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As America draws near to the important act of voting, there are some spiritual details we might miss. When, in the first century, Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, the culture was dominated by the worship of the goddess Artemis. A kind of Mother Nature served by galli (homosexual priests), she symbolized human autonomy from the Creator and represented the universal worship of Nature. Acts 19 gives us a sense of the spiritual state of Ephesus and so helps us as we consider our present situation. Architecturally impressive, Ephesus was full of sorcerers, witches and astrologers, who practiced occult...

New & redone, animated talking animals, pig resting in dirt, (Merlin Falcon), in flight, quoting biblical scriptures and a Colombian Parakeet quoting biblical scripture also. The hymn, Are You Washed In The Blood, written by; Elisha A, Hoffman.

How dare they conflate prayer with cowardice? How dare they mock God and those offering solace and comfort to the grief-stricken and frightened? How dare they! ”As latest batch of innocent Americans are left lying in pools of blood, cowards who could truly end gun scourge continue to hide behind meaningless platitudes [i.e. prayers].”—NY “Daily News” 12/3/15 “Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven.”—Lucifer, from John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.—James 5:16 NKJV “Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven” is the feral ego’s motto, guideline, and rallying...

Where Will You Be When the First Trumpet Sounds? A Good Question from an Advent Hymn Msgr. Charles Pope • December 2, 2015 • Part of the genius of the African-American spirituals is their ability to treat serious themes such as the final judgment in a creatively compelling manner that steers a middle course between unproductive fear and prideful presumption. Some of them are even playful: "I would not be a sinner. I'll tell you the reason why. I'm afraid my Lord might call my name and I wouldn't be ready to die!" Another spiritual says, "Satan wears a hypocrite's...

Of Hunger and Hallucinations – How the Stages of Starvation Describe the Decaying West Msgr. Charles Pope • July 27, 2015 • Yesterday’s post dealt with the capacity of this world, by God’s promise, to provide sufficient food for us. While hunger does exist, it is due more to human sinfulness than insufficient resources.But even more prevalent these days than physical hunger is spiritual hunger, if not outright starvation. As is the case with physical hunger, the source of spiritual hunger is not God, who has given us abundant grace and truth; it is we who are the source. It...

Someone is pulling our leg. This has to be a joke. And the government needs to call their bluff on it. The Public Service Alliance of Canada has come forward with some pretty tall demands for their employees. These include an extra week of paid holiday every year and one cent for every hour worked by their members to be contributed to a “social justice fund” that the union would control. The government must say no to these. But they’re not even the headline material. They’re just the opening act. No, the real doozy is they want employees to be...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/national/pope-franciss-10-secrets-to-happiness/2014/08/01/ed283448-1996-11e4-88f7-96ed767bb747_video.html From this video it is apparent to me that he is talking to all people, even those who might have Sunday jobs. Words printed out the site.

WHY would the Lord be angry with King David for taking a census? And yet we know that, as soon as he did, David “regretted having numbered the people”: I have sinned greatly in doing this thing.

An analysis pointing out the intersection of transhumanism and the occult.

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A study by Theos shows the apparently limited appeal of scientific materialism. But is it evidence that hardline atheism of the Richard Dawkins variety has little popular appeal? Modern Britain is "spiritual" but not religious. That's the headline finding of an opinion poll, and accompanying report, released this week by the Christian think-tank Theos. The ComRes poll - which confirms a trend identified in several previous surveys - found that well over half those questioned (59%) said that they believed in some kind of spiritual being or essence. There were substantial, though minority, levels of belief in specific concepts such...

In honor of Columbus Day, enjoy this clip from Drive Thru History.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.(Ephesians 6:10-12)It is becoming increasingly obvious to many of us who observe the steady assault against everything “Judeo” or “Christian” about our once great civilization, that the opposition to all that is good, transcends mere political, legal, media,...

Authorities are searching for a Washington woman who was last seen walking away from a campground in nothing but a fanny pack to go on a 'spiritual quest'. Maureen Kelly, 19, went missing early Sunday night from the Canyon Creek Campground in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwest Washington, according to KPTV. A friend told the Skamania County Sheriff's office that Kelly left the campsite to go on a naked 'spiritual quest' with nothing but a fanny pack, but she never returned.

I have heard and read a couple of comments by O'Reilly regarding his "Killing Jesus" book. He calls Jesus a revolutionary. He says that his new book in his "Killing" series will present the story in terms of historic and political events that changed the world. This tracks with the interview he had with Downey and husband on "The O'Reilly Factor" prior to the Bible episodes beginning. He asked Downey their take on the Bible. She replied to the effect that they just wanted to present the stories. OReilly's reply related to his own book and said something along the...

Yesterday, when I first heard of the horror shooting incident that took place at the Newtown, CT, elementary school, the Sandy Hook School, I was SHOCKED, SICKEN, and WITH GREAT SORROW by the unfolding of this recent heartbreaking and tragic current event. Hearing about the innocent children who were slaughtered, plus the adults as well, I ended up screaming in HORROR that innocent children, including those who are just beginning their formal learning had no chance to live a life in full. What even SHOCKED me even more was that, the young man who did the killing, a 20-year-old man...

Do you believe the claim Newsweek made in 2009 that “We are all Hindus now”? Phillip Goldberg does. In his book American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Has Changed the West (2010) he makes the compelling case that many Americans have adopted the spiritual Hindu principle of Advaita, meaning “not two,” and now believe that all is “one.” So Bill Clinton uses Eastern meditation, we speak freely of mantras, avatars, karma, mandalas, and…we practice yoga. Yoga is big in Southern California, even among Christians, and even in the schools. Is yoga just exercise, or is it part of the Hinduization of...

Let's take a serious look at the idea of diversity that is bandied about and parroted by some. On the surface, it might appear to be a desireable quality; but is it? Does a field commander, an admiral or a wing commander want diversity or unity in their units? Over many centuries, people have found that in "unity" there is strength -- unit of purpose, language, action and spirit. Diversity will not build a safe skyscraper, airplane, bridge, watch, scales, religious system or army. The strongest political, military, religious and social units are those that are unified, having a common...

Religious groups plan spiritual events while Democrats are in townBy Michael Gordon The Charlotte Observer Posted: Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 >The Rev. James Forbes told convention delegates in Boston in 2004 that “the Democratic Party had not really spent a lot of time talking about faith and politics.” That won't be a problem in Charlotte. Forbes will be part of a sweeping series of spiritual events tied to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. From mass prayer gatherings by Christians and Muslims to speeches and programs, the City of Churches plans to live up to its name. Several congregations will offer...

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola translated by Elder Mullan [1914] These are the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a plan of contemplation to be carried out over about a month. St. Ignatius of Loyola (1419-1556) was the founder of the Jesuits, and was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. He published the Spiritual Exercises in 1548. The Exercises were intended for use during a retreat; and are a central part of the first year training of Jesuit novitiates. However, one does not have to be a Jesuit-in-training to take advantage of the Exercises:...