Stunning religious illiteracy from NPR

we are paying taxes to have our values mocked and to be insulted on a daily basis.

“Liberalism” and journalism are in perfect harmony. The reason is quite simple - journalism which focuses intensely on bad news - and yet claims to be objective - is inherently cynical about society. Journalists know that journalism focuses on the negative, and lets the positive pass by without comment. Knowing that, only a cynic can claim that journalism is objective, because that is equivalent to asserting that “negativity is objectivity.”
Recognize that “cynicism" is an antonym for “faith,” and you see very clearly why journalists do not recognize “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Recognize that Thomas Paine had a point in asserting that “society” and “government” are in a real sense opposites:
SOME writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.
Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one - Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776)
. . . and it becomes clear that cynicism towards society corresponds to naiveté towards government. If “SOME writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them,” and if society is a blessing and government is an evil, “SOME writers” thereby express cynicism towards society and naiveté towards government. And the combination of the two is “liberalism.”

Further down in the article:

The problem is not just with the media, but is even internal to Christian communities. I’ve said in this space on many occasions that as I travel to Christian colleges, one of the biggest complaints I hear from faculty is that young people have next to no theological knowledge. They are the products of parishes, congregations, and (especially) youth groups that have reduced the faith to mere relationality. I was once in the presence of a college student who had been raised in the church, been involved since childhood, and had been active in a parachurch youth ministry. She knew that Jesus was her best buddy, but she did not realize that he had been physically raised from the dead.

Thanks.

As for the wine. Wine was drank more than juice, because of the very fact as you mentioned, no refrigeration. Thus the time would result in normal juice becoming fermented over time.

As for strength, I will not delve into that except to point out Jesus first miracle turning water to wine. Of such quality that it was mentioned how the best wine is usually served first while everyone is sober and and less quality wine last when everyone is inebriated and wouldn’t notice.

Yet the praise was for the best quality wine being served last. Thus pointing out how good and strong the wine was that Jesus made even though no one knew he made it from water but those serving it, Jesus, and his mother Mary.

Drinking wine for Christ would not have been a problem. Especially during the feast since wine was a normal staple of the Passover feast, and Jesus was not one to drink more than was needed to have with a meal.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.