realising your necklace.

"I-"

"She is a little hesitant towards religion but she is of the faith, yes" your mother spoke for you once more, panic painfully obvious in her voice.

"Then perhaps she should visit one of my sermons, I do them every Sunday"

“I’ll vouch for my son, he is really very good. I was the pastor for a while before Eli here took over” Abel added

“That sounds like an excellent idea, reinstall those good Christian values we were brought up on” Liz strokes your arm encouragingly, you really wanted to die in that moment.

You purse your lips, really biting your tongue at this point. How you wanted to rant and rave about how ridiculous it all is, but you subsided your anger however, got to keep up with appearances and all that.

"We shall see" were your only words, and they remained your only words for the rest of the evening. Eli personally saw to it a challenge, being a man of God and having so many rely on him sky rocketed his ego; if he could persuade you in any form, he would see it as his greatest achievement.

The rest of the evening was fine, an awkwardness hung in the air but it was manageable. All you wanted to do was escape this place, going somewhere on your own and live as a hermit for the rest of your life. Little Boston was nothing like your home town, the weather may be nice but you honestly couldn't say anything good about it.

#paul dano #danocel #danonation #eli sunday #Eli Sunday x reader #there will be blood #Eli Sunday Paul dano

[destinyimage]

Prophetic Dream Realms: 9 Ways to Break Barriers to Dreams & Visions

Unsurprisingly, many people struggle with getting a good night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, the topic of sleep is not typically covered in school or church, including how to prepare for sleep, how to steward our dreams, and how to be ready for what the Lord wants to reveal to us during the night. However, as we spend a third of our lives in bed, we should view our sleep as an opportunity for supernatural downloads and divine equipping to advance the kingdom of God the next day.

Rather than feeling like victims of the night, we should proactively prepare ourselves for it and take control of our bodies, dreams, and ability to sleep. Doing so can teach important life lessons, such as walking in our authority and stewarding the supernatural. It is important to recognize that sleep is essential in preparing our spirit, body, and soul for living a supernatural life during the day. Therefore, we should prioritize preparing for the night during the day, knowing that our sleep can profoundly impact our ability to progress and advance in our lives.

Shutting down the Dream Realm

As a child, my fear of the dark and the nightmares that plagued me every night made it difficult to fall asleep. I would lie awake in bed, dreading the moment when my mind would inevitably transport me to a terrifying alternate reality. The dreams were so vivid and realistic that I often had trouble distinguishing them from reality.

My parents tried to help me by teaching me about the power of prayer and how to rebuke evil spirits in the name of Jesus. I was also equipped by the music of contemporary Christian songwriter Carman, who excellently modeled how to take authority over darkness.

However, one particular dream shook me to my core. In the dream, I found myself face to face with a demon. I followed my parents’ advice and tried to rebuke the spirit in the name of Jesus, but to my horror, the demon laughed and told me that my efforts would not work this time. I was paralyzed with fear but kept repeating the words “in the name of Jesus” until I woke up, sweating and panting.

After that experience, I was even more terrified of going to sleep. I knew I needed to do something to regain control of my dreams and mind. That’s when I came up with the idea of crafting a prayer I could say every night before bed. I wanted to make sure that my mind was protected from any dark or scary dreams, so I would pray every night the same prayer: “Dear Jesus, help me to have no dreams. Not even one!”

To my amazement, the prayer worked. I would fall asleep and wake up feeling rested and refreshed, without memory of any dreams. Even though I knew I was still dreaming on some level, the prayer gave me a sense of control and security, allowing me to sleep peacefully for many years.

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Here’s Why the Prayer Worked!

Our words have the power to open and close realms of the spirit. However, many believers are not aware of the impact of their words and often speak without understanding the consequences. We can see significant changes in our lives when we approach the Lord with intention and consistency. Daily prayer has the power to shift things in our lives, and it’s essential to ask the Lord for what we need. Do you have a consistent daily prayer practice? What are you asking the Lord for?

Opening the Dream Realm Back Up!

Andrea and I discussed dreams during dinner with Bobby Conner and Paul Keith Davis. When Paul Keith asked me if I dream, I replied that I used to but had shut down that realm. He encouraged me to reopen it, and so, through consistent nightly prayer, the realm opened back up as easily as I closed it.

Now, when I put my children to bed, I pray a hybrid version of this prayer with them: “Dear Jesus, give my children good dreams. Dreams of heaven, dreams of angels, and dreams of You.” It’s short and sweet, but it works. By God’s grace, my kids have had vivid encounters with angels while conscious and in the dream realm. We haven’t had to deal with too many demons or nightmares.

Dealing With Nighttime Defeater Beliefs

As humans, we all struggle with lies we mistakenly believe are true. These lies are often called “defeater beliefs” because they can hinder us and prevent us from living according to God’s will for our lives.

Defeater beliefs are typically rooted in fear, shame, or other negative emotions. They may be beliefs we have internalized from childhood, or they may be beliefs we have developed due to negative experiences or trauma. When we believe these lies, we give them power over our lives and allow them to defeat us. We may feel stuck, hopeless, or unworthy, and we may struggle to live in accordance with God’s will for our lives.

Defeater beliefs can significantly impact our sleep, as they can create anxiety and stress that make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. When we believe lies contradicting God’s word, we may experience negative emotions like fear, shame, or guilt, disrupting our sleep and leaving us tired and drained.

Examples of sleep-defeater beliefs may include:

“I’ll never be able to fall asleep.”

“If I don’t get enough sleep, I won’t be able to function.”

“I’m too stressed to sleep.”

“I’ll never be able to overcome my insomnia.”

“I have too much on my mind to sleep.”

“I’ll never be able to catch up on my sleep.”

These beliefs can create a vicious cycle of anxiety and sleeplessness, as worrying about not getting enough sleep can make it even harder to fall asleep. A lack of sleep can make us even more susceptible to proclaiming and believing these lies.

To overcome these limiting beliefs, it is essential to recognize them as lies and replace them with the truth. Take time to reflect on the “facts” you hold about your experiences at night. These may be negative thoughts or emotions you have internalized, such as fear or anxiety, and prevent you from experiencing restful sleep. Identify as many of these beliefs as possible and write them down in your journal.

Once you have identified these beliefs, ask Jesus to reveal the truth about these situations. Cross out each negative belief and replace it with the truth that Jesus has shown you. Use scripture verses to support this truth and record them in your journal as a reminder of the power of God’s word.

It can be challenging to identify and overcome these beliefs on our own, so seeking support from a pastor, counselor, or ministry such as Restoring the Foundations or SOZO can be incredibly helpful in this process. They can provide guidance and help to disrupt these defeater beliefs, allowing you to experience greater freedom and rest in your life.

Each night before you go to bed, take out your journal and pray:

Jesus, forgive me for believing and empowering the lie that , and I confess the truth that . I declare this scripture over my night: . Amen!

By embracing the truth, we can overcome our defeater beliefs and live in the freedom and power of a transformed mind.

Declaration

As a child of God, I believe that sleep is a precious gift from my Father. Therefore, I declare I will enjoy a peaceful and restful night’s sleep tonight. I trust His goodness to grace me the rest needed to advance His kingdom tomorrow.

Practical Ways to Get Ready to Sleep!

There are some practical ways to prepare for sleep that will not include counting sheep, tossing and turning, and scrolling through social media all night long. First things first, start by carving out a pre-sleep routine. No, I’m not talking about a full spa treatment but rather simple activities that signal to your brain that it’s time to begin preparing for the most important time of the day—nighttime. Maybe it’s reading the Bible, preferably a non-digital copy, taking a warm bath, or soaking with your favorite instrumental worship album. The idea is to have a time of the night when stimulation and stress are not allowed.

Here are some practical ways to prepare for sleep and get the best night’s rest possible:

Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

Create a sleep-conducive environment: Ensure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark. Use blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine if necessary.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine: These substances can interfere with sleep. Try to avoid consuming them for several hours before bedtime.

Limit screen time: The blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Try to avoid using electronic devices for at least an hour before bed.

Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help improve sleep quality, but avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as it can be stimulating.

Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime: Eating a large meal or drinking a lot of fluids within three hours of bedtime can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep.

Invest in a new and better mattress and pillows: A comfortable bed can significantly affect how well you sleep.

Manage stress: High stress levels can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult.

Once asleep, begin dreaming as quickly as possible.

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[ithisatanytime]

BLUE CRUSH ANGEL

  martin luther was to the catholics what jesus was to the so called jews, its the same story, exactly the same played out again, and all the good christians became protestant thats why if any christianity gets any kind of mainstream play its catholicism, because its a captured church. satan captured  israel, he subverted it with his own flesh and blood, christ came and pointed out their lies and hypocrasy, martin luther did the same to the catholic church, and he wrote a treatise titled on the jews and their lies, a new reform is needed because Protestantism was captured by the jews in the early nineteen hundreds, but its had less time to ferment than their hold of the catholic church, if you have the time, just google any pope who was pope since there was photography and study pictures of their faces, these “italians” arent good men, they are cartoon caricatures of demons. 

 the appeal of catholicism is in its tradition and dogma, because these things are appealing to the simple minded, the pageantry and the pomp. that is exactly what the synagogue of satan was doing in the time of jesus, beguiling men with complex rules and lavish rituals of marriage and so on. they were impressive to mens sight. jesus was not impressive to look at, people take this to mean he was ugly i dont think thats whats meant and i believe he looked more or less exactly how hes been portrayed throughout most of history. whats meant by that is he wasnt strolling around in a purlple dress with a three foot tall mitre hat, but was dressed modestly, the truth doesnt need all that, and the people followed him on the power of the truth alone. but it is appealing to the hearts of men, Protestantism is basically any denomination thats not catholic or greek orthodox, so its an umbrella term that unfortunately includes literally homosexual pastors, butch lesbians teaching the rules of modern politeness based on select quotes, theres nothing edifying in that it is a path to the destruction of souls, but again its an umbrella term. and thats good! because the devil loves rigid social hierarchies because they are easiest to corrupt, he just needs to get his kids in the top slots and bingo you can change the religion however you see fit because you have authority. christ said let NO MAN be called teacher, none, that they were to be servants to each other equal under god, and bishops and ministers this just mean servant, so imagine the same scenario but in the united states we started calling our presidents servant, so it would be servant joe biden, thats what the catholic church has done with their royal servants who have thrones in private cities, they are kings calling themselves servants. god wanted us equal under him because like i said its hard to corrupt a decentralized church without a rigid power structure, and when you think about it thats how all the best criminal organizations are run because the police function how the devil does and they infiltrate with informants and flip people trying to get to the top guy, its as much practical advice as it is spiritual, and when you understand the world well enough there is little if any distinction between the two. another way to think of it is like a terrorist organization or a freedom fighting group whatever, the corrupt government wants a top down hierarchy so they can work their way up the chain and get the boss or better yet BECOME the boss thereby eradicating the group or making it wholly ineffective, what if the “group” was comprised of loosely associated lone wolves who shared little more than a common goal? well in that case they are fucked. so while i dislike some members of the protestant church there right now is no better alternative, its best to just read the bible yourself, understand it, and practice it while being loosely associated with other believers. the instant you tried to form an organized church that preached the true gospel the enemy would attempt to subvert it.

#youtube

[yhwhrulz]

Today's Daily Encounter 30th August 2022

Characteristics of Maturity - Part II

Discussing characteristics of maturity we noted yesterday that having a well-integrated emotional life and accepting personal responsibility for every area of life are both essential characteristics of maturity. Today we will mention two more key characteristics. Next is:

Personal honesty. Another major characteristic of maturity that is vital for healthy relationships and meaningful living is personal honesty both with others and with one's self. Without personal honesty I don’t believe that intellectual honesty is possible. To the degree that I am dishonest and out of touch with my own reality, the more I will distort all other factors and truths to make them match my distorted perception of reality. On the other hand, the more honest I am, the clearer I will see all other truth, including God’s truth.

Personal honesty includes being in touch with and honest about our true feelings/emotions (many of which have been long since buried and denied). It also means being honest about our motives. This may be the most challenging area of personal honesty because most of us have hidden agendas, be they conscious or subconscious. Unfortunately, hidden agendas cause people to become manipulative.

Being honest is being real, transparent, and authentic. It's a tough call but the only healthy and mature way to live. It means being known for who we truly are by at least one or two trusted friends. It allows us to see both our strengths and weaknesses that, in turn, will help us to develop and use our strengths creatively and work on overcoming our weaknesses.

Being honest is also God’s plan for each one of us. His Word says: "We will lovingly follow the truth at all times--speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly--and so become more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the church."2 And again, "Surely you [God] desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."3

Spiritual maturity. This will be seen, not in how well we know our Bible, how many church services we attend, or how many religious activities we are involved in (all of which are important when done from pure motives), but in having a healthy relationship with God. In fact, over-busyness in religious activities may be a cover-up of areas of immaturity.

Think of Mary and Martha, friends of Jesus, for example. When Jesus came to visit in their home, one can imagine how excited Martha must have been as she busily labored in the kitchen over a hot oven to prepare a special meal for their special guest. However, she complained to Jesus about Mary who wasn't helping with the preparations, but just sitting and visiting with Jesus. This sounds like a reasonable complaint to me. I probably would have been ticked off with Mary too. However, Jesus saw it differently.

Here's the scene: "But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him [Jesus] and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.' And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'"4

In our language, Martha may have been a workaholic keeping busy to avoid facing some painful issue/s in her life. On the other hand, relating to Jesus was more important to Mary than busily preparing a meal for him. What Martha and Mary were both doing was important, but what was more important was the motive behind their actions. It's good to do work for God but more important is our relationship with him, and that we have pure motives. Loving and relating to God is a vital part of spiritual maturity out of which genuine service is to flow. Service used as a way of avoiding any unresolved personal issue is not service, but a way of escape from facing reality.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please search my heart and face me with the truth of any and all unresolved issues in my life--including any past hurts, any areas of un-forgiveness, and every area of immaturity, and please lead me to the help I need to overcome so that I will become more and more like Jesus Christ--and mature in every area of my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

Ephesians 4:15-16 (TLB) (NLT).

Psalm 51:6 (NIV).

Luke 10:40-42 (NKJV).

Today's Encounter was written by: Richard Innes.

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by ACTS International, a non-profit organization, and made possible through the donations of interested friends. Donations can be sent at: http://www.actscom.com

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Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International.

[couriersiccs]

lapsed catholic means that nothing in my life revolves around the church anymore BUT if someone tries to talk some inane shit and use the bible as a cover i WILL begin with “well actually from what i learned in my catholic upbringing which included 12 years of catholic school” and decimate them usually using the absurd idea that jesus said to love each other

#.txt #my upbringing has shaped me as one of those things tends to do #this includes the teachings of jesus that unfortunately came with the teachings of the church #i know jesus better than you and he doesn't give a fuck if i don't ''''believe'''' in the authoritarian patriarchal figure that you do #bc believing in god means believing in love and respect for each other. not a separate being that has nothing to do with us #if you show yr devotion to god in EVERY way BUT the way you treat other people then you're not actually following god at all #have fun burning in the hell you believe in buddy #it's of yr own making

[church-history]

Mary Catholic Queen of Scot Rightful Ruler of England

What could have been? It is likely this question came to the mind of the forty-four-year-old Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and the rightful queen of England, on the morning of February 8, 1587, as she awaited her execution at the hands of English Protestants. Her tragic story is not well known (many confuse her with “Bloody Mary” or Mary Tudor, who reigned as Queen of England from 1553-1558)

Her story begins with the end of another Mary. Mary Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, died in September 1558. Mary Tudor restored the Catholic Faith to England after the schismatic and heretical actions of her father and half-brother, King Edward VI. English Catholics lived in fear that Mary Tudor’s death would bring her Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth (the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn), to the throne. The fact that Mary Tudor’s marriage to Prince Philip of Spain did not produce a child exacerbated these fears.

English Catholics’ worst nightmare became reality when Mary Tudor died, and Elizabeth ascended the throne and began the first state-sponsored persecution of the Catholic Church since the Roman Empire. Elizabeth’s claim to the throne was illegitimate in Catholic eyes, since her father’s “marriage” to Anne Boleyn was invalid (Pope Clement VII upheld the validity of his marriage bond to Catherine of Aragon in 1534). The legitimate successor to the English throne was the sixteen-year-old Mary Stuart, who was the granddaughter of Henry Tudor’s eldest sister, Margaret.

Mary Stuart had been Queen of Scots since 1542 (at only six days old!) when her father, James V, died fighting an English invasion army. While a toddler, Mary was taken out of Scotland for her safety and was settled in France, the home country of her mother (Mary de Guise). Betrothed to the Dauphin Francis, Mary Stuart became queen consort of France in 1559 when Francis was crowned king after the premature death of Henry II (who died from a wound suffered during a knightly tournament). Sadly, Francis II died seventeen months later from an ear infection. The king’s mother, Catherine de’ Medici, reigned as regent, and Mary decided to return to Scotland in August 1561.

The tall, beautiful young widow came ashore to a troubled Scotland. The Protestant revolutionary John Knox, who had spent time studying under John Calvin in Geneva, was on a mission to destroy the Catholic Church in Scotland and institute Calvinist teachings and ordinances. Mary, a Catholic, had to tread carefully with the Protestant Knox, who was extremely popular and had many noble friends. Knox disliked Mary and her faith and found female rule an abomination and contrary to God’s will (he wrote a treatise in 1558 titled The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women). Eventually, Mary confronted Knox (played brilliantly by David Tennant in the new movie) and asked whether he wished to make war against her. Knox replied that he was as content to live under her reign as St. Paul was to live under Nero.

Within two years of Mary’s return, Knox preached publicly that she should convert to Protestantism or face execution. Enemies surrounded Mary. She received little support from her traitorous and cowardly half-brother, James Stuart, the Earl of Moray, and had to contend with English interference orchestrated by Elizabeth’s secretary of state, William Cecil. Although the lack of a legitimate rival to Mary helped maintain her power and authority, it was a tenuous reign.

Mary realized she needed to marry a strong Catholic prince to solidify her rule, but Knox and others agitated against it. She ignored the opposition and married her first cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in the summer of 1565. Darnley was tall, handsome, and Catholic (but an English subject), and Mary became infatuated with him soon after their first meeting. Mary found support for her marriage to Darnley from David Riccio, her Italian secretary. Many Scottish nobles disliked Riccio’s influence with Mary, and in February 1566 convinced Darnley that Riccio was Mary’s secret lover (the movie instead portrays Darnley and Riccio as homosexual lovers). Darnley conspired with the nobles and agreed to Riccio’s murder in Mary’s presence in March.

A few months after witnessing the horrific and brutal death of her friend, Mary gave birth to a boy she named James in June 1566. The boy, baptized Catholic but raised Protestant, was destined to rule both Scotland and England as James VI and I, as his mother should have been able to do. Unfortunately, Mary was denied the right to raise her son in the Faith due to political events, as she was forced to flee Scotland once again when the child was only ten months old.

Eventually, a group of nobles, including James Hepburn, Fourth Earl of Bothwell, murdered the conspiring and cowardly Lord Darnley at Kirk o’ Field in February 1568. Bothwell then abducted Mary and forced her to marry him for protection in May 1568. Later that summer, Scottish nobles finally succeeded in what they had tried to accomplish for the last seven years: the abdication of Mary as queen. Her infant son was crowned king of Scotland, and Mary was imprisoned in Lochleven castle. With the help of a small number of supporters, she escaped and made the puzzling choice to seek refuge in England rather than certain safety in France. Perhaps Mary believed she might be able to raise an army with the help of her cousin Elizabeth.

It was a fatal error in judgment. Viewed with suspicion because of her legitimate claim to the English throne, Mary was imprisoned in limited house arrest and carefully watched for the next nineteen years.

Elizabeth resisted the urgings of Cecil and others to execute Mary until she was (falsely) implicated in a plot to assassinate the queen in 1586 (and even then, Elizabeth hesitated). Mary was beheaded early in 1587. Her death, in part, caused King Philip II of Spain, who had pledged protection to Mary, to initiate the Spanish Armada (which was also launched to end the persecution of Catholics in England).

Mary’s sufferings surely must have caused her to question the events of her life and to ask what could have been. However, she held fast to her Faith in the end and recognized that events in life occur for a reason and are guided by God’s providential goodness, love, and mercy. She exhibited this strong faith in her last words: “All this world is but vanity and full of troubles and sorrows. Even as thy arms, O Jesus, were spread here upon the cross, so receive me into thy arms of mercy and forgive me all my sins” (quoted in Warren H. Carroll, The Cleaving of Christendom, 419).

#catholic #catholic history #christian #mary queen of scots #protestant reformation #history #scotland #england

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Can the Mormons talk honestly about polygamy?

▲ The Unification Church bought this church in Washington, DC, from the Mormons.

Can the Mormons talk honestly about polygamy? A new book could help. The unknowns about eternal polygamy are ‘answered with speculation and myths, creating undue fear and angst,’ says the author of a new book.

Religion News Service July 29, 2021 By Emily W. Jensen

https://religionnews.com/2021/07/29/can-the-lds-talk-honestly-about-polygamy-a-new-book-could-help/

Ten years ago, as I finished up teaching a Relief Society lesson, in which I discussed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ history of polygamy, my local Relief Society president came up to me and whispered, “You know, the Holy Spirit left the room the moment you said the ‘p’ word.”

The idea that a word could cause the Holy Spirit to flee in terror still makes me stammer — which is just what I did that day in response to the Relief Society president.

Oh, how things have changed. Today most of us own that polygamy was practiced by church members before it was outlawed in Utah in 1890. We should also be able to admit that its theological framework is still found in the church in many places. Talking about it shouldn’t be discouraged.

The church seems to agree, at least so far as to publish through Deseret Book a new tome called “Let’s Talk About Polygamy” by LDS church historian Brittany Chapman Nash. At a slim 134 pages, this little book delves deeper into the practice than its size lets on, hitting the points that every church member should know.

But they generally don’t. Even with the church-sponsored Gospel Topics essays on the subject and various historic works, including those in the church-sponsored Joseph Smith Papers, far too many members still believe that polygamy is an unspeakable word or maintain that Smith never practiced it.

Nash’s little book fills that informational void nicely. At its very beginning, she defines the practice, explaining that what went on among early LDS leaders’ families was actually polygyny (the taking of multiple wives), not polygamy (the taking of multiple spouses), but that polygamy is the more common term.

The book relates the history of the practice in the early church and its messy untethering process at the dawn of the 20th century. Nash wonderfully includes many women’s voices of the time in describing their reasons for embracing polygamy or rejecting it, and she explains the polygamous sealing process, which today’s temple sealing ceremony obviously echoes, even though the sealings are now done monogamously.

She also makes plain why so many early members felt they had to ascribe to the practice: Brigham Young, among others, taught that those men who were to be elevated to the highest degree of heaven and become Gods were those who entered into polygamy. Later, Wilford Woodruff, the LDS president who ended it, tried to soften Young’s dictum by explaining that men only needed to marry one other woman, not many multiples of women like so many high church leaders were doing at the time.

The book busts the myth that not many Mormons practiced polygamy, explaining that although the numbers aren’t exact because existing records are incomplete, taking Manti, Utah, as an example, at its height, just over 40% of its population was in polygamous households.

I appreciate that Nash trusts me as a reader and gives the age of Joseph Smith’s youngest wife, Helen Mar Kimball, as 14, not, as the Gospel Topics essay does, “sealed to Joseph several months before her 15th birthday.”

In her final chapter, Nash asks, “What does polygamy mean to saints today?” She goes head-on at the idea that many members are uncomfortable with the idea of polygamy as it was practiced then and worry that it will be practiced in the hereafter. Clearly, we are still haunted by our polygamist past.

As perhaps we should be: Nash explains that the revelation has “never been denounced” by the church. This means that while men can be sealed to multiple women eternally — if their wife dies or they are divorced and granted a clearance, say — women are painfully and misogynistically not afforded the same sealing promise.

The unknowns about eternal polygamy, Nash notes, are unfortunately “answered with speculation and myths, creating undue fear and angst within some Saints.”

Nash cites President Dallin Oaks, who in 2019 began his general conference talk describing a letter from a woman who was afraid of having to live in the same eternal home with her husband and his first deceased wife. The remark was greeted with laughter from the audience and a smile from Oaks.

I noted on Twitter then that you should never make fun of women afraid of eternal polygamy. Or, as another writer has said: “We haven’t really engaged with the issues, either institutionally or culturally. And by refusing to engage with the problems, we’re essentially telling our sisters and brothers who face them that we don’t care about their situation, because all is well with us.”

After all, Doctrine & Covenants 132, Smith’s revelation on eternal and plural marriage, which we are studying in this year’s Sunday school curriculum, is still canonized.

Overall, I do think this book will shake some members’ faith. That’s because many members still see polygamy as a “p” word, not to be uttered. But I’m grateful for the deft historical hand Nash wields in constructing a small but powerful work on polygamy. Let’s do talk about it. Emily Jensen She is the web editor for Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought and co-editor of “A Book of Mormons: Latter-day Saints on a Modern-Day Zion.”

(The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

_______________________________________

Can the Moonies talk honestly about polygamy?

VIDEO: Hyung Jin Moon admits his father had sex with six Marys

#Mormons #LDS #polygamy #six wives of Sun Myung Moon

[troybeecham]

Today the Church remembers the Vietnamese Martyrs (Vietnamese: Các Thánh Tử đạo Việt Nam), also known as the Martyrs of Annam, Martyrs of Tonkin and Cochinchina, Martyrs of Indochina, or Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (Anrê Dũng-Lạc và các bạn tử đạo).

Orate pro nobis.

The Martyrs of Vietnam

The Vatican estimates the number of Vietnamese martyrs at between 130,000 and 300,000. The Vietnamese Martyrs fall into several groupings, those of the Dominican and Jesuit missionary era of the 18th century and those killed in the politically inspired persecutions of the 19th century. A representative sample of only 117 martyrs—including 96 Vietnamese, 11 Spanish Dominicans, and 10 French members of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Etrangères de Paris)—were beatified on four separate occasions: 64 by Pope Leo XIII on May 27, 1900; eight by Pope Pius X on May 20, 1906; 20 by Pope Pius X on May 2, 1909; and 25 by Pope Pius XII on April 29, 1951. All these 117 Vietnamese Martyrs were canonized on June 19, 1988. A young Vietnamese Martyr, Andrew Phú Yên, was beatified in March, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

Vietnamese martyrs Paul Mi, Pierre Duong, Pierre Truat, martyred on 18 December 1838.

The tortures these individuals underwent are considered by the Vatican to be among the worst in the history of Christian martyrdom. The torturers hacked off limbs joint by joint, tore flesh with red hot tongs, and used drugs to enslave the minds of the victims. Christians at the time were branded on the face with the words "tả đạo" (左道, lit. "Left (Sinister) religion") and families and villages which subscribed to Christianity were obliterated.

The letters and example of Théophane Vénard inspired the young Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to volunteer for the Carmelite nunnery at Hanoi, though she ultimately contracted tuberculosis and could not go. In 1865 Vénard's body was transferred to his Congregation's church in Paris, but his head remains in Vietnam.

The Church in Vietnam was devastated during the Tây Sơn rebellion in the late 18th century. During the turmoil, the missions revived, however, as a result of cooperation between the French Vicar Apostolic Pigneaux de Behaine and Nguyen Anh. After Nguyen's victory in 1802, in gratitude to assistance received, he ensured protection to missionary activities. However, only a few years into the new emperor's reign, there was growing antipathy among officials against Christianity and missionaries reported that it was purely for political reasons that their presence was tolerated. Tolerance continued until the death of the emperor and the new emperor Minh Mang succeeding to the throne in 1820.

Converts began to be harassed without official edicts in the late 1820s, by local governments. In 1831 the emperor passed new laws on regulations for religious groupings in Viet Nam, and Christianity was then officially prohibited. In 1832, the first act occurred in a largely Christian village near Hue, with the entire community being incarcerated and sent into exile in Cambodia. In January 1833 a new kingdom-wide edict was passed calling on Vietnamese subjects to reject the religion of Jesus and required suspected Christians to demonstrate their renunciation by walking on a wooden cross. Actual violence against Catholics, however, did not occur until the Lê Văn Khôi revolt.

During the rebellion, a young French missionary priest named Joseph Marchand was living in sickness in the rebel Gia Dinh citadel. In October 1833, an officer of the emperor reported to the court that a foreign Christian religious leader was present in the citadel. This news was used to justify the edicts against Christianity, and led to the first executions of missionaries in over 40 years. The first executed was named Francois Gagelin. Marchand was captured and executed as a "rebel leader" in 1835; he was put to death by "slicing". Further repressive measures were introduced in the wake of this episode in 1836. Prior to 1836, village heads had only to simply report to local mandarins about how their subjects had recanted Christianity; after 1836, officials could visit villages and force all the villagers to line up one by one to trample on a cross and if a community was suspected of harbouring a missionary, militia could block off the village gates and perform a rigorous search; if a missionary was found, collective punishment could be meted out to the entire community.

Missionaries and Christian communities were able to sometimes escape this through bribery of officials; they were also sometimes victims of extortion attempts by people who demanded money under the threat that they would report the villages and missionaries to the authorities.

The court became more aware of the problem of the failure to enforce the laws and applied greater pressure on its officials to act; officials that failed to act or those tho who were seen to be acting too slowly were demoted or removed from office (and sometimes were given severe corporal punishment), while those who attacked and killed the Christians could receive promotion or other rewards. Lower officials or younger family members of officials were sometimes tasked with secretly going through villages to report on hidden missionaries or Christians that had not apostasized.

The first missionary arrested during this (and later executed) was the priest Jean-Charles Cornay in 1837. A military campaign was conducted in Nam Dinh after letters were discovered in a shipwrecked vessel bound for Macao. Quang Tri and Quang Binh officials captured several priests along with the French missionary Bishop Pierre Dumoulin-Borie in 1838 (who was executed). The court translator, Francois Jaccard, a Christian who had been kept as a prisoner for years and was extremely valuable to the court, was executed in late 1838; the official who was tasked with this execution, however, was almost immediately dismissed.

A priest, Father Ignatius Delgado, was captured in the village of Can Lao (Nam Định Province), put in a cage on public display for ridicule and abuse, and died of hunger and exposure while waiting for execution; the officer and soldiers that captured him were greatly rewarded (about 3 kg of silver was distributed out to all of them), as were the villagers that had helped to turn him over to the authorities. The bishop Dominic Henares was found in Giao Thuy district of Nam Dinh (later executed); the villagers and soldiers that participated in his arrest were also greatly rewarded (about 3 kg of silver distributed). The priest, Father Joseph Fernandez, and a local priest, Nguyen Ba Tuan, were captured in Kim Song, Nam Dinh; the provincial officials were promoted, the peasants who turned them over were given about 3 kg of silver and other rewards were distributed. In July 1838, a demoted governor attempting to win back his place did so successfully by capturing the priest Father Dang Dinh Vien in Yen Dung, Bac Ninh province. (Vien was executed). In 1839, the same official captured two more priests: Father Dinh Viet Du and Father Nguyen Van Xuyen (also both executed).

In Nhu Ly near Hue, an elderly catholic doctor named Simon Hoa was captured and executed. He had been sheltering a missionary named Charles Delamotte, whom the villagers had pleaded with him to send away. The village was also supposed to erect a shrine for the state-cult, which the doctor also opposed. His status and age protected him from being arrested until 1840, when he was put on trial and the judge pleaded (due to his status in Vietnamese society as both an elder and a doctor) with him to publicly recant; when he refused he was publicly executed.

Many officials preferred to avoid execution because of the threat to social order and harmony it represented, and resorted to use of threats or torture in order to force Christians to recant. Many villagers were executed alongside priests according to mission reports. The emperor died in 1841, and this offered respite for Christians. However, some persecution still continued after the new emperor took office. Christian villages were forced to build shrines to the state cult. The missionary Father Pierre Duclos (quoted above) died in prison in after being captured on the Saigon river in June 1846. The boat he was traveling in, unfortunately contained the money that was set for the annual bribes of various officials (up to 1/3 of the annual donated French mission budget for Cochinchina was officially allocated to 'special needs') in order to prevent more arrests and persecutions of the converts; therefore, after his arrest, the officials then began wide searches and cracked down on the Christian communities in their jurisdictions. The amount of money that the French mission societies were able to raise, made the missionaries a lucrative target for officials that wanted cash, which could even surpass what the imperial court was offering in rewards. This created a cycle of extortion and bribery which lasted for years.

Saint Vincent Liem Le Duang.

He was born into the Christian community of Thong-Dong in 1731. From a young age he showed great devotion and ability. He was sent to the Philippines at the age of fifteen and took the habit in 1753. After completing his studies at the University of St. Thomas, he was ordained priest and returned to his native land. As he could speak Vietnamese he started his apostolate immediately. He spent the next fourteen years ministering to Christian communities, teaching at the seminary of Trung-Linh and preaching in the non-Christian areas.

From 1767 the Church in Vietnam came under attack from the authorities. Vincent nevertheless continued to proclaim the Gospel openly, regardless of the obstacles and threats. He was captured in 1773, beaten and imprisoned. He was placed in a cage and displayed like a wild animal. However the local Mandarin believed that this ritual humiliation would not help the authorities’ attempt to crush the Christian religion. Vincent was released from his cage and allowed to walk about the prison. He took advantage of his relative liberty and preached the Gospel to his fellow prisoners and all who would come to listen. This status was short lived and he was put back in his cage and taken to Hanoi and the Imperial Court.

At the Court the Emperor arranged a disputation between Vincent, a Buddhist, a Confucian and a Taoist. His reasoning, clarity and elegance, in defending the true faith, left a deep impressio, so much so that an Imperial Prince declared the superiority of Christianity. However Vincent’s fate was decided after a stormy dialogue with the Queen Mother. He was sentenced to death and was beheaded on the 7th of November 1773.

The persecutions of the Vietnamese Church continue. In 1975, the exodus of Vietnamese friars would result in the formation of a new vicariate outside their motherland: the Vicariate of St Vincent Liem. Every day, the brothers of the vicariate, pray for the conversion of Vietnam, through the intercession of St. Vincent.

Those whose names are known are listed below:

(Please keep in mind that for Vietnamese martyrs these are the anglicized versions of their names)

* Andrew Dung-Lac An Tran

* Augustin Schoeffler, MEP, a priest from France

* Agnes Le Thi Thanh

* Bernard Vũ Văn Duệ

* Dominic Mậu

* Emmanuel Le Van Phung

* Emmanuel Trieu Van Nguyen

* Francis Chieu Van Do

* Francis Gil de Frederich|Francesc (Francis) Gil de Federich, OP, a priest from Catalonia (Spain)

* François-Isidore Gagelin, MEP, a priest from France

* Francis Jaccard, MEP, a priest from France

* Francis Trung Von Tran

* Francis Nguyen

* Ignatius Delgado y Cebrian, OP, a bishop from Spain

* Jacinto (Hyacinth) Casteñeda, OP, a priest from Spain

* James Nam

* Jerome Hermosilla, OP, a bishop from Spain

* John Baptist Con

* John Charles Cornay, MEP, a priest from France

* John Dat

* John Hoan Trinh Doan

* John Louis Bonnard, MEP, a priest from France

* John Thanh Van Dinh

* José María Díaz Sanjurjo, OP, a bishop from Spain

* Joseph Canh Luang Hoang

* Joseph Fernandez, OP, a priest from Spain

* Joseph Hien Quang Do

* Joseph Khang Duy Nguyen

* Joseph Luu Van Nguyen

* Joseph Marchand, MEP, a priest from France

* Joseph Nghi Kim

* Joseph Thi Dang Le

* Joseph Uyen Dinh Nguyen

* Joseph Vien Dinh Dang

* Joseph Khang, a local doctor

* Joseph Tuc

* Joseph Tuan Van Tran

* Lawrence Ngon

* Lawrence Huong Van Nguyen

* Luke Loan Ba Vu

* Luke Thin Viet Pham

* Martin Tho

* Martin Tinh Duc Ta

* Matthew Alonzo Leziniana, OP, a priest from Spain

* Matthew Phuong Van Nguyen

* Matthew Gam Van Le

* Melchor García Sampedro, OP, a bishop from Spain

* Michael Dinh-Hy Ho

* Michael My Huy Nguyen

* Nicholas Thé Duc Bui

* Paul Hanh

* Paul Khoan Khan Pham

* Paul Loc Van Le

* Paul Tinh Bao Le

* Paul Tong Viet Buong

* Paul Duong

* Pere (Peter) Almató i Ribera, OP, a priest from Catalonia (Spain)

* Peter Tuan

* Peter Dung Van Dinh

* Peter Da

* Peter Duong Van Truong

* Peter Francis Néron, MEP, a priest from France

* Peter Hieu Van Nguyen

* Peter Quy Cong Doan

* Peter Thi Van Truong Pham

* Peter Tuan Ba Nguyen, a fisherman

* Peter Tuy Le

* Peter Van Van Doan

* Philip Minh Van Doan

* Pierre Borie, MEP, a bishop from France

* Simon Hoa Dac Phan

* Stephen Theodore Cuenot, MEP, a bishop from France

* Stephen Vinh

* Théophane Vénard, MEP, a priest from France

* Thomas De Van Nguyen

* Thomas Du Viet Dinh

* Thomas Thien Tran

* Thomas Toan

* Thomas Khuong

* Valentine Berriochoa, OP, a bishop from the Basque Country

* Vicente Liem de la Paz

* Vincent Duong

* Vincent Tuong, a local judge

* Vincent Yen Do

Almighty God, who gave to your servants the Martyrs of Vietnam the boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

#father troy beecham #christianity #troy beecham episcopal #jesus #father troy beecham episcopal #saints #god #salvation #peace #martyrs

[epsombiblechurch]

The Woman’s Role in Church

This week's message probably made some of you feel uncomfortable. When you read 1 Timothy 2:11 “A woman is to learn quietly with full submission.” Or 1 Timothy 2:12 “ I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet.” What sort of emotions does that bring to the surface? If you’re a man with a particularly loud, or outspoken wife you might think be thinking halleluja! For most of us- women especially- it can feel as though women are being put in a subordinate position to men if we do not take the time to understand the truth and purpose of these verses. Unfortunately, many people without biblical understanding or viewpoint have taken these verses out of context and “helped” us connect the dots to see these verses with a worldly view, rather than a Godly one.

Just this week I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across a post from a young man I went to high school with. In this post, the man lists nine verses including 1Timothy 2:9-15.  He goes on to tell his audience that these words prove that Christian men and the Bible as a whole are outwardly, and downright demoralizing, and discriminate towards women.  As I read the post, and the comments, and “likes” that followed my heart sank. This man did not read or share those words from the Bible to seek understanding. This man shared those words out of context as a way to further divide us, and attempt to poke holes in God’s word.  

Pastor Ric’s sermon could not have come at a more perfect time. In today’s society, women are inundated with messages telling them that they need to be doing the exact same thing as men or they aren’t good enough. We were reminded Sunday that Jesus NEVER took a position against women by saying they could not understand spiritual or theological truth. He even chooses to first appear to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.

God gives men and women different, yet equally important roles. We are all equal at the foot of the cross. But equal at the cross does not mean that on earth we fill the exact same roles as one another. God ordained an order to things that would reflect His Glory. With men taking the lead in both Chruch and his marriage.  When we go against this order we are rejecting His principles and word. Chaos ensues, and the order of things becomes cloudy.

As we go forward into the week I pray that we will continue to grow in our understanding of the roles God has created uniquely for us. I pray women can be empowered by this message and see its importance in bringing glory to God, and that they see, and feel, their importance both within their marriages and within the roles they fill EBC. I pray that we continue to strive to live our lives with our feet planted firmly in God’s word and with our hands raised in praise to our Savior. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

[elizabethan-memes]

Can you elaborate on Erusamus and the reformation please, or at least point me toward sources? Politics make more sense than philosophy to me, so I see the reformation through the lense of Henry VIII, or the Duke of Prussia who dissolved the teutonic order, or France siding with the protestants during the 30 Years War because Protestants > Hapsburgs

So sorry to take so long!

If you needed this answer for academic reasons, given that summer term is pretty much done I’m probably too late to help, but I hate to leave an ask unanswered.

HELLA LONG ESSAY BENEATH THE CUT SORRY I WROTE SELF-INDULGENTLY WITHOUT EDITING SO THERE IS WAY MORE EXPLANATION THAN YOU PROBABLY NEED

Certainly religion has been politicised, you need look no further than all the medieval kings having squabbles with the pope. Medieval kings were not as devastated by the prospect of excommunication as you’d expect they’d be in a super-devout world, it was kinda more of a nuisance (like, idk, the pope blocking you on tumblr)  than the “I’m damned forever! NOOOOOOO!” thing you’d expect. I’m not saying excommunication wasn’t a big deal, but certainly for Elizabeth I she was less bothered than the pope excommunicating her than the fact that he absolved her Catholic subjects of allegiance to her and promised paradise to her assassin (essentially declaring open season on her).

I think, however, in our secular world we forget that religion was important for its own sake. Historians since Gibbon have kind of looked down on religion as its own force, seeing it as more a catalyst for economic change (Weber) or a tool of the powerful. If all history is the history of class struggle, then religion becomes a weapon in class warfare rather than its own force with its own momentum. For example, historians have puzzled over conversion narratives, and why Protestantism became popular among artisans in particular. Protestantism can’t compete with Catholicism in terms of aesthetics or community rituals, it’s a much more interior kind of spirituality, and it involves complex theological ideas like predestination that can sound rather drastic, so why did certain people find it appealing?

(although OTOH transubstantiation is a more complex theological concept than the Protestant idea of “the bread and wine is just bread and wine, it’s a commemoration of the Last Supper not a re-enactment, it aint that deep fam”).

I’ve just finished an old but interesting article by Terrence M. Reynolds in Concordia Theological Quarterly vol. 41 no. 4 pp.18-35 “Was Erasmus responsible for Luther?” Erasmus in his lifetime was accused of being a closet Protestant, or “laying the egg that Luther hatched”. Erasmus replied to this by saying he might have laid the egg, but Luther hatched a different bird entirely. Erasmus did look rather proto Protestant because he was very interested in reforming the Church. He wanted more people to read the Bible, he had a rather idyllic dream of “ploughmen singing psalms as they ploughed their fields”. He criticised indulgences, the commercialisation of relics and pilgrimages and the fact that the Papacy was a political faction getting involved in wars. He was worried that the rituals of Catholicism meant that people were more mechanical in their religion than spiritual: they were memorising the words, doing the actions, paying the Church, blindly believing anything a poorly educated priest regurgitated to them. They were confessing their sins, doing their penances like chores and then going right back to their sins. They were connecting with the visuals, but not understanding and spiritually connecting with the spirit of Jesus’ message and his ideals of peace and love and charity and connecting with God. Erasmus translated the NT but being a Renaissance humanist, he went ad fontes (‘to the source’) and used Greek manuscripts, printing the Greek side by side with the Latin so that readers could compare and see the translation choices he made. His NT had a lot of self-admitted errors in it, but it was very popular with Prots as well as Caths. Caths like Thomas More were cool with him doing it, but it was also admired by Prots like Thomases and Cromwell and Cranmer and Tyndale himself. When coming across Greek words like presbyteros, Erasmus actually chose to leave it as a Greek word with its own meaning than use a Latin word that didn’t *quite* fit the meaning of the original.

However, he did disagree with Protestants on fundamental issues, especially the question of free will. For Luther, the essence was sole fide: salvation through faith alone. He took this from Paul’s letter to the Romans, where it says that through faith alone are we justified. Ie, humans are so fallen (because of the whole Eve, apple, original sin debacle) and so flawed and tainted by sin, and God is so perfect, that we ourselves will never be good enough. All the good works in the world will never reach God’s level of perfection and therefore we all deserve Hell, but we won’t go to hell because God and Jesus will save us from the Hell we so rightly deserve, by grace and by having faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, who will alone redeem us.  The opposite end of the free will/sola fide spectrum is something called Pelagianism, named after the guy who believed it, Pelagius, who lived centuries and centuries before the Ref, it’s the belief that humans can earn their salvation by themselves, by good works. Both Caths and Prots considered Pelagius a heretic. Caths like Erasmus believed in a half-way house: God reaches out his hand to save you through Jesus’ example and sacrifice, giving you grace, and you receive his grace, which makes you want to be a good person and do good works (good works being things like confession of sins, penances, the eucharist, charity, fasting, pilgrimages) and then doing the good works means you get more grace and you are finally saved, or at least you will go to purgatory after death AND THEN be saved and go to heaven, rather than going straight to Hell, which is what happens if you reject Jesus and do no good works and never repent your sins. If you don’t receive his grace and do good works, you won’t make the grade for ultimate salvation.

(This is why it’s important to look at the Ref as a theological as well as a political movement because if you only look at the political debates, Erasmus looks more Protestant than he actually was.)

There are several debates happening in the Reformation: the role of the priest (which is easily politicised) free will vs predestination, transubstantiation or no transubstantiation (is or isn’t the bread and wine transformed into the body and blood of Jesus by God acting through the priest serving communion) and the role of scripture. A key doctrine of Protestantism is sola scriptura. Basically: if it’s in the Bible, it’s the rules. If it’s not in the Bible, it’s not in the rules. No pope in the bible? No pope! No rosaries in the bible? No using rosaries! (prayer beads)

However, both Caths and Prots considered scripture v.v. important. Still, given that the Bible contains internal contradictions (being a collection of different books written in different languages at different times by different people) there was a hierarchy of authority when it came to scripture. As a general rule of thumb, both put the New T above the Old T in terms of authority. (This is partly why Jews and Muslims have customs like circumcision and no-eating-pig-derived-meats that Christians don’t have, even though the order of ‘birth’ as it were goes Judaism-Christianity-Islam. All 3 Abrahammic faiths use the OT, but only Christians use the NT.)

1.       The words of Jesus. Jesus said you gotta do it, you gotta do it. Jesus said monogamy, you gotta do monogamy. Jesus said no divorce, you gotta do no divorcing (annulment =/= divorce). Jesus said no moneylending with interest (usury), you gotta do no moneylending with interest (which is partly why European Jews did a lot of the banking. Unfortunately, disputes over money+religious hatred is a volatile combination, resulting in accusations of conspiracy and sedition, leading to hate-fuelled violence and oppression.) The trouble with the words of Jesus is that you can debate or retranslate what Jesus meant, especially  easily as Jesus often spoke in parables and with metaphors. When Jesus said “this is my body…this is my blood” at the Last Supper, is that or is that not support for transubstantiation? When Jesus called Peter the rock on which he would build the church, was that or was that not support for the apostolic succession that means Popes are the successor to St Peter, with Peter being first Pope? When the gospel writers said Jesus ‘did more things and said more things than are contained in this book’, does that or does that not invalidate the idea of sola scriptura?

2.       The other New Testament writers, especially St. Paul and the Relevation of St John the Divine. (Divine meaning like seer, divination, not a god or divinity). These are particularly relevant when it comes to discussing the role of priests and priesthood, only-male ordination, and whether women can preach and teach religion.

3.       The Old Testament, especially Genesis.

4.       The apocryphal or deuterocanonical works. These books are considered holy, but there’s question marks about their validity, so they’re not as authoritative as the testaments. I include this because the deuterocanonical book 2 Maccabees was used as scriptural justification for the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, but 2 Maccabees is the closest scipture really gets to mentioning any kind of purgatory. Protestants did not consider 2 Maccabees to be strong enough evidence to validate purgatory.

5.       The Church Fathers, eg. Origen, Augustine of Hippo. Arguably their authority often comes above apocryphal scripture. It’s from the Church Fathers that the concept of the Trinity (one god in 3 equal persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) is developed because it’s not actually spelled out explicitly in the NT. Early modern Catholics and Protestants both adhered to the Trinity and considered Arianism’s interpretation of the NT (no trinity, God the Father is superior to Jesus as God the Son) to be heresy. Church Fathers were important to both Catholics and Protestants: Catholics because Catholics did not see scripture as the sole source of religious truth, so additions made by holy people are okay so long as they don’t *contradict* scripture, and so long as they are stamped with the church council seal of approval, Protestants because they believed that the recent medieval theologians and the papacy had corrupted and altered the original purity of Christianity. If they could show that Church Fathers from late antiquity like Augustine agreed with them, that therefore proved their point about Christianity being corrupted from its holy early days.

Eamon Duffy’s book Stripping of the Altars is useful because it questions the assumptions that the Reformation and Break with Rome was inevitable, or that the Roman Catholic Church was a corrupt relic of the past that had to be swept aside for Progress, or that most people even wanted the Ref in England to happen. Good history essays need to discuss different historians’ opinions and Duffy can be relied upon to have a different opinion than Protestant historians. Diarmaid MacCulloch’s works are good at explaining theological concepts, he is a big authority on church history and he’s won a whole bunch of prizes. He was actually ordained a deacon in the Church of England in the 1980s but stopped being a minister because he was angry with the institution for not tolerating the fact he had a boyfriend. The ODNB is a good source to access through your university if you want to read a quick biography on a particular theologian or philosopher, but it only covers British individuals. Except Erasmus, who has a page on ODNB despite being not British because he’s just that awesome and because his influence on English scholarship and culture was colossal. Peter Marshall also v good, esp on conversion. Euan Cameron wrote a mahoosive book called the European Reformation.“More versus Tyndale: a study of controversial technique” by Rainer Pineas is good for the key differences in translation of essential concepts between catholic and protestant thinkers. The Sixteenth Century Journal is a good source of essays as well.

[imuybemovoko]

My beliefs now

I set this blog up for a bunch of different purposes including conlangs/worldbuilding stuff, my writing, and my views on religion and maybe also politics. So far, mostly, I’ve ranted a lot about the beliefs I left behind. Now that I’ve let that particular sketchy brand of Christianity, now that I’ve discovered the ways it and my conservative family background were probably turning me into a fascist while I was still in all that, I figure I might as well try to hash out where I stand now. I’m around eleven months out from my deconversion, and a lot has already changed. I might try to attempt a before and after thing but there’s a lot to unpack about how I used to think and I’m not sure I’ve understood everything yet. I think I made the mistake of thinking that not very long before that repressed memory about “Sharon” and her Jonah display came crashing back in March. This is current to late July 2020 and may not include everything. 

So without any further ado, let’s talk background. First, some things I’ve already either mentioned or given more than enough evidence for. I used to be a Christian fundamentalist. (Clearly. I rant about it a lot.) I got into that because I was raised religious, then let myself fall right the fuck into what I’ll call “deep end lite” shortly before senior year in high school. Some local churches in my small town arranged a missions trip thing and the way I agreed to go along felt in the moment like surrendering to a voice that’s been speaking to me all along. In ...a way, it was. Just not the voice I thought. I’m pretty sure I didn’t want this god, at any point like ever, until that little part of me whispered that it would be easier to accept him. I have a megathread document that I’ve stored a lot of my “God stories” from my time as a Christian in. Unfortunately I didn’t remember many specific details of this experience to write down in there, but I did write a bit of a “life-story” thing that reminds me that, chronologically, that happened after a period of focused attempts by the church to indoctrinate me, some traumatic things my family did, social struggles, and feeling like an asshole because of things I’d done in the past. I remember having this growing sense over the previous year that I was approaching some kind of very dangerous breaking point, to the point where (trigger warning: mental instability, school shooter mention. Please either stop here or skip to where it says “in other words” in the next paragraph after this if that’s going to be an issue. It also keeps getting dark from there for a minute. Please, please tread with care if you need to. There is no shame at all if this becomes too much. Take care of yourself first and foremost.) 

when discussing how I came to accept the faith, I told some of my Christian friends that I felt like there was a scary chance of me becoming a school shooter. I think this may have been a post-hoc projection, but I can’t quite be sure of that. I was in a bad place for a bit there in high school. I had a wild temper and some sketchy intrusive thoughts.

In other words, it hit at a perfect moment of weakness. That’s how oppressive forms of spirituality function, it’s how hate groups function... it’s a massive shit cocktail and I found a pretty bad influence in the form of people who promote that whole “born again experience” thing in Christianity. I’d say I’m glad I missed out on being dragged into a fascist ideology this way, but uh... I’m no longer convinced I didn’t grow up around something like that. More later. 

From there I spiraled my way through my first attempts at college through the university’s chapter of the Chi Alpha campus ministry and, peripherally through that, Assemblies of God (holy shit those guys are wild), then through a local Baptist church (more peripherally) and Calvary Chapel (I was a worship guitarist here for like 18 months and helped with their youth ministry for almost as long) closer to home and a CRU chapter at my community college. With each passing year I slipped further and further into this weird shame-induced funk where I got like... addicted to Jesus and hated myself or something. It’s a bit hard to find words that don’t take multiple entire extra pages and I want to be concise, so I’ll simply call it “Jesus-flavored depression” for brevity and because that was enough of a genuinely bad time (and I’m still fucked up enough) that I might need some fairly serious therapy.

Near the end of 2018 I was reaching a breaking point, wondering why nothing ever seemed to change in my life from “sexual sin” (...which in my case literally consisted of being attracted to women and occasional self-pleasure, but they literally teach you to hate yourself for less than that in the spicier churches rip) to my direction in life to how trapped I felt by my family. I also started to have more questions about the violence in the Bible and some of the sketchier doctrines, and that was strongly reinforced by some of the things I saw in a creative writing class I took, including an atheist who shared a story of a profoundly negative experience involving being taught about hell at a very young age. All that led to the absolute disaster that was December 2018. It was my last semester at the community college I went to. Finals week was a fucking disaster, and the week before that too, and my grades were really good but at great cost. I won’t go into a ton of detail because 1. space concerns and 2. this time is still damn painful to discuss, but just know that I’m unconvinced I’d have survived that month without this song. (Yes, that’s Paramore. Shut up xD they’re still good.) I looped it for like three days straight and I think it was just enough to keep me going through what was the third time I had any suicidal kind of thoughts ever and by far the worst and longest period of it so far.

So the next several months (and I won’t go into a ton of detail about this, I intended this post more to describe my current position and I don’t wanna get too in the weeds with background) were a confusing period of questioning, starting with, of all things, my family dynamic. The spiral after the week before finals was ...considerably worsened by some comments my dad made, and between that and some experiences in the past that the creative writing class I took that fall reminded me of, I was exposed to a bit of a deeply toxic pattern. I might discuss that more deeply in another post, but for now suffice it to say that extensive youtube binges and some other research between about January and March told me the situation is probably adjacent to pathological narcissism in some way. I brought some of this up to the church I was attending at the time (a small town Calvary Chapel, if I haven’t mentioned that already) and their responses were ...inconsistent. Some people blamed me, some people said “oh dang your dad is abusive”, and some people took the “your parents are trying their best” tack. In retrospect I think that made me doubt if God’s messaging to these people could really be trusted. Then, in about April, the question of hell came up again. I was helping in the church’s budding youth ministry at the time and we had about four regular attendees between the ages of 12 and 18. There were about three weeks in a row when one of the other adults (I’ll call her Kelly for the purposes of not doxxing; also more on her later) talked at length about how unbelief leads to hell. I remembered that atheist from creative writing, made the connection to these four kids, and thought, “what the hell are we doing?” (Pun not intended but rather convenient.) I immediately backed down from my role in the youth ministry, citing other equally valid but less pressing reasons involving stress from the issues with my dad, and tried to go on with life. But the floodgates were open. 

In late May or early June, I was staring out a window one morning and suddenly a question crossed my mind unbidden: “Is God a narcissist?” I thought back to a relatively recent sermon by the associate pastor in which he explained that the purpose of the world was “for God’s glory”, to some apparent sudden flights of rage, and some other factors in the scriptures, and thought, “holy shit, I need to investigate this, because God is also very adjacent to narcissism.” It took a hot minute for the ball to really get rolling with that, but once it did... I came to a point by late June or early July where I delivered an ultimatum to God, something to the tune of “Ok, either show me how all these questions I have can be answered beyond a doubt or I’m done.” 

There was no answer. 

God was silent during this time, and the people in the church were shocked that I had the questions I did and either concerned or ...rather spicy. I joined an ex-Christian discord server to aid in a proper, thorough investigation. I aired my questions both there and on a Christian discord server. The Christian server was toxic as fuck and the ex-Christians started making a crazy amount of sense. I watched some videos from Cosmic Skeptic and TheraminTrees (most notably the latter’s deconversion story) for new perspectives and, by mid-August, had crashed out of the faith altogether.

So the last time I ever stepped into a church with the intent of attending service (I showed up after once in January of 2020 to kinda let them know and that went pretty badly lol) was about two weeks before I started college again in the fall. I burned all but one of my Bibles and a collection of gospel tracts I never did anything else with and stylized it like my limited understanding of what a satanic/pagan ritual looked like, complete with a chant in my conlang Aylaan for a more personal twist because of course, to feel edgy. (I did a lot of kind of weird shit to feel edgy; that’s one of two of them I’m sure I don’t regret.) And after that, things got ...ah, confusing?

Because of course when the linchpin of your understanding of the world gives way, everything becomes fucked for a hot minute. 

So the first thing that happened was a couple months of anxiety and confusion. I slowly started to deconstruct my inherited political views too. (More on that later.) Then I had this really beautiful interesting moment in late September where I walked past a tree on the way to a class and had a sudden realization that I didn’t have to force the tree into a Christian framework anymore, it was just a beautiful mass of green shit and cellulose. I could appreciate it in whatever way I felt was best. I damn near broke down crying in the bathroom before class, it hit me that hard. So that’s fun xD

Since then I’ve kinda gone through a bunch of funky phases with this, including a couple of months of fairly salty atheism. Along with that process, I started questioning my sexuality in December (more on that in another post in a minute lmao it’s a trip) and literally shredding my politics in the face of Trump being a crackhead in a dangerous position getting away with confirmed illegal shit, COVID-19 and the ...dehumanizing responses of corporations and their sponsored politicians, and then what I noticed about the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd and the fallout from that. (In a nutshell, holy FUCK there’s a huge problem and it’s messed up that people don’t see it.) At this point, I’m socially progressive and pretty left leaning. I don’t know what the hell to do about it or how either other than some of the tense discussions I’ve been having, but I’d like to work against racism and discrimination too. So that’s cool and a lot better than where I was... 

which... I regret deeply.

I don’t know exactly how to define my old political views, and they were marked by considerable cognitive dissonance. I’ll try to illustrate this as best I can but I don’t know what label I can use. Here goes. 

Cursed images aside, I think the best way to explain this is through some background, i.e. what my parents believe, because my beliefs were largely inherited. 

This might be majorly over-simplified and based on what I remember of my own pre-deconstruction views and what I hear them say lately. I’m doing my best, but take it with a grain of salt. Basically, it seems like they walk this weird line between constitutionalist and very authoritarian that I see a hell of a lot of in rural America. Kinda like the Republic party used to before they yeeted into Trump’s mindfuck wholeheartedly. They’re homophobic to a rather alarming degree (more on that in another post soon) and not ...overtly Christian-supremacist but you can tell that their ethics are dripping with it and they’re terrified of Islam and they’d like to legislate some aspects of Christian morality. They also support the second amendment, which is the one thing I still agree with them on that I’m aware of, but they take it to more of an extreme than I’m willing to. For further ...flavor, they also reject the premise that parts of our society are systemically racist (and maybe also the idea that such a thing is even possible because of course), subscribe to the “bootstrap theory” for everything they can think to apply it to, reject climate science, and have been extremely conspiratorial about COVID-19. Also they like making it out like everything is a Democrat conspiracy theory, compare the Democrats to Hitler and Stalin to a weird degree, have on at least one occasion called Fox Motherfucking News left-leaning, and think Alex Jones is wacky but sometimes raises valid points. 

So that’s, in a nutshell, a bit of a look at my past political views, except I think I was a bit more Christian-dominionist than them and I think I had moments of “...does this really make any sense?” for years before I crashed out of everything. The first domino was my Christianity, but once that fell, my entire approach to the world went some places. 

So ...yeah. Oof. I was sketchy as shit. Glad that’s changed. 

So uh... I’ve already mentioned a vague (read: as much detail as I feel confident providing) description of my political views now, but after all this bullshit let’s finally get to the other half of my titular current beliefs. This ...isn’t going to be easy to explain either, but I feel more confident going into more detail. Buckle up :^)

Alright. So except for a couple of months where I was like “there is no god reeee” half because I was sOmE hYpErInTeLlEcTuAl SkEpTiC and half because of trauma from the toxic flavor of Christianity I left and some shitty developments in both politics and my social circles (I’ll talk at some length about “Kelly” in a sec here I think), since leaving Christianity I’ve always been what I’ll call “hopeful agnostic” (I think I stole this term from Rhett and/or Link lol). In a nutshell, what that means to me is “there may or may not be a god, but I hope there is at least one and they’re nice, or like, at least some spiritual thing that has a good aspect that can help me”. I also dabble in shitty rituals where I burn dead plants and occasionally also hate literature like gospel tracts (and, that one time, a couple of bibles) and basically call on “anyone who is listening and gives a fuck, else the placebo effect” for whatever my goal is. Like... witchy-adjacent but I don’t think about it very much at this stage. I kind of enjoy it, and I think for one reason or another it can be good for my mental health, but I’m wary of any kind of commitment or even more serious experimentation, even as I hope to find something good, because ...trauma, and maybe even absent that a desire to not be wrong in a way that’s dangerous to anyone else again. So that’s fun :^)

So if you’ve made it this far through this weird bullshit, thanks, this story is kind of important to me xD and if you couldn’t, and you’re not reading this ending thingy because it got too dark or it pissed you off or something, that’s cool too and you’re beautiful and valid. Whoever you are, I hope you find whatever healing you need. :)

#ex christian #spirituality #politics

[justjessame]

Put Me In Coach Chapter 25

Alexandria.  I was surprised at how easily we’d found sanctuary.  We hadn’t been that far from our starting point, and there it was.  The leader, a politician named Deanna Monroe, when we introduce ourselves I see her eyes flash at my name. Great, I thought, one of Mom’s friends.

“I was sorry to hear about Delia and Robert,” she offered, once my trio of travelling companions were scouting houses to see which one would be best for us.  “They were good people.”

I nodded, my fingers twisting the diamond necklace that Negan had given me during my graduation dinner, the matching bracelet flashing in the sunlight, and with my hair pulled back the earrings were visible too.   I wore the set because each piece had been given to me by someone who wasn’t with me right now.  

“The world wasn’t great before,” I muttered, looking around at the shiny new community that seemed too perfect to be trusted.  “But this?  This is a fucking nightmare.”

Deanna was far more optimistic than I was.  She was a politician after all, so she knew how to spin the scenario to best suit our needs.  Since I would have gotten my teaching degree had the world not turned to a living horror film, she decided that would be my role in our new group.  I’d teach.  Mary, Eric, and Steven were given the same types of jobs that they would have had if we’d kept going down our planned path.  Mary, who had teased about winning acting awards, took charge of supplies and inventory management.  Eric had planned to go to medical school, but after four years and time spent as a medic, became the medical team for supply runs outside of the walls of our community.  And Steven worked with Deanna’s husband, since he’d planned on working in architecture.  

We settled into our new life, but after only a few months, I knew there was something Mary hadn’t told us.  And I confronted her, forcing her to confess to something that I had suspected, but she had feared.

“Yes, alright, I’m pregnant.”  She had her forehead pressed to the toilet of our shared bathroom.  After a week of hearing her rush to the bathroom at first light and toss her cookies so fucking loud that I nearly joined her, she finally admitted it.  

“Mary, who-”  She shot me a look and I swallowed the question.  “Well, I guess I’ll just have to be the little peanut’s ‘daddy’.”  I sat down beside her on the bathroom floor and brushed her hair out of her face.  “I mean, not like I’m gonna have any kids of my own, right?”

She rolled her eyes.  “Amara, you could meet someone-”

It was my turn to flash her the look.  That was dangerous territory and they all knew it.  “Or,” I stood up and offered her a hand up.  “I could just be a spinster and leave the romance to Eric and Steven.”

“That’s right, bitch!”  I heard Eric call from down the hallway.  “We do it better than you straight assholes anyway!”

A year and a half, give or take, and our foursome was five, at least for a while.  Trey was our little monkey.  Adorable, with dark curly hair, eyes so dark they looked black, and an olive complexion that people would kill to have.  He had all four of us wrapped around his little finger from day one.  

Unfortunately, our lives weren’t guaranteed, not that life was ever to be taken for granted.  When Trey’s first birthday drew closer, Mary became insistent that she go on a supply run.  I told her it was ridiculous, a one year old doesn’t really care what he gets for his present, all he really wants to play with is the wrapping paper anyway.  But she wanted, no she swore, she needed to go out and find him something special.

I didn’t like it or agree with it, but Mary was his mother.  She wanted him to have something hand picked by her for his first birthday, then come hell or highwater, she was going to do it.  I should have known, between the flash of fear when she said she wanted to go and then the promise she made me make before she walked away with Aiden, Deanna’s son, I should have seen it.  The promise was easy to make, of course I’d take care of Trey, and God forbid should something happen, I’d take up his care with the same intensity as Mary had.  

Mary didn’t come back.  No body.  No closer.  She was gone.  Aiden couldn’t look me in the eye.  He definitely didn’t look Eric or Steven in the eye.  And as I held Trey to me, knowing that he would feel the tension in our house from Mary’s absence, I knew that he was mine.  Forever.

Almost eight months after we lost Mary, as Trey was nearing his second birthday, a new group showed up led by Aaron our resident people finder.  They looked haunted, and terrifying, but there was a baby and a teenager in their group so I knew I’d come to know them sooner or later.  I was taking Trey for a walk when they showed up, dirty and thousand yard stares all around, but my little boy was excited when he saw they had a little person too.  

“Come here, baby,” I whispered, picking up his toddling self and holding him tight as the group passed.  “Can you wave at the little girl?”  Trey’s fat fist waved and I caught a few of the adults in the group smile despite themselves.  Kissing his dark curls, I turned away and walked back home.

I’d been right, of course, I did get to know the group.  Rick Grimes became our security/peacekeeper, along with a fierce looking woman named Michonne.  She had taken a keen interest in Trey, asking if she could hold him and I trusted her, somehow.  Michonne became a welcome visitor to my house, along with Maggie and her husband Glenn.  Maggie’s eyes had landed on my rings and asked a question I’d grown to expect.

“Did your husband not-”  I smiled sadly, watching Trey play with a set of blocks on the floor.  

“We never actually made it to the altar.”  I thought about the dress I’d found almost a week before I saw the text that ruined it.  “I don’t know if he made it or not.”  I left it there, and usually that kept people from asking more questions.  Grief was easy to deal with, we ALL lost someone, but the unknown?  That was far worse and left people speechless with the worry and fear of the status of their missing loved ones.  

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and I let our eyes meet.  “Glenn and I were separated for awhile, and I thought I lost a piece of myself.” 

Nodding, I didn’t share more.  Negan and I were a conversation I kept to myself.  Even Eric and Steven knew better than to bring him up.  Wearing the rings, my diamond set, those were the only evidence that I even thought about him at all.  

Trouble seemed to follow the newcomers into our world.  The walkers, the dangerous people, and so much upheaval that I couldn’t possibly tell anyone what I taught or who my students were during that clutch of waves.  I lost two young students.  I watched another lose an eye.  I saw our leader die from a walker.  Her husband having preceded her to the grave by the hand of another community member, our physician actually.  I watched Deanna lose Aiden.  I watched our people learn quickly that we were all so very ill prepared for this new reality we arrived in.  And I watched as Rick Grimes and his group try to catch us up to speed.

Out of the entire group, even including Michonne and Maggie, I found the most comfort in getting to know the crossbow wielding redneck that needed a shower worse than some of the feral animals still roaming freely.  I had a feeling he and Carol had more than a friendship going, but I caught sight of the woman leaving Tobin’s house so I guessed wrong.

Daryl was soft spoken, despite his outward appearance.  He listened and he learned quickly.  Lacking tact, he almost made me think of Negan, but then he’d blush and duck his head and the flash of memory would go away and I could have peace again.  He was amazing with Trey and Judith, Rick’s little girl.  

When the horde came, it was Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham that led them away.  We lost so many fucking lives that day.  I had the children whose parents could be convinced of the danger, hidden with me in the church, the preacher Gabriel keeping me company, creepy though he was.  We heard the chaos and could almost FEEL the pain of loss even tucked away.  

We all should have known that it wasn’t over.  Not when we heard about the attack of motorcycle riding men demanding things on the road.  Not when the long haired man who called himself Jesus came along.  Not when we lost Denise, or second in line for group doctor since Eric demanded to be allowed to stay with the runners, just in case.  He hadn’t been with Mary’s group the day she died, and he still blamed himself.  What horrible irony that the one time Denise went out on a run would be the last time she breathed air.  

I’m not sure how I missed his name.  I’m not sure how Eric and Steven didn’t hear it.  Maybe we’d conditioned ourselves to NOT hear his name.  Since I wouldn’t say it, they wouldn’t offer it up, then maybe we’d conditioned ourselves to not acknowledge his name at all.  That’s the only way I can explain not knowing he was coming.  That he was alive.  That the man I’d loved was safe and sound, and apparently he was also the biggest bad that anyone in our community had ever fathomed. 

#coach negan x student #negan #The Walking Dead #alternative universe #character death

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

25th April >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Mark 16:15-20  for The Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist: ‘Proclaim the good news to all creation’.

The Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

Mark 16:15-20

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Gospel (USA)

Mark 16:15-20

Proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Reflections (5)

(i) Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

The first letter of Peter was written from the church of Rome to churches that are now in modern day Turkey. There is an ancient tradition which locates the writing of the gospel of Mark in the city of Rome and identifies the evangelist Mark as a disciple of Peter. The first reading from the first letter of Peter and the gospel reading from the gospel of Mark have a theme in common. In the first reading, Peter assures the churches he is addressing that even though they are having to suffer for their faith, the Lord ‘will see that all is well again; he will confirm, strengthen and support you’. The Lord is with his struggling churches to keep them faithful to the end. In the gospel reading, the risen Lord sends out his disciples to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, and the evangelist then says that as they went out to preach everywhere, the Lord was ‘working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it’. The risen Lord is with his disciples, working with them and confirming them. The message of the Lord working with and confirming his disciples is present in both readings. This is a message we need to hear today. Whenever we strive to be faithful to the Lord’s ways, whenever we seek to witness to him, we can always be assured of the Lord’s confirming presence. We understand the Sacrament of Confirmation as the moment when we confirm our baptism. However, the more fundamental confirmation is the Lord confirming us as we strive every day to follow in his way. The Lord is always working with us to confirm, strengthen and support us in our efforts to answer his call in today’s world.

And/Or

(ii) Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Mark has a special place among the evangelists because he was the first person to write a gospel. Up until the time Mark wrote, there was no continuous written account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. So we can be grateful to Mark for his written gospel. Others followed his example, leaving us with four gospels altogether. However, Mark was the pioneer; he was the first to break this new ground. His gospel is the shortest of the four, but, nonetheless, it is a very powerful telling of the Jesus story. More than the other evangelists, Mark highlights that Jesus’ preaching and living of the gospel challenged the status quo and brought great hostility down on his head, resulting in his crucifixion. Mark also emphasizes that being a disciple of this Jesus, living by his values, will often mean travelling the same way of the cross. Mark reminds us that living the gospel, following in the way of Jesus, is not easy; it makes demands on us; it stretches us. However, Mark also assures us that in our efforts to live the gospel, the Lord is with us to strengthen us and support us. As is said at the end of today’s gospel reading, the disciples, ‘going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them’.

 And/Or

(iii) Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Mark wrote the first of the four gospels. Even Mark’s gospel is placed second in the New Testament, almost all scholars agree that it was the earliest gospel to be written. It is generally dated to around about the year 70. Very ancient tradition suggests that Mark’s gospel was written in Rome and that Mark was a disciple of Peter. That is why a reading from the first letter of Peter is read on Mark’s feast day. This was a letter that was written from Rome. The conclusion of the letter, which is the conclusion of today’s first reading, sends greetings from ‘your sister in Babylon’. ‘Babylon’ is often a code for Rome in the New Testament. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem at the beginning of the sixth century BC, resulting in the Babylonian exile, and the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in the year 70 AD. ‘Your sister in Babylon’ is the church in Rome. 1 Peter appears to have been written from the church in Rome sometime after the year 70. The letter also concludes with a greeting from ‘my son Mark’. The author, Peter, is probably referring to Mark as his spiritual son, his follower in the faith. One of the features of Mark’s gospel is its very negative portrayal of Jesus’ first disciples, including Peter, those who were closest to him. This gospel emphasizes their failure. They fail to understand who Jesus is and what he says; eventually, they all desert him and Peter denies him. Yet, Mark’s portrayal of the failure of the disciples serves as a foil for his portrayal of Jesus’ faithfulness to them, in spite of all their weaknesses. In this morning’s gospel reading, the risen Lord keeps faith with them, sending them out to proclaim the gospel to the whole world. Mark is assuring all of us, his disciples today, that the risen Lord keeps faith with us, even when we let him down in various ways. The Lord’s faithfulness to us prompts us to keep faith with each other, especially with those who are close to us.

 And/Or

(iv) Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Mark has the great distinction of being the first to write a gospel, the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Before Mark came to write, much of the tradition about Jesus circulated within the early church in oral form; there were also some written traditions about Jesus. However, Mark was the first person to put this material together into a narrative of the life of Jesus. In that sense, he was a pioneer; he broke new ground. The other evangelists took their lead from Mark. We would love to know more about this very important figure in the early church. Unfortunately, we know very little. There is a very early tradition in the church, which first surfaced in the early part of the second century, according to which Mark was a companion of Peter. Mark never knew Jesus personally; he was not an eyewitness. However, he knew those who met Jesus and, in particular, he knew Peter. That is why the first reading for the feast of Mark is always from the first letter of Peter. At the end of that reading, Peter makes reference to ‘my son Mark’. We are probably to understand ‘my son’ as ‘my spiritual son’. The Mark that Peter refers to may well be the author of the first gospel. That same early tradition places Mark in the church of Rome, the city where Peter was crucified, the city where the church experienced the first real persecution lead by the Roman state. Mark may have written his gospel for the church in Rome in the aftermath of that cataclysmic event. The gospel was perhaps intended as a word of encouragement to the church, assuring them that just as they had travelled and were still travelling the way of the cross, Jesus had travelled that way before them. As risen Lord he was present among them, just as he had been present with the disciples in the boat as the storm raged at sea. As risen Lord he was also working with them. In the words of today’s gospel reading, the Lord was ‘working with them (the disciples) and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it’. That fundamental message of Mark’s gospel remains a word of encouragement to the church, the community of the Lord’s disciples, today as we battle with our own storms.

 And/Or

(v) Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Mark was the first person to write an account of the pubic ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Up until then, the story of Jesus’ live had been passed primarily by word of mouth. Mark, in a way, produced a new kind of literature, what became known as a gospel. He was a pioneer, someone who blazed a trail, soon to be followed by the evangelists we know as Matthew, Luke and John. He highlighted in his gospel the failure of the disciples. They are portrayed as failing to understand Jesus’ teaching, especially when he speaks of himself as the Son of Man who must be rejected, suffer and die. They then fail him completely when he enters into his passion and death; all of them deserted him. Yet, in Mark’s gospel the risen Jesus remains faithful to his disciples. At the empty tomb on the first Easter morning, the women are told by the young man to tell the disciples to go to Galilee where Jesus will meet them, not to reprimand them but to renew their discipleship. In this morning’s gospel reading we are told that the disciples were preaching everywhere in response to the risen Lord’s call, and that the Lord was working with them. Mark’s gospel assures us that even when we are unfaithful to the Lord, he remains faithful to us; even when we fail, he continues to call us to become all he wants us to be. Even when we turn from his presence, he remains present to us and will work with us as we strive to proclaim the gospel by our lives.

Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland.

Email: [email protected] or  [email protected]

Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie  Please join us via our webcam.

Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC.

Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf.

Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

[lasaraleen]

burnt marshwiggle, lion's kiss, train station

Burnt Marshwiggle: what verses do you turn to when you feel attacked or doubtful?

Tbh, I don’t doubt Jesus a lot? More than anything, when I’m feeling attacked it’s by fellow Christians unfortunately. I guess my main one is Galatians 3:28, a reminder that I am loved too, and that people who want to take that away from me can’t.

Lion’s Kiss: What expression of God’s love in this world touches you most deeply?

I’ve found out recently that when people really mean their offers of help and don’t only say that they’ll pray, but do their part to help.

Actually, something I’ve wanted to talk about is how God has been using our church family while my moms been in the hospital. A bunch of ladies came together and made pasties and froze them so I would have meals that were easy to get ready for the family. They took the time to really show God’s love. And a friend of mine at the co-op I teach at saw me cleaning up and knew about the situation with my mom and saw that I was clearly overwhelmed and said “like it or not, I’m helping you” and took away about half of my stress. Stuff like that really, to me, shows Jesus’s love.

Train Station: When you are in a spiritual drought or rut, how do you stay true to God and keep him in your daily life?

I’ve been struggling to connect with fellow Christians on some level for a while now, and honestly, I just include him in my crying at this point. I’ll pray throughout the day, and try to find his will in things and just.. pray. It might sound silly to some people, but keeping an open dialogue with God might be as mundane as “well, God, that light turned yellow but it’s too late to stop now, oh well.” and it helps me. Just including him in every aspect.

#christianity #thanks for asking!!

[cchmissions]

Passages Israel Trip 1/7/20

"Consider the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" -Matthew 6:26 

 This morning, some of us chose to wake up early and watch the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. As I watched a night sky that's not terribly different than what we see in America give way to a new day, I couldn't help watching the birds flitting about their business and thinking about Matthew 6:26, especially with the knowledge that I'd soon be on the mountain where Jesus taught the core of His message, including this charge to consider the birds. Right now, if you asked me to tell you about this trip, I'd only have a single word: contrast. Contrast between the grimy streets of Bethlehem and the raw beauty of the Mediterranean sunset., between the kindergarten/bomb shelter near Gaza that has no south-facing windows to protect the children against snipers and the peaceful snowy peak of Mount Hermon that beckoned us from the Golan Heights, and between the widow of terrorism who spoke to us about her husband's life and the simple placard outside the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem: "He is not here. He is Risen!"

The contrast between the kingdoms we've built and the one God is establishing for eternity and between our work and the work of God. 

 We have the privilege on this trip to see many of the locations where Jesus' life and ministry played out and where God intervened to supersede our work with His. After the sunrise, we went directly to the church of the Beatitudes, near where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount. This was many people's favorite church we've seen. It was relatively simple, and the focus of the area didn't seem to be the church as much as the mountain itself--the Church has an expansive balcony and garden overlooking the Sea of Galilee several hundred feet below us. Here, we had the opportunity to hear a short devotional on the paradigm shift Jesus laid out on this mountain, from a life defined by output to a life defined by heart. We then took some time to journal, pray, and reflect on both the sermon and the trip.

 From there, we went to the Tabgha (Church of the Primacy of Peter)--purportedly where Jesus asked Simon Peter three times if he loved Jesus. This church was directly on the shore of the sea of Galilee, so many of us merely poked our heads into the building and immediately went down to dip our toes into the water where Jesus walked. Lance then gave a tremendous word on this exchange between Jesus and Peter: Jesus meets us where we are, and regardless of our material abilities, we are needed.

 From Tabgha, we left to see the ruins of the city of Capernaum. This was a fishing village that was demolished by an earthquake in the 8th century, and has a spot that is now venerated as Simon Peter's house. Unfortunately, as Lance pointed out, Peter took his mailbox with him when he moved out, so we can't know for certain. This place offered another stunning view of the Sea of Galilee, and here Jody described a Biblical event that happened in Capernaum--the four men lowering their crippled friend through the roof to Jesus. He challenged us to lay our spiritual life at the center of our lives in front of Jesus, and see what healing comes from that act of obedience. 

 Next, we had lunch--authentic "St. Peter's fish," Tilapia. Our next stop was one of my favorites: a brief cruise on the sea of Galilee. Here, Jody challenged us to greater faith as our boat was rocked by the same waves that swamped Peter. This was particularly impactful for me; having seen these places with my own eyes, faith will be easy for the immediate future, but the action piece won't be as easy. Jody's challenge was simple: if you have greater faith, what's next? What happens after God works powerfully, and you find yourself back in the boat, having trod upon the waves? After this challenge, we sang. The lyrics came alive as a storm blew in and the sea changed within minutes from flat and calm to whitecaps blowing sea spray: "So I will call upon your name // and keep my eyes above the waves // when oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace // for I am yours, and you are mine"

 From here, we got to see Magdala, an archeological discovery that was only made in 2009: a first century city, including synagogue, on the shores of Galilee. Mary Magdalene would have called this place home. Scripture speaks often of Jesus moving around the area of Galilee and teaching in the synagogues. The ruins we saw would have been a prime location for Jesus to teach and further His ministry. The modern addition was a beautiful series of chapels, all dedicated to women of the faith. I particularly appreciated this spot and that decision: even our Jewish tour guide expressed her appallment with the Church's ignorance and treatment of women, especially with the powerful ways women act and are shown in Scripture. This area presents a powerful push back to the original beauty of Scripture. 

 Our last stop today was Yardenit, a place along the Jordan River where Jesus' baptism may have taken place. I expected to be disgusted by the touristy nature of this place and how it makes a declaration of faith into a bus stop, but I was very surprised at what I saw instead: groups from east Asia, Ghana, and other nations singing, dancing, and praising God as they were all baptized. I will never know their hearts, but I know what I saw: the name of the Lord being proclaimed with glad hearts. The river Jordan in this spot is nothing like I had ever pictured it--it's not a desert. It's actually quite lush, and not too different from some oversized creeks in Missouri.

  This day, like all on this trip, has been packed full of stops, things to see, and information to digest. Today, though, was much more personal. Our goal wasn't to learn, but to experience. I'll never read scripture the same way after seeing the things we saw today.

Thank you all for your prayers and support on this trip. As incredible as Israel is, we're growing more excited to be home in America.

 In Christ Alone,

 Adam Brooks

[dailyaudiobible]

02/28/2020 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, Psalms 44:1-8, Proverbs 10:19

Today is the 28th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it's great to be here with you today coming to you from the holy city of Jerusalem where we…well…we spent the entire day kind of in and around the old city and…and all of the different things to see here in Jerusalem. Today will be escaping and going down to the shephelah, which is the lowlands for the day. So, that's exciting. It's…it's…it's beautiful to see the green lush open land again after being more in a metropolitan, kind of large congested area. So, that will give us a breather and get us ready for our final day of this pilgrimage tomorrow. So, let's…let's get into the Scriptures. Let's see what the Bible has to say to us today. We’re reading from the Christian Standard Bible this week. Today Leviticus chapter 22 verse 17 through 23 verse 44

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the gospel of Mark today Jesus is moving around the countryside teaching, doing ministry, doing what he does, and John comes to Him with this really, really interesting situation. He’s like, “we saw somebody trying to cast out demons in your name and we tried to put a stop to it because he wasn't…he wasn't one of us.” That is sort of the first rumblings of an issue that was…that was certainly going on among the Hebrew people but then bled its way into the early church and still continues until this very day. Even though Jesus spoke very very clearly from His own lips about how He saw it. So, like as believers, we usually kind of…we usually find a group, we might call it our church community, but we sort of find a group of friends, other believers and we…we stick together. And that's community. And there's nothing wrong with that. If we’re defining ourselves as believers in Jesus, we’re following the way, we are practicing our faith, knowing that we have not mastered anything, that…that we’re in process and that we’re walking with God and we’re walking together then we’re the body of Christ. It just gets weird once we decide we have to define precisely what that means. And then we get our theology books and start with our dogmas because invariably at some point we will think we have it right and someone else, some other group, some other people who don't see things the way we see them, they have it wrong. So, the ultimate question then becomes “who gets to be in the kingdom? Who gets in? And is that something that a human being, no matter how judgmental, and no matter how much authority they seem to hole, do they have any say in it at all?” After all it is God's kingdom. But we can get ourselves so segregated into our group that we then can't even fathom the concept that God could use anyone to do anything that thinks differently than we do because they’re not really in. So, John was seeing somebody that they didn't know that was not part of their group casting out demons in the name of Jesus and he tried to shut it down because he wasn't part of the group. Same thing was going on with the Pharisees toward Jesus and now it's in Jesus’ inner circle. And unfortunately, it's always been with us and is still with us today. But Jesus said “don't stop him. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” And then He went on and He had a little child and He uses the example. What He was saying was, “like anything that's done for anyone who belongs to Christ, even something as little as like a glass of water isn't gonna go unrecognized.” So, in our own lives may we understand that if and when we encounter God on the move, whether through a group of people or a person or something that we don't understand, let's quit with the labels, let's understand that we are at a crossroads. And as we've been talking about in all kinds of situations, let's understand that wisdom will be there and just the humility of knowing none of us have this all sorted out. That's why we’re practicing our faith. That's why we’re all undergoing the process of sanctification, the process that sets us apart and makes us holy to God. We’re all at different points in our journey. Criticizing everybody else's journey does not further ours. It actually walls us off and it doesn't take long before we look like the Pharisees. May we offer grace, the same kind of grace we would like to see as we love our neighbor as ourselves.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit we invite You into that because what freedom it would bring, what freedom it would bring. And we confess, the reason these kinds of things usually happen is truly based in fear. We do not want to get it wrong, not with You, not with You. The implications are far, far, far too dire. And, so, we live in fear that we might get it wrong when we will get it wrong. But You have offered us an open door. We can always return. We can always repent. And that is for everyone, not just for our group. So, come Holy Spirit and give us grace. May we see the kingdom at work in our world today and may we understand that we are a part of it. In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

Okay. So, we’re like down to our last couple of days in the land of the Bible for this pilgrimage and that's always kind of…of a mixed…mixed feeling. We’ve been in motion for so long now and it’s just our heart…heads, hearts, just bodies, everything. We’re full, empty and tired and elated. And, so, it's just all of that. And, so, yeah, longing to be home but hating to leave all of that just kinda comes. Yesterday, ooo, it was a long day around Jerusalem. Beautiful day, thank God. It was a beautiful, beautiful day but we…we were…we were working and we saw a lot, covered a lot of ground. I'm trying to think if I can even remember it all.

We got up early, like 1/2 an hour early to get in the line, queue to…to be able to go on to the Temple Mount. And that's pretty extraordinary on a clear blue-sky day. The dome just kind of stands out. It…it's just a really…it’s a remarkable place with definitely conflicted history all over the place over all kinds of time. But that's kind of the nature of Jerusalem. That's been the story pretty much all along. So, yeah, you can feel the tension, you can sense…you can sense that because it's ancient, it's always been. And, so, there’s just a lot of jostling around. But a beautiful morning up on the Temple Mount.

And then we came down and went to the pools of Bethesda. And this is where Jesus healed a man that had been…had been suffering there by the pools on a…basically on a daily basis for 38 years. And Jesus came along and said, “do you want to be made whole?” And that's a challenging thing. That's a challenging thing to consider, especially here on the pilgrimage. It’s like…it's like so much comes down to that. “Do you want to be made whole?” Not “can you” or “should you”. Like, “do you want to this and the collaboration that happens with God when we say yes to that?” And, so, yeah, spent a little bit of time, kind of pondering that and putting it in our hearts. It’s a beautiful church from the Crusader era right there with the acoustics that are really breathtaking as well. And often it's really full, really hard to get in there but we managed to get group in there, and Jill lead us in…in a song and just could hear the echo of our voices just bouncing all around. It's really majestic. It’s a lot of fun to do. It's just a really, really unique experience. It’s like you’re in a huge cathedral and you are, but just being in Israel in this ancient church and singing to the Lord and just hearing the echo of it is…is wonderful.

So, we did that and then many…many of us walked on the old walls. You can kind of walk a portion of the old walls, beautiful views and you gotta climb some stairs, but beautiful views. And then coming down and also just little small sections of the city that from the Roman era as well as like the wall, a portion of the wall of Jerusalem from the time of King Hezekiah. And that is also pretty remarkable, see how wide the wall is. Even though it’s like all buried, you know, you can’t see how high. And it's a small section but just kind of see like, “this is…the this is what a wall at this time, a fortified city at this time would’ve look like.” And their thick. I'm thinking, I don’t know, we’re like above it, I'm thinking 30 feet maybe 35. Maybe…I don't know. I’m not so good with that and I didn’t have a tape measure, but really really thick. So, you know, it's…it's easy enough to imagine the kind of battle the…like the kind of ongoing onslaught that it would take to breach a wall like that. And we read of those kinds of stories in the Scriptures, especially the tactic of surrounding…like starving the city basically and weakening everyone's morale. And there’s plenty of stories that we will encounter in the Bible about that including Hezekiah's story when we get to it.

Then there was some lunch in the Jewish quarter and then to the Jerusalem archaeological Park, which is again, it’s…I mean there's a lot to see but it is really spectacular. Your down below the walls of the old city. So, like the southern temple steps are there. Part of the steps that what would've continued up to the temple when it was there. And some of them have been re-created but some of the original steps are there. And, so, that's one of the places that you can be where…where you’re…you have just a pretty near certainty that Jesus would’ve walked there, that Jesus would’ve taught things on those steps and would've been there. And, so, for us to be there and not only have that touch point with Jesus, but also to open up the book of Acts and read the story of the Holy Spirit's coming and Peter's first message, and 3000 people following the way of Jesus after that and being baptized and considering where…where that might've taken place and understanding that the temple complex is really the only place that would have that kind of resource to do that many baptisms. So, that's a likely scenario. And just having that touch point is great. Like all these things are great by themselves and you start stacking them up and it's really great and then just kind of following all of the archaeology around the old walls and then making our way over to the Western wall and being able to go to the wall and join with brothers and sisters all over the world and…and pray, touch the wall.

I took Ezekiel to the wall this time. I mean, we prayed and that was…that was really sweet to watch his little hand reach out and touch the wall. Probably should've took pictures of that, probably would've wanted to remember that, but it just seemed like a moment that needed to live in memory. I don’t know. Sometimes you have these moments where you’re like, “I really really should video this or I really should take a picture of this”. But maybe that, you know, maybe that ruins the whole thing. Maybe this is just a moment that we have. So, that…that…that happened and was beautiful.

Then we went into the, what's called the rabbinical tunnels. So, a lot of archaeology has been done under the ground along the walls of the old city because the temple mount itself, the second Temple era, this is during Herod's development phase. And he was crazy. I mean you read about it. He was crazy. But he was a fantastic developer and so much of his fingerprint on this land still stands today, including…including the, you know, the Temple Mount, the whole support system to hold up the Temple Mount, like all these massive retaining walls. But they sort of disappear. You have this like one little section of that with, you know, with the western wall or the Wailing Wall as it has been known. But it continues. It's just, you know, the cities built up. But archaeologist have for years been working beneath the ground. And, so, you can kind of go down there and see all of that, basically walk the whole length of the Temple Mount under…under the ground and see that, “yeah, these are the same. This is the same Herodian era all the way down.” Ssee some of the Roman era. There’s opportunities where they had like glass, you could look down all the way to the second Temple period, the time of Jesus, see the street down below. So, that's pretty…pretty fantastic as well.

And then we finally…finally got back to our hotel pretty exhausted. We did a lot of walking. But it was a beautiful day and we made it…we made it and we saw a lot in Jerusalem today and we got sort of the…the full force of the city…like the change of complexion that Jerusalem brings. So, the wilderness, very different. The Galilee, very different than the wilderness. The Mediterranean coast, very different than the Galilee. Jerusalem, very different than the cost. So, we’ve kind of experienced all of that and it's been wonderful and today we’ll be heading into the low lands and I’ll be telling you about that tomorrow.

Thank you for your continued prayers and…over all of this…and as we prepare…even though we have a couple days left…as we prepare to reenter our world as we go home and prepare for that. Thank you for your prayers over all of that.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There is a link on the homepage, and I thank you profoundly for your partnership. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi this is Laura from Castle Rock and I just joined with the DAB this January. I just happened to find it. And, so, I’ve been listening every day and enjoying the Word and the prayers and today I just heard Harold call in and I just burst into tears because he prayed the prayer of salvation and I’m so happy for him. And I just have been following his story and ever since I heard about him, you know, praying for him and just thinking about all the other people that maybe don’t feel like they have a place. And I’m just so grateful I found this community and I, because of my own life circumstances, have been kind of isolated from the church and just been through a lot of hurt and trying to work through that but this format just is so nice and feels safe. And I just…I’m praying today to for Diana’s boys and just joining in with the prayers of the people that…that they would feel comforted and they would feel surrounded by love as they walk through the grief of losing their mom. So, I just wanted to say hi, introduce myself, and…and join in with the prayers of the community. Thanks. Bye.

So, this is my first time calling in my name is Emari Davis. You all can call me SOG1031. I’m from Houston Texas. This is this is my first time calling in because I was using the wrong app. I was using the old app and I was always wondering like, “I don’t see no red button up at the top. I’m not understanding how I’m supposed to call in and pray.” But finally updated to the new app, praise God and…and I’m loving it. I really am loving it. I’ve been plugged into the Daily Audio Bible this…for this year like every day. But I started a couple years ago. My mom actually showed me the app and I listen to it every once in a while, you know, but it’s just…just this year alone of me listening to it every day has really impacted my life and everything. And today I was listening and I just…I just want to pray…I just…I just I want to ask for prayer. Can you guys pray that…that…that the heart…that my heart is a good heart, you know, that it receives the Word like it should and just that God makes my heart a clean heart and…and that the that the word just takes deep ,deep root, deep root, deep, deep root. And that’s all…that’s all I ask of you guys. I also want to send prayers out to Diana Davis’s sons. You all will be in my prayers and…and everything. So, God bless you.

Hey this is Cindy the Silver Lining Miner from Seattle. I really have it on my heart to call and chat with you Daniel Johnson Junior. I think probably two years ago, maybe three, you sent or you sang a little doughnut song and I don’t remember what it was but I remember it was so adorable and it really lifted my spirits and I just…I wanted to take this opportunity to lift your spirits. And I know you’ve got issues with congestive heart failure and you’ve been laid off, but I just want you to rest and I don’t know how old you are, but rest assured gray capital is a thing. People will value your wisdom and your experience. And please don’t let your age deter you. Anybody who’s older and looking for work, man I work with some people who are older than me, which is surprising but it’s also encouraging because everybody’s got something to offer. And please don’t let those lies deter you from finding a job. I’ll be praying for you. Also wanted to pray for trusting father in South Carolina. I’m just praying for your daughters and your son. I’m happy that you have spiritual replenishment and I’m praying that you can be a beacon of light for your family. Kimberly who was abused by churchmen, I’m so glad you’re feeling a part of this community and enjoying this fellowship and I’m praying for you as well. There was a woman who called in tonight who…well…I listened tonight to the episode. and she just joined the church and she gave her life to Christ. Hang in there and listen to God, listen for God in the quiet times. His love is all around you and we will be praying for you and we welcome you to this community and we support and love you and God loves you a hundred times more. So, rest in that. Thank you.

Hi this is Norma from the Bronx. I just needed to call and thank Brian for today’s…February 19th…today’s devotional. Something really penetrated me, my spirit so much. Brian said something. He said that we try so hard to get out of the wilderness instead of trying to see what it is that God is…is trying to teach us or trying to show us. And it totally made me refocus the pain that I have been enduring to be lessons that God is trying to teach me. And I just want to be…hope that I’m thankful so much for Brian. It has given me a new sense of hope to focus on the lesson. And he also said something, that it shapes you. And that is so true. The wilderness, it shapes you and prepares you for what God has called you to do. That is so powerful. God bless you.

Hey DAB family this Kingdom Seeker Daniel from Chicago and I am…I am overwhelmed right now with tears of joy. I…I just left a facility that I service for the mentally disabled and there’s a young lady in there that I…I had a chance to connect with just in passing. She’s one of the residents and it’s been several months since we’ve connected, but as I just left the facility, she called my name out, she called my name out, she remembered my name from of very, very brief exchange that we had. And it just blessed by soul. And, so, I just wanted to encourage someone with…with the reality that God knows your name. God knows your name, Beloved, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you’re dealing with, He knows your name. Michael, Elijah, Charisse, He knows your name. Don’t ever think that God doesn’t love you. God bless you guys.

Hey DAB family it is Shanda the sister from South Dakota. I am calling today because I…well my son is in need of prayer. He is 18 and we’ve had to kick him out of the house because after he got off probation we found…I found marijuana in the house and an apparatus to smoke it with and we have young children and we had an expectation any he broke that expectation. Now he’s living with one of my family members that is most likely a practicing meth addict. And I know how much my son longs for acceptance and confidence and all the things that drugs…drugs falsely present themselves as - confidence and beautiful and wonderful. I’m just…I’m praying against the enemy making advances on my family anymore through drugs. I’m praying for the cycle of addiction to be broken. I started by getting clean and I am almost 2 years clean. And I just am praying for this generational curse to stop and…and for my family members to see the light of God. And God has told me to trust and not to worry and it’s been kind of hard lately but I’m gonna try and I’m just asking for you guys to rally behind me with your powerful prayers and I will keep praying for all of you guys. I love you guys. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day.

Good morning this is Laura from Georgia I’m new to DAB. I’ve been here officially January 5th and it’s been a blessing to me. And I haven’t really called in for prayer for myself. I’ve called and prayed for other people and have given praise reports, but I need prayer. I am…I feel like I’m in the wilderness here. I am from Oklahoma but moved here two years ago two and a half years ago because of marriage. And the gentleman, after four months of marriage, emailed me and told me he wanted a divorce. So, I felt lost and alone, but God had me here for a reason because the only person that I could draw my strength on…strength from was Him. And I saw him do so much wonderful things for me. But the bottom line is is that I haven’t established any true friends because I am a member of the church, a beautiful church, but I only get to go on Sunday’s. Because of my work schedule I can’t go to Bible Study, I can’t get in connect groups or whatever. And my prayer is that God would bless me with female companion that loves the Lord and that we can experience Georgia together. I am dating but I miss that friendship, that female companionship and I need that. And there are days when I feel really, really low and, in fact, when I joined or came across DAB I was at a very low point, very depressed and feeling very, very alone. So, I thank you for mt DAB family. Keep me in prayer please and reach out to...