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The world has endured an almost mind-numbing series of shocks in recent weeks, from the unprecedented swarm of tornadoes across the American Midwest to the death and destruction wrought by Cyclone Nargis as it tore a path through Myanmar, better known as Burma.There were 368 documented tornadoes in the U.S. in January and February of this year, shattering the previous record of 243 over that two-month period, set in 1999. February's total of 232 tornadoes also shattered previous records.Cyclone Nargis ripped Burma apart, killing at least 128,000, according to Red Cross estimates, and creating some 2.5 million refugees.Al Gore was...

Mormon Legends and Traditions About the Return of Israel Prophecies, like fertile fields, produce good weeds, and none more so among Latter-day Saints than the field of prophecy dealing with the gathering of Israel and the leading of the ten tribes from the lands of the north. Theological dandelions and doctrinal thistles are thought by some to be the most beautiful of Zion's flowers. Consider the following: The Star Theory. One of our all-time favorites is the idea that the ten tribes were taken away from this earth in a manner similar to that of the city of Enoch and...

Thursday, May 8, 2008 Westboro to picket...Westboro? Topeka,KS- If anyone thought they were safe, surely the actual members of the Westboro Baptist Church did, but this weekend plans are underway for a picketing, that's right, the Westboro Baptist members will picket themselves. "It's a shame we have to do this. America is doomed, and we've allowed ourselves to become overwhelmed by the stupidity of this doomed country," said Frank Phelps, a distant cousin of Shirley Phelps. "We have become too pro-homosexual, so now we have to warn ourselves of God's doom and wrath against our own church." The zealous...

Where Do the Dinosaurs Fit? Figuring out when the dinosaurs lived relative to man isn't really so difficult. by Mario Seiglie "I don't believe in the Bible because dinosaurs lived a long time before man ever did."Have you ever heard a statement like that? I certainly have—many times. In fact, this was one of the principal reasons Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, eventually rejected the Bible. Many have followed suit. Most people believe you can't reconcile dinosaurs and the Bible—but they are wrong. This erroneous idea is based on the supposition that either you have to...

Why a Human Utopia Won't Happen by Bill Bradford My children started watching it first. I happened to see it on television occasionally. Then I found myself drawn into this social drama by the endless manifestations of ever-evolving technology. Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, is the popular space-odyssey television adventure in which man in the 25th century is expanding his philosophy and near-utopian coexistence among other, less-sophisticated, inhabitants of the galaxies.It's an idea older than Plato that man can somehow engineer a civilization that brings peace, happiness and prosperity to all who can be persuaded to embrace its philosophy.In...

Reconciliation: A Vital Part of Christ's Message A major theme of Christ's message is reconciliation. But how does reconciliation fit into God's plan for you and me? by Mark Mickelson Jesus Christ began His public ministry by declaring the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the people in Galilee. What He said and did during His 31/2-year ministry was so incredible that it just couldn't be ignored. Jesus called people to repentance and gave them hope. He gave them encouragement and healed their diseases. Even more, He possessed the power to forgive their sins.Christ's countrymen were astonished that He...

His Ascension and Our Access " It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven " —Luke 24:51 We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the...

Thesis: Remember when gay rights movement started? The gays stated their goal was just to be accepted. Since that time "accepted" has morphed into what we saw transpire in the California Supreme Court: full marriage rights to the gays. Very few saw this coming at the beginning of the Gay rights movement. The entire process was akin to putting a frog in a pot of cold water and gradually turning up the heat. THAT being said, is it outlandish to think that the restorationist LDS sectlets, such as the fLDS, will start bringing cases to court claiming their right to...

The theory of translation that seeks to represent the original text by translating in a word-for-word paradigm, rather than a thought-for-thought paradigm. Formal Equivalence translations would include, among others, the KJV, NASB, ESV, and RSV. Also see Dynamic Equivalence

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Stemming from this comment >>I think the RCC doctrines are a product of the enemy<< Please tell us where we stand here. Examples welcome, but I'm not sure that actual names can be used when quoting another FReeper, so date and thread title may be better.

Caritas Internationalis emergency response efforts are underway in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady division and Yangon districts, two of the areas hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis, for an estimated 40,000 people who will receive vital relief, including food, shelter, water, medical care and psychological support. Catholic Relief Services is supporting Caritas Internationalis and partners on the ground after one of the worst cyclones to hit the region in decades struck this delta region on May 2. To date, 1,000 people have received food, and another 16,000 people are expected to receive relief supplies in the coming days. More than 100 local volunteers have...

Faith and Righteousness Today's Scripture “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria So many people today are looking for ways to be righteous or to be in “right standing” with God. The Bible simply says that when we believe God, that’s righteousness. The proof, or evidence, of our faith in Him is found in our actions. The Bible says that faith without works is dead. That means, when we really believe something, our actions will support what we believe. Because Abraham believed God, he obeyed His word...

The Habit of Recognizing God’s Provision " . . . you may be partakers of the divine nature . . ." —2 Peter 1:4 We are made "partakers of the divine nature," receiving and sharing God’s own nature through His promises. Then we have to work that divine nature into our human nature by developing godly habits. The first habit to develop is the habit of recognizing God’s provision for us. We say, however, "Oh, I can’t afford it." One of the worst lies is wrapped up in that statement. We talk as if our heavenly Father has cut...

Dynamic Equivalence The theory of translation that seeks to represent the original text by translating in a thought-for-thought paradigm, rather than a word-for-word paradigm. Dynamic Equivalence translations would include, among others, the NIV, NLT, NJB, and GNB. And from May 15, 2008 Eisegesis [ahy’-suh-jee‘-sis] (Greek eis-, “into” + Greek hegeisthai, “to guide”) The interpretive fallacy of reading into (eis-) the text of Scripture a preconceived theology in order to make it fit with what those presumptions require. Eisegesis is to be contrasted with exegesis which involves the arrival of meaning from or out of (ex-) the biblical text, without the...

May 16, 2008                                 Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Jas 2:14-24, 26 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,if someone says he has faith but does not have works?Can that faith save him?If a brother or sister has nothing to wearand has no food for the day,and one of you says to them,“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,”but you do not give them the necessities of the body,what good is it?So also faith of itself,if it does not have works,...

Mormons seeking recognition as a legitimate member of the Christian church is self-contradictory because the religion was founded by declaring it is the only existing true church, stated one of America’s pre-eminent evangelical leaders Friday. Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, focused in his second blog entry on how, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ own definition, it cannot be considered part of the orthodox Christian church. “‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,’ as Mormonism is officially known, claims to be the only true church. As stated in the Doctrine...

Gentleness: The Mark of a Christian Gentleness, so sadly lacking in this world, should be evident in the life of a Christian. What is gentleness, and how can it be a part of your life? by Noel Hornor "I love those dear hearts and gentle people who live in my home town. Because those dear hearts and gentle people will never, ever let you down." The words of this song, written 47 years ago by Bob Hilliard, call to mind a time when the world was (at least in our collective memory) a more neighborly place. Do you sometimes find...

I was truly blessed with a smile when I listened to this song being sung, click and enjoy.

Des Moines, IA (LifeNews.com) -- Iowa-based St. Ambrose University, a Catholic college, is under fire from pro-life advocates in the Midwestern state for honoring an abortion advocate. The school awarded what one pro-life group called "one of Iowa’s most notorious abortion activists" with an honorary degree. At the St. Ambrose graduation ceremony on Sunday, school officials handed an honorary degree to Margaret (“Maggie”) Tinsman, a former state senator in Iowa from 1989-2006. Tinsman received an “Honorary Doctor of Public Services” by the St. Ambrose Board of Directors. That came despite a strongly pro-abortion voting record, including opposing a measure that...

He Gives Good Gifts Today's Scripture “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father…” (James 1:17). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God has so many good and perfect gifts in store for you. Not only does He offer eternal life through His Son, Jesus, but the Bible is filled with His generous and abundant promises in this life. He wants to bless you with provision and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. He wants to pour out His abundant favor on you and cause everything you...

The Habit of Rising to the Occasion " . . . that you may know what is the hope of His calling . . . " —Ephesians 1:18 Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10  ). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must...

The Lord has given us two different statements on what His voice is like. The first is that it is still and small and whispers. The second statement was given through the Prophet Joseph to Oliver Cowdery before the Church was organized. Oliver Cowdery arrived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, in April 1829. He had traveled from Palmyra to investigate for himself whether the reports he had heard about Joseph and the gold plates were true. The Lord gave him the confirmation he sought (see D&C 6), and then told him that he was immediately to begin assisting Joseph in the translation...

May 15, 2008                            Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Jas 2:1-9 My brothers and sisters, show no partialityas you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly,and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in,and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothesand say, “Sit here, please,”while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,”have you not made distinctions among yourselvesand become judges with evil designs? Listen, my...

The smell won't be incense Sunday, but burnt rubber. Leave that coat and tie in the closet. Grab your Dale Jr. T-shirt, and practice your "whoooeeeee!" NASCAR is coming to church. First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, most of the time a traditional Southern Baptist flock, will try something Sunday so outlandish, so unorthodox and cool, that it just might work: NASCAR All-Star Sunday. If you are one of the "unchurched" or "dechurched" who might have fallen off the church wagon somewhere in life's Turn 4 so many years ago, this is your kind of worship. In the foyer, next...

Eclectic text Describes a method or theory of text criticism that seeks to reconstruct the original text of the Scripture by using manuscript evidence from all available sources. Most modern translations rely on eclectic texts (UBS4, NA27). This is to be contrasted with some methods of text criticism that rely only on one manuscript tradition (e.g., the KJV and New KJV rely only on the Byzantine manuscript text-type).

Written On Your Heart Today's Scripture “They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts…” (Romans 2:15). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria In the Old Testament, God’s commands were written on stone tablets and kept in the tabernacle. Now, we are living according to the New Testament, and when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we become His temple. He lives in us, and He engraves His promises and commands in our hearts. How can you be sure of this? This verse goes on to say that your conscience, or inner man, has a...

The Habit of Enjoying Adversity " . . . that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body " —2 Corinthians 4:10 We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that "the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the...

The Wikimedia Foundation has received a copyright infringement claim from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church. The infringement claim is in reference to a URL used as a source in a Wikinews article about Mormon Church documents leaked to the website Wikileaks, titled "Copy of handbook for leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obtained by Wikinews". The URL was originally cited as a link in the sources subsection of the article. The Wikimedia Foundation is a donor-supported non-profit organization which runs Wikipedia and Wikinews. This is the first...

MCKINNEY, TX, May 13, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Texas residents are alarmed that Bishop Kevin Farrell has appointed Fr. Arthur Mallinson, a priest associated with a prominent website for actively homosexual priests and religious, pastor of the newly renovated St. Michael's parish in McKinney, Texas. Fr. Arthur Mallinson's picture has appeared on the St. Sebastian's Angels (SSA) website, a now defunct online network for actively homosexual priests and religious that featured pornographic images, sexually explicit comments, and derogatory remarks about Vatican churchmen, particularly against then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. In 1999, the reform organization Roman Catholic Faithful (RCF) exposed SSA and the fifty-three...

LUBBOCK, Texas — A former Lubbock pastor convicted of pocketing more than $500,000 in federal funds meant for needy children over summer breaks was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison Monday. James Cornell Clark, former pastor of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, was convicted in January on 41 counts of fraud, laundering and other charges. Five business entities created by Clark were also convicted of money laundering charges. Prosecutors say Clark created the businesses to receive funds for the Summer Food Program, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide nutritious meals for children when school is closed....

May 14, 2008                                     Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters(there was a group of about one hundred and twenty personsin the one place).He said, “My brothers and sisters,the Scripture had to be fulfilledwhich the Holy Spirit spoke beforehandthrough the mouth of David, concerning Judas,who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.Judas was numbered among usand was allotted a share in this ministry.For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let...

Hundreds of gallons of water which rose from the cellar of a Cambridgeshire church are believed to have come from an old drain. Water was coming up from underneath the Trinity Church in March at a rate of about 10 gallons (45 litres) an hour. Reg Kemp, property steward of Trinity Church, had drunk the "holy" water and said he hoped it could be bottled and become an attraction. But Anglian Water said tests proved it was "environmentally contaminated". The spokesman said: "It could cause an upset stomach, whatever the source. Even if it's a natural spring or rainwater it...

At Fatima, Our Lady gave a basic message: conversion or chastisement. Conversion is not happening, and we are living in a moral crisis that is a real chastisement. But we are also experiencing a chastisement in the form of natural disasters. The disasters are also invitations to conversions. St. Alphonsus Liguori, tells us how God uses natural calamities such as floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes, to warn people to change their ways, rather than as punishments. He show proves that God uses these disasters to warn us to change our ways. Here are the facts: -- Mother's Day brought a devastating...

Lightning bolts appear above and around the Chaiten volcano as seen from Chana, some 30 kms (19 miles) north of the volcano, as it began its first eruption in thousands of years, in southern Chile May 2, 2008. Cases of electrical storms breaking out directly above erupting volcanos are well documented, although scientists differ on what causes them. Picture taken May 2, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Gutierrez (CHILE) The Etna volcano in Sicily rumbled back to life on Tuesday with a "seismic event" followed by a burst of ash, volcanologists said three days after minor eruptions shook the cone. A "seismic...

Hermeneutics [hur’-muh-noo‘-tiks] (Greek hermeneuo, “to translate” or “to interpret”) The science or method of interpretation of a given text. It also refers to the discipline of applying principles toward biblical exegesis. Several different methods implemented include, but are not limited to, the historical-grammatical, lexical-syntactical, theological, and contextual.

Help Others Succeed Today's Scripture “Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 NLT). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God’s system works on the principle of sowing and reaping. What you pour out will come back to you in increased measure. When you give generously, a generous harvest will return to you. When you help others succeed, you will find abundant success on your path, too. What are you investing in the lives of the people around you? Are you helping others get ahead? There are people in your...

The Habit of Keeping a Clear Conscience " . . . strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men " —Acts 24:16 God’s commands to us are actually given to the life of His Son in us. Consequently, to our human nature in which God’s Son has been formed (see Galatians 4:19  ), His commands are difficult. But they become divinely easy once we obey.Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of...

May 13, 2008                             Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Jas 1:12-18 Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.No one experiencing temptation should say,“I am being tempted by God”;for God is not subject to temptation to evil,and he himself tempts no one.Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,and when sin reaches maturity it gives...

Choose Blessing Today's Scripture “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God desires that you live in blessing in every area of your life. He’s given promises in His Word and has established a plan for you to live in total victory. He promises to give you the answers, but you have to be the one to decide to obey His voice. You have the final choice, so choose life and blessing! Every time you choose...

(IsraelNN.com) A new study carried out at Brandeis University finds that as the liberal Jewish community empowers its women, its men appear to be losing interest in their Jewishness. According to a report in JTA, which publishes parts of the study, "outside the Orthodox world, men are becoming less and less engaged in every aspect of Jewish life, from the home to the synagogue to communal organizations. Numerous studies show that fewer boys than girls go to non-Orthodox youth groups, religious schools or summer camps, fewer go into the rabbinate and cantorate, and fewer serve on synagogue or federation committees....

The Habit of Having No Habits " If these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful . . . " —2 Peter 1:8 When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it. There are times when we are aware of becoming virtuous and godly, but this awareness should only be a stage we quickly pass through as we grow spiritually. If we stop at this stage, we will develop a sense of spiritual pride. The right thing to do with godly habits is to immerse them in the life...

Apostasy [uh-pos-tuh-see] Gr. apo (away, apart) stasis (standing) When a person commits a formal desertion, denouncement, or rejection from one’s religion, namely Christianity. A person who commits apostasy is called an apostate. The Bible is replete with warnings against and examples of, apostasy. [cf. Heb 6:4-6, Forsaking the Lord, Jer. 2:17]. Jesus himself spoke of a day called The Great Apostasy [Matt. 24:9-12] at which point will consummate with the end; a.k.a, The Day of The Lord [2 Thess. 2:2-3

Man On The Moon--A Colossal Hoax that Cost Billions of Dollars Although many believe man first reached the moon in July, 1969, we have information from a very reliable source, the Sanskrit Vedic scriptures, that the astronauts never actually went to the moon. The manned moon landing was a colossal hoax. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami (04-08-08) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the spiritual master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, once described materialistic civilization as "a society of the-cheaters and the cheated." Looking at our modern world, we can easily see why: massive advertising campaigns for cigarettes and liquor that...

May 12, 2008                                   Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Jas 1:1-11 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings. Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,when you encounter various trials,for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.And let perseverance be perfect,so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.But if any of you lacks wisdom,he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly,and he will be given it.But he should ask in faith,...

Posted as a discussion thread for the topic of caucus thread at: This FR location Many readers have read about the finding of ancient votive altars in Yemen that appear to bear the Book of Mormon place-name Nahom. This significant find has been noted in the Ensign magazine,[1] in the April 2001 general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,[2] and in a recently published volume by Terryl Givens in which he refers to these altars as "the first actual archaeological evidence for the historicity of the Book of Mormon" and "the most impressive find to date...

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 5/12 and 5/15Kohen--Leviticus 25:1-3Levi--vs. 4-7Yisra'el--vs. 8-13 Strday 5/17--Shabbat Parashat BeHarMORNING Kohen--Leviticus 25:1-13Levi--25:14-18Shelishi--25:19-24Revi`i--25:25-28Chamishi--25:29-38Shishi--25:39-46Shevi`i--25:47-26:2Maftir--25:55-26:2Haftarah--Jeremiah 32:6-27 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 26:3-5Levi--vs. 6-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-13

'Love One Another' " . . . add to your . . . brotherly kindness love " —2 Peter 1:5, 7 Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26 ). Initially, when "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" ( Romans 5:5 ), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in...

A Roman Catholic Dogma Originating with Heretics and Condemned as Heretical by 2 Popes in the 5th and 6th Centuries. By William Webster The Roman Catholic doctrine of the assumption of Mary teaches that she was assumed body and soul into heaven either without dying or shortly after death. This extraordinary claim was only officially declared to be a dogma of Roman Catholic faith in 1950, though it had been believed by many for hundreds of years. To dispute this doctrine, according to Rome’s teaching, would result in the loss of salvation. The official teaching of the Assumption comes from...

Expiation [ek’-spee-ay‘-shun] (Latin ex- as an intensive prefix + Latin piare, “to atone”) Meaning “to atone, or make reparations for.” In Christian theology the term refers to the penal substitution of Christ on behalf of his people. Specifically it emphasizes the removal of guilt through the payment for the penalty of sin. This notion is coupled with the concept of propitiation, which refers to the appeasement or averting of God’s wrath and justice. Both concepts are seen together as two sides of the same coin.